SOPHIE'S WISDOM #4

     When storing fresh herbs, place them in a plastic zip bag and blow air into it as you seal it. Then place them in the fridge. This protects them from being bruised or mashing up against the plastic, so they can keep their shape. As well it keeps them fresher and crisper longer because of the carbon dioxide in your breath.

     Trust me, since I’ve learned this, it really keeps them fresh and in great shape for a very long time. I was surprised just how long when I found a bag of parsley I had pushed back, and it was still in great shape, after a few weeks. I’d say this keeps them 4 or 5 times longer than just placing them in the fridge in a bag or container.

 Blessings mes amis

FOOD GADGETRY

     Here’s a fun little video from days gone by. And this guy does all sorts of delightful little food treatments with a bunch of nifty tools. I find it amusing that the manual can opener, and melon baller were a few of those “not before heard of” nifty little tools.

     After watching this video, I wanted to try the waffle cut sweet potatoes fried in pancake batter. So I went to the “kitchen store” outlet, accompanied by the very friend who sent me the video. I was in search of a crinkle cutting blade. Well to our surprise, one of the things we found was a set of nifty little tools, the very ones in the video. Not all tools were in the set, but a few of the ones I really wished I could try out. 

    Earlier I was talking about the visual components of cooking. Making a nice appetizing appearance. Well these come right in line with that. Here is one gadget I tried, the second from the top in the photo, and it worked beautifully.  For an appetizer when my kiddos were coming over for dinner I made these, for lack of a better word, curly cue potatoes. 

     I normally would never blanch potatoes, as potatoes should always be started in cold water when boiling, but this time I did just dip the potatoes in boiling water for just a bit, about a minute to a min 30 seconds, to soften them, and make them easier for the tool to go through. Being the first time, I got just one curled piece from each potato half, next time I think I can cut them into maybe quarters and get more from them. But I didn’t throw away the rest of the potatoes, I froze them  (which i could cause they had been blanched) and used them in other dishes.

     Well I cut the curly cues as shown, and then did some sweet potatoes as well. Then I unscrewed them and combined the two different potatoes back into two tones pieces. As well I wrapped some breakfast sausage in some. 

         I dredged them in flour lightly then set them aside in the fridge. Because they had been blanched the potatoes did not darken. Later when my children arrived I just had to pop them in the fryer. They were eating them honestly almost as fast as I could fry them. The ones with sausage were really good, but the two toned ones, my preference, were very delicious. The two kinds of potato flavors went well together.  I made a seasoning salt of chili powder salt pepper garlic powder and a tad of brown sugar to bring out the sweet potato. This I sprinkled on them after I fried each batch. Well actually my son did the seasoning we worked like an assembly line. I had wanted to sort of arrange them to make a presentation, but my son did that as well, and set a bowl of raspberry chipotle dipping sauce in the middle, while I was frying. But as I said they jumped right into them, so I really didn’t get a pic of the platter laid out, which was a bit disappointing as I was referring to the visual appeal. But I did rescue a few scraps for photo before they were gone. Then I ate them…mmm. Next time I will have my daughter be in charge of the photos.

     I’d like to get a few more of the tools so I will definitely be on the lookout. The little rolling chopper looked easy and useful for fine mincing, especially of herbs.

Blessings mes amis.

LAMMASTIDE

     The weekend last was Lammastide, the Feast of the Wheat Harvest, which is the first of three harvest celebrations. It is still observed in some areas. The year moves on and turns from Midsummer's frolic back to thoughts of work. The second half of the year to ancient people was focusing on winter just as the first half of the year focused on summer. You could say that Midsummer was the culmination of the first half of the year’s work with crops, gardens, and herds, flocks and more. This time was punctuated with Feasts along where they stopped to mark time and call for, and celebrate the fertility wanted and needed for a good yield.

     So now after the earth has given the yield, with the fullness of summer, it is time to harvest and give thanks for that yield. The work of harvesting, is done with the mindset that all has to be budgeted and stored for the time of winter, and the culmination of all this work will be celebrated at Yule.

     The days for this feast vary from August 1, to the 6, to the closest Sunday, even celebrated throughout August, or from July midpoint to August midpoint. There is a Fair in northern Ireland, Ould Lammas Fair which has been taking place in the last weeks of August for about 400 years.

     Wheat was ready at this time, and in many cultures where people farmed land owned by landlords, wheat payments, the portion allotted to the lords, were due by the first of August. Hay (and also oats in some places), was the first actual harvest as it and wheat ripen, became golden and dried at this same time. So the hay was harvested and set off for the livestock’s winter food. This was called Haymaking, it was harvested baled and stored in a hasty, but sometimes playful manner, it being animal food, and the point was to get it done quickly “Make hay while the sun shines”, and get on to the Wheat Harvest. 

    Wheat was the finest staple to take the people through the winter, so The Wheat Harvest was often a celebration in itself with merry making in the fields as they worked.

     

     Of the grains grown and eaten by folks of antiquity, oats, rye, barley, Wheat was considered the best. Depending on climates rye and barley may have been reaped earlier, like in late spring, but they were considered incidental grains. With various uses aside from baking, like making ale. It was the wheat that gave the finest, lightest, best textured flour, so then also the finest baked goods. And so it was in the areas of Britain and mostly northern Europe the Wheat harvest and consequential celebrating came to be associated with this cross quarter day of August 1 or 2

     The day of Lammas, was the feast of first fruits. People would bring a loaf made from their new wheat to the church with them to celebrate mass. These loaves were then blessed, and taken back home. The Mass was the “loaf mass”…which is the meaning of the word Lammas. Sometimes the blessed bread was eaten, but usually it was kept and dried and then used as a charm or token, for the protection of the Harvests, as well the people themselves, and for folk, country magic.

 

     The loaf was usually a round loaf of wheat flour with a cross cut into it making four quadrants. The loaf was then broken into four parts and placed around the sides of the in Barn or Grain storage area one in each of the four directions, north south east and west. Sometimes a small bit from each part was also brought to the house and placed the same way around the home. This was considered to protect the grain stores from rot, disease, pests or anything else. Also sometimes people would have a larger loaf and a smaller they would take to get blessed. The larger for the crops and home, and the smaller kept for spells/prayers of protection and good health. The two loaves were carried into the church by either, the Father, (larger loaf) and Mother (smaller loaf) of the family, or the Father and Eldest son. Now days the Lammas brod (breads) are often works of art.

     In addition to the loaves that were blessed, other loaves, muffins, scones and stones (tiny cakes baked on a hot stone), cookies and cakes, and various delectable pastries were made to eat in the feasting. Another thing was and still is pies with new wheat flour crust. They might be meat pies or fruit, since fruit was and is abundant now. And fresh fruits were part of the feast as well. Blueberries were a common traditional food in Ireland, along with meat from an older bull sacrificed to make way for a new one that was ready now for breeding. And candies called Honeycomb, or Yellowman or yellaman, both golden chewy toffees have become a Lammastide goody.  And in Ireland, a traditional food at the fair is Dulse, a dried seaweed snack.

YELLOWMAN

DRIED DULSE

       

     Another name for this time was Lughnasadh, pronounced LOO-nas-sah, to the Celtics. A day named for the great golden god Lugh, pronounced Louhh, who was the god of all arts and crafts, as well as a harvest guardian. And the greatest warrior.

      Here the people would bring their just harvested wheat offerings to the top of a hill to offer to the gods, along with blueberries, and they had the  rituial of the sacrifice of the Sacred (last years, mating stock) Bull. And the new bull being shown. A symbol used to remind the king or ruler to renew his honor and guidance and fairness, lest he be replaced with a new (bull) king. In time Olympic type games developed in honor of famed gods and warriors, and a time to remember the dead heroes. Also because of the assembly of people with usually a king or ruler present for the games, it was a time to hear contracts, and legal situations, a time for payment of debts, such as the sheaves of wheat paid to landlords. And so a fair like atmosphere developed, where livestock was shown and traded for, fresh fruit was peddled and traded, and fruit pies, jellies and such were brought to show, and sold. Cakes and breads were also displayed and sold.

     In different places Lammas was and the resulting celebrations were referred to as the Gule of August, gule being probably related to the Welsh “Gwyl Awst” (feast of August). It was Lunasdal in Scotland, Luanys on the Isle of Man. These various names were also used for the month of August itself.  Lammas was a later name after the Christian influences were added. Shakespere set Juliet’s birthday just before the wheat harvest, “Come Lammas eve at night shall she be fourteen” this is considered to be symbolic of the fact that she and Romeo were never able to Reap the bounty of their love.

     It is the feasting and merry making of this time, that in fact have grown in many cultures to the little country fair, or in the United States the county fair, or state fair usually set towards the end of the summer months, showing off harvested fruits, products, livestock.. etc.. 

   In fact I live in a county seat, and the fair grounds are just up the boulevard from my house. They are at this very time setting up the county fair, I saw them when I went to the market earlier today. The parade will pass in front of my house this coming Saturday morning to kick off the Fair. And the Fair still has a great deal to do with livestock, trading and “showing”, agriculture, and harvest, and much a do is made of fruits, jellies, preserves, pies cakes and such for trade, contests and celebrating.

     We still at this time, just as the ancient people did, are looking to winter. Maybe not from necessity, to make stores for our winter needs, but this is the time of year for canning veggies, making jams jellies and more. Making pickles, tomato sauce, etc…just a bit of trivia, did you know that if you plant your dill with your cucumbers in the garden, the dill keeps pests off of the cucumber plants.

     I made some tomato sauce and fermented and canned a good batch of tender sauerkraut. I have a few other projects… with all the fresh fruit and veggies around!

     And so the wheel of the year turns to the second half, the harvesting time. Much to do in the coming months. And just as all the crop tending and such culminates in a fine feasting midsummer. The harvesting times and winter preparation time ends with plenty of  Yuletide feasting. Blessings mes amis

THE "EYES" HAVE IT

Visual components of culinary art

    On this blog, I’m writing about mostly food but not just about cooking. Aside from food information, and gardening, herbs and more there is the presentation of the final work all these other things lend to. When entertaining, or when preparing and serving a meal, there are other aspects that I feel are important to the whole of what I want to give. Cooking delectable food is part of it, as is making the dining experience reflect the effort that goes into making a grand meal. The more one considers these other areas, I feel, the better they get at the true art of cookery.

v Cooking would be assembling and applying heat to food.

v Good cooking would be applying heat to food, with skill and success to bring about delicious meals.

v Being a good cook would be cooking with skill, success, deliciousness, and care and purpose to please others.

v Being a chef is being a master at the skills required in cooking well with creativity.

v And I don’t have a final category name so I will use the word Culinarian.  A culinary master is all the above combined, especially the last two in this little outlined list, namely a good cook, and a chef, with one more aspect thrown in and that is Hospitality.

     So being 1. a good cook and 2. a chef and 3. a gracious host, is always my goal. My purposes in my writing are those which reflect my feelings indeed my philosophies about something beyond being just the preparer of even the very finest foods. Did you now that offering hospitality was considered one of the highest values to the Hebrews in the Bible, as well as later in the cultures when Jesus was alive.

     The act of creating good food / meals for others should, in my opinion, combine many aspects. It has as much to do with serving as with preparing the food. When cooking becomes an art, and act of love, and skills learned,  are done so as to maximize that offering to be the best you can possibly give, then you really are a Culinarian.

     

     And as I have said before and will say a hundred times at least before I die, “A great meal has three things going for it. Smell, sight, and taste.” Most all the senses and the even maybe the sixth are a little involved, but the main three are in order again… Smell Sight and Taste.

     SMELL is the first part of your offering as it hits people first. It is not a skill you are learning but a by-product of having learned your skill well. If when my children, or friends, or guests arrive for a dinner, they walk in and say “Gosh it smells good in here.” I know I am doing my job right. This is the olfactory sense of aromas that make taste into flavor. Have some hors d’oeuvres at hand to quell the appetite the smell will immediately give your guests, preferably some munchies along the same lines and theme as the food you are cooking and they are smelling.

   The third aspect will come if you have done your job well, when they sit down and TASTE your meal and they are delighted with their gustatory sensations. You made their taste buds and them happy.

   It’s the middle thing I mentioned that this article is about. What do your loved ones or guests SEE when they arrive and when they sit down at the table. This is the ophthalmic sense. This aspect should always be considered as an important part of how to experience the offering or serving of a fine meal. Anyone can place crackers cheese and meats on a platter, but for a special occasion add a swan made from cutting an apple, surrounded with little olive rose buds in the middle, and some parsley around the edges of the platter and as a border. And your guests will not just eat the hors d’oeuvres but feel just a little more pampered by the whimsy of the display. And they will know that the cook took some time with the preparation of tonight’s meal. The stage has been set, that this meal is going to be a very pleasing experience. It’s about how you want your guests’ first impressions to make them feel. 

 

     What do you do if someone takes you to a really nice five star restaurant, (and they are treating lol) I mean the kind of place where the Maitre D’ will split your lobster tail for you or bone your fish, or flambé your dessert.  Well I don’t know about you, but my shoulders drop, I relax into knowing I’m going to be paid attention to as if I was someone special. And aren’t we all someone special…especially your family friends or guests. Give them that feeling when they come to your home, as if they are special, and going to be pampered with excellent food.

     …An aside for a second s’il vous plait. I’m not saying do it up fancy all the time. There will always be the suppers where someone stopped by and you whip something up for y’all to eat. Still even then you can still offer what you have whipped up with a sense of reverence for the chance to share a meal with this person, by opening a bottle of wine and setting some stemware and cloth napkins on the table with the plates.

     Eating a meal should be more than just poking sustenance in your pie hole. Every meal doesn’t require a lovely set table to sit at, but at least do sit and spend a little time with whomever you are eating with. Eating is probably the most social thing we do. What is most often thought of for getting together?… grab a bite to eat! And what do we do when we grab that bite, we spend time catching up with our friends and such, enjoying their company. Why not do the same at home. I raised four children and yes even in this day and age of school activities, lessons, sports, phones, TV, computers and video games, we had a rule, the same that I was raised with.  Excepting rare occasions, coming to the table for supper was a requirement when I was growing up, as it was when I raised my family. And in both cases the TV got turned off. It has to do with serving, with the presentation of food, with respecting the processes that got it to the table, and respecting each other in the sharing that food with you. And now that my children are grown they have the same respect for a meal shared, that I was raised with.

   And so I step down from my soap box. Digression should be my middle name.

    Going back to the visual elements of a fine dining experience, it is important to be the host who considers that. So now we are talking about the occasions when we want to make extra effort to let guests, family and friends know, that the meal they are going to share is exceptional. Im talking about a special holiday dinner or dinner party, birthday, family gathering etc., these are the times when you should take the time to pull out all the stops, and going along with that analogy, your dining experience for all can be as splendid as a resounding organ playing a Bach piece. 

    Be willing to light candles at the table, use a nice table cloth and cloth napkins with fancy folds. Be willing to come up with a centerpiece, or place cards. That was something we used to always do for Christmas. Be willing to do interesting things with the food, fancy garnishes and things like apple swans. Become a real culinarian. And offer the very best of your efforts when you cook and serve a meal for others.

   I hope to share articles and links to many things VISUAL for serving a great dining experience, from place settings to special cuttings of food decoration and garnishing. I’d like to share what I’ve learned or even invented over the years, as well as connect to places where I may have gotten some of the info and skills. There is a host of wonderful videos out there. Hopefully you can be inspired and you will start brainstorming yourself.

  May your food be prepared with love, presented with art, and enjoyed with reverence, reverie, and whimsy.

 Blessings mes amis.