Townies & Good Country People

I think I might be in the process of becoming one of "those people."  I'm not even sure who "they" are, but I find myself more and more unable to eat until I photograph a pretty plate of noodles or frame a table setting with my imagination.  To all those who are kindly smiling and patiently waiting on me to take pictures, thank you!  I suppose that taking time to savor a spread (read: dish or table setting) is like stopping to smell the roses.  If the roses were edible that is!  

If there's another group of people I salute, it's those that take time to prepare and to eat la bonne bouffe.  Currently a couple of townies, J and I went to see her parents who have an acre or two located a mile off the highway halfway between somewhere and the country.  It's a pleasant drive and a welcome one when one needs to escape city livin' or simply for a laundry-heist (a.k.a. profit from the parental Maytag machines). 

On the other side of the family welcome mat awaited a feast fit for the most refined food fancy.  The only sad part was seeing the leftovers allein on the counter.  I think I may some animist leanings.  I think everything deserves personification or at least a Name.  Poor cukes (Myers for "cucumbers").  

In any case, vielen dank für das essen!  Das war sehr gut :).

  

Olive dreams.  Olives and I are rather new friends.  I prefer them pitted, but either way.  Something about an olive feels biblical or at least natural.  They are one old food.  This grouping of fingerfood vorspiese (appetizer) includes a few things I'd never tasted before including the curry-chickpea dip.  Everything is a little sweeter in good company.  The folded fingers of my good company are pictured at right.

'Tis a gift to be simple!  This table cloth and napkin set could be made out of the material of my favorite shirt or vice versa (For real, it's bleu plaid).  If only I'd been sporting it...  Pictured is [American] "kebab-deconstructed."  Apparently, doing so allows for pineapple or red meat or peppers, whatever really, to cook more evenly.   I suppose we could also say "Patchwork Kebab."

Abandoned kitchen.  J prepares her mystery noodles as the Asian Wind blows in through the open windows at right.  J has since moved, hence the heading. 

What is this?!  Das ist gut is what.  No gluten?  No problem!

Fieldtrip to Garlicky Greens!

Certain foods like to make their presence known.  Perhaps they are egotistical.  Garlic must be a haughty breed because it is already making its second appearance on my young blog.  This enemy of vampires is also one of those foods that fights back.  As my friend Dave would say, it is an "angry elf."  Like any number of strong smells, garlic will let me know that it is here to stay, at least for the next 24-48 hours as I smell it on my fingers and sometimes breath (bleh!).

In any case, I like to give some cloves a good Rachel Ray-inspired KAPOW! with the broad side of a fat knife just about every time I begin a new dish.  Then I add this palatable powerhouse to a skillet with onions (ZWEIBELN!) and olive/coconut oil, and we're off.   I must say that olive oil + onions cooking in a skillet is one of the best smells in the kitchen.

I want to also add that in my faux-veganness, I have tended to eat lots of beans, mostly white (cannellini) as well as black and red.  Beans like to fight back too... Eek!

While spending time away from home this June and yet continuing to cook somewhat, I have yet to learn the German words for Collard Greens or Kale.  I'm capitalizing them in retribution for all the years that I ignored their existence.  But here's to you, GC & K, you're making me feel better about myself every time I eat you!  PROST!

Perhaps not much to look at here, I am thankful for the hearty quality of Collard Greens & Kale which, unlike spinach, keep quite a bit of their volume and texture when cooked.  

Our other friend, Sweet Potato, joins in on this appetizing adventure.

Christos Anesti! He is Risen!

The Greek Orthodox Church in my town, a stone's throw from the scorned bakery, happily proclaims that "Christ is Risen" to all who pass by.  I agree.  This time of year is filled with joy.  Even the nonbeliever appreciates the re-awakening of the dead which we all witness in budding trees, singing birds, grass rediscovering its favorite color (hues of green), and so forth.

A week following my own church's celebration of Christ's resurrection, some other believers in town and out of town celebrated the same event.  The one-week divergence between Easter and Pascha (Orthodox Easter) stems from the 11th century (yikes!), and a story of faith-inspired Pope-rejection, and a whole lot of stuff I don't know right now.

I wish had more pictures from Pascha to share with readers, but I'll have to mostly use words to describe instead.  I'll also add a video I find inspiring.

First, as a means of comparison between Easter & Pascha, let's have a docu-style look at Easter.   I'm sticking mostly to food.  (This is not a theology blog after all, and yet...).

Props to my mother, Sally, who put together a feast fit for a King.  King present only in Spirit, my parents & I enjoyed Mom's grilled chicken, fancy-pants rice with shredded veggies, green salad w/almonds, and corn on the cob (in April!)...

 Pink plate perfection.  My dad's backyard haven and an inherited milk glass serve as a backdrop to Mom's strawberry shortcake.  Miam!

At another family event, my cousin Alexia offers these minutely-detailed, edible sugar shrines to celebrate the sweet side of Easter.

The Fructose Flock congregates on Mount Chocolate.  Very "Council of Elrond" for Peeps. 

This Myers reunion is a small miracle in itself.   

Voilà donc my very blessed & bright Easter 2012.  What I experienced a week later was a chance to examine and celebrate the Risen Lord from a whole new angle (Perhaps we could say "from the East" since Orthodoxy is the "eastern Church.").  

But I see a stunning contrast between fake green grass, sugar palaces, and multi-colored eggs & the Pascha basket which I learned just the slightest bit about from friends & acquaintances from St. Athanasius Orthodox Church in Nicholasville.  I don't think Christ necessarily has a preference for PAWS or the dark red eggs of Orthodox Christianity, but I'm intrigued by the intentional egg-symbolism foreign to me.  Moreover, I'm humbled and drawn to reverence shown to a worthy Savior, the Bread of Life.

...

Going without.  I didn't grow up in a tradition of fasting, but to cut a long story short, imagine how much SWEETER food would be if we took a break from our favorite dishes even just for a while?  This isn't about shedding pounds or "cleansing" the system, it's something more profound.   Better yet, it's done with family (Christians see themselves as brothers as sisters with God as their Father.).  

Following the final celebratory Orthodox service, duration about 3 hours, the priest joyfully (this priest exemplifies this word) sprinkled waters of blessing on the baskets brought to share, much like the "bread of fellowship" was shared with non-Orthodox attendees during the Eucharist.  The 3am feast that followed resembled me as a 7 y/o at Christmas.  Speaking of children, "We don't have to fast anymore!" one of the youngest declared to me.  "This is better than Christmas for her," said the child's mother.  "I've never heard anyone that young say anything like that," I couldn't help but say.  

So to close, I admittedly had not participated in any fasting during the recent fasting season prior to Easter or Pascha (a period known as Lent), but in the spirit of welcome that is Christ, I joyfully partook in the Pascha feast upon invitation from a church member friend.  "This is my body broken for you..." Christ said to his disciples in Luke 22:19.

If there was a word I'd use to describe my "second Easter," it would be intentional.  Any habit, red Pascha egg or Wal-Mart special Easter dye kit, can become blasé.  I'm glad that this year God blessed me with a second Easter to make sure I didn't miss the point of it all.  And He blessed me with a regal feast in the process.  Indeed he is risen!  

As promised, here is a Orthodox Christian song you won't want to hear just once!  

A day without bread?!

"Long comme un jour sans pain" says the French Proverb.  Long like a day without bread.  As someone who once claimed "panification" or bread-making as a hobby, I hear the warning cry of the culinary sage.  "Hear ye!  May ye not be stricken with the affliction of flour failure!"  But the French don't hold a corner on the bread idioms, "Give us this day our daily bread," said Jesus in Aramaic, "this is our bread 'n butta," said the New Yorker, "best thing since sliced bread," well I digress lest I stumble into bread blasphemy.

Other than share a fun little saying, I'd like to take a moment to honor one of the Bluegrass' finest bakeries, Bluegrass Baking Company  ...  But don't take my word for it, taste and see that the bread is good (Psalm 34:8)!  Furthermore, Southern Living claims that BBC is one of the South's best bakeries.  Wooh, boy!  Steady!  SL-mentioned or not, as a card-carrying (licensed) "food handler" & self-described Bread Critic, I know good bread when I taste/smell/see it!

Furthermore, BBC's main guy, Jim, welcomed a group of 12 and 13 y/o students & yours truly on a field trip in 2010 for a bready 'ole time.  This page tells the story (albeit in French).  Not only does BBC have a great product, but they're friendly!  ...

Since we're on the subject of bread, Lexington's Le Matin continues to disappoint me with it's giant baguette bags, small bread selection, refusal to take plastic payment, and faux French air.  Sure it's a franchise, but franchement it's not worth my time!  Désolé, Le Matin.  I'd sooner eat your Cauliflower Soup again than buy your bread.  Oh, and you're not that nice either.  Bleh.  Newly re-installed Morris Bookshop next store is lovely though...

 For real people.  Bluegrass Baking Company don't lie.  Stop! Stop! Stop!  Claysmill Rd., Lexington

 A fresh (read "actually made by a bakery/human") baguette is best when eaten day of, so for yours truly my post-breakfast BBC purchase required some creativity in order to be consumed within the day.  Ulimately, a "bout" (end) of it was digested the next morning with butter and honey.  Still yum. 

Does food taste better with others?  Maybe.  Italian-inspired baguette pizza w/tomato sauce, spinach, shredded Colby, red onions, and a diced tomato.  Warmed in broiler.  Crunch!  

Two children, organically grown.

Less than five years ago, three young adults departed from Wilmore, Kentucky. Two got married and moved to North Carolina where today they are raising two children, organically that is.

The sun's rays carry me over the hills...

Everything is done with one hand on baby.

Sometimes two hands on baby, therefore "spoon in mouth."

Multi-tasking at its finest. Also seen: feeding baby, talking on phone, & eating lunch, simultaneously, of course.

Grilled cheese renaissance on IKEA plate (gets no better).

Salmon melt. Toaster oven, 1.5 hr lunch break. Family of four & two naps. Check.

Chunky chocolate. Looks are deceiving...no sugar added!

Stawberries, pre-chocolate drizzle.

Good things come to those who wait for strawberries to chill in the fridge.

Meal 1: Late Saturday night dinner. I keep meaning to organize my recipes like this.

'shrooms, beef slaughtered by your neighbor (for reals), and pasta.

This is local, folks.

Hands moving faster than fugitives on the run. That are some RED tomatoes.

Backyard bliss. Mountain view.

Ricky's "old" favorite: Green beans, rice-like feculent, baked chicken. Some things don't change: Everything tastes better with loved ones.

My 5-day affair with Penelope, the 2012 "candy apple red" Camaro.

Lawrence, Judge Richard Boner, Ricky D.

No matter what, there's time to read the rhyming Bible (LOL).

I recently escaped to the hills of North Carolina, only to be caught in court and sentenced to 30+ years in prison for second-degree murder. Don't judge me, but only half of that is true... The other half applies to man I will not name whom I saw sentenced.

During my time in court and at my friends' homestead (Rick is a court reporter), I learned that fast-paced doesn't have to mean "fast food." I also learned that "breast [milk] is best," but that doesn't apply to me right now.

In my recent Whole Foods adventure (the one where I discovered fromage blanc in Lexington), I literally took pictures of the buffet (yeah, I did) in order to re-create "Garlicky Greens" and some other interesting dishes. I came back from North Carolina with a very similar sort of result, if not more profound. Reminds me of studying language out of a textbook versus studying language out of my own culture (and in another one!). What I mean is, I'm an experiential learner, so now that I've seen a host of recipes cooked well, and cooked quickly, I am confident I can recreate many of them.

Here's an incomplete list. Check out the pictures too. Take time to appreciate all that Ricky & Aidan have going on behind the scenes and send up a prayer for them and their two wee ones, Aolani & Micaiah (Side note: If you eat organic food, odds are you might give your children really earthy names like Kale or Barley.)

Breakfast:

-Frozen fruit smoothy with green veggie powders, bananas, and juice

-Whole grain organic, chocolate chip pancakes with real organic Maple syrup. Y.U.M.

Lunch:

-Salmon melt (sliced bread, organic canned salmon, tomato, munster cheese, basil or other)

-Tuna salad at local diner.

Dinner:

-Pasta Farfalle

-Tacos w/...of course organic ingredients. Guac' is good on tacos, people!

Snack:

-Organic chocolate covered raisins (great for the muchies...with moderation)

-Organic strawberries covered in organic dark [sugarless] chocolate (Needed sugar!)

-"Mexican Pound Cake," We hit up the "Tienda Mexicana y Libraria Cristina" not a combo I see every day. But my point being, try a local bakery for a sweet treat before dinner, the French call this "gouter" [goo-tay] and tend to eat cakes at 4/5pm and have fruit or cheese for dessert at the table. Often "gouter" is reserved for the young...or young @ heart. Me voilà.

Do you have any...er...Fromage Blanc?

"Use sour cream for crème fraiche and cottage cheese for fromage blanc." Thanks to Whole Foods in Lexington Green, I may never have to say that again! The lumpy consistency of cottage cheese has always been a bit unsettling for me, like it knew something I didn't. So, I will happily oblige fromage blanc and Whole Foods next time I set out to prepare a flammenkeuche.

Happy tension: while it is lovely to buy everything on your ingredient list without substituting or going without, there is something to be said for resourcefulness, culinary creativity, and oui penny pinching. So it is with minimal regret that I express to you, niche-blog reader, that I may indeed reach for the lumpy gloop of cottage cheese despite the availability of "France's answer to yogurt" (fromage blanc).

Cottage cheese & my local, or not so local :-/, Kroger, Meijer, or Wal-Mart offer the fromage substitute at a much less posh price than Whole Food's real-deal "white cheese" as it could be literally rendered. Now if you are unfamiliar, the mystery ingredient I'm alluding to is of the consistency of let's say Greek yogurt and without added sugar and/or raspberries, etc., has been known to make yours truly gag. This is, of course, much to the chagrin of many a Frenchman as the semi-precious commodity is a treat even for them.

So feast your eyes, if not your fingers and your taste buds, on these products, available for the right price, in your Whole Food's chilled dairy section. Bon appétit!

Chew on this

Accents are a fascinating thing. Perhaps because I live in Kentucky, the punchline of more than a few blagues, I appreciate the underdog when it comes to linguistic hierarchy. The video below gives examples of French accents and more than that, the très typique, albeit annoying, prejudice against Québécois French by the French living within the métropole. Or should I say those that speak "so well [they] don't even have an accent" to quote the French interviewee. Also featured is a belgian explaining how Brussels speak differently than Liège, Burkina Faso & the Cameroon, etc., etc. Not much attention giving to accents within France though unfortunately. Bonne écoute!

Les accents de la francophonie by upindetv