Seth's Birthday Part 2

Sponge Roberto

Seth's birthday Artichoke Spinach Pie and Caaaaake

That one little fraise des bois - what a perfect garnish for Seth's birthday party cake! Genoise soaked in Amaretto, with Mascarpone Whipped Cream and Strawberries.Hopefully the cream (though stabalized with gelatin) will not totally slide down the sides in clumps when the hot sun hits it....we shall see.

Chard tart

Found this recipe I'd written down because it was so nice - reposting for friends whose garden has abundance of Chard. Mario's Chard Tart:
Click on Recipe to enLARGE...

the only (lonely) survivor

So while the upside beans and tomatoes continue to go crazy, out of all the 4 strawberry plants planted, none but ONE little berry made it to redhood. Amazing little guy! Some beastly bug or other ravaged all the rest of the buds one by one. So sad.
Maybe the lone survivor is most delicious strawberry ever. Because he made it and no one else did. Like, survival of the juiciest?

today's bounty and mushroom love

Aren't these Oyster mushrooms beguiling? They have me transfixed. I must draw them before eating them. Aquired just now on hot and sticky walk to Andersonville farmer's market.
Meanwhile, today's bounty from our own little market! Many beans today!! Look Tommy!!

Now I must go and pit 200 tart cherries....

Pesto in Bassinuad?

Tommy called from France requesting pesto recipe, he's cooking tonight!

Today's bounty

I know this is not that thrilling....but it's thrilling me!! Beautiful beans...

the DIY topsy turvy update - or, it's fun to grow inverted foods!

The upside-down planters we made are doing really well! We ended up with 2 5-gallon plastic buckets, and drilling 3" holes in the bottoms. Growing peas (supposedly tri colore! But i only see green ones so far) and tiny tomatoes. So far both plants seem deliriously happy! it makes me happy just to go look at them. There are about 12 teeny tiny greeen beans already formed! And many tomato buds...and a few lil green guys. Hopefully the pigeons won't get em. Will chronicle the developments. I'm beginning to believe one doesn't need a huge garden to grow a good bounty!

ShEanDhIM with Ratatouille tart

Fun picnic @ Millenium...smore cookies and Rat tart....

Shrimp and Grits

Prepare old fashioned grits...add at the end of cooking 1/4 c cheddar cheese and 1/4 cup of parm cheese....and if you'd like a 1/2 t chicken stock to the grits cooking liquid

For the topping
blend:
1 t paprika
1/2 t cumin
1/4 t cayenne
1/4 t dry mustard
1/4 t red pepper flakes
1 t salt

have
1# lg shrimp
2 celery sticks, diced
3 carrots, diced
1 shallot, diced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 yellow or orange bell pepper, diced (optional)
1 jalapeno, diced
1 c dry white wine or beer

Heat 3 T olive oil in pan, when hot, saute all veg except garlic for about 3 minutes. add garlic and spices, continue to saute for about 3 monre minutes. Add wine, bring to boil, add shrimp. Cover and simmer until shrimp are just pink, about 4 -5 minutes.
Stir in a squeeze of fresh lime juice and cilantro to garnish before serving....or lem juice and parsley

serve atop grits, swirling the liquid toward the edges of the bowl and the solids in the center. top w more fresh herbs...

slow tuscan loaves

Turned out incredibly well! A deep color and light and airy....the ingredients were simply
flour and water and a micro pinch of yeast - slow rise in the fridge with feedings over 3 days and final dough only added more flour, water and 1 t yeast and 1 t salt....

the round has added walnuts and white wine...kept the long loaf traditionally tuscan for olive oil dipping

sourdough part 2

Wasn't happy with the rise i got from my sourdough. It was vigorously alive, and then i noticed last night somewhere in the sponge stage it seemed to die down...i let if proof all nite but still no change htis morning. baked it thinking what the hey, see what happens. It had dropped into the 70's this morning and was the only good oven time. The rise sucked but the flavor and texture were still nice. So, improvise! Sourdough crackers for our picnic. Slice the loaves real thin w serrated knife...then bake for about 5 more minutes, like biscotti!
it was a sorta happy accident. i like the way these'd look on a beautiful rustic cheese tray.


Still have about 8 hours rise time on the Tuscan loaves....what a lovely way to spend a day off....