Forcing Bulbs

The large Margarita glasses have red lion amaryllis bulbs and the small square glass containers hold paper whites.

Home Made White Bean, Sausage and Kale Soup & Herbed Pizza

Here's a shot of the pizza hot out of the oven. Followed by pictures of the sausage, kale and white bean soup I put on to simmer all day yesterday. Kale and other vegetable additions in the soup compliments of my garden.

And, once again, I put my silicone pastry mat to the test with this ultra sticky home made, Italian herb pizza dough shown below. As much as I kneaded and pushed the dough in to the mat, I just couldn't get it to stick. To my families delight, my new toy has compelled me to throw one type of dough after another on to its' non-stick surface.

New from the garden...

From top to bottom: Dwarf Meyer Lemon, Evergreen Huckleberry, Petite Negro Dwarf Fig Tree, Jason getting his socks dirty, Italian Purple Globe Artichoke, Spanish Lavender, bell peppers ripening, Japanese Eggplant still going strong, green peppers, Lolla Rossa lettuce, red deer tongue lettuce, Australian Spotted lettuce, Malabar Spinach Vine, Non Heading Simpson Collards, Sprouting Dutch Red Shallots, Butter Crunch lettuce, Newly Emerged Jumbo Red Cabbage

French Tart Tatin - This One's For You, Jenn!

I made this classic French caramel apple pie last night and we enjoyed it with a scoop of Mitchell's Toasted Almond Ice Cream. As I made this, I thought of my good friend Jennifer. As a chef and fellow foodie, here's to good eats!

Fish & Chips Proper

When I make fish and chips for my family - they absolutely love it and it gives me a chance to use my wonderful, shiny fryer. I only use high oleic, GMO free expeller pressed safflower oil for frying and baking. It's the healthiest seed/vegetable oil out there outside of extra virgin olive oil. I peeled and sliced 4 giant russet potatoes - only russets will do when making french fries. After being sliced they get rinsed under cold running water for a minute or two and then go in to an ice cold water bath. The initial fry is for blanching and is done at 325 F. the Second fry is for their golden color and shattering crispness. A light spinkling of sea salt finishes the fries. The fish is fresh snapper and I use a classic batter which produces golden-crisp strips.

Welcome to My Baking Station...

This post will undoubtedly be the epitome of boring for those of you who do not get in to the kitchen often. Suffice it to say, I am a "culinary geek" and this little mat has revolutionized a corner of my kitchen where bread doughs are rolled, biscuits are cut, and pate a choux piped. I am so smitten with this gizmo, I am compelled to blog about it.

The table top of my baking station is solid untreated hard wood which has been good for many baking applications including pasta rolling. The 6 ft. butcher block counter already included many baking staples such as my KitchenAid professional mixer, French rolling pin, Zojirushi bread machine and all of my favorite go to baking books. That being said, it's never felt as complete until the arrival of this nifty silicone pastry mat. It's 24" x 18", non stick, oven safe, non-slip and dishwasher safe. When I roll out pastries and wet doughs such as ciabatta on this this mat, no matter how sticky, it practically repels the dough from it. As soon as I got it I put it to the test by baking a free form plum crostata on it. After rolling filling and shaping the crostata dough on said mat, I simply lifted the whole thing on to a commercial baking sheet and threw it in to the oven. The mat worked magnificently at browning the bottom of the crostata and once cool, it slid off effortlessly - no flour- no cooking spray! Even the caramelized, gooey plum filling that had leaked out here and there peeled right off the surface - bellissimo! Here's the only catch... it's not cheap. You'd think a flimsy piece of silicone less than 2'x2' would be an inexpensive little trinket, but not so. I will say this however, it's worth every penny I spent on it. I love it better than any pastry surface I've worked on including my marble pastry board. I would highly recommend this for the serious or even casual baker.

Dark Chocolate Dipped Brandied Apricots

Oh yes, don't rush out ant get your hearing checked, you heard me right. This is a recipe I've been making for the past 6 years. It was reluctantly given to me by one of my customers who makes huge batches of these to sell during the holidays. I've been sworn to secrecy and therefore I cannot give out the exact recipe but I can tell you that it starts off with a very special apricot that is only commercially cultivated in California. These apricots have a supple sweetness that is simply lacking in imported, sulfer laden Turkish apricots. Lastly, only the finest dark chocolate and lastly only the highest quality *___________* will do. It's a bit spendy, but I like to use *____________* which makes the most unbelievable apricot liquor as a by product.

Without letting the cat completely out of the bag, I can tell you that it's a process that takes several weeks which is why I'm starting them now. They'll be ready just in time for the holidays. These are potent little devils too. Just a few can put me under the table and they are so delectable that it's easy to wake up under said table wondering what got you there. I will post pics. of the process and the finished product in good time.

Sorry, I Can't Help It!

You'll have to endure more pictures of my Winter vegetable garden. I just love how it's coming along. I find it to be even more pleasing in the early morning when it's covered with dew. The worms are having an absolute field day in the wet compost I recently added. I overturned a tiny shovel full and there were a dozen worms right under the surface doing what they do best.