CONFESSION TIME

After all the search for Irish appetizer and writing about it and making the picture and posting, I did not use recipe. I decided to make "Mini Potato Bites" from the KRAFT FOODS website.

The recipe:

15 small red potatoes
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
4 tbsp sour cream
4 tbsp parmesan cheese, grated
2 tbsp chopped chives
4 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled

Boil potatoes until done, but not mushy. Cool slightly. Cut in half. Cut a little from the bottom of each half. Mix cheeses and sour cream. Place a dollop on each half. Sprinkle chives and crumbled bacon over each half. Can be served warm or cold.

Now here's what I did.  Did not find small red potatoes at the store; so, I bought a bag of fingerlings. Sorted and got enough for a double recipe. Cooked in salted water. These potatoes are an assortment; so, each kind cooked differently. The Yukons and the "pink" ones cooked just right. The baking and the dark ones were crumbly, but I used them all. Some of them did not need to have the little bit take off the bottom. They just sat up nicely. Of course, I used all the 8 oz pkg of cream cheese (Neu--the lower fat one), half a cup of low fat sour cream, 1/2 cup fresh parmesan that I grated myself and 1/2  cup grated cheddar from Ireland. Sprinkled some freshly ground black pepper. Followed directions and put the plate in the microwave and heated about 1 minute on high. Stayed warm enough for me to drive the 5 blocks to the party. Tasted good with the Guinness.

Mini Potato Bites=Big Hit!

ST. PATRICK'S DAY APPETIZERS

I never thought I was Irish, but in the last year or so, I learned that my ancestor with the Scottish name immigrated here from County Antrim in Northern Ireland. I guess that counts as Irish. In fact, my plans for the next big trip will be to Scotland and Ireland, That's another story.
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In the meantime I've been invited to a St. Patrick's Day Party and I need to take an appetizer. I will find our trusty "500 appetizers" cookbook and begin my search.
 Voila! Or Faith, and I've Found It!!!

  Prociutto-Wrapped Asparagus with Lemon Mayo**

These sophisticated bites make and irresistible  nibble with apertifs or as a more formal appetizer. You can prepare everything ahead, then simply pop them in the oven when your guests arrive.

1/2 cup mayonnaise                                                      8 asparagus tips
Grated zest of 1 lemon                                                 8 wafer-thin slices prosciutto, cut in strips*
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice                                              Olive oil, for drizzling
1/2 tbsp. snipped fresh chives                                      Ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Combine the mayonnaise, lemon zest. juice and chives in a serving dish. Cover and place in the refrigerator.

Wrap each asparagus tip in a strip of procuitto, arrange on a baking sheet, and drizzle with the oil. Sprinkle with a little black pepper and roast for 6-7 minutes, until tender.

Transfer the prociutto-wrapped asparagus to a platter and serve with the lemon mayo.

I think I'll try some ham slices.  Seems a little more "Irish."

Happy eating on Saint Patrick's Day.

**Picture and recipe from 500 appetizers by Susannah Blake

Spring Break Thoughts

What is this Spring Break thing? I am about to find out. Some family and some friends are headed to Wimberley, Texas.  We'll stay at a place with a full kitchen, and though we plan to critique some of the eateries, we will cook some, too. Now that's a surprise, isn't it? (We cook with wine, you know, and ......you know the rest of the quote.

One of our go-to dishes is CHICKEN PICCATA. We discovered the recipe when Karyn lived in southern California where we had "right-off-the-tree" lemons.

This is the recipe from my collection of recipes.

4 boned, skinned chicken breast halves
3 T. all-purpose flour
1 T. butter or olive oil
2 T. fresh lemon juice
1/4 t. chicken bouillon granules
1 t. paprika
2 T. dry white wine
Parsley, cilantro and lemon slices (optional)
My addition: 2 t. capers
Place each piece of chicken between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and flatten to 1/4" with mallet or rolling pin.
Combine flour and paprika; dredge chicken in flour mixture
Coat a large skillet with cooking spray; add olive oil or butter. Heat to medium. Cook chicken about six minutes or until brown (and until done). Remove from skillet and keep warm
Add wine, lemon juice, capers and bouillon  to skillet and cook 30 seconds. Pour over chicken. Garnish with parsley, cilantro and lemon slices..

This is so quick and easy and, so good. For a meal, add the ubiquitous green salad (or one that you've dressed up with all kinds of good things) some crusty bread and, oh,. yes, the rest of the white wine.

More about Wimberley in the next blog.
Good eating!
Jo Ann Miller

DID YOU KNOW?

According to the January, 2013, issue of Bon Appetit, pp.19-20, the margarita is not Mexico's most beloved cocktail. Did you know that? The Paloma, which features grapefruit juice, is the Mexican drink of choice. Now, I'm no expert on this subject, but I wanted to give it a try. When my friend took twenty grapefruit sectioned to a church retreat, she gave me the left-over juice. "Waste not; want not." A good reason to "indulge."

The BA writer gives his favorite rendition of the Paloma with some variations that work OK, but his use of the smokier mescal and real grapefruit juice, provide a different, but pleasant result.

Recipe borrowed from the aforementioned article:

PALOMA

Pour some kosher salt on a plate. Rub half of rim with a grapefruit wedge; dip rim of glass in salt.
Combine 1/4 cup fresh grapefruit juice, 1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice, 1 tsp. sugar in a glass;stir until sugar is dissolved. Stir in 1/4 cup mezcal* or tequila, add ice and top off with 1/4 cup club soda.
Garnish with grapefruit wedge. Makes 1.

Substitutions: Grapefruit-flavored soda  (Jarritos is the brand of choice, but Fresca will work.)
Sugar syrup for the granulated sugar.
Tequila for the mezcal.
*A note about mezcal. Very smoky. My first attempt tasted like bacon. Next try, used a jigger (2 T.) and the taste was better to me.

Hope my tee-totaller mother will forgive me for posting this.

Tea & Cookies - A Simple Dessert Solution with Not-So-Simple Flavors

Last Friday, two of our favorite vendors graced Gourmet Gallery with a Tea and Cookie Pairing. We had a full house, and we tasted some wonderful treats. Since then, I have tasked our Gourmet Gallery crew to come up with some fun, simple recipes that are nice enough to serve to guests.

Below are two recipes. One from our friend Paul Wackym at Wackym’s Kitchen, and the other from our own kitchen. We have paired both of these with some of our Sterling Teas for a refreshing small dessert.



Cornmeal Rosemary Shortbread with Bleu Cheese

12 Wackym’s Kitchen Cornmeal Rosemary Shortbread Cookies (available at Gourmet Gallery)

½ cup bleu cheese at room temperature

1 teaspoon softened butter

½ teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped



Mix bleu cheese and butter until well-combined. Pipe or spread cheese mixture onto shortbread cookies and arrange on a platter. Sprinkle fresh rosemary lightly over cookies. Serve with Sterling Earl Grey Lavender Tea or a hearty Cabernet Sauvignon.



Lemon Butter Cookie with Raspberry Mousse

12 Wackym’s Kitchen Lemon Cookies (available at Gourmet Gallery)

½ cup whipping cream

2 Tablespoons Curdelicious Raspberry Curd (available at Gourmet Gallery)

Fresh lemon peel for garnish



Whip cream until firm peaks form. Fold in curd. Pipe or spoon on top of lemon cookie. Garnish with fresh lemon zest or peel. Serve with Sterling Lemon Velvet Tea (hot or iced) or with ice-cold champagne.



Paul Wackym also makes a delicious Margarita Cookie. He says it’s even better dipped in tequila. Try this one at your own risk.



Happy Cooking!

Karyn

"Now We Are Four"

On August 15, 2008, a dream came true. After months, yea, even years, of planning, Gourmet Gallery Waco, opened for business. At the time no one realized that August 15 was the anniversary of Julia Child's birthday. Frankly, we had worked so hard that I hardly remembered MY birthday. Nor did we know that 2008 would begin the economic downturn that we have all experiened these years. However, the dream has lasted.

A recap of what has happened in those four years: our first class was on a Saturday in September. Loren Lee  taught the group to make Creme Brûlée. (still one of our favorites.) However, since that beginning we have had 350+ classes and private parties and at least 3500 participants. Some of those "students" are repeat attendees. Still that seems to me to be a remarkable number of classes and participants. One of our most faithful participants is Janice Runyons who was not at the first class, but was still living in Kentucky or some other foreign country. When she did get here, she has been an enthusiastic person for our classes and trips. Oh, yes, what were and are the classes? I'll mention a few: Tamales by Rachel; Farm to Table by Juanita; Sushi by Dee and Reiko; Seasonal Soups and Salads by Rachel; Quick Breads by Frank D; Date Nights by Kim and Stan, Salley and Chris, and others; Mediterranian Food by Karen; Paella by John and Carla; kolaches by Frank M and others too numerous to list. Karyn continues to use her creativity to find new and interesting topics and knowledgable chefs.

Included in the listing of classes is an idea we stole (pinched) from other kitchen stores. We call it COOKING THE BOOKS. At least 12 different books have been reviewed and food served from recipes taken from the book. In some cases there are no recipes, but any food mentioned is "fare" game.( Lisa Wingate, Clifton author, came to review SUMMER KITCHEN. The only food mentioned was PB&J and sandwiches; so, we did 'Variations on a Peanut Butter Theme.--(Have you tried a Peanut Butter and onion sandwich?) JULIE AND JULIA brought forth Potato and Leek Soup, Boeuf Bourguignonne, and Crepes. BTW our classes are informative and fun. You may even bring the beverage of your choice to any class except KNIFE SKILLS CLASS

During these years we have bought merchandise from over 350 vendors, and we regularly order from 100-200 different companies. Our inventory includes over 5000 different items. Rachel keeps up with all of them. AMAZING!!!!  We have moved from being a pick-up place for Epicurean  gourmet dishes to having our own in-house chef, Juanita Barrientos, graduate of TAMU and Le Cordon Bleu. She and her sous chefs prepare our take-out dishes. If you are vegan or vegetarian, gluten intolerant, or like regular foods, come and try her delicious menu. The weekly menu is sent to our email list of customers. The items are "first come, first serve."

We have sponsored three trips to various parts of the world to provide opportunities for tasting food and wine and seeing the sights in Texas, the United States of America and abroad. Our first trip was to Rome, Assisi, Florence and other places in Italy. Second, we took a group to Washington and Oregon, and this past spring our group visited Fredericksburg to experience wonderful foods and wines in the glorious Hill Country right here in Texas. Although I promised myself I would not do another group trip (It's not my talent) I AM  thinking about planning trips to Jackson, Mississippi, for the Sweet Potato Queen's Annual Parade, to 1000 Islands, New York, to enjoy the fresh fish and NY wines, oh, and Ireland and Scotland

Our staff is our greatest asset. Rachel Solano came to work July 8,2008..She helped with pricing inventory both on the new system and helped price every single item in an unair-conditioned space next to the new store. Her spirit, work ethic, loyalty and organizational skills are invaluable (and she likes good wine.) As mentioned, Juanita and her sous chefs Mrs Yu, Leah and Virginia have added a new dimension to our business and to Waco's food choices. The Millers, too numerous to name.-----have been wonderful to fill in, take over, drink the wine, take out cardboard, mop, provided original art work and opportunities for charitable acts, to whatever else needs to be done.

Last but most important are those of you who have been our patrons and have remained faithful through these four years. Please come Saturday, September 8, so that we may say THANK YOU in person for these years.

Thousand Islands' Thousand Island

My husband was predictable when it came to food choices. He chose green beans and corn when available; any dessert was just fine as long as there was plenty of it; the coffee should be served hot, preferrably in a heated cup; the dressing for a green salad--a "little dab of 'Thousand Island'."

I must confess that since I never eat that particular dressing (my choice is vinaigrette or a rich, creamy bleu cheese) I hadn't given its origin any thought whatsoever. However, some friends of mine recently visited Thousand Islands, New York, and brought back information about how the salad originated. I got to keep the information and to look at the jar of dressing.

The Thousand Islands Inn graciously gave me permission to tell the story of the true origin of the dressing as found on the back of the menu of the Thousand Islands Inn located in Clayton, New York as well as to post a picture of bottles of the dressing. My sincere thanks for their prompt and positive response.

Thousand Island Dressing, made in Clayton, New York, is the only salad dressing named for any region of the United States..the dressing was first made by Mrs. Sophie LaLonde whose husband was a popular fishing guide named George LaLonde, Jr. He, as his father before him, guided tourist fisherman through the 1000 Islands waters for northern pike, muskie, black bass.

These fishing excursions could include shore dinners which were prepared on the surrounding islands, and  were popular then, as now. George, Jr. served a different and unusual salad dressing at these dinners. George was guiding a prominent stage actress, May Irwin and her husband who was impressed with the distinctive taste of the dressing. She asked for the recipe and Mrs. LaLonde, flattered by the request from a New York celebrity, who incidentally was a renown cook and cookbook authoress, gave it willingly to Miss Irwin, who in turn gave it to at least two other people, the Bertrand family and George C. Boldt.

Miss Irwin named the dressing "Thousand Island Dressing." It was first served to the public in the dining room of the Herald House owned by the Bertrands. George Boldt, owner of the Waldrof-Astoria Hotel in New York and the Bellview-Stratford in Philadelphia, directed his world famous maitre d', Oscar Tshirky to place the 1000 Island Dressing on the hotel menu at once. Thus Oscar earned credit for introducing  the dressing to the "world."

The dressing is still served at the "Herald House" which is now known as the Thousand Islands Inn. "Patrons continually comment about the remarkable flavor and, as May Irwin did, request the recipe. In 1990s the Inn began to bottle the dressing  from their "Original" for sale to the public. It is available at the Inn and on line at www.1000-islands.com/dressing.

When you come to Gourmet Gallery, ask me for a taste. I've ordered some. My husband would have loved it!!!! I think the complex flavors of the dressing are perfect for a simple salad of Romaine or the not-so-favored in gourmet food circles, a wedge of iceberg lettuce. Chef Juanita suggested using it on a Cobb or grilled chicken salad. One of our customers, after a taste, said, "Roast beef sandwich. My mother always put mayonnaise and sweet relish on our left-over roast beef sandwiches!!"

Do you have other suggestions?

Be advised that the original has little similarity to many of the Thousand Island Dressings you will find on the grocery store shelf. Come by and taste. If  you want to have the original, go www.1000-islands.com/dressing.