Here's a compilation video of my trip out west with my girl Cat...

I think I'm ready to move now...

Mmmm, How I Love Thee South Carolina...

Once again, it's been awhile since my last blog, but alas, I have been busy getting ready to travel, travelling and untravelling, (unpacking). 3 awesome trips in the last few months and now I'm ready to work the thankless retail season of Christmas. I'll have more to come too... Colorado and New Mexico....

This was a pretty amazing meal if I do say so myself. Sadly, we didn't have too much luck with shrimping, but the gods were watching out for us with a nice supply of crabs! Mmmm! Don't you wish!

The Remains...

Shrimp and Grits with Sun-dried Tomatoes, Mushrooms and Chicken Sausage

Seared scallops with Okra, Sausage, Tomatoes and Corn

Mmmm, the land of excess...

Last month, I took a roadtrip with my sister and some friends to visit my cousin in the Big Apple. He took us to one of his favorite Delis and we had the biggest pastrami sandwiches in the world!!! It was so amazing... sweet, warm succulent pastrami with spicy brown mustard on Jewish rye bread... What more could you ask for except to want one right now... And just in case you're wondering, yes, yes I did eat it all.

Morel Tattoo...

Per Mike's request, here is a picture of my morel tattoo... I've had some interesting responses to say the least! But I'm happy, so what else matters? Morchella, for those of you that are wondering, is Latin for morel.

Hmmm, I'm thinking about a Chanterelle on my other foot...

Tomato Preserving Class!

I'm teaching a tomato class! Yay!

Tomato Preservation - Freezing, Canning & Drying Saturday, August 4th, 10:30 am to 12 pm Cost: Member:$17 Non-Member:$20
Instructor: Rebecca Barron, Local Culinary Artisan, Table 2
Summary: Wondering what to do with the wonderful bumper crop of tomatoes? Rebecca will explain and demonstrate various methods of preservation, including canning, freezing and drying - all with fresh tomatoes. Learn how to keep the flavors of summer in your kitchen through the winter months. The lecture & demonstrations will take place in the beautiful Crabtree Farms kitchen.

So, I'm pretty excited... and nervous! The class is being held where Mike works at Crabtree Farms. Here's my lesson plan, so I think I'll be ok. (Since I obviously love tomatoes!)

Saturday, 4 of August, 2007
Class: Preserving Tomatoes
Teacher: Rebecca Barron

Canning Tomatoes
You will need:
Mason or Home canning jars (This recipe is for pint size jars.)
Lids and bands
Large canning pot with rack
Jar lifter
Jar funnel
Assortment of any kind of tomatoes (You will need 1 ½ to 2 pounds per pint of tomatoes)
Sea salt
Sprigs of oregano and/or basil
Lemon or lime juice
1. Wash jars and lids with hot soapy water. Place jars in the boiling water canner with the rack fitted inside. The jars will need to boil at least 10 minutes to sterilize.
2. Place the lids and bands in a small pan and bring them up to boil and keep hot but not boiling until ready to use.
3. Wash and quarter tomatoes and bring to boil in a large pot. Season with salt to taste. (I usually add 1 to 2 tablespoons of sea salt for a large stockpot.)
4. After the jars have sterilized, place them gently on the counter, onto which a dishtowel has been set down. Put 1 teaspoon of lemon or lime juice into each jar. Ladle tomatoes into jars, leaving ½-inch headspace.
5. Add a sprig of basil and/or oregano and slide a plastic spatula around inside the jar to release any trapped air.
6. Wipe the rims and threads of the jars with a clean, damp cloth. Center the lid on the jar and screw the band down evenly until resistance is met. Just fingertip tight.
7. Set jars in canner, making sure water covers the tops by 1 to 2 inches.
8. Put lid on canner and bring back up to boil.
9. Process pint size jars for 35 minutes. When time is up, turn off heat and let rest for 5 minutes. Remove from canner and set them upright, 1 to 2 inches apart, on a dry towel to cool.
10. Let the jars rest for 24 hours without retightening the bands.
11. Check the lids by pressing down to make sure they are firmly sealed.
12. Date and label and store them in a cool, dry place.
13. Yay! We’re done! Use these tomato babies for pasta sauce, pizza, soups and stews. And of course, delicious wintertime salsa!
Lastly, make yourself a nice, cold Mojito. You deserve it after all of your hard work!
P.S. Peeling tomatoes is unnecessary, but some people may chose to do so.

Freezing Tomatoes
You will need:
Pot of boiling water
Bowl of ice water
Colander
Quart size freezer bags
Assortment of any variety of tomatoes
1. Place tomatoes in boiling water for about 45 seconds.
2. Then place tomatoes in the ice water.
3. Next, peel tomatoes. (The skins should slip right off.)
4. Squeeze out excess seeds and "water" and set them in the colander.
5. Pack the tomatoes into freezer bags and press out excess air.
6. Freeze and label and they’re ready to use in dishes such as spaghetti, pizza, soups and stews. Also try juicing them for your own Bloody-Mary mix!

"Sun-Dried" Tomatoes
You will need:
Salt
Onion powder
Dried basil or oregano flakes
Any kind of tomatoes but cherry tomatoes work especially well
Preferably a dehydrator but you can also use your oven
1. Slice tomatoes thinly or if using cherry tomatoes, slice in half.
2. Place on trays in dehydrator skin side down and sprinkle lightly with salt, onion powder and
dried basil/oregano flakes.
3. Dry in dehydrator at 135 degrees for approximately 10-12 hours. (Depending on how dry you prefer them.)
4. With completely dried tomatoes, just store in an air-tight container, such as a mason jar. With softer style dried tomatoes, cover with oil and store in the ‘fridge. (Makes for a deliciously flavored oil when the tomatoes are gone too!)
5. Viola! Use in everything from scrambled eggs, to homemade pizzas, to little stolen snacks right out of the jar when no one is looking. (I’ll never tell.)
P.S. If you do not own a dehydrator, you can use your oven. Set your oven at 200 degrees and dry them on a sheet pan for about 8 hours. They will not be exactly the same, but they’ll still be amazing! For oven-drying though, I would recommend using only romas and cherry tomatoes since they hold less water than others.

Wish me luck!

Mmm, More Morels...

Am I obsessed, or what? I love me some morel mushrooms! Hence the season of morels has passed, (For that matter, the season for ANY mushrooms around here. Can you say drought with a capital D!?) so I am daydreaming of a happier time. A time when morels abounded. For an early birthday present my man gave me a pound of morels shipped directly from Michigan. Oh, the joy of my heart! I made a wonderful pasta dish with some home-grown shallots, shiitakes, chanterelles that we picked a few years ago that we were saving in the freezer, pacific nori, smoked bacon, bowtie pasta, lots of butter and white wine, and the icing on the cake, (as if morels weren't enough!) truffle salt... (Buy yours here, you know you want it!) Talk about amazing. I think I will go cry myself to sleep now.

Summer bliss...

Happy Beltane... I danced naked in the moonbeams tonight...