Monday, 18 June 2012
I used our volunteer Thai basil in a bastardized version of sesame noodles, cobbled together from five different recipes and not exactly like any of them. Straight sesame—no peanut butter…. Spicier than usual out of my kitchen. Yum. (Needed a bit more sugar, I’m think, though, to balance, though it was pretty close to perfect. Didn’t measure, so no recipe possible….)
Saturday, 9 June 2012
One fine benefit of being home is the different cooking resources—both ingredients and tools.
This is a fakey-fakey version of the tuna curry (in a lovely foil pack) that TJs has discontinued (comment on this deficiency on their website, if you’re a fan, and they may well bring it back; they did once before).
The common part is that it uses a Thai curry sauce that’s a TJ product.
The differences…um, tofu instead of tuna; small tomatoes instead of red pepper. The whole thing is goosed with Thai basil, fresh from the garden, along with some frozen peas, my favorite obvious “secret” ingredient these days….
Whole concoction: very much enjoyed.
I haven’t forgotten I have promised the radish recipe. Just trying to keep you coming back! ;-D
Wednesday, 6 June 2012
I have heard many people argue that the USA is regional, yes, but also pretty much the same everywhere. Please note that I cannot image even one row of this canned good in a typical grocery in rural Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, or even New Mexico…yet a town of less than 3K in hinterland Michigan stocks TWO faces of 14 oz kraut juice. Yum.
Tuesday, 5 June 2012
Me bro weeded the strawberries for the Botanist, and the Botanist was much happier looking out at the weeded patch. And, with the reduced competition, the berries are producing, although the Botanist would have been disappointed in the size. Yet the flavor is fan-tassss-tic!
Friday, 1 June 2012
I didn’t spend all day in the kitchen, but part of the afternoon, preparing a mini-feast to serve friends—and us—in the evening.
Lost inside my own head, I took no photos. So….
Instead, I offer this fancy, fancy heat-stove among the ca. 1910 furniture assembled in the keeper quarters in the Au Sable Point Lighthouse complex we saw yesterday. The mica (aka isinglass) panels in the front grate are fragile and amazing, enticing a probing finger despite their delicate nature.
I was in a vegetable mood, and one of the dishes I made was a simple butter-braised radish dish. Haven’t made it in a while. Our friends had never had it, and enjoyed it.
We rocked “dessert” with TJs Powerberries—incomparable—have you tried them? My SIL from SD introduced me to them…four high-antioxidant fruit juices concentrated, then somehow molded or injected into the center of dark chocolate spheres.
Sunday, 20 May 2012
Xinomavro is a Greek wine grape, similar, the web says, to bordeaux or barolo. (Can you tell we ate tonight at a Greek restaurant? Great fun!)
Saturday, 12 May 2012
I’ve been reading about versions of slaw made with shredded brussels sprouts. So, I’m trying it tonight. Still trying to figure out the dressing part, but I’ve completed the shredding!
Sunday, 6 May 2012
Recipe; check.
Mint; check.
Lime; check.
Ice; check.
RUM!
Yeah, you guessed it; we celebrated Cinco de Mayo plus 24 hours….
Friday, 4 May 2012
Special Friday meal: chili. Non-standard chili. Smoky and pretty warm but not overwhelmingly hot. Mmmm.
Classy way to welcome the end of the week? (Standard work-week, that is….)
We call this German prosecco. It’s bubbly. It’s from Germany. And made from Italian grapes. Therefore, EU vino special? Ehhhh, German prosecco has a better ring.
Thursday, 26 April 2012
For a while, this much pie was left. The second round remedied that.