Red!

Today, as I was looking through my photos, the color red caught my eye much the same way that green did back in June.  This is a sign the Ex-Ex and I saw in downtown Durham one night as we were strolling around checking out some of the night spots.  (We love bulls in Durham, much the same way as they do in Arles, France-- could that be why I felt so at home there??)

This is how we spent a recent Friday night... a movie from redbox at Harris Teeter, Jimmy John's subs and Sweetwater Blue (not red!) beer.

This is one of the cute little red tomatoes from my deck.  The Ex-Ex was being funny.  He didn't even eat it.  I did.

The Stars and (red) stripes at the Durham Bulls game on July 4.  We won!

Fireworks from after the game--  "...and the rockets red glare, the bombs bursting in air..."

My red Dutch oven with onions softening in olive oil to be used in ratatouille.

Another shot of the American flag's red stripes, this time from the recent Toby Keith concert at Walnut Creek (you can see his cowboy hat in the right bottom corner).
But if you want to see him up close and personal--

Wasn't it nice of him to dress in a red shirt just for me (the BFF will swear he did it just for her, of course)?

Red tomatoes from the Durham Farmers' Market.

A glass of red Côtes du Rhône with High Rock Lake in the background.

And now the star of this week's show-- red cherries.  I love them.  They are my favorite fruit.  Grandma Bell had a cherry tree in the back yard and I ate so many of them it is a wonder that I did not "founder" on them.  (That is a mountain saying which translates to eating so many that you get sick and can never again eat another one.)  Luckily, I did not do this and love them to this day.  I found them for only $1.99 a pound at a local grocery store and bought a couple of pounds.  High school-age son loves them, too, and likes to eat them even with the stem and pit still attached (he does not eat the stem and pit, though, thank goodness).  College age-son loves cherry pie.  My wonderful mother-in-law, the Ex-Ex's mom, started making the college age-son a cherry pie for his birthday when he was very young.  Needless to say, he is very fond of cherry pie.  The rest of us rarely get any.  We usually have to settle for pumpkin pie since his birthday is around Thanksgiving.
Anyway, I had these beautiful red cherries in my kitchen, getting very ripe.

I made cherry scones, using the lavender scone recipe (listed on the side of my blog home page), without the lavender.  You could add some almonds and / or almond flavoring, if you wish.  Scones are a wonderful breakfast treat.  I have made them often this summer with whatever fresh fruit just happens to be in the house-- peaches, strawberries, blueberries, etc.
We are leaving for a week at Sunset Beach tomorrow and I just could not waste the cherries.  So, I was inspired to make a lovely French dessert-- Cherry Clafoutis.  It is a cherry custard baked delight.  Not too sweet.  Fresh cherries make it so sinfully good.  If you have never tasted it, now is the time.  Fresh cherries won't be around much longer...

Cherry Clafoutis
(serves 6)
from My French Kitchen by Joanne Harris and Fran Warde

1 Tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature, for the dish
1-1/2 lb. sweet cherries, pitted
3/4 c. + 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/3 c. sugar
3 large eggs
1-1/4 c. milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Confectioners' sugar, for serving

Heat oven to 350F.  Butter a shallow oven-proof dish.  Spread the cherries in the dish.
Put the flour and sugar in a large bowl, mix together, and make a well in the middle.  In another bowl, whisk the eggs; add the milk and vanilla and whisk to combine.
Slowly pour the liquids into the dry ingredients, beating constantly until all the liquid has been added and you have a smooth batter.  Pour over the cherries.
Bake for 40 minutes, until the batter is firm to the touch and golden on top.  Sift with confectioners' sugar on top and serve just warm.

Bon appétit, les cerises!

Ratatouille and La Bastille

Rémy, from Ratatouille

The storming of the Bastille prison took place July 14, 1789, 221 years ago today.  The Bastille is where the king would put people who could not pay their taxes.  When the prison was taken over by citizens of the Third Republic, rumor has it that only 7 were actually there.  The prison was dismantled, so it no longer stands.  King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette were in power then and I guess you know what happened to them... off with their heads.  When you are in that neighborhood, you can see the outline of the prison on the streets and sidewalks.  The July Column stands in the middle of the square, a monument to the Revolution.

It's a great neighborhood to visit, in the 12th arrondissement.  The (new-- well, relatively speaking- it was inaugurated in 1989) Opéra de la Bastille is there now, all glass and modern.
I could sing La Marseillaise for you, but I will just show you the sculpture, named for the national anthem, that is at the Arc de Triomphe.

So, how have I spent the anniversary of the storming of the Bastille?  Quite a bit of cooking, which makes me very happy, unlike the face above (I use this picture in class to illustrate how I feel when I have been asked a question about something I have just answered...).
I found a recipe in the 2010 Summer Entertaining edition of Cook's Illustrated, my new favorite cooking magazine.  Really, this magazine is amazing.  The writers go into the whys of their recipes without making it too scientific or technical.  I read these magazines from cover to cover.  I found this one at the grocery store yesterday.  It didn't come with my subscription (I am eternally grateful to Sharon and Charles Maxfield for this gift-- I need to write another thank you note!), but I was more than happy to pay for it.
My new recipe?  Ratatouille, one of my summer favorites.  And this recipe is the best I've ever used.  It keeps the flavors separate and the vegetables don't get all mushy.
First the eggplant, l'aubergine-- sprinkled with salt and left to stand to remove some of the water in it.

Next, the zucchini, les courgettes--

Then come the onions, les oignons--

And, of course, bien sûr, the garlic, l'ail--

Tomatoes, les tomates--

And, fresh from my deck garden, parsley, basil and thyme, le persil, le basilic et le thym--

(chopped up with my really cute mezzaluna or hachoir).
Olive oil is the only other ingredient.
When I arrived in Arles in June of 2007 to work with Chef Érick, my French kitchen vocabulary was non-existent.  No kidding.  He sent me off the first night to fetch une louche.  I had no earthly idea that he needed a ladle.  I stood there wandering if I should just play ignorant and bring him any gadget or  truc, or just go ahead and admit that I was clueless.  I decided to go with the latter.  A smart move.  He could probably guess from the look on my face that I had no idea what he was saying anyway.  It just had not even dawned on me that I should actually learn some new vocabulary words before going to work with him.  Nothing like on-the-job-training to teach you some really useful new words.  Survival French.
Alors, revenons à nos moutons... Let's get back to our sheep... the French expression for getting back to the matter at hand.  Maybe it comes from a Molière play?  Non, I just googled it and it comes from a 15th century play, La Farce de Maître Pathelin, written by an unknown author.  I remember reading the play in college, but I thought it was my old friend Molière.
Let's get back to our ratatouille.  Do not be scared of the steps involved in this recipe.  It is very easy and well worth the time and effort.  The Ex-Ex, my most discerning eater, ate two helpings of it for dinner (and he swears that he hates hot tomatoes...).

Ratatouille
makes 7 cups, serving 4-6 as a side dish

2 large eggplants (about 2-2 1/2 lbs. total), cut into 1-inch cubes
Table salt
2 large zucchini (about 1 1/2 lbs. total), scrubbed and cut into 1-inch cubes
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed (about 2 tsp.)
3 medium ripe tomatoes (about 1 pound, very ripe beefsteaks are recommended), peeled and cut into 2-inch cubes (I peel mine by holding them over the gas flame just enough to break the skin so that they can be easily peeled; you can also do this by putting them in very hot water and then peeling them)
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil leaves
1 Tbsp. minced fresh thyme leaves
Ground black pepper

1.  Place eggplant in large colander set over large bowl;  sprinkle with 2 tsp. salt and toss to distribute salt evenly.  Let stand at least 1 hour or up to 3 hours.  Rinse eggplant well under running water to remove salt and spread in even layer on triple layer of paper towels; cover with another triple layer.  Press firmly on eggplant until it is dry and feels firm and compressed.
2.  Adjust one oven rack to upper-middle position and second rack to lower-middle position; heat oven to 500F. Line two rimmed baking sheets with foil.
3.  Toss eggplant, zucchini and 2 Tbsp. olive oil together in a large bowl, then divide evenly between baking sheets, spreading in single layer on each.  Sprinkle with salt and roast, stirring every 10 minutes, until well-browned and tender, 30-40 minutes, rotating baking sheets from top to bottom halfway through roasting time.  Set aside.
4.  Heat remaining 2 Tbsp. oil in heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering.  Add onion; reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and golden brown, 15-20 minutes.  Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Add tomatoes and cook until they release liquid and begin to break down, about 5 minutes.  Add roasted eggplant and zucchini, stirring gently but thoroughly to combine, and cook until just heated through, about 5 minutes.  Stir in parsley, basil and thyme; season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Rosé wine would have seemed a logical choice-- summer vegetable dish with herbs-- and I have a bottle chilling in the refrigerator.  But I was in the mood for a Côtes du Rhône red tonight.  I chose Ferraton Père et Fils 2008 Samorëns.   A great choice from Wine Authorities.
Et comme dessert?  I don't have dessert very often, but there was a bar of chocolate in my pantry calling my name...

(I always kept a stash of Lindt bars in the cupboard in Arles, too.  I made frequent trips to Monoprix to replenish my supply.)

Bon appétit, la belle France et bonne fête!  Vive la France!

Another one down!

Yes, I am now 4 down and 96 to go with the Our State list of 100 places you must eat in North Carolina's 100 counties.  My little sister, Moo, came down to spend a week with me and we went to High Rock Lake, near Lexington, NC, for a few days.  Lexington, the seat of Davidson county, is very well-known for its pork barbecue.  There is an annual BBQ Festival there every October.  So, you just can't go without eating the local speciality at least once.
Our first stop was at Jimmy's Barbecue.

I love BBQ sandwiches with coleslaw.  The coleslaw is vinegar-based in Lexington.  I am also a huge fan of hushpuppies.  Jimmy's did not disappoint.  Moo had the daily special, barbecued chicken with mac and cheese and green beans.
We had a a few wonderful, relaxing days on the lake.  Sunbathing, reading, working crossword puzzles, catching up on family gossip...  sister stuff.  Moo is a pretty good Southern cook.  But she had never had risotto so I made the Almost Hands Free recipe, adding shrimp this time.  She really liked it, thank goodness.  (Otherwise, I'd never hear the end of it-- you know how sisters can be!)  I used Picpoul de Pinet wine from Wine Authorities in the recipe.  Trop bon!
How about this for a beautiful North Carolina evening?

On our last day there we decided to go into downtown Lexington.  We made a stop at The Candy Factory on Main Street.

If you are old enough to remember penny candy stores, this is as good as it could ever get.  A quarter used to go a long way...  The Ex-Ex always talks about a candy he loved when he was growing up in Nebraska.  I found what I thought was this candy and bought one for him.  I bought a Big Cherry.  Silly me, the candy of his childhood was Bing Cherry.  He said the one I bought was a pretty good imitation, though.  It was a kind of chocolate covered cherry with chopped nuts in the chocolate.  (No photo available-- he ate it pretty quickly.  Must not have been too bad!)
Then we walked across the street to Conrad and Hinkle Food Store, a real grocery store that's been around for 90 years. 

There is a real butcher there, just ready to cut your meat to order, fresh local produce and the best pimento cheese I've ever eaten.  It is made fresh daily.

I meant to make a grilled cheese sandwich out of mine, but it didn't last long enough.  (The BFF is from Lexington... it was her mom's lake house we stayed in.  I have a container of pimento cheese for the BFF in my refrigerator right now.  Hope she gets it before I am too tempted to make a grilled cheese sandwich...  Hmmm, wonder what wine Salamanzer would recommend to go with that??)

It was really good on this piece of toasted French bread, though.
The last stop on the way out of town was at The Barbecue Center.  David Bailey, author of the Our State article, recommends the Q soup and the banana splits.  I did not try the soup, opting instead for another sandwich.  Comparison eating, I suppose.

Yes, with coleslaw, of course.  It was delicious.  Moo had a BBQ salad.

She really liked the barbecue sauce.  She did let me try one of her hushpuppies.  Really good.  More cornbread taste than Jimmy's and crunchier on the outside.
After watching several banana splits head for other tables, we decided to take the plunge.  I honestly cannot remember the last time I ate one of these to-die-for summer treats.

A perfectly ripened banana, sliced lengthwise, on the bottom, large scoops of strawberry and vanilla ice cream on the bottom, an equally huge scoop of chocolate ice cream on top of that, chocolate sauce, walnuts and whipped cream.  Oh!  And a maraschino cherry on top, of course.  We did our very best to finish it, but just couldn't.

Ah, summertime...

Bon appétit, Lexington and Davidson County!

Gifts from Europe!

High school-age son's girlfriend just got back from three weeks in Holland and Italy.  I am truly trying not to be totally green with envy.  Since France isn't in the cards for me this summer, it is not easy.  But she came back bearing gifts!  Edible ones at that.  The best kind, n'est-ce pas?  I will make dinner soon and invite her over.  Pasta and pesto... miam miam.

I probably will not share this chocolate, however.

Can't wait to try this... what if I dip the chocolate in it??  Hmmm...  Bonne idée!

And look at this beautiful bar of soap all wrapped up.  It looks good enough to eat, doesn't it?  Nesti Dante Florence Italy... brings back sweet memories of my stay in Florence with Lucy #1 and the BFF in September 2008.
And speaking of Italy, last week I had lunch with the BFF at Toast, a paninoteca in downtown Durham.  We tried two of their crostini--
Herb pesto, mozzarella, roasted tomato-

And warm goat cheese, local honey, cracked black pepper-

After that inspiration, I tried my hand at creating some of the little treats, too.
This one has pesto goat cheese spread from Elodie Farms with sharp cheddar cheese, roasted red pepper, basil and sea salt.

I had a lot of fun and a very nice lunch sampling them.  Pas mal! 
More about Toast and other Durham restaurants in my next Herald-Sun article.  Stay tuned.

Buon appetito, l'Italie!

Happy Birthday, USA

Today is our country's birthday.  A day for Americans to celebrate our freedom.  A couple of photos of Washington, DC seem appropriate.  We take our 7th graders there every February for their class trip.

It is a beautiful city.  I never get tired of going there.

Flags flying at the American Cemetery in Normandy, France.

Downtown Durham proudly flies the flag, also.
I also found a few photos of typical American things.

It is hard to get more American than Little League baseball.

Or buffalo roaming the prairie out in Nebraska.

How about hamburgers?  (Even if this one is a cake decorated with fondant icing!)?

Benjamin Franklin at the Durham Farmers' Market is very American, passing out flags.

Teddy Roosevelt, Jr.'s grave at the American Cemetery in Normandy, France.

 A beautiful sunrise at Sunset Beach on the Atlantic coast of North Carolina.

Grandfather Mountain in Linville, North Carolina.  (Can you see his profile?)

Fireworks at the Durham Bulls stadium last season.  (I can't wait for tonight's display!)
My earliest childhood memories of July 4 did not revolve around patriotic displays, however.  My grandfather, affectionately known as Papa, was born on July 4.  He brought birthday cake and ice cream to our house every year when I was a little girl.  He promised my mom and dad $100 if they had a baby on his birthday.  They evidently tried... my brother was born on June 27 one week before the 4th and one of my sisters was born July 11, yes, one week after the 4th.  I was born later in July and my other sister has an August birthday.
Happy Birthday, Papa!

Yesterday I experimented with a new apple pie recipe.  I found some apples and caramel sauce I had made a few days ago in the refrigerator and came up with the idea.  It must have been good because there was none left last night. 

Caramel Apple Tart
(from Bon Appétit by way of epicurious.com)

Caramel sauce:
1-1/2 c. dark brown sugar, packed
1-1/2 c. heavy whipping cream
6 Tbsp. (3/4 stick) unsalted butter

Bring sugar, cream and butter to boil in a heavy saucepan, whisking constantly until sugar dissolves.  Boil until caramel thickens enough to coat spoon thickly, whisking often, about 10 minutes.  This can be made ahead of time and refrigerated.  Warm in microwave when ready to use.

Crust:
1-1/4 c. unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 c. powdered sugar
1/4 tsp. coarse kosher salt
8 Tbsp. (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, diced
2 large egg yolks

Blend flour, powdered sugar and salt in processor.  Add butter and blend until coarse meal forms.  Add egg yolks.  Pulse until moist clumps form.  Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk.  Wrap and chill at least an hour.  Dough can be made up to one day ahead and chilled in refrigerator until ready to use.

Filling:
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
6 large McIntosh or Golden Delicious apples (about 2-3/4 lbs.), peeled, cored and quartered

Whisk sugar, flour, cinnamon and cardamom together in a large bowl to blend.  Add apples and toss until evenly coated.

Preheat oven to 375F.  Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 13-in. round.  Transfer to 9-in. tart pan with removable bottom.  Cut overhang even with top of pan sides.  Press sides of dough to bring 1/4 in. above sides of pan.  Arrange apple slices, cut side down, in circle around outer edge of pan, fitting snugly.  Fill in the inside with slices, fitting snugly together.
Bake tart until apples are tender, about 1 hour 15 minutes.  Remove tart from oven and brush with some of the caramel sauce.  Cool to room temperature before cutting.  Serve with more sauce and vanilla ice cream, if desired.

Bon appétit, U.S.A. et bon anniversaire!

The Soul Of A Chef and Risotto

At the moment I am totally engrossed in this book, The Soul Of A Chef, by Michael Ruhlman.  I found it at my school's spring used book fair back in April.  I don't want it to end, but I am ready when it does because I went to Barnes and Noble this week and bought The Making Of A Chef, the book he wrote before the one I am reading now.  Mr. Ruhlman is an incredibly talented writer.  I feel as if I am in the kitchen with him and that I personally know the chefs he writes about in this book.  Aren't books wonderful?   They transport us to faraway places.   I am nearing the end of the book and Ruhlman is interviewing Thomas Keller, chef extraordinaire of The French Laundry in Napa Valley.  I passed through Napa a few years ago on my way from the Folsom-Sacramento area where I was taking a computer scheduling course to San Francisco for an evening.  Someday I hope that the Ex-Ex and I will go there for a visit.  I have no illusions about my own personal palate, but I would like to think that I could have lunch at The French Laundry and understand what Keller is trying to teach his diners about flavor.  You never know, I guess...  on ne sait jamais.  Until then, I will keep finding new and wonderful books to whisk me away and take me on voyages around the U.S. and the world.
I hit a homerun with the eaters tonight.  Go me!  I adore risotto, having been introduced to seafood risotto in Arles by Chef Érick and having it prepared for me on a weekly basis with the mussels and shrimp coming off the boats twice weekly and sold at the outdoor market. Chef Érick shops only at Saint Louis Pêcheurs, by the way.

I have since learned to make risotto myself and take great pleasure in standing over the stove and stirring and stirring and stirring.
In the May/June issue of Cook's Illustrated magazine there is a recipe entitled "Amost Hands-Free Risotto."  I decided to give it a try.  Writer Andrea Geary goes into great, but readable, detail about the chemistry of risotto and then offers up two recipes that she worked out and perfected.  I was admittedly skeptical, but the results speak for themselves.  My little sister Moo gave me a Dutch oven she found at a yard sale and I decided to use it for my risotto.  It does not get enough use, to tell the truth.

I used herbs from my deck garden... could I be prouder?  I think not.  Je crois que non.

I told the BFF what I was planning to cook today while we were out for our early morning walk and she stopped by chez moi with the recommended wine from my buddies at Wine Authorities.  Barbera D'Asti 2008 Sant'Evasio.  Perfect.

She really is the best BFF imaginable.  She didn't even get to stay to taste the risotto or wine since it is Daddy-O's birthday and she needed to get home.  (BTW, it is also Canada Day.)
It really was delicious.  I am so glad there are leftovers so that I can have some more tomorrow.  Would it be weird to eat risotto for breakfast?

Who cares, right?

Almost Hands-Free Risotto with Chicken and Herbs
serves 6

5 c. low-sodium chicken broth
2 c. water
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 chicken breast halves (about 12 oz. each), each cut in half crosswise (the recipe calls for skin-on, bone-in breasts-- I used skinless, boneless and just cooked them for a shorter period of time-- still juicy and full of flavor)
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 large onion, chopped fine (about 1 1/2 c.)
Table salt
1 medium garlic clove, minced or pressed
2 c. Arborio rice
1 c. dry white wine (I used a Picpoul de Pinet from Wine Authorities)
2 oz. grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 cup)
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh chives
Ground black pepper

1.  Bring both broth and water to a boil in large saucepan over high heat.  Reduce heat to medium-low to maintain gentle simmer.
2.  Heat olive oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat until just starting to smoke.  Add chicken, skin side down, and cook without moving until golden brown, 4-6 minutes.  Flip chicken and cook second side until lightly browned, about 2 minutes.  Transfer chicken to saucepan of simmering broth and cook until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part registers 165 degrees, about 10-15 minutes.  Transfer to plate.
3.  Add 2 tablespoons butter to now-empty Dutch oven set over medium heat.  When butter has melted, add onion and 3/4 tsp. salt; cook, stirring frequently, until onion is softened but not browned, 4-7 minutes.  Add garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Add rice and cook, stirring frequently, until grains are translucent around edges, about 3 minutes.
4. Add wine and cook, stirring constantly, until fully absorbed, 2-3 minutes.  Stir 5 cups hot broth mixture into rice;  reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until almost all liquid has been absorbed and rice is just al dente, 16-19 minutes, stirring twice during cooking.
5. Add 3/4 cup hot broth mixture to risotto and stir gently and constantly until risotto becomes creamy, about 3 minutes.  Stir in Parmesan.  Remove pot from heat, cover, and let stand for 5 minutes.
6.  Meanwhile, remove and discard chicken skin and bones and shred meat into bite-size pieces.  Gently stir shredded chicken, remaining 2 tablespoons butter, lemon juice, parsley and chives into risotto.  If desired, add up to 1/2 c. remaining hot broth mixture to loosen texture of risotto.  Serve immediately.

Bon appétit, to all food writers, cooks and chefs!