Witamy!
Visions of pierogi, kielbasa, bigos, and Polish donuts were put aside for short time when this outstanding culinary exposition came to town. These two foodies tasted around the huge convention center hall from north to south and east to west.
There were cooking demos galore, from knife skills to pie baking,from cooking with Lindt chocolate to putting on a fancy
party, and more.
The show always features several celebrity chefs and this year was no different, headlining: Giada De Laurentiis star chef on the Food network, Tom Colicchio and Gail Simmons from Top Chef, Jeff Mauro-the Sandwich King, Carla Hall and Michael Symon - chefs and stars on The Chew, the legendary Jacques Pepin and his talented daughter Claudine, and more. They were insightful, funny, endearing, and each put on a great show. Perhaps more meaningfully, the first day was dedicated to the caregivers and spouses
of our “Wounded Warriors”, which was a stirring tribute
just before Veteran’s Day.
We saw over 300 vendors on the exhibit floor and ever since I’ve been dreaming about hot sauces, salad dressings, cookies, cupcakes, infused oils and blended vinegars, sharp knives, shiny pots, and new windows & gutters, gourmet chocolates, and everything else about food you could possibly imagine.
We loved this yummy Greek salad dressing that pairs well with just about everything and occupies a place of honor in our fridge.
And there was a group of high school students studying the culinary arts (back in the day all we had was “Home Ec!”) Well here they were selling their own jams and jellies and making a bunch of money at it for their school and the culinary program.
One of the more creative products we saw (and purchased) were these tiny baby speakers for I-Pads, I-Pods and other music storage devices. Stick the end on any container and it instantly turns into a portable speaker with surprising clarity. We bought several for stocking stuffers.
Keeping with the theme of honoring our veterans, Jeanne’s Military Cookies were packaged in “mail friendly” containers, perfect for sending off those care packages to loved ones.
Thousands of foodies visited this show and smiled all day. Look for the Metropolitan Cooking and Entertaining Show in Houston and Dallas, in September 2013.
Smacznego!
Witamy!
Yesterday I bought some strawberries at the local grocery store. True, they were shipped in from the west coast or some warmer and more tropical climes to the south of the U.S. (I didn't check) but they were still pretty good although many of the centers were quite pale and white. I have to tell you that in a pinch frozen strawberries are almost as good as the fresh ones, if defrosted slowly and carefully. On our last trip to Poland we noted that Polish strawberries are generally smaller than those we see in America and they have a more intense flavor because they are not harvested so early.
Here is an old fashioned dessert dating back to the Polish monarchies as well as the court of the Romanoffs, and the epoch of the last Russian czar. Within the walls of their sumptuous castles and grand residences, their days were filled with laughter, elegance and splendor. Banquet tables were heavy with delicious dishes meals prepared for aristocrats, diplomats and other gentry. This particular dessert was favored by the diners but also by the kitchen staff because it is so easy to prepare. Serve it in your finest crystal glassware.
• 2 quarts small ripe strawberries, washed, hulled and chilled
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 1 pint vanilla ice cream, softened at room temperature
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/3 cup Cointreau or similar orange-flavored liquor
Whip the cream until stiff. Beat the ice cream in a mixer until fluffy. Gently combine the whipped cream, ice cream, lemon juice and liquor and mix lightly. Fold in the berries. Portion into pretty crystal glasses and serve immediately.
Serves 8
Smacznego!
Witamy!
It’s apple time! Local orchards are full and ready for picking. Apple cider is fresh and tangy and most fun when purchased from a roadside fruit stand -- I’ve always preferred the fresh pressed, unpasteurized, straight-out-of-the-barrel kind because the taste is so much more intense. Grocery store shelves are overflowing with several varieties of apples, including those “not-so-pretty” local varieties. In fact I just read about one orchard featuring “heirloom apples”...yes, they were deformed and misshapen, but apparently just delicious.
Apples are an important part of Polish cuisine and here is a favorite dessert that Peter's Mom made for him as a child.
Apple and Rice Pudding
Serves 6
4 cups, semi-tart, peeled, cored and shredded apples
1 tablespoon cinnamon
½ cup brown sugar
4 cups cooked rice, not precooked or instant rice
1½ cups sour cream
4 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
Note: try to use those ugly local apples...they taste great, are often cheaper and more plentiful in the fall, and they support your local produce farmers.
Preheat oven to 375 °F. In a bowl, combine the cinnamon and sugar with the shredded apples and mix well.
Grease a 9-inch baking dish (or glass pie pan) and spread out the rice and apples in the pan , in alternating layers (rice/apples/rice/apples/rice.)
Cover and bake for 40 minutes. Mix the sour cream and sugar onto a sauce and set aside.
Let the pudding cool down a bit. Serve warm in small bowls, topped with the sweet, sour cream sauce.
Note: the top layer of rice may get a little crunchy, but that gives it a great texture.
Smacznego!
