National Macaroon Day 5 31 2012

Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book (binder 1976)

(Every recipe perfected for you in our Test Kitchen)\

offers this recipe for Coconut Macaroons

• 2 egg whites
• Dash salt
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1-3 & 1/2 oz can (1 & 1/3 cups) flaked coconut

Beat egg whites with dash salt, and the vanilla till soft peaks form.  

Gradually, add sugar, beating until stiff.  

Fold in coconut.

Drop by rounded teaspoon onto greased cookie sheet.  

Bake in slow oven (325 degrees) about 20 minutes.  

Makes about 1 & 1/2 dozen.

    

Other recipe links below:

First Place Coconut Macaroon Recipe from Taste of Home

Allrecipes.com - Coconut Macaroons

Coconut Rum Macaroon recipe turns into a disaster but creates a new recipe for a Pavlova.  This post written today from Michigan.  See link:

http://www.annarbor.com/entertainment/food-drink/coconut-rum-meringues/

Celebrate National Macaroon Day from the Huffington Post's Menuism.com

Menuism on Huffington Post - about macaroons

Coconut Macaroon Cookies with almond

From Life123.com

    

Greensboro NC Mosaic Festival Part 1 - Asian

Asian Food 

According to the website there will be foods from Asia, the Middle East, Africa, 

Latin America and Europe.

Burma is one of the countries mentioned on the website from Asia so I have featured it here: 

Burma (Myanmar) (Southeast Asia) 

    

  

Burmese proverbs:

• Regrets always come later.
• Wise man's anger never comes out.

    

  

Great link for Burma and recipes below at:  

asiarecipe.com/burma

MEAT DISHES FROM BURMA

Burmese Chicken Curry

Nga Baung Doke (Fish in Banana Leaves)

Kyazangi Kaukswe (Rice Noodles with Curry)

Kyethar Susie Kyaw (Stir-Fried Chicken with Chile)

VEGETARIAN DISHES FROM BURMA

Brown Rice With Sesame Fried Vegetables

Burmese-Style Coconut Spiced Fruit Rice

Burmese Veggies with Peppers

DESSERTS FROM BURMA

Moh Let Saung (Coconut Milk with Sago)

Shwe-Yin-Aye (Coconut Cream Sherbet)

SAUCES FROM BURMA

Mango Pickle Relish

Tomato Shrimp Paste Dip

Crisp Shrimp Relish or Burmese Balachaung

kyay zue tin ber tal

My Tribute to Mirandola Italy earthquake 5 29 2012

I nostri migliori auguri e le nostre preghiere per Italia di morandola

  

Where is Mirandola and what part of history does this town play and what do they do there?

Mirandola is a small town of 20,000 inhabitants in the Province of Modena in the Emiglio-Romagna section of Italy.  

Mirandola (local dialect: La Miràndla) is a city and comune of Emilia-Romagna, Italy, in the Province of Modena, 31 km northeast of the provincial capital by ... See maps below. 

  

Want to know more about Mirandola?  See this wiki sight:Wiki on Mirandola

Mirandola is a city deeply attached to ancient traditions and true to what we think of Italy - cuisine. 

• Zampone 
• Sauces
• Roast pork
• Macaroni
• Parmigiano-Reggiano
• Sweet tarts like the ring-shaped cake Belsone or Bensone 

• fruit balsamic compotes and jams are prepared in the Modena region of Italy. Great as a topping for appetizers, cheeses, meats, and desserts.  

    

The province of Emilia (Emiglio) Romagna is home to 

   

      

• Tortellini of Emilia and Cappelletti of Romagna (stuffed pastas)
• Bolognese Ragu
• the real parmigiano-reggiano (often imitated)
• Parma's Prosciutto
• Zibello's Culatello (most prized salumi or salami)
• Bologne's Mortadella and Zomponi (stuffed trotter sausage of Modena)
• Modena's balsamic vinegar (often imitated)
• Lambrusco Salamino di Santa Croce (DOC) is fruity, full bodied, delicious red (not US lambrusco)
• Albana di Romagna (DOCG) is a dry white popular from Roman times
• Trebbiano di Romagna (DOC) is an ancient pedigreed wine which goes well with Romagna seafood dishes (first introduced by the Etruscans who came from Asia Minor and who lived in what is modern Tuscany and were in power from 8th - 5th century BC. Language is now dead but the wine isn't.  It is a straw yellow rich and harmonious dry wine.  

      

Tuscan photos

      

    

Buono Appetito

I nostri migliori auguri e le nostre preghiere per Italia di morandola

Tuscan - Amerigo Vespucci 1512 to 2012

    

   

      

Amerigo Vespucci born in Florence, Italy, in Tuscany, was an Italian voyager who traveled in the second half of the 15th century across the oceans.

What did Tuscans eat and drink in the 1400's?

Firstly, the Tuscan menu is simple but everything must be fresh!!

• pasta
• ravioli
• wines
• fegatelli (liver sausage)
• (salt free) Panne Toscano (made from white or wholewheat flour) which stands up to spicy foods
• Panne Toscano can be rubbed with garlic and olive oil
• Leftover Panne Toscano is added to soup, stews or bread salad
• Luccan olive oil
• Bistecca alla fiorentina
• Most meats are grilled or spit-roasted
• Vegetables and fish are cooked carefully
• Fritto del mare (seafood)
• cacciucco (fish stew)
• Pork, wild boar, guinea fowl, kid, and hare take their turn on grills and spits.
• riso nero, black rice prepared with cuttlefish ink
• and risotto alla toscana that includes livers and kidneys.
• Dried white (haricot) beans are a staple and are prepared in soups with ribbon noodles, as a main dish with sage, tomatoes, and garlic, and sauteed with tomatoes and chunks of tuna fish.
• agioli ncl fiasco is a dish of beans cooked in a flask. 
• Chianti Brolio is one of the great chianti wines.
• One dessert is 
•    
  
  
  Castagnaccio
  
  
  Serves 8 people
  Preheat oven to 400 degrees
  3 Tbs. Sultana (golden) raisins
  1/2 lb chestnut flour (you can find this at Whole Foods)
  2 1/2 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil,  plus a little extra for oiling the pan and drizzling on top
  Pinch of salt
  4 tsp. sugar
  2 to 2 1/2 c cold water
  3 Tbs. pine nuts (pignoli)
  A few sprigs of rosemary
  
  
  Soak the raisins for a few minutes in a small bowl with warm water. Mix the chestnut flour, oil, salt, sugar, and water (I used 2 c. of water, but you can add a little more according to your taste and the consistency of the batter). Drain the raisins and mix them into the batter, along with the pine nuts. Pour the batter into a greased 9″ diameter pan, 2″ deep. The batter will not rise during baking, so if you have a slightly different size pan on hand, that is fine too. Sprinkle the rosemary sprigs over the top of the batter and drizzle with olive oil. Bake at 400 F for 1 hour. You’ll know it is ready when the surface is covered with little cracks. Cool, turn out onto a plate, and enjoy! 
  Piacere il cibo toscano

Gazpacho

Love gazpacho?  (Spanish Andalusian soup) I do.
See this link on food network for 3 recipes: Ina Garten, Rach and other.

Gazpazo recipes - food network

Ina suggests a Chardonnay with hers!!

Other recipes for gazpacho
(good for warm days)

  

Gazpacho from Epicurious.com

Wine Pairings (It is very difficult to pair wine with gazpacho).  They tried a Vouvray (Vouvray can be "sec" (dry) or bubbling and is made from the Chenin grape from the Loire Valley near Tours in France.

Read this review from winereviewonline.com/wine_with_gazpacho.cfm


Wiki on Vouvray

I am excited!!! I found a recipe for Gazpacho using Fire Roasted Tomatoes which I love!!
He pairs with http://terrygruggen.blogspot.com/2011/07/gazpacho.html
New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, Spanish Rose, Vouvray

    

The above blogger also suggests adding fresh crabmeat for special touch right before serving!!
Here is the link to the menu he referred to at Fisher Island Club in Miami
http://www.fisherislandclub.com menu
Chilled Gazpacho Basil Sorbet
$7.00
With Lump Crab Meat $14.00

(I am sure it will taste just as good in the regular gazpacho as it would be in the sorbet)
Just in case here is a recipe for Gazpacho Sorbet below:
Gazpacho basil sorbet

WHAT DO YOU SERVE WITH THE GAZPACHO

Traditional garnishes are:  garlic croutons (make your own), shredded jamon Serrano, minced purple onions and chopped bell pepper.

Also you could serve 

ciabatta and olive oil for dipping, and some herbed goat cheese for spreading on the bread or slices of bread rubbed in olive oil. 

Something more substantial: a grilled chicken breast  or quesadillas or a tortellini salad might be good, or orzo, or a green salad with white beans, lemon juice, and herbs. Even though gazpacho is all veggies and so salad probably isn't essential, I'd consider having one anyway just for variation in taste and texture on the plate. 

For dessert maybe melon or a light pudding or sorbet. 

See Ina Garten link below on Foodnetwork for a Greek Gazpacho:

Ina Gartens Greek gazpacho