November 2011 Issue #28
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all is most definitely here. The winds are picking up, the the evening temps are REALLY cool, and as usual we have been more inclined to turn on the oven, braise some more meat, and create a few soups and stew, and we are only beginning!!! This year I am challenging myself to find a few cream based soups that are not too fattening and not to where they taste like cooked flour. I love, love, love lobster bisque, but I have shared that recipe previously, and I’m feeling like making a New England clam chowder or seafood chowder. As you can imagine I get tons of email s regarding recipes, try this and try that or have you …. And I look, but not always do I find, so that is when I have to create my own version OR this is good, but I like this would make it better.
Thanksgiving is the celebration of the harvest, giving thanks for the harvest and to giving thanks in general. The word “celebrate” means Observance of a holidayor Participation in a dinner party. Some Religious beliefs don’t observe holidays, but we all celebrate our friends and family, enjoying dinners and our company’s presence in our own ways. At this time of the year, we are reminded of these relationships and appreciate them by setting time aside to spend with these special people. So during this time of thankfulness, remember those you love, past and present, and enjoy!
I often get the questions of what drives you to cook, when did you first start cooking, etcetera. Well, and I’m sure I have made this statement before, I don’t know where I learned to cook or when. My love for GOOD flavor has driven me to perfect recipes to our tastes (and everyone’s tastes are different so I don’t expect to please everyone) and I always cook with love or from my heart and am always willing to share.
I recently read an article in Sunset Magazine, one of the few I actually get to read, that reminded me of some things I forgot that drove me to perfecting recipes. In my youth, I spent my summers traveling around the nation officiating events. I spent a minimum of 14 weeks a summer on the road lending to many meals out. And learning different tastes and developing my culinary prowess. As most of you know I am A Wisconsin girl that has found her way to the wonderful west coast and with good reason. There are areas of this nation that are known for one thing or another, but this great state of ours is a true melting pot and the city of San Francisco has become known as a “food town”. “Never in the history of the world have so many people elevated cooking to an extra-curricular passion” says Anna Nordberg, and I couldn’t agree more! We have a myriad of fresh markets to choose from, some which are even year round, a season of growing twice that of any other area. Our group of friends consists of gardeners, makers of handcrafted aperitifs and cordials, bakers, and home chefs creating dishes far beyond that of restaurateurs in other parts of the nation (from my personal experience).
And not ony do we have the love of food but we have the discovery of amazing vegetables in all colors of the rainbow, organic or not, commercially and best of all homegrown! We have become a nation that has been forced to “watch our money” to the point, in some cases, the way our grandparents had to during the great depression, I know, a very debatable subject . We have grown our gardens to help put monies into other parts of our lives and perfected more of the recipes to enjoy foods out of our own kitchens. We have gone back in times to bartering for goods and trading our goods with others. What has this created? In my eyes we are becoming better cooks and bakers and we are enjoying foods that even 5 years ago we didn’t know existed.
All this to bring your attention to the fact that you too are improving your cooking skills! Unbenounced to you, you are becoming a wonderful cook, becoming more comfortable and cooking with love! Live, Love and Eat!
This Month’s Tip …carve out the center of white mini-pumpkins and place orange tea lights in the center for simple table decorations and remember to use odd numbers to enhance your tablescape.
DID YOU KNOW…-there is a greater number of reports showing that the inclusion of different spices and herbs in our daily diets decrease cancers and diseases. So what is bothering you? Arthritis, a nasty cold…check for healing remedies online and keep an eye on our monthly finds. This month we are featuring cloves. Clove contains a significant amount of “eugenol” which has been reported to show benefits for the prevention of toxicity from the environment, prevention of digestive tract cancers and treatment of joint inflammation. It is also used in dentistry associated with root canals and other gum pains.
Monthly Recipe(s)
The Sauce, I fill a 5 quart pot half or better with tomatoes and start the cooking process. As it is cooking I add 1 medium onion and a few cloves of garlic diced. We like garlic so I add a few and taste and add a few more and taste until I get where I want it to be. But this is just a base, I do add more when I need it in the recipes so although we like the garlic, I don’t overdo it here either. I put in a few bay leaves and all my spices, Hometown and if I am planning this on the Italian side, squished garlic or our Tuscany blend.
The pasta is something I will leave up to you, but there is nothing like fresh pasta. 2 ¼ cup flour, 3 eggs, and 1 yolk, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon each oil and water for a dry lasagna pasta and 3 cups flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 each oil and water and 4 eggs for spaghetti or any other - not too different. Make a well and mix by hand, 1 egg at a time, or in the food processor. Roll out very thin and use a pizza cutter and a straight edge to make all widths of pasta. Bring to boil a large pot of water and cook 3 to 5 minutes until just short of al dente, drain and add to the sauce to finish cooking, why add to the sauce, to gather some of the goodness there.
The meatballs are usually a combination of low fat beef and turkey, chicken or sometimes pork. I mix in a medium onion, Hometown, bread crumbs and an egg. Unless I have a few hours and sauce on the stove I usually bake my meatballs, 30 minutes at 350⁰ F, and I make them about an inch in diameter. After the 30 minutes they are slightly browned and moist, ready to eat. If I make them larger, about 2” in diameter, I cook them in the simmering sauce for a few hours and add a little more bread crumb to hold them together. These I sever 1 per person perched atop the pasta and lots of cheese grated over. Our pasta meals always include garlic bread. We make it from any bread we have in the house, usually a sour dough bun, butter and Squished Garlic seasoning. I keep parmesan and Parmesano Reggiano in the freezer.
Spice of the Month – Squished Garlic
This seasoning came about because one of our wonderful clients brought us a bottle with just a few pieces in the bottom and asked if we could recreate it as they could no longer find it. The bottle contents were older and a bit stale and we have found that most store bought items are old by the time they hit the shelf so we had to try to adjust for that but what we have come up with is really a nice Italian style spice you can use in everything from a bread dipper to meatballs and garlic bread.
