Why Do We Blog?

All week I struggled with what to write for the Foodbuzz Project Food Blog Challenge. Finally, my son reminded me why I started the blog. Several years ago, I started writing down all the recipes and tricks we use in our kitchen for our boys to have as they grow up, and for the  when they want to learn how to cook in hopes that eventually they would have their own kitchens and families and traditions. When I began the project, I wrote a letter to my sons:

“To My Sweet Boys:

Our lives revolve around the kitchen. This is not by necessity but by choice. In fact, the very first weekend I met Dom (my husband,) he cooked Chicken Marsala for me. We have had many wonderful times in our kitchen including Sunday dinners with family, cookouts with friends, birthdays, dancing & singing, and Chef’s Table.

Other families have bigger, fancier kitchens and yet they still eat out in restaurants most evenings. We actually cook in our kitchen. We use the recipes our grandmothers have handed down. We take recipes from cookbooks and make them ours by adding our own special flair. We have had a blast experimenting with new ingredients: cardoons, oxtails, and stuffed squash blossoms for example. We have made homemade pasta and sausage, have lots of “secret ingredients," and have even waltzed on the kitchen tiles on Fat Tuesday.

This [blog] has recipes, tips, traditions and even some of the family “secrets” that we have cooked and tried as a family. We want you (and our readers) to take them and make them your own to share with your family into the future. Buon Appetito! ~Mom”

I believe the above fully describes me as a food blogger and the reason I take time to take pictures and type the recipes. The recipes may not always be “foolproof,” but they are real, made with love and shared with my three favorite men!

XC Banana Bread

During Cross Country season there is no shortage of bananas in our house! Occasionally, one or two get overripe before they are eaten, so they become banana bread. This recipe makes one very moist loaf. Try substituting chocolate chips for the nuts and make a batch of mini muffins for a team snack after your next meet!

½ cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature, plus more for pan
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 ½ cups unbleached flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
2-3 very ripe bananas, mashed
½ cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Preheat oven to 350°. Butter a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan; set aside. In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, and beat to incorporate. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to the butter mixture, and mix until just combined. Add bananas, sour cream, and vanilla; mix to combine. Stir in nuts, and pour into prepared pan. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Let rest in pan for 10 minutes, and then turn out onto a rack to cool. For mini muffins, bake for 20-25 minutes.

A Steak for All Seasons

Whenever we go to Chicago, we try to get to Gibson’s Steakhouse on Rush Street. The service wonderful and the food is always perfect, especially the steaks. When Chef Mike Clark took over the kitchen of Gibson’s, he introduced the use of his “secret” seasoning salt on his steaks before they are cooked. Last Christmas, we brought home a jar of the magical steak salt which (unfortunately) we have completely consumed. After much research and experimentation, we have concocted what we think is a delicious facsimile to use until our next trip to the windy city!

½ cup coarse Kosher salt
1 Tablespoon dried oregano
1 Tablespoon ground black pepper
2 bay leaves, crushed
2 ¼ teaspoons garlic powder
2 ¼ teaspoons onion powder
2 ¼ teaspoons dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, ground

Combine all ingredients and pulse in a food processor for 30 seconds. Transfer to a clean jar and store in a cool dry place with other spices. Dom coats the steaks with olive oil and sprinkles about 1/2 teaspoon on each side of the steak before placing them on the grill.

Finest Foodie Friday!

"We Like To Cook" is a featured blog on Foodie Blogroll's weekly Finest Foodies Friday! We started writing the blog to record family recipes and information for our friends and family and as a record of our hijinx! It is exciting to know that others are enjoying what we are cooking, tasting and doing! Keep checking back for more recipes, reviews, and ramblings!

Funny Little Funnel

The funnel is a very useful kitchen tool with a wide, conical mouth that tapers down to a narrow stem which is used to channel liquid or fine substances into containers with a small opening. It is a well-used and noble member of the Romeo infrastructure. My recent favorite melted when hot frying oil was poured through it. The funnel before that was made of aluminum and was rendered useless when it was dented beyond repair in a drawer closing incident.

So, with some trepidation, I went shopping for a new funnel knowing that any replacement must be durable at best to survive the rigors of our kitchen. Imagine my excitement when I found a flexible, collapsible, little funnel made from heat resistant silicone! The even better surprise was the price of my new little treasure which was only 99 cents at World Market. Anyone can use a funnel to refill a pepper grinder with peppercorns, but when was the last time you used a funnel to transfer thick cookie dough into a cookie press? The flexible silicone allows you to squeeze thicker foods right through it. I am enjoying putting this funnel to the test. I only wish I had bought two!

Potluck-Perfect Pasta Salad

To many Americans, Labor Day is the last vestige of the summer, a day off from work and school, and one last chance to relax. Thousands will celebrate the three-day weekend with cookouts, picnics and potluck dinners.

But Labor Day is actually a celebration of the social and economic achievements of American workers. Peter McGuire, a New York City carpenter, is often called the "father" of Labor Day. He spent a decade fighting for worker's rights. In 1882, he proposed the idea to create a special holiday for workers. On Tuesday, September 5, 1882, more than 10,000 workers hit the streets of New York City for the first ever Labor Day parade. Two years later the celebration was moved to the first Monday in September. And in 1894, Congress passed a law making Labor Day a national holiday.

This was the favorite dish at our Labor Day cookout. It may sound a bit plain, but it is a tangy complement to barbecued ribs or chicken. The added bonus is how easy it is to make! This is my sister's absolute favorite salad and is our go-to recipe for all family cookouts.

1 pound orzo pasta, cooked and rinsed
1 cup mayonnaise (Duke’s preferred)
1 lemon, juiced
1 Tablespoon champagne vinegar (or rice wine vinegar)
½ cup capers
½ cup marinated artichoke hearts, chopped (optional)
1 teaspoon white pepper, ground
Salt to taste

Cook orzo pasta following the instructions on the package, rinse in cool water and drain. Place pasta in a large bowl with mayonnaise, lemon juice, rice wine vinegar and pepper, and then fold together without breaking up the pasta. Add the capers and stir until evenly distributed. Add salt to taste. Add additional amounts of ingredients to taste.

Note: You can other ingredients such as green onions, shallot, celery, or even shrimp. Black olives such as Calamata will discolor the pasta.

Roasted Elephant Garlic

Watercolor by Sonny Romeo

Yesterday, Dekalb Farmer's Market had the freshest, nicest looking elephant garlic we had seen in a while. Many people buy elephant garlic simply because of its size. The bulbs are very large and a single bulb can weigh over a pound with a single clove often as large as a whole bulb of ordinary garlic. Interestingly, elephant garlic is not true garlic, but a cousin of the garden leek. The flavor, which is much more similar to garlic than to leeks, is milder than garlic, but not exactly like garlic.

When roasted, elephant garlic is so smooth and mild, you can use as a spread with good crusty bread. Roasting garlic is so easy and so tasty, it makes a simple yet impressive appetizer. I love the way it smells as it is cooking especially on a cold wet day. This is one of Sonny's favorite too!

1-2 heads of garlic
2 Tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt

With a very sharp knife, remove just enough of the root end of the garlic bulb to flatten it enough to sit upright. From the more tapered, flower end of the bulb, slice 1/4 to 1/2-inch off the top to reveal the garlic cloves within. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the garlic bulbs upright in a baking dish, and drizzle 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil over the top of the exposed cloves. Season with a touch of salt and pepper, cover with aluminum foil, and roast 30 to 35 minutes, until the garlic cloves take on a rich golden color and the papery covering has begun to brown but has not blackened. Remove from the oven and cool several minutes before serving.

Sunday Afternoon Movies & REAL Popcorn

The guys usually spend Sunday afternoon in the "man cave" watching movies and wanting popcorn. While I like the convenience of the microwave version and the tidiness of an air-popper, nothing beats stove-top popped corn (especially when you look in the pantry and the microwave version has all been consumed!) So, I looked in the freezer and found an ancient bag of popcorn kernels. Then I scurried around until I finally found a recipe for popcorn (No, there were no instructions on the bag.) I finished making the popcorn only to discover I had no popcorn flavorings, so I grabbed the first interesting thing in my line of sight - Gibson’s steak salt. The guys ate 3 quarts of popcorn in one sitting. Just try to beat that with microwave popcorn!

2 tablespoons neutral oil (vegetable, canola)
½ cup popcorn kernels

Put the vegetable oil in a large, deep pan (6 quarts or so) and heat to medium, then add 3 kernels of corn, and cover. This may take a few minutes. Resist the urge to turn the heat up as the oil may start to burn.

When the kernels pop, remove the lid and add the remaining corn. Cover and shake the pot, holding the lid on. Leave pot covered over medium heat until first kernel pops. Leave a small gap between the pot lid and opt to allow steam to escape. On average, a kernel will pop when it reaches a temperature of 347 degrees F. Do not be alarmed if it takes considerably longer than you thought (5 or so minutes.) When corn starts to pop, shake pot every few minutes to redistribute kernels over the heat.

When all the kernels have popped (no more popping sounds) remove pot from heat and let stand (covered) until popping stops, 1 minute, then uncover carefully. Open lid away from you to force steam in the opposite direction. Pour a little butter over popcorn and “fluff” to mix, then pour a little more butter and fluff. Keep pouring and fluffing until all butter is mixed. Add favorite seasonings, and fluff again. This recipe will make three quarts of popped corn. Toss hot popcorn with one of the flavorings below, or more oil or butter and salt, as desired. Makes 8 to 10 cups of real popped joy!

Cauliflower Puree Canapés

Cauliflower is highly under-rated! It is good served hot in casseroles, cold in salad, pickled, or even in soup. My husband used leftover roasted cauliflower to make this delicious healthy appetizer spread. The first time he made served it on crostini, I was skeptical, but now it is one of my very favorite appetizers. The texture is amazing and can be eaten alone or compliments other hor d'oeuvres.

8-12 small slices of crusty bread (toasted)
1/2 head cauliflower
2 cloves browned/roasted garlic
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil (plus 1 tablespoon for toast)
Kosher salt
freshly ground white pepper
Dash of Tabasco or other hot sauce

Brush the slices of bread with about 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Arrange on a baking sheet and toast in a 450 degrees F oven until crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Set aside.

Trim the cauliflower and separate it into large florets. Steam the remaining florets in a steamer basket over boiling water until soft, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer the steamed cauliflower to a food processor, add the browned garlic and salt and pepper to taste, and puree until smooth. With the processor running, pour in the remaining ¼ cup olive oil, and a dash or two of hot pepper sauce, then taste and adjust the seasonings.

Spoon a layer of the cauliflower puree on toast slices. These can then be garnished a variety of toppings such as tiny parsley sprigs, roasted red pepper slices, sun-dried tomatoes, capers, or even raw cauliflower slices. Drizzle with plain or infused extra-virgin olive oil (truffle, lemon, herb, etc.)

Vin Santo

A friend of ours is taking a trip to Italy and asked us for restaurant recommendations, so we started reminiscing about different trips and meals. The first time we went to Rome, Italy, it was a cultural event. We visited the Colosseum, St. Peter's Basilica, the Sistine Chapel, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain... the list is lengthy! We ate everything in sight: sandwiches from the Antica Salumeria Ansuini; Granita di Caffè from Tazza d'Oro; pizza bianca from Il Forno, and, gelato from Giolitti. The most memorable meal of that first trip was an evening spent at Ristorante Piperno in the Jewish Ghetto. We were seated at a table outside where the sun was setting and a light breeze was blowing. We ordered far too much food because we wanted to try everything! It was the first time we had stuffed squash blossoms and fried artichokes which now regularly appear on our dinner table. The homemade pasta dishes were perfectly prepared with seasonal ingredients. After dinner, the boys excused themselves to chase the restaurant's cats.*

Dom and I had researched Italian cuisine before the trip and had read about an after dinner wine called "Vin Santo"** that is served with a dried fruit tart or biscotti. So we asked the waiter who spoke little English to bring us a glass. When it arrived at the table, we asked the waiter what type of wine it was, and he looked at us and said, "Vin Santo." So, we asked again in the best Italian we could muster what type of wine it was and he said again very slowly and more loudly, "V-i-n S-a-h-n T-o-e." At that point we gave up and just enjoyed our dessert, and watching our guys explore the little surrounding "piazza."

*We have found that the best restaurants in Italy always have cats!
**Vin Santo is a sweet, autumnal white wine made from Trebbiano and Malvasia grapes that have been dried before making the wine.

Broccoli with Lime Shallot Dressing

As vegetables for side dishes go, broccoli is always a good option. It's available year-round and generally holds up well in the refrigerator. Because broccoli has a strong flavor, it needs seasonings with strong flavors to compliment it. Dressings with chilies, ginger, garlic, citrus juices, and spices, are best. This recipe with lime and shallots is tangy, spicy, and very tasty!

1 ½ pounds broccoli (about 1 medium bunch), rinsed
1 teaspoon grated zest and 1 tablespoon juice from 1 large lime
2-3 Tablespoons shallots, diced
2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
¼ teaspoon ground cumin

Mix lime juice, zest, salt, pepper flakes and cumin in a small bowl, then whisk in oil until dressing is smooth. Stir in shallots and set aside.

Separate florets from stalks at points where the floret stems meet the broccoli stalks. Cut off the woody bottoms of the stalks and trim away 1/8 inch of outer peel. Cut stalks in half lengthwise and then into bite-sized pieces. Bring about 1 inch water and salt (1 teaspoon) to boil in a deep, wide pot. Lower insert or basket with broccoli into pot so it rests above water; cover and simmer about 4 to 5 minutes until just tender. Remove broccoli from the steamer and gently toss steamed broccoli with dressing. Transfer to serving dish and serve.

Billionaire’s Bacon

Sunday mornings we usually have a big breakfast, especially during Cross Country season when the guys burn off as many calories as they can eat. Dom makes this bacon as a special treat, and it is even fancy enough to make an appearance on a cocktail party tray.

1 lb. bacon
1 1⁄2 cups light brown sugar
Black pepper as desired

Separate the strips of bacon and blot dry with paper towels. Put the brown sugar into a tray or wide dish. Coat both sides of bacon by pressing each strip firmly into the sugar. Sprinkle with pepper if desired. Lay bacon out on sheet pans covered with parchment paper. Cook bacon in a preheated 425° oven, turning once, about 15 minutes until browned and lacquered. Let cool and serve.

*The late chef and food consultant Gene Hovis gave the recipe for this decadent bacon to Mortimer's in New York City.

Bubble Your Troubles Away!

While Flour Child Baking's Willamae is hopeful that cupcakes are the new bubble, we are still very fond of the old ones. Who isn't? Everyone loves bubbles! They are a wonderful treat to add to your picnic basket or pool bag. Store bought container of bubble solution never lasts very long, especially with some of the bubble toys designed to guzzle the stuff like fuel. Not to mention the inevitable accident when someone knocks over the bubble stuff in their bubble catching enthusiasm. We are still in search of the perfect bubble wand; so far it is a bent coat hanger with electrical tape. This reinforces the theory that the best toys are still homemade. This is our favorite recipe for bubble stuff.

2 cups water
1/2 cup dishwashing liquid soap
1 Tbsp. glycerin (or ¼ cup light corn syrup)

Stir together soap and water. We think Joy works the best. Measure carefully because it does make a difference. Add glycerin which you can buy at the drug store, or corn syrup can be substituted. While the bubble solution works without glycerin or corn syrup, it really makes the bubbles bigger and stronger to add it. We let it sit for a while before we use it, for some reason it works a bit better.

One last tip, use this solution outside especially if you use corn syrup because the corn syrup will attract insects, and it is VERY sticky.

Before including this post, we had a friendly debate about whether this qualifies as a recipe. So we consulted a dictionary to find that a recipe is defined as “a set of instructions for making something from various ingredients; or a formula or procedure for doing or attaining something.” And, at least two of the ingredients are even edible.

Pizzeria Uno Experience

On a recent trip to the windy city, we spent the morning wading in Lake Michigan, riding the EL stumbling into a free concert by the Neon Trees playing at the Hard Rock Chicago. After a busy morning, we needed sustenance before heading back to Iowa City. We arrived at Pizzeria Uno just as they opened for lunch and scored a table in the middle of the restaurant. Pizzeria Uno (and its sister restaurant across the street Pizzeria Due) are renowned for their deep dish pizza.

At the next table over, a crew from AOL Travel was filming for their online travel guide section. The waitress encouraged us to place our pizza order as quickly as possible as it takes close to 30 minutes to prepare. We ordered the "Numero Uno" (of course) and then listened intently to the manager explain how the pizzas are made to the camera.

She explained that "the dough is spread evenly over the bottom and partially up sides of the pan and let rise for about 30 minutes. The cheese is arranged in thick layer first because it will burn if placed on top. Then a layer of sausage is pressed like a giant patty onto the cheese, followed by a coating of tomato sauce. The pizza is sprinkled with Pecorino Romano and baked in an extremely hot oven for about 25 minutes. If a customer orders mushrooms, peppers, onions or other toppings they are added for the last few minutes of baking. The pizza is removed from the oven when the edges of the crust are crisp and golden brown."

As she finished her explanation, our pizza arrived at the table. The waitress advised us to wait a few minutes before cutting and eating as it was still steaming hot - having just been removed from the oven. The crust was just crispy enough to hold its shape without being tough while he cheese was gooey and delicious, and the sausage was a near perfect accompaniment to the sauce and cheese.

The pizza is very filling and I could only eat one piece. My older son was able to put away two slices before declaring himself stuffed. We had the remainder boxed as we waddled out the door. Now if I can only figure out how they make their crust...

Iowa City Amatriciana

Every time I visit my Mom and sister in Iowa City, I’m asked to make a batch of “bacon sauce.” This time I had been off the plane a mere 2 hours before I got the request! Making any dish outside your own environment requires patience and ingenuity. Shopping can also be a challenge because ingredients you are accustomed to using may not be available in different regions of the U.S. With all this in mind we headed to the New Pioneer Food Co-op for the makings:

10-12 oz. of uncured bacon
1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 28-oz. canned organic plum tomatoes (crushed or diced)
2 28-oz. canned fire-roasted organic tomatoes (crushed or diced)
2 teaspoons salt
1 ½-2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon oregano
3 Parmesan/Romano cheese rinds (or ½ cup grated)

Cook bacon until crisp (baked or fried,) set aside to cool reserving drippings in the pan. In a saucepan, lightly brown garlic in olive oil. Turn down heat and add canned tomatoes to garlic along with salt, pepper, sugar, oregano and stir together. Heat tomato sauce until just boiling and turn down to simmer. Chop cooled bacon into ¼” pieces and add to sauce. Add bacon pan drippings as desired (I usually add about ¼ cup.) Add cheese rinds to the sauce and allow to simmer for 30 minutes to one hour. Turn sauce off and cool fully. Letting the sauce cool allows the flavors to meld. Bring the sauce back up to heat before serving. To serve, place cooked pasta of your choice in a large serving bowl and add 2 to 3 cups of sauce stirring to coat and set let stand for 5 minutes. Serve plates in bowls with additional sauce.

Vacation Cooking

We just returned home from a week at the beach. We rented a beachfront condo with a glorious view of the Atlantic and close proximity to the Ritz Carlton on Amelia Island. We are veterans at packing for rental cooking. We have experience with the not-so non-stick pans, knives that won’t cut butter, missing or non-existent corkscrews and a general lack cooking utensils. We had packed our traditional rental items which includes:

• Cast-Iron skillet
• Knives and sharpener
• Small cutting board
• Wooden spoon
• Spatula
• Grater or micro-plane
• Corkscrew
• Oyster knife and rubber mitt
• Garlic press
• Vegetable peeler
• Ziploc bags

This rental, however, was particularly devoid of the customary amenities. The furniture looked like leftovers from the Watergate era, a counter bar with no bar stools and a ubiquitous dining room set with a bamboo motif. The kitchen equipment was sad at best. Everything was plastic; the spatulas, serving trays, even the whisk was plastic. The dishes were Corelle which was popular when “Saturday Night Fever” was in theaters. Made by Corning Glass Company, the dishes are made of “thermally-bonded, laminated tempered glass.” While they may be stronger than standard dinnerware, they are thinner and by far, well, cheesier.

Our accommodations, such as they were, necessitated a trip to Goodwill where we purchased a set of 8 real plates, a pasta pot, a cutting board (that wasn’t glass), and a set of highball glasses – all of which we left for the next guests. There were no bar stools at the Goodwill store that day or we might have indulged ourselves. Once we had the items we needed to actually be able to cook, we managed seven wonderful meals including shrimp étouffée, steak and smashed potatoes, orecchiette with Italian sausage and broccoli rabe, pan-seared snapper with tomato salad, and sautéed grouper with browned rice. While cooking the meals yourself does save money, that is not the reason we do it. There is nothing more enjoyable than recounting the day with your family without ambient noise or waiters interrupting your conversation. Delicious food, good company, a little jazz and the sound of the surf in the background; that’s a vacation!

Denise's Signature Peppers in Oil

Photo Credit: Monica Bosco

A large basket of homegrown cayenne peppers sits on the counter waiting for me to put on my plastic gloves* and devote the morning to cutting and canning them. Before I visited Youngstown for the first time, I had never had peppers in oil. They were sitting on the table in Dom’s Aunt Phyll and Uncle Blackie’s kitchen with the salt and pepper. Blackie explained that he ate them with practically everything: sandwiches for lunch, steak at dinner, and his favorite, with eggs each morning. Blackie grew in the peppers in the garden, and Phyll would can them for use throughout the year. Dom remembered the peppers and lamented that he couldn’t find anything close to them in Atlanta. Phyll patiently explained to me how to make them. They do not last very long in our house as Dom and all the Youngstown transplants and especially my teenage boys, eat them almost as fast as I make them.

2 pounds fresh hot peppers
¼ cup kosher salt
6 cloves garlic, sliced
Olive oil
Small jars with lids, cleaned and sterilized
Gloves

Begin by putting on your gloves*. Once you have donned your gloves*, wash the peppers and pat them dry. Next, cut the peppers in thin rings, removing the pith and seeds as you go. Place all peppers rings in a mixing bowl with the salt and toss gently to cover all peppers with salt. Cover the bowl and let stand overnight. When you are ready to put the peppers in jars, fill the mixing bowl with cold water and gently rinse the salt from the peppers. Drain and dry the peppers by laying a towel down on the counter and pat the peppers dry.

Pack the peppers and sliced garlic in your clean jars and fill them with olive oil. Using a spoon, gently push the peppers and garlic down in the jar to remove air bubbles. Top off with more olive oil if needed. Seal the jars and put them in a pot of hot water. Bring to a boil and simmer the peppers for 10 minutes to seal the jars. Let jars cool and check the seals of the lids. Place the jars in a cool dark place. While you can eat them right away, they are better if sit for a week or two, and will keep for up to a year. As I mentioned before, mine NEVER last that long.

*I'm not kidding about the importance of wearing the gloves!

Cleanliness is next to…

Yesterday, I invited a couple of friends over for coffee after we dropped our kids off at school. One of the Moms said she would rather go to Starbucks “because her house is so clean it intimidates me.” I am not sure if I should be complimented or insulted! We keep a tidy house, (although I am not sure you could even call the boys’ rooms tidy!) but I don’t consider it to be pristine by any means.

I will admit that our kitchen is uncluttered by most people’s standards. The only items on our kitchen counter are a coffee maker, olive oil and red wine vinegar, a salt/pepper well and a container with wooden utensils. This leaves plenty of counter space for chopping, pounding, slicing, dicing, etc. I wash out the sink and wipe down the counters with an ammonia mup after each meal, and sweep/vacuum the floors daily. I wash down the floors a few times a week too. Apparently my cleaning habits are on the level of Mrs. Dursley of Harry Potter fame (which is to say excessive) according to my girlfriends.

To this, my response is “Huh?” How can anyone cook with 21 appliances on the counter? I like knowing that my family is eating food prepared in a clean kitchen, if that is excessive then just call me Petunia!

The Market Bulletin

I was so excited to open my mailbox today and find a copy of the Farmers and Consumers Market Bulletin which is published by the Georgia Department of Agriculture. I had let my subscription expire more than ten years ago and was recently reminded of the bi-monthly newspaper. I opened the pages and discovered that this was the semi-annual Equine issue with ads for stud services, carts & wagons, and hand stitched saddles. Subsequent pages had ads for hand-drawn raw tupelo honey, farm fresh eggs, and angel trumpet plants. The Cooking column features a recipe for peach cobbler with ice cream and a balsamic peach salad. I learned that the “cow-itch” vine does not really make cows itch and that NASS (USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service) will be conducting the 2010 Cotton Objective Yield Survey at the end of this month.

The Farmers and Consumers Market Bulletin has served as a medium of exchange for Georgia’s farmers and consumers since its beginning in 1917. Throughout its history, the non-profit periodical publication was  produced weekly until it was reduced to a biweekly schedule by the Georgia General Assembly in its 2003 session. In addition to providing free advertising to Georgia farmers and consumers, the Bulletin features a variety of articles about agriculture and has regular features including a gardening column to promote Georgia products.

Throughout the spring and summer months, several “Pick-your-own” listings are included in the Bulletin to provide consumers with the location of farms where they can pick their own fresh produce.  Monthly handicraft editions also are published, which feature items handcrafted by advertisers, and during the Christmas-season, a list of the state’s Choose-and-Cut Christmas tree farms is featured.

I can't wait for the August 11th "Handicraft" issue! Georgia residents may subscribe to the Market Bulletin for $10 per year, and out-of-state subscribers must pay a $20 annual fee.  To receive your own copy, click here.

Chef's Table

It is a wonderful gift to have dinner with my husband and sons each night! We are very fortunate that all of our schedules allow us to eat together on a daily basis. Some nights, the conversation even continues over a game of gin rummy or chess. Experts in teenage development say that the more often families eat together, the less likely kids are to smoke, drink, do drugs, get depressed, consider suicide and, the more likely they are have exceptional vocabularies, get good grades, delay having sex, learn table manners and maybe even eat their vegetables!

Most night's we have our family dinners at the dining room table, but every so often we have “Chef’s Table.” We eat at the kitchen counter and eat during the live action (like in a commercial restaurant). These evenings are much more laid back and festive with music in the background and banter while we cook and work in the kitchen. Fried foods lend themselves to chef’s table fare as well as anti-pasti. Foods like roasted oysters, fried cod, fried bell pepper and mushrooms, or fresh tomato salad and bruschetta are among our regular noshes.

After a quick clean up, the conversation usually continues in the living room where we contemplate the mysteries of the Universe, like how Paul, the psychic cephalopod at the Oberhausen Sea Life Center, can predict the outcome of Germany’s World Cup Soccer games!