tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38410454677412239612024-03-12T19:58:05.303-06:00My Grandmother's Kitchenmsuehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05245445952691322488noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3841045467741223961.post-75269121509452203182007-01-20T11:06:00.001-06:002007-01-20T18:29:40.355-06:00Dreary Day Brighteners<p class="MsoNormal">We are in the doldrums of winter now. Cold rain dominates our weather, with temperatures hovering right around freezing. Brrr. There is nothing quite like miserable weather to drive people inside to a warm hearth! When the weather outside is miserably cold, I am drawn to spicy flavors that warm me from the inside out. We found just the thing last night - a spicy red curry with fish. The flavors in curries can be immeasurably complex, but eventually they center on the back of the throat with a heat that both soothes and energizes. It eases whatever ails you, just like your grandmother might have made (if your grandmother was Thai, perhaps!).</p> <span style="">This <a href="http://mygrandmotherskitchen.blogspot.com/2007/01/red-curry-with-fish.html">fish curry recipe</a> works well for us, plus it is flexible enough that almost anyone can adapt it to fit individual taste preferences. We serve it with a fresh <a href="http://mygrandmotherskitchen.blogspot.com/2007/01/lime-and-coconut-salad.html">lime and coconut salad</a>. Enjoy!</span>msuehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05245445952691322488noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3841045467741223961.post-3858870268236002762007-01-20T10:46:00.000-06:002007-01-20T18:19:09.918-06:00Red Curry with Fish<p style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal">Ingredients:</p> <p class="MsoNormal">1 pound of firm white fish, such as halibut or haddock</p> <p class="MsoNormal">2-4 tbs red curry paste</p> <p class="MsoNormal">2 cups coconut milk</p> <p class="MsoNormal">4+ slices of ginger (sliced into ‘coins’)</p> <p class="MsoNormal">1 stalk of lemon grass, outer layer peeled, ends removed, chopped into ½ inch pieces</p> <p class="MsoNormal">2-3 cloves of garlic, slivered</p> <p class="MsoNormal">3 Indonesian lime leaves (also known as Kefir lime leaves)</p> <p class="MsoNormal">1 lime</p> <p class="MsoNormal">2 tbs fish sauce</p> <p class="MsoNormal">1-2 tbs brown sugar</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Cilantro, ¼ cup leaves</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Thai basil, ¼ cup leaves</p> <p class="MsoNormal">2 cups rice, cooked</p> <p style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal">Method:</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Choose fish that is not too thin so that it will hold up throughout cooking. Briefly sauté fish on both sides in a small quantity of vegetable oil. Remove to a plate while you make the curry.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Add the red curry paste to the pan, and quickly stir-fry. Add 1 cup of coconut milk and blend well. As the curry sauce cooks, add ginger, lemon grass, garlic and lime leaves. (Be sure to know exactly how many ‘coins’ of ginger you add in case you wish to remove them prior to service.) Add the fish sauce, juice from one half of the lime, one tbs of brown sugar, and the remaining cup of coconut milk. Allow the ingredients to simmer a few minutes until the sauce is a consistency that you like.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Just prior to service, return the fish to the sauce and add the cilantro and basil. Serve over rice.</p> <p style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal">Cook’s notes:</p> <span style="">This dish is quite flexible, and you can easily adjust the taste according to your own preferences. Add more coconut milk to reduce the spicy heat. Add more curry paste (a tiny bit at a time) if you like more heat. You can also add more lime juice, fish sauce, or brown sugar to fit with your own preferences.</span><br /><br />Green or yellow curry pastes make a good variation of this dish.<br /><br />Serve a <a href="http://mygrandmotherskitchen.blogspot.com/2007/01/lime-and-coconut-salad.html">lime and coconut salad</a> as a refreshing side dish with this curry.msuehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05245445952691322488noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3841045467741223961.post-58896406165570083112007-01-20T10:35:00.000-06:002007-01-21T19:55:17.413-06:00Lime and Coconut Salad*<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vwVIJ-JsMqY/RbQZcczR6WI/AAAAAAAAAA4/-cmflKLFino/s1600-h/limecoconutsalad1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vwVIJ-JsMqY/RbQZcczR6WI/AAAAAAAAAA4/-cmflKLFino/s200/limecoconutsalad1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5022667460983253346" border="0" /></a><br /><p style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal">Ingredients:</p><p class="MsoNormal">1 cup grated sweetened coconut</p> <p class="MsoNormal">1 English cucumber, seeded</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Grated zest and juice of 1 lime</p> <p class="MsoNormal">1 jalapeno, minced</p> <p class="MsoNormal">1 mango, cubed</p> <p class="MsoNormal">1-2 tbs olive oil</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Salt and pepper to taste</p> <p class="MsoNormal">*<i>Adapted from the Joy of Cooking</i></p> <span style=""><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;">Method:</span><br /><br />Mix all ingredients and chill for at least 30 minutes before serving. May be made a day ahead, although it is best when served within a few hours. Other fruits may be used, such as papaya or melon. Delicious when served as an accompaniment to fish or curry dishes.<br /></span>msuehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05245445952691322488noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3841045467741223961.post-10944361076150208972007-01-04T13:13:00.001-06:002007-01-04T21:22:59.307-06:00Ritual<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vwVIJ-JsMqY/RZ3D98unlQI/AAAAAAAAAAg/LVtKEuUostU/s1600-h/calla2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vwVIJ-JsMqY/RZ3D98unlQI/AAAAAAAAAAg/LVtKEuUostU/s200/calla2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5016381029001696514" border="0" /></a><br /><p class="MsoNormal">A recent magazine from the makers of my beloved <a href="http://www.nespresso.com/">Nespresso</a> interviewed a number of notable people from the art world. Five questions were posed to each interviewee. Of the five, the most interesting (to me) was, “Do you have a daily ritual that you absolutely could not do without?” It is a curious question because rituals are one of the ways in which we define ourselves.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">I’ve previously mentioned that making a cup of coffee each morning serves as a steadfast ritual to steer me forward through the day. Perhaps that is one I could not do without. I have other regular activities as well: checking email in the morning, writing a little bit each day, things like that. With the possible exception of writing, most of those regular activities are the normal flotsam and jetsam of life. They don’t really rise to the level of ritual. They are necessities perhaps, needed activities to keep life from going off the deep end. But routine practices and chores are not really a ritual. To be a ritual, I think the practice must be 1) regularly performed, 2) essential for self, and 3) a point of departure for greater experiences. Maybe that is too much importance to place on one cup of coffee or a morning jog, but ritual should be more than a mere habit. Even the ordinary can become special.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Rituals can be grand, of course. Nations and organizations create bold, stirring rituals that are shared communally. These are important for a collective identity. But the most significant rituals are those that are personal and quiet, private moments in which you center yourself, place your feet firmly on the ground, and ready yourself for what ever follows. They are yours and yours alone.</p><p class="MsoNormal">So think about it. Do you have a daily ritual that you absolutely could not do without?<br /></p>msuehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05245445952691322488noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3841045467741223961.post-7469988677760460492007-01-02T06:00:00.000-06:002007-01-04T21:22:08.419-06:00Jolt!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_vwVIJ-JsMqY/RZ3EWcunlRI/AAAAAAAAAAs/zskVE7eJVZY/s1600-h/01185.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_vwVIJ-JsMqY/RZ3EWcunlRI/AAAAAAAAAAs/zskVE7eJVZY/s200/01185.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5016381449908491538" border="0" /></a><br />The first day back at work after a long break is always a shock. No more sleepy mornings snuggling deep under a comforter, without even a toe brave enough to creep into the cold morning air. No more late breakfasts that stretch into lunch. No more reading books late into the night or midnight movies. Holiday breaks are lovely and sometimes decadent, but unfortunately they cannot last forever. Eventually we must be brave and face those regular routines that, after all, pay for our vacation.<br /><br />There is no need to suffer, though. There must be a way to easy back into the grind, to create a semblance of dignity to the rude awakening of a back-to-work schedule. Coffee served in a favorite mug fills that need for me. No sissy sugar or cream. No hazelnut or mocha. Just pure coffee, black and strong, points the way through the fog.<br /><br />I like the ritual of selecting just the right mug, heating the espresso machine, waiting for that familiar sound of water pressing through beans. I like the look of steam rising off a perfect crema. Mostly, I like the jolt of caffiene finding its way into my consciousness.<br /><br />Call me a java junky. I can live with that.msuehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05245445952691322488noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3841045467741223961.post-12606035329549228342007-01-01T06:30:00.000-06:002007-01-01T09:09:32.522-06:00Good Luck<p class="MsoNormal">There are some culinary experiences that you must have at an early age or else it is nearly impossible to have those tastes imbedded in your soul, a part of your identity that has no beginning or end. When I harken back to my childhood days, it is tastes and smells from my grandmother’s kitchen that resonate deep within me.</p><p class="MsoNormal">My grandmother was a practical cook. She grew some of what she cooked or made use of what was available to her in the local stores. She had the essentials of any modern kitchen: 4-burner stove and a double oven (really quite fancy for her day). She had a big Sunbeam Mixmaster and a percolator. She didn’t own any appliances we now think of as important, such as a microwave, food processor, or blender. She probably never heard of espresso, yet there was always a simmering pot of water in case someone wanted a cuppa instant Folgers. Instant coffee aside, grandmother was a great cook before Julia or Jacques taught the rest of us how to cut up a chicken.</p><p class="MsoNormal">My cooking roots grow deeply into that history. In the subsequent years we’ve increased cultural awareness and expanded culinary horizons by having access to fresh food from the other side of the world at our doorstep overnight. We’ve watched chefs on TV teach, compete, and entertain. We have more restaurant options. From my home, I’m within an easy walk of Thai, Salvadoran, Greek, Italian, and French eateries, not to mention burger or pizza joints.</p><p class="MsoNormal">But those early tastes and smells are the ones that call to me from a not so distant history. When I cook those foods again, I share my meal with those who first shared theirs with me.</p><p class="MsoNormal">Today is such a day. Our family (and if you are from the South you already know this) ate a heaping mess o’ <a href="http://mygrandmotherskitchen.blogspot.com/2007/01/texas-caviar.html">black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day</a>. If you didn’t have a bowl of black-eyes, you were doomed to a luckless, miserable year. Eat the peas and you will have good luck. Eat a lot of peas and you will know joy and fortune from January to December.</p><p class="MsoNormal">It is said that there are folks from up North who think of black-eyed peas as beneath them, people who don’t really understand why such a big deal is made of eating them on the first day of the year. I cannot explain good fortune to those people, nor can I explain how their very well being depends on a particular pea. One of those people lives in my household. It is with grave responsibility that I see to his good luck every year. It is a heady responsibility, but one that I do not shirk.</p><p class="MsoNormal">So, from my home to yours, I wish you good luck and great fortune this year. But to be on the safe side, you should eat a heaping helping of black-eyed peas!<br /></p>msuehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05245445952691322488noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3841045467741223961.post-69830399817001839002007-01-01T04:00:00.000-06:002007-01-12T15:33:40.203-06:00Texas Caviar<p class="MsoNormal">This recipe makes a flavorful salad or side dish. Adapt it with whatever you have on hand to suit your preferred tastes. Be sure to serve black-eyed peas on <a href="http://mygrandmotherskitchen.blogspot.com/2007/01/good-luck.html">New Year's Day</a> for good luck!<br /></p> <p style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal">Ingredients:</p> <p class="MsoNormal">2 cups of fresh black-eyed peas, rinsed and carefully picked over</p> <p class="MsoNormal">2-3 slices of bacon, chopped into small pieces (see Cooks Notes below)</p> <p class="MsoNormal">1 cup of sweet onions, chopped</p> <p class="MsoNormal">1-3 fresh jalapenos, seeded and finely chopped (see Cooks Notes below)</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Several cloves of garlic, minced</p> <p class="MsoNormal">½ cup chopped stewed tomatoes, drained (or 1 cup of fresh tomatoes, seeded)</p> <p class="MsoNormal">1 tablespoon Balsamic vinegar (or red wine, if you like traditional flavors)</p> <p class="MsoNormal">1 tablespoon Worcestershire</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Salt and pepper to taste</p> <p style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal">Method:</p> <p class="MsoNormal">In a medium saucepan, cook the chopped bacon until the fat is rendered and the bacon is beginning to crisp. Remove the bacon pieces to a paper towel, and drain all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the pan.</p><p class="MsoNormal">To the hot fat, add the onions and jalapenos. After they have begun to soften, add the garlic, and then stir the vegetables to assure that the fat is evenly distributed.</p><p class="MsoNormal">After 1-2 minutes (don’t let the garlic start to brown), add the peas and enough water to just cover the peas and vegetables. Gently simmer for 20-30 minutes, covered, until the peas are tender. (Be careful not to overcook or the water will evaporate and leave you with a burned mess.)</p><p class="MsoNormal">Add the chopped tomatoes to the cooked peas, and then stir in the vinegar and Worcestershire. Simmer a few minutes more, uncovered until all liquids are absorbed.</p><p class="MsoNormal">Salt and pepper to taste.</p><p class="MsoNormal">Serve warm as a side dish or cold as a salad. May be made the day before to allow flavors to blend.</p><p style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal">Cooks Notes:</p><p class="MsoNormal">There are a million ways to prepare a good mess of black-eyed peas. Begin by choosing what form of pea you will use: dried, fresh, canned, or frozen. Then decide if your peas will end up as the main course, a side vegetable, or an appetizer. It is all up to you! I start with fresh peas whenever possible, and let my imagination determine how the peas should be prepared.</p><p class="MsoNormal">If you don’t have fresh jalapenos available, it is fine to substitute canned jalapenos other fresh peppers. If you don’t have any peppers (fresh or hot), try adding some decent hot sauce such as Tabasco.</p><p class="MsoNormal">Black-eyed peas are traditionally cooked with bacon. If you don't have bacon, but have saved some bacon fat from previous cooking adventures, use that fat as a reasonable substitution. It will add a wonderful smoky flavor to the peas. You can also substitute chopped ham or even a bit of smoked sausage. It is up to you!<br /></p>msuehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05245445952691322488noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3841045467741223961.post-75370068633818674502006-12-30T09:00:00.000-06:002006-12-31T08:15:45.232-06:00Good Morning Mangosa<p class="MsoNormal">Most mornings in our house fall into a familiar routine that propels us forward into the blinding light of day. I’m a coffee person. I love (translation: am dependent upon) strong coffee, but do not have the skills to make it in the morning or the energy to get the pot ready (all but the push of a brew button) the night before. My life was changed once I discovered <a href="http://www.nespresso.com/">Nespresso</a>, which allows me to have a strong and fast caffiene jolt with minimal energy or planning. Husband is entirely a tea man. We have a fairly large stash of tea (including <a href="http://www.stashtea.com/">Stash</a>, not so ironically), both with and without caffiene.</p><p class="MsoNormal">There are special mornings, however, when a little extra sparkle is required. Holidays are such an occasion. Or you might need sparkle on a lazy Sunday when a late breakfast followed by a good book and a nap are the only activities on the schedule.</p> <span style="">For such occasions, we like to make the house specialty – <a href="http://mygrandmotherskitchen.blogspot.com/2006/12/mangosas.html">mangosas</a> – like a mimosa with a twist. Mangosas must be shared with someone you love. Or they can be shared with people that you like. Mangosas will even make those people you merely tolerate seem a whole lot more interesting. No matter, they are fun, easy, and even make <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">you </span>a very interesting person.</span>msuehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05245445952691322488noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3841045467741223961.post-79420208893267796112006-12-30T08:56:00.000-06:002006-12-30T17:33:03.496-06:00Mangosas<p style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal">Ingredients:</p><p class="MsoNormal">1 part champagne<br />1 part mango juice<br />1 splash of lime or lemon juice</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Choose a beautiful glass and fill it half full of mango juice. Slowly add champagne until glass is almost brimming. Squirt a little lime juice (lemon if you prefer) or add a wedge to the side of the glass.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">Cooks Notes:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal">I like to use <a href="http://www.odwalla.com/product1.asp?p=beverages&s=category&id=11">Odwalla’s Mango Tango</a>. It has a lovely thick consistency that is not thinned out too much by the champagne.</p> <span style="">Also, if you serve too many mangosas you might need to break out the party hats or get a few extra lampshades for people to wear. Consume with caution. It is a good idea to avoid talking to a realtor after consuming mangosas or you might find yourself in ownership of a very strange house.</span>msuehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05245445952691322488noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3841045467741223961.post-22895475116394999132006-12-28T21:47:00.000-06:002007-01-01T06:46:35.546-06:00Traditional Swiss Cheese Fondue<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">This recipe was shared with me by a <a href="http://mygrandmotherskitchen.blogspot.com/2006/12/new-beginnings.html">fondue angel</a>.</span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 51, 0);"><br /><br />Ingredients:</span> <p class="MsoNormal">Several garlic cloves, halved<br />1 ½ cups dry white wine<br />1 heaping coffee spoon cornstarch (approximately one tablespoon)<br />1 tablespoon kirsch<br />pinch of freshly grated nutmeg<br />2 cups grated Gruyere<br />1+ cup Emmental<br />1 scant cup Vacherin Friboureois</p> <p class="MsoNormal">French bread, cut into bite-sized cubes, very lightly toasted (just enough to give the bread a little extra substance, not enough to brown the bread)</p> <p style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 51, 0);" class="MsoNormal">Method:</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Mix a slurry of kirsch, cornstarch, and freshly grated nutmeg. (<span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">See Cooks Notes below.</span>) Go easy on the nutmeg because a little goes a long way. Set aside to use later.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Rub the inside of a heavy-bottomed fondue pot with the cut side of a garlic clove. Leave the cut garlic in the pot, and add a few more halved cloves in the pot if you like garlic. If you are not a fan, the extra cloves can be omitted.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Mix the three grated cheeses together in a large bowl, and place the bowl near the stove where you will make the fondue.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Add the wine to the fondue pot and place on a low burner. The wine should heat slowly to the point of a very gentle simmer. Once the wine has simmered a few moments, remove the garlic cloves. Slowly add cheese to the pot, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon in a figure-eight pattern. Do not stir in a circular motion or there is a risk of the cheese clumping into an unwieldy ball. Gradually add cheese until it is all gone, or until you think it looks just right to you! Do not allow the cheese-wine mixture to boil.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">When the cheese has all been incorporated into the wine, and the mixture is almost at the point of boiling, add the kirsch and cornstarch slurry. (It helps if you can take an extra hand to give the slurry a quick stir before adding it to the melted cheese). Continue stirring the cheese in a figure-eight pattern for 6 to 8 minutes until the mixture is smooth and creamy.</p><p class="MsoNormal">Guests should be at the table when you are at the point of adding the cornstarch. Put someone in charge of lighting the flame. Put someone else in charge of pouring wine. Put yourself in charge of transporting the hot fondue pot to the table.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Use long-handled forks or bamboo skewers to dip the bread into the cheese.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 51, 0);">Cooks Notes:</span><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">Some people recommend mixing the dry cornstarch with the cheeses rather than making a kirsch slurry. I’ve done it both ways, and both have worked well. The recipe here is based on my Swiss angel’s method. Choose the one that works best for you. If you decide to add the cornstarch to the cheese, add a little kirsch to the wine after it comes to a gentle simmer. If you are in a pinch and have no kirsch, use a little brandy (the slight flavor difference might be noticible, but won’t detract terribly).</p><p class="MsoNormal">Regarding the relative proportions of the three cheeses, my Swiss angel said that, for him, the perfect balance is 50% Gruyere, 30% Emmental, and 20% Vacherin. No matter what proportions you choose, strive for approximately a pound or more (4+ cups) of grated cheese. The Gruyere will help make the fondue creamy, and the Ementaler and Vacherin will add flavor depths.<br /></p><p style="color: rgb(153, 51, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Wine recommendation:</span> </p> <span style="">Any good dry white wine, particularly a Savignon Blanc (thank you Swiss angel for that suggestion!)</span>msuehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05245445952691322488noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3841045467741223961.post-81371188596245832212006-12-28T20:46:00.000-06:002006-12-31T09:05:11.710-06:00New Beginnings<p class="MsoNormal">There is something exciting about New Year’s Eve. It is a time to toast friends or flirt a little with your beau, even the beau you’ve been married to for a quarter century. You can even forgive those who get a little bit tipsy (but don’t let them drive home for Pete’s sake). I love the fun evening that says goodbye to the holidays, and offers one last hurrah before it is time to get back to regular workaday schedules.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Several years ago we started making <a href="http://mygrandmotherskitchen.blogspot.com/2006/12/traditional-swiss-cheese-fondue-recipe.html">Swiss cheese fondue</a> on New Year’s Eve. From time to time we’ve invited friends to share a meal, and other times we’ve made it for the two of us. OK, occasionally we might accidentally drop a bite for our faithful four-footed pooch. She is on high alert during the dinner hour, and snaps up any dropped morsels before they hit the floor. How she can be on both sides of the table at once is proof of teleportation, I’m certain. But I digress.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Last year I went to my favorite market just prior to New Year’s Eve. A most gracious gentleman appeared out of nowhere to offer his help. I asked what he could suggest to accompany fondue, he replied, “Fondue? Swiss fondue?? Is this what you are making? For New Year’s Eve?” His slight accent was hard to place, but made his questions seem Very Important. Soon his face broke into a smile and he said, “I am from Switzerland! Fondue comes from my home! I will tell you how to make fondue!” And with that, he instructed me how to make fondue the way his mother made it. I would hazzard a guess that his grandmother made it that way too.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">We made fondue his way that year, and it was exactly what I had hoped it would be – warm, smooth, cheese that coated the cubed bread like a silken coat of yummy goodness. The blend of cheeses paired beautifully together, and melted into something smooth and creamy.</p><p class="MsoNormal">A few days after our meal, and for months after that, I searched in vain to thank him for sharing his delicious recipe. He was nowhere to be found, and I eventually concluded that he was either a fondue angel who appeared out of thin air to assist willing students, or that perhaps he found a job somewhere else or even returned to his homeland.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Then, today, one year later, I went back to that same market in search of fondue ingredients. And there he was! I went to him and asked the silliest question: “Do you remember helping me a year ago?” He looked confused, but then I said the magic words: “You helped me with fondue!” Once again a beatific smile spread across his face. And once again he shared with me his family’s recipe. I learned something else new - if a lady loses her bread in the cheese, she must kiss the cheek of the man to her right. And if a man loses his bread, he must buy the next bottle of wine! I wonder if it is considered acceptable to use your fondue fork aggressively to assure that your dining companions have to pony up wine or kisses.<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">The fondue beckons, however. We will make it again this year because it is our Swiss angel's tradition. And now, because it is our tradition too.</p><span style=""></span>msuehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05245445952691322488noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3841045467741223961.post-69352951214794694122006-12-21T16:20:00.000-06:002007-01-01T21:45:27.877-06:00Spicy Pecan Munchies<span style="font-weight: bold;"></span>1.5 pounds of shelled pecan halves (about 6 cups)<br />1/4 to 1/2 stick butter (to taste, but less is better)<br />1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce<br />generous helping of sea salt flakes (or regular salt)<br />cayenne pepper, to taste<br />ground cinnamon, to taste<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Preheat</span> oven to 250 degrees Farenheit.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Melt</span> butter with Worcestershire sauce in a large roasting pan.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Add</span> pecans, stirring to coat nuts with melted butter and Worcestershire.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Stir </span>every 10 or 15 minutes until liquids are absorbed. This slow roasting can take an hour or more. Don't get fidgety and turn the temperature up or the pecans will burn!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Add</span> spices when all liquids are absorbed and the pan is removed from the oven.<br /><br />While the nuts are still hot, add salt (about 1 teaspoon at a time) until it tastes right to you. Don't add too much or the nuts will be too salty to enjoy later.<br /><br />Shake in cayenne, stirring quickly so that it is evenly distributed. I like a lot of cayenne, but gentler souls might prefer much less. It is up to you!<br /><br />Add a bit of ground cinnamon for a softer flavor note that will compliment the cayenne nicely. A little bit will do. Tasters will likely know that something is there, but not be able to identify it is cinnamon.msuehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05245445952691322488noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3841045467741223961.post-45562801096182180672006-12-21T16:00:00.001-06:002007-01-01T13:43:44.371-06:00Holiday Menu<p class="MsoNormal">On the menu this holiday:</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://mygrandmotherskitchen.blogspot.com/2006/12/spicy-pecan-munchies.html">Spicy Pecan Munchies</a></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Appetizer of Baked Pears, Gorganzola and Walnuts in Fillo pockets</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Roasted Pork Tenderloin rolled in Fennel Seed, Garlic, and Rosemary</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Shallots Braised in Red Wine</p><p class="MsoNormal">Roasted Fingerling Potatoes</p><p class="MsoNormal">Roasted Asparagus Spears with Balsamic Drizzle</p><p class="MsoNormal">Poached Pears with Cinnamon Ice Cream and Zinfandel Basalmic Sauce<br /></p>msuehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05245445952691322488noreply@blogger.com0