The Flour Garden

Mexican Fiesta Feast

noreply@blogger.com (Gina Geremia) — Fri, 04 May 2012 14:18:00 +0000

Are you Ready for the 3rd Annual Mexican Fiesta?

A little bit Mexico. A little bit America. A lot of F-U-N!

Grab your overnight bag and head for the border! (Suffolk and Essex border, that is)

View Larger Map
At the southwestern edge of the Suffolk border lies nestled between the village of Sudbury and town of Colchester the relatively unknown village of Leavenheath. Unassuming. Unfamiliar. Under the radar. Yet once a year a tiny cottage along the A134 becomes host to one of the most exciting events ever.

A homegrown Mexican Fiesta complete with tacos, tamales and tequila.

Taquisa

The 3rd Annual Fiesta will now feature a taquisa - or taco party. A taco party, you ask? Yes, a Taco Party! Tacos are great, but not nearly as great as when you've got a load of different fillings and friends. Hard shell, soft shell, corn or flour, bring a filling to add and let the taco fun begin!

More the sporting type?

If the promise of a taquisa isn't 'enough to entice you into coming, you'll be drawn into the action with the nation's first Corn Hole Tournament. Competitors and spectators are welcome. If you don't know how to play, or play by the rules, learn how to play on the available practice pitch. Keep the game friendly or join in the competition. There will be plenty of time to practice before we begin the official competition.

Ground Rules

Don't' worry, this is definitely not a downer. It's just a way to share our love of everything Mexican.

First of all, this is a BYOS party. That's 'bring your own sombrero' for those unfamiliar with the BYO_ acronym. As a matter of fact, we're not even going to be sticklers with the sombreros. Just come in some sort of Mexican dress and we'll be happy!
Everyone is asked to bring a dish or something to share. If getting around the kitchen is as good as destroying a pot of boiling water then bring a bottle of tequila, beer or bag of tortilla chips to share. It's about the participation, not the technique
Finally, everyone will have a Mexican name on the day. You can choose your own now or get one on the day.

Remaining details can be found here.

We hope to see you on June 16th for the 3rd Annual Mexican Fiesta. Olé!

What's Love Got To Do With It?

noreply@blogger.com (Gina Geremia) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:30:00 +0000

My mother raised me right. She taught me by example. She taught me how to do all of those great things like taking care of people and pets, being a good listener, being sensitive to others' feelings, showing love and most of all that Love is Powerful. People are meant to love and be loved. She is right. We are.

Valentine's Day may be one of those many Hallmark days created by the greeting card industry to cash in on this very sentiment. But, who cares? When life gets away from us and we get bogged down in routine a little reminder to show the our loved ones how much we love them is completely acceptable in my book. It's sort of like the 'any excuse for a party' statement.

How do you show your love?

Personally, I don't believe you have to spend a lot of money, or any money for that matter, to express this - even for Valentine's Day. All you have to do is give something of yourself.

I bake. It's what I do. How I show I am thinking of someone, I care and how I like to celebrate. Baking in and of itself is a celebratory time for me. I treasure the moments when I have the time and ingredients to bake luxurious sweets and appreciate the times when all I can find is some butter, flour, sugar and baking soda. Cookies anyone?

Baking is how my mother celebrated also. Perhaps that's where I learned this. I will always remember when I was seven years old during the summer we moved to Vermont. Desperate for a sweet treat yet with no cash and only a few basic ingredients my mother rummaged through the cupboards and called out... 'how about brown sugar cookies?' We all cheered and I made up this little song.

Mama's gonna make brown sugar cookies

We're gonna eat them all day long

This very moment is nearly indescribable. All I feel when I remember it is love.

Tall, Cool & Confident

noreply@blogger.com (Gina Geremia) — Sun, 26 Jun 2011 13:58:00 +0000

Smooth. Beautiful. Inviting. Sexy. Luscious.

My word. Sounds fabulous, doesn't it? This one is my favorite. Favorite summer flavor anyway.

Lime

The Flour Garden is kicking off the summer with some pretty spectacular recipes.

Summer Lime Cake

Margarita Pie

Lime and Cumin Shortbread

Buttermilk & Lime Curd Cake

But for now, let's just sit back, relax and enjoy this glorious Sunday with a tall, frosty glass of our favorite summer beverage - the perfect Margarita.

Happy Valentine's Day!

noreply@blogger.com (Gina Geremia) — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 20:01:00 +0000

Tomorrow is Valentine's Day. Whether you want it to or not, this day inspires us to love. Red, pink, white, flowers, hearts, champagne, chocolate: They're all there, all of the aphrodisiacs, just glaring at you, begging you to love.

And when I say 'loving someone' I don't necessarily mean a sweetheart. I have very fond memories of making dinner reservations for me and some of my girlfriends, enjoying an amazing meal, giving each other flowers and just enjoying the evening. Undoubtedly we had at least as much fun, if not more, at our brightly lit table as all of the lovers dining at the candlelit tables set for two. We were surrounded by love. How couldn't you have fun!

My husband and I swore we were not going to spend time worrying about what to do for Valentine's Day. We were going to go to dinner, then decided against that and to just go for a walk and to stop at the pub for a drink, then we agreed - nothing. Why bother?

As it turned out, we had a spectacular spontaneous Valentine's Day Weekend making cookies, dinner and enjoying each other's company in the privacy of our home.

And to show me how much he cares, he made me these...

Patriotic Cookies!!!

He knows how much I miss and love home and how much he loves his home so he made these amazing cookies in the likeness of our nations' flags!

So, this is just a shout out to all of my favorite people (you know who you are!) and my way of wishing you all a special Valentine's Day! If you're not with the one you love, love the one you live... and I mean in an innocent way! ;)

Love to you all!

Gina

Where Did All The Cakes Go?

noreply@blogger.com (Gina Geremia) — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 17:40:00 +0000

I took some time off. For me. For my family.

We had the best Christmas. A fun and early New Years Eve. We revised our household budget and made a plan for our savings. We organized the garden and prepared for spring.

Refocusing my time and energy on my family and home allowed me the opportunity to spend more time AT home doing what I love most - baking. Which was a nice reminder of why I started The Flour Garden in the first place.

With my sleeves rolled up, my apron firmly tied and my kitchen sparkling clean I began thinking, wondering, measuring, mixing, whisking, baking, tasting, perfecting.

Baking to perfection is crucial.

Baking, developing new recipes, test baking and sampling has been a busy and satisfying job. Consequently, I have an entirely new arsenal of cakes, pastries and breads to offer, from whole grain artisan bread to homemade croissants to glamorous wedding cakes.

This is a Good thing. It is a part of the Good Life I intend to embrace more as I become settled in my new home.

Cakes, pastries and breads you ask?

That's right! The Flour Garden is offering exactly what it offered when I first started it two years ago: cakes, pastries and breads. The difference? The selection! The options are nearly endless and they will all be offered at given times throughout the year unless specially ordered.

Please take a look at our products page and stay tuned to the monthly posts. And, when you're ready, give me a call and let me know what You want to order Next!

Pumpkin Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Gina Geremia) — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 22:36:00 +0000

Soup, Chili, Stew, Chowder, Bouillon, Consommé, Veloutés, Bisque. No matter the style, the result is the same: heart-warming, soul-feeding, nourishing, tasty and filling.

We all have our favorite. I have many favorites. This is the time of year when I celebrate soup. Won't you join me? Try the recipes, change them up, maybe make something different and share your recipe with me - I promise I'll try it!

Pumpkin anything is always high on my list. This soup is no different. It is creamy, savory and hearty without being too much.

Gina’s Pumpkin Soup(serves 2-4 depending on if it’s an appetizer or entree)
1 lb fresh cooked pumpkin
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/4-1/2 teaspoon salt (depending on how much salt is in the broth)
1/4 cup light cream
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves crushed
12 sage leaves
1 tablespoon olive oil
2-4 miniature pumpkins (large enough to hold a single serving of soup)

Once the pumpkin that is to be used for the soup is done, remove top and hollow out 2-4 small pumpkins being sure to remove only the seeds. Bake these pumpkins (with tops in place) at 350F or 150C while you prepare the soup.

Blend the cooked pumpkin (still hot) with the butter until smooth. Bring broth to a simmer and add pumpkin. Mix until incorporated and add the white pepper, salt and crushed thyme leaves. Allow to simmer for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring the olive oil to temperature and gently fry the sage leaves until crispy. Be careful not to break up the sages as you turn them or remove them from the pan.

Once the pumpkins are soft to touch and the flesh is completely cooked, remove from oven and add cream to pumpkin soup. Bring to a light simmer.

The soup is now ready to serve. Pour soup into each pumpkin, garnish with fried sage leaves and serve with a delicious, warm homemade bread.

(I like to make a pumpkin seeded bread to serve with the soup. Why waste the seeds?!)

Green Chicken & Shrimp Chili

noreply@blogger.com (Gina Geremia) — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 17:23:00 +0000

Green Chicken & Shrimp Chili with jalapeños and lime juice

The chicken and shrimp aren't really green and it's not your typical chili. This spicy chicken & shrimp soup is well balanced with green jalapeños, lime juice and cilantro (coriander) and loaded with chicken, shrimp and white beans.

Green Chicken & Shrimp Chili

6 cups fresh chicken stock (preferably homemade)
1/2 lb fresh cooked chicken meat
1/2 lb cooked and peeled shrimp
1/2 lb ground turkey
3 cups cooked white beans (I prefer cannellini but you could use great northern, navy or some other white bean)
2-3 large jalapeños, diced (with seeds - without if you don't want it to be so hot)
1 large onion, largely diced
a handful of fresh cilantro (coriander)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon crushed cumin seeds
salt and pepper to taste (freshly crushed red peppercorns are very nice with this)

1. In a medium or large stock pot, saute the ground turkey in the olive oil until just cooked through. Remove the turkey, keeping as much of the oil in the pan.
2. Saute the onion in the oil until soft.
3. Add the cumin seeds and jalapenos and allow to soften 3-5 minutes
4. Return the ground turkey to the pot.
5. Add the cooked chicken and shrimp and bring to temperature (3-5 minutes).
6. Gently pour the chicken stock into the chicken and shrimp mixture.
7. When the soup is to temperature (not boiling), add the cooked white beans.
8. Just before serving add the lime juice and cilantro.

Serve with freshly made and salted tortilla chips and a garden salad.

Green Chicken & Shrimp Chili with fresh tortilla chips and cilantro

My Obsession with Kitchen Gadgets

noreply@blogger.com (Gina Geremia) — Sat, 13 Nov 2010 19:43:00 +0000

My name is Gina and I am obsessed with kitchen gadgets.

Not that this is a problem. At least, not for me. I do know, though that this can become an issue when someone else is in my kitchen trying to make their way through all of these gadgets. To be fair, this does not happen often and mostly when a real kitchen lover enters my kitchen she is as fascinated as I am and has a general sense of where to look, find and put away all of these gadgets.

My absolute most favorite is the newest to this collection and I have to say, I absolutely covet this beauty! It was a birthday gift from my mother-in-law and she could not have done it better if I told her what to get. It is Perfect.

I love, Love, LOVE this little gem!

Introducing my new Egg Cup! Taaa Daaa!!!

It starts off as a beautifully hand painted wooden egg.

The Full Post >>

Banana Walnut Pancakes/2

noreply@blogger.com (Gina Geremia) — Sat, 13 Nov 2010 19:15:00 +0000

Like so many of you, it's rare when my hubby and I get a weekend to ourselves. When we do, we relish the days from the wee morning hours until late at night. Morning is our favorite time of the day when we enjoy long, leisurely breakfasts, sip our morning coffee and chat about how nice it feels to be in the quiet.

Today was exactly one of those days and, even though we are not nearly through with the weekend, or even the day, I wanted to take a bit of our time to share these incredible pancakes with you. Entirely my recipe, I think I have finally perfected it!

Banana Walnut Pancakes

Banana Walnut Panckes

1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole grain flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large over ripe banana
1/2 cup walnuts, crushed

The Full Post >>

Garden Chefs Update

noreply@blogger.com (Gina Geremia) — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 22:45:00 +0000

Garden Chef Alert!
We're closing in on 2011 and our group is growing all the time. And getting better at what we do! If YOU want to be a Garden Chef, sign up here. Next month, bread. Are you up for the challenge?

October Update
Pumpkin, pumpkin and more pumpkin. Whew! It was a tough decision to make but I think we did a great job stirring the pumpkin pot to come up with some varied recipes. We had everything from pumpkin soup to roasted pumpkin seeds and pumpkin seeded bread. Pumpkin whoopee pie anyone? How about a delicious pumpkin pinwheel or pumpkin square? Yup, we had it all. All, that is, but a pumpkin pie and the kitchen sink!

The Full Post >>

Gina's Homemade Straight-From-The-Heart Wild Bird Suet

noreply@blogger.com (Gina Geremia) — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 19:56:00 +0000

The birds have to eat too...

Ahhhh, that glorious sound of the song birds. Now who doesn't love that? It is easy to appreciate these beautiful birds in the summer when they grace our back yards with their colorful songs and inquisitive nature. They keep me company while gardening or relaxing by the pond and pop out to greet me when I walk out to check on my neighbor. While my husband is digging deeper under the covers and buries his head under an extra pillow, I am one of 'those' who welcomes their cheerful song just at the crack of dawn. 'Wake up, wake up!' they sing to me from the bird feeders, and I almost hear them call my name.

Come winter, I slowly gravitate indoors, either stoking fires in the wood stove or working in the kitchen and I become an infrequent guest in their outdoor home, only stopping by to drop a few crusts of bread in the bird feeder. When I draw the heavy winter drapes open each morning, I search for them, wishing they would sing my name again. Nothing. It is entirely my fault.

This year I have vowed to be a better winter friend to them. Purchasing my first bird feeders in nearly 20 years (the old ones gave out two years ago and I just haven't replaced them) I find the birds are allowing me in again after probably giving up on my company at the onset of autumn. The bird feeder is from a reputable company and their suet feeders are just the ticket for my homemade wild bird suet!

I am a feeder, if you will. My family understand that is one way in which I show them how much I love them. The best food is the food made by someone who loves you, who is willing to poor themselves into the food that will nourish you. I think the birds understand this. Their bird feeders are chock full now and I have a special recipe for them once the weather turns even colder.

Gina's Homemade, Straight-from-the-heart Wild Bird Suet

1 pound suet cut into small pieces
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup all natural chunky peanut butter (no sugar added)
1 cup mixed wild bird seed
1 cup black oil sunflower seeds

Melt suet in pot or microwave.
Stir in peanut butter until melted.
Mix in remaining ingredients
Pour into paper-lined muffin tins.
Chill until hardened or freeze.

*Suggestion: I save the mesh bags onions and garlic come in for these little muffin-sized bird treats and hang them on hooks or branches.

Can keep in freezer until ready to put out for the birds.

Want more information on bird feeders and similar unique products? Visit Internet Retail Connection, a network of e-commerce sites dedicated to offering you incredible outdoor products at affordable prices. These sites are perfect for that Holiday shopping you're about to jump into!

Balancing Ourselves and our Socialselves - Can I Have it All?

noreply@blogger.com (Gina Geremia) — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 17:06:00 +0000

In between the virtual worlds of social media, blogging and Google I materialize, into a real human being, with a body, emotions, skills and dreams. What it all comes down to on so many days is how to strike the balance between the me who is a virtual communicator, the me who is a driven woman determined to be successful and the me who is a wife, dog mother, friend to those near to me and those who are far away, daughter, sister and all-around friendly neighbor.

Does anyone else struggle with this? Struggle with making enough time for all of it?

In and among it all I need to fulfill what feeds me mentally, emotionally and physically.

I moved my computer into the dining room and set up office about four months ago and I love it. It's not like we used this space to eat... that's what the coffee table in front of the TV is for ;-). Seriously though, what this did for me was make me feel like I could combine my worlds in order to feel less scattered and separated from my family, Facebook friends, Tweets and all of you, thereby enriching my life.

Has it worked?

To a degree it has. I can bake bread, make dinner and still connect with my friends and family in the US all while greeting my husband at the door with a drink in hand.

I can bring home the bacon and fry it up in a pan!

But with this comes confusion as well. Because I am a baker, have a food blog and am a member of several food-oriented social networking sites, am I bound to the constraints of writing only about food? Is it OK that I don't always want to boast about what I have been creating in the kitchen on any given day? I don't' always want to write about what I am cooking.

I don't always create gorgeous meals, pastries and cakes. And I am far from a decent photographer who captures the deliciousness of anything I do make.

I don't always like talking on the telephone either, or want to go for a walk with my family. I don't always want to be me, that is, the me who is the physical person.

Sometimes I want to be the me who is on Facebook chatting with friends or posting tweets as fast as the wind. Sometimes I don't even want to communicate like that, but would rather Google-search for hours. Often times I want to read a real book. Feel the pages in my hands and become so engrossed in the story that I read until my eyes ache. (Yes, most typically these books in which I become so engrossed are cook books.)

And all the time I want to share my experiences and these moments of being human with all of you - my blog readers and friends. But...

Are you interested?

We'll see. I am going to post more variety from now on and so I guess only time will tell. Afterall, the blog... well... that is for me too, isn't it?

I read an article just today on Unmarketing.com called Word of Mouth has Changed, Sort of. One of the messages I took to heart is that people read about, share and spread emotion. We decide what WE are interested in and post, write, talk about that. Because social media streams are so flexible now, YOU can decide if you are interested in reading and sharing it.

So, it's up to you to decide if you are interested.

Oh, and by the way, this is the disaster I created in the kitchen today while I was on Facebook, Twitter and posting this to my Blog!

Still interested?

Winner of the 2010 Intergenerational Recipe Hand-Me Down

noreply@blogger.com (Gina Geremia) — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 17:43:00 +0000

And the Winner of the 2010 Recipe Hand-Me Down iisss...

Jean Tallcot from West Charleston, Vermont!

Thank you, Jean for submitting your time honored recipe and sharing your memories of your mother's Scalloped Potatoes.

Scalloped Potatoes
by Jean Tallcot

Mother never complained about the weather, about housework or about how little money she had to feed a family of six. A champion at “making do” and a genius at substituting ingredients for those she didn’t have, supper was on the table every evening at five o’clock, when Daddy wanted to eat. Growing up in the 1940's, my two sisters, one brother and I never thought of being fussy. Daddy said, “Take what you want, but eat what you take.” Mother said if we were still hungry after a meal, we could always have bread and butter. Daddy pieced together a living, but we were able to pay our bills because we lived without luxury and were thrifty-- patching, mending, glueing-- repairing each thing that wore out in order to use it again. Mother counted the pieces of bacon in a package and slices of bread in a loaf In that way, she divvied out the food so we could each have toast at breakfast and a sandwich at lunch. Mother was creative. When she made Spanish Rice and found there were no canned tomatoes, she grabbed a can of tomato soup. It tasted so much better to her, that she used it from then on. We always had a supply of potatoes because we grew them.
Mother owned an old cookbook filled with recipes for potatoes such as Delmonico; Jeanette Courrangelle; Persillade; Franconia; Potaotes a l’Archiodoise; and Bhugia. There were Chips; Croquettes and Creamed; Hashed and Mashed; Riced and Diced; Julienne; Frittered and Fried; Stuffed on the Half Shell; Atop Shepard’s Pie; Saratoga; Suzette; Princess; Peasant; Baked and Caked; Bordered and Loafed, Timbales, Dropped; Savory Roast; Dumplings steamed in a Soup; Old or New; Cut into Stew; Lyonnaise; Salad with Mayonnaise; Dutch and Duchess; Omelets; O’Brien; Pancakes; Patties; Belgian; AuGratin. But the old stand-by was Scalloped Potatoes–sometimes with ham and sometimes not. There was nothing like a dish of hot, buttered potatoes at the end of the day.
Mother peeled and sliced about ten pounds of potatoes, layered them in a large roaster with crumbled crackers and butter between the layers. She poured milk, slightly covering the potatoes and dotted them with butter. She baked it at 350 degrees for about 2 hours because it was such a large dish.

The Flour Garden prepares all submitted recipes. We liked this scalloped potato recipe for its versatility. The addition of carrots and leeks along with the ham gave it a more one-dish casserole meal. We recommend keeping to the method of preparation given in this recipe (and not parboiling the potatoes as some recipes suggest). This will help to create a creamy sauce and allow the potatoes to cook to al dente so that they just resist the tooth.
If you have a time honored recipe you would like to enter in the 2011 Intergenerational Recipe Hand-Me-Down, visit The Flour Garden for more information.

Love Cake?

noreply@blogger.com (Gina Geremia) — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 21:00:00 +0000

Sometimes when I get a cake order....scerrriiiittttttsskkkk..... scratch that. Every time I get a cake order, especially for one that's a bit different than the norm, I always have aspirations to make an extra for our family. That being said, soon enough into the mere thought my brain comes to a screeching halt and gives me a look from within as if to say "what are you, nuts?! If you had a cake for yourself every time you made one to sell, you'd be 250 pounds and growing"!

Needless to say, I still mull over the idea. Most of the time I am pleased enough knowing it's delicious and beautiful and exactly what the customer wanted. However, there are those special cakes which make me proud and I wish at that point that I had actually made an extra for us. Partly because I know it would be tantalizingly delicious and partly because I think it would be intensely beautiful when sliced into. This is one of those cakes.

A luxurious golden, melt-in-your-mouth
butter cake, layered with lightly sweetened fresh blueberry filling and covered in a delicately honey-sweetened, silky buttercream. Hand crystallized violas gently settle into the buttercream as if to say they found their favorite nesting place and purple and violet ribbons wrap it all together.

That one would have been a nice one to take on a picnic, to a summer garden party, or just settle in with a nice cup of tea during the evening when the sun is down and the air is still warm. Blueberries and Honey. Purple and Lavendar. Flowers and Sugar. Sigh!

At least I know I've crystallized enough violas to make several others should the mood strike me.

Or, maybe they'll find their way onto another cake, for someone else, some other time.

After all, what is a cake if not a sculpture asking to be eaten?

Pizza Town

noreply@blogger.com (Gina Geremia) — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 14:34:00 +0000

Pizza Cheesing

Yup. We have our very own Pizza Town here. It's called... our kitchen! The kids love pizza. But, when they aren't here I just know they are eating crappy store-bought pizzas made with low quality ingredients. My mother NEVER took us out for pizza. When we had pizza night, we had a night in, creating our own and experimenting with different ingredients.

I have taken that tradition to heart and on Friday nights we convert our kitchen into our very own Pizzeria. Now all we need is a classic red and white gingham tablecloth and no one would know the difference! Some of our favorites are barbecue chicken, bacon and eggs and pesto chicken. Of course the traditional margherita and pepperoni are the faves of the boys.

Check These Beauties Out...

Justin's BBQ Chicken with Jalapeno!

House Favorite: Bacon & Egg

Kid designed pizzas, fresh from the oven!

Pizza Smörgåsbord - from back to front:
Pesto Chicken, BBQ, Bacon & Egg, Margherita, Anchovie & Tomato

Ricotta & Porcini Stuffed Nasturtiums

noreply@blogger.com (Gina Geremia) — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 17:13:00 +0000

My garden is chock full of nasturtiums. It seems I am endlessly cutting them back so I can simply walk through the pathways of my raised-bed garden and still finding myself wading through a virtual sea of brightly colored happy flowers. Their peppery essence is released as I step through the blanket they make covering the paths.

I underestimated their production and now we are quite literally inundated with them. This is not a problem by any means. What it does mean is I am constantly using them in salads, pizzas and experimental recipes (sometimes to the chagrin of my family). Sometimes this isn't so bad for my 8 year-old stepson such as when I loaded a pizza up with them and they basically dissolved into the pizza while baking. (I'm still working on that recipe and will let you know how it turns out.) However, sometimes I take a crack at a recipe I've developed in my mind and it comes out well. Really well.

When you create something and you love it, then share it, you want everyone with whom you share it to love it as much as you. In this particular case, I was in luck! These delicious little morsels were a winner and I am sure to make them several times over before my nasturtiums fade away with summer.

Ricotta and porcini stuffed nasturtiums

Ricotta and Porcini Stuffed Nasturtiums
(serves 4-6)

125 grams ricotta cheese
8-12 large dried porcini mushrooms
2 tablespoons very fruity olive oil
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 Tablespoons of peppery red wine (I used Syrah)

Creamy polenta with fontina and porcini mushrooms served with ricotta and porcini stuffed nasturtiums

Sauté onions in olive oil, add dried mushrooms, cover and allow to soften. Stir in garlic and then add the wine. Allow mushrooms to soak up the wine until soft. While hot, immediately stir mushroom mixture and Parmesan cheese into the ricotta. Place in a baking oven and bake at 350 F until hot throughout.
Remove stuffing from oven and allow to cool so it is still warm. Wash nasturtiums thoroughly and allow to dry. Using a paper piping bag fitted with a fairly large tip, fill the bag with the mixture and pipe enough stuffing into the cavity of each flower. Serve immediately.

I served mine with a creamy polenta with fontina cheese and porcini mushrooms and grilled vegetables. Delicious!

Polenta - A Garden Chefs Challenge

noreply@blogger.com (Gina Geremia) — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 05:57:00 +0000

The Challenge
Polenta.

That warm, hearty, simple, versatile and delicious food. What you see is what you get. Or, is it? Polenta is more than just a corn meal. Whatever name it goes by, polenta, coosh, angu, ugali, even grits (hominy), the dish has a presence in numerous cultures throughout the world.

The Recipe
The challenge was Polenta. The Recipe was left up to each chef. Guidelines were used in terms of which type of polenta we would use, creamy and smooth or thick and heavy to be sliced.

The creative ideas just flowed and I'll bet just about anything that the next time we make it, we'll try something new!

The Reveal
Here is the Garden Chefs' take on Polenta.

Sallie's Italian seasoned polenta: before baking, after baking and followed by an after dinner shot!

Amy's Garlic Shrimp & Spinach with Cheesy Grits

Dawn's Hamms Grilled Polenta with Rosemary and Parmesan

Justin's Mexican grilled polenta with Chilis, BBQ Chicken and grilled vegetables

Gina's Polenta with Fontina, Porcini & Sage served with Ricotta & Porcini stuffed Nasturtiums & Grilled Veges

Thank you Garden Chefs!

Banoffee Pie: From Disaster to Success

noreply@blogger.com (Gina Geremia) — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 21:26:00 +0000

I never worry about creating a disaster in the kitchen. If it happens, so be it. I've learned what not to do next time and more often than not, come up with new ideas that make the end product exceed my original expectations. I try new recipes, make up my own and change some around the day of a dinner party or special event. I even do this for cake orders I get.

For some reason, this doesn't seem brave to me. It seems like that's what you should do, what everyone should do. Don't shy away from creativity. Embrace our failures as much as we do our successes. Learn from our mistakes and do better next time. Just be sure there is a next time. Don't give up. These are all general lessons of life. And they apply as much in the kitchen as they do in any other life situation.

My most recent kitchen disaster was with banoffee pie. Banoffee pie? you ask. Yes. It's a British-born dessert created in 1972 by chefs in East Sussex. [Curiously enough, most Brits believe it to be a classic American dessert.] It combines bananas with a homemade toffee over an oat cookie base and topped with fresh whipped cream. Banana. Toffee. Banoffee!

To the left, is the success. I was too busy tossing out the first one to take pictures. Although, come to think of it, I could always have taken a picture of it in the compost bin! I will say it was a doozy of a disaster!

Mistake no. 1: The caramel (toffee) was cooked at too high of a temperature. It burned and flaked off the bottom of the pan. This didn't make it taste burned but it did have horrible dark brown chunks throughout that tasted off.

Mistake no. 2: Don't make a custard, curd or toffee sauce when you're making dinner too! I was distracted and didn't stir the toffee constantly as I should have. This combined with the too high temp of the burner allowed it to burn on the bottom, then lifted to float throughout the caramel. Nasty.

Mistake no. 3: Don't use green bananas. Although the bananas I used appeared to be ripe, they were not ripe enough and so it did not have the intense banana flavor that I wanted and prefer.

Mistake no. 4: Not enough butter to hold together the cookie crumb base. Although it tasted great, the cookies I used were far crumblier and dryer than I expected and it nearly fell apart.

The second time around was much better. In fact, I came up with some new ideas that I'll use the next time. Just look at it! The caramel/toffee stands up well and has a bit of oozieness drizzling into the oat cookie base. The whipped cream held up nicely and it's just the perfect picture of what I consider to be one incredible Banoffee Pie!

My family loves it so there it will definitely be made a third time.Truth be told though, there won't be a third time for a while. I love, love, love bananas but find the caramel/toffee to be far too sweet for my taste.

The Recipe
100g unsalted butter
100g sugar
400g can condensed milk 150g Oat cookies, crushed 75g/3oz unsalted butter, melted 3 large, ripe bananas, sliced 250ml whipping cream, whipped until soft peaks form when the whisk is removed cocoa powder, for dusting

For the caramel, place the butter and sugar into a non-stick pan over a low heat, stirring until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves.
Add the condensed milk and slowly bring to the boil, stirring continuously, to make the caramel. As soon as the mixture thickens and begins to smell of caramel, remove from the heat and allow to cool.
Meanwhile, place the crushed biscuits into a bowl. Add the butter and mix well.
Transfer the mixture to a 10" tart pan. Press in to pack the mixture evenly into the base.
Add the sliced bananas to the caramel mixture and mix well, then spread the mixture over the biscuit base.
Transfer to the refrigerator to cool for 30 minutes.
Remove from the fridge and spread the whipped cream evenly over the top of the banoffee layer.
Dust with cocoa powder.

Steak and Ale Pie - a Garden Chefs Challenge

noreply@blogger.com (Gina Geremia) — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 12:33:00 +0000

Garden Chefs is the virtual cooking club born from the passion of food, cooking and entertaining all Flour Garden subscribers, readers and supporters share. If you want to join, please visit the Garden Chefs page, read the guidelines and sign up!

The Challenge

Steak and Ale Pie
My husband's favorite. His comfort food. His time to gorge himself guiltlessly, with pure pleasure and happiness. We don't make food like this very often any more. These days we focus on fitness and heart-healthy foods. So when Justin decided to join Garden Chefs I knew I simply had to choose a recipe that he would love. Steak and ale pie was it. Between a test run, his version and my version my sweetheart was able to indulge in his favorite three times over the course of two months. Wow! Salads, tofu and lots and lots of water were the chasers over the following few weeks.

The Recipe

Steak & Ale Pie

75g/3oz plain flour

salt and freshly ground black pepper
750g/1½lb braising steak, cut into 5cm/2in cubes
2 tbsp olive oil
125g/4½oz baby onions (or small onions), peeled
400g/14oz carrots, cut into large pieces

6-8 large field, crimini or portabella mushrooms, cleaned and quartered
4 sprigs fresh thyme
3 bay leaves
4 tbsp tomato purée
300ml/10fl oz ale
300ml/10fl oz hot beef stock
500g/1lb 2oz ready-made puff pastry, rolled to 0.5cm/½in thickness
1 egg, beaten, to glaze the pastry

The Process

1. Preheat the oven to 325F/170C.

2. Sprinkle the flour onto a plate and season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Dredge the steak pieces in the seasoned flour.
3. Heat an ovenproof casserole dish over a high heat, add the steak pieces in batches and fry for 3-4 minutes, or until golden-brown on all sides, stirring regularly. Remove the cooked steak from the dish, transfer to a warm plate and set aside. Repeat the process with the remaining steak pieces, then set aside.
4. Add the onions and carrots to the emptied casserole and fry for 2-3 minutes, or until just softened, then add the mushrooms and fry until soft.

5. Add the thyme, bay leaves and tomato purée and stir well to combine.

6. Add the ale and stir well, scraping any sediment up from the bottom.
7. Return the browned steak pieces to the casserole, add the hot stock, stir well and bring the mixture to a boil.

8. Transfer the dish to the oven and cook for 1½ hours, or until the beef is tender and the gravy has thickened. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly.
9. Increase the heat of the oven to 425F/220C.
10. Cut the pastry to fit over the casserole dish.

11. Brush a little water around the rim of the dish, then place the pastry over the pie and press the edges to seal the pastry to the dish.

12. Brush each pie with a little beaten egg, then place in the oven and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the pastry is pale golden-brown and has risen.

The Reveal

After a test pie and then a few recipe tweaks Justin and I were ready to dive into making our creations. The above recipe is the tweaked recipe and the photos are from Justin's pie. He made his in a 12" cast iron frying pan - one of the most versatile and functional kitchen items - that was just a hair too shallow for all of the liquid. I made mine in an enameled cast iron dutch oven which was far more suited to this recipe.

Justin's Steak and Ale Pie was served with mashed potatoes and fresh garden peas. My Steak and Ale Pie was served with broccoli and cheddar mashed potatoes.

Justin's Reveal

Gina's Reveal

The Great Bag of Fudge

noreply@blogger.com (Gina Geremia) — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 19:44:00 +0000

Ever seen a cake in the shape of a bag of fudge? Most likely your answer is no. To this I say, what a shame! Thankfully you made it to The Flour Garden where you have the opportunity to see one. And it was made all in the name of Lily.
July 22, 2010 marked the 40th year one of my best friends joined the world. Lily is an amazing woman - a fantastic, loving and dedicated mother and wife. She is one of the hardest working people I know. An entrepreneur of the highest! Her talents and creativity seemingly know no bounds.

YumYum Tree Fudge

Lily, you see, started her own fudge company late in 2008. Coupled with the long hours, constant marketing and endless selling she also offered the right product at the right time. In the middle of a severe economic downturn (recession is a word that very few governments throw around these days), what started as almost a hobby intended to just help bring in a little extra income, became a viable business at the top of the fancy food charts. Yum Yum Tree Fudge is gourmet fudge: affordable, delicious, sustainable, featuring locally sourced ingredients and made with the love and hands of Lily and her family. Now that's the kind of product that fits into every niche market and the kind of treat everyone wants!

So, what on Earth do you do to celebrate 40 years of a woman who is so spectacular, so gracious, so generous and kind? Well, you bake her a cake. And you bake her a cake designed by her daughter, commissioned by her husband and in a flavor requested by Lily herself!

Happy Birthday, Lily!

Zesty Lemon Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Gina Geremia) — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 12:42:00 +0000

My latest creation

noreply@blogger.com (Gina Geremia) — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 14:46:00 +0000

Rose Wedding Cake
The three layers of decoration this 4-tiered cake went through.

A have your cake and eat it too summer

noreply@blogger.com (Gina Geremia) — Mon, 24 May 2010 11:15:00 +0000

This past weekend we saw temperatures reach nearly 90 degrees Fahrenheit (30C) and it was all we could do to contain ourselves from over doing it outside. Cleaning gutters, cutting back ivy and wisteria, trimming back the forsythia, cleaning the ponds, watering the garden, watering the garden and watering the garden some more, we spent nearly every waking moment outdoors. On top of this I was able to wash every scrap of dirty laundry in the house, sweep, vacuum and mop, dust and even pop a cake in the oven for dinner on Sunday! Aside of all of the work we accomplished, we also managed to spend a lot of time walking along some of the many footpaths surrounding our home, picking flowers for every room in the house and Justin even completed his newest song. Relaxing in the evenings with a lager shandy or a pint of Hoegaarden (a delicious Belgian white beer and one of my all-time favorites) with our homemade turkey burgers and vegetables grilling over the charcoal, we'd sip our drinks and throw a few darts. It was one of the best weekends we've had in a very long time. One of those rare weekends when everything goes your way. In a manner of speaking we got to have our cake and eat it too!

Hot weather isn't always conducive to having a kitchen oven on, nor does it make me want to eat any particularly heavy food. Ergo, the desire to cook out on the barbecue and eat fresh green salads. Baking a cake is not exactly what you think of when it's 90 degrees outside... or, is it?

This delightful, quick to prepare and quick to bake cake cools fast and is perfect with fresh berries and creme fresh or vanilla scented whipped cream. My favorite way to eat this is with loads of fresh blueberries!

The recipe? Four egg yolks mixed with 2/3 cup buttermilk and 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla; 2 cups flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt; 8 tablespoons softened unsalted butter.

The preparation? Easy peasy, just mix it all together, pour it in a 9" cake pan, bake for about 20-30 minutes in a 350F oven and let it cool in the pan until the cake begins to shrink away from the sides. Then, just flip it onto a cooling rack, allow to cool another 10-15 minutes before transferring it to your favorite cake plate. Adorn with creme fresh or vanilla scented whipped cream and loads of blueberries (or any berry will do!).

Bon appetit!

Pain au Chocolat: My Favorite Treat for Guests

noreply@blogger.com (Gina Geremia) — Sat, 15 May 2010 19:15:00 +0000

I love guests. For me, there is nothing more exciting and fun than preparing for a visit from friends or family, tidying up the house, picking flowers for their room, making things special for their stay. My favorite thing to do when preparing for guests is to plan meals and bake extra treats. Most often, time permitting of course, I go all out and make Pain au Chocolat (chocolate croissants). Homemade croissants are delightful and addictive. The process is rather easy, yet it is a full day when I must be nearby to pay attention to this
delicate dough.

For croissants, all conditions must be perfect. The butter must be at precisely the right temperature. The room temperature must be perfect. The dough must have the right amount of moisture. When you meet all of the conditions and you truly have the time to pay proper attention to the process, you will find this recipe the most satisfying of all. The croissant honestly does melt in your mouth. This dough is perfect for filling with chocolate for a delicious pan au chocolat or a savory cheese for pan au fromage.

Pain au Chocolat
Croissant Dough

¾ cup (182 grams) room temp whole milk

2 tablespoons (25 grams) sugar

½ tablespoon (4.5 grams) active dry yeast

2 cups (91 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour (not self rising)

1 teaspoon (6 grams) salt

18 tablespoons (255 grams) unsalted butter (the best quality you can find)

9 ounces (170 grams) dark chocolate

Glaze

1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water

The Process

Warm the milk to no more than 110 degrees F. Proof the yeast in two tablespoons of the tepid milk along with ½ teaspoon of the sugar for about 20 minutes.

Blend all but 1 tablespoon of the flour with the yeast mixture, remaining sugar and salt using a food processor with a metal blade (pulse to blend). Transfer this to the bowl of a mixer with the dough hook attachment and add the remaining milk. Mix on low speed to moisten the flour then increase to medium speed and beat for 4 minutes until the dough cleans the side of the bowl (it will still be sticky to touch). Turn it out into a lightly oiled bowl and turn over so the oil covers it all. Keep covered with a warm, moist towel for 30 minutes.

Gently deflate the dough and refrigerate it for 2 hours.

Place the remaining 1 tablespoon of flour on a sheet of plastic wrap and place the butter on top of it. Wrap the plastic wrap loosely around the butter and pound gently with a rolling pin until softened (be careful not to allow the butter to get too soft). You want the butter to be workable and still cool. If you are not going to use it at once, keep it cool but be careful not to allow it to get cold. You basically want it so that it is soft enough to be folded in with the dough but not so cold that it will break through the dough. As soon as the flour has been incorporated into the butter, shape the butter into a 5-inch square no thicker than 3/4 of an inch.

Flour your counter, table or pastry board (if you are so lucky to have one!) and roll out the dough into an 8-inch square. Place the butter square diagonal on the dough square. Lightly mark out the shape of the butter into the dough. Remove the butter and roll each corner of the dough into a flap. Moisten the flaps lightly with water, replace the butter and wrap the butter square by folding the flaps of dough up and over the butter. Stretch the flaps to reach across the butter.

Refrigerate for 20-30 minutes (no longer).

Again, flour your working surface very well. Place the dough seam side up and lightly flour it. Roll it out into a 7-inch by 16-inch rectangle. Fold it as you would a letter (into thirds). Brush off the excess flour and wrap in plastic wrap. This is your first “turn” – you want to do a total of 4!

Refrigerate for 20-40 minutes (not longer).

Repeat the rolling and folding process three more times, being sure to keep positioning the dough so the closed side is on your left before rolling.

Refrigerate for 20-40 minutes between each fold.

You may find that you will need to turn the dough over occasionally as you roll it out each time so as to keep the seams and edges even.
Once you make your final fourth turn, cover loosely in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and allow it to sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes.

On a well floured surface, roll the dough to a 6 inch by 24 inch rectangle. Using a sharp knife (I use a pizza wheel as it make for a quick and even cut) cut the dough in half lengthwise to make 2 rectangles 3 inches by 24 inches. Cut each rectangle crosswise into 4-inch pieces. Brush off all excess flour.

Place a piece of chocolate on the edge of the long side of a piece of dough. Shape the pains one at a time by rolling up the dough so that in encloses the chocolate. Keep the rest of the dough covered with plastic wrap while you work with each pain.

When all the pains are formed, brush them with the egg glaze.

Allow the pains to rise for about 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F and set an oven rack on the lowest level. Five minutes before you put the pains in the oven, place a pan of water with a pinch of cream of tartar on the lowest rack. Place the pains in the oven and turn the temperature down to 400 degrees F. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove the pains and place the pans on a cooling rack for about 20 minutes.

*You can refrigerate the unbaked pains overnight and bake in the morning but you will have to allow 3- 3 ½ hours rising time.

A Piece of Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Gina Geremia) — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 12:57:00 +0000

Several weeks ago I had an order for a Victoria Sponge for 80 people. I had never made a Victoria Sponge before and knew that a lot of people would be paying attention if it wasn't made well enough to their liking. After all, this is a classic British cake - one that is beloved by the entire nation - and I couldn't - wouldn't - disappoint.

I decided to make the cake how I would want it, by using a blend of fresh raspberries and strawberries mixed together with a blend of raspberry and strawberry jam and topped with a stabilized whipped cream, rather than just strawberry jam and a buttercream frosting. The result? To die for! Word on the street was that it was the best Victoria Sponge they had ever had!
It's so easy, a child could make it... and one did! The next day I decided to make good on a promise to a very good friend of mine to bake him a Victoria Sponge. While I was at it, I thought it would be nice to have one in our house as well. At the sound of mixing bowls clanking, my eight year-old stepson rushed to the kitchen to find out what was happening. Was there anything he could help me make? Of course there was! He loves to cook and I love to teach so it was a perfect match in the kitchen. He did everything on his own, including separating the eggs! All I did was get the ingredients out and prepared the pans. Again, the verdict was over the top with enthusiasm. It was a success!

So here you go, the recipe for one fantastic Victoria Sponge. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Victoria Sponge(grease, line with parchment and grease again two 9”x1.5” round cake pans)
Yellow Cake
6 large egg yolks
1 liquid cup milk at room temperature
2 ¼ teaspoons vanilla
3 cups sifted cake flour
1 ½ cups sugar
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter – softened

Filling
2 cups chopped fresh berries (strawberries, raspberries or a combination)
1 ½ cups jam (strawberry, raspberry or a blend of the two)

Whipped Cream
1 liquid cup whipping cream (or double cream)
2 tablespoons icing sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch (corn flour)
½ teaspoon vanilla
1. Wisk flour, sugar, baking powder and salt until blended.
2. Lightly mix egg yolks with 1/3 of the milk and the vanilla.
3. Add butter and remaining milk to dry ingredients and mix on low until incorporated.
4. Add 1/3 of the egg yolk and milk mixture and mix on low until incorporated. Turn mixer on medium-high speed and mix for 20 seconds. Repeat this process two more times with the remaining egg yolk and milk mixture.
5. Divide cake batter evenly between the two pans.
6. Bake at 350 for 25-35 minutes or until a tester inserted near the center comes out clean. When cake is done, remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Remove the cake from the pans and allow to cool completely.
7. Chop the berries and add 1 cup of the jam. Mix well.
8. Spread the berry mixture on the top of one of the cakes.
9. Warm 3 tablespoons of the cream with the cornstarch until dissolved and cool to room temperature.
10. Add the cornstarch and cream mixture with the remaining cream and whip until soft peaks form.
11. Add the sugar and vanilla and whip until stiff peaks form, being careful not to turn the cream to butter.
12. Spread ½ of the whipped cream over the top of the berries and cover with the second cake.
13. Spread the remaining 1/2 cup jam mixture over the top layer and spread that with the remaining ½ whipped cream.

Serve at room temperature to experience the intensity of the fruits’ flavors.