On my way to New Orleans- on my way home
The city of New Orleans is a gift. It’s a gift for those who love good food and who love to eat and cook. It’s a gift for writers, and for those who love music and good times-a gift for those who love life lived large. I’ve witnessed a steady flow of traffic between New Orleans and Los Angeles throughout my lifetime. My father visited about once a year for the rest of his life after he left to start anew with his young family in Los Angeles. Even though my maternal cousins and I grew up mostly in Los Angeles, we’ve continued to visit regularly- for Mardi Gras, Jazz Fest and French Quarter Festival. We even sometimes send our children back to school there. My brother, Al, spent a year of college at Xavier University, my parent’s alma mater, and just this week, two of my L.A, cousins traveled to New Orleans to settle their children into colleges (LSU and Dillard) there. My brothers and I have returned like homing pigeons (perhaps to recall wonderful childhood memories of summers spent visiting as children, or perhaps to reconnect with the spirits of our ancestors, as another New Orleans friend likes to say) to the two houses on St. Anthony Street built by my grandfather in the early 20th century- the first to take his young bride home to, and the second-next door to it, as their family grew. The houses remained in the family (3 generations have lived in them) until about 10 years ago. My youngest brother, Eric- the only one of us born in Los Angeles- was the last to live in one of them when he decided to make New Orleans his home in the late 1990’s. On my first visit, post- Katrina, it was the first stop Eric and I made (after grabbing a bowl of gumbo and a po’boy in the French Quarter), when I arrived in New Orleans. Two Decembers ago, my brother, Ricardo, was the latest of us to visit, taking pictures and reporting back to us on their status. The neighborhood had fallen on hard times well before Katrina, but the flood dealt it a nearly fatal blow. Ric reported back that although someone had cared for and lovingly restored the houses, they stood like 2 floats in an empty sea. This week, I, too, am, once again, joining the flow of traffic to that steamy city on the bend in the river. When I learned this spring that the International Food Bloggers Conference was being held in New Orleans, I jumped to find a way to attend. A big thank you to Jarlsberg USA, which has generously sponsored me to attend the. I’ll be reporting from the conference, about the food, and on the current state of New Orleans. Please come back and check in as I report on my visit....
read moreRosé Fest 2011- Part 5 Olive Oil Cake with Sautéed Brandied Peaches
As I thought about desserts to serve at the Rosé Fest, this Olive Oil Cake, from a recipe of Suzanne Goin’s, seemed a perfect choice for a Mediterranean style menu.
read moreRosé Fest 2011-Part 4 Swiss Chard and Salumi Tart
I love tarts, and over the years, I have usually included a savory vegetable tart, as well as a dessert tart in my Rosé Fest menu. This Swiss Chard and Salumi Tart was this year’s hit.
read moreRosé Fest 2011-Part 3 Planked Figs with Pancetta and Blue Cheese
Planked Figs with Pancetta and Point Reyes Blue Cheese- Photo Courtesy of Dorothy Reinhold of ShockinglyDelicious.com Some sort of wrapped, stuffed and grilled figs have usually found their way on to the Rosé Fest menu. After all, when I think of those Mediterranean type summer foods that should accompany Rosés, figs definitely rank high on the list. This year, in browsing around for info on planking salmon, I ran across an interesting recipe for planked figs. That’s certainly worth a try, I thought, and the try was well rewarded. The original recipe called for goat cheese, and while I certainly am a fan of goat cheese, I absolutely love blue cheese, especially an excellent artisan blue cheese like Point Reyes, and especially when combined with bacon, so… The recipe also originally called for sprinkling the pancetta and cheese over the figs and cooking everything on the plank at once, but if you’re planning a menu for a large gathering, have several dishes to prepare and want the figs to be served fresh, hot and with the rest of the meal, I recommend planking on the grill sans cheese and additional pancetta, then finishing the dish with a quick shot under a broiler just before serving. It worked perfectly. By the way, don’t bother shopping for designer planks stamped with the name of some celebrity chef at a fancy kitchen store. I bought a long plank at a stock lumber yard, and got it cut into approximately 12 inch lengths. Even with the cutting charge, I got twice as many planks for cheaper than I would have paid at those stores, and as a bonus, the guys at the lumber yard traded tips with me about planking. Recipe follows: Planked Figs with Pancetta and Point Reyes Blue Cheese Adapted from 25 Essentials: Techniques for Planking by Karen Adler and Judith Fertig 1/2 cup Port wine 2 or so tablespoons freshly cracked black pepper 8 large, ripe black Mission figs, cut in half lengthwise, stems left intact 8 thin slices pancetta @ 1 cup crumbled Point Reyes blue cheese Honey for drizzling 1 or 2 @ 12 inch long cedar plank, sokaed in water for about 1 hour. 1. Pour the Port into a shallow dish. Sprinkle the pepper on a saucer. Dip the cut sides of the figs first into the fruit liqueur, then into the pepper, and place, cut side up, on a baking sheet to marinate for 20 minutes. 2. Cut each slice of pancetta lengthwise into 1/2-inch strips. Loosely wrap each fig half with a strip of pancetta. Cook the rest of the pancetta until crisp and crumbly and set aside. 3. Prepare a hot fire in your grill. 4. Place the plank on the grill grate and close the lid. When the planks start to smoke and pop, after 3 to 5 minutes, open the lid and turn the planks over using grill tongs. Quickly place the fig halves on the planks, cut side up. Cover and plank-roast for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the figs have softened and are scorched around the edges. Remove the figs from the grill, and hold until ready to serve. 5. Just before you’re ready to serve the figs, sprinkle the figs with the remaining pancetta...
read moreRosé Fest 2011-Part 2 and a Grand Aioli- sort of…
In the south of France, the stronghold of Rosé wines, they are served with another summer treat, the Grand Aioli- a meal of meats, fish, and vegetables all served with that wonderfully pungent garlic mayonnaise, aioli. In France, the meats, fish and veggies are generally poached, but here in So Cal we like to grill things. I offer my menu version for our Rosé Fest.
read moreRosé Fest 2011- Part 1 Hurray for Pink Wines!
I have a thing for Rosé wines. I’ve been drinking then for almost as long as I’ve been drinking wine. In 2000, I began the (mostly) annual tradition of the Rosé Fest tasting party. Over the next couple of posts, I will be sharing thoughts and dishes from this year’s Rosé Fest.
read moreSanta Barbara Getaway- Part 5- A Stop Along the Urban Wine Trail
On this last day of my Santa Barbara getaway, I stay in the coastal resort town and make a stop along the Urban Wine Trail.
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