I met my best girlfriend exactly 25 years ago. I remember the day precisely…. It was the fourth of July, and our picnic blankets were right next to each other on the downtown Mall of Washington DC. We were both there with friends to enjoy The Beach Boys’ annual concert and watch the fireworks display at dusk. As we tell the story, we were the only ones dancing among our friends.
We weren’t sophisticated eaters or drinkers back then… our coolers were filled with Popeyes Fried Chicken and Rolling Rock Beer.
I haven’t lost my taste for Popeyes, but my beverage choices have gone decidedly up-market.
On hot summer days, I now prefer Peach Sangria. It’s light and refreshing. And because it’s diluted with juice and soda, it makes for easy quaffing with minimal impairment (especially important when drinking in the sun).
Wishing you a refreshing and festive holiday weekend!
And to Michelle, Happy Anniversary!
Peach Sangria
1 ½ lb. peaches, peeled (opt.) and sliced 2/3 cup sugar
2 cups apple juice 1 bottle dry white wine 3 tbs. curacao or other orange flavored liquor
2 cups soda water (opt.)
1. Combine fruit, sugar and apple juice in a pitcher. Stir to dissolve sugar and let sit for 1 hour.
2. Add wine and liqueur. Refrigerate.
3. Add soda water just before serving. Serve over ice.
Even the best food stylist needs a good photographer. I am neither, but Ellen has a way of making my food look delicious.
Take for example, this plate of braised shortribs with beet puree and broccoli raab. The colors are spectacular – the electric fuchsia of the beets, the bright green raab and the contrastingly dark braised short ribs.
Can you tell which photo was taken by the professional and which was taken by me? In both cases, I cooked and plated the food.
And perhaps, when Ellen's behind the camera, I spend more time plating and less fussing with my own camera.
In the end, we decided not to add this photo to the portfolio because it still wasn't the best showcase of either of our works.
Growing up, I cooked mostly from the Time-Life Cookbooks. I loved the pictures in The Good Cook series that guided me through the techniques of each recipe. When I tired of those, my mom bought me the Healthy Home Cooking series and then the Great Meals in Minutes. To me, these books were far more interesting than Judy Blume or Nancy Drew. I would browse through the pictures, and ask my mom to buy the ingredients of the most enticing photos.
On the cover of Fresh Ways with Fish & Shellfish was the most enticing photo of Shrimp and Asparagus Wrapped in Sole. I read the recipe once, twice and then after the third time, I finally queried my mom – how was I going to wrap the fish around the shrimp and asparagus to look like the photo? She couldn’t figure it out either, and so she got on the phone to call the editor. I guess at this point in the story, I should mention that she worked for Time-Life Books so it wasn’t completely over the top that she should pick up the phone.
It was at that moment I discovered what food styling is all about: making food look enticing and succulent for the camera. Realistic and edible are not required.
Every once in a while, I will style food for local photographer Ellen Callaway. Together we created a portfolio of food shots. Unlike the recipes I create for my blog, we pick dishes that inherently will work for the camera. Because of that early childhood trauma, I refuse to stage food that is not created according to the recipe accompanying the shot.
For a recent photo shot, I wanted to create a pasta dish with chanterelle mushrooms, but only hedgehogs were available.
Fettuccine with Wild Spring Mushrooms and Parmesan
½ pound fettuccine 3 scallions, cut lengthwise into 4 pieces each 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 3 tablespoons butter ½ pound chanterelle or hedgehog mushrooms, brushed clean and cut into quarters 3 garlic cloves, sliced 1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped ¼ cup dry sherry Salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste Freshly grated parmesan
1. Cook pasta according to package directions. One minute before it’s done, add scallions to the water. Drain pasta and scallion together and toss with olive oil. 2. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium high flame. Add butter. When it’s melted, sprinkle the mushrooms in one layer in the pan. Top with a sprinkling of garlic, shallots, thyme, salt and pepper. Let cook for 3 minutes without stirring. Stir and then let cook for another 3 minutes. 3. Deglaze the mushroom pan with sherry. When mostly reduced, adjust seasoning with salt, pepper and lemon juice. 4. Toss pasta with mushrooms. Serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese.
My dad grew up in the forties and fifties in a small town in western Pennsylvania. Fish came frozen and breaded, and vegetables were canned. When he went to graduate school in Manhattan, he discovered all sorts of new foods. One of them was during a date to a fine French restaurant. His girlfriend ordered artichokes and he followed along. As he watched her eat, pulling back the leaves and daintily nibbling the heart away from the leaves with her teeth , he thought, "This is how a proper woman eats artichokes, surely real men eat the whole leaf." Much to his discomfort, he discovered that real men also eat artichokes by nibbling off the heart from the leaves.
Artichokes grow in warm climates with cool nights: the quintessential spring climate of their native Mediterranean. I've read that they can grow in New England too, but require starting the seeds indoors and full sun when planted outside. Given my ability to start seeds inside and the conditions of my yard, I will leave the growing to others, and purchase them at my favorite green grocer. Look for tightly closed globes — as the leaves start to open the hearts turn bitter and tough.
I typically braise artichokes in olive oil. This tenderizes the heart as well as the inner leaves, and takes away the tart after taste that makes artichokes so hard to pair with wine. Once braised, I'll roast them for a crispy exterior, top them on pizza with St. Andre cheese or mix them in with risotto. This recipe uses a lot of anchovies, which is great if you have an abundance.
Braised artichokes
4 artichokes 1 cup olive oil 1/4 cup water 1/2 cup anchovies 1/2 cup garlic 1/2 cup capers 1/2 cup parsley salt and pepper to taste
1. Clean artichokes by cutting back tough outer leaves and trimming stem back to the white part. Cut artichokes in half and scoop out the fuzzy choke.
2. In food processor, gently puree anchovies, garlic, capers and parsley.
3. Bring olive oil to a boil in an oven proof pot with caper mixture. Add artichokes and water. Cover with foil and cook in the oven for 45 minutes or until leaves are tender.
Beets get a bad rap, though I’m not sure where it comes from. Perhaps it’s a hold-over from the days when the only variety available were canned, leaving them mushy, salty and bland. To me, they are a perfect balance of firm, refreshing texture with a sweet, earthy flavor. Best of all, they are nutritious, so I feel downright virtuous when I consume a bowlful like candy.
Last week, beets appeared at the market. They were shamefully small, and I couldn’t imagine there’d be much left after peeling. As much as I love beets, it seemed the farmers were rushing the process.
This week, however, they were decidedly larger. With the greens still attached I know they are freshly harvested — beets that have been in storage have the tops cut off as they wither in a few days. Like tomatoes, beets come in a variety of colors, shapes and sizes – candy striped with white rings, golden, pink and red. They range in sweetness, the red sometimes cloying by comparison to the lighter colors.
Roasting beets intensifies the flavors and the sweetness. It also makes peeling easier. Before roasting, be sure to scrub the beets well to remove all the dirt. Toss them in some olive oil, wrap in foil, and bake in a 350 oven for an hour or so.
Lately, my favorite preparation has been roasted with bacon and onions. While the beets are roasting, I sauté bacon and onions together until the bacon is crisp and the onions are caramelized. When the beets are cooked, I peel and slice them and toss them in the bacon-onion mix. Seasoned with a little lemon juice or mint, they are the perfect accompaniment to salmon (Crusted with pistachios and horseradish) or a pasta carbonara with peas or asparagus. Pureed with a little olive oil or chicken stock, it makes a delightful sauce for just about anything.
Beets with goat cheese are a classic combination. The tart, creaminess of the cheese balances with the sweet, firm texture of the beets. Though, I don’t eat nuts, walnuts add both texture and flavor that some say is the perfect compliment.
Of course, beets stain exceptionally well – hands, cutting boards and clothing. The best remedy is to wash with a paste of cold water and baking soda. Not only does it remove the red from your hands, it leaves them soft as well. Beets and Goat Cheese Napolean with Buttered Walnuts
1 lb. red beets 2 tbs. olive oil 1 red onion, finely diced 1 tbs. red wine vinegar 1-2 tbs. fresh chopped thyme 4 oz. creamy goat cheese salt and pepper to taste
1. Put beets in a pot and cover in cold water. Season water with salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to a simmer. Continue cooking for 30 minutes, or until skins easily peel off.
2. When beets are cooked, cool under cold running water. Peel beets. Slice. Toss beets with red onions, vinegar, olive oil and thyme.
3. Put beets on a plate, and dollop goat cheese on top. Garnish with mesclun and buttered walnuts
Balsamic Mesclun 1 pound mesclun 3 tbs. balsamic vinegar 1 tsp. shallots 1 tsp. thyme 1 tsp. mustard ½ cup + extra virgin olive oil pinch sugar salt and pepper to taste
Put balsamic, shallots, thyme and mustard in a blender. Puree. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the oil. Season to taste with salt, pepper and sugar
Buttered Walnuts 1 cup walnuts 2 or more tbs. butter salt and pepper
Melt butter in skillet. Toss in walnuts and toast until lightly browned and fragrant. Season with salt and pepper.
