A Bite To Eat

Pear Perfect

It was my big sister who first introduced me to
Royal Riviera Pears, the juciest, tastiest comice pears on the planet.
Every Christmas, she sends us a box of them
and we devour them, one by one
as they ripen.

Most of them are simply cut in half
place in a bowl
(to preserve every drop of scrumptiousness
as well as to avoid soaking a sleeve
if not an entire sweater or blouse
with pear juice)
and eaten with a spoon.

One or two of these precious fruits will be saved
and baked into a fablously simple
gloriously comforting (if decadent) clafoutis--minus the cherries.

Not that i don't like cherries
i do
i just never have any around at the same time.

i assume the dish is delicious when using other pears, too
such as an Anjou
since that's what Martha uses
All i can testify to
is that it is pure heaven with a Comice from the
orchards of Oregon.

The following recipe was lifted from Martha
with the addition of a dusting of cinnamon over the top after
the custard comes out of the oven.
i have fallen in love with Chinese and Vietnamese cinnamons
but the "regular" stuff will be very tasty, too.

If you don't devour it all tonight
it will be just as lovely tomorrow morning, with a cup of tea.

Pear Clafoutis
adapted from a recipe that appeared Martha Stewart Living

Guide to measurements: BLACK Cups/sticks, BLUE metric
i sincerely hope my conversions are accurate
but i have the least trustworthy brain when it comes to
dividing and fractions, etc...so perhaps you should double check
this is the chart i used

Unsalted butter, for baking dish
1/4 cup 1.25 ounces all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 large comice pear, peeled, halved lengthwise, and cored
3/4 cup  6 ounces whole milk
3/4 cup  6 ounces heavy cream
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup 1.25 ounces granualted sugar
Pinch of salt

    Preheat oven to 400 degrees F/204 Centigrade.
Butter a 10-inch ceramic tart dish or 9 1/2-inch pie plate.
Dust with flour, and tap out excess; set aside.

Cut pear lengthwise into 1/8-inch-thick slices; fan over bottom of prepared dish.

Blend milk, cream, eggs, vanilla, sugar, flour, and salt in a blender until smooth, about 1 minute.
Pour batter over pear.

Bake until golden and set, about 25 minutes.
Let stand 15 minutes.

Dust with cinnamon (Chinese or Vietnamese are my favorites)

Cut into wedges and serve.

Yummy Comfort

i'm not sure why i was afraid of kale for so long. Maybe (but i'm not sure) when i first tried it, i made the mistake of cooking ornamental kale--those gorgeous heads that Bowlspringgreenappear every autumn. Those leaves are pretty to look at, but are so tough that they never become anything tasty. If you've made that same mistake, then you are in for a real treat.

When an assortment of kales have turned up at our local farmers markets i decided it was time to confront my negative history and try a recipe that has been going around the 'net. While they may not be as pretty as their ornamental cousins, or rainbow chard edible kales are comfortably tender and delicious. And, here is the best part: they are very, very good for us. Kale is part of the cabbage family--and packed with health-promoting compounds. It has the greatest antioxidant capacity of all fruits and vegetables. (sorry, Popeye) It’s an excellent source of vitamins K, A and C, as well as manganese, and a very good source of dietary fiber, calcium, iron and potassium.

Armed with this info, i brought some home and tried a recipe that has gotten a lot of attention since it comes from The Zuni Cafe Cookbook by Judy Rogers. This version comes from Molly Wizenberg, whose writing inspired me to give kale another chance.

Try it...especially on some chilly evening. You'll like it. And make sure you consume all of the lovely "pot liquor"...because that's where the vitamins go when we boil kale.

Kale with Egg & Toast

About 8 ounces kale
5 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
A pinch of dried red pepper flakes
2 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
3 to 4 cups mild chicken stock, or water, or a combination of the two

To serve:
Thick slices of country bread
Eggs
Olive oil
Bacon, torn into bite-sized bits (optional)
Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano

First, prepare the kale: trim away any discolored spots, and then remove and discard any thick and woody ribs and stems. Stack a few leaves at a time; then slice them into ¼-inch-thick ribbons. Dump the sliced kale into a salad spinner, and add plenty of cold water. Swish the kale around to free any trapped dirt. Let stand for a minute or two – this lets the dirt fall to the bottom – and then lift the basket from the spinner. Pour out the dirty water. Replace the basket, add fresh water, and repeat. Spin dry. If you don't have a salad spinner see below for an easy alternative*

In a large (4-quart) saucepan, warm the oil over medium-low heat. Add the onions, and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are translucent but still firm. Add the red pepper flakes and garlic and the kale, and stir until the kale is fully wilted. Add stock to cover by about ½ inch. Bring to a simmer. Cover, and continue to simmer until the kale is tender but not mushy, about 30 minutes. Taste, and salt as needed. This dish needs quite a bit of salt, so don’t be shy.

To serve, toast one slice of bread per person. While still hot, lightly rub both sides of the toast with raw garlic. Place the toast in the bottom of a wide soup bowl. Now, fry some eggs – one per person, probably – in olive oil. Pile some kale onto the toast in each bowl, drizzle with a little bit of olive oil, and top with a fried egg. Strew with bacon, if you want. Grate some cheese over the whole thing, and serve.

*Don't own a salad spinner? Me neither. It's really important to remove excess water from the leaves. Here's how to do it the "low-tech" way: Wrap the leaves loosely in a lint-free towel, lengthwise. Gather both ends of the towel in one hand. Go outside. While gripping tightly, spin the towel in a large circle (by your side or above your head)--like a cowboy does a lasso. You will see and feel the water droplets flying away.

Keeping It Cool

I love pasta.
But I hate turning on the stove during a heat wave.
However, I feel that I can finally share this secret: I never, ever cook it in a huge pot of water, as instructed by the package directions and famous Italian cooks. I've always considered it a huge waste of good water I must pay for-- either from the tap or from a bottle. And, I'm impatient. I hate waiting for 6 quarts of water to come to a boil. That's why, for many, many years, I've been cooking spaghetti, linguine, elbows, bow ties--you name the shape--in no more than 2 quarts of water. As far as I am concerned, the pasta comes out just fine. Delicious, in fact. It may not be your Italian grandmother's  perfect noodle, but for me and my house--and a well respected food science guy**-- it works. (See link to article, below)

And right now, with one heat wave following another, I continue to enjoy my pasta.

I cook up to half a pound in a 3 quart saucepan with a tight fitting lid--and here's the very important other half of the secret: During the summer months, I turn the heat way down low, cover the pot with a lid, and let it simmer. This way, I can make  pasta salads--or this fabulous tomato dish--without steaming up the whole house. During the height of tomato season, I can toss together--in less than half an hour--this fabulous, no-cook (well, almost no-cook) fresh tomato "sauce". I should also add that I use Barilla brand pasta, because it is so forgiving. It does not easily over cook and won't turn mushy if I need/want to reheat it the day after.

When tomatoes are at their best--late July through September (hopefully), all that's needed is a touch of salt, some minced herbs, and a bit of cheese combined with some of the pasta water leftover from cooking your favorite noodles. And...just to heighten the joy, I toss in some cubed avocado when I can get them on sale. This "sauce" is wonderful over  linguine, thin spaghetti, or the cute little ribbed tubes called "Pipettes" (photo, above).  

Almost-No-Cook Fresh Tomato Sauce

While the pasta is cooking, prep the tomatoes, herbs and cheese, but don't begin warming the garlic until the pasta has finished cooking or there are just 2-3 minutes left on the timer. And save the pasta cooking water. It's a very yummy, important ingredient.

• 1 medium to large tomato per person, or a larger handful of cherry tomatoes per person
• 1 small garlic clove for every 1-2 tomatoes (or to your taste)
• 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil
• Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste
• Splash of red wine vinegar*
• 1-2 soup ladles of pasta cooking water
• Your favorite fresh herbs: basil, parsley, tarragon, dill--these are my favorites and I often used a combination.
• 4 ounces of fresh mozzarella per person, cut or torn into bite-size chunks
• Grated Parmesan
• When they are on sale, and ripe, add some cubed avocado.

When the pasta has just 2-3 minutes left to cook:

Chop tomatoes into chunks/cut cherry tomatoes in half.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over low heat. Peel the garlic cloves and press through a garlic press or mince very fine and add to the warm oil. Bring to a very gentle sizzle for about 30 seconds to 1 minute--do not let it over cook. Add the tomatoes and remove from the burner immediately. You do not want to cook the tomatoes--just warm them through. Add salt & pepper, herbs, mozzarella, and red wine vinegar.

Now, toss gently.

When the pasta has finished cooking, drain over a bowl so as to save the cooking water. This lovely liquid is an essential ingredient to the sauce. Add 2 ladles of it to the tomato mixture. Toss gently and then give it a taste. Tweak, as your palate dictates, with a bit more vinegar, herbs, salt & pepper, or pasta water.

Ladle the sauce over the cooked pasta and serve with some grated Parmesan.


*A nice red wine vinegar is a beautiful thing...but, have you noticed that the rampant popularity of balsamic vinegar has all but pushed good red wine vinegars off the market shelves?  As much as I enjoy balsamic vinegar, I don't always want the added sweetness, and prefer a quality red wine vinegar for this dish. Carapelli is my favorite supermarket brand, and Colavita is good, too.

**I was delighted when Harold McGee, the noted food science writer, validated this method for cooking pasta in his February 24, 2009 column for the NYTimes.

She Is Top o' The Heap when it comes to food writers

When I decided i wanted to learn to cook something other than meat loaf and mashed potatoes, i happened across Laurie Colwin's columns in Gourmet magazine. Here was someone "real" writing passionately and humorously about food and life. i immediately went to the library and scoured past issues of the magazine for all of her previous columns.

i loved her column because it was like reading the letter from a best friend who knows how to satisfy a person's hunger. i wanted to be in the kitchen with her. Just being herself in words, she captured my imagination, made me laugh, taught me what cooking and eating was all about. i am not over stating things when i say that finding Laurie changed my life.

Laurie left far too soon. And those of us who devoured her columns treasure our copies of her two cookbooks. Michelle Auerbach Brode says it better than i can:

"Everyone I know and everyone who reviews Laurie Colwin's food books says the same two things. The first is that her books live on our bedside tables. The second is that we read her over and over, especially when depressed. What does this say about Laurie Colwin? That she is one of the best friends I have ever met in a book. She makes life feel appealing, warm, intimate, real, and brave. And that is just her food writing, not even her novels.

She is the friend who at a party hears that there is good food description in Anna Karenina. She borrows it from the host of the party, gets in a cab, leaves the party and goes home to read it. How could you not want this woman on your nightstand. She is so human. I would want her number programmed into my phone.

I have always thought that question "If you could invite three literary figures to dinner..." was silly. I really wish I could invite Laurie Colwin to dinner. I miss her. I think about her. She takes up a big space in the part of my brain that stores examples of how to live."

You can read the rest of her essay at The New Homemaker

Laurie's tomato pie is one of my all time favorite recipes came from her book, More Home Cooking.
i make her tomato pie at least six or eight times every summer. Laurie wrote all of her recipes in narrative form...so that's how i present it here (and a translated version following). Yes, it's absolutely worth it to turn on the oven in the middle of August for this scrumptious pie.   

TOMATO PIE from Laurie Colwin

I have never yet encountered tomatoes in any form unloved by me. Often at night I find myself ruminating about two previously mysterious tomato dishes, which I was brazen enough to get the recipes for. One is Tomato Pie and is a staple of a tea shop call Chaiwalla, owned by Mary O'Brien, in Salisbury, Connecticut. According to Mary, the original recipe was found in a cookbook put out by the nearby Hotchkiss School, but she has changed it sufficiently to claim it as her own. The pie has a double biscuit-dough crust, made by blending 2 cups flour, 1 stick butter, 4 teaspoons baking powder, and approximately 3/4 cup milk, either by hand or in a food processor. You roll out half the dough on a floured surface and line a 9-inch pie plate with it. Then you add the tomatoes. Mary makes this pie year round and uses first-quality canned tomatoes, but at this time of year 2 pounds peeled fresh tomatoes are fine, too. Drain well and slice thin two 28-ounce can plum tomatoes, then lay the slices over the crust and scatter them with chopped basil, chives, or scallions, depending on their availability and your mood. Grate 1-1/2 cups sharp Cheddar and sprinkle 1 cup of it on top of the tomatoes. Then over this drizzle 1/3 cup mayonnaise that has been thinned with 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and top everything with the rest of the grated Cheddar. Roll out the remaining dough, fit it over the filling, and pinch the edges of the dough together to seal them. Cut several steam vents in the top crust and bake the pie at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes. The secret of this pie, according to Mary, is to reheat it before serving, which among other things ensures that the cheese is soft and gooey. She usually bakes it early in the morning , then reheats it in the evening in a 350 degree oven until it is hot.

It is hard to describe how delicious this is, especially on a hot day with a glass of magnificent iced tea in a beautiful setting, but it would doubtless be just as scrumptious on a cold day in your warm kitchen with a cup of coffee."

After making Laurie's pie a dozen or more times, i wrote it up in typical cookbook fashion (with a couple of my notes/additions) to pass along to friends. i eat this as soon as it has cooled off enough to slice...and i like it even at room temperature a couple of hours later when i'm feeling a bit peckish again.


Crust:
2 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
Approximately 2/3 cup milk (less if it's a very humid day)

Filling:
1/3 cup Hellmann's mayonnaise
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 pounds fresh tomatoes
3-4 tablespoons chopped basil, chives or scallions or a mixture of all 4
1 1/2 cups grated sharp Cheddar cheese

In a bowl mix flour and baking powder together. Cut butter into flour with a pastry blender until it resembles coarse oatmeal. Stir in milk a little at a time until dough forms a ball. Knead gently only until dough is completely blended. Roll out half the dough on a floured surface and line a 9-inch pie plate with it.

In a small bowl, mix mayonnaise with lemon juice. Blanch the tomatoes in a large pot of boiling water for 20-30 seconds and transfer immediately to a sink full of cool water. Peel and slice very thin. Cover
the bottom of the crust with two layers of tomato slices. Sprinkle 1/3 of the herbs across tomatoes. Add another layer of tomato slices, sprinkle with 1/3 of the herbs and 1/2 the grated Cheddar. Drizzle with 1/2 of the mayonnaise mixture. Layer the rest of the tomato slices on top and scatter remaining herbs over the last layer. Top with remaining Cheddar and mayonnaise mixture.

Roll out the remaining dough, fit it over the filling, pinch the edges of the dough together to seal them. Cut several steam holes in the top crust and bake the pie at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes, or until crust is golden and filling is just bubbling.

Comfort on a Cold Winter's Night

This is a recipe i turn to when i am in need of comfort and have an hour to make dinner. It is absolutely scrumptious and comes from one of my favorite cooks, Michael Romano and his Union Square Cafe Cookbook. This combines the richness of long-cooked onions, the brightness of lemons and full-flavored chicken. (Please use organic or free-range chicken...not only does it taste better, it's more humane. Check out the links* to learn more)

Mama Romano's Lemon Chicken

3 1/2 pound Murray's* chicken  ( or similar) cut into 10pieces
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
flour for dredging
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cups thinly sliced onions
1 1/2  tablespoon thinly sliced garlic
8 fresh thyme sprigs (unearth it from the snow, if necessary...it's still flavorful)
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
2 lemons

Preheat oven to 400 degrees
dredge chicken in flour

In a wide, oven proof skillet or Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil and fry the chicken to a rich golden brown transfer to a plate and reserve.

Add remaining oil and cook the onions and garlic cook over moderate heat for 25 minutes until very soft and lightly browned. Remove from heat. [i don't cook them this long--i take them off the heat after 5-6 miutes]

Spread the thyme over onions, arrange chicken over onions and add the stock.

Cut 1 lemon into 10 slices, remove seeds, place 1 slice on each piece of chicken. Squeeze the other lemon over the chicken, return to heat and bring the stock to a simmer. Cover and place in the oven.

After 15 minutes, baste. Continue cooking, uncovered for an additional 35-40 minutes, basting every 10 minutes. When done, the chicken and lemon slices will be nicely browned let rest 5 minutes before serving.

*Murray's doesn't like to call their chickens "organic" or "free range"...they prefer the term "Certified Humane" because it is stricter and has not been politically morphed into doubtful "legal" definitions. How sad that we now have to doubt products labeled "organic." *Sigh*

Corn On and Off the Cob

If forced to
i could give up my microwave oven without too much of a fight
except in late July and August
in other words
when the worst heat and humidity envelope us
and fresh corn appears at every farm stand and farmer's market.
i believe everyone must know by now
that the absolute best way to cook corn on the cob
is in the microwave
1-2 minutes and you're eating perfectly cooked corn
without filling the house with clouds of steam from
a pot full of boiling water.

Sweet corn is
in my opinion
one of Mother Nature's most appreciated apologies
for all of the storms, floods, droughts and other
lousy weather heaped upon us thru the year.

But i enjoy corn off the cob almost as much
particularly when it is fried up in delectable little fritters for breakfast.

This recipe (adapted just slightly from one found in Martha Stewart Living Magazine)
is super simple and quick. Make it a couple of times
and you'll know it by heart
and will be eating it nearly every Sunday morning through corn season.

The only slightly “tricky” part is removing the corn kernels from the cob.
My preferred method for doing this:
spread a clean tea towel on the counter
hold a shucked ear of corn upright with the large end of the corn cob
resting on the towel while i slice off the kernels with a strong, sharp knife.
The towel keeps the cob from slipping dangerously
and keeps most of the kernels from bouncing all over the kitchen.
No, i've never tried any special tools invented for this purpose
(my kitchen drawers are plenty full already, thank you very much)
Yes, i've tried cutting the ears inside a large bowl (as Martha suggested)
but find it next to impossible to use a good sized knife
inside even my largest mixing bowl.

Corn Fritters
This recipe makes twelve to fourteen 2-inch fritters. A perfect breakfast for 2 adults.

Kernels from 3 ears of corn
2 large eggs, separated
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon sugar (i omit this)
Corn oil for cooking

Place the corn kernels in a mixing bowl. Add one egg yolk (reserve one yolk for another use—such as scrambled eggs or an omelet for supper or tomorrow's breakfast...no, i'm not afraid of fat) flour, salt and pepper. Stir to combine.

In a clean, medium-size mixing bowl, whisk both egg whites until stiff but not dry. Fold into the corn mixture.

Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large frying pan.

Drop spoonfuls of batter—about 2 inches in diameter—into the oil, spaced a few inches apart. Cook until golden, 1-2 minutes. Turn and cook the other side until golden. Remove and drain on a paper towel--or a clean, old flour sack towel or cheese cloth. (i haven't yet figured out which is more environmentally sound: using fewer paper towels for draining cooked foods, or laundering fewer kitchen towels...what do you think?)

Serve immediately. i like these with several large slices of tomato on the side.

Possibly the best thing about Summer...

...in my opinion
has to be the fresh berries we get to eat.

The the local farm stands have been featuring local strawberries for a couple of weeks now...and Lucy's post has my mouth watering with her scrumptious photographs and words.

This little fruit pictured here is a so-called Alpine strawberry from my garden a couple of seasons ago. They were tiny but so intensely flavored i planted dozens of plants in order to harvest a bowl full every few days. When i suggested them to a friend for his kitchen garden, he scoffed at the fruits...and i'm afraid he was right. Though they were labeled with the moniker Alpine strawberry and the fruits looked like they were the same, they have never lived up to the flavor of the fruits my plants produced. And sadly...most of my plants succumbed to some sort of fungus...which everyone claims these little wildlings are not supposed to do.

'tis a puzzlement.

Since a strawberry farm is just down the road from me, and since they grow fabulous varieties and i can go pick my own or just stop by to buy a quart they have picked for us, i no longer bother growing enough strawberries to fill my need. i simply wait for the right hour (at least 36 hours after the last significant rain storm...strawberries, being made mostly of water, will be "watered down" in flavor right after a good rain) and show up first thing in the morning before the heat of the sun brings out the bugs who like to dine on me.

the fabulous thing about picking your own is that you are expected to eat your fill as you go. The bad thing is the bugs.

Second to out-of-hand, my favorite way to eat strawberries is my version of strawberry shortcake. When the berries are the ultimate of perfection, i mash several into a juicy paste in a bowl. i do not add any sugar unless the berris are less than perfectly sweet.

For the shortcake, i prefer a freshly homemade, baking powder biscuit to poundcake or sponge. For my Australian and UK friends: you would probably call these biscuits a plain, not-very-sweet version of your scones (your biscuits are what we call cookies).

My standard recipe for the last decade + came from the Silver Palate girl's The New Basics Cookbook (see below). i cut the biscuit in half, top with the mashed berry juice then a large mound of whole or sliced berries. i then do what my dear friend Bruno used to do; i pour in a bit of milk in the bottom of the bowl to soak into the biscuit. Then, of course, i top it all of with whipped cream.

New Basic Biscuits

2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder (important note: Store bought baking powder can lend an unpleasant metallic taste to biscuits and other breads. i learned several years ago, from a radio cooking show, to make my own baking powder using 1 part soda to 2 parts cream of tartar...i've never had the metallic taste since making my own fresh baking powder...click here to read my answer to Juls about storing it, etc)
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold
3/4 cup half and half (i use milk)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F

In a large bowl, toss together the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Cut the butter into small pieces, and cut it into the flour using two knives, a pastry blender, or your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Add the half and half, and stir gently until the mixture forms a mass. Gather it into a ball.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Knead it for about 30 seconds, and then pat it out to form a 3/4-inch-thick rectangle. Using a 2-3/4 inch cookie cutter, cut out 8 circles; use up all the dough. (i will often simply cut the dough into equal squares...though i do enjoy eating the baked to a crisp remnants that result from cutting rounds)

Arrange the biscuits about 1-inch apart on a baking sheet. Bake until puffed and golden, 14 minutes. Transfer the biscuits to a wire rack and allow them to cool.

Baby, It's Cold Outside

You would think that a person who loves to
talk about, write about and draw food stuffs
would post like crazy during the holidays
well
as you noticed
i did not.
Yes, i do love the holidays and all the yummies.
That was the problem
i was a tad busy baking and eating.
i was satiated and then some.
While i'm very happy to report
that i was gifted so much chocolate that i am still nibbling daily on my stash
i confess that once we returned home
i was more than ready to return to basics.
And when the weather finally turned cold
i began craving a dish from childhood:
Stewed Potatoes
also known, in the land of my nativity (the southern most tip of Nevada) as
Cowboy Potatoes.

Yes, real cowboy food
eaten by men and women who are
comfortable in
farmer tans
well-worn hats
jeans that stack just right onto dusty boots and

proud of their
family
new or old pick up
(also known as "rig" or "outfit")
four wheeler
horse
dog
tractor
and jet ski.

The story is that this meal could be cooked in one pot
a Dutch oven
over a camp fire
which my family did on occasion
even though it was only on a picnic in early Autumn
not a cattle drive or hunting trip
and i was the only cowgirl/boy of the family.

i suspect this meal was handed down to us from
great grandparents who were ranchers
or my mother
a very genteel woman who, nonetheless,
knew plenty of cowboys growing up
and taught plenty of them in her classroom.

Everyone i've ever served this to
loved it
though i admit i do not entertain many
fat/carb phobics who would undoubtedly turn pale
and run from the sight of it.
(Dear Vegetarian friends, please disregard the rest of this post)

We did not eat M&C very often while i was growing up
or spaghetti with meatballs.
Stewed Potatoes was our comfort food
and when the Arctic Front arrived last week
i put this on the stove.

Stewed Potatoes for Two

In a large skillet (a Dutch Oven is too big for just 2 servings), fry up several slices of bacon. While the bacon is cooking, peel and slice or dice one medium onion (large if you love onions) then wash and slice 3-4 red potatoes (or other "waxy type", Yukon Golds are fabulous) into 1/8-inch (in other words, not paper thin) slices.

Remove bacon and drain it. If a huge amount of fat has rendered off the bacon, remove some, according to your personal taste/desires/guilt. You want enough left to cook the onions.

Toss the onion into the fat and cook until they begin to turn translucent. Add the potatoes. Crumble up the bacon and add it into the pan; toss to mix. Add water just to cover the potatoes and bring to a simmer. Cover the pot and cook until potatoes are tender, about 8-12 minutes depending on the thickness of the slices. Taste for seasoning (yes, sometimes i have to add a bit of salt). Lastly, the "fancy cook" in me will add several grinds of fresh pepper and a handful of chopped parsley just before serving.

Fats, Carbohydrates and Proteins
In moderation
these are good, comforting things.
Especially when it is 1.4 degrees F in the morning
and tops out at 15 during the sunny afternoon.

Time to put the kettle on

i do not drink coffee
i adore mocha
but hate coffee straight up
plus the big jolt of caffeine
would send my heart into
a dangerous overdrive.

i'm a tea drinker and
and as dull as it may seem
my favorite brew is Earl Grey
but not any ordinary Earl Grey
and sometimes i spike it with
a flower or two
which, dear reader, leads us into a story:

years ago
when i first heard on the radio about
the health benefits of green tea
i searched in vain for one that i might like
from all the usual local outlets
then again
on the radio
i heard about the Harney Family of Master Tea Blenders
who had a Tasting Room
in the beautiful hills in Western Connecticut. [they have recently moved just
over the border into Millerton, NY.]
my sister and i quickly planned an outing
to Harney's in search of a green tea
that we could enjoy and not simply ingest
as something-that-tastes-not-so-great-but-is-good-for-me.

It was a beautiful drive through the autumn landscape
far enough away from the mega-metropolis
but close enough that each of the smallest villages
have a well-stocked deli
and in the case of one very small hamlet
the Harney's tea room where
the staff encouraged us to sample any and all
of their teas.
i was surprised and disappointed to learn
after sampling at least a dozen
that i do not like green tea.
i know, i know
what's wrong with me
do i have no zen a'tall in my soul?
apparently not if it is measured by one's
affinity for green tea.

but the trip was not a total loss
the fabulous discovery of the day
was Harney's "Earl Grey Supreme"

yes, i admit it
with dozens and dozens of teas
arrayed before me in their beautiful shop
paneled in warm, honey-gold wood
and after sipping a variety of brews
i walked away still devoted to my Earl Grey.
but Harney's is no ordinary EG
i've never tasted any that come close to the
marvelous flavor of their brew.
Here is what they say:
"For the connoisseur of Earl Grey tea, we offer Earl Grey Supreme, which uses a higher grade of teas along with the addition of Ceylon Vintage Silver Tips."
to this day, i nearly swoon when i open
a fresh packet of this tea
(i buy it as loose leaves)
the gorgeous aroma of bergamot
both soothes and invigorates
which
by the way
for those of you in the states who
like a certain unnamed, former NYTimes garden columnist who
failed to do her homework
think it is flavored with the wildflower called bergamot and/or monarda
the bergamot used in the tea is the essential oil from
the orange-like citrus, Citrus aurantium sub. bergamia
sometimes referred to as Chinese bitter orange

okay
fast forward several more years with
me spending many happy hours
pouring over the Harney catalog of teas
that comes comes at least 4 times a year.
the gardener and passionate lover of lavender in me
wrestled with the doubting Thomasina side of
my personality each time i read the herb tea
section of the catalog:
"French Super-Blue Lavender: This traditional herbal
has a dark-blue color and intense floral flavor. It is prized by Brigitte, Mike's French wife, so Mike makes sure it is great."

my curiosity was peeked
but i resisted
i had been disappointed more than once
by herbal teas and such (if one must adore chai
i truly am in danger of being too far on this side of zen)

but finally i gave in last year
and when the little black tin arrived
stuffed with fat purple lavender buds
full of perfect essence of lavender
i immediately put the kettle on the stove.

the aroma escaping from the hot, grey-tinged-with-purple liquid
was enough to erase those years of thinking
"surely it will be too floral for my taste"
turns out that drinking lavender pleases
and eases my mind
makes me smile inside and out
just as much as kneeling in the
garden brushing up against the plants.
Mike knows his French lavenders as well
as he does his China blacks and Japanese greens.

FYI: The lavender essence in these buds is so intense
a tiny bit goes a very long way.

now
to the rest of the story:

when i brew a single cup i use a terrific little
brew basket that fits perfectly in my mug or cup
that i bought during my first
visit to Harney's Tea Room.
one day after enjoying a cup of lavender
i forgot to empty the basket
before i came back into the kitchen to brew
my afternoon cup of EG and
in a hurry
without knowing it
i spooned the EG tea leaves into the basket
over the previously brewed lavender buds.
when i poured in the hot water and smelled the
combination of aromas i realized what i had done
and for a fleeting instant considered it a faux pas
a mistake
but the blend of tea, citrus and lavender was delicious
and now i will often
purposely mix the two.

Do visit Harney's web site (be sure to check out their "Art Teas" which are next on
my list of tea sampling have-to's)
and if you can
make the trip to their shop
i guarantee that you will feel as home as i do.

Epilogue:
again, on the radio
i heard Mr. John Harney, the patriarch of the family
extolling the virtues of white tea and commenting
that it may have even greater health benefits than green
and some say more palatable to those of us who do not enjoy
the astringency of green.
i immediately ordered a tin of their Winter White Earl Grey...
i tell you
the golden liquid is gorgeous and
the taste...?
fabulous

Cinnamon Toast (posted originally in The Garden)

This appeared originally over in The Garden:

regarding the Bread & Milk posting:
Jon, as always, i love your story and i laughed and laughed!
(though i'm sorry to say
that i may be provoking another gag response today!)
Laura, Terri and Peruby Thank You for your comments
which bring to mind another meal i'd almost forgotten:
Milk Toast!

---Jon,quick! go to the Steelers web site before
you ralph!!  :^)

in our home it was cinnamon toast
placed in a wide bowl
with hot milk poured over it.
ooohh, i hope i remember this when the
weather turns chilly!