Southern Fried Chicken

 
 
 
 

Inspiration

 

I was inspired today by a friend's photo of young mallard ducks feeding near a tranquil pond. (on Facebook) I found myself enjoying his pleasure in watching baby birds growing into adulthood.

I miss living near water here in Georgia. Being landlocked in West Georgia you have to know someone to enjoy a serene pond or lake!

Fortunately, I am enjoying a rare lucky streak and happened by my pool today with camera in hand. . . Amazed, I caught a rare glimpse of this migrant water fowl . . .luxuriating in our cool pond!

Vidalia Valley

 
 
 

Whew!

Every once in a while, life and work, gets in the way of this blogging thing. With a little bit of extra time each day, I opted for sleep. . . rather than eating. . .and that didn't leave much time for cooking!

My company, Paper Moon Productions, was chosen by the University of West Georgia, to produce a pretigious APPA Award video, as a result of their Campus Facilities being honored. With less than two weeks to deadline there have been many early mornings and quite a few late nights.

Ok, it's probably sounding like I didn't eat very well at all . . that's not entirely true. I enjoyed two more of the most delicious soft-shell crabs this side of the Gulf Coast! My husband tried his hand at his first delicious meatloaf for meatloaf sandwiches! And, what else. . .my son made a skillet of lime-cilantro shrimp.

We also stocked up on Vidalia onions and have slated Beer-Battered Onion Rings for the weekend. I am making a Vidalia Chow-Chow for a hamburger topped with a fried egg (famous at the Texas Inn in Lynchburg, Virginia). Featured in the photos are a Vidalia Onion Stuffed with Sweet Sausage. CLICK HERE For Recipe To Learn More About Vidalia Valley Click on the title.

We are enjoying lunch tomorrow at AQUAKnox in Atlanta as guests of The Mississippi Gulf Coast CVB and the Gulf Coast Airport. Non-stop flights from Atlanta are due to take flight beginning July 8th!

Stinky Cheese

 
 
 

Not for the faint of heart. . .one of my favorite Italian stinky cheeses. This is one of those cheeses that you love or hate. A delicate blend of sheep, cow and goat's milk this cheese offers a silken texture and a more pronounced tangy flavor.

Still battling my loss of taste from a spring bout of flu I am eating little and choosing carefully! This La Tur cheese is a treat and I will simply soften it and spred it on my homemade rolls. Paired with a mix of black and green olives I am pretty much good to go!

Fried Oysters

 
 

Fried Apalachicola Oyster Sandwiches. What else can you say! Crunchy,fresh fried in an easy coating of equal parts yellow and white cornmeal and a pastry flour. My spices included Tony Cacheries, paprika, and garlic powder. I served it up with a homemade tartar sauce and fresh lemon.

Soft Shell Crab Po-boys With Remolade Sauce

 

Finally, I was able to get some soft shell crabs! They ended up the feature on Home At Last! this week! For the show I made a Soft Shell Crab Po-boy and delivered it to a friend who was craving a taste of New Orleans.

I paid attention to every detail and complimented the crab with an easy remolade sauce. The bread was my own and we were estactic with the flavor and texture provided with a new Italian flour.

Here's my easy recipe for Remoulade Sauce.

1 cup of mayonnaise (or 1/2 cup mayo and 1/2 cup English Salad Cream)
1 1/2 tbsp creole mustard
1 1/2 tbsp bread and butter pickles (chopped fine)
1 clove of finely chopped garlic
1 tsp creole seasoning
1/2 tsp of fresh cracked pepper
1 tsp of Louisiana Hot Sauce
1/2 tbsp of Worchestirshire Sauce
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 tbsp chopped green onion

Fried Green Tomatoes and South African Liver Salad

 
 

Last night we opted for appetizers for dinner. . . just like Will's dad. . . in one of my favorite Will and Grace episodes.

I turned a couple of large, firm green tomatoes into one of our favorite appetizers of buttermilk-soaked green tomatoes with a fire-roasted red pepper sauce with goat cheese! It just doesn't get much better on a summer night.

As a companion I made one of my favorite South African salads. Mixed field greens with fried chicken livers and an easy potato salad with wasabi oil.

Loads of flavor and a great way to engage a loved one in the kitchen. I had Ron help me with prepping while I turned the charred pepper into a simple sauce with garlic olive oil and a little sour cream and fresh cracked pepper. The tomatoes were soaked in buttermilk before dredging them in a mixture of yellow and white corn meal and flour.

The chicken livers were dredged in flour, salt and pepper. Not too many clashing flavors-I let the sauces do the heavy duty. I drizzle the salad with olive oil and fresh cracked pepper and salt.

Catfish And Collards!

 
 
 
 

I don't think I could have imagined a more perfect day. The "boat" was fired up and we set sail for the back roads of Coweta County. My only goal-to see if I could score some bulk sausage from Williams Sausage in Haralson, Georgia. SCORE!!

Our second goal-to stop in a little roadside cafe passed on the way to Williams Sausage for a little BBQ, which goes so well with fresh air and sunshine.

Upon seeing their extensive menu I immediately switched to fried catfish, mac and cheese, fresh collards and a wonderful afternoon with Uncle C and daughter! We swapped family secrets for great BBQ, talked about our childhoods in the south and reminisced about happy days spent in Germany-exploring food and great beer!

It was a delightful afternoon spent in the company of friendly, attentive owners with great Southern food. The catfish was moist and crispy, mac and cheese (cheesy) and cornbread fit for the finest buttermilk! And their were hushpuppies-to boot!

Uncle C shared a jar of homemade fresh fig preserves and promised to hook me up with all the figs I could can! I took him seriously-stopping at Crook's in Senoia to pick up canning jars!

Oh, and we scored "mini-Moon Pies" at the gas station! And hoop cheese!

Uncle C's Bar-B-Que
173 Hwy 85 Haralson, GA
770-599-9105

Open 7 Days A Week

Beauty In The Details

 

I have been anxious to try my new experiment with my own freshly roasted coffee beans. Using about a half of a cup of my Mocha Java Joe Beans (great chocolately undertones) I created the sugar-free liqueur with the addition of a Madagascar Vanilla Bean to a decanter of vodka.

The mixture has been sitting under the wine bar for about four weeks-developing the most beautiful deep chocolate brown tones and decadent aroma!

It struck me today that the perfect presentation for this liqueur was this beautiful cordial from the 30's. Cool colors, minted simple syrup and my own coffee-chocolate liqueur resulted in this refreshing "Peppermint Patty" cordial.

Perfect Weather For A Boat Ride

 

This time of the year you can usually find me in one of three places . . .(listed according to preference)

1. At the bottom of the pool!

2. In my boat-cruising back roads-hunting for good food!

3. Grilling on my Sears Infrared Grill.

On a good day I get to do all three. Today will be one of those perfect days. I have already donned my bathing suit,
I am about to apply red lipstick and I have a pork butt thawing for bbQ!

AQUAGirl Lives!

sshhh! Don't Tell-Anchovies and Pizza

 

I love anchovies and sneak into them into many of our favorite dishes in the form of paste, fish sauce or the whole filets. (whenever I am feeling particularly mean.)

Living in a "NO ANCHOVY" zone like I do-I have learned to be pretty discreet. I don't rush to disclose every ingredient when the "delicious-ness" of a particular dish is heralded!

Last night was a perfect example. . . I decided to make pizza. Since I hadn't planned homemade pizza for dinner I didn't have much on hand in the way of toppings. I did have a can of black olives and had every intention of using them. There was also a cooked sweet sausage, grape tomatoes and Vidalia onion.

But at the last moment I remembered a cupboard-full of anchovie-stuffed green olives from Spain and thought it would make for an interesting experiment. . .if I could keep my mouth shut.

I tried not to pay too much attention to Ron's first bite-knowing that things could go either way. I didn't even watch.

"Hmmmmm" he said. I rest my case!

Memorial Day In Senoia, Georgia

 
 
 
 

I sincerely wish each of you a fine Memorial Day! I hope that you spent a small part of the day in reflection of lives lost protecting our wonderful freedoms - including our right to speak and publish freely, without fear of retribution or bodily harm. God Bless America!

Golden Mojitos

 

Every home bar should stock simple syrup. Equal parts water and sugar. Easy to make and essential in the art of making cocktails that taste like your favorite restaurant or bar.

Although, technically, the addition of other ingredients equals flavored syrups-until they change color-I still call my concoctions simple syrups.

Take for instance,mojitos . . . the addition of the simple syrup takes the drink to a deeper level of minty lime goodness-faster. Mint leaves provide the contrast and balance to the refreshing lime characteristics of the drink.

For an easy simple syrup I sanitize sparkling water bottles and mix the batch right in the bottle. For mojitos I add 10 mint leaves and a bottle pourer before placing in the refrigerator.

Stored in the refrigerator the cold liquid keeps the drink from becoming watery and adds the desired sweetness to the rum.

Braised Short Ribs For Tomato Gravy

 

Every once in a while it's just fun to make a long-version of a classic tomato "gravy" (as all my NOLA friends called a red sauce.) Ron prefers his sauce served on Penne Pasta-hopefully with a little sweet sausage added.

I first learned to make it this way in the mid 70's from an old Italian woman visiting the U.S. Patience and lots of love was her advice to me!

Ron remembers many wonderful pasta meals at the back of the grocery store in Mamaroneck, N.Y. where either his mother or grandmother worked on a pot of sauce with short ribs.

I usually roast the short ribs in the oven for a half hour or so before even putting into the sauce. It develops a rich, meaty taste that is lacking in quick sauces.

Home At Last! Welcomes Panera Bread!

 

Say hello to my newest sponsor, Panera Bread, on Home At Last! With Patty Gironda. Featured here is their breakfast sandwich on ciabatta bread! Fresh eggs, Vermont Cheddar and a choice of sausage or bacon. Try one and please tell them you saw their ad on Home At Last!

Peanut Clusters

 
 
 
 

My experiement with my peanut clusters didn't give me the results I had hoped for. The nuts and chocolate were good but the caramel was from a vendor I had never tried. I think next time I would rather use my own recipe. I found the caramel to be lackluster in depth and robust flavor. The ratio of salt to sugar was off.

My original thoughts for the filling were more towards the nougat texture and it looks like it's back to the drawing board! Oh, darn-who will ever eat all this chocolate!

Seared Redfish

 

Now that I have two pounds of peanuts made it just made sense to create a dinner that could take advantage of their crispy, sweet flavor!

On a trip earlier in the afternoon I picked up a nice piece of redfish and a box of greens. I opted for field greens- all our favorite toppings including grape tomatoes, cukes and black olives. I made a quick Japanese-style potato salad with Kewpie Mayonnaise, Wasabi Oil and chives.

The basting sauce was a combination of fish sauce, fig balsamic, rice vinegar, my peanut sugar mixture, dark soy, olive oil and a teaspoon of plum sauce.

The salad was fabulous-with tender, perfectly-seared fish-topped with the crunchy chopped peanuts! I used the salad dressing from last week and drizzled a small amount of the basting sauce on each salad!

Patty's Sweet and Savory Peanuts

 
 
 
 

This recipe yields a favorite snack in the Gironda household. Simple to make with a recipe that can easily make larger batches for a party or to store in the pantry.

I use it for other things besides a snack-including candy. I am working on a chocolate-covered peanut chew with a praline filling.

For the peanuts:

The raw peanuts are boiled for ten minutes with dried red pepper and equal parts water, honey and cane syrup (or in my case equal parts molasses and cane syrup.) Once boiled, the peanuts are strained and tossed in a dry seasoning mixture comprised of three sugars; white, light brown and dark brown sugar seasoned with paprika, onion and garlic powder, turmeric, curry, cumin, dark chili powder and kosher salt.

Once coated they are spread on parchment paper for thirty to forty minutes in a 200 degree oven. After they cool they are removed to a covered container where they are once again tossed with the dry mixture and more kosher salt.

Finally I place them in a warming oven for the rest of the day so that they can dry. If you don't have a drying oven the counter works fine.

The dry mixture keeps in a covered container like sugar.

For the dry mixture:

2 cups white sugar
2 cups light brown sugar
2 cups dark brown sugar

To the sugars add:

2 tbsp Hungarian Paprika
1 tbsp dark chili powder
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp curry powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp kosher salt
1 tsp fenugreek (optional)
1 tsp turmeric

All the ingredients are pulsed in a food processor and adjusted for taste.
This is easily adjusted for personal taste. We like the spicy and sweet flavor with the salt finish.

Chin, Chin Raphael!

 

Vacations in Tuscany usually include many exciting wines and olive oils showcased at our friends' store in San Guistino Valdarno. Local wineries are plentiful and we have been fortunate to meet many of the enthusiastic owners eager to share their passion for good wine.

On one very special trip we were guests of three wineries producing some of my favorite Tuscan wines. Each of the families and their wineries continue to inspire me today. I remember the first time we walked the vineyards-sampling the Merlot, Pinot and Sangiovese grapes as the Tuscan sun set over the hills in the distance.

I enjoy both the Pinot and Merlot grapes but knew very little of the Sangiovese grape. Luscious, full-bodied and very pleasing with lighter roasted meats and fish I really enjoy the lighter feel of this happy grape.

The Panizzi Rosa, featured here on my back porch as I roasted potatoes, was a gift from an Italian cousin who knew how much we appreciate Tuscan wines. I really enjoyed the clean, crisp Sangiovese Rose wine with the meal. Chin, Chin Raphael!!

Tuscan Bread and Potato Scramble

 
 
 
 

With a "honey-do list" a mile long, there aren't enough hours in the day to accomplish everything life demands! It's important for me to make a list and move items up and down.

Getting the pool ready for the first hot day was suddenly moved to the top of the list...

I don't have a fancy cape or anything "super hero-ish" but in the summer I'm known by family and friends as "Aqua Girl" I pretty much hang out by the pool-ready and willing to prepare light meals and cocktails whenever I am needed.

My busy week didn't leave much time to cook but I did manage to bake two loaves of Tuscan bread and six roasted potatoes. I made BLT's with one loaf of the bread. (Very good BLT's) When the bread started drying out I made this scramble with the potatoes and leftover bread.

My inspiration behind the scramble was from our innkeeping days. We served a wildly popular French Potato Omelet. The scramble is all the taste without the work.

For the scramble or omelette. . .

I boil red potatoes until they are tender and remove them to a bowl where I dress them with olive oil, kosher salt, paprika, cumin and chives. After a half hour I place them on a piece of marble inside my hot grill for another hour. I put a jar of water inside the grill to keep the heat low enough ensure even heat.

 

When I'm ready to make the scramble I coat the pan with 4 or tablespoons of olive oil and add the bread, the potatoes, fresh chives and a super fine grating of an aged cheddar. When everything turns golden I flip it and do the same for the other side, adding lightly beaten eggs and a little more aged cheddar.

The recipe for the bread is listed on Home At Last in the Recipe Section!

Click Here To View.

King Crab Ravioli

 

I am on a roll with my pasta! Craving seafood I sent out for 2 pounds of succulent King Crab and turned every bit of the crab into stuffing and sauce. I boiled down the shells for stock and made a delicate lobster-type sauce with a little tomato and sherry. The pasta was as sheer as a dainty hankerchief and was perfectly tender, again.



My big push, this week, is to make the perfect loaf of Italian bread for po-boys. A friend wants to learn how to make gumbo and po-boys. While it's easy to find all the ingredients for gumbo-it's a bit of a challenge to find just the right New Orleans-style Italian loaf for po-boys. Larry has requested an Oyster Po-Boy (one of my favorites) and for good measure we will make a Soft-Shell Crab Po-boy with lots of Louisiana Hot Sauce.

Ron asked that he act as my guinnea pig tonight on the bread experiment and asked that his po-boy be dressed as a BLT. I started to ask him to stop by the store for green tomatoes to put the sandwich over the top! But that's another day!

Coconut Milk and Vanilla Custard

 

My husband loves Pina Coladas and borders on embarrassing with his passion for the goo-ey drinks with pretty umbrellas. However, I still love to make his favorite drinks and foods and found inspiration in his passion for the coconut/pineapple flavor combo.

I used a can of coconut milk, 1/4 cup of honey, a one inch piece of a vanilla bean, 2 tablespoons of heavy whipping cream and 3 egg yolks beaten and streamed into the mixture very slowly. The mixture was whisked continually until I removed it from the heat. It was cooled for ten minutes before putting it into the fridge.

It set up beautifully and hopefully will make it to nightfall. I have grilled pineapple and will combine it with with a little dark rum, sugar and a teeny bit of butter for a decadent topping.

Limoncello and Co-Co Liqueur

 
 

Today is one of my play days. I was due to tape a show but couldn't sleep at all last night-so I opted to wait until tomorrow, leaving me with a little free time between editing and cleaning house.

I have shifted gadgets between my two kitchens, checked stage one of the Limoncello batch-strained it and will make the simple syrup and fresh lemon juice batch later today. I also started an experimental batch of a new idea that came to me when I wasn't sleeping.

I'm going to try a coffee, vanilla and chocolate liquer. My plan is to make it similar to the Limoncello as that recipe is delivering very consistent results.

Two stages-the first 40 days developing the essense and the second 40 days to blend a simple syrup and develop the intesity of flavor. I am starting with the coffee and vanilla beans and in 40 days will make a chocolate simple syrup. Easy, breezy!

Medjool Dates

 

I never think to blog about my favorite restaurants but as I photograph my big box (eleven pounds) of medjool dates I drifted off to one of my favorite Persian (Iranian) restaurants on Roswell Road in Atlanta, Persepolis.

Sinfully warm flatbread (made on the premises), large sweet medjool dates, a creamy Baltic feta cheese served with large flavorful walnuts and perfectly seasoned hummus are a few of the items in abundance on the lunchtime buffet.

Lamb, chicken and beef stews and a variety of roasted kabobs-all served with aromatic rice studded with raisins and lentils are available off the menu and on the weekday buffet.

Service is attentive and friendly. The experience always leaves me craving more.

Still full from my meal I head straight to the store up front to purchase some of the hard to find items for my pantry. Sumac, black cumin, file powder and hard to find spices and herbs are my favorite reasons to shop this exotic shop. But the cheeses, figs, walnuts and dried beans and pea selection are just pure fun!

Buttermilk Bread Pudding with Rum Honey Sauce

 
 
 
 

A friend wrote to tell me we were under a tornado watch and I thought, "O.K., good-I'll bake something!"

In some parts of the country that might be an odd response to a nasty storm headed your way-but, hey, I'm from Louisiana-I react by preparing food and drink. . .known in Louisisana as a "hurricane party".

Today's reaction resulted in a New Orleans and family favorite, Bread Pudding! I have been baking it so long now there's no need for a recipe-just leftover bread, a few eggs, milk and some flavoring.

I played a little today-adding buttermilk rather than whole milk. I backed off some of the sugar and added a few tablespoons of a cane-molasses syrup blend I keep on hand for biscuits.

This was one of our more popular breakfast courses during our innkeeping days. I panfried the bread pudding in a little butter and topped it with a Tequila Sauce and fresh whipped cream.

In Louisiana, all food is recycled and creates some of the most delicious cuisine in the U.S. Don't throw out that old bread, ya'll!

Ragu Of Sweet Sausage, Porcinis and Asiago Cheese

 

Looking through pictures today I stumbled upon some favorite images from Tuscany; including my friend's ragu simmering on the stovetop of their tiny kitchen in the back of the grocery store owned by Ombretta's family.

Every treasured photo album of Tuscan vacations includes images of delicious foods proudly showcased by village markets, restaurants and chefs-including several images in my slide show. Deep in the Chianti region we dined on the chef's recommendation of a wild boar ragu and wonderfully crisp polenta.

Of course this is exactly the type of memory that triggers meals that I will recreate through-out the year-including tonight's dinner-Ragu of Sweet Sausage, Porcinis and Asiago Cheese.

Another building process, I start the ragu with olive oil and fresh sweet sausage-searing the sausage with the casing on to ensure tender meat. I sear the sausage for about 8 minutes-cool it down and remove the sausage from the casing.

I deglaze the pan with red wine and quickly saute chopped onion, celery and carrot before adding porcini water and dried herbs. I add a small 12 oz can of tomato sauce, 1/4 cup of red wine, chopped porcinis and simmer for about 20 minutes.

Finally, I add 2 fresh-chopped tomatoes with no skin or seeds and the loose sausage and simmer for another 10 minutes, adding liquid as needed.

Seasonings are adjusted, pasta is drained and a small amount of grated pecorino cheese tossed with the pasta. I ladle the ragu sauce a cup at a time onto the steamy pasta until I have the right amount of coating.

A final grating of young Asiago cheese and a refresher on my red wine and I have dinner ready in under an hour!

Not Your Ordinary Noodle

 

Another easy salad idea for the hot days ahead. This Asian-inspired salad is easy to prepare and delivers complex layers of flavor and texture.

I cook all the components in my black iron skillet or wok and remove each cooked layer to bowls until I'm ready to assemble the individual salads. I have my cold items sliced, diced and seasoned-ready to be served before I even begin the cooking process.

Experience and repetition have taught me how to prepare ingredients in the proper order to ensure that each stage of a recipe is ready when I need it. Learning the art of combining ingredients on hand comes from years of studying the core ingredients of different ethnic recipes and finding their common denominator(s).

And finally, stocking my pantry with ingredients that allow me to grab ordinary ingredients and creating a tasty meal without a recipe.

For this simple salad, I boiled the chicken wings with fresh garlic and saved my stock. For the black iron skillet I created an essential taste combo that sears the wings. I start with a hot skillet and add vegetable oil with a small amount of sesame oil. I build on this with fish sauce, rice vinegar, dark soy, sugar and a seasoned rice wine.

The wings are then stir-fried-and removed from the pan. I deglaze with a tablespoon or so of stock before adding my sliced veggies; in this case-lettuce, carrots, cucumber, fresh garlic, celery and red onion. The veggies are stir fried until they have a nice sheen but not over-cooked. I deglaze again with more chicken stock and then add my cooked noodles. Then I add back the vegetables and make sure everything is well incorportated and hot.

That's it. The ingredients are ready to build a salad. The cold ingredients are sliced lettuce and cucumbers seasoned with a rice vinegar dressing with a small amount of sugar. I continue buiding with the noodles and cooked vegetables and finally the wings. I garnish with toasted black and white sesame seed.

I make this sometimes with pork and it would be great with no meat.

Sweet Potato Cheesecake

 
 
 
 

This big ole sweet potato kept following me around the kitchen. I would move it and there it would be-just staring back at me.

So, I decided to cook it. Not to be mean-but I didn't know what else to do. There it was. . . all steamy in the bowl
And then it occurred to me that I would honor the sweet potato by incorporating it into a tasty dessert.

I poked my head around a little in the refrigerator and there sat a big container of ricotta and homemade peach syrup. Things were looking up.

I continued opening cabinets to see what was on hand-rather than sending my runner out to the grocery store. I found a container of blanched almonds and pretzel rods. Interesting. . .

I got me a big bowl, my whisk and starting creating. Every once in a while you just get lucky. And if ever there was a time to get lucky this was it. In the South, we like our sweet potatoes!

What I ended up with was a perfectly dense ricotta "cheesecake" with a hidden layer of blanched almonds just below the surface. I made a crunchy pretzel and almond meal crust and a topping of mixed sugars, almond meal and little left over pretzel meal.

What made the cheesecake stand-out was a tablespoon of cane syrup and one of peach syrup. The crust and the crunchy topping were a great surprise and added the perfect saltiness to the sweet potato. I used nutmeg and cinnamon in moderation and gained a lot of flavor from dried egg whites with vanilla.

Family

 
 
 

My family has placed me on notice-it's time to open the pool! I feel like Mind That Bird, a little slow out of the gate but a strong finisher. The water is being checked daily not by the thermometer lying at the bottom of the pool but by my very sophistical big toe. The BIG TOE KNOWS!

I find myself thinking ahead-stocking up for easy menus after a long day of swimming. These photos reminded me of oone or favorite gatherings in the kitchen. Triple Cream Bellatoire cheese, fig spread from the Adriactic Sea and my own decadent Strawberries Romanoff! If I play my cards right I will persuade my son, Shane to make us all pizza. He IS the Pizza King!

Ron's put in his request for Prickly Pear Margueritas and will be scouring Hispanic markets in search of the prized cactus tunas. I have timed a batch of Limoncello and will christen the 2009 Season with a toast to all of our loved ones no longer with us!

Pretty Beehives and Yummy Spun Honey

 

These are the cutest little beeswax candles I found at the Sharpsburg Festival a few weekends ago. They are made by friends, Wally and Lynn Batchelor, who also have the most delectable spun honey! Fresh, flavorful and available online! Click on post title to visit their website.

It's already been a month since Newnan's Market Days and I look forward to seeing what's new!

 

Tuscany On My Mind

 

Enzo, has recently completed renovations of his 17th century farmhouse in Tuscany. Eight comfortable apartments and a central gathering apartment for breakfast and pizza nights make this one of our favorite choices in the San Guistino Valdarno area for long-term stays.

Our one bedroom split level apartment came complete with a dishwasher, washing machine and well-stocked kitchen. A perfect mattress and soft nighttime breezes made for heavenly sleep!

Featured in the photos are Enzo's homemade Chianti and his four acres of olive trees that make for some fragrant extra-virgin olive oil. To learn more about this charming Tuscan getaway click here.

Tropical Fusion

 
 
 

Two of the most interesting salads I have ever enjoyed were in Europe. My all-time favorite salad was at the Hotel Guittard in Zug, Switzerland. We checked into this small boutique hotel late one summer night. Perched high on a hill overlooking a beautiful lake the hotel offered amazing views from the balcony-including an inviting patio restaurant engulfed by candlelight.

On a recommendation I ordered their specialty salad and was delighted with the beautiful presentation. The variety of fresh ingredients-each neat pile complimented by a unique dressing provided a memorable dining experience and great Swiss beer.

I enjoyed a similar style of salad on the Rhine River in Germany. A tuna salad-not in the Nicoise-style but more like the Swiss-style I just mentioned. Both of these salads left a lasting impression and I regularly make similar interesting varieties in hot weather.

Although last night's salad was informal and quickly pulled together it delivered an interesting contrast of flavors and pleasant textures.

The salad dressing was an creamy light dressing-thin by American standards. It was combination of mayo, coconut milk, catsup, apple juice and fig balsamic. I added a tablespoon of snipped chives, a half teaspoon of garam masala powder and garlic.

Fresh ingredients included julienned carrot, cucumber, tomatoes, avocado, banana, and I grilled fresh pineapple in Asian Chile Oil and garlic olive oil. The roasted pork was the meat (of course it was-I'm on the last 6 oz of that roast.) And it was served with fresh cracked pepper and sea salt. Ronald Mac was happy!

Vidalia Onion Season

 

I know the rest of you probably have photos of your kids, pets and favorite art pieces on your refrigerators but my custom-made magnets are holding reminders of seasonal foods.

For instance, our visit Saturday night to the Little Hawaiian Restaurant reminded me that the vidalias are beginning to trickle in to area stores. Ron has requested my Roasted Stuffed Vidalia (recipe on my website) and plans have been made to include a favorite hamburger of my father's from his teen years in Lynchburg, Virginia.

Topped with a fried egg and a chow-chow type of secret dressing I have created a close replication made from cabbage and vidalia onions. I have roughly five months to buy up and create the dressing before the sweet onions disappear for winter.

I also took note at the farmer's market this week of seasonal seafood. In a few more days we should start seeing some fresh soft shell crabs-one of my all time favorite foods. I adore Soft-shell Crab Po-Boys and Louisiana Hot Sauce.

I have been working on my own rolls to create that crispy roll found only in Louisiana. Ron and I owned a sandwich shop in Gretna, Louisiana back in the 80's and many hours were spent hunting down the freshest seeded buns and French Bread for Po-Boys at Schweggman's.

Let's Do Lunch!

 
 
 

I have finally come to the end of the second roast pork. I have surprised myself with all the creative uses for this succulent recipe-including some toasty appetizers with slivers of pork, homemade rolls rubbed with fresh garlic, topped with mozzarella and crunchy German barrel pickles.

The latch batch of homemade Italian bread was made into crunchy rolls using my muffin tin. It paired well with my pork sandwich topped with seasoned pineapple and chive mayonnaise.

A Hard Day's Night

 

I shouldered my Canon XL1 for almost three hours in a cold auditorium this past Saturday for the Georgia District of Kiwanis International Art and Music Showcase that takes place each of the past four years in Carrollton, Georgia. Did anyone see the baby whooly mammoth piece on tv this week? Frozen for 40,000 years she looked better than I did Saturday!

As always the hosts of the show and the Carrollton Cultural Arts Center were gracious and friendly, making the job a "piece of cake". I know you were wondering how I would somehow get this back around to food.

Afterwards a few of us made our way to a very lively restaurant right off the square in Carrollton. "Little Hawaiian" I had oysters and oysters! I would have had them for dessert but I would have embarrassed myself. Pictured here is the Showcase Chairman, Dan Lewis, his wife, Penny Lewis, Director of the Carrollton Cultural Arts Center and their two lovely daughters.

Kudos on another job well done, Dan. Ron asked me to remind you about that Master's golf shirt!

4-Cheese Ravioli With Saffron

 

These were my resting ravioli-laced with a wee bit of fresh nutmeg and then stuffed with four Italian cheeses, saffron, turmeric and young shallot greens.

I blended the dough with half semolina and half unbleached flour. I cheated with my bread maker-kneading them for a short four minutes.

They were deliciously delicate with a perfect tooth. I served them with a red wine sauce and braised short ribs and I received a gold star for the day!

Cinco de Mayo

 
 

The night before a production job demands hours of gathering video equipment, batteries, tape and cameras. Each piece of equipment must be inspected thoroughly-ensuring a worry-free job.

You can imagine that process doesn't leave much time for dinner but with our renewed commitment to dine-in I made one of our favorite quick meals. Soft tacos with fresh avacado, cilantro, chiles and nicely-ripened tomatoes. Normally, I would top these with fresh Asadero cheese but it's becoming increasingly difficult to find in the gringo supermarkets-so I used a very fine Amish cheddar!

I sprinkle the avacado with fig balsamic-a delicate sweet contrast to the fiery flavors of the Chef Boy Hidy Habenaro sauce providing some nice heat! The lettuce is spiked with fresh chopped cilantro-another aromatic contrast to the chiles and cumin for the nose-stimulating all the senses before this heavenly pouch ever hits the mouth!

The magic bullet for the recipe is a flavor packet from GOYA-full of flavor from the annatto chile, cumin and cilantro. Inspired by the taco stands of Tijuana and Rosarita Beach I have made these for almost thirty years.

I am busy designing a home-version of a Mexican gadget used at the taco stands. My gadget will fit inside my infrared grill-simulating the process used for marinating and grilling the pork before slicing tender pieces onto softly fried or grilled corn tortillas. The aroma of the grilled meat wafting through the streets with bowls of fresh toppings remains a lasting memory.

Another favorite memory of Tijuana, a corn tortilla factory where the proud owner escorted us to the front of the line to admire his shiny equipment and enjoy the fresh warm corn tortillas rolling off the conveyor belt.

A Mexican friend who helps me around the house has generously shared her family secret for some of the finest pork tamales I have ever been privileged to taste-our bond strengthened by sharing our cultures through family recipes. Her fiery green sauce is a perfect accompaniment for the lightly-sweetened tamales.

Poolside

 

Yesterday was a nearly perfect day!

The sun was bright, the air dry and the pollen almost finished! The rains this past weekend washed away most of the residue and finally, I could sit by the pool and relax!

Being in the initial stages of my first cookbook I have many organizational tasks ahead of me. I enjoy the process and find the work pleasant. Happily, the evening provided an opportunity for some quiet "alone" time with my food journal, pen and shaker of one of my favorite frosty cocktails.

Now that I'm thinking about it I wasn't totally alone . . . I think I had one cat on me, one on the table next to me, Zena was three feet away with another cat, Max, who believes Zena to be his mother!

The days are once again delightfully long, adding so much pleasure to each of my days. Not being an early morning person I can sleep until 10 and work quietly into the night.

The day was a great success, the bread rose and baked perfectly, the sushi was fresh and satifying and the cocktails were lovely by the pool!

I don't have a name for this but is the perfect shade of sable.

1 1/2 oz of dark rum
1/2 oz tia maria
1/2 oz dark creme de cacao
1 tsp marachino cherry syrup
1/2 oz 2% milk

Pour ingredients into a shaker with one cup crushed ice.
Stir until well-chilled and strain into a martini glass.
Garnish with a cherry.

The Cat Is Away . . .

 
 
 

O.K., so I have leftover brown rice, a tin of roasted eel and musago! Table for one, please!

On a recent trip to H-Mart I could see a crowd gathering around a cooking demonstration and made my way over to see what was cooking. As I approached the kiosk a woman was turning out the sheerest pieces of seasoned seaweed sheets with the help of a large conveyor belt and oven. Fascinated, my eyes were glued to the belt as it roasted and dried the seaweed. Still warm, the crowd was offered delicate, melt-in-you-mouth sheets of bliss.

Of course, I bought a package for home and tucked it neatly away in the Asian section of my pantry. Wondering what I would make myself for dinner tonight I remembered that Ron had suggested sushi! I had all the ingredients on hand, including eel and a free night to myself.

I question that the intended purpose of these delicate sheets is sushi-I thought possibly it might be intended for seaweed soup or some other tasty delicacy.

But still wanting to experience the delicate nature of the sheets I opted for roasted eel and musago sushi bites. The sheets were tough to roll but after cutting the pieces I wrapped a ribbon of seaweed around the bites and they held together long enough to be enjoyed!

The bites included roasted eel, seaweed salad, musago, brown rice and a small amount of cream cheese and black and white sesame!

Fast Food

 
 
 

Ron and I spent a pleasant evening in the kitchen.

Ron peeled and juiced the last of the lemons while I prepared a simple dinner of grilled tandori chicken, steamy brown rice with plump peas and carrots and sweet potatoes enhanced with pinch of ground coriander.

With a half cup of the Tamarind sauce made the day before, I created a fragrant peach sauce with the addition of a simple emulsion of carrots, cilantro, shallots, garlic and celery.

Chicken stock, cumin and tandori added sultry layers to the sauce as it bubbled in its shiny pot. The addition of the peaches soaked in dessert wine created the perfect balance of sweet, savory and spicy goodness!

 

Sweet Tamarind Sauce

 
 
 
 

Completely fascinated by the shape, texture and earthiness of the tamarind pod, I often make a reduction sauce with the addition of black plums and red grapes. Once cooled I bottle and store the sauce in the refrigerator, pulling it out whenever I need exotic Indian flavors.

Reduced further it makes a delicious paste that can be added to minced onions, cilantro, red chile and cumin for meats and sauces.

I usually start with 10 pods of cleaned tamarind, cover the fruit with water, add whole fresh garlic and shallot, a piece of dried red chile, a tbsp. of fish sauce, 2 tbsp of sugar, 3 skinned and halved black plums, a clump of red grapes, chinese chives, 2 tbsp. cumin powder, 1 tbsp of dark soy and a tbsp. of chutney powder or ginger powder.

I cook the mixture for about a half hour on medium heat, reducing it by half. Once cooled I put it through a manual food mill, separating the seeds and pulp from the liquid. I'm left with a thick, dark sauce that takes dishes to a whole new level!

Sharpsburg Spring Festival

 
 
 
 

For more images of the Sharpsburg Spring Festival please click on Home At Last.

Click on the Post Title to go to Patty's Photos

Succulent Pork With Scallion Sauce

 

Taking a cue from Korean cooks, I roasted another pork on the infrared grill with a scallion sauce laced with sesame oil and lots of fresh garlic! The red potatoes were parboiled and placed on a marble slab to roast. I tossed them with olive oil, turmeric, paprika and the perfect amount of cracked salt!

They were creamy-seasoned to perfection and topped with a remarkable sour cream sauce full of earthy goodness derived from Srilankan curry and black cumin! I parboiled the beans in the potato water and then tossed them with garlic olive oil and black and white sesame seed!

The meal was one of the first I could taste after this long bout of bronchitis! YEAH!

The Mystery Chef

 

Many people who stop to chat about Home At Last! usually ask about my favorite types of food. I'm often asked who inspires me and who do I enjoy watching on television.

The first question is the toughest-I love so many types of foods. I am a huge fan of Japanese food, I enjoy the passion behind Tuscan foods, and I often crave middle-eastern food with its rich, exotic spices and contrasting textures. So the answer changes depending on the day that question is asked.

Who has inspired over time is much easier to answer. I remember being captivated by Julia Child and she remains one of my favorite TV personalities. Jacques Pepin was another, Martha Stewart helped me realize that I was passionate about home and Francios Vatel, a famous French Chef inspires me to create beautiful food!

The radio and television personality that I would have most liked to meet was John McPherson, The Mystery Chef!

He predated Julia Child, starting out in radio in the 30's and he also enjoyed a short run on television is 1949. I have collected three of his cookbooks and he is one of my favorite reads!

The grapes pictured here are from the book. They are frosted rather than sugared and I think they work well as a garnish for cheese stations at an event. I know everyone knows how to sugar fruit and understands the method with beaten egg whites.

Here's John McPherson's method:

"Dip clean and dried fruit into apple juice. Allow all the juice to drip off the fruit before dipping into caster sugar."

I opted for a combination of powdered, granulated and pearl dust. It completely encased the fruit-so I took a pastry brush and brushed off parts of the grapes.

Beans and Rice

 
 

Most of my father's military tours were in Europe and Turkey, but when we were lucky enough to live in the states my father was stationed at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Mississippi.

As a young girl I loved the Mississippi Gulf Coast! There was so much for a little girl to do back then. We fished and crabbed the piers and rocks. We hunted tadpoles and sold them for pocket money. There were always school presentations, talent contests and fun family entertainment nights that took us a week to write, produce and perform.

One of our houses intersected with the road that emptied onto Beach Boulevard, with the Jefferson Davis Home, Beauvoir, on the corner. Back then, my mother allowed my sister and I to walk to the beach and even tour Beauvior by ourselves. My mother's only rule-hold hands when we crossed the big highway!

School lunches in the south were remarkably different from the school lunches on military bases overseas. Both left lasting impressions and hold a special place in my heart today!

One southern favorite from my school days was white beans served over steamy white rice. I worked the school cafeteria as a milk maid! Loved to pour the icy cold milk from the shiny stainless steel milk dispenser into these curvy-squatty glasses! Occasionally, I was allowed to ladle the beans onto the hot rice.

I still make white beans and rice for an easy dinner! Happily my husband loves them as much as I do! He often requests them and they are so easy! I make them the long way when I have time-but if not, I open these wonderful cans of Italian white beans, add a little smoky proscuitto, fresh garlic, green onions and spices. I can have this inexpensive, healthy meal on the table in under 30 minutes.

Here's an old tip from The Mystery Chef's (1930's cookbook) book I tried this week and it worked. Add a teaspoon of baking soda to your beans to reduce the discomfort (?) from eating beans! I tried it! Magic!

Meet Raleigh! Taste Of Newnan

 

It was a beautiful night on the square-perfect weather for the Spring Taste Of Newnan. Crowds were good and there was plenty for the kids to do and lots of good eats! More Photos At Home At Last! Raleigh, a 120 LB. Great Dane puppy. A happy boy!

A Long Day!

 
 

Two more shots I have to share! This is really intended for a new "blogger" friend, Doggybloggy, who is really like a male version of myself. We share the same rythym about food and I suspect we like a lot of the same foods. Plus, his blog is an interesting read!

Now, a couple days ago Doggybloggy had company and couldn't blog so he was "splaining" his situation. Instead of his usual blog about food with pictures- he wrote instead about his favorite tools and gadgets, he mentioned his impressive cookbook collection-a passion a lot of us foodies share! And, since I was in the midst of trying to relocate my own collection, I stumbled upon a favorite cookbook-one that I'm sure Doggybloggy doesn't have!

This arrived in my mail one day-a fun find from my dear friend Char! Inside handwritten apologies-she said she just couldn't resist!

Doggiebloggy. . .you can borrow it! Anytime!

On a final note, we shot four hours with Panera Bread, my new sponsor on Home At Last! The shots were pretty and we got our ad! Yeah.

My Pretty Kitchen

 
 

Afternoon Pause

 

I can so easily get off track when I clean and play in the kitchen! Today was no exception, I rearranged my baking cupboard which I will share with you in another post I gathered all my baking supplies in one central location, moved out all my cookbooks and now I'm struggling to find a new location. I want to install a new cupboard outside my walk-in pantry to house all my cookbooks. I envision a piece of granite on top so that I can grow herbs in this perfectly sunny location. Maybe for Christmas!

I also blended ten pounds of my Robust Morning Blend! I'm shipping samples out to friends in two states and ground a fresh batch for my morning coffee. It's almost as good as a trip to my friend's market in Tuscany. I love the Sandee Bar Gold Moka Espresso and have it blended as soon as I arrive in San Guistino Valdarno. Usually I send back nine or ten kilos but after ten years of carefully selecting and blending fresh roasted beans I now have a truly authentic cup of a European coffee!

To learn more about my custom-blended coffees please visit my website @ Home At Last! I have $2 sample bags available and can usually have them out within days!

Mainstreet Newnan

 

For a complete list of 2009 activities visit the Mainstreet Newnan website by clicking on on Mainstreet Newnan, above!

Pretty Pottery

 

Always on the lookout for pretty dishes for Home At Last! I scored very well this past two weeks. I have cupboards full of pretty serveware but still enjoy the thrill of a great find.

Thankfully, not all of the pieces require a big investment. Take for instance this pretty little custard cup I found at the Newnan Market days ten days ago! It's such a delicate little piece and was my find of the day! At only $3 it is worth a return visit to Market Days to start a set!

Currently it's displaying my Robins' eggs on a silver tray but I look forward to collecting some more to use for custards and delicate floating islands.

This Thursday marks the start of the 2009 Season of Taste of Newnan. For more spring and summer activities check out the Newnan Main Street Calendar of Events.

Broccoli, Cheddar and Beer Soup

 

Dinner tonight is an easy broccoli, beer and cheddar cheese soup-ready in twenty minutes.

Dusting the freshly-grated sharp cheddar cheese with flour before adding to my wet ingredients results in a rich creamy soup using low-fat milk.

I started the soup with a simple roux made from the stems of the broccoli coated with a little flour and cooked in olive oil and butter. I deglazed the pan with the beer before adding chicken stock and seasonings. Fresh garlic and a small amount of salt,seasonings and grated carrot complete the soup. Dinner is ready in minutes!

Peach and Almond Upside Down Cake

 
 
 
 

I made this in my cast iron skillet like a typical pineapple upside down cake. But the results were a lot more sophisticated with the dessert wine and almonds.

Easter Sunday

 
 

Still feeling a little under the weather, there doesn't seem to be much need for elaborate meals and long days of cooking! Instead, I have used my time this weekend to celebrate Easter with small projects . . . making bread, a sophisticated Peach and Almond Upside Down Cake and planting topiaries for the house.

I soaked some early peaches in sugar and a dessert wine from Carlo Basso. Blanched almonds were added to the sugar mixture before adding the soaked peaches to the cast iron skillet! The results: a light, crunchy texture that made a delightful cake!

The bread is the pane recipe that I use to make pizza dough! As good as it is for pizza dough-it was even better as crunchy small loaves that we snacked on today! I put a bowl of water in the oven to crisp up the dough and I don't think the results could have any better!

Home At Last!

 

Not the neatest nest I have ever come across and it's a little cramped for a growing young family! I shot this photo from our Juliet porch and the nest has been built on top of one of the seven columns.

Chicken And Dumplings!

 

Ron and I are both enjoying the extra hours that have been added to each of our days since dismantling PM Channel 10, our cable television channel we operated for over twelve years.

I am enjoying being back in the kitchen, responsible for our daily meals and the challenge of creating our favorite family and childhood favorites.

We wasted a lot of money eating out. Not only are we enjoying our food more, we're saving money and I now control the amount of fat, sugar and preservatives being used in our food-not to mention the benefit of much smaller portions!

"In the good ole days" food was a enjoyable part of the day but not always the main focus. I played and studied hard and was always more interested in being outside with my friends than eating!

My mother created balanced meals that always included some type of salad, fresh vegetables and unsweetened tea!

Growing up a military brat, my father would sometimes be away on a TDY assignments. My mother would alternate asking us what we wanted her to fix for dinner. Whenever it was my turn-my answer was always the same. . . Chicken and Dumplings.

Memories and a great meal for pennies!

Peas In A Pod

 

Here's a treat-when I am lucky enough to find them! Raw chick peas. I was so excited the first time I ever found them and look for them each time I shop at my Super H-Mart! Super H-Mart, in case you aren't familiar, is a super-sized Asian market that is mind-blowing FUN for us foodies!

These are so delicious as a snack-and so different than the canned or dried variety. I am going to roast them with my garlic oil this time but I enjoy them raw! They remind me of boiled peanuts!

Just Because I Love You All

 

Happy Easter! Here's a pretty shot of an azelea along the fence. It's so frilly and one of my favorite colors! I am off to the craft store to see if I can't find Zena, my pretty Rottie, a little straw hat for her Easter Bonnet! She loves hats!

There's A Party Goin' On Right Here!

 

"a celebration. . .to last through out the year! yeah, yeah!" I wish I could sing as good as I can cook!

It is a gorgeous day in my part of the world! With the help of the macro-setting on my camera I have captured the explosion of color and renewal that takes place in my yard each spring!

It's hard not to be impressed with the process. This bloom is on the holly bushes outside my kitchen window and holds a special place in my heart! I have a great memory from our days operating our Bed and Breakfast when Mama and Papa bird scooped up ribbon from bird seed favors left on the ground after a small wedding.

The ribbons were found woven into their nest!

Gironda's Market In Mamaroneck, New York

 

This is one of my all time favorite photos of my husband's family store in Mamaroneck, New York. The shot was taken in the 30's or 40's! I have wonderful paper tags with the family store name. My husband remembers these tags packed with the meat orders.

Honey and Sesame Wonton

 

I don't know the proper name for these crispy morsels but they are so delicious! I first sampled them fifteen years ago at a sushi buffet at the corner of Buford Hwy. and Shallowford Road in Atlanta. The restaurant shared the recipe and it couldn't be easier!

Sesame Wonton Sweets:

I cut wonton skins into strips, fried them in oil and drained them on paper towels. In a small saucepan I combined a cup of honey and 1/4 cup of water. I gently melted the mixture and removed it from the heat. Once cooled I spooned the honey on to the strips of wonton I had placed in a large bowl. I tossed the wonton coating everything well and finally added about 3 - 4 tablespoons of black and white sesame. I gave it another good toss and they are ready. The longer they sit the gooier the honey water gets! Yummy!

My New Toy

 

 

 

Here's my SqueezO Food Mill that I discovered at an estate sale this weekend. We've already put it to good use-grinding a ten pound pork shoulder butt. The ground pork has been divided into 6 or so portions-to be pulled out for fast late night suppers.

Tonight, I am making crispy pork wontons with cream cheese and fresh chives. As a caterer I made these with goat cheese and they were wildly popular.

The simmering pot has all the bones and trimmings-leftover from the grinding. I intend to use the strained stock for flavoring sauces and pasta!

Move Over Krispy Kreme

 

 

 

 

This was a shiny gadget that I had never seen.The vendors were so meticulous-producing fluffy, crisp little donuts!

 

 

 

Since I am always showcasing my favorite spots from our travels around the world, I thought this year I would share a little about my hometown-Newnan,Georgia.

Before moving to Newnan I had never lived anywhere more than three years-genetic programming, I suppose! I was born at Barksdale Air Force Base in Bossier City, Louisiana to a career Air Force Master Sargeant. By the time I was two we shipped out on a military transport carrier headed for Turkey.

My husband and I live in one of five historic districts, The College-Temple Historic District and of course, I think ours is one of the prettiest districts. We are located a quick 35 minutes southwest of Atlanta and are one of the fastest growing counties in the state.

Newnan was fortunate during the Cival War to escape the wrath of Sherman, leaving us with a good inventory of antebellum structures.

Our house wasn't built until 1911 but is a stately Neo-classic Greek Revival with many unique features uncommon to the area. One of the most impressive features besides the 800 s.f tiled front porch is the inlaid bow-tie floors. Equally impressive are the 200 beveled panes of glass through out the house in doors and windows-making it a joy to watch the seasons change.

Newnan Market Days

 

 

 

 

Downtown Newnan sprung to life today with spring activities across the city!

Market Days returned to the square with artists, fundraisers, farmers, beekeepers and a new vendor turning out bags of hot, delicious mini-doughnuts with the aid of an impressive automated machine . . . gently turning those delicate puffs of golden goodness. . .I'm sorry, I drifted off!

Market Days is a chance to catch up with old friends, neighbors and meet new neighbors! I always enjoy the variety of goods and was relieved to see some of our favorites making their way back; Wally and Lynn Bachelor with their fragrant local honey and delicate spun honey- a must-have for proper Southern biscuits. (As a child I love to mix spun honey and butter for biscuits!)

I even took in a estate sell out of Smokey Road and scored heavily! When it comes to a great estate sale you must trust the force within and if you think you should've stopped. . . you probably should've. I scored two delicate decanters for the new batch of Limoncello and a brand new industrial food mill-perfect for sausage-making and fruit!

All in all, not a bad day!

Putting The "Pie" Back In Pizza

 

 

 

 

After many attempts and cross-references I finally hit on my own pizza dough or pane recipe that is likely to work in many of the recipes I enjoy making with a pizza-style dough!

I first had to establish what type of crust I was wanting to make. I interviewed my resident pizza expert and together we determined we wanted a slightly chewy crust with a rustic texture.

Tuscans love their pizza and it is a mainstain of their daily diet-but it isn't my favorite style of pizza dough. Theirs is more of a flatbread style of pizza and when they sit down to eat pizza-they intend to finish it!

One of my fondest memories of Tuscany and first memories of Tuscan-style pizza is from our first trip. Our new friends invited us to a celebration taking place a few villages over, just a few kilometers past Il Boro. The village was in celebration of their signature cookie-a small, delicate anise-flavored cookie. We gathered in a tent before sunset and everyone enjoyed pizza and beer.

Except me-I ordered a glass of wine and was brought the entire bottle of a delicious local sangiovese red wine. I did my best not to embarase myself by only drinking one small glass. All the women laughed when I began to fan myself as my body overheated from the wine!

It was a magical evening filled with wonderful music and dancing under the stars. A large dancefloor was laid out and all of danced under the stars until 2 am. Only in Tuscany.

Scary!

 

This is a fun photo I shot a couple of Halloweens ago! Wanted to see if ya'll are paying attention!

We've watched as many young children have grown into teenagers-many returning year after year-some asking if I remember them!

"What Is Traveling?

 

“What Is Traveling? Changing Your Place? By No Means! Traveling is changing your opinions and prejudices.” Anatole France (1844-1924)

Part I

I started a new project today that caused me to stumble upon this beautiful bracelet - purchased at a “rag market” in Birmingham, England almost 17 years ago. It’s a stunning example of vintage jewelry with chunky amethyst glass and brass. But it so much more than an inexpensive piece of costume jewelry-it is a wonderful token discovered on a great adventure to a part of England I knew little about.

My husband and I traveled to Birmingham, England to visit a friend we had met on a Caribbean cruise two years earlier. Adrian was charming, energetic and had visited several times in the states before convincing us to include England in our upcoming travel plans.

We had simple plans to visit southern Germany where my father had been stationed in the mid-60’s. Nothing was set in stone! Typically, we get in our car and drive . . . making ours plans along the way.

But the lure of a new adventure was strong and caused us to change our plans! We agreed to meet Adrian in Dover, England somewhere in the middle of our trip.

We traveled from Germany to Belgium, driving along the Belgium’s beautiful North Shore, into France and on to Calais, France- where we hopped a channel ferry delivering us to the White Cliffs of Dover!

Exhausted from a long day, we checked ourselves into the closest and quirkiest Bed and Breakfast a few blocks from the ferry! The owners were friendly and gave us the last tiny room with two twin beds. The room was clean and adequate but had two of the firmest mattresses with barely enough padding to cover the springs inside.

Watching TV required dropping coins into a box, the toilet was located outside the room in a tiny closet, the shower was down a level and required an understanding of English technology in order to heat the water – if you were savvy enough to know where the control knobs were! We weren’t -outside in the hall- cold showers!)

Heavenly morning! Come quickly! Morning finally arrived and we were treated to our first proper English breakfast of eggs, bangers and scones served with fruit preserves, English butter and plenty of hot tea!

Adrian arrived early and off we went along the craziest highways and roundabouts I had ever seen. Believing that the earth had been thrown off its axis I remained dizzy for the two hour trek to London, cars whizzing past me on the left front passenger side! Oh, Lordy! Can we be delivered safely to London?

More Later!

Let Them Eat Cake!

 

Dessert! Lemon Cake with Lemon Creme and Hazelnuts. Enough Said!

Mission Accomplished!

 
 
 
 

Making the Roasted Pork proved to be a real time-saver this week. With so many new projects in the works I was more interested in playing all weekend and really fell back on the pork for some quick delicious meals.

Last night we enjoyed panninis with Roast Pork, provolone cheese and a nice loaf of freshly-baked foccacio, courtesy of my new corporate sponsor, Panera Bread Company! The crusty sandwiches transported us back to our favorite Friday market in Terranouva, Tuscany, where succulent porchetta is a favorite amoung locals.

Tonight, after slicing the last of the pork into nice thick slices, I decided to chunk it and make and open-faced BBQ sandwiches. Simple, delicious and satisfying!

And happily my Lemon Cake with Marscapone and Hazelnuts was a huge success! More on that later!

40 Days and 40 Nights

 
 
 
 

Thinking that we wouldn’t be seeing sunshine and warm weather for a few more days we were forced to create a little faux-sunshine here on the ark with a big box of juicy California lemons.

It’s time to make one of the two batches of Limoncello that we will make this year so I solicited my husband-the expert lemon peeler-juicer person in our family.

The fragrant oils wafted through the house lifting our spirits and turning our thoughts to Italy! We imagined ourselves living in Tuscany and handpicking lemons from our own trees, tending the olive trees and imagining the first yield of our own cold-pressed olive oil.

In the short time we fantasized about our villa in Tuscany, Ron peeled and juiced 10 pounds of lemons. We covered the peels with a quart of vodka and retired them to a nice, cool dark spot where the oils and flavor will be leeched out of the rinds.

With some of the fresh juice I created a batch of lemon simple syrup that will begin a transformation into a lemon curd that will enhance a lemon crème filling made of marscapone and whipped cream.

Tomorrow I have plans to bake an olive oil cake. A little espresso or cappuccino . . . and I ‘m off again to Italy, in spirit!
Cioa!

Leftovers! I Don’t Think So . . .

 

In posting the idea for the Fire-Roasted Pork Shoulder Butt yesterday, I did so with a specific goal in mind. . .sharing ideas for stretching the family's weekly food budget.

Our food budgets are being stretched to their limits while food costs seem to be on the steady rise. It seems like a good time to revisit the way our grandmothers and mothers stretched their food dollars to feed large families after the depression. I believe with a little experience and some thoughtful planning families can begin to enjoy mealtime again-saving valuable budget dollars for other family expenses.

The Fire-Roasted Pork Butt is a perfect example. At one of the warehouse stores we purchased two pork shoulder butts, totally $24 for $1.59 per pound. (15+ pounds) One is in reserve for use on an upcoming episode of Home At Last and the other, already roasted is being sliced, portioned and stored later this afternoon.

Last night I served about four ounces of pork, ¾ cup each of brown sushi rice and a reduction sauce of my cooking liquid flavored and thickened with Pork Bisto from England for two people. It was perfectly roasted with delicious flavor and the brown sushi rice provided more flavor and great texture.

Which leaves me with 14+ pounds of pork shoulder butt that will provide us with some great dinners including tonight's Italian-inspired Porchetta panninis with a delicious artisan cheese and fresh fruit!

I Forgot To Mention What's For Dinner

 
 

Since I had the camera out all day I figured I might as well share what I was making for dinner. I had to come up with something easy so that I could goof off all day! So, I am making a Fire-Roasted Pork Butt.

I have boiled the pork with cranberry juice and a 16 oz coke,(tenderizes the meat and adds a lot of flavor. I also add shallots,chives,fresh garlic,herbs,and spices to the water before boiling it for about an hour and a half!

Now that it's cooked through and tender, I am going to fire up the infrared grill and cook it for another hour on low heat with a nice dry rub of brown sugar and spices! I'll be sure to get another photo tonight for you.

It will feed us for weeks. I make sandwiches, fried rice and even Asian-inspried meals with the portions that are left over. It's works well as BBQ with the addition of a few more ingredients!

Robert Redford

 

My assistant!

Wild Periwinkle

 

These have been growing wild for many years and I have enjoyed the intense purple of the flowers.

Strawberry Fields

 

Here's some wild strawberry blooms.

Dagwood . . I Mean Dogwood!

 

I have been trying to take a decent photo of a dogwood bloom for over a week! The rain actually helped making the limb limp! I was able to get right under it and found a pretty shot.

Lazy Day

 

It's a lazy kind of day again . . . rained all day. A little sun is just now forcing its way through the gray clouds, promising a beautiful evening.

As I write I see my rottweiler, Zena, relaxing by the pool. She is such a sweetie, enjoying everything about her days here. She inspired me to find something fun to do rather than work. Zena, like most Rotties, has a wonderful imagination and sense of humor. She's fond of toys and has taken to an empty white garbage can that sits on one of the back porches. She crashes it down the stairs, slinging it around and pushing it all over a courtyard. It's a lot of noise and apparently, a lot of fun!

Taking her cue, I wanted to find some good in the day so I grabbed my camera and headed out to the yard to see what was blooming after the rain! Spring is such a magical time of the year and it's worth recording and studying! So I'm sharing a few of the shots and Zena. That's my day! Not bad!

The Day After

 

If you're a fan of homemade vegetable soup you know the soup taste better the day after!

The reference to Herbert Hoover's "A Chicken In Every Pot" quote refers to the budget-stretching whole chicken that flavors the broth and leaves half a chicken to use for other meals. I am making Grilled Chicken wraps tonight with whole grain flatbread from Kontos!

A Chicken In Every Pot Vegetable Soup and Biscuits

 
 

My husband and I have been putting in some long hours in the field. As I mentioned in an earlier post we are responsible to many other projects outside of Home At Last! As a "home body" I can stand being away from home for so long and then I crave the comforts of home and my beautiful kitchen.

So in honor of home and all things "southern" I am making a recipe that is a favorite from my mother. . .Homemade Vegetable Soup and Biscuits.

I'll post the recipe for the biscuits on Home At Last! The recipe comes from an aunt in Colorado. Years ago, she shared it with my mother who passed it on to me. The recipes yields big,fluffy biscuits perfect for sopping up soup!

Ok. . .the biscuits are from Colorado - but I'm southern! More pictures tomorrow!

2009 Atlanta Spring Home Show

From Blog Uploads

The Spring Home Show in Atlanta is taking place in North Atlanta this weekend and I don't think attendees could have ordered a more perfect weekend. Attendance seemed a little light but vendors were enthusiastic and the displays were varied and interesting.

Blinds By Noon, an Atlanta Blind and Shutter manufacturer, displayed a trade show video created by my company, Paper Moon Productions! That's right . . . I moonlight! Besides being a passionate foodie and host of my own cable television show Paper Moon Productions produces corporate and trade show videos as well as cable advertising in the Atlanta, West Georgia and Alabama markets.

On display at the Home Depot booth, I was tickled to see our work in action and looking quite good . . . if I do say so myself! As editor on the project I find myself eager to move on once a project is completed and while I have the video linked inside my own website, Home At Last, it's not quite the same as seeing it on a pretty high-definition flat screen TV with throngs of people milling about!

While I am on the topic of Home Depot I want to mention that I enjoyed Home Depot's interactive booth allowing attendees hands-on activities and contests. Kids were treated to projects that allowed them to walk away with a completed tool box and apron. I wanted one! I think there must have some height requirement (like Space Mountain at Disney) because no one asked me if I wanted to build a toolbox! Next time!

Over the next few weeks I will introduce you to some of the stand-out companies on display this year at the Atlanta Spring Home Show. The show is held each spring and fall at the Cobb Galleria on the north side of Atlanta and hosts The Metropolitan Cooking and Entertaining Show coming up in April.

 

Home Depot Tool Boxes

 
 

Home Depot and Blinds By Noon

 
 
 
 

Pear Blossoms

 

I am determined to capture and enjoy every moment of spring that I can.

This is a pear tree that bears a hard, sandy pear that I think be might be good for pickling. Someone explained that was the name "Sand Pear". Can't really find much on them. They are pretty to look at but difficult to enjoy . . . so this year I will experiment and see if I can't find a good use. Maybe poached with a raspberry coulee, or a pear galette with toffee.

If you have information or ideas, let me know!

Spring Fever

 

Some us have spring fever, bad! This is my baby, Red, short for Robert Redford! He's so happy I am outside! Red showed up on our property years ago-not too keen on humans. But after six longs months of "coo-ing" and chats he joined our clan and has remained devoted to me ever since. He's a big handsome boy who enjoys "kissing". He bangs his hard little head on my face demanding to be kissed. You gotta love it!

The Old Garden Inn Peach Breakfast Taco

 

This peach tree was a gift of a local man who stayed at our Bed and Breakast over ten years ago. After enjoying our Peach Breakfast Taco he went into the woods and dug up this beautiful young peach tree and delivered it to my doorstep with an note explaining the gift as a King Peach Tree.

Now, every spring I have this beautiful tree with it's delicate blossoms as a reminder of this man's generosity and a single act of kindness!

This particular type of peach is favored for pickling because of its small, firm peaches.

Power Shake For The Heart

 

As soon as there is a hint of warmth in the air-I crave this Power Shake for lunch. It's packed with everything needed to ensure energy and protect our heart (ladies)! It's anti-oxidant rich with green tea powder and blueberries and makes an excellent meal replacement during hot weather. It's also easily ingested for sensitive stomachs after surgery or chemotherapy.

Blend fruit and soy-rich shakes for a healthy heart, to lower blood pressure and to ward off cramps and hot flashes at the onset of a period or menopause. For a printable recipe please visit Home At Last.net.

And it's good for you guys, too! We want you around for a long time.

Rueben, Rueben. . .I've Been Thinking . . .

From reuben2

Happy St. Paddy's Day

In celebration of my own Irish heritage and my husband's Irish grandmother we are enjoying the day with Reuben Sandwiches, homemade Thousand Island Dressing and Amish-made Sauerkraut. The recipe that follows was given to me by my mother. I changed the water at the half way point to reduce the saltiness.

Gertrude Lynch, Ron's grandmother was 100% Irish from NYC. For Gertrude, St.Paddy's Day was to be celebrated with a little wearin' o' the green! Ron remembers being ordered home to put on his green in honor of the day! His grandmother would then issue a note to the principal explaining his tardiness. He swears he was in high school!

Springtime Rain in Georgia

 

Rainy Day in Georgia Pecan Rolls

It's rained all day and there wasn't much to do but stay inside and find something fun to do-besides work!

I always have frozen pizza dough in the freezer for days like this. In a hurry I can pull together small pizzas or pizza pockets – stuffed full of savory goodness and a little cheese.

If the bag happens to have two loaves in it I bake gooey little pecan rolls with the leftover dough. And that's exactly what went down. I had an extra loaf just sitting there with "goo-ey" written all over it!

I pulled out an oversized muffin tin and opted for six buns. The dough was rolled into a long rectangle about 8 x 20 inches. I tried reversing the roll-working from the short side rather than the traditional square. It was easier to manage and allowed for more turns. More turns-more sugar and pecans. Once sliced the pieces fit perfectly into a greased muffin tin.

Before placing the pieces in the muffin tin I added 2 chopped pecan halves and a little sugar to each greased muffin recess.

I cooked them at 425 degrees for about 18 minutes and started watching them after that. Using the tin changed the timing slightly but they were gooey and delicious.

One other experiment that yielded great results was substituting Neuchatel cheese for a portion of the butter. I also added two tablespoons of Olivio. The results were delicious and I was able to wrap the prepared dough for another rainy day!

 

Rainy Day Pecan Rolls

 
 
 

Nutty Goodness

 
 
 
 

And Finally They Are Ready

 
 
 
 

Super Shopping At IPER Grandate

One of my favorite super Markets in Italy, IPER La Grande, located north of Milan in Grandate puts the SUPER in supermarket! If I could only find a way to have them ship my favorites. anchovies in extra virgin olive oil, Caramello by Paneangeli, fresh Piave cheese, dark, robust Cafe Mocha Expresso Gold from Sandy Bar in Arezzo.

Oyster Mania

I suffer from "oyster mania" Raw-baked-broiled-stewed-gussied-naked-it really doesn't matter. I grew up on raw and thought I was pretty much a purist-but, I've discovered that I really love them just about any way they are lovingly prepared!

You're probably thinking "Hey, I really like oysters, too? So, what's the big deal?

No big deal, I suppose . . .I'm just setting the record straight I get a lot of questions about my favorite types of foods and recipes and I never remember to include oysters! But this week has been an excellent reminder of how much I really enjoy these wonderful little bi-valves!

I started the weekend with a dozen oysters raw with cocktail sauce, fresh lemon and extra horseradish and a BBQ sandwich. Saturday, I enjoyed steamed oysters with a little Monterrey Jack cheese (surprisingly good) along with a steamy bowl of clam chowder. Sunday - I broiled them with a spot of butter creamy Butterkase cheese (from Germany), a smattering of fresh scallions, a few drops of fresh squeezed lemon juice and fresh ground pepper. Yummy!

I haven't decided on tonight's preparation but you can be assured oysters are on the menu. I bought some Vietnamese spinach this week, I might have to make Oysters Rockefeller-one of my all time favorites. Being from Louisiana I love Fried Oyster Po-boys, dressed and topped with lots of Louisiana Hot Sauce. I also make a low fat oyster stew with fire-roasted fish, low cal and delicious.

Well, oysters aren't cheap so I need to go earn some money!

 

Flip Burger Boutique On Howell Mill - Atlanta

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Life Is Like A Box of Prickly Pears . . .well at least in the winter!

Life is a little hectic these days and like a lot of people I'm struggling to keep up with projects; work, emails, blogs, wifely duties, laundry . . . on and on the list goes. Excuse me-I'm in my "will winter ever end" phase of lunar phases.

Moving on . . .

I tend to keep things in the kitchen fairly simple in the winter. The days are too short to spend two or three hours at night making dinner and then cleaning up my mess. My show this week reflected that sentiment with a simple New Orleans-style Stuffed Artichoke and an original cocktail called " "Pretty In Pink".

Some of the ingredients can be prepared ahead and already in the cupboard-so it's pretty easy. The recipe is online . . . try it-you'll like it!

The recipe that isn't online and is really worth a try is the Pretty In Pink Cocktail. Great for parties with a pink theme! Perfect for spring . . . (there I go again!)

The key ingredient is the prickly pear- common to many arid regions of the world – including the U.S and Mexico. I prefer the bright beautiful red fruit (called tunas) in drinks for obvious reasons. The fruit in stores is already cleaned of the spines and ready to be peeled and juiced. The taste is an earthy watermelon-ish, raspberry-like flavor!

I buy eight to ten at a time-juice the tunas (I can hear it now-she puts tuna in her cocktails-read on) all at once and store the juice in the fridge. One tip that has worked well for me is to allow the fruit to sit on the kitchen counter in a sunny location for a few extra days. They continue to ripen and become much sweeter.

If you haven't ever tried Prickly Pears this might be the beginning of a great love affair! This recipe work well as a Margarita, too. (Just substitute the vodka for tequila.) I hope you are reading Margarita Mary!

So here you go! (Per Drink)

Pretty In Pink Cocktail

1 1/2 oz vodka

½ oz triple sec

1 ½ oz prickly pear juice

2 scoops HOLA Margarita Sherbet

Place ingredients in a cocktail-mix thoroughly until sherbet melts. Pour into your prettiest martini glass and enjoy!

"Smack Your Mama" Chickpea Salsa Verde

I have a new love in my life, Missy Koti Chickpea Flatbread; a spicy blend of chickpeas, seasonings and whole wheat goodness, hand-stretched to perfection. Flavorful simplicity enhanced by the simple addition of a little fragrant extra virgin olive oil and a smattering of kosher salt.

I simply fry the flatbread in olive oil until a golden crispiness develops on the outer edges and then drain the bread on paper towels for just a few seconds . . . that's it! They're ready in minutes and truly delicious all by themselves as a snack instead of pita or other chips.

But I'm not one to leave things alone and thus began my journey to create a flavorful spread that delivers the "smack-factor"!

Like we say in the south-"so good, it makes you wanna to smack your mama!"

So here it is . . .

Chick Pea Salsa Verde

1 can of chickpeas (no liquid)

1 glove of fresh garlic (minced)

2 tbsp olive oil

2 -3 tsps of a fine mayonnaise

1 anchovy filet

2 tbsp of flat leaf parsley

1 tbsp cilantro

1 tsp fig balsamic vinegar

Dash of Greek Seasoning

1 tsp of fresh lime

Blend until chunky smooth! Adjust the seasonings and enjoy.

For Resources and Brands check out Home At Last! Recipe Section.