Bee Swarm up for grabs!

Mon, 14 Mar 2011 12:44:20 -0700

Read about our attempt to captures bees on my TUMBLR.
Yeah.

Manchego Cheese, Chorizo and Quince-Paste Toast with Fresh Mint

Tue, 8 Mar 2011 12:35:52 -0800

Doesn't sound very fast. Also sounds serious. Manchego y Chorizo Tapa con Membrillo Does it sound any simpler in Spanish?
Let's just call it good. This crunchy, little toast is the perfect pile of salty, meaty and sweet with a jigger of freshness by way of mint leaves. The most difficult, and okay, a bit spendy, part of this tapa, is the tracking down of the fine, Spanish ingredients--Manchego, Chorizo and Membrillo (quince paste- a spicy, sweet, firm jam that is a traditional accompaniment to cheese-- oh, and if you don't know what a quince is....). A cheese boutique, a Spanish specialty shop or a Fancy Food Mega Store should carry everything needed. If you live where there are no such markets, consider some click-and-spend shopping with La Espanola. (While there, order some cantimpalitos, Spanish cocktail sausages, for your next soiree--they're awesome.)
So, in 60 seconds, you spread a layer of membrillo on a toast or cracker. Arrange a few mint leaves over the membrillo, top with a couple of thin slices of chorizo (I like Espanola's Cantimpal or Fra' Mani's Chorizo) and top with a piece of Manchego. Repeat until you are satisfied.
On another note: If you read this blog, consider checking it out on Tumblr instead. There you can follow me and make comments and do all that fun (?) bloggy stuff. Thanks! Jeanne

chow with the chao’s

Fri, 4 Mar 2011 14:21:12 -0800

The March edition of Bon Appetit Magazine (the one that does not have my name on the masthead even though I was still a Contributing Editor when the issue was created...check out my beautiful cabbage on the Prep School page) features and “Big Easy” food story with recipes for Jambalaya, Gateau de Sirop and Crawfish. This story began as an entertaining story--a photo and recipe montage of shiny, happy people and dinner-party-perfect recipes. What ended up being published is a stark recipe story with a Mardi Gras tie-in. Too bad. While the recipes are easy and comforting, the food was just a small part of this story.

Back in June, I flew to Monroe LA. I was part of the team sent to produce an entertaining pictorial about the charming Anna Beth, AB, and Vince Chao. AB is a writer, interior decorator and photographer. Vince is her Cowboy handyman husband (and he cooks and he plays guitar and sings in a band and has excellent musical taste). They are delightful and the home that they restored is so stylish and fun. But, you won’t see them or the friends they gathered for the shoot. Nope. New Ed in Chief Adam Rappoport doesn’t like entertaining stories-- thinks they are girly. And we all know, girls don’t read cooking magazines.

Luckily, you can get a glimpse of AB and Vince on AB’s Blog. These pics are Brian Fink’s polaroids found in my food styling bag.

The Altadena Underground Farmers’ market

Tue, 25 Jan 2011 14:58:14 -0800

Last weekend, I ventured up to the Altadena Underground Farmers’ Market at the Zane Grey Estate. There, all sorts turned out on the glorious, sunny January Sunday. Men and ladies with long grey hair, red-lentil eating braless chicks, beautiful couples in crumpled clothes with feral angel babies in tow and Pasadena ladies in crisp, cropped pants all ambled about the fading estate.

Curious to see the property, eager to pet one of the resident goats and hoping to find some amazing back-yard yuzu and artisan goat cheese, Martin and I signed the legal release at the entrance and perused the booths set up all over the lawn and asphalt driveway. For sale were leather belts, fabric bags, handmade soaps, honey, prepared foods, jams galore, multiple varieties of granola, home-baked breads and many kinds of baked goods. I didn’t get near any of the baked items. I didn’t want to get too close and have that awkward moment when I decline to purchase the proffered sweet. I got the distinct impression that the cookies etc. were vegan, and while I’ll eat vegan vegetable and grain dishes happily any day, I see butter and eggs as necessary additives to cookies.

We were not big consumers that day. I’m always looking for good, fresh produce to supplement my garden stock, but only big squash were available that day. Maybe in the spring there will be more fruits and vegetables. I love to bake, make my own granola and jams and have bees for honey, so nothing was too threatening to my pocketbook. We did buy some very tasty hand roasted Ethiopia Yirgacheffe coffee from Ross Roast. He roasts green coffee beans in small batches in a stove-top popcorn popper. Very good-- very underground.
Here are pictures from the Market.

Happy New Year!

Tue, 4 Jan 2011 17:04:32 -0800

Hmm. What do we think of greens in a crystal vase? I think I prefer roses, but greens are just about all my garden has on offer at this moment. In Southern California, we have had lots of rain and the only thing flourishing in my yard are tasty chards, lettuces, mustards and arugula.

The arugula looks as if it is on steroids. (Yes, that really is arugula and yes, that’s a genuine 12-inch ruler.)

The Mizuna (below left) and the Red Mustard (below right) are bright and peppery.

Three cups of these or any greens would be tasty as a bed for Caccio e Pepe-- the simple Roman pasta dish of noodles, cheese, oil and pepper (about the only ingredients “flourishing” in my pantry right now...) Perfect for the January budget!

Cooking Demos in Bon Appetit Test Kitchen

Tue, 30 Nov 2010 14:59:54 -0800

Back in September I was asked to do some recipe demos for Bon Appetit. Apparently, Associate Food Editor Janet McCracken was unable to do the job due to minor surgery, so yours truly got tapped. Problem was, I also got asked to do the food styling, and as no culinary producer was hired, that duty fell to me as well. I was working triple time and I had to say “Bon Appetit’s Fast Easy Fresh Quick Dishes for Every Night Cooking presented by Jenn-air” like a hundred times, which, believe me, is not easy. There is a slight air of the corporate shill here, but I can honestly say that I thought the appliances were quite nifty. The refrigerator is roomy and bright, the dishwasher is super quiet and the ovens are great. I keep listening for a big delivery truck to drive up my hill with some “Thank you” appliances, but it’s awfully quiet out there.

The videos demo some really easy and tasty dishes, created by the talented food department at Bon Appetit. They also provide a peek into the super humble, soon to be closed Bon Appetit Los Angeles Test Kitchen--a place where so many delicious recipes were developed and tested for years. It’s an odd airtight, windowless place on the 10th floor of a nondescript office building-- a kitchen where I have laughed and cried, seen dishes triumph and others crash and burn, and most importantly a place where I made some truly amazing friends.

To see more of the videos you can go to my TV tab-

heirloom turkey tale

Tue, 16 Nov 2010 15:35:52 -0800

A couple of years ago I raised a pair of heirloom turkey chicks-- a Bourbon Red and a Spanish Black. The Spanish Black Tom was roasted, the Red still struts and preens in my chicken yard. I’ve taken to calling him MOLE.
Along the way we gave shelter to a Narragansett turkey hen from Ilse and Meeno’s Sky Farm. (The hen, hatching from an egg that was shipped overnight from Amherst, MA, and slipped under a brooding Silkie.) The hen began laying eggs last year--none fertile. This year in March, old Mole garbled and squawked all night long, and come summer, there were fertile turkey eggs in our coop. (I know this as I cracked open an egg with a partly formed chick inside-ugh.) Aside from laying eggs, the turkey hen had no mothering instincts. She was not interested in nesting. Thankfully a golden, fluffy Buff Orpington went broody and sat on a clutch of twelve turkey eggs for over three weeks. Two eggs hatched in August. One chick survived. (See the tiny turkey chick hiding in the Buff’s feathers?)

The photo at the top features the modern heirloom turkey family: Bourbon dad, Narragansett egg donor, Buff surrogate mother and Bourbon-Narragansett blend baby.

May the family that gathers around your Thanksgiving table be heirloom and modern and blended and full of thanks and joy.

Bon Appetit Pie and Tart Bake-off! November 2010

Mon, 8 Nov 2010 12:02:38 -0800

The tender, crumbly Apple Pie with Oat Streusel, didn’t get immortalized in the issue or on the web, neither did crispy-phyllo-crusted, spiced fruit filled Apple-Cherry Tartlets. At least the totally fab
Pumpkin Pie with Pepita Nut, and Ginger Topping made it into a tiny corner of a table-scape. Alas I took no photo to show it in a better light. I am really fond of this topping. I used a similar topping on the Brown Butter Pumpkin Layer Cake I did for a Pumpkin story I wrote for the fall 2010 issue of FINE COOKING. Wish I had a slice of that cake now!

Red Roses and fried green tomatoes

Wed, 27 Oct 2010 16:09:14 -0700

Oh barf! Today Paula Deen was named Grand Marshall for the 2011 Rose Parade. It was front page this morning in the Pasadena Star-News. As I read the article, I kept hoping that someone would complain about Deen being given the honor, and there it was, “She makes me cringe.” Yay, Jonathan Gold! My hero. I mean really, what has this woman accomplished? A Southern “theme” restaurant, a schlocky t.v. show, and crappy books that are most likely ghost written? And don’t even get me started on her swine-flu-inducing endorsed pork products.
Growing up in Pasadena, I walked across the Suicide Bridge to the Rose Parade every year. I even went during my surly, hungover high school years, dutifully carrying a box of doughnuts for my overly cheery Pasadena and Altadena-bred parents. Ah, but now yet another reason to sleep in.

So now for something good from the South-- here is a classic-- Fried Green Tomatoes. I’ll bet that many of you have a tomato plant or two hanging on from summer. It’s time to yank them and get your garden ready for peas, kale, beets, lettuce, radishes etc. I had 3 unripe heirloom beauties from my plants last week and fried them up-- they were delicious.

Fried Green Tomatoes with Green Onion-Sriracha Mayo
3 large green tomatoes, sliced
3 eggs
1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 cup corn meal
Olive oil
Chopped fresh Basil

1/2 cup mayo (I like T.J.’s organic)
1 green onion, sliced
1 tablespoon Sriracha
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1 teaspoon ground cumin

Sprinkle the tomatoes with salt and pepper. Beat the eggs to blend in a pie dish. Mix the flour and cornmeal together with some salt and pepper in another pie dish. Dip the tomatoes into the egg, then into the cornmeal mixture, turning to coat evenly. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the tomatoes in batches until golden brown on both sides, adding more oil to the skillet as necessary.

Mix the mayo with the green onion, Sriracha, garlic and cumin in a small bowl and serve it with the tomatoes.

Green bean salad with Cherry tomatoes and herb bread crumbs

Tue, 12 Oct 2010 11:33:18 -0700

Okay, I know. I have been gone, gone, gone. NO BLAH, blah blaggin’ from yours truly.

Ya wanna know why? No, I haven’t been galavanting about the globe enjoying an endless summer. I have been WORKING! I am currently writing two cook books, all while keeping busy styling and EVEN doing some “spokes person-y” stuff. Deadlines really get in the way of blogging. (Especially a blog that questionably gets read, by anyone....helloooo, is there anybody out there?)

So, if by chance you’ve missed me, I’m back, at least for a while. I am considering a move to a BLOGSPOT, so if anyone has any advice about that, it’s welcome. I will doing a little upgrading to my site, trying to make my food styling talents more prominent.

Oh and the Green Bean Salad that looks so delicious? That recipe will be in the cookbook that I’m writing for Williams-Sonoma. So, you’ll have to wait for it. But, I promise to have some great pictures and recipes for you soon. Thanks!