A Culinary Winter Vacation

 even though it's a tough time to travel you can stil travel around the globe. Cooking and baking make it easy to have a tast eof the alps or the caribbean. It's a fun trip all within the confines of your kitchen.

Many regret not heading to the slopes this season. You can definitely bring a taste of the Alps to your dining room this January. Piedmonte in Northwestern Italy is known not just for its' challenging and fun slopes but also for it's robust foods, perfect at any chalet.One of the best dishes is bagna calda, literally a hot bath of anchoviies, olive oil, a little butter and garlic.It's usually made in a fondue pot and doners are encouraged to dip their forks in. savoy cabbage, native to this province is what's usually dipped in but you can also serve cubed and semi roasted London Broil or steak with it.Have loaves of crusty Italian bread with it to catch the savory drips of sauce. Another tasty winter dish that can be served is pescoi meaning "not fish" in dialect. This is polenta and butter cooked in savoy cabbage leaves and then pickled ina vinegar and savoia (a type of herb) brine. across the Alps in switzerland there is fondue. This a a perfect date night  supper, made with white wine,  a mix  of Gruyere and Emmenthaler cheeses , nutmeg and lemon juice. You could add a splash of kirsch for kick. Cubes of French bread or boiled potatoes are dipped in. Even heartier fare is German  which can be a good bratwurst grilled indoors and served on a dark rye with plenty of mustard or sauerbraten, a rump roast brined in vinegar, water, bay leaves and sugar and sprinkled with flour. The drippings are strained with gingerbread cookies to make a tangy , sweet sauce,

If you;re dying for heat and the Caribbean then think of jerk. The heat alone will get rid of that winter chill. Try the chicken one which is a Jamaican classic.It's a fiery sweet mix of two Scotch bonnet peppers, cayenne pepper, onions, scallions,nutmeg and allspice berries.A pinch of brown sugar is added to temper all this heat.Serve with another Jamaican recipe, the side dish of rice and peas.This is a  of the two made sweet with the addition of full fat coconut milk and fiery with more of the famed Scotch bonnet peppers.There is also thyme in it and to round it out scallions and onions.Puerto Rico may be known for warm , sunny beaches and turquoise waters but it's also known for its' variety of tasty dishes and drinks.Mofongo is a national dish and is as comforting as mashed potatoes.Everyone has their own recipe for it but the basic one is ripe plantains mashed with garlic.It can be served with meat or just veggies.Empanadas are also found 9n this lush island.8tss sorts of like a Cornish pasties stuffed with chicken,  beef or mixed veggies,Finish with a Coquitlam, akind of rummy nog, made with egg yolks ,rum and condensed and coconut milks.

Your kitchen can be your gateway to international travel.Try any of these dishes to fell like you're on a trip,It's a great trip to a fun destination

Rescue Mission

Some dishes flop.It's just the nature of cooking.My cabbage steaks were not a big hit.I should have kept them in the oven for another ten minutes.Another problem was that there was just too much cabbage


There was only one thing to do - turn those crispy leaves into pescoi ,Piedmontese stuffed cabbage.This dish is usually made by first cooking polenta,and then letting it cool.Once cooled it placed in cabbage leaves.These are rolled, like dolmade,grape leaves, tied with just seeing thread(always white) and then fried in butter.The rolls are then fried until the cabbage leaves turn translucent and the polenta can be seen.These are then submerged in a mix of salvia, a type of thyme,red wine vinegar and garlic.

I marinated the steaks in garlic and thyme infused red wine vinegar for two days.

It had a stronger, more pickled taste than the rolls.The polenta was needed.

I used masa harina, the Mexican cornmeal which is finer  than the regular cornmeal.I cooked up a cup of it.

Then I deconstructed a centuries old dish.Instead of being one stuffed inside the other,they were placed side by side.

I put the polenta on the cabbage leaves and magic!!!The same taste that I grew up on.The polenta's mildness was the perfect foil to the puckering tartness.I like this deconstructed way better.There's never the threat of getting thread caught on my teeth

The cabbage steaks bombed.The deconstructed pescoi didn't.This was the perfect rescue mission.

I

Cabbage Steak Night

Cabbage steaks are a trend too big to ignore.They are everywhere, from Martina McBride"s new cookbook to Pinterest.Of course I had to give them a try.

It starts with a large cabbage head.

Too large.

It was then sliced into  1/4 inch slices.

Placed on my largest cookie sheet.They are then brushed on both sides with olive oil, and seasoned with a good sprinkling of sea salt and fresh ground pepper.

It was a large cabbage so I had overage.

This too was oiled, seasoned and roasted.Here are the results.

The crispy parts were delicious but on the whole the steaks were kind of bland.

Sooooooo

I turned it into a deconstructed pescoi - Piedmontese pickled cabbage sans polenta.

The leftovers, crispy bits and all are marinating in a garlic infused apple cider vinegar marinade.

Will I make cabbage steaks again?The recipe does have to be tweaked, so maybe.

Flying Solo Without The Master

Today was my first big cooking day without my Mom's help. It was dicey to say the least and I made a vat of sauce for two simple helpings of ravioli. I have to get used to this  - cooking and life without her.

We were never one of those families who write down recipes. We figured if you've made it more than enough times, then it was engrained in your memory.It becomes a part of you. I had thought this but realized I was wrong. I do need our family recipes written down. Sadly, they all went with my Mom. I will never get the exact measurements for our Piedmontese stuffed cabbage rolls, pescoi That will have to be made from memory and what my brother can remember. As for the sauce, luckily there are recipes on the net that I can follow. The sauce was smooth, not rich however thanks to the inclusion of sugar. I use my own spin  dark honey in homemade sauces. As usual I panicked  simply because I sauteed the garlic too soon.it resulted in burnt cloves and popping oil. I also added way too much sauce which would have been perfect had I made two or three pounds of spaghetti.Instead it was only four helpings of ravioli.

For those of you who scoff at writing down family recipes, don't.. Write down everything, keep them on index cards. Staples still sells these. You can also type them up and print them out to create a family cookbook. (This is the perfect holiday and bridal shower gift). If you can include a picture of the dish do so. Write down exact measurements. A pinch of something for you is a dab for someone else  . Make sure the measurements are exact, from a 3/4 of a teaspoon to 1/8 of  a cup. Also make sure the ingredients are the exact same ones. You can't sub in cinnamon for coriander or use an oat flour for a white one. Variations can be included,especially if there are allergies running through the bloodlines.Also give credit where credit is due. My Mom's apple pie recipe was taken by a few in-laws and it became their signature dish, with their branches giving them the acclaim. If Nama made the nutmeg Snickerdoodles, add her name, with the first and last name, and possibly the date it was first made. Include any family history regarding it too,Stories get lost from generation to generation.

I'm flying solo these days. I hate it. I wish my Mom and I had written down our family recipes.I need exact measurements with exact ingredients.

Fall Celebrations

Autumn is a wonderful time for all sorts of celebration and feasting. It's one of the most beautiful times to get married or engaged. Parties can have an elegant yet rustic menu, featuring the best of the season.. The foods can be farm fresh  taken from local providers to be  spun into a delicious feast.

Even if you're planning on a fall wedding for next year, take into consideration the harvest the season can bring. Many caterers are following the farm to table movement so their choices for you will have interesting dishes. Instead of the usual catered fare like lasagna or chicken with rice it will be  butternut squash soup, Savoy cabbage wraps and possibly a venison or pheasant main dish.A wedding cake may be a take on an apple one, redolent with cinnamon instead of the much used chocolate or vanilla.There could even be mini pear tartlets too, featuring another fruit of the season.As for toasting, think an apple wine - and yes it is a real drink. Celebrants could go for apple champagne, however it has to be made at home using the right fermenting ingredients. A somewhat safer choice is the French hard cider which has a champagne like sparkle and bubble. Make sure there is the non alcoholic kind for teetotalers and kids.Have pear and apple cocktails and mocktails too.

A celebration can also be done at home. Plan accordingly to suit the number of guests. Turkey or ham is a good choice for a big at home gathering. A German style roast pork is another excellent idea.If it's a smaller get together think possibly game fowl such as quail or pheasant.Sides for both types of parties could feature wild rice stuffed squash or a wild rice casserole. Cabbage season is getting into gear and it can be turned into a variety of different dishes from hors d'oeuvres to hot salads. Try it as pes coi, the Piedmontese polenta stuffed rolls or simply shredded and sautéed in butter. If opting for the pork roast , try an apple onion saute to accompany it.This can be made in large quantities for a crowd and can be made in a crockpot . Dessert can be as simple as apple and pear galettes or rustic apple pies. Want something a bit more elegant? Apple cake with cream cheese icing, topped with a spun sugar dome or crown. This can also translate into cupcakes too.

A fall wedding or engagement is a magical affair. Create wonderful dishes featuring the harvests of the season for it. They'll make celebrating either one even better.