A Semi-Light Spring Fish Dish !

   Hurrah ! Spring is here ! It's time to put those heavier recipes like chili beans and stews on the back burner,for those colder days next winter ! I am so so happy when I see delicate,crisp,sweet peas,tender asparagas, beautiful watermelon radishes,

and luscious,plump,red strawberries at the farmer's market.I have also spied fresh Dover and Petrale Sole at Whole Foods Market,and a large packet of fresh Dover Sole at Costco ! I love the delicate and sweet textures and flavors of both of these fish,although Dover Sole is much softer and more easily can fall apart when moved too much with a spatula. It is found off the Eastern North Atlantic in Europe. Petrale sole is exclusively found in the Pacific Ocean and it is our speciality on the West Coast. It is actually a Pacific Flounder. Sole have both eyes on ones side of their body.

     The first dish that Julia Child had when she landed in France with her husband Paul was Sole Menuiere (sole cooked in butter).She just about died and went to Heaven when she tasted her first bite ! Well, I simply had to taste what all the fuss was about,so I tried the recipe,and now I know why Julia's tastebuds were dancing a little jig !!
   I found this recipe for Sole Meuniere (sole cooked in butter) in a Williams Sonoma cookbook,called "Savoring France". Always read your recipe twice,to make sure you have the ingredients,you understand the procedure,and that you have the time to prepare the dish !! Before making this quick fish dish,I would advise preparing a simple salad,and a vegetable,like boiled potatoes.

                          Sole Meuniere

1/2 cup (2 1/2 oz / 75 g) all-purpose (plain) flour
4 whole Dover sole or 2 Petrale sole, cleaned and skin removed,or sole filets,1 1/2-2 lb (750g-1 kg) total weight,skin removed
5 tablespoons (2 1/2 oz / 75 g) unsalted butter
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf (Italian)parsley
2 tablespoons capers

   Spread the flour on a plate and dust the fish on both sides,tapping off the excess. In a large frying pan over medium heat,melt 3 tablespoons of the butter.When it foams,add 2 of the whole sole,sprinkle them with 1/2 teaspoon each of the salt and pepper,and cook until the underside of the fish is lightly golden and the meat can be lifted with a bone with a fork,about 4 minutes.Turn and cook the other side until golden,about 4 minutes longer.Transfer to a warm platter,and cover loosely with foil.Cook the remaining 2 sole the same way,adding an additional tablespoon of butter to the pan.If using sole filets, as I did,proceed as directed,but reduce the cooking time to 1 1/2 -2 minutes on each side.
   Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the butter in the pan and add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter , the lemon juice,and the capers.When the butter melts,pour it and the capers over the fish and sprinkle with the parsley.
   Serve immediately,piping hot !

P.S. To add a little Italian twist to this fish,one could sauté some red bell pepper strips and some marinated artichoke heart quarters with the marinade, in a sauté pan first before cooking the fish,and then pouring these vegetables over the cooked fish. However, Sole Meuniere is perfect as is too !
   Now dream that  you are Julia or Paul in France, and indulge  yourselves in this divine dish !! Oooooh la la !

Relationships Are Like A Picnic With Variety !

My last post was about a picnic and the variety of  delicious food that was prepared and brought to the vineyard . Can you imagine what the dining experience would have been like if all the courses had been the same ? Six plates of herbed tomatoes...six dishes of banana cake...six servings of cous cous !  Snore...... We would have gone out of our minds and been completely bored !!
   Some spouses in marriages expect the other spouse to be just like him/her, to like all the same activities, to have the same energy level, to act the same, etc. This type of person likes to be in control  and to not allow the other spouse much freedom to be him/herself. We can only imagine the struggles this one sided relationship would have.
   Marriage, like a variety of foods at a picnic, brings two different, individuals together with varied backgrounds, interests, temperaments, strengths, and weaknesses. These unique qualities can damage or strengthen the couple depending on whether the husband or wife are determined to live selfishly, or  if they are willing to appreciate and embrace the differences.Often times,where one person is weak,the other is strong,and vise-versa,which can be a good thing. It is also good to do things that are the same  together, and to have separate interests that make one interesting, as long as they don't hurt the other person.
   If we acted the same as our spouse all the time,then one spouse would be unnecessary. ! Let's seek to understand our differences, grow, learn from one another,and let each other be who God created them to be. Sometimes we just have to have a sense of humor,breathe, and say....that's Fred....or thats's my Sally ! Now go have a picnic...and don't bring boring food.....spice it up lovers !!!
 

A Mediterranean Feast in a Vineyard !

   Awhile back,when I was visiting Santa Barbara,I was wondering what activities I could do that would be fun. The thought came to me to check out local cookbook author and cooking instructor  Pascale Beal's website ,where she lists her cooking class schedule. Pascale was raised in England and spent her summers in France,learning to cook French food from her mother and grandmother. Although a lot of her classes are held in her home,of which I have taken a couple, I noticed that she was going to be creating a picnic lunch to be held outdoors in the Zaca Mesa vineyard,which is in the Santa Inez Valley, a beautiful hilly area behind Santa Barbara. That being my supreme cup of tea,I immediately signed up and I think I may have gotten the last spot !
   The drive out there was beautiful, taking the winding roads up into the Oak Tree filled hills, going past pastoral vineyards lined with rose bushes out in front.
   Pascale and her friendly helpers were at the serene vineyard site to greet our group of eight. She  was cutting into a gorgeous, rectangular Mediterranean Quiche filled with onions,mushrooms,zucchini,eggs,cheeses,and tarragon,and the other ladies were tossing the gorgeous salads !

Along with the quiche,we indulged in a Mache and Pluot Salad (a pluot is a cross between a plum and an apricot) with an Herb and Pesto Vinaigrette..., Little Herb Tomatoes..., Roasted Carrots with Spices in a Herb Yogurt Sauce..., and a Couscous Salad with  Fresh Apricots.The hungry guests introduced themselves to one another,coming from various locales in California, and we listened to a representative from Zaca Mesa Winery tell us about the wines they were serving with our picnic feast.

For dessert we had sweet,but not too sweet Banana-Date Cake with a Mixed Berry Salad, that had orange juice and mint leaves added, along with Vanilla Cream.....a perfect ending to our delicious lunch !
   The combination of the beauty of the vineyard, the scrumptiousness of Pascale's Mediterranean cooking,and the camaraderie of the guests made me feel like I had died and gone to Heaven ! Woooweee ! We each received a signed copy of Pascale's "Spring" Cookbook ,which Haleluia had the picnic recipes inside, and we could  also  purchase more cookbooks if we had wanted to !
   If you are ever in the Santa Barbara,California area, check out www.pascaleskitchen.com for a schedule of her cooking classes, the lovely kitchen and food items she sells, her  gorgeous seasonal cookbooks ,and her entertaining writings about cuisine ! She has a new cookbook out called "Salade" which is overflowing with beautiful salad recipes !
   P.S. Santa Barbara is one of the most beautiful cities in the world....Mediterranean architecture, purple Jacaranda trees,Bird of Paradise flowers lining the main State Street,the azule Pacific Ocean.....well, you get the picture ! Just one of God's beautiful and incredible creations !!

Thank you Pascale, Sherry, and all the others who helped to create this fabulous cuisine and a memorable experience ! You are truly using and sharing the gifts,talents,and passions that God has blessed you with, to bless others and me ! Au Revoir et que Dieu vous benise !

P.P.S. I  hope God is recreating France in Heaven...because I reeeeally want to spend a billion years there...learning to cook from French mothers and grandmothers too...before moving on to Italy !!

Back in the Day Bakery and Sananna

On the third day,we drove into Savanna to walk around the city,exploring the streets,nooks,crannies,and the sites.Our first stop was the bakery called "Back in the Day".This bakery was created by Cheryl and Griff, a husband and wife team. He bakes the delicious breads and she bakes the sweets. The interior design was whimsical with lots of pink,baby blue,and turquoise colors.There was a chandelier made of marshmallows, old-fashioned signs hung on the walls and there were were cute dishes and stripped drinking straws for sale. I had a delicious chicken salad sandwich on the best rosemary foccacia bread I've ever had ! My only regret was that I didn't have one of their sweets for dessert ! What was I thinking ?!!

Savanna is a charming town.Some areas have old cobblestone roads.We enjoyed exploring the streets and discovering interesting shops and restaurants. I loved a French store that was filled with treasures from France on two levels.There was a tiny,adorable fabric store where some of the ladies bought fabric to use in their food photography.I found Georgia peach jam and grits in a darling chocolate store.We peeked in Paula Dean's "The Lady and Son's" restaurant and went next door to her lovely gift shop,filled with kitchen items and souvenirs from Savanna.
   Many of the trees had moss hanging from them There were gas lamps,reminiscent of yesteryear.Savanna is located on the Savanna River.One of our gals saw a huge 7 story yacht pull into port there ! I wonder who owns it ?!!

Saint Simons Island Food Photography Workshop

Greetings Friends…..
   In November I had the fun experience of attending the Saint Simons Island,Georgia  Food Photography Workshop,with Food Photographer,Author,and Blogger Helene DuJardin,Chef John,Assistant Libby,and 11 other participants.
   The first night inside a lovely rented home,we sat in a circle, introduced ourselves and talked about our interests or professions in relation to food photography. There were food photographers,a cookbook author,a wedding photographer,and others beginning to explore food photography like myself.I am writing a cookbook now and hope to include my photography in it.
   The second day, six of us listened to Helene talk about food photography,and we made tartines (open faced sandwiches) which we photographed outside by the swimming pool.The other six participants were inside the house photographing Chef John as he made homemade gnocchi.We switched locations in the afternoon. Helene had brought loads of ingredients for us to choose from like cucumbers,heirloom cherry tomatoes,parsley,peas,ect.,ect. Here is a picture of Helene making her tartine and a photo of my tartine with hummus,a watermelon radish slice,cucumber slices,peas,parsley,and a heirloom cherry tomato. These would be fun to make with friends at a casual lunch,tea party,or with children.

                                                            Tartines

Sliced bread of your choice
Hummus-any flavor
Mayonaise
nut butter
jam
cucumber
celery
sprouts
olives
tomatoes
radishes
watermelon radishes
peas
raisins
nuts
apples
meats
safe,edible flowers
whatever else you think of !

   
   Slice your veggies and fruits thin.A mandoline works great for making beautiful slices.Lay them out on dishes or on a cutting board.Spread your piece of bread with your choice of spreads.Choose the goodies that you want and layer them on top.Make an artistic creation ! Eat and enjoy !!
                          Isn't the variety of foods AMAZING that God has created for us !
                                        Jesus (Yeshua) loves you and so do I !