Bonjour!!! Things have been a little quiet here at The Table. As you can see, I’ve been sitting at “another” table – mainly in Paris and Provence for the last couple of weeks. I know, you feel my pain, right?

My original plan was to post some of these photos during the trip – but “le wi fi” is not as abundant as I’d thought and to be honest, I did not have a lot of downtime. As my husband and I say “we take trips… not vacations” – which means we don’t laze around our hotel room … we are up and out, exploring… and of course, eating!!!

And this trip was no different  – there was much on offer – and we did our best to sample as much of it as possible!

Spring has definitely arrived in Paris … the markets were full of fresh asparagus, berries, tomatoes and melons…

And of course… there was the bread… (sigh)

And the  saucisson…  so many kinds and so little time….

And to go with all that lovely bread and saucisson…. olives and  artichokes… peppers and tomatoes….

And … cheese. Sorry, there are no photos of that… it is simply too painful… I am having serious  cheese withdrawals as I type this. How can you not love a country where you can get fabulous cheese for a few euros? The outdoor marches, the fromageries… even the supermarche we shopped at in St. Remy had fabulous cheese!

But lest you think this trip was all about the food -which it wasn’t… well, not really….

It was definitely about joie de vivre…

Like this splendid parade of people on bicycles sporting vintage Parisian attire…and all manner of baskets filled with baguettes.. and I am sure some glorious cheese….

Still have no idea what this was all about… but considering how glorious the weather was.. perhaps that was reason enough!

I came away from this trip re inspired… my mind is still whirling with all dishes I want to make and share with you! But most importantly, I was  reminded that truly  good food does not have to complicated or extravagant.  Over the next several weeks I’ll be posting a variety of simple dishes featuring  the bounty of late spring and early summer produce!

Paris and Provence of my dreams is a post from: A Communal Table

The sea, the sun … and salad!

Last week I attended the Dole Salad Summit in beautiful Monterey, California.  Along  with 19 other fabulous bloggers I  spent t 1 1/2 days  immersed in a true “farm -to -table” experience.

There is so much I want to tell you about this trip so be warned, this post is a bit longer than usual! So, grab a snack (a salad would be a great idea, don’t you think? and settle in!!!

Our  adventure began at the beautiful The Clement Monterey  located right on the  historic Cannery Row – just steps from the Monterey Bay Aquarium.  After a fun and  filling dinner at the iconic Sardine Factory we returned to hotel to rest up for our big day of “Salad 101″!!!

The day began with a trip to the administrative offices for Dole Fresh Vegetables where we got a brief introduction to Dole and to the world of Dole Salads. Like many people, when I think of “Dole” I think of bananas and the The Tiki Room at Disneyland – but there is so much more to Dole than that – like the fact that  Dole is the largest supplier of fruits and vegetables in the world,  employs 76,000 people, works with over 9.000 farmers and has operations in over 90 countries. Who knew? I know I didn’t, did you?

Over  a taste testing of three new salad blends we had a great round table discussion about… you guessed it -  salads (!!)  -a subject that is, as you know, near and dear to my heart! We talked about the challenges Americans face incorporating more vegetables into their diets and everyone from Dole  eagerly listened to our ideas and observations – their focus and desire about  how to accomplish this goal set the tone for the rest of the day.

We stopped in Carmel for an amazing lunch at La Bicyclette... and I’m going to be posting about this experience in a future post. By then I hope to have stopped obsessing about this carrot risotto… and hoping that Paula from Bellalimento has figured out the recipe!!
On the bus from  Carmel into Salinas we had a chance to talk with Terry Foley, the commodities director for Dole Fresh Vegetables who answered a ton  of questions  about the farms, harvesting, planting, water  and  pesticides -thank you Stephanie from Recipe Renovator for all of the great questions!!!   What interested me the most however was Dole’s relationship with the farmers -( ok, and to be honest, I loved all the technology too since I am kind of a geek that way!). I was surprised to learn that Dole has been working with many of these farms for  several generations and that the relationship is truly a  collaborative one. Upon reaching the fields, we had a chance to talk with Mark Pisoni , a third generation farmer whose family has worked with Dole for over 40 years. I asked Mark about his relationship with Dole and what I learned may surprise you.  According to Pisoni, it is his relationship with Dole that allows him to keep his family farm. When I asked him to elaborate, he pointed to the harvesting operation that was going on in the field. Since Dole handles all the harvesting, processing and distribution,  the farmers that work with Dole have access to all the latest technology in harvesting , processing and food safety -  thus maximizing the value of the crops that they grow.   For farmers like Pisoni, this is a huge advantage since Dole is able to provide this services at a much lower cost than most of these farmers could on their own.  Pisoni concluded our conversation by saying that because of his relationship with Dole he is able to achieve his goal of providing  consumers with produce that is not only as fresh as possible but also safe to eat  – and as he said, “there is nothing better than that!”

I couldn’t agree more.

Farmer Mark Pisoni

From the fields we headed to the processing plant, a short drive from the fields. First up was an introduce to the “food lab” where Gil Oetzel, Director of New Product Development had a little quiz for us – matching the lettuces displayed on the table with their names! As an added incentive the person with the most correct answers would win a prize that they would announce that evening at the salad party!  It was not only fun, but was a great way to see all the different lettuces and vegetables  that Dole works with – from large heads to small baby lettuces – all in all,  Dole offers 30 different salad blend varieties and 10 salad kits – enough variety so that you could eat an entirely different salad every day of the month! So be warned folks… there WILL be salad!!!

After completing the quiz (with great hints from Gil!) We headed to the observation deck of the processing plant. We saw the entire process – washing, drying, bagging, etc. It was fascinating and impressive – the emphasis on quality and safety was evident at each step of the process.  It’s truly amazing that within the space of only a  few days, a head of lettuce can be harvested, cleaned and packaged  in California and be on the shelves of a market in New York – ready to eat. 20 years ago that simply wouldn’t have been possible – so a huge “shout out” to food technologists everywhere – you guys rock!

Oh the plans I have for these.....

After our immersion in Salad 101 we headed back to the hotel and prepared to feast on …. salads!!! Since a certain “someone” was too  busy talking and eating (and not necessarily in that order!) I don’t have any photos of our party to share with you. Suffice it to say, it was all delicious and some of those recipes will be making an appearance here at the Table! Oh, and the salad quiz?? I won! So it’s official… I am now a certified Salad Geek!!!

On the trip home,  I thought back over all I had seen, the conversations I’d had, and what my “take aways” from the trip were. In a nutshell,  this trip was about “passion.”  In every presentation, every discussion, and every conversation it was there -  the people at Dole are truly  passionate about providing the highest quality vegetables  to their customers and are dedicated to helping Americans incorporate more of them in their diets – a worthy goal and one that I am only too happy to support. So get ready folks, we are gonna be getting our “Salad’tude” on!!

Disclaimer: Dole provided transportation, lodging and meals for this trip. All opinions however, are my own based upon my experience.

Dole Salad Summit is a post from: A Communal Table

So what do you get when you combine a salad with an appetizer?

You get what I call a “Saladtini”!!   I know most of us think of salads as pretty much limited to lunch and dinner – but they make wonderful appetizers too – and are a great change from the usual crudite platter! Salads have been on my mind quite a bit lately since this  week I  will be  heading up north to Monterey to attend Dole’s Salad Summit – a whole day devoted to learning all about salad !! In case you didn’t know, May is National Salad Month  – so what better time to talk about salads and why they make such a great appetizers!

If you think about it,  salads as appetizers makes perfect sense – salads are colorful, just about everyone eats salad, and (depending upon what you put in the salad)  salads are perfect for those with a variety of dietary restrictions and provide a great balance to the usual  “protein heavy”  appetizers we all love.  Here are a few things to keep in mind when serving a salad as an appetizer:

• Keep it contained – use glasses, small plates or other vegetables like endive leaves, baby bell peppers, or even lettuce leaves to hold the salad.
• For salads with tender leaves, place the dressing on the side in either a decorative bottle or a small bowl with a spoon – that way everyone can dress their salad right before eating.
• Set out a small dish or glass with small forks for scooping up the salad!
• Don’t be afraid to “mix it up” -  you can also serve pasta and whole grain salads this way too!

This salad is a riff on the standard American salad with tender romaine and iceberg lettuce, shredded carrots, red cabbage, radishes and tomatoes with chili lime flavored croutons and an avocado dressing and is perfect for an appetizer party or even as a buffet dish – the croutons and dressing can be made ahead and then all you do is portion out the salad greens and top with tomatoes and croutons – easy!!!

So what would be your favorite salad to serve as a Saladtini??

Avocado, Tomato and Chile Lime Crouton “Salad-Tini” is a post from: A Communal Table

“What is your favorite thing to make?”

As a personal chef, I get this question quite often and it’s a tough one to answer… because as a obsessive passionate cook, I like to cook just about everything.. so narrowing it down is a lot like trying to pick my favorite color – there are just too many choices !!  But if you ask me what my favorite category of things to make is, that’s easy… appetizers and hors d’ oeuvres.  They are my favorite type of  “gig”   to cater and my favorite type to host because to be honest, I think they are the easiest… and the most fun!

I know, you think I am completely crazy – little bites for 20 – 30  people? Really??? Yes!  But it’s not as crazy as it sounds…  Because the key to this type of party is in the menu and recipes.  If chosen well,  you can pull it off with a minimum of fuss and bother and actually enjoy your own party!!

So, as the season of showers, soirees and outside entertaining begins, I thought I’d share some of my “tried and true” recipes and ideas with you for hosting your own appetizer party.

First up – Marinated Feta. This is one of my favorite “oh my goodness I need an appetizer tonight and I have no time” recipes… and I am using the term “recipe” here very loosely. Which is one of the things I adore about this dish. As long as you have good feta (more on that in a minute) and a few pantry staples you are good to go. And speaking of “going” this is a great appetizer to take with you to a party, a potluck or anywhere else. With this appetizer, it is all about the ingredients… starting with the feta. Searching out good quality feta is truly worth the time and doesn’t cost significantly more (and may cost less depending upon where you buy it) than a supermarket variety. Although Greek feta is the one most people are familiar with, I’ve recently become enamored of a Bulgarian feta I found at my local middle eastern market. The Bulgarian feta is also made with sheeps milk but has a creamier and fuller flavor than the greek feta I usually buy. If you can find it, it’s worth seeking out – but if not, a good greek feta (packed in brine!) works beautifully!!

As for the “marinade” part, I keep it pretty simple – a little fresh lemon juice and some good olive oil. Add some good olives, some seasonings and there you have it. You can make this a couple of days in advance which gives the cheese a chance to soak up some of the flavors but if you don’t have time to do it in advance it is still delicious! Serve it with some crackers or pita bread!

Here are some other “quick” appetizers that are perfect for a an appetizer party!

Pickled Celery

Mahummara Dip

Shrimp with Lemongrass and Chili Salt

Salmon Rillettes

Herb Hummus

Savory Madeleines

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Marinated Feta is a post from: A Communal Table

Sometimes my eyes are bigger than my stomach.

Especially when it comes to fresh produce.

I just can’t help myself – those gorgeous mounds of cute little persian cucumbers call to me and somehow end up in my shopping basket along with creamy heads of cauliflower, and bright green bunches of celery almost all on their own. In terms of “shopping addictions” this isn’t a bad one to have – produce is good for you and is generally cheaper than a new pair of shoes.

But shoes last…. and fresh produce doesn’t.

So what is a “shopoholic” like me  to do? Fortunately there is a better solution than joining a 12 step program.

Refrigerator pickles.  No water baths required and you can make them in small batches.  All you need is a few clean jars, some vinegar, produce (think I’ve got that one covered) and your imagination… oh,  and about 15 minutes!!

And they will surpass just about anything you can buy off a supermarket shelf!!! You can pickle just about any firm vegetable – celery, carrots, cauliflower, peppers, zucchini, green beans, mushrooms, radishes, onions and beets. You can make jars of individual vegetables or pair them. You can make them sweet or more savory -spicy or not… it’s really up to you and your taste buds!

There is of course, only one problem with all these choices…  I may just have another addiction to deal with…

Pickled Celery is a post from: A Communal Table

If you’ve been reading this blog for a bit, you’ve probably noticed that I don’t use a lot of packaged food. Unlike many people, I am not “anti packaged/processed food” – it definitely has it’s place. No, my  main reason for not using a lot of processed food is (1) I didn’t grow up with it, and (2) there aren’t many processed foods that I find are worth the convenience/flavor trade off.

But I am ALWAYS willing to try new things.

Like these beets from Melissa’s Produce. Now these aren’t really a “processed food” per se. The only ingredient is… beets. Ah, but beets that are already cooked AND Peeled. And delicious.

And if you aren’t aware, I LOVE beets. But I am not in love with the whole “roasting/cooling/peeling” part – “been there, done that” as they say . Although my love of beets generally “beets” (ok, couldn’t resist that one!!) my dislike of the whole roasting/peeling part it doesn’t happen often enough.

But that  is going to change with these beauties – and they are beautiful – firm and luscious with a true “beet” flavor and nothing like those pantry staples – canned beets.

Through the miracle of modern technology (and yes, it truly is miraculous!!) these beets are not only cooked and ready to go but have an amazing shelf life – they can happily live in my refrigerator for months… ready and willing to participate in whatever bit of  culinary whimsy that comes into my head.

Which brings me to today’s recipe. Beet Carpaccio.

I first tasted beef carpaccio when I was in my early twenties and I was smitten – every time I saw it on a menu I had to order it and became somewhat of a carpaccio snob if you will – and as a result, came up with my own favorite version . But these days, with so many people cutting down or eliminating beef in their diets, it isn’t a dish that I make very often.

So I thought,” hmmm… why not try it with these beets?” With a couple little tweaks I had a plate of carpaccio ready in about 15 minutes. Yep, 15 minutes. Magic.

Which is good. Because this may become habit forming .. in a good way.

I ate a whole plate for lunch… and then went to work clearing out some space in the refrigerator for one of my new “staples”.

Beet Carpaccio is a post from: A Communal Table

If you’ve been out and about the blogsphere recently one thing is pretty clear – this week has pretty much been about eggs.

Which isn’t surprising since eggs are  synonymous with Easter – candies are shaped like them, we fill little plastic ones with said  egg shaped candy and we hide them for children to hunt… and happily pilfer a few when the kids are looking … right?

So I’m sure it’s no surprise that my recipe today features…. eggs!

But not just “any” eggs. A couple of weeks ago we had a little blogger get together and Kim from Rustic Garden Bistro brought each of us a cute little bag of gorgeous eggs from “her girls”. Looking at them I knew that I just had to come up with something special to make with them.

Honestly, aren’t they beautiful??

I was also thinking about what would be a great Easter morning dish. I wanted something that was a little different from the usual scramble or poach .. and I also wanted it to be easy. A few years ago I saw a dish that was like a shirred egg except that the whites were beaten and rose up like a souffle with the yolk perched in the center . I thought they were beautiful and scribbled down a description in my notebook.  This was the perfect opportunity to try them and see what I thought.

It took a couple of tries to work out the finer points – and they were  “eggxactly” (sorry, couldn’t resist!) what I was hoping for.

Looking for some ideas for things to go with these eggs? Here is a great Easter/ Spring  Brunch Menu!!

Happy Spring Everyone!!!

Citrus Salad with Mint Gremolata

Eggs In Nests

Brown Butter and Cardamon Coffee Cake

Bacon/sausage

Sparking wine/Orange Juice/Coffee/ Tea

Eggs in Nests is a post from: A Communal Table

The last few weeks have been  a bit stressful… which means I need one of two things – a one way ticket to Tahiti or a cocktail.

Well, since the one way ticket to Tahiti isn’t gonna happen.. a cocktail it is!

And since I have been very disciplined this week, I can splurge a little.

My cocktail of choice this week? A  pretty little cocktail that’s not too sweet. Pomegranate liqueur, vodka and pink grapefruit juice makes a perfect bridge between the heavier drinks of winter and the light and frothy concoctions of summer and that has a cute name to boot… the Blushing Lady.

And of course one must have a little nosh to go with a cocktail….

Ah, Salmon Rillettes would be lovely….

Or even this Mahummara Dip would would be good..

Ah, the possibilities are endless… and I’d best stop because I am making myself hungry!!

So, here is hoping you have  a “stress free” weekend!!

Cheers!!!

Blushing Lady Cocktail is a post from: A Communal Table

Did you make any New Year’s Resolutions?

I know what you are thinking  – “wha-a-a-a-t? That was like 3 months ago!” (Amazing how time flies isn’t it? – but I digress…)

Well, I did and although I’d like to say that I am acing them all, that isn’t true. But since I am just about one fourth of the way through the year I thought I’d take a little step back and see how I’m doing.

So what exactly were these resolutions? Well, I had a few but the one I want to talk about was… you guessed it, about food!

My resolution was to be more, shall we say “circumspect” about what I was eating – not from a philosophical point but from a nutrition standpoint. For virtually all of my life I was “blessed/cursed” (depending on how you look at) with being able to eat pretty much whatever I wanted and not have that little needle on the scale move northward.

That is no longer the case.

Which, if you love food and work with food as much as I do, can be a bit frustrating. Alright, lets be honest here. It’s downright Machaevellian – I mean I can deal with  wrinkles and no longer being carded when I order a drink, but having to consciously think about what I am eating – that really is hitting below the belt!!!

Ok, enough of this little “pity party”  – I recognize that in terms of issues to deal with, this doesn’t even rate a mention. And although  my  weight is well within the “healthy” range  I’d prefer it to be at the lower end of that range, thank you very much… and no, I have no illusions of fitting into that bikini I used to wear – regardless of my weight, that “ship has sailed”.  Permanently.

So how do I reconcile these two issues – my love of food and my desire to weigh a bit less?

Talk about a loaded question! Ever tried  googling it? Well, don’t go there.  Seriously. The amount of disinformation out there is truly mind boggling… and dangerous. But that’s a discussion for another day. The simple truth is that it’s  not about cleanses or eating from this list of 20 or 30 items or eating this food or that food. It’s really pretty simple.  In short, it boils down to “eat less, move more” – or as I like to say, getting the most nutritional bang for your calorie buck.

Which brings us to this salad. Roasted peppers, tomatoes, spinach, herbs, and farro… now that is what I am talking about! Nutrient dense but with enough flavor and texture to keep things interesting so you don’t feel deprived. When I first started combining greens and grains I wasn’t too sure about the combination. But I am a convert. I love it.  To me it is almost a “yin yang” type of combination – crunchy greens and chewy grains combined with the sweet, tart and tangy flavor of roasted vegetables  and dressed with a light vinaigrette.

I honestly don’t think it gets a lot better than this. And neither does my waistline!!!

Roasted Pepper, Tomato and Farro Salad is a post from: A Communal Table

A few weeks ago, I was fortunate enough to attend Celebrating Friends & Food with KitchenAid & White On Rice Couple. It was a day to celebrate the release of Kitchenaid’s new 7 qrt mixer and 13 cup food processor.. and what better way to celebrate than with food, friends and gorgeous appliances!!! I truly don’t think I could have chosen a more appropriate description of the event for it was a celebration of everything that I treasure about this creative, crazy and caring food community that I am a part of.

Todd and Diane of White On Rice Couple

In their beautiful studio,  Todd and Diane (of White on Rice Couple) fed us amazing food and freshly squeezed juices courtesy of Kitchenaid’s new 7 qrt mixers.  Yup, there’s an accessory for that!

Jen Kayano of Devour the World bravely manned the juicing station

Todd and Diane also “fed us” – with  their very personal stories of their photographic journey. Their photographs and stories  never cease to inspire me and I find myself creatively re charged and itching to pick up my camera!

But this day wasn’t just about photography… it was also about food!!

You see, three very special guests joined us  to share some of their favorite dishes !!

Christina Ferrare  showed us how to make her signature Potato Plates with Smoked Salmon and Creme Fraiche and her daughter, Alex Thomopoulos made a lovely zucchini and cucumber salad  using Kitchenaid’s 13 cup food processor. Both of these scrumptious recipes are from  Christina’s beautiful book, Big Bowl of Love.

Joy Wilson (aka Joy the Baker) shared how to make her delicious (and addictive!) Meringue frosting from her brand spankin’ new cookbook, Joy the Baker.

If you haven’t checked out these two cookbooks, you should! They are not only beautiful cookbooks, but ones that you will  actually use and with the season of weddings, showers, and graduations almost upon us, they make perfect gifts -  especially when paired with a Kitchenaid mixer or food processor! (And if you haven’t seen the new colors you are missing out… they are gorgeous!!!)

It was truly a fabulous day… and then it got even better. Which I didn’t think was possible. But it was.

You see, I won something!!!  Yes, me -  the person no one wants to hit Vegas with because I um… well, I can count on the fingers of one hand the times I have won something.  I was so astonished that when my name was called my first reaction was “what did I do?”

What I’d done is win one of Kitchenaid’s Convection Bake Countertop Ovens!!! WOO HOO!!!

Isn't it pretty??? And wait till you see what I plan to do with it...

So what does a girl do when she wins one of these?

She pulls out all her toys and gets baking!!!

As  I mentioned, the Kitchenaid event was a few weeks ago and so this post is a bit late but for a good reason.

The reason is  I’ve had to bake these cookies 3 times  ….not because the cookies didn’t come out, but because certain people in my household ATE them all before I could take a photograph..twice! I finally ended up making a  double batch just to make sure that I’d have enough to photograph.

But they are forgiven since it was a great excuse to play with  use my new oven. Life is tough sometimes, I tell ya….

a huge THANK YOU to Todd and Diane,  and Kitchenaid for  an absolutely wonderful day and for my beautiful new oven…. P.S. the resident cookie monsters thank you too!!!

Almond Butter, Chocolate and Coconut Cookies and Kitchenaid is a post from: A Communal Table