Sheryl Crow, Honky Tonks and Tennessee BBQ

I went to Nashville, Tennessee last weekend. Yep, just like that. Actually, I got very lucky. My girlfriend, Lisa, entered a contest through Facebook to win a trip to Nashville to meet Sheryl Crow and have a preview of her new album at her house. Meeting Sheryl Crow has been number 1 one Lisa's bucket list for as long as she can remember.

She won the grand prize.

At first, she didn't believe it was true. She thought the email was a hoax. She thought the guy calling from Warner Records was a fake. I mean, wouldn't you? But it wasn't a fake out. It was real. Round trip airfare to Nashville, two nights in the Hermitage Hotel, one of the nicest hotels in the whole country, a ride to Sheryl Crow's house and a chance to meet her and hear her music. It would be a gigantic understatement to say that she was floating on a cloud as we boarded the airplane and headed off to Tennessee.

Before I talk about food, let me just show you a couple of pictures of the Hermitage, and our room.

 

Not too shabby, huh? Downstairs in the hotel was their restaurant, The Capitol Grille, which is not associated with the chain of the same name. We didn't get a chance to eat there, but the hotel runs not one, but two of their own farms, where they do everything from grow their own produce to raise their own grass fed cattle and other animals. On the next trip, I will definitely have dinner. We did have room service breakfast, and they do make a mean bowl of Irish oats with fruit!

 

 

Thursday evening, they sent a huge tour bus to pick us up (about a dozen of us) and take us to Sheryl Crow's house. She lives on the outskirts of Nashville, up a long driveway. We had to leave our phones in the bus, so I don't have any pictures of the whole experience. I think the main purpose was to keep anyone from possibly recording any of the music, since the album wasn't released yet. Anyway, we were escorted into the "barn." Um, yeah. Barn. Granted, the horse stables were in the back, so technically it was still a barn. In the front area, there was a beautiful sitting area with the huge fireplace and a bar. Waiting for us was a choice of beer, wine, bourbon, or Sheryl's signature watermelon margarita. That was all kinds of yummy. Later, I had a bourbon and soda. I mean, when in Rome...there were also stationary and passed hors' d'oeuvres, all very good. We got to wander in the back and say hi to the horses (or hey, if you're looking for a bad pun). She has about 6 or 7. After about an hour of mingling, meeting record company people, and other winners of various contests, we were ushered upstairs to what she has made into an intimate concert venue and recording studio. The walls are lined (I mean lined!) with her guitars, both acoustic and electric. We were in the front row, about 5 feet away from her. Lisa was one of only two grand prize winners! There were about 40 people there, I guess, most from the recording industry. She was introduced and sat with a guy who asked questions about the songs on the new album. We listened to some of them from the recording, saw two videos, and got to hear her and the band play 3 or 4 others. It was amazing. Buy the album, she is a great country singer.

 

When she was finished talking and playing, we were ushered back downstairs, where there was a fresh round of new food choices and plenty more to drink. They had set up a photo screen and meeting area in the stables, and Lisa and I were the first to go in and meet Sheryl. She is so very nice. And so very tiny! After all the meeting and photos, she came out and mingled, drinking a longneck beer. Gotta love how real she is..

 

 

When we got back to the hotel, there was a gift left for Lisa from Southern Living and the Hermitage, who were co sponsors of the contest. A book on the history of the hotel and it's 100th anniversary, a small batch bottle of Jack Daniels made especially for the hotel, and two packs of heirloom tomato seeds from the farm. So cool.

 

 

How can you possibly top that night? Friday we had no plans, so walked around downtown Nashville. It's pretty small, so you can walk just about anywhere. We didn't really have the money to go into any of the museums, but we wandered around and saw the Ryman Auditorium (where the Grand Old Opry was originally staged), the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Capitol building, Printer's Alley (which reminds me of Bourbon Street), and then down to Broadway, which is really the main drag. It's where the shops, bars, restaurants and honky tonks are. I love that name, honky tonk. Just a small, often grubby little bar with a stage, where at any time of day, there is live music. We bought some souvenirs, some cowboy boots, and noticed a sign saying that Keith Urban would be playing, FREE, in three different honky tonks that evening. Well, hell, there's tonight's activity! So we went back, rested, and then headed back to Broadway. We made some friends on Thursday who recommended we eat at Jack's BBQ, the best in town. Lisa is not a big meat eater, but very sweetly indulged my need to eat barbecue. To eat a Jack's, you begin by standing in line. For you Philly folk, it is similar to Jim's steaks- stand in line, order, get food, pay, then find a table. As we were standing in line, we heard the two people behind us talking about possibly going across the street to eat at another BBQ place. So, I, being the shy person I am, turned around and asked them which they thought was better for us touristas to eat. They agreed we should stay in line at Jack's, no questions asked. Anyway, we struck up a conversation. Lisa Manning is one of the DJ's for a local radio station, and was going to be escorting Keith from one venue to the next, through the cattle chute they had set up on the street. She introduced us to her boyfriend, Charlie Daniels, Jr. As in Charlie Daniels. As in mad fiddle player and country star. Yep, the hits just keep on coming for us! We all sat together for dinner, and talked about life in Nashville and all that. This is Jack's BBQ:

I had the pulled pork. The brisket looked great, but I was really in the mood for the pork.

 

 After dinner, they went off to check up on Keith's progress, and Lisa and I ensconced ourselves along the cattle chute. Let me tell you, people in Nashville know how to wait patiently for something. No pushing, shoving, cursing, rudeness of any sort. The security guards were nice. The cops were nice. In fact, one cop leaned over to me as he was making an opening in the chute right next to where I was standing and said, "Keep an eye out, Steven Tyler is coming through here any minute now." Really. Steven Tyler. AND Keith Urban. Right in front of me.

 

Well, Keith was spectacular. He just moseyed down the cattle chute, saying  hi and waving and smiling. The crowd was really respectful. He is beautiful.

 That's Keith with Lisa Manning, our new friend

 Yes, that's Steven Tyler thrashing about



Isn't he pretty?

 

Saturday was pretty uneventful. We stayed in the hotel room until we had to check out, wearing those soft, incredible bathrobes. Then, the long trip home..

 

So let's recap, shall we? A flight to Nashville, a 5 diamond hotel, Sheryl Crow and her band, AT HER HOUSE, great BBQ, new friends, Keith Urban, Steven Tyler (who, by the way, is just as small and freaky looking in person) and a mini vacation with my love. Not so bad for two girls who don't have two dimes to rub together. But sometimes, great things DO happen to good people.

 



Go "Fig"ure

Yep, once again I got lost in the day to day routine and didn't take the time to blog. I am lame. Sorry. I really want to get into writing a couple times a week, so you all fall so deeply in love with my writing that you mount a campaign to see my work in some magazine or paper. I'm ready to become a writer, folks...

Ok, so let's talk about one of the nicest treats the end of summer brings. Figs. Down in Rock Hall, MD, there are a few really big fig trees. At the end of August, the Halin family all comes together at Silly Manor (that's Dad and Linda's house) for some relaxation and scotch drinking. Once during the visit, to escape the menagerie of kids and dogs, the womenfolk go fig picking. Right down the street from dad's house is an enormous fig tree, and Linda has a friend who has another big tree.

Picking figs is something that pretty much requires a hazmat suit, but it's usually a blazing hot summer day, so we are wearing shorts and tshirts. Fig trees are full of bugs. The fruit is a tasty treat for all kinds of flying, creeping, biting and stinging things. The reward is worth the discomfort. Also, the riper figs tend to be up higher, so someone has to climb into and up the tree. That's often the smallest person. Me. Yay. Wait, let's get back to stinging things. Ever heard the one about the wasp and the fig? Um..there's no punch line. It's a true story. There is a certain type of wasp called a "fig wasp." You see, the fig needs someone to pollinate it, and the wasp needs a place to live and make babies. I know, it sounds gross, but hang on, it's going to be ok.

The fig is basically an inside out flower, so to get it pollinated, it needs something to carry the pollen inside it. At the bottom of the fruit is an opening, called an ostiole. The female wasp, who has pollen on her from another fig, flies over and crawls up the ostiole. On her way in, she loses her wings and antennae. (It's a narrow little tunnel.) Her goal is to lay eggs. Now, there are two different kinds of figs on every tree. There are male figs, called Caprifigs, and female figs, called Edible Figs. If the wasp gets into a caprifig, it is suited for egg laying, and that's what she does. Those larvae develop into male and female wasps. The males never get wings, and just spend their lives digging tunnels for the female wasps to get out, loaded with pollen and in search of another fig. If the female gets into an edible fig, she won't be able to lay eggs, and will die, but not before pollinating the inside, which will develop seeds. I know, you are totally skeeved by now, aren't you? And wondering if the crunchy inside of your figs and prosciutto or Newton cookie is really dead wasp?
IT'S NOT. Y'see, this is where the symbiosis, or mutualism, comes into play again. As the pollinated fig grows, it emits an enzyme called ficin which completely digests the wasp. Seriously. All gone. No more wasp. Oh, and if you are really worried about eating bugs, you better just stop eating all commercially processed food. Just sayin...

Now, let's get back to our figs, after we've picked them. We are lucky in our family, because Lisa (my sister-in-law) is not only a talented author and potter, she also loves to put up jams and preserves. She makes a kickin' fig jam. So let's talk about it, shall we?

As I mentioned, first we pick the figs.

 

Well, that's a pretty butterfly and some unripe figs, but it's pretty. Then, Lisa cuts them and puts them in a stainless bowl, and macerates them in a little sugar. That will help pull the natural syrup out of the fruit.

 

This is what they look like after they sit overnight. Then she puts them in a heavy bottom pot, adds the zest and juice of a lemon, some balsamic vinegar, and some fresh black pepper. She added the pepper to give it a little zing. You can find the exact recipe and methodology on HER blog, ljcbluemuse.blogspot.com. She is a canning whiz and has a lot of recipes posted.

 

She puts the fig jam up in small jars. It is amazing with just about anything: on toast, on a cheese plate with sharp and stinky cheeses and salami, as a condiment for roast pork or duck.

 



 

 



Summer is coming to an end. My son has started his freshman year at Temple University, and my daughter is anxiously (NOT) awaiting her first day of school. I will hang on to the last of the warm days, corn, tomatoes, peaches, and the sweet sound of cicadas singing me to sleep. I will miss my favorite season, but have already started thinking about the fall foods that are just around the corner.

And on a chilly night to come, I can open a bottle of wine, put out some cheese and meats and crackers, and crack open a jar of Lisa's fig jam. I'll close my eyes, and see sunset on the bay, Linda's beautiful zinnias, and the hummingbirds at the nectar feeder. And start counting the days until next summer.

Living With My Own Personal Sequester

As I believe I may have previously mentioned, I live life on a much smaller budget than I used to. Some of you may feel that the economy is coming back to life, but let me tell you, from the standpoint of a restaurant person, that ain't the case. The food service industry has not rebounded, and even where it may be improving, budgets and plans were revised, and chef's salaries were the first thing on the chopping block. There are so many of us that are making less money then we did 10 years ago. So, good people, if any of you have connections in the print or tv media, get me out there! I want to write, I want to cook...I want to sing! (Who got the Holy Grail reference there?)

Ugh..I'm so off topic already! The whole point of today's entry is to talk about this amazing dinner for two I made, spending only about $8.00. Again, it was a combination of staples from the pantry and the fridge, combined with some fresh seasonal vegetables. Here's what I had:

A can of Alaskan Salmon
A box of Cappellini pasta
A bunch of asparagus
A beautiful summer tomato
A sweet onion
Fresh basil
Sriracha hot sauce
Garlic
Olive oil
A lemon
A little canned chicken broth
A bottle of dry vermouth (used only for cooking, not martinis)
Locatelli cheese

Of course I could have used fresh fish, or seafood, etc., but the point was, I could make a tasty dinner on a budget. First thing I did was open and drain the salmon. For those of you who have never used canned salmon, it's not like tuna. It's a little more...rustic, shall we say. It's like they steamed a whole fish and jammed it into cans. There's skin and bones. The bones are actually so soft you can mush them up, but I pick them out. I clean the skin out, and the darker meat, too. It comes right off. I also wear gloves doing this, because it's a little stinky. But it's actually quality salmon, with a nice color.
I chopped up the onion, tomato, asparagus and garlic. Heated a little olive oil in a pan, and when it was hot, threw all the vegetables in. Tossed them around for a minute until they started to cook, then hit it with the lemon juice, the hot sauce, a splash of vermouth and the stock. By the way, I used vermouth because I didn't have any white wine in the house, but I do cook with vermouth when I am making seafood, so either one would be fine. (that was a very poorly constructed sentence, but deal with it.)
Oh yeah, pot of water boiling on the stove. Angel hair doesn't take very long to cook.
Back to the sauce..now I added the salmon and tossed it gently around. Seasoned with some kosher salt and ground black pepper, and ripped up the basil leaves and threw them in. Don't add fresh basil to the sauce to early, or it will turn black.
I put the cooked pasta into a bowl, and spooned the sauce over top. The biggest indulgence of the dish was the good Locatelli. I buy a chunk and grate it fresh when I need it. It lasts a very long time in the cheese drawer, and people, believe me, LIFE IS TOO SHORT TO EAT CHEAP CHEESE. Treat yourself. Stay away from that green can in the pasta aisle. Seriously, is it really cheese?
Let's take a look, shall we?

 

It was really good. Trust me. So there you have it, gourmet food without the gourmet price. It can be done.

If you have any other ideas on how to eat well on the cheap, let me know. I'd love to hear. Until then, enjoy the summer days,  my friends. Eat produce. Dine al fresco. It will all be gone in the wink of any eye...

Beautiful Swimmers

It's been so long since last we met..and for that, I apologize. After decompression and re-entry from Mustique, I fell back into the workday drudgery. I also had no money to buy fun things with which to cook. And...and....as my friend Christie would say, "blah blah yadda yadda big chunks of ham." Meaning...quitcher bitchin.
Anyhoo, I'm back. In the past month or so, I have been down to Rock Hall, MD twice to visit with the parents. For those of you who don't know, my dad and Linda live right smack on the Chesapeake Bay in a wonderful house called Silly Manor. They have been there for quite a while now. It is paradise on earth. Here's the house:

They work very hard on their gardens, which are as pretty as any English Cottage anywhere. What the hell, here are some more pictures:

 

 

 

 

Ok, so now you get the idea. Anyway, whenever anyone shows up there, Linda always makes sure there is fantastic food, and plenty of it. She is a really good cook. Her soups, salads, ribs...pretty much everything she makes is great. And dad opens a mean bottle of wine! This is the time of year, however, that one dinner per visit must be hard shelled crabs. And that, my friends, is the subject of tonight's diatribe-er, blog entry.

 

CALLINECTUS SAPIDUS. The Beautiful Swimmer. The Chesapeake Bay Blue Crab. What a work of nature. And just darn yummy in any form. During the growth cycle, they molt, at which point they are called soft shells. These can be cooked (sautéed, deep fried) and eaten whole, because they have shed their shell and have only a very soft "skin." The meat of the hardshell crab can be used in any number of ways, most popularly in crabcakes. I don't usually eat crabcakes, because most restaurants or recipes add fillers like peppers or onions, which I think completely cover the taste of the crab. I have an amazing recipe for crabcakes, which I will share at a later date. Right now, we're going to discuss the ritual of picking and eating crabs. The proverbial Crabfeast. During summer on the Bay, this includes local sweet corn and tomatoes. Oh, and beer.

 

Let's talk a bit more about the crabs. Crabbing on the Bay is a time honored tradition. The Chesapeake Waterman is one of the hardest working souls around. Finding the crabs, catching the crabs..it is an art form. Long days, hard work, sometimes very little reward. Crab population fluctuates wildly from year to year, for many reasons. Could be the weather patterns. The pollution in the Bay. Over fishing at the wrong time of year. And then there are the natural predators. The three big seafood populations we most commonly associate with the Chesapeake Bay are crabs, oyster, and striped bass. And..they all eat each other. So, sometimes when the oyster supply is low, it's because the crabs are abundant and eating the spats. And the stripers eat the young crabs, so that has an effect on the crab population. The crabs, well they eat everything, including each other.

 

 

The best crabs for eating are the males. The females are usually (hopefully) thrown back to keep the population up. There are different sizes, but the best are the #1 males, or the jumbos. If you have a stove and a pot big enough, you can cook them yourself, steaming them with some crab boil seasoning. We usually get them cooked, to avoid that crazy process of jamming angry live crabs into a pot of steaming water. Dad orders them from Chester River Seafood. River crabs tend to be the bigger crabs, as they have more hiding places in the river shallows to grow bigger and feed undisturbed by the boat traffic in the bay itself. Prices obviously vary from year to year. This seems so far to be a pretty good season.

 

So let's get into this. First, you need a table, lined with brown paper or newspaper. That way, when the carnage is over, you just fold the whole mess up and throw it away. Each person needs either a nutcracker or a crab mallet, and some people like small knives to get into the shells. A big roll of paper towels should be handy. This is a messy, but worthwhile, undertaking. Don't get dressed up.

 

 

 

Ok, grab a crab. On the belly, you can see what looks like a pull tab. (They really make it easy for you to eat them.) Pull the tab, then pull the top (carapace) off. Clean out the guts (unless you like them) and the gills, and break the body in half, then in half again. Take off the claws and put aside, unless you want to eat them first. Now, you just sort of peel away at some of the inner softer shell and reveal big old chunks of meat. Take the time to pop open all the little swimming legs, there are little bits of meat in there, too. Then use the mallet or the cracker to open the claws and extract the meat. Repeat until you are too full to move, or all the crabs are gone. Stop occasionally for a swig from your beer, to eat a piece of corn or jam a slice of tomato in your face. You may stab yourself once or twice with a piece of shell, just lick the crab spice out and power on. You'll find the cuts again later when  you rinse off. Here's some family hard at work:

 

And then, it's all over. You will be full, happy, a little overloaded on sodium, and smell like Old Bay. Clean up, rinse off, and relax. Start planning the next crabfeast. I know mine will be at the end of the month, when my brother and his clan venture down from Boston to Silly Manor. Until then, I will go on a search for softshells, and cook up some beauties for the next blog. I leave you with a picture of the table after the work is done..



Peace, my friends. See you all soon.





 



And the Eat Goes On..

Day six on the island...Monica and Crissy have to leave us today. We started up and at em early for another hike, this time around the northern tip of the island. Jan, our competent guide, saxophone player, and all around island rep, took us on an amazing walk with some spectacular views. There are places you just can't drive to, you have to see by foot. Sometimes it feels like you are literally at the end of the earth, with the fields of cacti and rock formations with quartz and granite. Here are some of the views:

 



 

We also saw the beach where Tommy Hilfiger, Mick Jagger and Bryan Adams have their villas. No, I'm not putting a picture of them up, that's not kosher here in Mustique.

 

We got back for our usual wonderful breakfast. Today, with our fruit, we had French Toast and bacon. I am amazed at the amount of food I can pack away when it's being prepared for me..We then took Monica and Crissy to the airport, and waited until their slightly less itty bitty plane took off for Barbados. Then, it was time to hit the beach again. We went back to Endeavour Bay, the Cotton House beach. Sat and baked on the chairs a bit, did a little swimming...then the rain arrived. In full force. We ran to the beach bar, where we had planned to have lunch anyway. They battened down the hatches (well, the tent sides) and we settled in with some pina coladas and rum punches. Lunch was very good. I had a tuna "burger", a slab of grilled tuna on a Hawaiian type roll with lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle and a spicy tartar sauce. Mmmm...some other choices were a panzanella salad, and a grilled veg plate with shrimp. And then more punch. Why not, on a rainy day in paradise? We returned to White Cedars, and pretty much lazed around for the rest of the afternoon. Showers and cocktails were next. We needed to put a dent in all of the booze we had purchased. So we did. Dinner was at 7:30, as always. Another masterpiece. We began with a small dish of a marinated salad of cucumber, tomato, lettuce, avocado and anchovies with a Caesar type dressing. The entree this evening was a Marinated Steak with potato gratin, broccoli and creamy cauliflower. Somehow I am surviving this onslaught of dairy without feeling bad..Dessert- amaretto crème caramel. Yum.

 

Then we fell into bed..

And now it is Friday. Our last full day of vacation. In this wonderful place called Mustique. It's raining off and on. Mostly on. We don't really care, though. We get out between squalls to see things for the last time. This morning, after breakfast (yep, fruit, eggs, bacon, and toast) we went back to Lovell Bay to the village to see if we could catch the fish market in full swing. Apparently, there is no such thing as full swing. As a boat comes in, the fish is cleaned and put away. We basically just saw the people hanging around, waiting for another boat. The fruit stand was full, though and that was pretty. I'm including one last picture of the teeming metropolis that is the main shopping area of Mustique.

 

 

 

We got back to catch a few rays, before lunch. Our last lunch made by Chef Junior. Sigh...today was a salad with all the usual wonderful stuff, plus some baby asparagus. The main course was grilled fish kebabs, with tuna, mahi, peppers, onions and tomatoes. They were perfect. Full and happy, we are now sitting in the great room digesting. In a few minutes we are heading down one last time to Macaroni Beach to walk the rocks and maybe grab a swim.

 



 





See you after dinner, folks...

 





Good thing We're Exercising..

Where did we leave off? Oh yes, we had just left for cocktails at the Cotton House. Well, as the British say, it was lovely..we all chatted up some different folk. Some were the people living and working on the island, some guests at the hotel, some at the villas. It is VERY off season right now, so I guess there were about 20 people there, all told. It was nice to see some new faces, though.

We went back to the villa for dinner. Junior had done his usual magic. Dinner was Shrimp Creole over Pasta, salad and Banana cake with homemade vanilla ice cream. The simplicity of it all was perfect.

 

After a good night's sleep in the salty air, we were ready to seize another day. As I have mentioned, every morning begins with fresh local fruit. I have never seen or tasted anything so perfect. Here is what we begin our day with..

 

 

Following that was individual cheese omelets, and the ubiquitous bacon. We decided to spend the morning over by the Cotton House, on Endeavour Beach. We managed to get everyone to try snorkeling. Our original plan had been to spend 1 1/2 hours in a power boat heading to Tobago Key to snorkel with the turtles, but it was way too rough, so we stayed local. We did not regret it. Just off the dock at Endeavour Bay was a fantastic coral reef teeming with fish. We all spent some time floating around, then had some pina coladas and set off back to White Cedars for lunch.

.

 

I didn't take any pictures of lunch, but Junior had made a beautiful pizza for us. He really is a master chef. I can't say enough about how he works in this climate.

 

The afternoon held tennis for some of the girls, and a run for me. I had to sweat off some of the food and alcohol I had been consuming. (to make room for more!) After a shower and some cocktails, we met, yet again, in the dining room for dinner. Tonight began as most did, with soup. There is something very calming and nice about having soup in a warm climate. Junior did a broccoli puree this evening. Once again, simple and delicious. The main course was Chicken Curry, with rice and vegetables. The table is always set beautifully.

 

Dessert was Junior's Piece de Resistance: His Low-Cal (so they say) Chocolate Souffle. Oh my. It was so very good. We all scraped the ramekins. Every night leaves me so full and happy.

 

 

So now, I have you almost caught up. I am heading to bed, but will get you through Thursday and into Friday come tomorrow morning. Sleep well. I know I will...

 



More Love from the Island

Mustique is one of the most beautiful places on earth. I am convinced of that, even though I have seen very little of earth. The flora is so diverse and abundant, the fauna is strange and wonderful. Every morning at breakfast, little yellow birds come to visit us at the table. Today, we saw a frangipani caterpillar, and enormous fellow, crawling along the decking. Driving around the island is and adventure, because goats wander freely, grazing everywhere. And then there are the tortoises, who seem to prefer the road to any other place for walking, sunning, and just generally getting in the way. Lisa has gotten very good at shooing them out of the way. There are some strange long tailed marsupials that run around at night. The water is crystal clear, and you can see fish, sea urchin, and the occasional nasty stinging thing. (Suzanne found that for us.) We have private access to Macaroni Beach, considered the most best beach on the island, and one of the world's most beautiful. It is down a staircase/pathway that is impossibly steep, and has become our daily workout.

We are learning our way around the island by car. There are no street signs or other markings, because the villa owners and visitors are the type who enjoy their privacy, so we have done some loops and circles, but have enjoyed the adventure of it all. It's hard to really get lost on an island, especially one 3 miles around. We are on the windward (Atlantic) side, so have perpetual breezes, and a bit rougher surf. Today, we ventured to the leeward (Caribbean) side, and plopped down on Endeavour Beach, which is part of the Cotton House, the hotel on the island. They were gracious enough to allow us to use the beach chairs and avail ourselves of the bar, where we had fresh fruit smoothies. We spent about an hour and a half swimming and sunning there, then went back to Macaroni Beach, where Junior, our chef, met us with a picnic lunch. We were expecting sandwiches. We got BBQ ribs and chicken, rice salad, green salad, and coconut butter cake. So good.

But I am ahead of myself. Let's catch up on Sunday night and Monday, shall we? After our soufflé lunch Sunday, we got all dressed up and went to Firefly, considered the best restaurant on the island. We had some lovely cocktails in the bar area, then repaired to the dining room for dinner, where we were the only patrons. Did I mention it is rather off-season here? We all agreed that the food was nice, but rather unremarkable, and that Junior was a better chef. Typical tourist spot. Small portions, high prices..oh well, we have fun wherever we go.

 

Every breakfast begins with coffee. Now, I am a half-caff drinker, but for some reason this coffee is not giving me the jitters. It is strong, but smooth and not bitter at all. We have fresh squeezed orange juice, and then a platter of fresh fruit. All of the fruit comes from St. Vincent, and is at the peak of ripeness. Banana, pineapple, mango, papaya, and melons. I didn't think I liked papaya, but now I realize it is because I never had really ripe fruit. One morning, we had passionfruit. Bitter, but intensely flavored. Junior has made us eggs, bacon, banana pancakes, toast...all fantastic and simple.

 

Yesterday's lunch was a simple meal of pasta with homemade marinara and salad. Junior was saving the big bang for dinner. He made lamb chops, whipped potatoes, fresh peas and carrots, steamed local squash, and passionfruit cheesecakes for dessert. It was perfection. Oh yeah, and I forgot about the starter. Callalloo soup. It's a green with a flavor somewhere between spinach and sorrel. It was so good.

 

 

 

You may wonder if we are getting a little rotund at this point, but no, we are staying very active. We go on nature hikes, swim, and walk up and down that crazy beach path. I'm trying to run, and a few of the girls played tennis today. Tomorrow we are taking a snorkeling boat down to Tobago Key to swim and snorkel with the sea turtles. Right now, we're headed to the Cotton House for cocktails (by invitation only, woohoo!) Then back here for another Junior creation.

 

Be back tomorrow, my friends. 





A Feast for the Senses

I am officially in paradise. This is the island of Mustique, a little mountainous plop of land where people go to disappear. It is made up of private villas, tucked away into the hillsides, and two boutique hotels, a beachfront bar (we're going tonight, details to follow), a few shops, and one of the world's top rated beaches (to which we have private access from a very long, steep stairway path).

I am here with 6 of my best college friends: Colleen, Crissy, Suzanne, Monica, Shari, and Lisa. Colleen's husband won this week in an auction and presented it to her as a gift for all of us to celebrate turning 50. We all flew into Barbados, met up and took a teeny, tiny prop plane on a 50 minute ride to Mustique. We were met at the airport by our driver, who took us up to the villa, White Cedars. Here's the entrance.

 

The house manager's name is Junior. He is also the chef. Junior was born and raised on the island of Bequia which is the next island over. He came to Mustique and worked in a few of the restaurants before he landed the job at White Cedars. He prepares 3 meals a day for us. When we arrived, we were presented with a beautiful dinner: Pumpkin soup with ginger and tamarind, Grilled Mahi with Lime, Rice Pilaf, Ratatouille, and Key Lime Pie for dessert. So simple. So wonderful...

I ate the pie before I could take a picture...sorry.

We went to bed early. It had a been a long day, and we all crashed. Poor Colleen came from London and was still on Europe time. No air conditioning, just island breezes...

 

Woke up Sunday morning and figured I'd take a run. Monica and Lisa decided to join me, even though they weren't really planning on running so far. We set out down the hill, no problem. Then the uphills began. Oh my. Long story short, we ended up walking, gasping up hills, stopping only to take pictures of turtles on the road, and beautiful houses. We made it back in time for a lovely breakfast of eggs, bacon, and local fruit. I discovered that I really do like papaya. All of the fruit we are eating comes from St. Vincent. It is wonderful. We then made our way down to Macaroni Beach and spent some time in the crystal blue water.

 

Junior took us on a field trip to the market to get provisions. The fish market was closed for Sunday, but we did some grocery shopping. I will take pictures later in the week when it is open.

 

Lunch. Oh my. How often do you get soufflé presented to you midday? Cheese and spinach soufflé and a wonderful tossed salad with cabbage, greens, tomatoes and avocado, with a grainy mustard vinaigrette. Junior is famous for these soufflés, and I will join the cheers for his culinary prowess.

A storm has blown in. We are relaxing and having some rum punch and chatting. We are having dinner this evening at Firefly, which is a Conde Nast 5 star rated restaurant and boutique hotel. I will take pictures. We'll get together again tomorrow.

 

Time to refresh my drink. Hope you all can share a bit in this vacation of a lifetime with me. Talk to you all later, folks.

 



I was out running this morning with Snickers (my dog) and starting to think about a few conversations that I have had with people over the past couple of days regarding fitness and weight loss. Everyone seems to have a "plan", whether that is exercise, diet, or some combination of the two.

The "paleo" diet sounds interesting. You eat like a caveman. Hmmm...why do we think the cavemen were in such good shape? Because they had to run around all the time looking for food! They didn't drive to Wawa for a shortie hoagie and a bag of chips. We are not cavemen. Well, most of us aren't. I am very wary of diets that prohibit certain foods. If it is something you are used to craving, then you are bound to boomerang and eat it. Tell the average person they CAN'T have something, and they will instantly crave it.

And the workouts...every guru has a combination workout for you guaranteed to shed the pounds, tighten you up, blah blah blah. You can't just run, you have alternate speeds to really burn calories. And so on...

Here's the truth, in the simplest possible terms. The truth according to Dr. Lewis Halin:
To lose weight, you have to EXPEND MORE CALORIES THAN YOU CONSUME. Woot. There it is.

Now that you have been enlightened, let's talk about how you can accomplish this difficult task.

1. Carbs are not your enemy, however, SIMPLE carbs are dangerous. These are the immediate gratification foods; chips, donuts, cookies, breads, etc. You know, the things you are eating now. Calories are units of heat, carbs are fuel to burn. Simple carbs burn quickly, giving you the burst of energy to get to the next snack. The more you eat, the more of them you want, because your body wants more of the quick energy. THIS is the one big habit you have to break-eating too many simple carbs. What you need are COMPLEX carbohydrates. These are found in whole grains, oats, brown rice. If you are a follower of my blog, you know how I feel about whole grains versus processed foods and ingredients. Not only do the whole grains burn slower (giving you energy over a longer period of time), they are also better because they provide more nutrition, and less...how should I put this..crap for your system. Whole foods are better for you, and for the environment. (We all know I'm a tree hugger, too.) Less processing=less energy used in factories, less chemicals released into the water, less pollution in general. Have you tried a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast? You feel full for hours! You can still have your sandwich for lunch, just have it on whole grain bread. If you eat a salad, put beans and lentils and peas on it to stay full until dinner. Are you getting the point?

2. Now, let's look at the exercise portion of our program. I try to run every day. Note the word "try" in that sentence. It's good for my head and my body. I plug in the headphones, rev up Pandora 80's cardio mix, and I'm off. But not every one has the time, or the inclination to run or even go to a gym. That's cool. But you have to find other ways to keep your body burning the fuel you are putting in it. If you work in an office building, ALWAYS take the stairs. Walk wherever and whenever you can. Hell, even fidget at your desk. Every movement burns calories. Stop taking the easy way to everything. WALK. Stuck in traffic? Do butt squeezes. Watching TV? Do some ab crunches in the chair, or leg lifts. I'm serious. Stop sitting still all the time. There are a million and one ways to keep your body in motion.

3. Drink water. Constantly.

4. Alcohol is made of sugars and carbs. Simple carbs. It's fattening. I write this to remind myself, because this is my downfall, not ice cream or chips. Oh....and STOP DRINKING SODA and see what happens to your body. It will shrink.

I don't diet. I try to eat in moderation. It works. Don't punish yourself. You still have to eat. Just put a little more thought into what you are eating. And get a move on. You'll like what happens.

Thanks for listening. On Friday, I will be leaving for a week of sun and fun. I am taking the laptop, because I plan to blog my meals, which are being prepared for me by a personal chef. More details to follow, folks. Keep reading. Tell everyone you know about the blog. See you soon.

Oh how I love Spring...

Spring has definitely sprung...finally. I was driving to work the other day, and I go right past a farm. They had a sign out announcing that their asparagus was in. Oh man....fresh local asparagus. That is worth planning a meal around. So I stopped and handpicked about a pound of them. I have to admit, I ate a few on the ride home, they looked so yummy.

Hmmm...so what goes with asparagus? Everything, you say? True dat. But I was in the mood for something light and seasonal. I stopped at my local Korean supermarket (doesn't everyone have Assi Market? Bummer for  you.) and they had king salmon. Bright orange, marbled with fat...I got a half pound piece. (I was cooking for two) While I was there, I wandered through the mushroom section. I was going to get shiitakes, but then I spied this adorable little pouf of white, tiny mushrooms. It was so cute, I had to have it. Here's what it looked like.

 

 

Ok, so now I had salmon, asparagus and mushrooms. I had some red pepper, so I diced that, too. I also got some fresh ginger and garlic. I had miso paste in the fridge, and mushroom soy sauce, so I made a glaze for the salmon using the miso, the mushroom soy, some minced ginger and a little regular soy sauce. Here is my mise en place:

 

 

I heated the grill, brushed the asparagus with some sesame and regular oil, salt and pepper, and grilled it a bit. Took that off and set it aside. Then I coated the top of the salmon with my glaze, sprayed the grill grates and put the fish on skin side down (oh yeah, I left the skin on. Keeps it moist, and is delicious to boot) turned the grill down so it didn't immolate, and closed the lid. It was a pretty thick piece of salmon, so it took about 10 minutes to cook through, and was still a little gooey in the thickest part, which I like.

 

While the fish was cooking, I heated a pan with a bit of regular oil, then broke apart the mushroom ball and put all the little guys in the pan. It was high enough heat to get them a little brown, then I added some ginger, garlic, the red peppers, a little bit of soy, and some chicken broth and let that all cook down a bit.

 

Here is the finished product, my friends:

 

 

The plate is drizzled with a little of the miso glaze. It was fabulous. How much do you think you'd pay for that plate in a restaurant??

 

So that was my first Ode to Spring. The farm also has fresh baby garlic. I think that's next on my list. For those of you who don't cringe at the thought, they might be put with lamb. I seem to have surrounded myself with non-lamb eaters, and I love the stuff, so I may be cooking for one, but what the heck.

 

See you soon. Go to a local farm. Buy stuff. Support them, eat fresh, be happy.



 



 

 

A Perfect Example

Last night's dinner was a perfect example of what I preach in these blogs about having the right staples on hand and you can make anything. If you don't know what I'm talking about, scroll back to the first few blog entries and you'll see, especially the one called "What to have inna house".

I was at Lisa's last night, and instead of ordering out, I decided to root through her cabinets and fridge to see if I could come up with dinner. Now, Lisa does not have the best stocked kitchen. Before she met me, her idea of dinner was a bowl of Reese's Puffs. (and probably still is when we are not together.) This is what I found in the kitchen:

A box of thin spaghetti
A jar of artichoke hearts
A can of diced tomatoes
A jar of Italian spice blend
A bottle of good olive oil
A bottle of lemon infused balsamic vinegar
A container of mixed olives
A container of shredded Asiago cheese
Most of a rotisserie chicken

And here's what I made:
I boiled the pasta. While that was cooking, I heated some of the olive oil in a skillet and added the artichoke hearts, then some of the chicken that I had shredded up. (boy, I wish I had had some garlic)
I added the tomatoes, some olives and some of the spice blend, the balsamic and a little ground pepper. I tossed the cooked pasta in, plated it and then drizzled a little more oil on top and finished with a sprinkle of cheese. I wish I had thought to snap a picture before we destroyed it, but we went out on her little porch, and had a great, light, CHEAP dinner with a nice bottle of wine. You'll just have to imagine what it looked like.

So.....do you get the point? All that yum came out of just a few staple items that she had hanging around. And trust me, most of you have many more of those suggested staples in your own pantries. So start getting creative, my friends. And then add your creations (with pictures) to the Facebook page connected to this blog.

Time to go. I need to take Lisa to Trader Joe's and fill  up that kitchen!
Bye now.

Sometimes I Wish I Still Had a Restaurant

Last night's dinner was one of those moments when I wished I was still creating food for people at my own restaurant. I hadn't really set out to make what became one of (what I think is) the best fish dishes I've ever come up with, but hey, greatness happens..and it comes, once again, from the drawers of my refrigerator. Remember, the name of the blog is "FOOD HAPPENS".

Ok, so spring has finally arrived in PA. It has been beautiful for the past few days. I am also on a bit of a paid leave from work, as my corporate cafe is being remodeled. So, I felt like cooking something on the grill. I thought it was time for wild salmon already, so I headed to my local fish guy, Heller's Seafood in Warrington, PA. I have known Greg Heller and his crew for a long time. I bought my fish for the restaurant from them. They get wonderful stuff, but it ain't cheap. Apparently, the wild fish hasn't started running in the Pacific Northwest quite yet; we are a couple weeks away from Washington and Oregon fish. Right now, there is some Alaskan salmon, but it is hard to come by, and like $30/lb. That's out of my range. What they did have was some line caught Grouper. If you have never eaten grouper, it is a warm water swimmer from down in the Atlantic and the Gulf. It is a sweet, firm fish with just enough fat to keep it from being too dry and flaky.

 Because it is indigenous to the warmer climes, I tend to think of lighter, more fruity accompaniments. But, I also had a bag of rainbow Swiss Chard in my fridge that needed to be cooked. I had a couple of blood oranges in there, too, a half a red onion, and a seedless cucumber. I bought the fish, two navel oranges and an avocado. And here's what I did:

I peeled all of the oranges with a knife, cutting off the top and bottom, and then running the knife down the skin. Then I cut the oranges in half and made half moon slices. They went in a mixing bowl. I cut some of the cucumber into chunks and added them. Sliced the red onion thinly and added it. Cut the avocado into chunks and that went in, too. I dressed that with extra-virgin, really fruity olive oil, a squeeze of lime and some sea salt.

I took a piece of foil, sprayed it and put the fish on. Put a couple slices of the orange and the onion on top and ground some of my neat South African Smoke Seasoning that I got from Trader Joe's. (If you follow my blog, you've seen a picture of it with some chicken) Drizzled a little olive oil on and a squeeze of lime, and sealed up the package, leaving a little bit open at the top. This went on the grill to cook. It was a thick piece of fish, so it took about 10-12 minutes.

While that was cooking, I heated some olive oil lightly in a saute pan, and then cooked the chard over a medium heat until it was getting soft, but a still a little crispy. That went on the plate as the base. The fish went on next, and then a topping of the orange/avocado/cuke salad. It was and incredible flavor and texture experience. Paying for line caught fish was totally worth it. I actually blew myself away! Damn! Do this dish with grouper, snapper, striper, monkfish, even salmon.
Here, take a look:

See you soon with more!

A Shameless Plug

When I was the Executive Chef at Neiman Marcus, I somehow got myself involved doing cooking demos and classes at a place called Celebrity Kitchens in Wilmington, DE. Back then, I used to do three or four a month. When I went back to working nights and weekends, I dropped off for a few years, but never fell out of touch with them. Now that I'm back in the land of the day job (and in search of some extra income) I have begun doing classes again.

Let me tell you a little bit about Celebrity Kitchens. As I mentioned, it is located in Wilmington, DE, on 202 in the Independence Mall. This is a very campy little shopping center that looks like a reproduction of Independence Hall. It's basically a small dining room with a demo kitchen in the front. Almost every night of the week, they have some sort of program: a demo, a hands on class, a private event, a kids class, etc. They have a different chef every night. Some are local folks, some out of Philly, some more well known then others. (Not sure where I fit in that mix, but they love me anyway) Most of the programs are four courses, either cooked by the chef, or cooked by the group. After each course is prepared, they are served to the guests, and a complimentary wine is poured. I can't tell you what happens with the other chefs, but when I do these classes, it's kind of like a stand up comedy routine with food. I also get to deliver my diatribes on responsible farming, healthy eating, sustainable foods, etc. to a captive audience. And they are actually interested! They laugh, they learn, they eat, they tip...oh wait, did I just say that out loud? Ooops..

The reason I am bringing up this little tidbit of information, is because I will be there two nights this month; April 4th and April 19th. The first (this Friday) the menu is called "April in Paris." The four courses are: Spring Pea Soup with Minted Creme Fraiche, Hazelnut Crusted Goat Cheese over Mache Salad with Bacon Lardons, Baby Beets and Honey Vinaigrette, Spring Lamb Chops with Rainbow Swiss Chard and New Potatoes, and Seasonal Berries with Chocolate Mousse. Wanna join us? Sign up! On the 19th, I'm doing my "I Love Beer" menu, with Mussels in Belgian Ale with Leeks, Chicken cooked in Lambic Ale with Dried Cherries and Wilted Spinach, Grilled Steak Marinated in Brown Ale with Roasted Potatoes, and Guinness Brownies.

Check out Celebrity Kitchens on their website: celebritykitchens.com. Their whole calendar is available to see. It's always a good time-even when I'm not there..

For those of you who live too far away, sorry. You'll just have to pay my plane fare, and I will gladly come cook for you! (except maybe Michelle Broad DeRosa, who seems to have it all going on in the kitchen!)

I promise I'll post pictures of Friday night's food. Meantime, take it easy, and enjoy life. And food.