The Gypsy Chef

Easy Peasy Bean Soup

2012-01-07T13:40:00.000-05:00

As flight attendants we are often home for only a day at a time. This makes it difficult to prepare nutritious and well balanced meals for our trips. When I cook, I prepare a larger amount than I need and freeze single portions to take along on my trips. This week I wanted an economical first course that would lend itself well as a crew meal.
Bean soup fit the bill perfectly.
There are a lot of variations for this recipe. I used Trader Joe's organic cannelini beans, chicken stock, frozen roma tomatoes, rosemary, sage, bay and thyme all from my garden.
Served in small white soupettes it was perfect for a chilly day. My guests were dazzled and today when I reheated it on the plane, the crew was dazzled too. For an elegant presentation, puree it and serve it with a dollop of mascarpone.

Bean soup variations are endless. For a true Italian soup substitute the canneline beans for garbanzos add rosemary add a bay leaf, puree the soup and garnish with cooked pasta and parmesan cheese.

For Tex Mex use pinto beans, chile powder and top with sour cream, tortilla chips, cheddar cheese and scallions.

A la Francaise use white beans, thyme, bay leaf and garnish with creme fraiche and chives.

See where I'm going with this? You can make your own signiture bean soup and literally everyone will love it! Just be sure to bring enough for the crew.

Easy Peasy Bean Soup

1/4 cup olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 small onion, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 carrot, diced
1 stem of rosemary, leaves pulled and chopped
1 sage leaf
1 bay leaf
1 slice of ham, if your so inclined
4 cups of chicken stock
2-3 cans of cannelini or white kidney beans, rinsed and drained
Parmesan cheese, rind also if you have one
Handful of parsley, chopped

Heat the olive oil in a stock/soup pot. Add the onion and garlic cook for several minutes, add the celery and carrot saute for 5 minutes. Stir in the herbs and ham and cook for another 2 minutes. Pour in the chicken stock and bring to a boil. If you have it, add the cheese rind and lower heat and cook for 1 hour to develop the flavor. Add the beans and cook another 15 minutes. Remove the rind and the bay and sage leaves.
Serve garnished with parmesan cheese and freshly chopped parsley.

All text and photos are sole property of The Gypsy Chef

Citroën

2011-11-13T20:24:00.001-05:00

Everyday I would pass this Citroën 2CV on my way to school. I fell in love with it. I never saw it's owner but apparently he/she did appear occasionally and move the car because it was never in the same place.

The bumper sticker translates; This is not a car........It's a lifestyle.

Like everything in France, nothing is simply what it is. It's all a part of a grand scheme that makes life in France so extremely sensuous.

All photos and text are property of The Gypsy Chef.

Learning French in France

2011-10-30T06:48:00.000-04:00

When I arrived I truly had no idea what learning french would require. Don't ask me why, maybe I just didn't give it any thought. My dream was to study the language in France. I didn't think much past that. My first day at the Cavilam included a test, it was deemed I spoke little if any french. Alors! I was assigned to a class with a terrific instructor. From the first day Souzic spoke nothing but french and insisted we speak in french also. As a class, we formed the United Nations. Korea, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, Iraq, the Philippines and the USA were all accounted for in our merry group.

This Shot is from the first week. We roped an instructor in to take a shot, 10 cameras later he was glad to leave!

Leaving home for a month and studying a language is hard work. But it is also an adventure. I fell in love with France 34 years ago and this trip has intensified my love affair. The first 3 weeks I did nothing but study and practice. No matter what I learned there was still more to learn! I shopped at the marché, the Monoprix, tabac, boulangerie and also the patisserie! Every vendeur encouraged my french.

I fell in love with the tarte citron, macaroons and chocolates at Cedric Iafati. Unfortunately it lies between the Cavilam and my home. Everything is divine at the patisserie. I spent nites studying for the next day. Little by little I began understanding what was being said to me.

My first week my friend Lynn of Autour Table d'Hote, Jardins des Thevenets was vacationing the first week. Which was a good thing, I was forced to use the french I was learning.

I began to visit Janine and Marcel, Lynn's adopted parents. They had an unlimited supply of patience and spent evenings talking to me, correcting my french and my home work. But the best part was eating Janine's wonderful dinner. They have become my family here in Vichy.

With so much concentration I was just to exhausted to blog. Now that things are winding down I am going to try to record my adventure. You will have to excuse the pictures. I've been using my iphone to take snaps. I didn't bring my big camera, and I forgot the charger for my small one! C'est la vie! But it's not about the pics, it's about the experience. Which has been rich.

All photos and text are property of The Gypsy Chef.

Je suis fatigué, c'est le decalage horaire.

2011-09-28T16:14:00.000-04:00

Monday's word was le decalage horaire or jet lag. I had only 4 hours sleep when I arrived at the Cavilam for my placement test. I could barely keep my eyes open to read the directions must less take the test. Luckily they didn't assume I was an imbecile and gave me a little slack. Could it be they are accustomed to this?
It was a busy day, new words, new friends and new abode and all in a new city. I was feeling like a fish out of water. By the end of the day, my mind was reeling and I was glad it was over. How I looked forward to bed. I thought 7 pm would find me asleep and dreaming. Alas at 7 I was wide awake! It took 2 hours before I could fall asleep. Nothing like conjugating french verbs to make one sleepy. I awoke at 0745 and had to return to school at 0845! I Was in such a rush I had time for only coffee. However, as luck has it, there is a wonderful Boulangerie next door to the school and at the break I enjoyed a croissant and a cafe creme!

This is the view from my studio.
Bon journee!

Off to France

2011-09-23T13:06:00.000-04:00

I am off to Vichy to study at the Cavilam. I'll spend the next month, speaking, writing and living French. A dream come true.

I'll visit friends and cook with Lynn at Jardins des Thevenets, and maybe sneak in a visit with Kate at Serendipity!

Stick around, I think it's going be fun!

Italian Tuna with French Mayo. A Wonderfully Easy Spring Salad

2011-03-15T16:33:00.000-04:00

In New York, the temperature is 50 degrees and daffodils selling like, like well, like daffodils on a sunny spring day. Walking past Whole Foods Market, I could smell the fragrant spring flowers. Posies, Tulips, Irises and Ranunculus were all competing for attention. Strawberries and rhubarb were up front in the produce aisle and everything was looking greener, brighter and more alive.

Spring is in the air!

Once I'm smitten with the bug, the food in my house becomes lighter fare. Today I opened my favorite Italian tuna, Genova Tonno

and added Sclafani Capers.

I mixed in a dollop of my favorite French mayo, Delouis Mayonnaise and some fresh ground pepper.

I finished it with a little lemon juice, avocado and wild arugula. What I had on my hands was a lovely spring lunch.

So good in fact, my darling son wanted some.

Happy Spring Everyone!

All photos and text are property of The Gypsy Chef.

Walkers' Ginger Chocolate Tartelettes

2011-01-27T16:58:00.002-05:00

When the generous folks at Walkers offered me the opportunity to blog about their Biscuits and Oatcakes, I jumped at the chance. After all, what's better than blogging about the things you love?

I became smitten with Walkers while I was flying London trips. I would bring home my family's favorite biscuits. Heaven forbid we should live without Walkers' Oatcakes, Stem Ginger Biscuits, Shortbread Petticoats or those yummy Butter Digestive Biscuits. Now these are all available on line at www.walkersus.com. It's nice to know you no longer have to travel to the UK to get the Walkers you love!

One of my favorite pie crusts is made with the Stem Ginger Biscuits. Full of the sharpness of ginger, these biscuits are a top notch pie crumb ingredient.

It's a fairly simple recipe. Crumbs, sugar, powered ginger and butter. Press it into your pan and bake with or without your filling. Baking without the filling ensures a crunchy crust. Tartlettes are a favorite at our house, so I usually make a dozen and always try to smuggle a few to the neighbors.

These bittersweet ginger tartelettes are very rich and addictive, so be warned! The ginger flavor of the crust marries well with the dark chocolate ganache. A dollop of whipped cream and the bite of candied ginger makes for a wonderful presentation.

Walkers Stem Ginger Tartelettes

Down load recipe here.

Walkers Stem Ginger Biscuits Crust

For 12 tartelettes

1 1/2 cups finely ground Walkers Stem Ginger Biscuits

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon ground ginger

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Grind the cookies finely in a food processor, or place the cookies in a plastic bag and pound with a rolling pin until finely crumbled.

Stir in the sugar and ginger, blend well. Add the melted butter and toss making sure to moisten all the crumbs. Press into a tartelette pan. If you are using tartelette shells, making a once the crumbs are patted into the shell, place another tartelette shell of the same diameter on the top and press to evenly distribute the crumbs.

I baked the tartelette for 10 minutes at 350 degrees to dry the crust out and to keep it crunchy.

Bittersweet Chocolate Ganache

Honestly, I just throw my ganache together. Here's a basic recipe you can change to your hearts delight.

The ratio is 2:1 for chocolate and liquids.

12 ounces bittersweet chocolate

6 ounces heavy whipping cream

If you can find it, 2 tablespoons of The King's Ginger Liqueur makes a lovely accent

when added to the ganache.

Place the chocolate in a food processor and chop finely. Bring the cream to a boil, and pour it over the chocolate through the feed tube, while the processor is running. Allow to thicken.

Pour into a bowl and spoon or pipe into the shells.

If you are making the ganache by hand, chop the chocolate and place it in a bowl. Pour the boiled cream over the chocolate and allow to rest for 1 minute. Whisk the chocolate and cream together until the chocolate is melted and smooth.

Spoon or pipe the ganache into the tartelette shells and allow to cool.

Garnish with whipped cream and diced candied ginger.

Stay tuned for more Walkers recipes.

All recipes and Texts are property of The Gypsy Chef.

A Feast for the Eyes, Giverny

2011-01-06T14:08:00.002-05:00

After this.

We all need a lot of this.

When I was in Paris in October, my friend Kelly asked me what I would like to do. Without a moments hesitation I said, "Giverny". We spent the day surrounded by beauty, color, fragrance and light dazzled our senses. Now it's time to share that experience. To all my friends that have been stranded by winter storms, I offer you a feast for the eyes. Enjoy, you deserve it.

Kelly and the quintessential Frenchman.


And of course nothing was complete with a delicious lunch.

Pate served on country bread with salad dressed in vinaigrette.

All text and photographs are property of The Gypsy Chef.

A Walk through the French Countryside

2011-01-02T16:52:00.001-05:00

One of the nicest things about being in the French countryside is the lovely walks one can enjoy in the fall. We decided to walk to town and enjoy lunch at a local bistro, Kiki and Minou. What better way to work up an appetite?

The view was spectacular. Newly plowed fields, an occasion a cow and of course clumps of trees looking as though they were designed by a local landscaper. They sky was cloudy and a bit dark, but we decided to carry umbrella's to ensure it wouldn't rain. Besides we had Olivier on stand-by to pick us up. After all, we are sugar and we wouldn't want to melt.

French Town signs are so charming. They really tell it like it is.

Welcome to Espinesse Vozelle.

You are now leaving .....make no bones about it.

Lots of wild flowers were found along the route. This Queen Ann's Lace, or Chigger Bush as we called it in Ohio, was just blooming.

We passed picturesque homes and gardens.

I love this driveway mirror.

Looks to good to be true, doesn't it?

Les Creux, means Slack periods.

The way I post my blog these days I should hang this sign over my own front door!

What was truly wonderful were the flowers that had taken route in the most unexpected places.

I am always a sucker for flowers falling over a fence.

The local school was charming, like a WW2 movie set.

For some reason this place caught my heart. maybe it was the pink door and blue shutters. It just kept calling my name. " Pam, fill my yard with flowers, build a fountain, cook in my kitchen."

Something about those blue shutters....

And of course pink roses!

We posed under the road sign. It seemed like the perfect opportunity to just close your eyes and choose a destination.

And then the food!
But that's another blog.

All photos and text are property of The Gypsy Chef

Happy New Year!

2011-01-01T16:59:00.000-05:00

Taken by DJ Cushenberry

Happy New Year Everyone!

I hope all your dreams come true!

Blackberry Picking

2010-09-30T10:55:00.000-04:00

The lane leading to Jardins des Thevenets is lined with Blackberry bushes. One afternoon Tami, Kelly and Susan came back with handfuls of berries. They were so delicious we decided to return and pick a few bowls of them for breakfast.

On the walk we passed century old buildings.

Bits of pieces of charm littered the path.

Windows were dressed with graceful branches and wild roses .

There were flowers everywhere.

Even the barn has that certain French charm:-)

Tami found the choicest berries.

Kelly managed to look chic even though she was being pricked.....

We used the berries for breakfast, served in a large compote dish they were a lovely addition to the yogurt.

They were so sweet we decided to use them for these delicious dessert verrines. Layers of berries, whipped cream and Speculos cookies were a light but satisfying sweet. As Lynn would say, "It was sufficient."

All photos and text are property of The Gypsy Chef.

A Quick but Satisfying Lunch

2010-09-28T17:14:00.001-04:00

The thing about being in the country is that your always hungry. Whether it's the fresh air, exercise (sitting on the train reading is rather strenuous) or just picking vegetables in the garden, I find I'm always hungry when someone mentions lunch. Lynn took us to her chicken man, who had an Airstream trailor he had configured to roast chickens. At the bottom of the roaster he cooked sliced potatoes in the chicken drippings. The aroma was enticing.

Just look at those potatoes, couldn't you just take a fork to them? And let me tell you, the chicken was spot on also.

The chicken man was a delight. he had decorated the inside with Vintage American signs. Give us a smile, I ask, and he obliged.

The next stop was for macaroons at the local Patisserie.

Sweet and crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside, they were as good as they looked.

Lynn said the best way to have the chicken man's potatoes was to saute them with garlic. We quickly minced garlic and sauteed the potatoes. She was right, they were rich and flavorful with just a touch of garlic and sea salt.

Our french chicken was delicious. We popped him in the oven just to keep him warm. Perfectly cooked and well seasoned, we devoured him with hardly a bit left.

What do you crave most after a satisfying lunch? A nap of course, we relaxed in the garden under the soft Auvergne sunshine. If you look closely you will see Lily the cat, Kelly is offering her a caress.

These lovely garden shoes drew my attention. I mean really, even the shoes in France are beautiful.

All photos and text belong to The Gypsy Chef

Adventure

2010-09-26T18:59:00.001-04:00

Traveling is a funny thing. No matter how many times I cross the Atlantic or Pacific there is still that anticipation of adventure and excitement. What’s that you say? I’ve been to Paris so many times there is no adventure? No, your wrong. Adventure and excitement come in small bits coupled with seconds of confusion and miles walked on tired, swollen feet. It’s a glass of wine at a cafe, or sharing a coffee with a new friend in a strange kitchen. Adventure is getting to know people you would have never met in your own neighborhood.

Adventure comes in the form of ticket kiosks, at large and busy train stations, making reservations for restaurants in a language you don’t speak and staying at hotels where it’s a journey to your charming room at the top of 6 flights of stairs under the garrett (the elevator only goes to floor 5). It’s realizing the ground floor is 0, and cold is hot and hot is cold when you turn the tap.

Such was the many experiences of my guests this year. The first to arrive were Tami and Kelly, who traveled to London, caught the train at St. Pancras Station and slowly but surely made their way to Paris. Here they are with Annette, whom they met on the plane. She took them under her wing and delivered them to St Pancreas.

From Gare du Nord they decoded the metro map and arrived at the Grand Hotel Dore. In the true spirit of adventure they didn’t nap, but toured the Eiffel Tower, dined at a local cafe and finally ended the evening at the bistro across the street.

Next was Susan, a South African living in Canada, whom, never having been to Paris, stood in front of Gare de Lyon to orient herself and decide how she would travel to the Pierre’s apartment in the 12th. According to Susan, everyone helped her with her suitcase and directed her to the right stop. When she rang the bell, I opened the door to a big smile and a lovely voice saying, “You must be Pam”. We hugged and I knew instantly we would be friends.

Ok so I didn’t get to bed until 2 AM. I had planned on meeting Lisa, the next arrival at the Gare de Lyon Air France bus stop. Needless to say I overslept, Lisa waited for me 3 hours. Her adventure was only just beginning. She navigated the soda machine and managed a Diet Coke. At the cost of 2 Euros a bottle, she was looking for the bill slot when she realized the she had a 2 Euro coin. Voila! Another mystery solved. Feeling confident she then stood in line, bought her ticket and decided if I didn’t show up, she would just climb on the train and head to Vichy. Bravo Lisa!

When I climbed out of the cab at the station, I remember thinking there can’t be too many blonds with curly hair. ”Monsieur, avez-vous vu une femme blonde aux cheveux bouclés? “ I ask the Air France busman. In a very stern manner her replied, “Elle a attendu trois heures.”

Pointing three fingers at me. Où at-elle aller? Where is she? Ou est cest trop? "Je ne sais pas" he replied. I climbed the stairs and looked toward the station and there she was, that blond hair shining in the sunlight. “Lisa” she looked up and with relief in her face we feel into each others arms. “I was afraid you wouldn’t show up!” she said. “I was afraid you were lost!”I replied.

Over cafe creme and chocolate croissants we talked about her trip, her wait and the upcoming week. We then bought sustenance for the train, found our coach, seat and headed to Vichy.

At noon Debbie arrived tired, but game for anything. She had traveled from New York, through Cincinnati into Paris and finally Vichy. Having attended last year, Debbie and Lynn were thrilled to see one another again.

Off we went to La Galea, the local tennis club restaurant.

We were wined and dined by the very handsome owner, Patrick Corrazzin. Here's a snap of Lynn and Patrick.

And then the rest of the girls arrived, their train was delayed by a knife wielding, ticketless ruffian. After a bit of a struggle he was apprehended, and the train moved on. Only 10 minutes late, their train pulled in and out they spilled, luggage and laughter.

Stay tuned for more adventure..........

All text and photos belong to The Gypsy Chef.

The Royal Marines are a bunch of Jolly Chaps!

2010-09-05T15:48:00.011-04:00

One of the wonderful things about visiting friends in other countries is that you can actually live as a local. There are far more opportunities to get to know the country than the average tourist. Visiting Vic and Mel in Exeter is no exception. They have endless friends and parties to attend. On Saturday they had been invited to a Royal Marine Garden Party, and were generous enough to include me! Hosted by Ann and her husband, Ray, a retired Royal Marine, they put on a spectacular event. Ann is an incredible woman who does it all. Her garden was gorgeous, her scones delicate and her home was beautiful!

The party was attended by retired Royal marines to benefit the active marines and their families.

The British Navy had a tradition of serving a tot of rum at noon to the sailors. The officers would serve each sailor out of a barrel. The men could drink it down, or say “Sippers” Which would entitle the officers to have a sip of their rum. Gulpers of course would mean the officers could drink their rum. I was told that that never happened and I’m inclined to believe it!

The Officers in uniforms of 19th century sailors, rang a bell and lead the crowd in singing "God Save the Queen". The guests then proceeded up for their tot. I joined the procession and of course said "Sippers" making me vary popular indeed!

It was a jolly time, with a sing-a-long of Navy songs, such as “What do you do with a drunken Sailor” and several others I had heard of but never knew they were traditional Royal Navy Tunes. Colin offered a toast to welcome me to Jolly Olde England.

Afterwards we had an incredible Devon Cream Tea. I was told that a Devon scone is loaded cream first than Jam but a Cornish scone is slathered with jam first and then cream. Either way it’s incredibly delicious and I just can’t get my fill. As I write this I am longing for a Devon Cream Tea.

Anne made all the baked cakes and scones. Each one was more delicious than the next. She set a table laden with tea sandwiches, cakes, sponges and scones. I ate until I thought I would burst.

The end of the day was followed by a personal guided tour by Anne of her beautiful Garden.

These are just a few of the pictures I took of her beautiful garden. The rest are on my other computer. I'll add more later.

At the end of the day her husband presented his bride with a beautiful bouquet of flowers.

It was a wonderful day. I felt like an honored guest. I can honestly say The Royal Marines and their Spouses are all Jolly Good Fellows!

All pictures and texts are property of The Gypsy Chef.

Tennesse BBQ

2010-08-22T11:45:00.001-04:00

I've spent the last 6 weeks traveling and I'm not done yet. I've tried to put out a few posts but lack of WiFi or just plain inertia kept me from my duty. So after reading Kate's post at Serendipity. I decided to take the bull by the horns or actually by the rib and just post. So here goes...
I'm in Winfield, Tn visiting my sister. It's a rural farming area, much different from my neighborhood. Due to traveling, I have a habit of keeping my eyes wide open. That's why I spied the BBQ stand, Fat Baby's Meats, while we were headed down the highway.

My sister made an immediate U turn and we parked in front of a BBQ smoker and grill. Thank goodness I had my iphone and was able to take a few pics.

My mouth was watering and I couldn't wait to bite into anything. Seriously.
Anything Bar-B-Qued.

The stand was maned by Ray and Dustin Kennedy. A father and son operation. Dustin made his own dry rubs and BBQ sauce. The baby back ribs were wonderful, meaty, and falling off the bone tender. I polished off several before I came up for air. I ask Dustin where he learned his technique and he told me he trained for five years with a French chef. The stand was so busy ( and I couldn't stop eating) so we really didn't have much time to chat.

However I found out it was his butcher shop and he's out here every weekend smoking ribs, pork shoulder for pulled pork, bologna (this is Tennessee after all) polish sausage and hamburgers. People around us were ordering slices of bologna, ribs and sausages which were served on buns.

Everything smelled delicious. I immediately ordered a rack of ribs. Ray pored the signature BBQ sauce into a styro cup. Dustin said he didn't need to cut them up because they were so tender they would pull apart. They did! I stood in the parking lot, eating ribs, the sauce dripping off my fingers.

We opted for more ribs, smoked bologna and sausages. We headed home to feed the troops and glory in our new found largesse. Yes, it was a wonderful lunch. I may cruise tonight looking for more BBQ.
Meanwhile accept my apologies for my neglect of my blog and yours. I'm back in the saddle.

I've got loads to blog, I had a terrific visit with Kate and Dan, Mel and Vic and Jenny. Just to mention a few. So hang in there I'll be posting more stuff! By the way, this truck pulled into the parking lot for BBQ and just never left. I'm tempted to do the same.

All photos and text belong to The Gypsy Chef.

Lynn's Easy Yogurt Cake, An Orange Version

2010-07-30T12:01:00.000-04:00

Pam is traveling in Europe this week. In the meantime, here's one of her previously published blogs...

The last two days have been beautiful in New York. The sun has been shining and everywhere I shop I'm surrounded by oranges. I was shopping for organic lemons to make Limoncello, and when I saw these organic oranges with the sun shining on them, I couldn't resist. I bought half a dozen.

Of course, when I returned home I completely forgot about the Limoncello and started candying the oranges. My original idea was to dip them in tempered dark chocolate, but when I remembered Lynn's Easy Yogurt Cake, I decided to make an orange version.

I diced the peels, and folded them into the batter, and placed the slices on top of the cake. The fragrance of the orange flower water was fresh and had me dreaming of warmer climes. I filled a 9 inch spring form, and baked it for about 40 minutes. It filled the kitchen with a lovely aroma. The kids couldn't believe they were leaving for school before it was out of the oven.

While it was cooling, I found fresh rosemary in the refrigerator. It's too late now, but next time I'm going to add a little minced rosemary, I love the way it's fragrance commingles with the orange.

Easy Orange Yogurt Cake

1 cup plain Fage Greek Yogurt
1 cup sugar

2 large eggs
1 teaspoon orange flower water
1 tablespoon rum
1/3 cup butter, melted, or organic safflower oil

1 2/3 cups self rising flour
Pinch of sea salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease a 9 inch spring form pan.

Beat yogurt and sugar together in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add eggs one at a time, continually beating. Blend in Orange Flower Water , butter and rum. Add flour and beat on high of 30 seconds to develop the cake's texture. According to Rose Levy Beranbaum, this is a must!
Pour into the prepared pan. Bake 35-40 minutes, until golden and a Cake Tester, inserted in the center, comes out clean.

Almond Whipped Cream

1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 cup superfine sugar

Add all ingredients to a bowl and whip until soft peaks form.

All photos and text are property of The Gypsy Chef

How does your garden grow?

2010-07-16T22:17:00.000-04:00

Ours seems to be holding it's own despite the heat and dry weather. The broccoli has already formed heads,

the figs are growing but still green.

The herbs scent the air when the wind blows. The bugs have been at the basil. I can't really blame them it's so fragrant.

It is such a wonderful way to relax sitting in a lawn chair with the fragrance of fresh soil and herbs wafting past your nose.

For some reason our one lone zucchini is growing slowly, I keep hoping for squash siblings but no luck yet. The dry spell may have affected the plants.

The tomatoes are always my favorite garden veggie. I love them red, yellow, juicy and ready to slice. Just a sprinkling of salt and freshly ground pepper and they are perfect. Sometimes I toss them with red onion slices and extra virgin olive oil. Unfortunately tonight, when I sliced the newly ripened pineapple tomatoes I forgot to snap a pic. Just hungry I guess. You will have to take my word that it was as beautiful as it was delicious. I added a few cherry tomatoes and a Roma also.

After I harvested the first bunch of broccoli I couldn't wait to make a dinner featuring the organic Broccoli.

I cooked whole grain pasta and topped it with garlic, roasted tomatoes and blanched broccoli. Sprinkled with freshly grated parmesan cheese it was delicious. Occasionally I've been known to add a few pepper flakes for pizzaz.

And of course dessert was ice cold cantaloup. Always refreshing in the heat. I think it makes the perfect breakfast with a scoop of French Vanilla Ice Cream in the center.

So how does your garden grow? I'd love to know.

All text and photos are property of The Gypsy Chef.

My Baby Girl, The Princess

2010-07-07T19:03:00.022-04:00

She made it. My baby girl graduated high school with flying colors! She navigated her way through the through the maze of nursery, elementary, middle and high school. She found her way by making friends, kicking evil to the curb and triumphing over physics and AP French. She's off to NYU and new adventures. She has a plan but no idea what fate holds in store for her. It's a crapshoot Princess. Embrace life and adventure with all ya got, but keep your wits about you. Remember all that we've taught you.

1. Never say yes when you want to say no.
2. Always keep your "go to hell" money in your wallet. Don't spend it carelessly, save it for that moment when you need to leave under your own steam.
3. Call me if you need me, I will move heaven and earth to help you.
4. Always leave a place in better condition than you found it. That includes your own body.
5. Drugs and alcohol are just a way of controlling you, don't let them get the chance.
6. There are people who will want to do you harm, recognize them Princess and leave them in the dust.
7. Remember I will always love and cherish you.

Mommycakes

All text and photos are sole property of The Gypsy Chef

Cherry on the Cake

2010-06-24T18:08:00.001-04:00

I always work weekends. I just prefer them. This week I found myself with Friday off and a late check in on Saturday morning. My friend Ujwala was in town so we decided to have dinner together. I spent the entire day making cherry jam, so dinner had to be relatively easy. I drove to Whole Foods Market and preceded to walk the aisles looking for inspiration. I decided on Little Neck Clams with Pascal's compound butter, (It's a delicious blend of garlic, ginger, cilantro and parsley). Fresh mozzarella with roasted tomatoes and fresh basil.

Whole Foods had fresh wild caught halibut on special, I wasn't sure what I was going to do with it but I thought it would make a nice light entree. The green beans were fresh and a deep green, I bought a pound. Since I 6 pounds of cherries for jam, I saved about 1/2 cup to make Lynn's Easy Yogurt Cake. Lynn at Autour de la Table d'Hote swears you can make a sweet or savory cake with this recipe.

My friend Randy suggested Mama Watt's recipe for halibut, a blend of bread crumbs, parsley, a touch of garlic piled on top of the fish and roasted until done. When Uju walked in she suggested adding lemon zest. Sounded good to me, I then add lemon juice and olive oil. The fish became a community affair.

We ate a wonderful dinner, drank lovely wine and talked until 11 PM. I wasn't inclined to take photos, I just wanted to relax and enjoy the evening. So these few pathetic snaps will have to suffice.

The weather was perfect for dining al fresco. Even the mosquitoes kept to themselves.

Mama Watt's Halibut and Breadcrumbs

1 cup breadcrumbs

handful parsley chopped

1 clove garlic minced

zest and juice of 2 lemons

a dab of olive oil

sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Mix alll the ingredients and mound on top of the fillets. I roasted mine for about 15 minutes on 400 degrees F. Depending on the thickness of your fillets it may take less or more time. You want the fish moist and flaky so remove it from the oven before it has a chance to dry out.

Cherry Yogurt Cake

I actually made tartlets with this recipe.
1 cup plain Fage Greek Yogurt
1 cup sugar

2 large eggs
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 tablespoon Kirsch
1/3 cup butter, melted, or organic safflower oil

1/2 cup fresh cherries, pitted and halved

1 2/3 cups self rising flour
Pinch of sea salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease a 9 inch spring form pan.

Beat yogurt and sugar together in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add eggs one at a time, continually beating. Blend in almond extract, butter and rum. Add flour and beat on high of 30 seconds to develop the cake's texture. According to Rose Levy Beranbaum, this is a must!
Pour into the prepared pan. Bake 35-40 minutes, until golden and a Cake Tester, inserted in the center, comes out clean.

Garnish with Almond Whipped Cream

Almond Whipped Cream

1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 cup superfine sugar

Add all ingredients to a bowl and whip until soft peaks form.

I'll write more about Pascal's terrific and flavorful almond butter and the cherry jam next!

All text and photos are sole property of The Gypsy Chef

Waitin'

2010-06-15T08:42:00.000-04:00

I haven't done a thing today. I'm just waiting. It's only 8:20 AM but it feels like 10 PM. Things are changing, but right now they are at a standstill.

I can't go backward and I'm not moving forward yet, I'm stuck like acrylic to a natural nail. It will take some pulling, scraping and an awful tugging to propel me into a new life. Once there it will be an uphill struggle to begin again.
Living a new life while continuing some aspects of the old one is not gonna be easy, but I am ready to get started.
All text and photos are property of The Gypsy Chef

A Hot Summer's Night

2010-06-03T09:54:00.000-04:00

I was really in need of a distraction this weekend. I actually had some time off and invited visiting family over. It grew from 4 guests to a whopping 14 guests including ourselves. The three youngest were 5 years old. The kids were sweet and so delicious you could eat them with a spoon.

Because I was in need of a distraction I cooked for hours.

The menu ran as follows;

Fresh Mozzarella with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes and Basil

Antipasti Plate

Littleneck Clams with Garlic Herb Butter

We then moved onto to

T-bone Steak

Roasted Mahi Mahi with Green Sauce

Grilled Vegetables

Hot Artisan breads

Dessert was the piece de resistance

Crepes filled with homemade ice cream, laced with chocolate sauce and whipped cream. I then sprinkled them with chocolate shavings.

I have no pics because my camera was visiting Cornell University's Graduation. But I wasn't feeling much like a photographer anyway, so that was just fine. I threw in a few photos I like instead.

The three 5 year old kiddies were wonderful. Full of imagination, they sat at my kitchen table, drawing pictures of dinosaurs, houses and flowers. Later as the evening cooled off, my son organized games and races for them.

It was a hot day, that said I can admit my homemade vanilla ice cream didn't freeze. No matter how hard my ice cream maker worked, it just couldn't be done. At the last minute my daughter volunteered make a trip to the grocery store. She saved the day, or rather the dessert. Which was really very nice because she's been as mean as a snake lately.

All in all it took my mind off of all the things I didn't want to think about. It also made me realize that it is cooking for friends and family that I enjoy. Delicious food, good wine and friends are the ingredients of the perfect dinner party. Really the perfect evening.

All text and photos are property of The Gypsy Chef

Tony Hayward, Shame on You!

2010-05-27T13:27:00.000-04:00

In the state of New York, if you poured a quart of oil down a street drain, you could be fined and possibly go to jail. So, when is BP and Tony Hayward going to be held accountable for their negligence and incompetence?

Cookie Bracelets

2010-05-22T15:27:00.006-04:00

Joumana has a wonderful blog at Taste of Beirut. She's an inventive and intuitive cook. Her Lebanese recipes are wonderful. A couple of weeks ago I made the Bracelet Cookies, mine were more like bangles but were loved by the sweet girls I gave them too.

They are fairly easy to make. The mahlab, a spice made from a certain type of cherry pit. I was lucky enough to find it at my local middle eastern store.

Maya, my neighbor was the first girl I gave bracelets too. She loved them and I was able to snap this lovely photo of her.
Laura is my daughter's best friend. They have known each other since they were 2. It was her 18th Birthday and I though a little jewelery was in order.

She was absolutely delighted with the bracelets. What's better than being 18 with a wonderful future ahead of you? Being 18 sporting yummy bracelets!

I hear both girls wore them to school the next day. Joumana, your a trend setter! The recipe is easy, but I ground my lavender a bit too much. I would just leave it whole. I would also roll the bracelets thinner. They puff as they bake, which makes them smaller than you would expect. These would make great birthday party favors, or even napkin rings.
Take a look at taste of Beirut, I think you will like what you see.

This is also my post for the 20th Saturday Blog Showcase. Hosted by Lori at All that Splatters
and Ann at Thibeault's Table
Take a look and see what everyone has prepared this week.
All text and photos are property of The Gypsy Chef

Contest winner announced

2010-05-19T17:29:00.002-04:00

Congratulations to Shannon for getting the most votes for the "Worst Meals Your Mother Made" contest.

Thanks to everyone who read or commented on the blog.

Guest Blogger Randy Ashton

Winner will be announced later today

2010-05-18T10:05:00.001-04:00

Shannon, Lyndsey and Katie are in the lead to win the Better Crock Party cookbook. The winner will be announced tomorrow.

If you are Shannon, Lyndsey or Katie, please contact me at calif0809@yahoo.com so that I can get in touch with you.

Thanks to everyone who posted or read the blog.