Can you taste the golden liquid in which the flan rests?
New York City 2015 in a restaurant which has since closed.
Tag: cooking
Dueling Grilled Cheese
Lunch on Friday afternoon in Ohio. Granddaughters Anna and Maura each made a grilled cheese sandwich, plated them with a garnish of fruit and served the sandwiches to me.
I was to eat half of each and cast my vote for the winner. Yikes. Anna’s wasn’t quite as grilled as Maura’s but she used garlic butter and that was unexpected and delicious. Maura’s was thicker with cheese and toasted nicely. Mmmmmm. I ate a half of each but I declared it a tie. They said my verdict wasn’t allowed. It was not quite Iron Chef but it was fun. They kept jockeying the plates so I’d sample their efforts first. Anna selected her dad’s favorite mug to serve the oj. Nice touch. I loved them both and it was a great lunch.
Granny Smiths
Yes, it’s winter. Seriously cold winter.
What better time to bake apples?
I used my sister’s method and added a few tablespoons of Balsamic vinegar in the bottom which I later spooned onto the apples’ core opening. Nothing else. No cinnamon or raisins or butter or sugar. Granny Smiths snd Balsamic vinegar.
I used an apple shaped Glasbake Vintage baking dish (a gift from Molly) and baked them at 350F for an hour.
The kitchen was warm from the oven and the whole house smelled delicious. Looks like an electric element but it’s gas.
Snippet of Lace and a Tiny Flower Tattoo
My sister gave me this vintage apron years ago.
It’s a conversation piece. I don’t know who made it.
Most of my aprons hang inside the pantry door and aren’t vintage. That will be another post.
This half apron is fun to wear when hostessing,
Just lift up the skirt of the dress for the unexpected.
A bit of lace and an embroidered flower. The fabric of the midriff is worn and there is a hole right where the navel would be. Maybe it is one of a kind?
And of course it it all trimmed with good old rick- rack.
OoooooLaLa
Good Garlic
Friday night. Supper.
Making good use of the garlic my brother David sent from Okanogan. Cherry tomatoes courtesy of Deb snd Sy’s vines growing along the Ohio River. Steve brought home the fresh pasta.
Sautéed baby spinach in olive oil with garlic.
My Brother’s Organic Garlic From Okanogan
I was excited to receive the annual organic garlic package my brother sends. Inspirational. I think my sister helped get it out to me this year as she’s visiting now. Thanks David and Mary. Can’t wait to cook with it.
(The glass flag plate from my friend J in Florida. She always remembers my Fourth of July Birthday with a red,white and blue gift!)
Shared Summer Harvest
Come January we’ll be longing for these tomatoes. The taste of summer.
My friend R stopped by the other evening and shared these fresh-from-the-garden tomatoes. Just picked!
Olive oil, chunky chopped onions and a couple of garlic cloves. Threw in the remaining cherry tomatoes (we’d been popping them in our mouths, unadorned)
Black beans and rice. Mmmmmmmm.
Zucchini and Fresh Tomatoes Hint of Summer
Nell Miller’s Poor Man Meatballs
Three zucchini, grated and drained
Add a couple of eggs and a cup of Italian bread crumbs -salt and pepper
I tilt the bowl so excess liquid pools and can be removed
Mince by hand or whir a few garlic cloves in the food processor
Heat up the cast iron skillet. Add olive oil.
Shape and brown.
Tonight I added fresh grape cherry tomato sauce on the side. Grate some Parmesan
tastes like summer
Truffle Atop Poached Egg and Wild Asparagus Risotto
What an evening of taste bud surprises! WOW.
We took an evening tram to meet my son’s friends at a café. Because it was the night before the Easter Holiday, every seat was taken. Quite a wait for a table. Everyone celebrating being off the next workday.
Bummer- BUT When the friends arrived they had a discussion for an alternate plan. Wow, did I ever luck out that the café was full. One went to procure a bottle of red.
The first delight was I’s Sour Cherry apéritif which he’d made. At first, I was worried it might burn but my concerns were totally unfounded. In fact, the drink defined summer captured in a slim crystal cylinder. All I can say it the ruby liquid of summer’s sour cherries woke up every taste bud in my mouth. Delicious. Not to sweet, not too tart, zero burn. Perfection!
And then the surprise of M’s creation- Poached egg on fresh bread with the fruitiest most fragrant olive oil drizzle AND the unexpected luxurious truffle on top of the gently poached farm egg. Or “home eggs” as my family refers to them.
I was feeling quite content with all I had eaten. Italian cheese and olives to start and then the Sour Cherry apéritif and the lovely truffle surprise. And then the Wild Asparagus Risotto was ready to eat. Freshly Grated Cheese on top. Oh my. So bold. It was wild! A flavor I’dd never before experienced, created by a culinary expert.
I was happy to meet my son’s friends and be invited into a Zagreb home to experience these tastes and more importantly their friendship and hospitality.
Sretan Uskrs and Hvala for a wonderful evening in Zagreb.
iPhone photos don’t do justice to this dish.
The wild asparagus simmers
Words are inadequate to describe this bold Wild Asparagus Risotto. WOW!
