A pimento by any other name is
Posted: October 12, 2012 Filed under: Food, Humour | Tags: Agnes Scott College, Olive, Pimento, Pimento cheese, Publix Leave a commentRecently I agreed to go back to work for a month to fill in for a sick employee. Yes, I’m tired at the end of the day and lots of things are left undone at home but one of the greatest reasons for returning is the pimento cheese sandwiches. Growing up I didn’t know Pimento cheese was a Southern tradition; it was just something that was part of our weekly food fare. Usually it came in a plastic tub from Publix – Ruth’s brand I think – but occasionally mother would make it from scratch.
I’m an advocate of the pimento cheese at Agnes Scott College in Decatur. It was the first item to my “to eat” list when I returned. The college’s pimento cheese has just the right touch of heat to offset the cheese and mayonnaise. For you non-Southerners let me explain:- the name says it all – pimento cheese. Take sharp cheddar cheese (I prefer grated) – add mayonnaise and a handful of pimentos for color. Mash it all together. Maybe add some salt and pepper in case you think cheese and pimentos don’t already have enough sodium and your arteries haven’t already slammed shut. That’s the basics for purists but then come the recipe changers adding cream cheese, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, cayenne pepper, jalapenos, even onions, garlic and dill pickles. Needless to say I’m on the purist side of the fence but I need to find out what small extra spice is added to Agnes Scott’s pimento cheese.
Sadly when I worked there full time I ate a few too many sandwiches and my cholesterol level sky rocketed 20 points. The next checkup, after I pulled back on my p.c.sandwich consumption, the cholesterol was back down to doctor smiling numbers. I have no idea how high the cholesterol is of fellow employees I see spreading mayonnaise on their bread or putting a few strips of bacon on top. I can’t fathom medical numbers that high.
Taste buds and medical tests aside what is a pimento anyway? Yes it’s the red thing in olives and I was too old to admit it before I realized olives didn’t grow with the red center. Ahh childhood innocence. And little strings of pimento don’t grow on bushes; pimento is just another name for a variety of cherry tomato. A cherry tomato that has one of the lowest Scoville scale ratings of any chili pepper. How boring. I could probably grow pimentos in my garden; not exotic at all.
Is your mind going where my mind went? Who thought of the idea of taking an olive, pushing the seed out and replacing it with a piece of pepper? That’s a lot of work; first cutting up the pepper then pushing out the pit and finally stuffing it with that small red pepper. Why? Were stuffed olives gourmet foods for royalty?
Of course the industrial revolution changed everything and machines were invented with a hydraulic pump to shoot the pimento in the olive while at the same time shooting the pit out the other side. As I’ve now been researching pimentos I read that even that is passé in many companies. To save money batches of pimentos are pureed and formed into strips that are held together with guar gum. Sadly besides destroying the beauty that is a pimento strip it apparently means someone with a peanut allergy could have a reaction to the guar gum. Next trip to the grocery store I’ll check the labels before buying my olives. Back to basics – buy real pimentos!
Once, in a fancy overpriced restaurant, I ordered pimento cheese balls – breaded and deep-fried. Nope, if I’m going to raise my cholesterol stats let it be with traditional pimento cheese. Comfort food on white bread.
What other food delicacy will I find while back at gainful employment? Who knows. I’m hoping for the bread pudding before I leave the campus again. Stick around and see what new food is explored here on FoodThoughts. Sign up on the right to receive an email update when new entries are posted in this blog.
Fall Food is Coming!
Posted: September 26, 2012 Filed under: Food, Humour | Tags: Bread, Fall Food, Recipe Leave a comment
Fall Food is Coming! I need a megaphone so I can run up and down the street letting everyone know – Fall Food is Coming!
(Photo credit: saxarocks)
It was 56 degrees this morning – time to pull out the woolen sweaters. Yes, I do live in the South and 56 is chilly. Perhaps a heavy sweater is a bit too dramatic; a long sleeve shirt will work. I would say layered but it warms up pretty quickly so a long sleeve shirt that you can roll up the sleeves would be best; then you don’t have to carry that 2nd piece of clothing around with you.
Food – This Blog is Supposed to Be About Food Not Fashion
But clothing is not what this blog is about – it’s about food – random thoughts about food. Let me random you this – roast with potatoes, carrots, onions and fragrant spices. Soup: soup sounds good too. With Christmas trees already in some stores it’s probably too late to be thinking harvest treats like popcorn balls and caramel apples but they are on my mind right now. It feels good to stand in the kitchen look out the window and anticipate the fall colors soon to arrive on the trees. It’s also good to contemplate the end of mowing the lawn for the year.
The Book of Ecclesiastes comes to mind – and with that Pete Seeger. To everything there is a season. After the long hot summer we’ve had this upcoming season with its earthy scents like pumpkin and sage is overdue. I’m taking a deep breath here in anticipation of smells to come.
Yes today is random day. I’m leafing through cookbooks searching for fall inspiration and yes it is more fun to look at cookbooks and then use the internet to find variations on an interesting recipe.
An Old Fall Food Favorite
Here’s an old favorite I need to mix up and enjoy while I read.
Russian Tea – for relaxing and sharing with friends
(Photo credit: heatherknitz)
1 Cup Sugar
1/2 Cup Instant Tea
1 pkg lemonade mix (my original recipe called for Wyler’s – I’m sure Kool-Aid would work just as well)
1 small jar Tang or 1/3 of a 27 oz. jar)
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. ground cloves
As you have surmised this recipe makes more than 1 teacup full and needs to be stored in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Back in the day, the 70’s, it was popular to make this mix up and put in mason jars to use as gifts. Humm – I wonder if anyone does that anymore. FYI: You would need about 2 tsp. for a single cup of tea.
Almost Twin Breads
Oddly in my recipe card file book I have Pumpkin Bread and Zucchini Bread stored in the same slot. After reading them I can see why. They are virtually the same recipe except for the summer vegetable zucchini or the fall/winter pumpkin. The summer squash treat gets vanilla while the dark delicious gourd version has nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon. Interesting? I wonder if I realized that when I put the recipes away or if I had just run out of spaces.
All that aside I’ll be camping this weekend so anticipate a few rounds of S-mores before crawling into the sleeping bag. Life is good – even if a bit random today.
Will life be less random next week? I don’t know. If you’d like to know sign up on the right to receive an email when new thoughts will be posted.
The Unknown Food Server
Posted: September 22, 2012 Filed under: Food, Humour | Tags: french fries, Girl Scout cookie Leave a comment
The idea hit like a bolt of lightning: I was the unknown food server. It started with an urgent plea from the local band boosters for help in the concession stand. Why not? Another notch in the belt of things I have never done before. I checked with the granddaughter who goes to the football games to ask what was I thought a simple question “what do the folk in the concession stand wear? Team colors, shirts with the school’s mascot? Shorts or jeans?
Body Parts – I’m Now Just Body Parts
The reply came swiftly from the child that can take an hour to decide which the perfect color of blue is before purchasing jeans. “I don’t know.”
(Photo credit: yorkville)
She didn’t know! How many nachos has she bought from that concession stand in the last 2 years? Then the bolt out of the blue hit my brain: To the fashion conscious granddaughter concession workers were merely hands –hands that took money and doled out food. I was basically going to be “body parts” and nothing more. Perhaps I should wear a Vampire costume. Vampires are really hot now and maybe somebody would notice me. Not likely; all the folks in line want is food and drink served quickly so they can get back to cheering the home team to victory (or not).
I couldn’t be mad at precious granddaughter though because if I look back into my past I couldn’t tell you who handed out the snacks at Vacation Bible School. I know where in the church I went to get my cookies and juice and I can tell you the workers wore dresses; probably prints like small flowers. What I can’t tell you is whether it was my mother, grandmother or their friends who served the snacks. I doubt I could have told you the name of the person as I was being handed the cookie because at that moment what was important was how sugary that large cookie was and hopefully that it wasn’t peanut butter. I preferred the sugar cookies.
Other Unknown Food Servers
Isn’t that the way? You can be unknown for so many reasons – especially where food is involved. Think about it; when the eager server comes to your table and announces his name do you remember it past the main course? Of course not, unless you have received horrible service and want to complain to management.
And it’s not just the people who hand you the food. I include as food servers the cashiers at the grocery store. The issue here is that the good ones move on to better jobs and the remaining ones are too busy talking to their colleagues for you to care about their names.
On the other hand I can tell you the names of waitresses at my regular haunts. These people see my car parking and have my favorite drink ready as I plop into a set. Not only do I know their names I can discuss their children, aging parents and more. I buy school fund-raisers from them; they buy Girl Scout cookies from me. It’s a rather symbiotic relationship. We both benefit.
It takes a lot of work for a food server to move from unknown status to first name. Both sides have to work at it. In all honesty I doubt there will ever be a time when anyone knows my name at the concession stand. I think I’m now permanently the “I need more fries!” lady.
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To Freeze Food or not to Freeze Food
Posted: September 12, 2012 Filed under: Food, Humour | Tags: Clarence Birdseye, Frozen food, Maltese Falcon, Sam Spade Leave a comment
I can almost tell you to the day when I discovered the difference in the canned vegetables my mother served us and the frozen peas a neighbor made for dinner. Why didn’t my mother know about these delectable treats? Or thinking back, my mother had a garden, why didn’t she grow us some fresh vegetables instead of only flowers? I don’t know the answer to those questions but I’m learning a lot about how frozen foods came into wide-spread use. As usual I found a book in the browsing section of the local librarian; they put out such intriguing books. The book is Birdseye: The Adventures of a Curious Man.
Although I’m breezing through Birdseye I’m also trying to remain sane while I also slog through The Maltese Falcon. The problem with The Maltese Falcon is stopping to reflect on how close each scene is to the movie; needless to say it’s very slow going. Frozen food is so much faster. I’m almost halfway through the Birdseye book and still no mention of frozen vegetables. So far I’ve been hunting ticks in the Wild Wild West to help discover the cause of Rocky Mountain spotted fever. I’ve been to Labrador on a hospital ship. At one point there was a brief stay at a cooking school. I’ve eaten food out of tin cans, skinned foxes and other furry animals and discovered salted cod doesn’t freeze. That’s quite a bit for 88 pages.
In the Beginning
Clarence Birdseye was an adventurer and an inventor. My new friend Clarence was born within a decade of: the invention of the telephone, the phonograph, the first incandescent light bulb, the first automobile that was practical to use, George Eastman’s roll film and camera (say “Cheese”) , even the first capillary feeding fountain pen (be gone inkwells), and don’t forget cash registers (Cha-Ching). There was Coca-Cola flowing, washing machines pumping and this surprised me, contact lenses were patented. Simply put, the close-knit world of everyday citizens was expanding: rapidly expanding. Clarence Birdseye was willing and ready to help with this widespread expansion.
We’re Never Satisfied
If I read nothing but the preface I would have a thought to ponder for a long long time. It’s human nature to desire what we normally don’t have. Right now I’m thinking something from a bakery. A tailor’s son wants a factory-made suit the same factory made envy for a boot maker’s child. Clarence Birdseye grew up as the industrial revolution was gaining speed. He was pro industry. Industry could produce items faster and cheaper than mom and pop operations. Clarence traveled about the world and tasted foods so foreign to the local foods he was used to. He wanted others to experience the wide range of foods available. We’re all post-industrial babies and love our local markets but if Clarence Birdseye were dropped into today’s society he would not understand the artisanal movement. Why buy close to home when the world is our home? Think about that for a while. I’ve been contemplating that sentence for several days.
You were about to get a pithy quote from Edgar Allen Poe but I discovered I was mixing up my metaphors. I was having the raven quote something about pendulums. It didn’t work for the raven or for me. As long as I was checking out my nonexistent quote I also picked up the Birdseye book to check a fact. I discovered in the next paragraph, which since the book was open I took a moment to scan, Clarence started going by the name of Bob. Bob? Best guess is that he determined that people found it easier to talk to a Bob than a Clarence. I’m guessing if he showed up in today’s world our naming habit might throw him for a bigger loop than our post-industrial ways or possibly he would be so intrigued by the variety of names that he would never get to explore our current foods issues.
The End of the Story is Yet to Come
Apparently I have fields of vegetables and schools of fish to read about before I sleep – even a mountain top in Peru. First I shall take a break and celebrate with something from the freezer and a slice of artisanal bread and then curl up with both Sam Spade and Bob Birdseye…a kinky combo.
Figure 1 from United States patent #1,773,079 issued to Clarence Birdseye for the production of quick-frozen fish. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
So are you an artisanal fan or love the ease of frozen foods? Your thoughts are welcome.
Food for Those That Labor
Posted: September 4, 2012 Filed under: Food, Humour, U.S. History | Tags: Chow-chow, Denmark, Food chart, Liver, Relish, World War II Leave a commentLabor Day has come and gone – but there’s still time to celebrate with food from Rosie the Riveter and all those men and women that labored during WWII. Whether she labored in a shipyard or mill Rosie and the men she worked beside most likely took their lunches with them. I recently found a list of items in a typical 1944 lunchbox.
- Meat loaf sandwich – ok
- Chocolate brownie – ok
- Spreading cheese and piccalilli sandwich– not ok – especially since I don’t have a clue what a piccalilli is. Time for a research break…It turns out piccalilli is different depending on where it’s made – from England to across the pond to us it’s changed along the way. In the Northeast it’s made with sweet red and peppers; like a pickle relish. So far I’m not impressed. In the Midwest its chopped gherkins – also known as neon relish – paired with hot dogs. Since I’m not a sweet pickle fan I’m way past unimpressed. Maybe it’s because I grew up in the South – we don’t serve piccalilli; we serve chow-chow made from green tomatoes. No, that statement is wrong because apparently I wasn’t raised far enough “south.” I never had chow-chow. Bottom line: I would rather miss a meal than have piccalilli on my sandwich.
- Sliced ham and egg salad sandwich – ok
- Cottage cheese and pickle relish – what was the 40’s deal with pickle relishes?
- Grapes, fig bars – ok
- Liverwurst sandwich – really? Really? Apparently I would have been very hungry in the 40s.
- If that wasn’t enough the first item on the suggested dinner menu was – Liver Loaf. Thank you I’ll get my Iron from vitamins.
Different Foods for Different People
I know there are people who enjoy different foods. I’ve opened a freezer door in Denmark to discover an entire pig’s head just waiting to be boiled and made into head cheese. Each to his or her own. My Grandpa Harold took white bread piled heated canned baked beans on top and then poured vinegar over it. Some of you may have just gagged but I still find that delicacy delicious. Then there was my father’s love of onion sandwiches: white bread, butter and onion slices. I didn’t pick up that eating habit but my sister did. How about Grandma Olie’s breakfast of champions: cereal with coffee poured over it. Another food treat I have gladly foregone.
The above list was suggested for workers but what about the school children. I remember school lunches so vile that even now I gag when I recall them but I’ll say one thing for those cafeteria workers: they actually cooked food. If the card below is too hard to read – just click on it, you should get a larger image.
Anything that starts out with 2 ¼ pounds of table fat is going to keep those young bodies doing something.
A Government Food Chart I Can Live With
But all was not bad in the war years. Stop a minute and get a mental image of our current food triangle pushing the fruits and vegetables to one published during the war. Pay close attention to Group 7 of the WWII foods that the government advocated we eat each and every day. Yep Group 7 is my favorite. There’s a food group I can support. How about you? In addition check out the note on the bottom of the chart. That’s my type of government food chart.
Have odd foods that you love to eat…let us know in the comments section below.
Two for One – Glass Knives
Posted: August 30, 2012 Filed under: Food, Humour, U.S. History | Tags: Didio, Dur-X, Glass knife, Knife, Vitex 2 CommentsThe Date – 1920. The man behind the invention – John Didio owner of both Didio Bros. Cut Glass Co. and the Buffalo Knife Co. Inc. The invention – Glass Knives.
Why glass?
After all if you drop a glass knife it’s shards to you. To understand the history you have to know a bit about knives. Back in 1920 kitchen knives were being made from carbon steel – that meant one thing – they would rust especially if you were cutting acidic foods like tomatoes or citrus.
It must have been an “a ha” moment when John Didio thought of basically combining his two businesses. Definitely a Two for One inspiration. Do you suppose it was because his wife complained so much about her kitchen knives or maybe he didn’t like the metallic taste the knives left on his fruit.
A Bit of Glass Knife History
I have a friend who collects glass knives but more importantly I know a member of John Didio’s family. It’s always good to go to the source. Although classed as part of Depression glass E.S. Pease, Didio’s partner in the knife company applied for the original patent in1920 with Didio as a witness. Those early knives were plain, clear and marked BK Co. 1920 in raised letters. Find one at a yard sale, especially with a box, and you have found a rare treasure. Try to be calm as you dismissively say “this old thing – I can’t imagine it’s worth more than a couple of bucks.” Do not let out a scream of joy until are back in your car and at least a block away.
If you’re a steak lover by this point you’re thinking “ A glass knife; what a stupid idea!” But you weren’t the intended buyer. The lady of the house was and what the lady wanted was elegance, glamour. She wanted something that was functional yet showed her friends how modern she was. Another Two for One for the glass knife was that not only was it perfect for cutting angel food cake at a tea it was also the perfect gift at a wedding shower.
In addition to being impervious to citrus the knives were also said to slide effortlessly through meringues, cakes and Jell-O. Yes Jell-O! Don’t you always cut your Jell-O with a knife? I don’t but you may have different culinary habits.
By 1938 the knives were being sold by pitchmen at the World’s Fair under the name DUR-X and other companies took notice. You can find knives by Vitex, Steelite and Cryst-o-lite. The knives were so popular that at one point Didio wore out his molds and came up with a new handle design.
What Became of Glass Knives
Surprisingly to me is that the glass knife fad lasted for so long. The knives were produced through the country’s Art Deco mood, The Great Depression, WWII, and the beginning of the Baby Boomer generation; all the way into the 60s. By the 60s the knives, now smaller, made of clear glass with 3 daisies on the handle came in a box marked Didio Bros.
It has been frustrating the last few years not to have money to spend on frivolous items which brings up the final reason I like the glass knives. They‘re still available and unless you’re really clumsy can still be used. If you’re interested in having a piece of history a glass knife is a great item to start collecting. The knives are available in the standard clear glass but also amber, blue, green, pink and white. Several years ago you’d need to pay $50 for a knife and box (boxes are more valuable than the knives) but today the price has dropped considerably. The ones I have seen have been around $10. I’m sure the prices will go up one day but since I don’t collect to make money that’s not important to me. I enjoy being able to hold a beautiful piece of American history in my hand.
I have a glass knife. I made a point to purchase it even though it has chips on the cutting edge. Originally I figured I’d just keep it as an oddity but one day I decided to try it out. Chips and all it cut just fine. Does this mean I now have to issue you an invitation to a tea? I think not.
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Food and Piano: Thoughts from and about A. B. Longstreet
Posted: August 21, 2012 Filed under: Food, Humour, U.S. History | Tags: Augustus Baldwin Longstreet, Diet Coke, Georgia, University of Mississippi Leave a comment
The oddest things can bring laughter to my life. I just finished reading a book first published in 1835. It’s a small volume, Georgia Scenes by Augustus Baldwin Longstreet.
If you’re a true Southerner you’ll recognize the author’s name. Longstreet was President of four Southern institutions of higher learning starting in 1839 at Emory College when it was still located in Oxford, Georgia. From Emory Longstreet spent years at Centenary College in Louisiana, The University of Mississippi and South Carolina College. Can you guess which side he was on during the Civil War? Yes it was the South but his small book isn’t about that period. Georgia Scenes is a compilation of characters, incidents and scenes from the first half century of the Republic.
Food from Georgia Scenes
In various stories his characters seek out an oyster house hidden upstairs in a Savannah house, attend a county fair with quite a bit of “punch” being drunk even by the ladies and attend a newlywed couples disastrous dinner party. The dinner consisted or “ two-pale-blue, dry, boiled fowls; boiled almost to dismemberment, upon a dish large enough to contain a goodly sized shote…a prodigious roast turkey, upon a dish that was almost concealed by its contents…the back and sides burned to a crisp, and the breast raw.” Next to be served was a ”burned round of beef and a raw leg of mutton.” FYI: The marriage did not survive.
In another story Longstreet tells of an afternoon tea when I certain Miss Aurelia Emma Theodosia Augusta Crump was entreated to play the piano for the group. Longstreet’s description cannot be improved on. Since Longstreet didn’t fill in the details of what was served at this tea I am making my suggestions. In the spirit of the occasion as you read I would suggest you improvise an afternoon party with my favorites: Diet Coke and something from the Publix Bakery; two true Southern treats, even if they weren’t available around 1790.
Piano Music for Tea
“She seated herself at the piano, rocked to the right, then to the left, leaned forward, then backward, and began. She placed her right hand about midway the keys and her left about two octaves below it. She now put off to the right in a brisk canter up the treble notes and the left after it. The left then led the way back, and the right pursued it in like manner. The right turned, and repeated its first movement; but the left outran it this time, hopped over it, and flung it entirely off the track. It came in again, however, behind the left on its return, and passed it in the same style. They now became highly incensed at each other, and met furiously on the middle ground. Here a most awful conflict ensued for about the space of ten seconds, when the right whipped off all of a sudden, as I thought, fairly vanquished.
But I was in the error against which Jack Randolph cautions us; “It had only fallen back to a stronger position.” It mounted upon two black keys and commenced the note of a rattlesnake. This had a wonderful effect upon the left, and placed the doctrine of “snake charming” beyond dispute. The left rushed furiously towards it repeatedly, but seemed invariably panic-struck when it came within six keys of it, and as invariably retired with a tremendous roaring down the bass keys. It continued its assaults, sometimes by the way of the naturals, sometimes by the way of the sharps, and sometimes by a zigzag through both; but all its attempts to dislodge the right from tis stronghold proving ineffectual, it came close up to its adversary and expired.”
Victor Borge could not have done better – and so I retire to enjoy my Diet Coke and desserts.
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Food experimentation – Juniper Berry
Posted: August 14, 2012 Filed under: Food, Humour, Uncategorized | Tags: Gin, Juniper Berry, Spice Leave a commentIt’s time to experiment – time to shake the jarred spaghetti sauce off the taste buds. Time for Juniper. That sounds so positive yet I haven’t yet tried to the Juniper Berries I bought this weekend. While at the farmers market my husband asked me to buy some ordinary spices. Once confronted with a barrage of spices at the spice wall I panicked. I had no idea what most of the spices were or how I would ever use them. Still my life needs more than salt, pepper and garlic so I closed my eyes, spun around three times and grabbed Juniper Berries. Now it’s time to learn about them.
My total knowledge is that they’re the flavor in gin. That’s a bit disturbing because I don’t really like gin. Oh well – onward.
First a caveat. As I was researching Juniper Berries a couple of sites do say that they should not be eaten by young children, the elderly, pregnant women, women who are breastfeeding or people with kidney problems. ‘nuff said – proceed with caution.
A Bit of Juniper Folklore
Photo credit: St. Murse
On the upside side, during the Middle Ages, Juniper, even just the scent, was thought to ward off the plague and not just plague but witches and other evil spirits as well. I’m not sure when I’ll need to ward off the plague but I now have a supply of the berries around just in case. I may know a few witches, but that’s a discussion for another blog.
Herbal remedies were the medicine of the Middle Ages and Juniper was right in the mix – fighting urinary tract problems, gallstones and there was even a remedy for gout. Those folk were just as meddlesome in the 1500s as we are today; never able to leave well enough alone. Since the Juniper was already being used for urinary problems a Dutch pharmacist had the idea of creating a diuretic drink. He called it gin. At this point my brain has a mental image of a gypsy wagon and self-professed medicine man traveling the countryside with his latest cure for snake bites…no no wait – for whatever ails you. Gin as medicine, as bad as gin tastes I should have realized the connection sooner than I did.
As a spice Juniper is the only one derived from conifers; it’s a female seed cone. Now my mental image switches to the Grape Nuts ads from the 70s with Naturalist Euell Gibbons munching on a pine tree.
Common Juniper Berry Uses in Cooking
I did find the reason I don’t typically cook with Juniper Berries. Besides gin, Juniper is mainly used in northern European cooking especially in strongly flavored meat dishes such as wild birds and game meats. To go along with those game meats you’ll also find Juniper flavoring cabbage and sauerkraut.
Since I have the berries and with no plague epidemic in sight I’ve been on the lookout for a recipe I can make. Using the same method as I did when I found the berries on the spice rack I closed my eyes and picked a random recipe.
Barbecued Rabbit
Serves 4
1 Young Rabbit, jointed – If the neighbors should see me crawling through the garden wearing a pith helmet and carrying a shotgun I mean them no harm it’s just so I can test this recipe.
4 oz. Mushrooms, chopped
2 Garlic Cloves, crushed
1 tsp. each: Chopped Parsley and Chopped Chives
4 Juniper Berries, crushed (do this at the last-minute because they quickly lose their aroma)
2 tbsp. Oil
1 tbsp. Gin
Salt and Black Pepper
1. Make deep incisions in each piece with the tip of a sharp knife
2. Place chopped mushrooms atop the rabbit pieces
3. In a bowl, mix together the remaining ingredients until well blended. Pour over the rabbit. Coat thoroughly then marinate for 2 hours, turning the pieces from time to time.
4. Bake until cooked through, turning from time to time; basting with the remaining marinade. Serve hot. The recipe was cooking over coals – I’m guessing about a 350 degree oven will work – check after 15-20 minutes.
A Final Thought
Photo credit: _fluffy
I may have to rethink my distaste for gin since I discovered some people consider it a remedy for arthritis. I see more Juniper Berry experimentation in my future.
What’s been your most successful food experiment? Let us all know in the comments section below.
Why I love Champagne
Posted: August 7, 2012 Filed under: Food, Humour, Uncategorized | Tags: Champagne, movie drinks, Turner Classic Movies Leave a comment
Photo credit: mschot
Actually I don’t particularly like champagne. It’s the aura champagne evokes that I love. I know the preferred drink of American’s is beer and wine. But there was a time when champagne was queen. It was a time of gangsters, molls, satin dresses that hung to shapeless female forms, jewels and furs. It was the 30s. Even though some members of my family will swear that I was roaming the earth with the dinosaurs I’m actually not quite that old. I wasn’t around for the heyday of champagne and speakeasies, not even as a baby, but I, like almost everyone else alive today, “know” about those times from the movies. When it comes down to it – it’s all about persona, about appearance.
The Non-Movie Addict
If it wasn’t for TCM (Turner Class Movies) I could have basic television – or no television at all because I do have a library card and I know how to use it. You’re shaking your head and about to say Netflix or other computer generated way to download movies. The problem is I’m not a film fanatic – I don’t know the classic movies or even the B and C grade movies. You won’t find me at the midnight showing of some important film noir. All the black and white films I now enjoy are because I stumbled across them on TCM. Since they’re black and white that means early film years which means they were serving champagne by the gallons to lithe young women and tuxedo clad men.
A Short Guide to Move Alcohol Use
In case the clothes weren’t enough of a clue here’s a hint – gangsters drank beer, cowboys had shots or an occasional swig and beautiful people sipped champagne. They swirled champagne served in delicate glasses from breakfast through dinner and late into the night. And of course they were svelte. Svelte is something I am not, nor can I even aspire to be because slender and lithe and those words are not part of my bodies vocabulary. Svelte usually implies tall as in the svelte model was 6 foot tall and was considered overweight at 100 pounds. Svelte is not just a hair taller than 5 feet.
It’s so seductive – glamorous settings, bedrooms bigger than my house, grand staircases everywhere, chauffeur driven cars, not to mention Myrna Loy and William Powell. Naturally in the ultimate chick flick An Affair to Remember (or the 1939 version Love Affair) the pink champagne in the ocean liners bar encourages Nickie and Terry’s romance.
Technically champagne has to come from France and even though we Americans had been producing wine for some time our wine heyday didn’t arrive until the mid-1970s so I’m assuming what the movie stars were drinking was real champagne.
Champagne and Me
Since I am not a connoisseur come News Year’s Eve I’ll be drinking sparkling wine and incorrectly calling it champagne. To be truthful there is one way I like champagne; the ever popular Mimosa. Orange Juice and champagne, a healthful drink, or at least I want to think that. I’d think more deeply about that thought but after two Mimosas I’m fast asleep, cradled in the arms of Gary Grant.
Photo credit: prettywar-stl
What kind of movie drinker are you? Champagne, a shot of whiskey, beer or what about “shaken not stirred.”
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A Carbohydrate Sort of Day
Posted: July 24, 2012 Filed under: Food, Humour, Uncategorized | Tags: Banana bread, Bread, Carbohydrate, Onion Mushroom Soup, Soup Leave a commentIt didn’t start out to be a bread and cobbler bake-off that that’s what happened. Summertime is not my favorite time for turning on the oven so it was odd that I found myself in the kitchen both simmering a soup and baking up a trio of carbohydrate laden foods. How did this happen? I’m not sure because even with air conditioning it just feels wrong to heat up the house mid-summer days.
There we were with mushrooms and a few onions optimistically purchased for a meal that never got made. Time was running short for the mushrooms; too late to add to a salad but still viable when chopped and hidden into something.
Not a Carbohydrate – but Still Part of the Day
My easiest solution: a mushroom/onion soup or as it turned out an onion/mushroom soup. There’s no written recipe it’s all about what’s on hand the day the soup is made. This time I was heavy on onions.
Bowl of Onion Mushroom Soup
An Overview of the Soup
Sauté the onions and mushrooms – put in a stockpot with beef stock (or chicken if that’s all that is around) add a can of beer, salt, pepper and a few other spices (rosemary and garlic are good). After it’s been bubbling for a while decide what else is needed. This time I tossed in some finely grated carrots but I’ve added grated potatoes before. One time there was no beer so I used red wine. There were no complaints from soup lovers that day. At some point add rice or quick cooking barley. Finally for a gourmet touch swirl in some cream about 5 minutes before serving.
Experimental Carbohydrate Baking
As long as I was already in the kitchen and there were still ingredients around I decided to do a bit of baking experimentation. Yes I was on shaking ground. Baking is so much more precise than tossing random items into a soup pot but what the heck.
- Beer Bread – the usual recipe but I substituted oatmeal for ½ cup of the flour. The bread is a bit coarser this way but still tastes great and I feel like I’m getting some fiber in my diet.
- Banana Bread – I know most recipes call for chopped nuts but none were in the house so I macerated (don’t you love that word – it sounds so much better than soaked) some dried cherries and dates in rum. Since I had 4 large bananas instead of 3 regular sized ones I had to adjust the other ingredients. All in all the bread came out well; I could have added more fruit. Tasty the first day it was even better then next day once the flavors had done whatever it is flavors do overnight.
- The only way I experimented with the Blueberry cobbler recipe was to add extra blueberries. I do think blueberries are my favorite fruit so the more the merrier.
My big baking surprise was the banana bread – because of the extra ingredients I didn’t think it would ever get done. It was 2nd in the oven but came out after the cobbler had cooled enough for a sane person to eat (that’s quite a long time – the cobbler is really really hot just out of the oven.)
As a “use up what’s on hand” carbohydrate cooking day it turned out well.
Food is fascinating – its history, methods of cooking, even family stories about food. I like food and everything about it. If you enjoy food too and would like emails when I post more blogs – click on the button on the right.
foodthoughtsbyjhg 