tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1446614592827270402024-03-13T00:55:38.095-04:00La Diva CucinaLa Diva Cucina is written by Laura Lafata, self-taught chef and veteran mixologist, with a focus on Food, Friends and overall Fabulousness! Laura
shares recipes and ideas for food and cocktails, her cooking trials and tribulations, travel stories and musings about life in Miami as well as promoting her hip class: small bites, BIG DRINKS!Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02174547442605325377noreply@blogger.comBlogger315125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-144661459282727040.post-13657856464066217562014-09-25T11:45:00.000-04:002014-09-30T14:39:05.122-04:00Avocado DOUBLE HAPPINESS: Avocado Pasta with Crab and Avocado Coconut Ice Cream!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Darlings! It's time for the CREATIVE COOKING CREW CHALLENGE again and September's challenge is to pick an ingredient and present it as the star of the dish.... but you have to use it two ways, hot and cold! So many ingredients come to mind, especially fruit, that would work so well for this challenge but as always, I am trying to think of ingredients not usually used in a typical way to create two unusual and unique dishes!</div>
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As I had just picked up some lovely Donnie avocados from <a href="http://beeheavenfarm.com/">Bee Heaven Farm </a>down here in Southern Florida, I pondered the many ways I've enjoyed avocados and the wheels began to spin. I like the idea of avocado because it can be used in both sweet and savory applications.</div>
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But first, a brief explanation of the differences between the popular California Hass avocado and the many varieties grown here in Southern Florida. Green avocados come in many varieties and are lower in fat, have a higher water content and are much larger when compared to their Hass counterpart. The green avocados also have a sweet, delicate flavor which I've grown to love. While Hass is the most commonly cultivated, in Florida you'll find myriad cultivars in different shapes, sizes, some even with red skin. Take a look at some of them by clicking <a href="http://www.tropicalfruitnursery.com/avocado-viewer/">HERE.</a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Hardee, Hass and Donnie avocadoes. Image courtesy of Bee Heaven Farm</span></div>
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When I chose our local avocado fruit as the STAR ingredient for my cold dish, I conjured up delights I'd eaten in my previous life as a Sydneysider. Living in "Australasia," I was introduced to many styles of Asian cooking and fell in love with Indonesian food. It was at the Java restaurant in Randiwick when I first tried <a href="http://ladivacucina.blogspot.com/2009/07/la-divas-indonesian-style-lychee.html">es campur </a> for dessert at the encouragement of my Indonesian friend Mela who insisted that avocados taste great in desserts.</div>
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I was served a small bowl of shaved ice topped with lashings of condensed milk, shaved coconut and chunks of sweet, ripe avocado. I had never had avocado in a dessert before and found the dish refreshing and delightful. The coconut really worked with the creamy avocado and I ate the entire thing, knowing I'd be craving it again.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Avocado coconut ice cream with milk chocolate fudge topping and toasted coconut flakes</span></div>
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Already knowing that avocado and coconut would complement each other, I decided not to re-invent the wheel and looked online for ice cream recipes. I decided on <a href="http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2013/07/avocado-coconut-ice-cream-recipe/">David Lebovitz's recipe,</a> which included mostly coconut milk instead of whole milk with small amounts of cream and sugar. <span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">As luck would have it, I found that my ice cream bowl would no longer freeze, though I had it in the freezer for more than 24 hours, so I added the concoction to the freezer in a metal bowl, stirring it every once and a while. While the avocado coconut ice cream tasted great, the texture came out slightly grainy and less creamy than I would have liked. </span></div>
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The taste combination was as I had remembered it: Lovely, buttery and not overly cloying! I decided to be a little decadent and topped it with <a href="http://www.sanderscandy.com/Milk-Chocolate-Hot-Fudge-p/15376-p.htm">Sander's Milk Chocolate Hot Fudge,</a> a childhood favorite I brought back from a recent holiday in Michigan. The crunch of the toasted coconut and the smooth, sweet fudge were both perfect foils for the subtle avocado ice cream. </div>
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For the hot dish using avocado, I kept recalling a memory of the first time I'd had avocado warm in a sauce, outside of the usual way I'd eaten in guacamole. I was in my early twenties and dating a Canadian restaurant owner and remember him serving me a lovely curried avocado sauce over fish. It was so light and delicate and I remember thinking to myself, "this is such an unusual way to eat avocado." </div>
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But images of the delicious red curry avocado cream I had used for the <a href="http://ladivacucina.blogspot.com/2014/07/thai-flavored-duck-taquitos-with.html">duck taquitos</a> a few months back, and it's cringe-worthy color, helped me to re-think the dish. Even though I would be making an Indian-spiced curry sauce, it was too similar and too soon and I thought harder for a new application for the fruit. </div>
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When I think of using an ingredient in an unusual way, I consider other traits it might share with other foods. For me, avocado reminds me of butter, it's creamy, fatty and decadent, so naturally I begin to think of how I'd use butter in this dish? Also, the flavor of avocado is very subtle, making it a very malleable ingredient like tofu, meaning it could be used in a number of ways.</div>
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The delicate nature of avocado and the afore-mentioned traits made me think of pairing it with one of my all-time favorite foods, crab. The medium to carry these two delicate-tasting ingredients would be pasta!</div>
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The Donnie avocados were a whopping two pounds each, so I cut one in half, that would be plenty for a sauce! Thinking of the Italian crab classic, "penne granchi," I decided to buy a high-quality artisanal "gigli" pasta in the shape of a lily flower, another short tube-like pasta.</div>
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I bought cream, fresh snow crab claws and lump crab for the dish and then I remembered I had some lovely Italian seasoned thick-cut bacon from Proper Sausages and diced some up and crisped it for a garnish.</div>
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I pureed the avocado and added a good dollop of cream and then salted to taste. The sauce, while very tasty, needed more depth of flavor. So, I sauteed very thinly sliced cloves of garlic and then added the lump crab and legs only to warm and then added the hot pasta. I gently mixed it together, careful not to break up the fragile crab pieces. Then I plated it and garnished with the smoky bacon and The DJ and I dug in to our decadent dinner!</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XDbsFjC-O7A/VCMrbHp9jhI/AAAAAAAAGXQ/5sjYeDT7Uq4/s1600/Avocado%2Bpasta%2Blily.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XDbsFjC-O7A/VCMrbHp9jhI/AAAAAAAAGXQ/5sjYeDT7Uq4/s1600/Avocado%2Bpasta%2Blily.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Avocado garlic cream sauce with crab over gigli pasta with smoky Italian-herb bacon garnish</span></div>
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The result was ABSOLUTELY DIVINE! But oh SO RICH! I barely got through my dinner, but the avocado sauce with the cream and crab were such a delicious combination of flavors, I managed to force it down! While the bacon added a nice bit of crunch to the dish, I thought the smokiness overpowered it. The garlic, surprisingly, did not and lent the depth of flavor I was looking for. However, I was not happy with the plating. While the texture of the gigli pasta was certainly pleasing to the palate, I thought it looked messy and inelegant as a dish. I decided I would make it again and tweak it.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DGM-ke0e8lU/VCMxPaBKBDI/AAAAAAAAGXg/pKkns6k-pVc/s1600/Crab%2Bpasta%2Bhorns.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DGM-ke0e8lU/VCMxPaBKBDI/AAAAAAAAGXg/pKkns6k-pVc/s1600/Crab%2Bpasta%2Bhorns.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Devilishly delicious: jumbo lump crab and Aslakan King crab combine with a garlic avocado cream sauce for a decadent starter</span></div>
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A week later, I decided to make the dish using fettuccine noodles. I also was going to serve the dish as a small starter instead of as an entire main, it was just too rich to eat that much again. I sent The DJ off to get a crab claw for plating but he misunderstood me and came back with Alaskan King crab legs, my favorite. So, whilst I didn't have the picture-perfect claw for the ideal plating photo, I would be enjoying chunks of sweet King crab in the dish instead of the more lightly-flavored lump from the can. For added fruity flavor, I doused the pasta with <a href="http://www.villabertolli.com/product/category/661089/bertolli-products-olive-oils-premium-select">Bertolli Premium Select Fragrante </a>extra virgin olive oil, lemon zest and chopped Italian parsley for a bright, green taste.</div>
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Result: PERFECTION</div>
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Here is <a href="http://www.lazarocooks.com/2014/09/creative-cooking-crew-august-2014-round.html">the link to all of the uber-creative dishes from the Creative Cooking Crew!</a> Ciao for now, darlings!</div>
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LaDivaCucinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06000430029590301972noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-144661459282727040.post-90888987144485168302014-08-11T18:40:00.001-04:002014-09-03T10:57:12.171-04:00Sweet (NOT SAVORY!) Tomato Cheesecake with a Roasted Tomato, Strawberry and Balsamic Vinegar Sauce!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Luscious and delicious sun-dried tomato swirl cheesecake with a roasted tomato and strawberry balsamic vinegar sauce.</div>
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Darlings! Ever since I ate at Top Cheftestant Stephanie Izard's "Girl and the Goat" in Chicago, I've been dreaming of using a typical vegetable in a sweet dessert. </div>
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It was two years ago now since I first tasted that <a href="http://ladivacucina.blogspot.com/2012/08/chicagos-girl-and-goat.html">lovely deconstructed zucchini cake with mascarpone mousse, lemon eggplant and a divine tomato caramel! </a> It made me realize that yes, you COULD turn veggies into delicious and sweet desserts that were unique and unusual on the tastebuds and oh so very palatable.</div>
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Now, we've had our share of sweet food paired in savory dishes (watermelon feta salad comes to mind), how often do you use tomatoes in a sweet application?</div>
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This month's Creative Cooking Crew challenge would allow me to do just that, as the food of the month would be TOMATOES!<br />
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Now, I KNOW tomato is considered a fruit but rarely do we eat them that way. And while I could have offered my dear readers a lovely, <a href="http://ladivacucina.blogspot.com/2010/05/welcome-to-meatless-mondays.html">fresh tomato tart with goat cheese and mint</a>, I wanted to really create a dish that was outside of the box. In just the same way that a cook will capture the sweetness of a pumpkin or sweet potato in a pie, I would do the same with the tomato and use it as dessert.</div>
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As I began to formulate my idea about using the tomato in a sweet dessert, I thought about tomatoes and all of its uses and all of its forms. I thought of the concentrated flavors of some fruit, like you'd find in fig paste or prunes, and that lead me to the idea of using a sun-dried tomato paste in a cheesecake.</div>
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As I turned the idea over in my head, I began to ponder making a sun-dried tomato ricotta cheesecake but I couldn't seem to get away from turning it into a savory dish. Soon, I was thinking of adding basil and zucchini and eating it chilled on a salad plate and dressed with arugula. While it sounded truly delicious, it was NOT what I wanted to make. (another time, perhaps?)</div>
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At the same time, I wasn't sure I wanted to make an entire cheesecake using the rich, strongly-flavored sun-dried tomato paste, so I decided to do a take on the <a href="http://www.cooks.com/recipe/fm1f53e4/chocolate-swirl-cheesecake.html">classic chocolate swirl cheesecake recipe</a> found on the package of Nestle chocolate chips. </div>
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Instead of using chocolate, I used about 3/4 of a jar of the paste and added a half a cup of sugar with a pinch of salt. I tasted it. MORE-ISH! This was going to be yummy!</div>
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I followed the cheesecake recipe but I cut the sugar down by 1/4 of a cup and also added another pinch of salt to the plain batter. Likewise, I added a pinch of salt to the graham cracker base, sticking to the original flavor and not the cinnamon graham crackers.</div>
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After swirling the dense tomato batter into the regular batter, I popped it into the oven and baked for about 50 minutes. The middle was still jiggling when I took it out but I didn't want to over cook it and knew it would finish cooking on my counter top. My intuition was right and it firmed up just fine once the cake completely cooled.</div>
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While the cheesecake was baking, I put together some pre-roasted grape tomatoes, cut, ripe strawberries, sugar, another pinch of salt, water and a good glug of high quality Italian balsamic vinegar into a saucepan. I cooked it down until it was reduced by half, then pureed the lot and strained it. I tasted it again and again, and realized the strawberry flavor was very pronounced and the dark umami flavor that was underlying had to come from the roasted tomatoes. It was incredibly tasty.</div>
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RESULT: All I can say is WOW. Seriously. In fact, I was so impatient to try the cake, I ate it while it was still warm! I'm so glad that I added the salt to each component of the dish, it stopped it from being overly cloying. There were some lovely pieces of sun-dried tomato throughout my piece, which gave it texture, and I'm also glad that the concentrated flavors of the tomato cheesecake were mellowed by the swirls of plain cheesecake. </div>
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The sauce was REALLY incredible, but honestly, I think the sun-dried tomato cheesecake was fine all on it's own. I'm already thinking about other ways I can utilize this very original sauce, maybe even on simple vanilla ice cream?</div>
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Now that the cheesecake has chilled for a day, I can't wait to have another piece after dinner! What would others say about it? Husband thought it delicious, but he loves just about everything I cook. In the morning, I will be bringing a piece to my gym trainer, who is a foodie that has eaten and traveled the world over, I know he'll appreciate it! I'm looking forward to his reaction and comments!</div>
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Darlings, what is the strangest dessert you've ever eaten? La Diva wants to hear all about it! <a href="http://foodalogue.com/2014/08/creative-cooking-crew-challenge-round-up-tomatoes.html#comment-439255">Here is THE LINK FOR THE Creative Cooking Crew posts all of their luscious tomato entries!</a> Ciao for now, darlings!<br />
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<br />LaDivaCucinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06000430029590301972noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-144661459282727040.post-64013160678738592402014-07-23T17:55:00.002-04:002014-07-30T13:59:14.092-04:00Thai-flavored Duck Taquitos with Coconut Red Curry Avocado Cream and Pineapple Jalapeno Salsa<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">TACO TACO BURRITO BURRITO......You may give me ALL of your taco-flavored kisses!</span></div>
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Darlings, now that the gourmet burger and slider craze has come to an end, the void is quickly being filled by upscale taco joints! Well, at least it is here on Miami Beach. Created and run by Texas-native and <a href="http://havenlounge.com/">Haven South Beach</a> executive chef Todd Erickson, <a href="http://huahuastaco.com/">Huahua's Taqueria</a> leads the way with non-traditional taco offerings including a fried chicken taco. It's so tasty that the decadent and crispy taco even ended up being featured, along with the restaurant, on The Cooking Channel's "Taco Trip" with Chef Aaron Sanchez back in April of this year.</div>
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And then local celebrity Chef Ralph Pagano launched <a href="http://nakedtacomiami.com/">Naked Taco</a> at the Dream Hotel, serving a variety of unusual gourmet tacos including lamb with mint yogurt and poke tuna with mango salsa and wasabi cream.</div>
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Additionally, TeQuiztlan Mexican Restaurant and Tequila Bar, run by the same crew as the now defunct El Rancho Grande, opened last year offering classic tacos and Mexican fare. It's also been reported that yet another taco restaurant will be opening from Menin Hospitality (with Books and Books Chef Bernie Matz) called "<a href="http://miami.eater.com/archives/2014/06/13/jared-galbut-on-the-first-yeat-at-radio-bar.php">Don Diablo," that is going to offer an amazing street taco concept</a> that will serve late night diners.</div>
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Dat's a whole lotta tacos, amigo, and La Diva couldn't be happier!</div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Which brings me to this month's </span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">You guessed it, the taco!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">From one of the most bizarre South Park episodes ever where Eric Cartman's hand is really Jennifer Lopez! </span> </div>
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I have to be honest. I really struggled with this concept because initially I just couldn't seem to wrap my head around a non-traditional taco. I've been perfecting my skills at cooking traditional tacos like pork carnitas and a divine chicken taco in a home made roasted tomatillo sauce and all I could think of were traditional flavor combinations. It had all been done before and done very well. </div>
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But in time, my idea sprang forth like Wal-Mart shoppers on Black Friday. I decided to fill the taco with something different, something not usually found in a taco. That ingredient is DUCK. </div>
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But no, it wasn't enough for me to just make a duck taco, I had to change up the seasoning as well. I decided to go for an Asian-Mexican fusion for my taco.</div>
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I started off by marinating duck legs with tamarind, ginger, kaffir lime, red chilies, brown sugar and lime juice over night and then roasted until succulent and tender. I tasted the duck and the flavor was not overpowering, but I could have eaten it all right then and there. Reeling myself in, I separated the fat and skin leaving only the juicy pieces of meat.</div>
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Then I dressed the duck with a dressing of almost all of the same ingredients, heavy on the minced kaffir lime, red chili and a minced serrano chili and stuffed them inside artisanal corn tortillas. For I was NOT going to make tacos, no amigo, I was going to make taquitos! </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">I really like this brand of tortilla. One day, I will make my own. One day.</span></div>
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I rolled up all of the duck into the tortillas tightly and secured each with a toothpick. I ended up with ten taquitos, ready to fry. Then I made a pineapple salsa with jalapeno, red onion, cilantro and cucumber for a bit of cooling crunch. (I had planned to put peanuts in and forgot! DUH!)</div>
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I'd been wondering how to add a creamy element to the dish and thought that a red curry coconut cream would be delightful. Then I thought, why not indeed add the red curry coconut cream to pureed avocado? Into the processor went a gorgeous sweet red variety of avocado called a "Hardee." I added the sauce and then tested. O dios mio! It was gooood. Smooth, creamy, sweet and a lovely hit of heat from the red curry paste. But the color? Not so good. "Imma gone eat it anyway," I thought to myself, "fugly or not." It was still very tasty.</div>
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RESULT: After the first bite, my husband just said "Wow." Wow, indeed. They were good. But NOT "damn good" and definitely could use some improvement. Mistakes were made and I am not shy about telling you what my mistakes were. First of all, I was insanely hungry when I made these, so that meant I was impatient. And, because I was impatient, the oil got too hot and the taquitos browned too quickly. Though still toothsome, I didn't quite achieve the crunch of a true taquito. They were chewy. I wanted a break-into-a-million-pieces kind of crunch!</div>
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Secondly, the pineapple salsa, while refreshing, just missed the mark. It needed more depth of flavor. Perhaps that would have come from the crushed toasted peanuts? A dash of fish sauce? I think so. </div>
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Third, the color of the red curry coconut cream mixed with the pale avocado was unsightly. Better to forego the addition of the avocado? NAH. Actually, this was my favorite part of the dish, so I could live with it.</div>
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But lastly, I just wasn't that thrilled with the duck taquito taste itself. The roasted duck out of the oven was insanely delicious. Once I fried them, it seems the flavors got lost and the meat could have just as easily as been from roasted turkey legs. Duck is too expensive and gorgeous to not be able to discern it's delectable, gamey flavors. Next time, I'd forego the taquitos and just use the roasted Thai flavored duck with the red curry avocado cream in a regular corn tortilla. Truly, when it comes to using high quality ingredients a simple preparation is best.</div>
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And what about you, mi querido? What would YOU have made to take the simple taco to a new level? Tell La Diva <i>all</i> about it! <a href="http://www.lazarocooks.com/2014/07/creative-cooking-crew-july-13-tacos.html">Here's the link to the round up of all of the taco entries with the Creative Cooking Crew! </a></div>
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Adios, amigos!</div>
<a name='more'></a>LaDivaCucinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06000430029590301972noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-144661459282727040.post-33093568095018909092014-06-22T14:01:00.000-04:002014-06-22T14:01:36.004-04:00Nashville-style HOT FRIED CHICKEN (OH, Yesssss!)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Darlins! I gotta tell you sumpin'. DIVA DON'T LIKE FRIED CHICKEN. I don't. Honestly! I never buy it, I never order it out and I never make it. When I was growing up and then throughout my adult life, whenever I was served fried chicken, I would take a breast, peel all the skin off and then eat the meat, tossing the fried skin away! YEP. I was wastin' that good, crispy fried chicken skin. And I could have cared less about the wings and thighs, just save me a nice breast. Chicken legs grossed me out.</div>
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BUT MY OH MY HAVE THINGS CHANGED.</div>
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Including my palate. </div>
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Over time, as I continued exploring different dishes from various regions in my own country and the globe, I've learned to be more open-minded to trying new tastes and techniques and thus spreading my culinary wings. And I'm so glad I have.</div>
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I had been toying with the idea of making fried chicken for some time now. With the resurgence of interest in good ol' Southern cooking as well as actually moving to Southern Florida nine years ago, I thought it was high time I put aside my fried chicken hate. I am, technically, a Southerner now.</div>
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Besides seeing various recipes cropping up about how to make "the perfect fried chicken," I started to notice recipes for another style of fried chicken called <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_chicken">"Nashville Hot Chicken."</a> The recipe was enticing because La Diva likes it HOT and seeing as I love me some Buffalo chicken wings, I found this recipe that included tablespoons of cayenne pepper more than intriguing! How hot would it be? How hot can I take? "BRING IT, BABY," I thought to myself.</div>
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And then along came the June issue of Bon Appetit and what did I find but a recipe for the Nashville (style) hot chicken! This was more than a coincidence, this was meant to be. </div>
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What is unique about this style of fried chicken is not the hot sauce-laced buttermilk marinade but the very spicy sauce you brush on the chicken <i>after </i>frying. After seasoning the chicken with salt and pepper, you leave it in the fridge to get nice and cold. Then you dredge the chicken pieces in flour, shake off excess, dip into the buttermilk mixture and then dredge again, shake and fry. </div>
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When the chicken is done, you drain it and then slather on a heavy dose of spices mixed with the frying oil, including paprika, garlic powder, brown sugar, chile powder and tablespoons of cayenne pepper. TABLESPOONS! This recipe called for six! The mixture of spicy, sweet and salty is a perfectly delectable combination, almost guaranteeing addiction! Serving the chicken over white bread with pickles completes the dish.</div>
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Here's a piece of steaming hot chicken wing for you to drool over. Remember how I said that I used to only eat the chicken breast? NO MORE! I now LOVE dark meat. First of all, chicken wings are really the bridge chicken piece to eating dark meat. SERIOUSLY. And then when I started to realize that if I cook the thighs and legs long enough, most of that gross fat that I hated would melt away leaving only succulent and tasty, moist chicken meat! Try it yourself and see if you dislike dark meat.<br />
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Here's the recipe from Bon Appetit and a <a href="http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/nashville-style-hot-chicken">link as well.</a> Some of the commenters have suggested that this isn't the 'real' recipe. Well, La Diva ain't gettin' into all that! Like spaghetti bolognese, I'm CERTAIN that every family or chicken shack in Nashville has their own version. But this one is from a Nashville restaurant that is pretty famous for making it, <a href="http://www.hattieb.com/">Hattie B's,</a> so I'm going with it. And besides, it turned out delicious!<br />
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I cut the recipe in half for just the two of us. (Diva doan need to be eatin' fried chicken for days, y'allmean?!) Supposedly, you some people go even hotter by adding more cayenne. I was fine with the three tablespoons, even though I could probably go much hotter, The DJ was happy as a pig in mud, just the same.<br />
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RESULT: HOT damn, this chicken is goooood! AND I ain't lyin'! The skin was nice and crispy, the combination of spicy and sweet flavors is totally addictive. My suggestion for success is to use an instant read thermometer in order to closely monitor the oil's temperature as well as checking each piece of chicken well before the suggested cooking time was up. This recipe is definitely not for the faint-hearted or for those dieting.<br />
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At suppertime, the DJ cranked out some good ol' blues music while we enjoyed our dinner al fresco on our balcony, not a word passed between us but mere grunts and moans of delight. THAT'S HOW GOOD IT WAS. The white bread is perfect for quelling the heat and the sweet bread and butter pickles were a great foil for the chicken too.<br />
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Do you see that coleslaw on my plate? Well, most of it is there....because I couldn't be bothered to put down my delicious chicken and pick up a fork. I was tempted to eat the slaw with my hands, but hey, I'm not <i>that</i> trashy! But more importantly, I am now a FRIED CHICKEN CONVERT. I loves it. But only once in a while, it's too dangerously addictive otherwise!<br />
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Ciao for now, darlings!<br />
<br />LaDivaCucinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06000430029590301972noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-144661459282727040.post-14225704325282065392014-05-07T13:15:00.002-04:002014-05-07T13:15:52.438-04:00Super Spring Vegetable Ideas!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Pea risotto with pancetta, pea tendrils and a luscious swirl of lemon pistachio mint pesto!</div>
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Darlings!</div>
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After what could be called the most dreadful winter in years for many of you, I can say most assuredly that </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #93c47d;">SPRING IS HERE!</span> </span> </div>
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And not a minute too soon! As a reward for suffering that brutal season, you'll find that all the lovely spring vegetables are in season now and are finding their way to the grocers' shelves. But don't hesitate, darlings, because their season is short!</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8Jh2LUXshqI/U2kv5u7YmuI/AAAAAAAAFrA/xEnsc4lwpdo/s1600/Spring+pea+risotto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8Jh2LUXshqI/U2kv5u7YmuI/AAAAAAAAFrA/xEnsc4lwpdo/s1600/Spring+pea+risotto.jpg" height="498" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: large;">PEAS</span></div>
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Darlings, your La Diva is NOT a pea lover. The fact is, when I grew up and put my big girl panties on and moved out on my own (at only seventeen years old!), I decided that if I wanted to maintain a good healthy life, I should expand my palate and start eating a wider variety of vegetables, including the dreaded pea! </div>
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I'd grown up being force fed those wrinkled, canned peas and no matter how many times my mother served them at dinnertime, I would try to get out of eating them by sneaking them under my dish. Invariably, as mom would clear the plates from dinner, the peas would fall onto the table and so my ruse was discovered. Those awful canned peas were one of the foods I refused to eat, no matter how long mom would make me sit at the dinner table after supper!</div>
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So, when I was out in the world as a young woman and could eat any thing I wanted, I realized that maybe I should give peas another go. I bought the frozen, baby peas that guaranteed a fresher taste. Gradually, I would add them to stews and casseroles and next thing you know, I was eating peas! But, try as I might, I still couldn't suffer a big, ol' bowl of them on their own, I could only manage them mixed in with other foods.</div>
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But the FRESH SPRING PEA is different. Delicate in flavor, tender and without any mealiness, these verdant orbs just pleasantly pop in your mouth, exuding a slight sweetness. After trying the fresh peas, I was sold. But fresh peas aren't available all year, so when I saw them at the grocery the other day, I grabbed them with nary a thought as to how I'd actually cook them. I knew I'd figure out something delicious!</div>
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For inspiration, I put up a post on Facebook to gather ideas and my clever friends did not disappoint. Someone suggested <a href="http://italianfood.about.com/od/vegetarianrisotti/r/blr0796.htm">"risi bisi,"</a> which is a traditional Venetian dish that was similar to the idea I'd been mulling over using the peas with pancetta and risotto. Since my three friends and I were all on the same page of ideas, I decided to make the risotto with the peas and crisped pancetta.</div>
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Another friend came up with the brilliant idea of putting the shelled pods into the risotto broth for more pea flavor. Brilliant! Still, it seemed like the dish needed a "bit of sumpin' sumpin," so I devised a sauce that would provide a flavor punch and complement the dish: lemon pistachio mint pesto. Divine! The crisped pancetta adds a bit of salty, crunch and flavor, the peas add sweetness and "pop" and the risotto was creamy and satisfying! This is a perfect one course supper that highlights the fresh peas and doesn't overpower their delicate flavor.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oAi_8A8TsZs/U2kyFcFtHXI/AAAAAAAAFrM/DWGxdMdBsnM/s1600/Baby+asparagus+chicken+pasta.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oAi_8A8TsZs/U2kyFcFtHXI/AAAAAAAAFrM/DWGxdMdBsnM/s1600/Baby+asparagus+chicken+pasta.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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Baby artichoke sauteed with chicken breast, mushrooms, garlic, lemon, white wine and capers.</div>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: large;">ARTICHOKES</span></div>
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Baby artichokes and artichokes are another lovely Spring vegetable I look forward to. While I had mastered the art of making whole, large artichokes, usually stuffing them with bread crumbs, parmesan and prosciutto or maybe simply serving with a home made lemon mayonnaise, I'd always been a bit intimidated to make the baby artichoke and would always buy them canned. Perhaps it was my naivete that lead to my apprehension, as I made them once without par-boiling them and they came out tough and undercooked on the grill. But a quick look through my myriad cookbooks showed me how to easily process them. </div>
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First, I cut off the top, peeled off all the tough outer leaves and then cooked them until fork tender. Then I cut the baby artichokes into quarters and sauteed them along with chicken breast, mushrooms, garlic, white wine and capers and then tossed them into linguine! A hearty dish that is not too heavy, the earthiness of the mushrooms and artichokes and the briny salt hit of the capers combine to create a dinner packed with lemony flavor and a palate-pleasing texture. </div>
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Baby golden beet salad over mixed greens of baby kale, arugula and dill with burrata cheese and toasted pistachios dressed with hazelnut oil and chocolate vinegar!</div>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: large;">GOLDEN BABY BEETS AND MIXED SPRING GREENS</span></div>
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Beets are another vegetable I never liked as a child and only recently learned to love them. The secret is to buy baby beets and then to roast them, which caramelizes them and releases their natural sugars. I find the older, larger beets have a more "muddy" flavor, so now I try to get the freshest baby beets possible, usually from the farmers market. </div>
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Springtime is when baby greens and lettuces come into season, and I love their tender texture and subtle flavors. A green that you would normally cook, like kale, chard or mustard greens, are delicious when grown and served as "micro" greens in salads or as garnish. They are simply young shoots of the plant picked before they are allowed to mature.</div>
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The fresh, creamy burrata cheese and golden beets are complemented by the velvety chocolate balsamic vinegar, while the toasted pistachios add crunch and go perfectly with the hazelnut oil. This is an elegant salad to start off a special dinner or just to enjoy casually, you deserve it!<br />
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Fava beans with prosciutto in campanile pasta (bell shaped pasta) with parmigiano cheese shavings and lemon zest.</div>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: large;">FAVA BEANS</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Fava beans are a delight because they are so rare but also because they are so labor intensive and pricey that it makes them even more delicious when you make the effort to cook them! Like lima beans, you need to strip them of their pods, then boil them, then release them from their outer skin and THEN you can do with them what you wish! To La Diva, the bright, buttery and slightly sweet taste of a fresh fava bean epitomizes the flavors of springtime.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">And because they are so labor intensive, a little can go a long way! I love the way the bright green fava pops in this plate of pasta with salty prosciutto and lemon.</span></div>
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Just cooked fava beans are added to baby redskin potato and green beans, all cooked until just tender and then doused in a lemon thyme mint vinaigrette while still warm!</div>
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For more interesting facts about the ancient fava bean, click <a href="http://www.npr.org/2007/03/28/9163283/fava-beans-a-little-spring-on-your-plate">HERE.</a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MXQZ7h-f3yw/U2kyM29W78I/AAAAAAAAFrY/3WmrVuCE6wI/s1600/Asparagus+penne+buratta.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MXQZ7h-f3yw/U2kyM29W78I/AAAAAAAAFrY/3WmrVuCE6wI/s1600/Asparagus+penne+buratta.jpg" height="590" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: large;">ASPARAGUS</span></div>
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Here's a perfect dish featuring another springtime vegetable, asparagus. Quick and simple, I boiled penne pasta and while it cooked, I lightly steamed trimmed asparagus spears until just tender. Asparagus when it's cooked properly, can be delightfully delicious, but if it's overcooked, it can be stringy and slimy, so take care not to overcook! </div>
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I cut the asparagus into bite size pieces, saving the tops for the garnish. I like my penne "al dente," and tossed the hot pasta with fresh pesto and then added a half of a ball of freshly made burrata cheese! Sea salt, freshly ground black pepper and a good dousing of a fruity, green extra virgin olive oil were all that was needed to complete this toothsome dish.</div>
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Darlings, have you noticed how green, light and lovely all of these dishes are? They are all made with fresh produce and packed with flavor in the simplest of ways: a grating of lemon zest here, a caper there, a bit of salty cured pork is all it takes to highlight the flavors of these verdurous vegetables. Do take advantage of these seasonal veggies, especially the peas and fava beans, which are impossible to come by later in the summer.</div>
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Darlings, what are YOUR springtime faves? Do tell La Diva <i>all </i>about it! Ciao for now!<br />
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LaDivaCucinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06000430029590301972noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-144661459282727040.post-52746777716525961172014-04-26T14:02:00.002-04:002014-05-01T16:27:35.472-04:00BREAKFAST! Decadent Panettone French Toast with Fresh Orange Sauce with Apple Breakfast Sausage (and other FABULOUS breakfast ideas!)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Delectable, sweet lump crab meat sits upon a toasted whole wheat English muffin and is topped with perfectly poached eggs with lemony Hollandaise sauce! </span></div>
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Darlings! Joan Nova of the "Creative Cooking Crew" asks: "What's for breakfast? Show us what you would make for breakfast if you had weekend guests."</div>
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Well, honey, I don't need houseguests to create fabulous breakfasts! After a week of eating simple breakfasts before I hit the gym, on the weekends I look forward to creating a hearty morning meal, usually making it my favorite meal of the day! </div>
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One of the best breakfasts I've ever been made was when I was a houseguest at my friend's mother's place in Birmingham, Alabama. She was the quintessential hostess, I'll never forget how we woke up from a most enjoyable sleep with down pillows that just hugged our tired heads, to a lovely aroma emenating from the kitchen. </div>
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Waiting for us was a delectable spread of bacon, coffee, home made biscuits and sausage gravy, scrambled eggs and strawberry jam. What a delight! What made it all the more delightful was that we were all hungover, Mom included! I appreciated her grand effort. From what I can remember, the night before included wonderful live jazz music and a whole lotta Scotch whiskey. Mom had cracked me up by saying, "Laura, I'm a Christian lady and a Scotch drinker. And not necessarily in that order!" Good times!</div>
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I love having breakfast made for me, but sadly it doesn't happen often outside of a restaurant (though I'm currently training my husband for pancake duty!) For I am La Grande Breakfast Maker. Because I'm good at it and mostly because I usually can't be bothered to wait that long to eat and get very crabby!</div>
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So, before I get to "the most decadent" breakfast, I thought I'd take you on a photo journey of some of my fave "breakies!" (Aussie slang for breakfast, of course!)</div>
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<b><span style="color: red;">One pan feeds many....</span></b></div>
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If you are having guests for breakfast or brunch and don't want to be standing at the stove making pancakes and eggs for everyone, I love to offer quiches and frittatas! The beauty of both is that you can feed six people with one dish as well as serve it room temperature with a green mixed leaf or fruit salad.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fBuCQKvS_HM/U1puAeViF4I/AAAAAAAAFpU/XYii41Cf7zQ/s1600/Asparagus+quiche.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fBuCQKvS_HM/U1puAeViF4I/AAAAAAAAFpU/XYii41Cf7zQ/s1600/Asparagus+quiche.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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Go on an make home made pie dough, but if you don't have the time or inclination, buy the pre-made and roll it out! You can keep it in your freezer it will thaw out in just 10 minutes. This quiche includes gruyere cheese and lightly steamed asparagus. I cut the asparagus into bite size portions and keep a few to garnish the top! Isn't it brown and beautiful?!</div>
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Frittata is an Italian dish I grew up eating and learned to make at an early age. And the best part? I've never met anyone who doesn't like it! I will sometimes make one in a lasagna tray with zucchini, potato and rosemary and serve it in bite-size squares at a party. This lovely frittata includes sauteed rainbow chard from my garden. </div>
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Have leftover veggies from dinner last night? Throw 'em in! Add a good grating of parmesan cheese to the eggs and your frittata will be brown, fluffy and delicious!</div>
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<b><span style="color: red;">I won't make any bones about it: I LOVE POACHED EGGS!!! </span></b></div>
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Why?</div>
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Because they are so easy to make, especially for a crowd! Did you know that you can pre-make poached eggs and re-heat them later? Simply poach the eggs for one minute less and hold them in cold water in the refrigerator until you need them. When you are ready, simmer water in a pot and add the eggs, cooking for the last minute. It's so simple!</div>
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When I poach my eggs, I make sure I use a pot with plenty of room for two eggs. I crack the egg into a small bowl, not directly into the pot, and then swirl the pot around with a metal spoon and carefully drop the egg in. Adding a dash of vinegar to the water before adding the egg will help to form perfect whites, the straggly bit you simply cut away. Take them out with a slotted spoon and serve over buttered toast.</div>
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Or, if you are so inclined, serve them over home made biscuits with sausage gravy, a classic Southern dish!</div>
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These poached eggs sit atop a mix of chorizo sausage, potatoes and komatsuna, a Japanese green, from my garden. Don't have komatsuna? Then try spinach, chard or kale.<br />
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<b><span style="color: red;">Omelets good enough for comp'ny!</span></b></div>
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I love to make a variety of omelets and this method can be used to make impressive omelets for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner. I saute all ingredients ahead of time and put them aside on a dish and cover them to keep warm. Then I separate several egg whites from their yolks and use a fork to break up the yolks. I beat the whites until they are light and fluffy and then carefully fold them into the yolks. I cook the omelet in a non-stick pan with a little olive oil, carefully flip the entire omelet over and then fill with my favorite toppings (this one included crisped prosciutto and green onions) and perhaps a little grated cheese. I cook for another thirty seconds and then serve up this gorgeous, fluffy omelet.</div>
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Sometimes I will add sauteed mushrooms, snow peas, bean sprouts and julienned carrot for a light Asian style dinner.</div>
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<b><span style="color: red;">Scrambles for the impatient...</span></b></div>
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Sometimes I don't want to be bothered with a fussy breakfast and want to make a quick and easy meal. That's when a good ol' scramble comes in! Simply saute any leftover vegetables or meat in the refrigerator and then add spices, herbs, cheese and beaten eggs. This hearty version includes mushrooms, breakfast sausage, potatoes and green onions.</div>
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<b><span style="color: red;">There is breakfast beyond eggs.....</span></b></div>
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Why limit yourself to eggs for a hot breakfast offering? </div>
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For a different take on brunch, I made creamy parmesan polenta, cut it into squares and fried them up and then topped them with roasted baby grape tomatoes with garlic, sliced, caramelized Italian sausage and garnished with basil chiffonade and grated parmesan. As you can imagine, not a bite was left!</div>
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My husband, "The DJ," has become the pancake and waffle maker in our house! He has become more and more accomplished and I love it when he treats me to a scrumptious breakfast, all the more delicious because I didn't have to cook it. But my husband found out the hard way: You can't put raspberries into the waffle batter, they will burn and make a mess! So, I made a quick blueberry sauce and used it as a topping for buttermilk waffles and then garnished with mint leaf and mysore raspberries, a delicious tropical berry. Elegant, beautiful and yummy!</div>
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<b><span style="color: red;">But the most decadent breakfast of all......</span></b></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;"><b><span style="color: red;">La Diva’s Decadent Panettone French Toast with Fresh Orange Sauce and Pork Apple Breakfast Sausage</span></b></span></div>
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It all starts with a Hershey's chocolate panettone from Italy. I've made this decadent breakfast for Christmas morning to delighted friends and family a number of times. The buttery panettone with the heavenly orange sauce and pork sausage is a combination that is truly divine.</div>
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Sadly, I have NO GOOD photos of it, so you'll just have to simply imagine how wonderful it tastes. Or better yet, MAKE IT for your special guests or even for yourself, you deserve it!</div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="color: red;">La Diva’s Decadent Panettone French Toast with Fresh Orange Sauce</span></b></span></div>
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<span class="s1">Serves 4, double for 8</span></div>
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<span class="s1">1 x 26.60 oz/750 g Italian Panettone (with chocolate chips)</span></div>
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<span class="s1">4 eggs</span></div>
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<span class="s1">1/8 c cream</span></div>
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<span class="s1">1 t vanilla extract</span></div>
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<span class="s1">1 t butter</span></div>
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<span class="s1">1 t vegetable oil</span></div>
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<span class="s1">butter for serving</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Remove panettone from plastic wrap and remove all paper from sides and bottom. Cut the panettone into half. Set aside one half. Cut in half vertically again. Starting at the bottom of each quarter, cut into 1/2 inch slices, you should get six slices out of each quarter.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Mix eggs, cream and vanilla in a shallow bowl. Heat up fry pan with 1 t butter and oil until melted. Dip panettone into egg mixture and then add to pan. Fry until golden on both sides, dot with butter and keep warm until all pieces are cooked and ready to serve.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Serve with orange sauce and pork apple sausage.</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b> Fresh orange sauce:</b></span></div>
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<span class="s1">3 large navel oranges</span></div>
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<span class="s1">1/8 c sugar</span></div>
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<span class="s1">1 t butter</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Peel all skin and pith away from oranges and section each orange, leaving skin. Squeeze the juice from the orange skins into a small pot. You should have about a quarter of a cup. Add the sections of one orange to the pot, reserve the rest. Bring to a boil and add butter and sugar, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Orange sauce should be reduced into a thick, chunky syrup. Add rest of the orange sections, allow to warm briefly and take off heat until ready to serve. Spoon over French toast.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Orange sauce may be made up to a day ahead, add fresh orange sections and re-heat on the day of serving.</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="color: red;"> La Diva’s Pork Apple Breakfast Sausage</span></b></span></div>
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<span class="s1">Serves 4, double for 8</span></div>
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<span class="s1">1/2 lb. ground pork</span></div>
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<span class="s1">1/2 lb. regular pork breakfast sausage* (in bulk)</span></div>
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<span class="s1">1 small apple, grated</span></div>
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<span class="s1">1 small onion, grated</span></div>
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<span class="s1">1 T brown sugar</span></div>
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<span class="s1">1 t dried sage</span></div>
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<span class="s1">1/2 t poultry seasoning</span></div>
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<span class="s1">1/4 t dried thyme</span></div>
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<span class="s1">1 t kosher salt</span></div>
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<span class="s1">1/2 t freshly ground black pepper</span></div>
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<span class="s1">1/4-1/2 t red pepper flakes</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Mix all ingredients together and form small patties, about 2 ounces each. You should have about 9-11 patties. Place patties on plate on parchment paper to reduce sticking. Sausage can be made a day ahead until this point. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Heat up a large fry pan and coat the bottom with oil over a medium flame. When pan is hot, cook sausage until brown and caramelized on one side, about 1 1/2 minutes. Flip over and continue cooking 1 1/2 minutes more, take off heat and put on plate with paper towel. Rest meat for 30 seconds and serve. Enjoy with panettone French Toast!</span></div>
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<span class="s1">* I've found my local grocer has cut the fat in the ground pork they sell, creating a very dry sausage. If you grind your own meat or go to a butcher, grind the pork with a higher fat content and then you won't need the breakfast sausage, simply double the amount of ground pork.</span></div>
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Darlings, I hope you enjoyed my photo journey through Breakfastland! And if you want to see ALL of the creative creations of our crew, please come back in a few days and I will post the link!</div>
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What is YOUR favorite breakfast, darlings? Tell La Diva <i>all</i> about it!</div>
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Ciao for now!</div>
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<a href="http://www.lazarocooks.com/2014/04/creative-cooking-crew-april-14.html?showComment=1398710397363#c3694505828484169674">CLICK HERE TO TAKE YOU TO THE CREATIVE CREW ROUND UP OF ALL THE DECADENT BREAKFAST ENTRIES! ENJOY!</a></div>
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LaDivaCucinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06000430029590301972noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-144661459282727040.post-10631364218327517262014-04-19T12:10:00.000-04:002014-04-19T12:10:03.992-04:00NATURE BOYZ TROPICAL JUICES MIAMI STYLE at the Farmers Market<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">My purchase from the Upper Eastside Farmers Market: Zak the Baker bread, Crackerman fig bread, sweet mini peppers, green beans, Thai basil, spinach, bananas, heirloom tomato, plantain, Asian eggplant and black sapote fruit.</span></div>
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Darlings! Another weekend, another farmers market to check out! A few weeks ago on a beautiful Saturday morn, we decided to ride our bikes over from Miami Beach to the <a href="http://www.urbanoasisproject.org/urban-oasis-project-1/farmers-markets/upper-east-side-farmers-market-at-biscayne-plaza">Upper Eastside Farmers Market.</a> Every Saturday, you'll find Clive from Nature Boyz making freshly squeezed juices from local tropical fruits and sugar cane.</div>
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Fresh stalks of sugar cane that will be used in tropical juices.</div>
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There is always a queue at Nature Boyz juice stand. Behind the stand are boxes loaded with tropical fruits like papaya, pineapple, mangoes and limes.</div>
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When the coconuts are green, the flesh is more of a jelly consistency and will not be used in the juice, only the coconut water.</div>
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The juice from the sugar cane is extracted using a machine, she puts the cane through, the juice comes out of the spigot and the cane is left flattened and dry.<br />
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Clive takes the sugar cane juice and blends up his delightful and exotic concoctions!</div>
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What's the special ingredient that makes Nature Boyz juices so good?</div>
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">LOVE!</span></div>
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The Upper Eastside Farmers Market is on Biscayne Boulevard at 65th Street at Legion Park from 9am til 2pm.LaDivaCucinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06000430029590301972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-144661459282727040.post-47626346699301126502014-03-24T18:18:00.001-04:002014-03-24T18:33:12.840-04:00Protein Packed Breakfast: Quinoa, Kale & Egg Scramble with Fresh Turmeric<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Quinoa, Kale & Egg Scramble with Fresh Turmeric, Garlic and Parmigiano Cheese</span></div>
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Darlings! Here's a quick little MEATLESS MONDAY post to inspire you! Today was one of those days where I "thought" I had nothing to eat in the house. Being between pays with a light wallet as well as lacking motivation to go to the grocery store inspired today's lunch.</div>
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With a loaded pantry but a fridge with hardly any veggies or sandwich makings, I thought about just making scrambled eggs for lunch. It was hardly an inspiring meal, so I thought about what I could add to it to "beef" it up. I remembered one time taking left over quinoa and how good it was added to scrambled eggs. I also had some kale and La Diva's fridge is never without garlic or parmigiano cheese!</div>
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I quickly put some quinoa into the rice cooker (what a fast and great way to cook it!) and in fifteen minutes, I had hot, cooked, high protein quinoa. While the quinoa was steaming, I cooked chopped organic kale in a small amount of salted water on high heat. After about five minutes, the water evaporated, I pushed the kale to the side of the pan, added olive oil and then thinly sliced garlic and sauteed it all together until the garlic was fragrant and the kale just cooked.</div>
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In a bowl, I beat four eggs with a bit of water and grated in fresh turmeric and a bit of parmigiano cheese. I added it to the quinoa and kale mixture and let it cook, turning over and cooking until just firm.</div>
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RESULT: Pretty darn good! All of the flavors worked well together and of course, I had to add lashings of sriracha hot chili sauce to further enhance my lunch! I like adding quinoa to eggs because not only does it make the dish toothsome and more hearty, it adds protein and fiber and really fills you up! </div>
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More protein comes from the eggs and kale as well as anti-inflammatory properties from the turmeric and the kale itself! The amount of cheese added is nominal and adds more flavor but you don't have to add it at all if you want to make this dish dairy-free! Give this a try for breakfast or lunch and you'll be satisfied for until your next meal! (This was enough for two servings.)</div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">And since it's SPRING and MEATLESS MONDAY, here's a two-fer for this post! Penne pasta is cooked al dente and home made pesto is added to it. Top with freshly steamed asparagus spears, Italian burrata cheese. Now add sea salt to taste, grind some fresh pepper and drizzle with a fruity and green extra-virgin olive oil and you have a perfect, seasonable Meatless Monday dinner too!</span></div>
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<br />LaDivaCucinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06000430029590301972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-144661459282727040.post-56323250250654864192014-03-18T15:24:00.000-04:002014-04-06T10:54:34.290-04:00The Perfect Bite: Sweet Plantain Coconut Risotto and Spicy Jerk Cod with Cilantro Lime Yogurt Sauce<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">My perfect bite for tonight: Sweet plantain and spinach risotto with coconut milk, cod with jerk spices and a cooling yogurt, lime and cilantro sauce.</span></div>
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Darlings! Once again the Creative Cooking Crew have offered the monthly theme and this time, Joan Nova of <a href="http://foodalogue.com/">Foodalogue </a>asks," The Perfect Bite: What tickles your tastebuds? Tell us....Show us."</div>
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The PERFECT BITE....instantly I thought about my time on ABC's "The Taste"back in September of 2012. La Diva, along with 60 other contestants, was picked from over 7000 people to audition for the show. The idea was to put forth to the judges the FINEST, TASTIEST BITE OF FOOD that could fit into one Chinese porcelain spoon.</div>
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I thought about all of the one bite dishes I'd made for guests and friends over the years and one kept coming back to me: Oysters a la Carl. Taught to me by my restauranteur boss Carl, an-ex pat from New York living in Sydney, and a dish I've made many times since.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Oysters a la Carl: Oysters grilled with a garlic egg custard, olive oil, prosciutto, chopped arugula and parmigiano cheese.</span></div>
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I thought I had the perfect bite. I thought I was a shoe-in! While everyone and their mother was making Asian scallops or overly-fussy bites, my entry was an Italian version of oysters Rockefeller. I HAD to get on the show!</div>
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The day had finally come. With aplomb and confidence, I made my dish for the judges. When it was my turn, the assistants took my dish for the judges to taste and I was led to a box on the set where the judges couldn't see me. While I stood quietly in the box, they tasted my dish and I heard smacking, "oohing" and "I taste the sea...." I beamed. They liked my dish! But it wasn't meant to be, the door opened and after a brief conversation, I got slammed for using seafood and cheese together (By Nigella Lawson! Since when was she so <i>dang</i> picky?!) Then Anthony Bourdain asked me if I was a professional chef? (Hey, he thinks I'm a pro!!!) But then immediately deflates me by telling me that I made the same mistake many professional chefs make, I "over-complicated" the dish. "An oyster is a perfect thing..." </div>
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ARGH!!! You can read the whole sordid tale <a href="http://ladivacucina.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-scoop-on-taste-and-la-diva.html">HERE!</a> And if you want to argue with me about pairing cheese with seafood, you can do that <a href="http://ladivacucina.blogspot.com/2012/10/seafood-and-cheese-to-pair-or-not-to.html">HERE!</a></div>
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Anyways, darlings, I'm NOT bitter, not in the least.....*%$$# Nigella %*#@in' stupid judges.....</div>
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Back to the challenge at hand.....<br />
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So, I started to think of a perfect bite and thought about food that I like together in a combination, it didn't have to be an appetizer. </div>
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Some perfect bites I love are:<br />
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<li>The day after Thanksgiving sandwich with soft, white bread stuffed with sage dressing, thick turkey slices and lashings of luscious gravy......mmmm....that carb on carb bite.....</li>
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<li>Al dente spaghetti twirled 'round your fork and impaling a moist, tender meatball full of parmigano cheese, basil, garlic and parsley all drowned in a tangy tomato sauce. </li>
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<li>Succulent braised short ribs, so tender that you can cut it with a butter knife, and onto your fork you skewer roasted parsnip and swipe some pureed celeriac swimming in a rich red wine and onion gravy.</li>
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<li>Or how about something as simple as the most dense, rich chocolate cake with dark chocolate ganache with a spoonful of pure vanilla ice cream?</li>
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<li> A crunchy cannoli case oozing with creamy, sugary ricotta dotted with freshly shaved chocolate with a hint of orange essence?</li>
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Darling, you see where I'm going with this! To me, the perfect bite is the perfect bite ON YOUR FORK in combination with other flavors, textures and sides. And if you are one of those people that don't like their food to touch on their plates, well, I just don't understand you; you will never comprehend the DIVINITY of a perfectly combined bite on a fork!</div>
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I had a plantain that I bought from the farmers market and I was wondering what to do with it. This plantain, I found, was not a regular run of the mill plantain but a <a href="http://www.littlerivercsa.com/?p=3684">rare breed from Hawaii called the "hua moa,"</a> and it was shorter and stockier than the plantains I was used to getting at the local grocery. For some reason, I thought it would be delicious in a coconut risotto. I began to think about flavor combinations and what would go with my tropical risotto. </div>
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In my <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Flavor-Thesaurus-Compendium-Pairings/dp/160819874X">Flavor Thesaurus</a>, there is no entry for plantains, so I looked up 'banana,' and found that chicken would go very nicely with it...so why not a mild flavored fish like cod?<br />
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I marinated the fish in a home made jerk sauce and then whipped up a cilantro yogurt sauce with a grated onion, lime juice and seasonings. For the risotto, I toasted the rice with a bit of coconut oil and used chicken broth and coconut milk adding the broth first and then the coconut milk at the end. I cut the yellow, ripe plantain into small slices and fried them in coconut oil as well. Once the risotto was cooked, I added the plantain and spinach chiffonade and stirred through lightly. Instead of grilling the fish, I quickly seared it in more coconut oil, keeping the coconut flavor consistent throughout all of the components.</div>
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RESULT: I was really so pleased with this dish! The coconut rice was delicious and the plantain had just the right amount of sweetness and was not too cloying. The jerk fish added heat that was a good foil to the luscious risotto and the yogurt and lime added a cooling element. The perfumed and toothsome risotto topped with the flaky, juicy and spicy fish and smothered with the cooling lime cilantro yogurt sauce all together in ONE PERFECT BITE was a tropical delight. All of the flavors really worked and I loved the texture too. Of course, I always try to improve my dishes and next time I will cook the plantains in bigger pieces and then mash them up lightly, like I do pumpkin, in order to blend it into the rice for more thorough plantain flavor.</div>
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I think my Perfect Bite was a success! Of course, a perfect bite is completely subjective, so darlings, what is <i>your </i>perfect bite? Tell La Diva all about it!<br />
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<a href="http://foodalogue.com/2014/03/the-perfect-bite-a-creative-cooking-crew-round-up.html#comment-342697">CLICK HERE TO SEE THE ROUND UP OF ALL THE ENTRIES!</a><br />
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Ciao for now, darlings!</div>
LaDivaCucinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06000430029590301972noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-144661459282727040.post-3895265972846196992014-03-10T14:49:00.000-04:002014-03-10T14:49:48.800-04:00Meatless Monday: Cauliflower, Chickpea and Potato Curry<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Cauliflower, chickpea and potato curry over basmati rice</span></div>
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Darlings, I LOVE Indian food! In fact, I love a lot about India....Indian music, Indian jewelry, Indian fabrics, Indian art, Indian movies and YES, even Indians themselves! <br />
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One of my first boyfriends was an Indian restauranteur nicknamed Chu Chu, and the only thing we had in common was that we liked to eat. But for me, being with him was as exotic as India itself and dad never said a word except to tease him for his accent. I'll never forget when he took me to meet some family in Sarnia, outside of Windsor, Canada and just over the Detroit River. His aunt had made an Indian meal that was incredible, we ate it all with our hands and of course, I asked for seconds and the proud cook was only to happy to accommodate me!</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">The beautiful art of Philip Shadbolt, <a href="http://www.philipshadbolt.co.uk/">CLICK HERE TO BUY!</a></span></div>
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I first tried my hand at cooking Indian food at home long ago at seventeen years old when I attempted to duplicate a lamb and spinach curry, or saag gosht, I'd eaten at a restaurant. Back then I thought all one needed to make a curry was to add curry powder! But as I became a more skilled and curious cook, I began to explore the myriad spices and herbs that encompass Indian cooking and its complex and rich flavor profiles. </div>
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And to get those authentic Indian flavor profiles, one needs a lot of various spices and herbs to create the correct flavor. I always keep cumin seeds, coriander seeds, cardamom pods and garam marsala on hand but what about curry leaves? Or <a href="http://www.food.com/library/amchoor-powder-604">amchoor powder</a> (which I do have now!) Or<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asafoetida"> asafoetida?</a></div>
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When I don't have a lot of spices on hand, I might pick up a jar of Pataks curry paste to create a quick dinner, but I love to challenge myself by being able to create curries that are entirely home made. And of course, nothing can beat home made flavor!</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Farmer Margie Pikarsky of </span><a href="http://beeheavenfarm.com/" style="font-size: small;">Bee Heaven Farm/Redland Organics</a> and I with a bunch of fresh turmeric</div>
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A few weeks ago, I went to the Pinecrest Gardens Farmers Market and found my friend Farmer Margie was selling fresh turmeric that day! I'd seen it sold before and this time, I didn't hesitate and bought a bunch. Turmeric is a root with deep orange flesh and from the outside, looks similar to ginger, though a bit more tender and is in the same family too. I couldn't wait to try it!<br />
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In the last few years, I'd heard a lot about turmeric being very good for you as it's an anti-inflammatory in the body. While it's been used medicinally for hundreds of years in Chinese and Indian medicine, only recently I had purchased some sold in supplemental form at a health food shop.</div>
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Apparently, foods that inflame the body can lead to ill health, so by eating foods that are anti-inflammatory, it can prevent disease and even is <a href="http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/anti-inflammatory-diet-road-to-good-health">supposed to reduce heart disease risks, reduce triglycerides and blood pressure, as well as many other benefits. </a><br />
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Read more about the health benefits of turmeric<a href="http://wellnessmama.com/5297/herb-profile-turmeric/"> HERE!</a><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">This is turmeric in its natural root state and ground into a powder, as most people know it. Photo courtesy of POPXO, Click </span><a href="http://www.popxo.com/2013/07/500-million-indians-eat-this-wonder-herb-do-you/" style="font-size: small;">HERE</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> to read why over 500 million Indians eat this wonder herb! </span></div>
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So, now that I had this wonderful, healing spice, what would I use it in? The next day, I made a lovely rainbow chard and potato frittata and generously grated some into the eggs before cooking, giving the omelet a lovely, golden color.<br />
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I decided that I'd try making a modified version of aloo gobi, a classic Indian dry curry using cauliflowers and potatoes, but mine would also have chickpeas which adds protein and a satiety to the dish.<br />
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I started off by sweating some chopped onion, a minced jalapeno and added a good inch of grated ginger. In a dry pan, I toasted cumin and coriander seeds until fragrant, then ground them in a mortar. Using a microplane grater, I grated the fresh turmeric, skin and all, into the onion mixture as well. I added salt and then about a half a cup of water, a bit of broth, but not much, as this was a "dry" curry, not a soupy saucy one.<br />
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Because I didn't want the cauliflower to over cook and disintegrate, I cut the potatoes into smaller chunks while leaving the cauliflower in large florets and tossed in the chickpeas. I let it cook for about 20 minutes on low heat until the veggies were just cooked and the flavors had melded.<br />
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I tasted it and adjusted my seasonings and then served it up over fluffy basmati rice!<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vzFaF_yf6Qk/Uxz12IjxWAI/AAAAAAAAFio/hBGll_2eG24/s1600/Cauliflower+curry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vzFaF_yf6Qk/Uxz12IjxWAI/AAAAAAAAFio/hBGll_2eG24/s1600/Cauliflower+curry.jpg" height="454" width="640" /></a></div>
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RESULT: My curry turned out <i>so good </i>that I began to wonder why I don't take the time to make <i>all</i> of my curries with my own spices and pastes? The addition of the fresh turmeric combined with the freshly ground spices gave the curry a more powerful flavor than if I would have simply used pre-ground versions. The addition of the chick peas makes for a wonderful complement and I love how both the legumes and potatoes really soak up the spice's flavors. And as if the double carb of potatoes and rice wasn't enough, I toasted some pita bread and greedily scooped the curry into my mouth! </div>
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FOR MORE MEATLESS MONDAY IDEAS CLICK ON THE LABELS BELOW OR THE MM LOGO ON THE RIGHT!</div>
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Have you had fresh turmeric, darlings? What would you use this wonder spice in? Tell La Diva <i>all</i> about it! Ciao for now, darlings!</div>
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LaDivaCucinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06000430029590301972noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-144661459282727040.post-67941836744177703522014-02-18T17:53:00.000-05:002014-02-27T16:39:53.022-05:00FEBRUARY RICE CHALLENGE: Sriracha Creamed Shrimp over Fried Black Rice Cakes with Sweet Corn "Bisque"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HqC9JUVcmjs/UwEfTGhWJZI/AAAAAAAAFe0/W0waZhs4Vtw/s1600/Shrimp+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HqC9JUVcmjs/UwEfTGhWJZI/AAAAAAAAFe0/W0waZhs4Vtw/s1600/Shrimp+1.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"> Shrimp sauteed with brandy and doused in sriracha cream sauce over black and aborrio rice cakes in a corn "bisque" with red pepper and green onion garnish!</span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">The Challenge</span></div>
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Darlings, once again the Creative Cooking Crew has offered the challenge for the month and this time, it's RICE. "Rice is a simple, ancient grain with a variety of applications in many cultures. What can you do to transform, elevate, modernize or creatively spotlight it in a dish? That's your challenge for February."</div>
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And so the RICE GAUNTLET HAD BEEN THROWN DOWN and even though I'd been sick forever, it didn't stop the wheels spinning in my head to come up with an original dish using rice as a featured component.</div>
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Pondering</span></div>
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A few months ago, I noticed this black rice at Costco that was a whole grain and heirloom variety, curiosity piqued, I bought it and couldn't wait to try it. Upon being cooked, the rice grains remained separated, it didn't have a high starch content. The texture was slightly chewy, like a good quality pasta that had been cooked al dente, and the shiny, small black grains proved to be a lovely contrast to bright, stir fried vegetables of orange carrot, yellow summer squash and green zucchini. </div>
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Because the color was so stunning, the grains so shiny and the texture chewy, I thought it'd be an unusual choice for the challenge. As I pondered about how I'd like to eat it, I came up with the idea of using it in a cake and imagined a crunchy, black rice cake loaded with shrimp, red peppers, green onions and spices, perhaps like a black rice fritter!</div>
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I began to research fried rice cakes and realized that if this dish was going to work, I would need to use a high-starch rice, sushi rice was preferred. After picking the <a href="http://ladivacucina.blogspot.com/2012/01/tofu-rematch-la-diva-vs-tofu-san.html">wrong tofu for a past challenge that caused my croquetas to barely hold their shape,</a> I realized the ability to bind the rice together was important; I didn't want to waste time using a rice that wouldn't bind.</div>
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Still under the weather, I trudged to the grocery store, determined to get all my ingredients in one place, the last thing I wanted to do was to make a special trip to Fresh Market to get sushi rice. Luckily, they had it at Publix, but the large volume and $8 price tag put me off. "When would I use it again," I wondered? Knowing I wouldn't be making sushi anytime soon and remembering my pantry was already bursting with multiple grains, rices and pastas, I opted to buy another short grain rice, Valencia, which is used in paella and only $2.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rAU4VY-b0s0/UwK0GByArsI/AAAAAAAAFf0/VHrtc5aSl9w/s1600/ricePlanting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rAU4VY-b0s0/UwK0GByArsI/AAAAAAAAFf0/VHrtc5aSl9w/s1600/ricePlanting.jpg" height="524" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://roqyumi11.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Seattle-based Japanese artist Yumiko Kayakawa via Roqyumi11</span></a></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Doubts</span></div>
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As I began to formulate my recipe and consider cooking the rice, I started to have doubts about the Valenica's ability to bind and at the last minute switched to aborrio rice instead. I made both rices separately, allowed them to cool to on a tray while I sauteed diced red pepper to soften for the cakes. Into the rice I mixed a sugary salty rice vinegar and wine mixture along with the red pepper, green onion, kaffir lime and Vietnamese coriander.</div>
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I mixed together all of the aborrio rice with half of of the black rice and began to form patties. But, they were falling apart already. Not using all of the high starch rice was proving to be frustrating. I added two egg whites to the mixture, formed the patties quickly and then put them in the fridge to cool. When I went to fry the cold patties, they fell apart in the pan. Back to square one, I put the tray of patties in the freezer and waited 15 minutes and fried again, this time I saw success! I fried up the patties, while I made the corn chowder which I would use as a base for the dish.<br />
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I love my recipe for corn chowder and have made it many times, but this time, I would puree the lot and strain the soup into a smooth, satiny vegetable bisque, a perfect complement for the spicy shrimp that would adorn the crunchy cakes. </div>
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With the chowder complete, I took large shrimp and sauteed them quickly adding a hefty swig of brandy and then doused them in a sriracha cream sauce invented by my <a href="http://stellasroar.blogspot.com/">talented friend Jill from Stella's Roar.</a><u> </u>The sauce included wine, rice vinegar, lemon juice, shallots, cream and sriracha and the only modification I made was to add a dab of butter at the end to finish it! It had a nice hit of heat but was not overpowering, the cream mellowing the spice.</div>
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"> Regrets....I've had a few.....</span></div>
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Some food bloggers NEVER like to admit they make a mistake, their egos won't allow it. But I've found over the years that many of my readers and fans really appreciate the realism of my posts, warts and all. This humble admission helps my readers to identify with me, I'm only human too! But I do it so that others can learn from mistakes that could be easily avoided.</div>
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First mistake: Before I knew it, the onions that formed the base of the chowder were browned and caramelized, which changed the color of the soup from pure yellow to the ugly, darker yellow you see here. Merely sweating the onions would have been enough. </div>
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Second mistake: After pureeing the soup and straining it, I had the loveliest, silkiest soup! Now all I had to do was to reduce it a bit and finish with cream. But guess who walked away from the stove and into her office to get something, got distracted and forgot all about the soup on the stove? La Diva did, dumbass! When I got back to the stove, the the soup was boiling furiously and broken, the texture thick and horrible. Unwilling to accept defeat, I strained it again, but the silky texture was gone now, though it still tasted good. Do I go to the store, get more corn and start all over again? NO. The texture and color was not perfect but this was already a time consuming exercise! I would press on!</div>
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Third mistake: Mixing the black rice with the aborrio was a pain in the butt! Though I liked the texture and contrast the black rice lent to the patties, the next time I'd have to use a better binder or use a high starch rice only! </div>
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Fourth mistake: After frying up and testing the cakes, I was getting a bit sick of testing them after I plated the dish, I threw the other five I had left out. I wasn't interested in eating them again!</div>
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Fifth mistake (are you kidding me?!): I should have taken a photo of the fried rice cake on it's own for your viewing pleasure as they did look pretty good. Ahhh well.....</div>
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RESULT: In spite of my mistakes, I was pretty happy with this dish. In the first photos, you'll notice that I didn't have the extra sriracha sauce but since I had plenty and really wanted that spicy flavor hit, I added more dollops onto the shrimp. The flavor combination of corn, red pepper and shrimp is classic but the cakes themselves were delicious with hits of green onion and the strong presence of kaffir lime added a citrus note. La Diva loved the crunch of the rice cakes and the toothsomeness of the black rice, however, The DJ wasn't overly thrilled with the texture (but he's not a fan of the black rice anyway!) But that didn't stop him from inhaling the dish and next thing you know, two and half hours work ended with empty plates and a load of dirty dishes, pots and pans!</div>
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">An Unexpected Surprise.....</span></div>
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The next day while I went into the fridge to get my <a href="http://www.eatthelove.com/2014/01/korean-fried-chicken-recipe/#comment-132743">Korean fried chicken wings</a> that I'd been drying out, I noticed another tray of rice cakes! I had forgotten about them. I touched one and instantly, a few grains broke away. I hurriedly put them into the freezer after deciding to fry up the rest to serve as a side for the wings.</div>
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As I gathered my salad ingredients and plated my salad, I thought "Why not put the crunchy cakes on the salad?" So, I did. I topped them off with a slightly warmed up sriracha sauce from the day before and then made an additional sauce using Salvadoran crema, Greek yogurt and a dash of cream to create a pourable dressing. I garnished the cakes with green onions and tomatoes and served it as a first course.</div>
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RESULT: Now THIS dish was really tasty! In fact, I liked it much better than my original idea! The crispy and chewy cakes were the right topping for a fresh mixed greens and herb salad. The heat from the sriracha sauce actually was a great foil for the cool, creamy dressing! I loved it! And The DJ? He liked the rice cakes better served this way as well! With the improved second dish, I now felt justified in spending hours in the kitchen to elevate the ancient, heirloom grain RICE.</div>
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Darlings, what would YOU do with rice for this challenge? Click <a href="http://www.lazarocooks.com/2014/02/creative-cooking-crew-feb-14-rice-rice.html">HERE</a> to see all of the creative rice entries! Ciao for now, darlings!</div>
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<br />LaDivaCucinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06000430029590301972noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-144661459282727040.post-266222624534848862014-02-07T16:50:00.000-05:002014-02-07T16:59:59.141-05:00A VERY Pretty Pasta with Prawns: Shrimp Linquine with Chard in Lemon Cream Sauce<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Darlings! Last weekend when the Internet was flooded with uber-macho food dripping with cheese, pork and cured meats, I decided to make a most delicate dish for dinner. Yes, it was SuperBowl weekend and I was rebelling. After witnessing "taco" stadiums and "sandwich" stadiums and myriad other food that should only be consumed at 2 am while drunk or in college, I had to wonder how watching a football game with friends has morphed into this over-the-top pig-out holiday?</div>
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Oh, my delicate Diva sensibilities! <br />
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While many of you know that I'm not one to shy away from a good hearty meal <a href="http://ladivacucina.blogspot.com/2014/01/new-years-food-porn-starting-year-off.html">(like good steak and eggs!</a>) or even some good <a href="http://ladivacucina.blogspot.com/search/label/Caveman%20cookin%27">ol' caveman cookin' (like my beef short ribs braised in red wine over pureed celeriac!</a>) I don't make a point of making food too complicated or outrageous. A simple chocolate cake with chocolate icing is just fine with me, no need to add bits of candy bars, sprinkles and drizzled with caramel or on a raspberry coulis. When I see these everything-but-the-kitchen-sink recipes, I wonder what the person is trying to cover up? A lack of cooking skills? I prefer cooking simple dishes with clean flavors using quality ingredients.</div>
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I also like to challenge myself by cooking with what's on hand without having to go to the grocery store. A trip to my garden plot found me with a small bunch of rainbow chard, pansies and arugula microgreens. In the fridge, I found a small amount of cream, lemons and white wine, in the pantry was a box of linguine and in the freezer large, peeled shrimp.</div>
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While the pasta boiled, I made a quick lemon cream sauce using butter, lemon zest, lemon juice and white wine, reduced it and then added the cream. I cooked the chard quickly in boiling water and drained it, ready to be tossed in to the pasta at the last minute. A large fry pan with olive oil was heated and when it got very hot, I tossed in the prawns and sauteed them until just cooked and pink and then added a bit of culinary brandy to finish it off.</div>
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Sauteed shrimps with rainbow chard in a lemon cream sauce over linguine with arugula microgreens and pansy garnish.</div>
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I always cook my pasta sauce al dente and let it finish cooking in the sauce, so I drained it and added it to the pan with the shrimp and tossed in the chard, making sure to mix thoroughly. I added the lemon cream sauce and tossed the pasta and served it onto clean, white plates and garnished the dish with pansies and arugula microgreens.</div>
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The Result: Light, luscious and lemony! This elegant dish highlighted the food that it was meant to, not cover it all up with heavy sauces or cheese or too many ingredients that are fighting each other. The shrimp popped in my mouth with the slightest hint of brandy and lemon, while the chard added bright flavor and nutrients. The pasta was perfectly cooked and toothsome and the sauce light, a perfect antidote to heavy food, yet still comforting and satisfying.</div>
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<br />LaDivaCucinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06000430029590301972noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-144661459282727040.post-45306764896932669182014-01-30T11:17:00.000-05:002014-01-31T13:46:21.993-05:00Spicy Comfort in a Bowl: Andouille Sausage with mixed Vegetables over Pencil Cob Grits<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Darlings! Winter-time is the perfect time for a SPICY dish to warm your bones and your soul. Even though I live in Miami Beach and it's in the high 70's at the tail end of January (c'mon don't be hatin'!) I still crave hearty, winter dishes.</div>
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La Diva is not one to throw away a scrap of food if I think I can use it in a dish and with a household of just two, many times I end up with small bits of vegetables languishing in the refrigerator. In this case, I had half a zucchini, one baby bok choi (that somehow hid under the other veggies in my crisper and managed to avoid being stir fried last week!) and three mini sweet peppers that had to be used or thrown away. Carrots, onions and potatoes are always on hand at my house along with canned tomatoes, those ingredients are always good as a starting point for any stew-like dish. <br />
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I started by sauteing carrots, onions, sweet peppers and garlic and then added a small can of diced tomatoes, a hot, little jalapeno from my garden got thrown in and fresh marjoram and lemon thyme. While that was cooking, I sliced and diced a half a zucchini, the bok choi and a spicy andouille sausage and threw them in for about fifteen minutes, just enough to cook the vegetables and allow the meat to release it's salty, smoky and picante flavors into the broth.<br />
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Since I was turned on to them back in August, I've really been enjoying the rustic heirloom grits from <a href="http://www.ansonmills.com/">Anson Mills</a> in South Carolina. A few weeks back I purchased some pencil cob grits, which I'd never heard of or had used. Back in the days of illegal liquor stills, pencil cob corn was the corn of choice for moonshiners. <br />
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Though they take a good 90 minutes to cook (unsoaked) they are well worth the effort. They have a good texture to them, a bit of a bite, and I added butter, parmesan and fontina cheese to take the grits to the next flavor level. Once you spoon them into a bowl, the grits firm up and make the perfect base for a number of dishes. <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Andouille sausage and vegetables over creamy pencil cob grits!</span></div>
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When you are cooking with a jalapeno, one never knows how intense the heat will be! That little chili pepper combined with the sausage to make one spicy dish! The creamy, cheesy grits were the perfect accompaniment for this hot and lively "stew!" Warm and filling, this dish is a bright note on a winter's night!</div>
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Ciao for now, darlings!</div>
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<br />LaDivaCucinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06000430029590301972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-144661459282727040.post-65805419988408022652014-01-18T10:45:00.002-05:002014-01-30T10:29:20.920-05:00My Little Dumpling: Chicken Paprikash<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Darlings! It's a FRESH NEW YEAR and the Creative Cooking Crew is back and ready for all the foodie challenges thrown our way! January's theme is DUMPLINGS! And there couldn't be a more open and wide ranging food choice for this challenge than the dumpling. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The dictionary states the definition for "dumpling" in these simple terms. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>dumpling (</b><i>plural </i><b>dumplings)</b></span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A ball of dough that is cooked and may have a filling and/or additional ingredients in the dough.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <i>My little dumpling.</i> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now that the holiday feasting has passed, I too have become a "little dumpling." Because of all the heavy and white flour laden foods I'd been consuming in mass quantities over the holidays, I had a hard time getting started on this challenge. This little dumpling doesn't need to eat any dumplings just now! </span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These foie gras dumplings from Hakkasan at the Tropical Brunch I organized for Les Dames d'Escoffier were delicious.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It has been said that every culture has their own version of a dumpling and I'm certain that I've tried many of them! Some of my all time favorite dumplings are the Chinese dumplings because they come in so many different fillings and shapes. I'll never forget going to a trendy dumpling house in New York City years back to be treated to lovely little dim sum dumplings stuffed with delicate, pink shrimp and fashioned in the shape of bunnies and ducks. The attention to detail in those expertly crafted dumplings along with their uniformity would always amaze me. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now that I grow garlic chives in my own garden, I often make gow gee dumplings using pre-made wrappers and then stuffed with a combination of pork and garlic chives with shaoxing rice wine, which adds a very authentic flavor.</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Home-maade potato gnocchi dumplings in blue cheese cream sauce are hubby's favorite!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A few years back, I decided to get over my fear of DOUGH and started to tackle gnocchi. I never realized how simple they were to make! At the same time, I never realized how one could screw up such a simple dish so easily either! Over processing roasted pumpkin the other day turned my gnocchi into glue! I realized that one has to be in a certain state of mind to make gnocchi: patient.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For a different take on the usual boiled dumpling, I fried these gnocchi in butter and served with grated parmigiano cheese.</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Since I've been so busy with work and haven't had a lot of time to give to creating a </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">new</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> dumpling for the challenge, I was considering making a recipe that I created a few months back. It's a Southwestern-style casserole with a savory base of sauteed poblano chilies, ground beef, beans, tomatoes and corn with spicy chilies, cumin and oregano. I top it with my take on a new dumpling, which to me is actually a cornmeal biscuit with cheddar cheese and green onions and then baked.</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Was it a drop biscuit? A cobbler? Technically, it's still considered a dumpling!</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Since my time has been engrossed with proposal writing for clients for team building, I decided not to tax my poor little dumpling head and make an old family favorite: Chicken paprikash.</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Like spaghetti bolognese, it seems there are a number of ways to make this dish but all of them include sweet paprika, onions, sour cream and dumplings. The Hungarian dumpling I've seen associated with paprikash is called "nokedi" and looks similar to spaetzle (a dumpling I've eaten many times but never made myself!) My version of the dumpling is a bit larger.</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To start the paprikash, you saute several chopped onions with two tablespoons of sweet paprika, salt and pepper. My recipe calls for shortening, but I use oil now. The frying onions, chicken and paprika will fill your home with a comforting and heavenly scent. After browning you add a bit of water or broth, cover and let it cook until it falls off the bone. For variety, I added mushrooms as well. When the chicken is cooked, you add a cup of sour cream to the sauce to thicken it.</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While the chicken is cooking, make the dumplings using egg, flour, water and the rest of the sour cream. These dumplings have a very sticky consistency and I used a small scoop to make it easier to get them into the boiling water as well as keeping them uniform in shape. Once they float to the top, scoop them out and serve, they are ready!</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My version of chicken paprikash with dumplings! </span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ahhhh......a family favorite. The sauce is so delicious, you will want to eat it with a spoon to make sure you get every, single drop. The dumplings are dense and plentiful and when I eat this, I always make sure to get a bit of dumpling with every single bite of chicken! The sour cream adds a bit of tang as well as thickens the rich sauce.</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you are looking for lovely and light, fluffy dumplings then <i>these are not for you! </i>Though delicious, these dumplings are as heavy as lead and made for a good, solid meal for hungry people on cold nights! Needless to say, The DJ, my husband, thoroughly enjoyed this meal as I don't make it often!</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Darlings, what is your favorite dumpling to make? Or to eat? Do tell La Diva all about it! </span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">WANT TO SEE ALL THE TALENTED ENTRIES? THEN <a href="http://foodalogue.com/2014/01/the-dumpling-round-up-a-creative-cooking-crew-challenge.html#comment-299986">CLICK HERE </a>TO SEE THE ROUND UP!</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ciao for now, darlings!</span></span></div>
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LaDivaCucinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06000430029590301972noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-144661459282727040.post-70856699222654251652014-01-07T15:01:00.000-05:002014-01-07T15:01:50.674-05:00Tropical Black Sapote OR the Chocolate Pudding Fruit<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fmvv5Sz6miM/Usgi7y1yBBI/AAAAAAAAFSE/AxrO2O1zl2g/s1600/800px-Black_Sapote_1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fmvv5Sz6miM/Usgi7y1yBBI/AAAAAAAAFSE/AxrO2O1zl2g/s640/800px-Black_Sapote_1.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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Darlings! WHAT is this magical fruit that looks and tastes like chocolate pudding? Why, it's <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diospyros_digyna">BLACK SAPOTE! </a></div>
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Now, I know I'm kicking a hornet's nest here but to me, black sapote does NOT taste like chocolate or chocolate pudding. While the tropical fruit is nicknamed the "chocolate pudding" fruit because the texture looks just like chocolate pudding, it tastes nothing like chocolate. I know there are people out there, some good friends actually, who will disagree with me. But, seriously, you can't tell chocolate lovers that there is an actual FRUIT that tastes like chocolate, because like me, they will be sorely disappointed. (Also, like I was when everyone was saying that carob tasted like chocolate, years ago when it was turning up in everything as a chocolate substitute. Chocolate my ass!)</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zfvKkT_u_vc/UsgjXzhXwyI/AAAAAAAAFSM/ahWtplzRDsE/s1600/3+black+sapote.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zfvKkT_u_vc/UsgjXzhXwyI/AAAAAAAAFSM/ahWtplzRDsE/s640/3+black+sapote.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
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Black sapote in three stages: (left) Very ripe, ready to eat with a soft, mushy texture, (middle) starting to turn brown aka "ripe" and softening up, (right) unripe, hard and green.</div>
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So, what DOES black sapote tastes like? Nothing. I don't find it to have a very strong flavor at all and I can't think of one thing it taste "like." Like tofu, the fruit begs to be used, manipulated, flavored and tampered with because even though it doesn't taste like chocolate, it DOES have a wonderfully creamy texture and the fruit is plentiful here in South Florida.</div>
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Here's a ripe black sapote about to be cut open and more in the bowl already skinned and seeded.</div>
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Here's the inside of a ripe black sapote. It's a pretty fugly fruit, isn't it? And I have to wonder who decided to try one for the first time?! There is bit of fiber down the middle with large seed pods around it. I use a spoon to scrape out the flesh, including the fiber and then mash in a bowl. The fruit has a sticky texture but is also creamy. Now do you see why it's called the chocolate pudding fruit? But I'm not going to dig into one and eat it with a spoon anytime soon!</div>
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When I was getting a <a href="http://redlandorganics.com/CSA.htm">CSA from Bee Heaven Farms,</a> I would get black sapote fruit in my share and that's how I was introduced to it. But what to do with it? "Work it into something sweet," was the advice. So, I made this recipe for black sapote oat bars, which are pretty damn good, which was invented by another CSA member and <a href="http://tinkeringwithdinner.blogspot.com/2009/01/csa-week-seven-black-sapote-oat-bars.html">blogger William from Tinkering with Dinner</a>. Here's his original recipe and <a href="http://tinkeringwithdinner.blogspot.com/2011/01/black-sapote-oat-bars-variation-two.html">his updated version. </a> I've modified the recipe in red.</div>
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<span class="s1">1/6 teaspoon fine-ground coffee <span style="color: red;">(1/4 t)</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1">and a pinch of salt.</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="color: red;">Base and Topping:</span> </span><br />
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<span class="s1">3/4 cup butter, softened,</span></div>
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<span class="s1">1 cup packed light brown sugar</span></div>
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<span class="s1">blended,</span></div>
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<span class="s1">and then mixed with</span></div>
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<span class="s1">1 1/2 cups rolled oats,</span></div>
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<span class="s1">1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour</span></div>
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<span class="s1">and another pinch of salt.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">1/4 c coconut to top half of oat mixture</span></div>
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<span class="s1">That's half packed on the bottom of a buttered 9"x13" baking pan, then spread with the black sapote mixture. The other half is mixed with a small handful of crushed walnut bits and crumbled on top.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">All baked at 400 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes until light brown. </span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ze7wtMvvfOo/Usgx_HYHrpI/AAAAAAAAFS0/9wmsmbUym1I/s1600/oat+bars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ze7wtMvvfOo/Usgx_HYHrpI/AAAAAAAAFS0/9wmsmbUym1I/s640/oat+bars.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
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These look fabulous but there is a problem: the oat and coconut topping are too dry.</div>
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RESULT: VERY GOOD, very easy and very tasty. But also VERY CRUMBLY. I think you need a good cup and a half of the fruit to give it more flavor in the midst of the oat crumble base and topping and also to give the bars a thicker layer of the sweet fruit filling. I did find there to be a lot of waste from the crumble on top being too dry, it did not seem to adhere well and just kept falling off. After cutting the bars up, I had a good cup of wasted crumbs and coconut. I think I'd add the coconut and more butter to the topping to hold it together more, any bakers out there have any other suggestions?</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-M3X52gWo_WM/UsgySEwvrTI/AAAAAAAAFS8/4xwhv_69ZyY/s1600/Black+sapote+bars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-M3X52gWo_WM/UsgySEwvrTI/AAAAAAAAFS8/4xwhv_69ZyY/s640/Black+sapote+bars.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1">These black sapote oat bars are very, very good!</span></div>
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Also, I've omitted the cinnamon and added a teaspoon of chocolate and vanilla to enhance the "chocolate" properties of the fruit. Taste? Like a chocolately, figgy, date-like bar. They are quite delicious actually.<br />
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Darlings, have <i>you</i> ever eaten a black sapote? What's your favorite way to prepare it? Have you ever eaten them in a savory dish? DO tell, La Diva <i>all </i>about it!<br />
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Ciao for now, darlings!<br />
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LaDivaCucinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06000430029590301972noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-144661459282727040.post-59705408314223930422014-01-03T17:41:00.001-05:002014-01-03T17:51:12.962-05:00New Year's Food Porn: Starting the Year off RIGHT!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_D8TeZe6fjo/UsawOUvPkdI/AAAAAAAAFRM/njnFP6Kl_y8/s1600/Steak+and+Eggs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_D8TeZe6fjo/UsawOUvPkdI/AAAAAAAAFRM/njnFP6Kl_y8/s640/Steak+and+Eggs.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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January 3, 2014<br />
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Darlings!<br />
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This is what happens when you don't eat enough food to line your stomach before five hours of drinking on New Year's Eve. You get up at 9 am New Year's Day and make the extra steak that you'd been wondering when you were going to cook because you are STARVING and after inhaling it all, head back to bed!</div>
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I fried potatoes and then seared the boneless rib eye in a cast iron pan on both sides and then put into a 500 F oven for 3 minutes. Fried up a couple of eggs in the steak pan and basted them and here's the result: Hangover food fit for a caveman! (er, WOMAN!) Yeah.....!!!</div>
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Nothing like meat and fried potatoes and eggs to "do the trick." You think I would have known better, being on older side of 50, I'm a "pro" at New Year's Eve partying.</div>
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But, alas I did not line thy stomach with proper carbs, only protein and salad and paid the price. Cheap champagne and vodka shots, two libations I KNOW better than to ingest, helped contribute to my downfall.</div>
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So, in spite of creating a lovely dinner the day before for New Year's Day, we ate macaroni and cheese and meatballs out of plastic containers from The Fresh Market for our first dinner of the New Year.</div>
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Shame, shame, that ain't no way to start the New Year!</div>
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So, the next day, I made the meal I had planned for the day before.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KgmxCRs-XHU/UsawsM9sJYI/AAAAAAAAFRU/fKn5HjJDYpE/s1600/Turkey+leg+confit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="520" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KgmxCRs-XHU/UsawsM9sJYI/AAAAAAAAFRU/fKn5HjJDYpE/s640/Turkey+leg+confit.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Turkey legs confit cooked in oodles of duck fat and then I crisped up the skin in more duck fat in my trusty cast iron skillet. DIVINE!!! This was my second time attempting the confit technique, the first time the turkey tasted great but I had problems with the skin getting all sticky and adhering to the pan. </div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Sa6Xz35nttY/Usc2EL8mnzI/AAAAAAAAFRk/uX47FMk9G2E/s1600/Truffled+deviled+eggs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Sa6Xz35nttY/Usc2EL8mnzI/AAAAAAAAFRk/uX47FMk9G2E/s640/Truffled+deviled+eggs.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">These deviled eggs made only with mayonnaise and a hint of the controversial white truffle oil were a hit on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve!</span></div>
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This time, the skin crisped up perfectly without sticking and the end result was a delectable, melt in your mouth turkey with a lovely salty, herbal flavors and crispy, crunchy skin. And because of that, I am now an official DARK MEAT LOVER! I served this up with roasted sweet potatoes pureed with cream cheese and topped with blue cheese and praline pecan pieces. The "just-cooked" green beans were a nice foil to the rich potatoes and turkey.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-M2FoutmULzQ/Usc2Nnng9sI/AAAAAAAAFRw/w-Bv-yvsJQs/s1600/Snowman+cookie+platter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-M2FoutmULzQ/Usc2Nnng9sI/AAAAAAAAFRw/w-Bv-yvsJQs/s640/Snowman+cookie+platter.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">ONE of the Christmas cookie platters I made including vanilla iced sugar cookies and Italian ciambellini (Italian Love Knots) made with fresh blood orange juice.</span></div>
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The next day, sandwiches with the left over turkey on crunchy, ciabatta was absolutely heavenly! This was a VERY SPECIAL TREAT and something I definitely wouldn't make all of the time. I had to use 64 oz of duck fat to cover the turkey and the only reason I had that much was because I had purchased some for a client! It's been strained for re-use and into the freezer it goes!</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zHrYzGomHPU/Usc2fCIGuoI/AAAAAAAAFR0/bnzg8Q9LYqM/s1600/heart+cookie+platter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="632" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zHrYzGomHPU/Usc2fCIGuoI/AAAAAAAAFR0/bnzg8Q9LYqM/s640/heart+cookie+platter.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">This festive cookie tray included more vanilla iced sugar cookies, molasses crackles and the ever popular almond jam thumbprint cookies!</span></div>
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And now, after swilling buckets o' al-kee-hol and eating rich foods, the diet is finally starting....tomorrow! So enjoy this bow-chick-a-bow-bow food porn now.....while I lighten things up!</div>
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Darling, what did YOU eat to start off your New Year? Are you lightening up in the 2014? Do tell, darling, La Diva wants to hear ALL about it!</div>
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Ciao for now!LaDivaCucinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06000430029590301972noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-144661459282727040.post-46086433160915043012013-12-31T08:02:00.002-05:002013-12-31T08:02:33.316-05:00Salad...for When You've had QUITE ENOUGH Butter, Sugar, Flour and Cheese!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vyoLXQRaAqI/UsK8Bx9-1QI/AAAAAAAAFQ0/V8iTa_txXvc/s1600/0962a92f5e964434e331daaabeddea7a34260cb5d39991bafef54bacab1d06b9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="568" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vyoLXQRaAqI/UsK8Bx9-1QI/AAAAAAAAFQ0/V8iTa_txXvc/s640/0962a92f5e964434e331daaabeddea7a34260cb5d39991bafef54bacab1d06b9.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc;"><a href="http://www.quickmeme.com/meme/3si8fw">via QuickMeme</a></span></div>
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December 31, 2013</div>
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<span class="s1">"La Diva, how do I get my family to eat salads for main meals like you do?" </span></div>
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<span class="s1">Dahling! You KNOW my husbear would rather be sinking his teef into a roast beef with mash and gravy, right? But alas, the waistbands are being stretched to most uncomfortable lengths, so salad it is! Let's try to make it as pleasant and tasty as possible, shall we?</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Tip #1: Cut up veggies into small diced pieces, so it's easier to get it all in one bite. Mmmmm....all the flavor and no stabbing of whole olives and grape tomatoes, yuck!</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Tip #2: De-seed the cucumber and tomato, so the texture will be crunchy and not slimy, a most important salad consideration!</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Tip #3: Salt and pepper the salad, use a good quality oil and vinegar. Make it taste good, darling!</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">Tip #4: Top with a hearty, but lean and well-cooked and seasoned protein. </span><span class="s1"></span></div>
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<span class="s1">For this salad, I cut one breast lengthwise (to seem like more meat) and also to allow it to cook faster. I sauteed the breasts in olive oil and added white wine and lemon, added to the salad and then topped it with sheep's milk feta cheese and freshly squeezed lemon.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B1uPk4reUhk/UsK8dKN7lfI/AAAAAAAAFQ8/DEsWCKV7pDM/s1600/Chicken+greek+salad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="602" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B1uPk4reUhk/UsK8dKN7lfI/AAAAAAAAFQ8/DEsWCKV7pDM/s640/Chicken+greek+salad.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1">Sauteed lemon chicken breast over Greek salad! I used diced up celery, red onion, red pepper, cucumber, grape tomatoes, kalamata olives with baby arugula and chopped iceberg lettuce for extra crunch! Now, doesn't that look TASTY?!</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><i><span style="font-size: large;">Happy New Year, darlings!!</span></i></span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QuYIcfzvcvQ/UrOZMCkrLeI/AAAAAAAAFPE/pVujBbXXh-k/s1600/jonathon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QuYIcfzvcvQ/UrOZMCkrLeI/AAAAAAAAFPE/pVujBbXXh-k/s640/jonathon.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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South Florida artist Jonathan Stein creates corporate art using crystals, absolutely STUNNING. <a href="http://www.sun-sentinel.com/citylink/sfl-fresh-art-jonathan-stein-20111012,0,491054.story">READ MORE.</a></div>
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Every year during the first week of December, Miami is thrown into havoc and submerged into the world of ART. Fabulous ART. Bad ART. Expensive ART. Emerging ART. And whatever you might feel about any of it, it's ART none the less. ART is everywhere, on the beach, in tents and spray painted on buildings...you can't escape ART, even if you try.</div>
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The city is flooded with art collectors, artists, curators, wanna-be's, grifters, snowbirds, posers, locals, celebrities and prostitutes. The restaurants are overflowing with patrons hungry to eat and willing to wait while the streets are crowded with cars trying to get on and off the beach between Midtown, <a href="http://www.wynwoodmiami.com/">Wynwood</a> and Miami Beach. It's utter chaos. </div>
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And La Diva LOVES every minute of it!</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5P5dHRDmEmQ/UrOggfreD8I/AAAAAAAAFPw/99GYKGNdvkE/s1600/Scope+tent.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5P5dHRDmEmQ/UrOggfreD8I/AAAAAAAAFPw/99GYKGNdvkE/s640/Scope+tent.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">The art show that started it all is called <a href="https://www.artbasel.com/">Art Basel </a>and it all began in Basel, Switzerland where have their show annually, as well as in Hong Kong. From what I've heard, ol' Basel is quite boring compared to what goes on in Miami, though! Besides the art, Miami is THRIVING with parties, pop up restaurants, bars and events all with the backdrop of a beautiful beach setting including palm trees, sand and blue waves.</span><br />
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With the popularity of Art Basel, a very large number of satellite art tents and shows have cropped up at the same time. "Art Basel" has now become a generic word synonymous with any number of art shows, though I'm certain the producers of Art Basel find that infuriating! I much prefer the edgy satellite shows over the hoighty-toighty Art Basel where if one steps so much as an inch into a gallery space they are scrutinized by some snippy sales person in order for the them to determine if you are worth wasting their breath on. Indeed, the fact that I've dressed to the nines while attending the official Art Basel at the Miami Beach Convention Center meant that I got a lot of attention as a presumed art investor, though usually I'm only there to see the art, get ideas, see what's new and talk to the artists themselves, if they are there.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aFhiNiDpeyo/UrODC8XasyI/AAAAAAAAFNw/qZcDeCdxc3E/s1600/soy+sauce+fish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aFhiNiDpeyo/UrODC8XasyI/AAAAAAAAFNw/qZcDeCdxc3E/s640/soy+sauce+fish.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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My favorite shows to see are Scope, Aqua and Art Miami. While there are a number of shows to attend, more and more every year, in fact, I find the work at Scope to be the most "out there" and unusual along with Aqua, which has more subversive and "affordable," edgy art. Art Miami is more mainstream and the crowd it attracts seems to support this. But the sheer size of Art Miami, along with their new show Context, is enough incentive for me to check it out.</div>
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Every year my husband, The DJ, and I play a game of "What's going to be the common thread?" In years past I've seen trends based on medium and subject matter, as if there is some sort of global synergy or intuition amongst artists the world over.<br />
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This year was no exception. I noticed:<br />
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<b>BONES: Lots of artwork made with lots of bones</b><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HM6FCS86iPU/UrN7egOi5fI/AAAAAAAAFNA/RXWKBTM-kRA/s1600/bones+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HM6FCS86iPU/UrN7egOi5fI/AAAAAAAAFNA/RXWKBTM-kRA/s640/bones+1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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By artist Jennifer Trask and consisting of python and rattlesnake bones</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Tykl4ORr2BM/UrN8eY_ZqJI/AAAAAAAAFNM/L28x3OeFSFc/s1600/Jessica+Joslin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Tykl4ORr2BM/UrN8eY_ZqJI/AAAAAAAAFNM/L28x3OeFSFc/s640/Jessica+Joslin.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Artist Jessica Joslin using antique brass, steel, bone, glass eyes and glove leather.</div>
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<b>ANIMALS: I noticed many primates this year at all of the shows I attended. Years before, the focus was more on woodland creatures like bears, birds and deer.</b></div>
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I pretty much find monkeys repulsive and the art work was no better, especially the one of the chimp dressed as a man behind a woman grabbing her breasts at Aqua, which I found downright disturbing. But this monkey covered in beads was quite appealing. By artist Jan Huling.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lN8kaaMURm0/UrOEByC_nmI/AAAAAAAAFOA/YUhOgH2xPCA/s1600/beetle+deer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lN8kaaMURm0/UrOEByC_nmI/AAAAAAAAFOA/YUhOgH2xPCA/s640/beetle+deer.jpg" width="398" /></a></div>
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By Miami Beach artist Enrique Gomez De Molina using beetle wings, feathers on top of a real animal (not sure what sort, some kind of deer, obviously) who actually <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/02/artist-enrique-gomez-de-molina-sentenced-wildlife_n_1316807.html">was prosecuted for bringing animal parts in illegally to the United States.</a></div>
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<b>SKULLS: In carvings, as sculpture or as the subject, skulls were everywhere.</b></div>
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Top and lower right: Artist Lee Downey. Carved fossilized walrus tusks, black jet stone with turquoise inlays. Porcelain skull by Katsuyo Aoki.<br />
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<b>3D VIDEO: It's been becoming more and more popular over the years.</b></div>
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Video art done in three ways: Artist Cameron Gray offers a live performance along with his video art. A montage of confusing and chaotic images are on the huge screen in front of a real man, zoned out and not blinking an eye, amongst dozens of real pizza boxes and 7-Eleven Big Gulp. Also, on the bottom right the artist uses 3D television. The robot in the upper corner is actually a sculpture with 4D mapping projected on it. AMAZING stuff!</div>
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<b>ALWAYS popular is the art that will surely piss some people right off.....</b></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Bve8xJyqTM8/UrN2QMIZ6GI/AAAAAAAAFMo/Qt4fwKoDUjE/s1600/Pope+as+Marilyn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Bve8xJyqTM8/UrN2QMIZ6GI/AAAAAAAAFMo/Qt4fwKoDUjE/s640/Pope+as+Marilyn.jpg" width="568" /></a></div>
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By <a href="http://rcalla.otherpeoplespixels.com/home.html">RYKA</a> at Aqua</div>
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Artist Scott Scheidly at Scope<br />
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<span style="text-align: start;">All in all, I truly enjoyed this year's Art Basel, just like I do every year, and am always absolutely amazed at the volume of clever, talented and downright ingenious people that show. Come back shortly for my next Art Basel Art Week post: Everything is NOT what it seems!</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;">Ciao for now, darling!</span></div>
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<br />LaDivaCucinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06000430029590301972noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-144661459282727040.post-2442745257500122932013-11-15T14:42:00.002-05:002013-11-18T10:38:32.338-05:00Rave Review: A New Spirit Product JUST for Cooking<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Darlings!</b><br />
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One of the perks about being a blogger is you get invited to events in order to review products, chefs or restaurants. After my <a href="http://ladivacucina.blogspot.com/2013/10/cooking-with-boos.html">last post about cooking with spirits titled "COOKING WITH BOOS,"</a> I was approached by a PR firm in New York representing a new spirit line for use in the kitchen only. A lunch would be prepared at the lovely French restaurant <a href="http://www.lagloutonnerie.com/">La Gloutonnerie </a>by Chef Christian Testa highlighting the new product line in his dishes and would I be able to attend? I have to admit, I am pretty picky about whom or what I will write about and the main prerequisite to be reviewed is that I MUST like the product, so it's pretty rare you will find a review on this blog, but my curiosity was piqued. A few days before I went to the <a href="http://www.craftspiritsandbeer.com/">Craft Spirits and Beer Show</a> and was bombarded by whiskey producers from states you'd never associate whiskey production with like New York, Texas and Illinois, but this was a new and interesting spirit product: Spirits I could cook with without losing flavor. I RSVP'd to attend.</div>
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From the company website: <b>Rave Review!â„¢ Original Culinary Spirits</b> were designed by chefs to fulfill the need for premium culinary spirits in the kitchen. Unlike any other spirit, Rave Review!â„¢ Original Culinary Spirits are the first family of spirits crafted for cooking. Whether you are a professional chef or someone who enjoys the pleasures of cooking you will notice the difference when you add <b>Rave Review!â„¢ Original Culinary Spirits </b>to your cuisine. </div>
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<b>Rave Review!™ Original Culinary Spirits</b> combine artisan tradition with scientific innovation to make the world’s first culinary spirits. Our ingredients are all natural and each spirit is heat stable, has no alcohol bite, low in congeners and low in sugar. You will find each flavor to be balanced and consistent in cooking as any quality ingredient should be.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QjhyvSf2FPk/UoY-MdR_pJI/AAAAAAAAFJg/sN7B_5co1CU/s1600/La+Gloutonnerie+menu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QjhyvSf2FPk/UoY-MdR_pJI/AAAAAAAAFJg/sN7B_5co1CU/s640/La+Gloutonnerie+menu.jpg" width="441" /></a></div>
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On the table for each person was a gift bag, a media kit and the menu. As freshly baked rolls, pate and butter were set out, I ogled the menu, imagining the treats that awaited me in the chef's kitchen.</div>
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As we ate our bread, we talked to the inventor of the product, Jim Lindner, a scientist who explained how purchasing an old church in Nova Scotia, Canada and thus learning about the local bootlegging history of the area, had intrigued him to the point of spurring him on to create a new spirit product to which chefs could cook with. He began to talk to chefs about cooking with spirits and the problems associated with it and then approached food chemists to see if his idea was even plausible.</div>
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Thus started the invention and multitudinous testing of Rave Review Original Culinary Spirits by talented and creative chefs from around the nation including Top Cheftestant Ron Duprat and Miami local Tim Andriola of Timo's Restaurant in Sunny Isles, FL.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EmuVYWAX96Q/UoY-0_eq0eI/AAAAAAAAFJo/o5LPD87nqso/s1600/cognac+demo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="398" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EmuVYWAX96Q/UoY-0_eq0eI/AAAAAAAAFJo/o5LPD87nqso/s640/cognac+demo.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Trinity, the brand's marketing manager, receives a sample of cognac and passes around one for each of us to try. Meanwhile, the restaurant's manager heats up more of the same cognac to 190 degrees Fahrenheit. We are encouraged to sample both. I find that the cooked cognac has no depth of flavor and has lost it's wonderful, spicy vanilla notes.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-p4sG0p-3D7A/UoY_oR0WLDI/AAAAAAAAFJ0/BooLJrJHqSA/s1600/Four+glasses+www.ladivacucina.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-p4sG0p-3D7A/UoY_oR0WLDI/AAAAAAAAFJ0/BooLJrJHqSA/s640/Four+glasses+www.ladivacucina.com.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Then, a sample of the Rave Review brandy is served while more is heated to the same temperature as the cognac. We are given both to sample, all of us noting that there is no loss of flavor or depth, both samples tasting exactly the same whether heated or not. The demonstration illustrated the loss of flavor by cooking with regular alcohol where one is essentially "re-distilling" the product by heating it up again. It was a very good example of how their product is superior when used for cooking or baking at high temperatures vs. regular spirits.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DEoXtn9YHuk/UoZAOt-ONQI/AAAAAAAAFJ8/jmbVuZzZ5xk/s1600/Lobster+risotto+www.ladivacucina.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DEoXtn9YHuk/UoZAOt-ONQI/AAAAAAAAFJ8/jmbVuZzZ5xk/s640/Lobster+risotto+www.ladivacucina.com.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The waiter brings out the first course: creamy lobster risotto cooked with brandy. It is just as delicious as it looks and the brandy flavor is detectable, though not over powering. After eating up every bite of the chef's delicious risotto, we are invited to the kitchen to watch the chef demonstrate the next dish prepared with the product.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4PhSUVNGmRU/UoZA_WnBG4I/AAAAAAAAFKE/OiuHYn7mNyw/s1600/Chef+Testa+www.ladivacucina.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4PhSUVNGmRU/UoZA_WnBG4I/AAAAAAAAFKE/OiuHYn7mNyw/s640/Chef+Testa+www.ladivacucina.com.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Chef Christian Testa showing us the bourbon flavor of Rave Review Original Culinary Spirits for use in cooking diver scallops.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DrBLSBqmI04/UoZB6DIF-CI/AAAAAAAAFKQ/uIvI-VAl5Yg/s1600/Chef+flambe+www.ladivacucina.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DrBLSBqmI04/UoZB6DIF-CI/AAAAAAAAFKQ/uIvI-VAl5Yg/s640/Chef+flambe+www.ladivacucina.com.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
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After searing the scallops in butter and olive oil, Chef Testa adds green onions and grape tomatoes and then flambes with the Rave Review Original Culinary Spirits Bourbon flavor. Just like when one cooks with traditional liquor, the pan ignites and flames shoot up as we all "ooh" and "ahh." The aroma was just incredible.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-63stkpzlXP0/UoZCc8f0bCI/AAAAAAAAFKY/T5zaj4Hry8A/s1600/Demo+scallop+www.ladivacucina.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-63stkpzlXP0/UoZCc8f0bCI/AAAAAAAAFKY/T5zaj4Hry8A/s640/Demo+scallop+www.ladivacucina.com.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The plated demonstration dish: Seared diver scallops with green onion and tomato, veloute<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"> </span>sauce with bourbon flavored Rave Review Original Culinary Spirits.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QA-5LzIqGOU/UoZDAvT5ouI/AAAAAAAAFKg/KD8kfMah8zA/s1600/Inventor+www.ladivacucina.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QA-5LzIqGOU/UoZDAvT5ouI/AAAAAAAAFKg/KD8kfMah8zA/s640/Inventor+www.ladivacucina.com.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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La Diva and inventor Jim Lindner. Jim was affable and friendly, and obviously enjoyed answering our questions about his product line.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-N1xdo-K-Yh8/UoZDeJiNdUI/AAAAAAAAFKo/A2VQPWUXZ9s/s1600/Scallop+www.ladivacucina.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-N1xdo-K-Yh8/UoZDeJiNdUI/AAAAAAAAFKo/A2VQPWUXZ9s/s640/Scallop+www.ladivacucina.com.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The same dish is served to the guests and it tasted decadent and divine. Again, the bourbon flavor is evident yet subtle and absolutely delicious. I mopped up every last bit of sauce with bread! <br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-V0gwJ0kkCIs/UoZGRqoocTI/AAAAAAAAFK0/mAFt0sE6WRk/s1600/Soufle+www.ladivacucina.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-V0gwJ0kkCIs/UoZGRqoocTI/AAAAAAAAFK0/mAFt0sE6WRk/s640/Soufle+www.ladivacucina.com.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The highlight of the lunch: a vanilla rum souffle! When this was put down next to me, I greedily thought the entire dish was for moi! HA! The waiter served La Diva and then poured over a rich creme anglaise sauce, which he wisely left on the tabl<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 22px;">e. </span></span></div>
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All of the courses were decadent and delicious, but more importantly, each highlighted what the Rave Review Original Culinary Spirit product was capable of. Chef Testa did a remarkable job in using the product in classic dishes and elevating their flavors.</div>
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Currently, the Rave Review Original Culinary Spirit line comes in four flavors: brandy, bourbon, hops and rum. Other flavors are in the works, though Jim explains that more traditional spirits will be considered first, like wine over a spirit like tequila (Yes, I asked!) Additionally, Jim is experimenting with spice liquors such as cumin, star anise and saffron.</div>
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Frankly, the product tastes great and I can't wait to experiment! Another chef who attended has already been using the product and loves adding the brandy in her bread pudding and the bourbon with her short ribs. Some recipes from the website include hops bread, Belgian waffles with hops, bourbon apricot pork tenderloin, grilled strawberries with brandy whipped cream and bourbon barbecue sauce. I already have myriad ideas on how to use the product and will post the results here! </div>
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<b>Rave Review!™ Original Culinary Spirits</b> are produced in Florida and are available retail in convenient 200ml size and for purchase for your restaurant’s kitchen in special 1 liter bottles. To learn more about the product as well as purchasing for home or professional use, check out the super-cute website for Rave Review Original Culinary Spirits by <a href="http://www.ravereviewspirits.com/">clicking here.</a></div>
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Darling, what spirit would YOU use out of the line and in what dish? <i>Do tell </i>La Diva <i>all</i> about it! Ciao for now!</div>
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LaDivaCucinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06000430029590301972noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-144661459282727040.post-73173685396194392632013-11-10T10:02:00.001-05:002013-11-24T09:43:28.942-05:00The Perfect Salty, Crunchy Bite: Feta Herb Stuffed Olives<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Because time has no meaning when it comes to making fiddly, amusing appetizers for my guests! <a href="http://askmaryrd.com/page/2/"> via Ask Mary Rd</a></span></div>
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Darlings!<br />
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Well, whether you like it or not, the Silly Season is upon us. And to La Diva, that means PARTIES PARTIES PARTIES! I'll be throwing them and most certainly attending them. And of course, when one has a generous spirit and loves to entertain like La Diva does, it's always a good idea as a "hostess with the most-est" to have ingredients on hand to create a lovely little dish for those little last minute soirees. You know, things that one can "whip up quickly" when a throng of hungry drunks decides to descend upon your abode after a night of merry-making at one of the season's myriad events.</div>
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So, for the final Creative Cooking Challenge of the year, I've been given the following instructions: </div>
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"You're invited to a Thanksgiving dinner party. Bring an appetizer (hors d'oeuvre, amuse bouche, pickle) for guests to have with a cocktail before dinner."</div>
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It seems simple enough, especially since I make my living by teaching people how to throw a cocktail party at my <a href="http://www.ladivacucina.com/">"small bites, BIG DRINKS" cooking and cocktail class! </a></div>
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But here's the thing with appetizers: While it's nice to make lovely little morsels that are gorgeous and perfect, the reality is that it's much harder than one thinks.</div>
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For example, an appetizer idea that "seems" like it's easy enough to execute: watermelon squares with feta cheese. No matter how carefully I cut the watermelon, invariably there are pieces with holes from the small "seeds" that do not allow for sharp, clean corners. (yes, there are seeds in "seedless" watermelon, none the less) Likewise, I find the feta to be crumbly and its almost impossible to cut it to get that nice, even line. </div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">This simple appetizer is the bane of my culinary existence! <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/roho-kitchen-davie?select=Z7Vm2rHLTumMZ5H-rrw3Ow#Z7Vm2rHLTumMZ5H-rrw3Ow">Via Vanessa M. on Yelp.com</a></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;">You see, when you are making appetizers with vegetables, fruits, fish or food from the natural world, they don't come in pretty, perfect packages (unless you live in Japan.) So, to make that perfectly stuffed cucumber, you will most likely not use the smaller ends of the cucumber and that creates a lot of waste. Which is one of the reasons why perfect, little appetizers at a catered party are so expensive.</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Oh those kooky, crazy Japanese and their square melons! <a href="http://beingalison.com/squared-cantaloupe">via BeingAlison</a></span></span></div>
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I can just see Martha Stewart shaking her head at me in disgust. For Martha Stewart is the QUEEN of making things harder than they have to be. Here's a prime example:</div>
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Jerk chicken rests between the perfectly cut and fried green plantain and tied with a blanched chive. Um, okay. </div>
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Especially for me when I'm making multiple appetizers and dinner courses including dessert. Nor do I have the patience! But, despair not, darling, for I'm going to show you a perfect little bite that is so easy to make, you'll keep it as an appetizer staple for years to come.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Savory, fried, feta and herb stuffed olives</span></div>
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Simply take a large queen olive, remove the pimento and stuff with a mixture of feta and minced Italian parsley. The stuffing is the most fiddly part but you can do that a few days ahead of the event. And make sure you DO buy a large olive like a queen olive otherwise, it will take you all day to stuff the little buggers.</div>
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Then, bread the olives in three steps using plain, white flour, beaten egg and then Japanese panko breadcrumbs. I find this goes very quickly doing 3-4 at once using breading trays. You can refrigerate them for a few hours to fry just before your guests arrive.</div>
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I fry my olives in vegetable oil in about an inch of oil, turning them over when brown. You may deep fry them as well. After frying, I drain them on paper towels and then set them out in small bowls or a compact serving dish just before guests arrive. Dispose of the oil after frying and spray the house to get rid of any lingering oil smell.</div>
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*A WORD OF WARNING: Part of the success of this dish is based on the fact that feta cheese has a high melting point. If you choose to use a softer cheese, like blue cheese, I suggest freezing the olives, sans breading, and then quickly breading and frying them while still frozen. When I fried olives I'd stuffed with blue cheese, all of the cheese oozed out into the oil and my time was wasted and so were the olives. Unsure of how quickly your cheese of choice melts? Then use this handy <a href="http://www.sargentofoodservice.com/trends-innovation/cheese-melt-meter/">Cheese Melt Meter by Sargento!</a></div>
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Crunchy, salty, tasty, creamy, more-ish! These go perfectly with an ice cold martini or with my pomegranate mint martinis. Because queen olives are so large, these are really two bite appetizers. I allow 3 per person, as they can be quite filling.</div>
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The feta stuffed, fried olives are a great appetizer because they are fairly quick to make (especially if you've stuffed some ahead of time and frozen them), are easy to prepare and I usually have all of these ingredients on hand.</div>
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Darlings, what are YOUR favorite "go-to" appetizers for the holiday season? <i> Do tell </i>La Diva <i>all </i>about it! <a href="http://foodalogue.com/2013/11/thanksgiving-appetizers-creative-cooking-crew-round-up.html">THE ROUND UP IS LIVE, CLICK HERE TO SEE ALL THE ENTRIES AND GET SOME FABU HOLIDAY APPETIZER IDEAS!</a></div>
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Ciao for now and Enjoy the Season!</div>
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LaDivaCucinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06000430029590301972noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-144661459282727040.post-29949537545750076342013-10-20T13:40:00.000-04:002013-10-31T14:24:26.944-04:00Cooking with Boos!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #cccccc;">Darlings! Once again the Creative Cooking Crew has come up with a wonderful challenge for the month of October: "Cooking with spirits!" A "spirit" is an alocholic beverage containing ethanol and made by method of distillation....but Joan and Lazaro who host the CCC, have kindly allowed us to use beer, wine or any alcohol for the challenge. And that means the possibilities are endless!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc;">And CHALLENGING it was! Why? Because once I put my thinking cap on, I realized that while I often cook with al-kee-hol, I do not have as many original ideas as I'd like to give myself credit for. I wanted to make a <i>completely </i>original dish, and even though I came up with one, dear <a href="http://foodalogue.com/2013/10/savory-lobster-corn-cheesecake-with-a-tequila-sauce.html">Joan Nova of Foodalogue</a>, used a combination of almost all of the same ingredients! Believe me, it seems easy enough to come up with an idea, but to come up with an idea that's never been done before is harder than you think! (Okay, YOU try it, smarty-pants!)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc;">First to come to me were desserts that I've made and loved:</span><br />
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<li><span style="color: #cccccc;">Rum cake!</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #cccccc;">Trifle with sherry!</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #cccccc;">Figs sauteed in butter and brown sugar with white balsamic vinegar reduction and sweet marsala over mascarpone cheese! (a new favorite dessert idea I've been toying with!)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #cccccc;">Macadamia bourbon pineapple upside down cake! (I made one for a dear friend's birthday once and we ate the entire thing while still warm, just us two, with forks and straight from the pan!)</span></li>
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<span style="color: #cccccc;">A simple yet elegant dish I love to make for guests or clients, champagne </span><a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Champagne-Zabaglione-with-Fresh-Fruit-Compote-1281">zabaglione with a fresh fruit compote! </a></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc;">I thought about main dishes I make with booze:</span></div>
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<li><span style="color: #cccccc;">Chicken marsala!</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #cccccc;">Fried fish in beer batter!</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #cccccc;">Coq au vin (chicken in red wine!)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #cccccc;">Gourmet mushrooms in sherry cream sauce over steak!</span></li>
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<span style="color: #cccccc;">Large shrimp wrapped in procsiutto are marinated in a rosemary orange and sambuca sauce and grilled, a classic flavor combination! I've since modified my recipe to pan-searing the prosciutto-wrapped shrimp and then sauteing the lot in a buttery, sambuca-drenched orange rosemary sauce!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc;">La Diva demonstrating "Sauteed Radishes and Tops with Chicken Apple Sausage over Bow Tie Pasta" at the Fairchild Botanical Garden's "Garden to Table" Festival. The recipe calls for sauteing the radish slices with a sweet, white vermouth! EVERYONE loved the dish and said "I never tasted a cooked radish before!" Using a sweet, white vermouth with the radishes took the bitterness away. Get the recipe by clicking <a href="http://www.ladivacucina.com/la_diva_cucina/recipes/Entries/2010/4/24_Sauteed_radishes_and_tops_over_bow_tie_pasta_with_chicken_apple_sausage.html">HERE!</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc;">Well, that little trip down memory lane was all fine and well but what was La Diva to make that is original and I've not made before? I was back to SQUARE ONE.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc;">A friend recently told me about her fish cooked in tequila and I was intrigued. But, I didn't want fish.....and I needed a good base. "What goes good with tequila," I thought to myself? I conjured up corn, red peppers and cilantro. YES! But corn what? Corn on top? Polenta? Corn pancakes?</span><br />
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<span style="color: #cccccc;">I had some lovely native blue corn meal from <a href="http://ansonmills.com/">Anson Mills</a> that I was dying to use! Anson Mills grow heritage grains and the company suggests using their posted recipe to familiarize yourself with their product for the first time. Their suggested recipe for the native blue corn was johnnycakes. I loved the idea! I will make native blue corn johnnycakes as my base for the dish.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc;">The more I thought about making the corn cakes, the more I didn't like the idea of a dense fish on top, I wanted something lighter and sweeter. So, I went with a cold-water lobster tail, a diver scallop and Florida pink shrimp. I poached them all separately in a broth of tequila, water, onion, cilantro and lime slices. The seafood came out with the light scent of tequila and was very delicate.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc;">I decided to make two sauces starting with a tequila lime butter sauce. I "sweated" shallots in butter and added minced cilantro, juice from half a lime and a large dash of golden tequila, then I reduced the sauce to half and doused it with cream at the last minute. It was wonderfully rich with a piquant taste from the tequila and lime juice.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc;">I wanted to counter the richness of the tequila butter sauce with another flavor and also to help bring it all together. So, I made a roasted orange pepper sauce. Again, I started by sauteing the shallots and then processed them together with the roasted pepper and a healthy dash of home made <a href="http://southamericanfood.about.com/od/glossaryofterms/g/ajiamarillo.htm">aji amarillo </a>sauce. I put it through a very fine sieve and added a dash of cream for a rich, umami flavor profile.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc;">Here it is all put together: Lobster, scallop and shrimp poached in tequila served over a roasted orange pepper coulis on native blue corn johnnycakes with tequila lime butter sauce with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peruvian_corn">Peruvian choclo corn</a> garnish and lime zest!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc;">Let me tell you, darlings, this dish was decadent, rich in flavor and texture, but not too heavy! The two sauces combined brilliantly, the roasted pepper sauce slightly sweet and spicy cutting through the zesty tequila lime butter sauce just as I'd expected it to. <i>My only complaint</i> was that the johnnycakes did not hold together well and crumbled when you tried to fold one over a piece of succulent seafood! Next time I would use my own recipe (with eggs!) and opt for a fluffier and thicker corn cake base.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc;">Darlings, what are your favorite dishes to make with spirits? Do tell La Diva all about it! CHECK OUT ALL OF THE CREATIVE DISHES BY CLICKING <a href="http://www.lazarocooks.com/2013/10/creative-cooking-crew-october-13.html">HERE!</a></span></div>
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<br />LaDivaCucinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06000430029590301972noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-144661459282727040.post-42191704615487801542013-10-09T17:38:00.000-04:002013-10-09T18:39:08.046-04:00The Verandah Restaurant- Amelia Island Omni Plantation Resort<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #cccccc; text-align: justify;">Darlings! I just love to travel, don't you?! Traveling means I get to check out interesting destinations but also I get to enjoy new dining experiences! Back in August I was invited to attend an industry conference for professional meeting planners at the </span><a href="http://www.omnihotels.com/FindAHotel/AmeliaIsland.aspx" style="text-align: justify;">Omni Plantation Resort</a><span style="color: #cccccc; text-align: justify;"> on Amelia Island, Florida. The resort had just undergone an $85 million dollar renovation and I was looking forward to checking out the property, the photos on the website made the property look incredible!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-size: x-small;">Lush walking and bike paths wove throughout the property and joined the hotel to a cluster of shops and restaurants within the resort, creating an intimate "village" atmosphere.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc;"><a href="http://www.ameliaisland.com/about-amelia-island/">Amelia Island </a>is BEAUTIFUL and so was the hotel! Large oak trees draped in Spanish moss evoked images of "the deep South" complete with a genteel and helpful staff eager to please with a ready "Yes, Ma'am!" Ironically enough, even though Miami is further south than Amelia Island, the city is more like an international city of Latin America than a Southern city of the United States of America. As the joke goes: "The great thing about Miami is that it's so close to the U.S.!" So, our trip to Amelia Island was a lovely way for La Diva to get a taste of the South and try another "flava!"</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc;">My husband A. Felix Pike and his company <a href="http://www.mediastage.com/">Media Stage,</a> was onsite as a major sponsor for the event to showcase their amazing video projection mapping services. At the end of a whole lot of work within five days, we found ourselves at the end of the conference with an entire day to ourselves and one last night at the resort and all the hotel's amenities for my husband to finally enjoy. He was exhausted and we wanted EASY, so we went to The Verandah Restaurant on property as part of "The Shops" on the hotel's property.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-size: x-small;">The banquet hall for the gala dinner looked like an underwater fantasy! The aquatic decor fused with lavish seafood buffet stations and of course, the video projection of fish swimming on the walls, courtesy of Media Stage Productions and their talented crew, added to the ethereal dining experience and stunning ball room.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc;">The Verandah restaurant was described as "specializing in southern inspired fare and fresh traditional seafood, bringing the bounty of the local Atlantic Ocean and neighboring farmers directly to the plates of guests." I have to admit, with all the charming staff drawling with their languid accents and the moss-laden trees really got me in the mood for some good 'ol Southern food. Without hesitation, I made a reservation.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc;">After a pleasant ten minute walk through the tropical, wooded path, we found The Verandah under a cluster of grand oak trees, adjacent to the tennis courts. The dining room was decorated in subdued tones of pumice gray and blue, it was sedate, elegant and relaxing. We ordered a couple of cocktails and looked at the menu. Our drinks were balanced and well crafted; a perfect start to our dinner. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc;">As we pondered the menu, we were offered a lovely little amuse bouche of cream of corn soup lashed with a basil infused oil, it was gorgeous and silky.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc;">The menu offered so many choices, we had a difficult time making up our minds. Naturally, the menu was loaded with seafood: a bucket of clams, seafood tower, barbecue shrimp, oysters on the half shell, crab cakes and smoked mullet along with the standard fried green tomatoes and a variety of salads. But we went with the deviled eggs and pecanwood smoked bacon and the low country oyster chowder, both items we don't get to eat very often. </span> </div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc;">The eggs were presented individually in glass tea light holders that had been set into driftwood which was a very beautiful, clever and creative presentation. The manager told us the chef had constructed the serving pieces himself! The eggs were delectable with the bright note of parsley and the crunchy saltiness of bacon, a great combination.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc;">The oyster chowder was not heavy at all, but creamy and packed with small, just-cooked oysters and potatoes. The crunchy bacon garnish added texture to the velvety soup.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc;">After I asked him myriad questions about the chef's sources, Nick, our waiter, carefully explained the seafood mains and where the fish had come from. When the menu says "local", they MEAN local, right down to the individual fishermen that line caught our meal! (see above!) We were also told the produce is farm fresh, local and seasonal. The only fish that wasn't completely local was the salmon, it's South American, but it's farmed in a way where the fish are not crammed in pens and allowed to catch their own food, not your typical farmed salmon but much cleaner and healthier. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc;">The fact that the chef is so meticulous in sourcing their ingredients, supporting local small fisherman and American businesses is heartwarming. He is walking the walk and not just talking the talk.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc;">For a main dish, I chose the crab-crusted Florida grouper with a lemon sauce and I opted to have my fish served over the stone ground white grits instead of the whipped potatoes. The fish was super fresh, delicate and buttery and t</span><span style="color: #cccccc;">he hint of lemon sauce didn't overpower the flavor of the fish, it all worked really well together. T</span><span style="color: #cccccc;">he grits were divinely seasoned with smoked butter and cooked "al dente" with a texture similar to risotto. I've only eaten grits a few times and had never been a fan, as the ones I'd eaten were always watery, bland and without any character.</span><span style="color: #cccccc;"> But these grits were something I'd never had and made me a fan! </span> <span style="color: #cccccc;">The texture came from being coarsely ground by stone, from<a href="http://ansonmills.com/"> Anson Mills</a> in South Carolina, a company that specializes in native heirloom grains. </span><span style="color: #cccccc;"> </span></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc;"> My husband really enjoyed the creamy cajun pasta with mahi mahi, shrimp and andouille sausage, he said there was more seafood than pasta, which is a real rarity in a main seafood pasta dish. Both entrees were flawless as was the side of farm-fresh grilled Brussels sprouts that we ordered. </span> </div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc;">Both Nick, our server, and Emily, the manager, took the time to really talk to us about the menu, where the food was sourced from and the passion in which the staff have tested their recipes before presenting to the public. They are all truly dedicated to their positions and the restaurant, and as a hospitality veteran, it was very refreshing to see such dedicated employees. (I think I remember the cocktail bartender's name was Christine?!)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc;">In spite of us both being satisfied and stuffed, we still but didn't want to miss out on the old fashioned Southern-style peach cobbler, so we got an order to go with a scoop of bourbon vanilla ice cream. Everything we ate at The Verandah was delicious, seasoned perfectly and very well presented. While some people on Yelp had complained about the restaurant being expensive, I found the complaint to be relative, for the restaurant's prices were a third of the prices for establishments we go to on South Beach in Miami! And the quality of the food was spectacular. I thought it to be worth every penny.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc;">I enjoyed those white stone-ground grits from Anson Mills so much, that I ordered some along with some other heritage grain products <a href="http://ansonmills.com/">from their website. </a> I served them as a base for my version of jambalaya with andouille sausage and shrimp. They were just as tasty and full of texture as when I had them at The Verandah!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc;">The Verandah Restaurant is on property at the Omni Amelia Island Plantation Resort and is open to the public. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc;">39 Beach Lagoon</span><br />
<span style="color: #cccccc;">Amelia Island FL 32034</span><br />
<span style="color: #cccccc;">Phone: 904 261 6161</span><br />
<a href="http://www.omnihotels.com/FindAHotel/AmeliaIsland/Dining/TheVerandah.aspx"><span style="color: #cccccc;">WEBSITE</span></a><br />
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<span style="color: #cccccc;">Ciao for now, darlings!</span></div>
LaDivaCucinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06000430029590301972noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-144661459282727040.post-45056252010825450962013-09-26T11:19:00.001-04:002013-09-30T11:35:44.217-04:00Tickled to Pickle!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Darlings! When the Creative Cooking Crew deemed the challenge for the month of September to "pickle it," I immediately frowned. I'm not a pickle-food type person. I am constantly pulling them off burgers and leaving the dill spear dejectedly in my deli basket while ploughing into a good corned beef sandwich. </div>
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I bought a jar of bread and butter pickles once and enjoyed them on a rare sandwich, but once they ran out, I never replaced the jar. And I've had fried pickles before and really enjoyed them, but let's face it, you can batter and fry just about anything and I will eat it!</div>
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Pickles and pickled food? I can take 'em or leave 'em.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Upon researching this post, I had thought that Korean kimchi was pickled. WRONG! It's actually fermented! Pickled and fermented vegetables and tofu to accompany my <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bibimbap">bibimbap</a> from a Korean restaurant in Chatswood, a suburb of Sydney. My Aussie gal pal tells me that fermented vegetables are all the rage there.</span> </div>
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But I refuse to let my own pickle snobbery and trepidation stop me. No matter what challenge the Creative Cooking Crew throws my way, I look at it as a good excuse to escape my culinary comfort zone. So, I gave the whole "pickle it" idea a LOT MORE THOUGHT and in doing so realized that I do love something pickled and vinegary: chili peppers! La Diva loves jalapenos, pepper rings and even giadiniera! And once I realized that quick pickling counts for the challenge, more foods and doors were open to the pickling process. Now all I needed to open was my mind!</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">One of my most successful dishes: pork carnitas with a quick pickle cabbage topping consisting of freshly shredded green cabbage, home-made habanero-garlic vinegar, salt, sugar and freshly-crushed coriander seeds. The cabbage is utterly delicious with the rich, melt-in-your-mouth pork, especially when you bite into a lemony coriander seed.</span></div>
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But like many of my fellow CCC members, I am competitive and wanted to go beyond pickling the typical vegetable. So, I decided to make a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shrub_(drink)">SHRUB,</a> which in this case is a sweetened vinegar fruit syrup made from pickled fruit. Shrubs were used centuries before for flavoring drinks and preserving fruits. It's the original soda pop syrup! </div>
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I actually got the idea from a recent food magazine and you know La Diva, I'm all about "the bevvies!" (did you <i>really</i> think I'd pickle a food over making something for a cocktail, darling?!) As any creative cocktail bartender, I enjoy learning about anything new or recycled to create exciting cocktails and drinks. Apparently, the "shrub" has been rediscovered and is <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/12/dining/vinegar-cocktails-are-making-the-rounds.html?_r=0">becoming popular to the modern mixologist at trendier restaurants.</a></div>
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So, La Diva began to research "shrub" flavorings and was excited to see some very interesting choices: blood orange, black raspberry, elderberry, fennel apple rhubarb, even tomato. La Diva began to imagine the possibilities! As I probed further, I discovered even more unique shrub cocktails including: beet and lemon, bourbon and peach and mint champagne shrub cocktails!</div>
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A few articles said that berries worked very well and as raspberries were on sale, my shrub decision was made. I followed the directions carefully, sterilized my mason jar and put the washed berries into the jar and with the heated vinegar. Apparently one must be careful and extra hygienic due to the chance of bacteria or mold forming.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cEYf2HJOBsU/UkRAhSLr00I/AAAAAAAAE9w/GX-kpjL725g/s1600/Shrub+raspberry+vinegar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cEYf2HJOBsU/UkRAhSLr00I/AAAAAAAAE9w/GX-kpjL725g/s640/Shrub+raspberry+vinegar.jpg" width="442" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">The berries in the hot vinegar and sterilized jar, ready to go into the dark closet for three weeks!</span></div>
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I screwed the lid on tightly, put the jar in the corner of my office closet and waited. After a few days, I checked on it and so far it looked good, no mold or bacteria seemed to be forming. I left the berries there for over three weeks, the longer I could keep it, the stronger the shrubs flavor.</div>
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And then, it was TIME!!!! Step two was to strain the berries and add sugar to the liquid, 1.5-2 cups of sugar was suggested. I tasted the shrub with 1.5 cups and it was still so tart, it made me wince! So, I added the additional half a cup and then allowed it to cool completely. I threw out the berry mash, even though the article said the pickled fruit was good for chutney. When I tasted a pickled berry on its own, it was unedible, the vinegar taste harsh and strong.</div>
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I poured a bit of the syrup into a teaspoon and tasted it. And just like the flavor combination of sweet and hot (think mango chili salsa) I found the taste very more-ish. I liked it. I immediately put some in a glass and topped it with soda and ice. It was refreshing and sweet though not overly cloying. The vinegar taste was noticeable but gave the syrup a depth of flavor not found in an herbal or fruit simple syrup.</div>
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The first combination I tried was vodka and the shrub topped with soda and garnished with mint. It was very nice and refreshing, the shrub certainly carried the drink with the bland vodka. The DJ tasted it and stated that it was a "very adult drink. The vinegar takes it to another level." I agreed.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wzL5NeLJB4M/UkRAogEZO-I/AAAAAAAAE94/4yQnTrbVMZY/s1600/shrub+vodka+city.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wzL5NeLJB4M/UkRAogEZO-I/AAAAAAAAE94/4yQnTrbVMZY/s640/shrub+vodka+city.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small; text-align: justify;">I find that it's difficult to photograph drinks, so I like to use natural day light as much as possible. We had a late afternoon gale and I was hoping to get some sunshine for this photo shoot. My prayers were answered and I managed to get the last rays of sun over downtown Miami!</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">The second shrub cocktail I made was the shrub syrup topped with Prosecco. Wow! This was also a great drink. Any bitterness from the Prosecco was erased leaving my palate with bubbly berry triple happiness!</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-w2I41fliRYQ/UkRA5JPYQ8I/AAAAAAAAE-I/EVzrV3tCNxs/s1600/shrub+gin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-w2I41fliRYQ/UkRA5JPYQ8I/AAAAAAAAE-I/EVzrV3tCNxs/s640/shrub+gin.jpg" width="534" /></a></div>
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My FAVORITE shrub cocktail included the raspberry shrub syrup, Bombay Sapphire gin, soda and a kaffir lime garnish. I lightly crushed the lime leaf before putting into the drink to release its heady scent when I took a sip! The floral aromatics in the gin paired perfectly with the slightly sour shrub. Heavenly! </div>
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My ONLY regret is that I played it a bit "safe" by using the berries alone. Next time I'll be adding crushed kaffir lime leaves and trying a tomato basil shrub! La Diva thinks she'll be making many more of these shrubs (and wouldn't they make a divine dressing for salads?!)</div>
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JUST ADDED!!</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Vkgdy3sZhTw/UkRuYCc8OTI/AAAAAAAAE-0/TK_Btj-U1TA/s1600/Chicken+raspberry+salad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Vkgdy3sZhTw/UkRuYCc8OTI/AAAAAAAAE-0/TK_Btj-U1TA/s1600/Chicken+raspberry+salad.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Just tried the raspberry shrub in a dressing: DIVINE! It was a little sweet, so I added home made tarragon-garlic vinegar! It was perfect on this salad of grilled chicken and blue cheese with raspberries over baby spinach and arugula!</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-a-shrub-syrup-174072">Here's THE LINK</a> to the recipe I used to make the shrub, I suggest you try it, it's so easy and the result was well worth the waiting time!</div>
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<a href="http://foodalogue.com/2013/09/pickle-it-the-creative-cooking-crew-round-up.html#comment-237993">CLICK HERE</a> TO SEE ALL OF THE PICKLE IT ENTRIES FROM THE CREATIVE COOKING CREW! Enjoy and ciao for now, darlings!<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K-jqhQAL7kQ/UkRFbfXeD6I/AAAAAAAAE-k/CkO5fpAZd28/s1600/144.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K-jqhQAL7kQ/UkRFbfXeD6I/AAAAAAAAE-k/CkO5fpAZd28/s400/144.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br />LaDivaCucinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06000430029590301972noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-144661459282727040.post-49095257795801922532013-08-31T15:00:00.000-04:002013-09-06T15:35:28.638-04:00Incredible Farm Produce Plentiful in Northwestern Michigan<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HNV0PqCaMyc/Uh0l0HkO7kI/AAAAAAAAE6A/S44YCDXUNd4/s1600/Farmers+Market+view.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HNV0PqCaMyc/Uh0l0HkO7kI/AAAAAAAAE6A/S44YCDXUNd4/s640/Farmers+Market+view.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">View from inside the Coveyou Scenic Farm Market </span></div>
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Darlings! In early August my husband DJ Nevah L8 (4 dinnah) and I, along with close family, all headed up to Northwestern Michigan for a week's worth of relaxing, boating, boozing, fishing and campfires under the stars while staying in a cottage on the lake.</div>
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My Aussie husband has been to Michigan in the summer only twice and witnessed fireflies for the first time during his visit in June 2012. To see the fairy-like insects disappearing and reappearing above the lawn in the early evening was nothing short of magical. He also really enjoyed the tall trees, the green fields and the flora that's so different from the palm trees and tropical flowers he's used to at our home here in Southern Florida. I told him, "If you like this, you ain't seen nothin' yet! We've gotta get you "Up nort'!"</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">SAY WHAT?</span></div>
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"Up nort" is a colloquialism for "going up North" as in Upper Michigan (the U.P. or Upper Peninsula) or Northern Michigan and even Northern Wisconsin. When you say to someone in Michigan that you are going "up nort" it could be anywhere as long as it's north of the Detroit suburbs!</div>
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So, we scratched our plans to go to New Orleans this summer to offer him a <a href="http://www.michigan.org/">PURE MICHIGAN</a> experience. My cousins were flattered and I was thrilled and after frantically searching for a cottage SIX MONTHS BEFORE AUGUST, my cousin finally found a place to rent on Lake Walloon. Up nort is SO POPULAR, that <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/17/travel/escapes/17away.html?_r=0">even Mario Batali vacations there every year at his home in Grand Traverse Bay, Michigan.</a> Apparently, Mario also finds this part of Michigan to be spectacular for food, recreation and relaxation! </div>
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I flew in from Miami the day before our trip and my husband was flying in that night. So, Cousin Frank and I went to Costco to get some supplies for our first dinner and breakfast at the cottage. I think it's always wise to get a few groceries from home so you don't have to scramble to find a store upon arrival and can just chill and enjoy the first day!</div>
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These Sheboygan brats were DELICIOUS and made with Wisconsin-brewed Leinenkugel Red Lager. We grilled them on charcoal and then popped them on thick, grilled rolls. They were awesome, juicy and very "more-ish," an appropriate first meal for our little cottage on the lake. I wish I could get them at the local Costco!</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-E4ErJzwaoqo/Uh1EH2d4viI/AAAAAAAAE8g/w_m07EPcadc/s1600/Booze.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-E4ErJzwaoqo/Uh1EH2d4viI/AAAAAAAAE8g/w_m07EPcadc/s640/Booze.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Here are the VERY IMPORTANT supplies we brought to the cottage for the week. Because one never knows when there might be an emergency, <i>like running out!</i></span></div>
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When I was out shopping the next day at Meijer grocery store (of all places!) I found that the produce wasn't so bad and they actually offered some local farm produce in the behemoth store. But naturally to La Diva, shopping at Meijer is NOT nearly as pleasant as shopping at a the neighborhood farmer's market, so I asked a local man where to shop for farm produce.</div>
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His wife heard me from a few feet away, walked over and suggested I try the <a href="http://www.visitharborspringsmichigan.com/category/farm_markets__local_foods">Wednesday Farmer's Market in Harbor Springs,</a> just north of Petoskey. I made plans to spend the morning there with my cousin Heather and Uncle Dennis on Wednesday morning.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ASuR3w2OfeE/UiI2hhQ25BI/AAAAAAAAE8w/B7sr53fZfC0/s1600/Petoskey+home.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ASuR3w2OfeE/UiI2hhQ25BI/AAAAAAAAE8w/B7sr53fZfC0/s640/Petoskey+home.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">A beautiful home in Harbor Springs, Michigan. I imagine with the harsh Michigan winters and Lake Michigan winds, this home takes a beating and it must cost a pretty penny to keep it this pristine.</span></div>
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We drove up to Harbor Springs through Petoskey and just marveled at the homes! Who knew there was <i>so much money</i> "up nort'?" It was certainly not the "up north" of cheaply made cottages and trailers that I grew up with, that's for sure. (and to be honest, that made me kind of sad...)<br />
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I'm so glad I went to this market! It was only about a small block long and was very charming, with well presented tables of home made and locally produced goods, poultry and meats. Unfortunately, we arrived at the market about 30 minutes before closing, so I didn't have time to take photos of all the wonderful vendors I met that day.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7Ub9r2LjlCo/Uh0ps9hcXOI/AAAAAAAAE6o/KmKkndcxpLM/s1600/lobster+mushrooms.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7Ub9r2LjlCo/Uh0ps9hcXOI/AAAAAAAAE6o/KmKkndcxpLM/s640/lobster+mushrooms.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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These crazy large red "lobster" mushrooms are from the <a href="http://www.michiganmushroommarket.com/">Michigan Mushroom Market</a> and all are harvested WILD! Morels grow all over the place up here too! I picked up some chanterelles for dinner.<br />
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Honestly, everything looked so good, I wanted to buy it all....but alas, we had only one more dinner at the cottage so I couldn't go too crazy.<br />
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Wild leek fruits are supposed to taste like mild onions. I restrained myself and walked away without purchasing.<br />
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Also for sale were wild blueberries! Compared to commercial blueberries, they are tiny and super sweet and $10 was a bargain for a whole quart! I just imagined all the painstaking work for the person that picked all of them.</div>
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I found a local chicken farm that had freshly slaughtered, er, "processed" as they told me, chickens. I bought a whole one and some legs for the barbecue later.</div>
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I walked further through the market and found a farmer that made his own sausages! I got the local bratwurst and some Polish sausage. The vendor, looking grizzled and tan with a fully lined face and sporting a tractor cap, looked like a typical Midwestern farmer and I enjoyed talking to him. He suggested that I boil the sausages in beer before grilling them, which I did! </div>
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When I got back to our lakeside cottage with my farm treasure, Frank looked at all the meat and said, "Are we cooking ALL of this?!" </div>
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"YES!" I said.<br />
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He just beamed with happiness. My cousin Frank is a big, hockey playing lad of Polish descent. Along with my Big Bear Husband, they were two big guys enjoying big grilled dinners = HEAVEN!</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ghvlll18ZGs/Uh0wRXZg3WI/AAAAAAAAE7I/CD1QY-2MJ_s/s1600/Brick+chicken.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ghvlll18ZGs/Uh0wRXZg3WI/AAAAAAAAE7I/CD1QY-2MJ_s/s1600/Brick+chicken.jpg" /></a></div>
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But I had a problem. How does one cut up a chicken for the bbq when you are renting a cottage and all the knives are dull? It would take forever and a few bags of charcoal to grill it whole. So, I came up with the idea to make brick chicken. Husband managed to cut the breast bone and flatten the chook and I had him get a few flat rocks from the lake. He covered them with foil and we used them to weigh the chicken down. It cooked in no time and was absolutely delicious, so moist and flavorful! Fresher chicken and sausage I've never tasted! Everyone really enjoyed the meat-fest and there were hardly any leftovers!</div>
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On our last day at Walloon Lake, Frank drove us to Petoskey to return the bikes we had rented and I asked him to stop at this lovely farmer's market on the crest of the road as I knew we would not be driving this way again.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-q7TzOA37pag/Uh0z_1seZoI/AAAAAAAAE7w/8ObYR09vw_Q/s1600/Coveyou+Scenic+Farm+Market.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-q7TzOA37pag/Uh0z_1seZoI/AAAAAAAAE7w/8ObYR09vw_Q/s640/Coveyou+Scenic+Farm+Market.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The Coveyou Scenic Farm Market has been owned by the same family for more than 136 years! Very cool! You can go to their website by clicking <a href="http://coveyouscenicfarm.com/our-story/">HERE.</a> It certainly lived up to its name!<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DgNQg39bLCc/Uh0o7vUauDI/AAAAAAAAE6c/3yAHmqWfIiU/s1600/Scenic+Farmers+Market.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DgNQg39bLCc/Uh0o7vUauDI/AAAAAAAAE6c/3yAHmqWfIiU/s640/Scenic+Farmers+Market.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The market and barn looked so inviting from the road! Now THIS is a true farmers market, right at the farm itself!<br />
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This is the stunning view from inside the barn market. Absolutely charming!</div>
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This is the view of the door of the barn from the back of the store. The open slats gave the barn more light and airiness, which added to my farm shopping experience. (Beats shopping at Meijer Thrifty Acres any day!)</div>
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It was great to see summertime produce again as our Southern Florida season was well and truly over since May. And $1.50 for a gorgeous plum-colored eggplant? Unheard of!</div>
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But alas, we were leaving the next day and I already had produce to cook from the farmers market from the other day. So, instead, I bought honey and preserves to take back home!</div>
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The honey was pure wildflower honey from Bud's Bees on Bear Road in Petoskey. Apparently it was harvested the day before. I also purchased a few cutie pie jars of <a href="http://weebeejammin.myshopify.com/">Wee Bee Jammin'</a> Cherry Bomb jam and Toe Jam for my cousin! They are an artisanal premium fruit jam company produced locally! (Click on the link to order online!)</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zYbyjYNoJUk/Uh0yyj5dEEI/AAAAAAAAE7k/raeSJJ1VGgk/s1600/Garlic+drying.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zYbyjYNoJUk/Uh0yyj5dEEI/AAAAAAAAE7k/raeSJJ1VGgk/s640/Garlic+drying.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Bunches of garlic are hung to dry at the rear of the barn.</div>
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La Diva gets VERY HAPPY when I'm able to find wild local honey and quality preserves! Now, to just figure out how to pack them all without pushing my luggage over 50 pounds! (It wasn't easy, believe me!)</div>
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My family and I had such a wonderful time together "up nort'" that we've decided to do the trip biennially! Breathing clean air, enjoying fresh lake water, sitting around the campfire, drinking Honey Bear cocktails and laughing with family while watching shooting stars.....well, it doesn't get much better than that!</div>
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Ciao for now, darlings, and DO TELL me where YOU holidayed this summer!LaDivaCucinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06000430029590301972noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-144661459282727040.post-87877965104613998292013-08-15T13:59:00.000-04:002013-08-17T09:40:31.520-04:00The ELUSIVE, Flaky, Tasty Cherry Pie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Darlings! I've just come back from the most glorious vacation spent in my home state of Michigan. For one week, I stayed in a cabin on Walloon Lake in the Northeast corner of the state with my husband and cousins, enjoying the fresh lake water and clean air, campfires under the myriad stars and each other's company....without television. It was enchanting.</div>
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The food in that part of the country is incredible. The produce is outstanding. And with it being early August, cherry season was in full swing and I had let everyone know that the ONLY THING I WANTED on this trip was a good old fashioned, flaky, cherry pie from<a href="http://www.cherryfestival.org/"> Traverse City, the tart cherry capital of the world.</a> Shouldn't be too hard, right?</div>
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On our first day traveling up to Walloon Lake, I had noticed cherry stands everywhere, selling "washed" cherries for $7 a quart. We stopped at one and I spoke to the salesgirl about the cherries, asking where was the best place was to get a pie. </div>
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She said, "Well, usually, I sell my own cherry pies, and they're pretty good, but I'm getting married next week and have been too busy to bake them. I won't be here the next few days." After telling her how rude and inconsiderate it was of her to go and get married and to stop making pies, I laughingly got into the car with the sweet cherries and immediately began to delight in their decadent, dark flesh, spitting the pits out the window along the way.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">The 16 oz. char-grilled prime rib at <a href="http://www.modesbumsteer.com/about.html">Mode's Bum Steer,</a> LEGENDARY steakhouse and voted Michigan's #1 Restaurant.</span></div>
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The next day, we had all piled into the car for a day trip to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park and I found we had to pass through Traverse City to get there. We stopped at the legendary Mode's Bum Steer for lunch and after a mammoth meal, took a walk through downtown Traverse City to find me some cherry pie!</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">You know you're in Michigan when Polish sausages, bacon subs, barbecue pulled pork and burgers are considered "light" fare. I had the prime rib French Dip and it was AWESOME!</span></div>
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I'd heard A LOT about the Grand Traverse Pie company. </div>
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"Their pies are the best!"</div>
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I hadn't been to Traverse City for a good 15 years and I was longing to dig into a flaky, delicious and tart cherry pie from some rustic bakery or roadside stand. But, everyone told me "how good" the pies were at the Grand Traverse Pie company. And as luck would have it, there was a store only blocks from the restaurant on the main street. We slowly made our way down, looking in the shops and buying souvenirs.</div>
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Lo and behold, thar it was! MY PIE! I looked at the pies and pastries in the case, all of them looked over-the-top delicious! The pie looked home made too with a rustic crust heart baked on the top. The place was packed, people eating in the cafe and buying baked goods. Finally, I ordered my pie and paid a hefty $16 for it.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Vr5JfoIYfr4/Ug0GIIVl-7I/AAAAAAAAE48/KTnk3rHGlT8/s1600/pie+box+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="554" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Vr5JfoIYfr4/Ug0GIIVl-7I/AAAAAAAAE48/KTnk3rHGlT8/s640/pie+box+1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The pie box was a fabulous retro design, perfect for my retro cherry pie experience. I couldn't wait to dig in!</div>
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That night after dinner, I cut into the pie and found I had a hard time getting the first piece out. The crust on the bottom was quite tough.</div>
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Uh oh.</div>
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I took my first glorious bite of the pie. </div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">AND IT SUCKED.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jL1wmf2x9W0/Ug0F26QhRHI/AAAAAAAAE4s/Wt7tZwP-wvs/s1600/disgusting+cherry+pie+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jL1wmf2x9W0/Ug0F26QhRHI/AAAAAAAAE4s/Wt7tZwP-wvs/s640/disgusting+cherry+pie+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Does THIS look like good cherry pie to you? Me neither. </div>
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It was</div>
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sour</div>
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gummy</div>
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tough</div>
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dry</div>
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and just downright NOT GOOD.</div>
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I had just paid a whopping $16 for this pie, this highly touted pie and it <i>just didn't taste good.</i></div>
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I couldn't believe it! After all the hype, this pie was not only not good, it was downright awful. I was ticked off.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NKQuo-PR1wU/Ug0GPeNDruI/AAAAAAAAE5E/T24B9HyvSpM/s1600/back+of+pie+box.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="628" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NKQuo-PR1wU/Ug0GPeNDruI/AAAAAAAAE5E/T24B9HyvSpM/s640/back+of+pie+box.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Here's the back of the pie box. The company is using all sorts of great, local ingredients, so what gives?</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-r9C_tsFJH6s/Ug0F8LPBDvI/AAAAAAAAE44/Nf86KLCYaR4/s1600/0807cover-cherry-pie-l.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-r9C_tsFJH6s/Ug0F8LPBDvI/AAAAAAAAE44/Nf86KLCYaR4/s640/0807cover-cherry-pie-l.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Photo courtesy of Cooking Light</div>
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Now THIS is what a good cherry pie should look like! I want to see red cherries OOZING out of the crust. To me, they simply did not put enough fruit in nor did they use enough sugar. </div>
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Now I had a bee in my bonnet! I came all this way and can't even get a good cherry pie at the famed Grand Traverse Pie company? I was damned well determined to get me some good cherry pie on this trip, even if it killed me.</div>
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So, when I headed into the village grocery store at Walloon Lake, I noticed they had berry pies on the counter. I bought a blueberry pie for $12. It better be good, Diva was losing patience.</div>
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I cut the first piece of blueberry pie. It looked full of fruit and the crust was flaky. I took my first bite.....HEAVEN!!!!! The pie's crust was flaky and light, not soggy, the fruit sweet and the right texture, they certainly didn't scrimp on the blueberries! The local shop was doing a GREAT JOB of making a good old fashioned pie! YIPPEE! Perhaps tomorrow they'd have a cherry one for me?</div>
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So, the next day, I went into the shop and told the clerk how much I'd enjoyed their pie! He said to me, "Can I tell you a secret?" "Sure,", I said.</div>
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Clerk: "We don't make the pies."</div>
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Diva: "You don't? Well, a local baker does?"</div>
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Clerk: "Nope. They are made by Chef Pierre."</div>
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Diva: "So, he's a local chef that makes them?"</div>
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Clerk: "Nope. We get them frozen from GFS*!"</div>
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Diva: "WHAT?! You've shattered my dreams! You've broken my heart! How COULD YOU?!"</div>
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Clerk, non-plussed: "Funny thing is, every time I tell that to a customer, they never buy another pie."</div>
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Diva: "Then stop telling your customers!" </div>
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I left the store in a huff and was completely disappointed and flabbergasted. I got into the car and told my cousins and husband about the pie debacle. They all laughed. My cousin said, "Well, it's good to know that I can get that pie back home and you can get that same pie down in Florida too!"</div>
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Diva wasn't laughing.</div>
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*GFS = Gordon Food Services is a huge, national restaurant supplier and food retailer.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_RSZSYMeYIc/Ug0GZOmHkbI/AAAAAAAAE5M/4xh-LoEs_Os/s1600/picQIR83C.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="462" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_RSZSYMeYIc/Ug0GZOmHkbI/AAAAAAAAE5M/4xh-LoEs_Os/s640/picQIR83C.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Photo courtesy of Food.com</div>
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Compare the two and tell me what you'd rather eat....</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qGeRvNTsFUw/Ug0GiavijBI/AAAAAAAAE5U/02qfDX62JM0/s1600/disgusting+cherry+pie+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qGeRvNTsFUw/Ug0GiavijBI/AAAAAAAAE5U/02qfDX62JM0/s640/disgusting+cherry+pie+1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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We threw the rest away. I've never thrown away half a pie before. </div>
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In spite of all of this, I STILL haven't quenched my desire for a lovely, flaky cherry pie! So, this weekend I'll be heading to Publix...either for cherries or for their delicious fruit pies, which are $9.99.</div>
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This was the only bad food I'd had during my travels, so make sure you come by for my next post that will highlight ALL the fabulous produce and food from the region! Ciao for now, darlings!</div>
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LaDivaCucinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06000430029590301972noreply@blogger.com7