"As a kid I would go to church and all I did was look at the women's hats."
As a grown-up, Bill Cunningham had a career for a few years as a milliner. He was fascinated by hats, and although he said he didn't make a lot of money, he paid his bills and had a lot of fun. I want to share this video of some of his hats and his narration about being a milliner. I especially love his humor about the origami hat. Folds flat for packing.
I guess it has always been a tough career choice. And Mr. Cunningham was making hats in the days when everyone wore hats. I have not made a lot of money, but I, like Mr. Cunningham have paid my bills, fed the children and am still having fun. I too have been fascinated by hats since I was a child. I remember sitting with my sister in the hat department at Hale's department store when I was very young, just looking at the the hats while my mother did her shopping. That is where I wanted to be. We never touched anything so we were never asked to leave, and I would imagine wearing all the beautiful hats.
I still visit any hat store or hat department whenever I can. I am also drawn to the fish counter with the same enthusiasm. I love fish and spent several years learning all kinds of cooking techniques. One summer it was all about poaching. I was having a big dinner party and a young man who was in culinary school at the time came into my kitchen and said, "No one poaches fish any more." I answered, "Well I am and if you keep stomping around my kitchen, I can't see if the water is barely shimmering, or if it is because of your heavy footsteps shaking the floor." I think he ended up enjoying his meal despite his rather rude observation.
Poached Halibut or Salmon
serves 2-4 people
2-1" thick halibut or salmon steaks
spring or filtered water to barely cover the steaks
1/2 cup white wine or dry vermouth
1 bay leaf
4 lemon slices
1/2 tsp. salt
Check the fish steaks for any small bones and remove them. Leave the big center bone in. In a shallow non-reactive pan combine the rest of the ingredients to make the poaching liquid. Bring to a shimmer just below a simmer, no bubbles, you should just see the water shaking a little. Place the fish in the liquid and maintain the shimmer, it is a very gentle cooking method, No boiling! Poach for 8 minutes per inch. Remove the fish to a platter. When it has cooled a little you can carefully remove the rest of the bones and the skin before serving.
The fish can be topped with all sorts of salsas or sauces. In
the summer I make a corn salsa with fresh cooked corn, cilantro and some finely diced radish. One of my son's favorite toppings were leeks that had been braised in cream. A little basil or parsley pesto is also delicious.
It is also a good cooking method if you are planning on making fish cakes. Especially my crispy rice fish cakes.
Try this method and be creative with your toppings, think of it like embellishing a hat!
To see the latest collection of Zazu & Violets' hats, please visit our on-line Etsy shop.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Ryan's Daughter and Two Side Dishes
In the beginning of "Ryan's daughter", the two main characters were walking on the beach. The moment when they really looked at each other and had an emotional connection their hats blew off and rolled down the sand together. He was a lot older than she was and she thought he was what she wanted.
At the end, after she was disgraced and her hair was shorn, they were leaving the village together and her hat blew off. He retrieved it so she could cover her shame.
"Ryan's Daughter" is a really long movie and I could never quite commit to watching it until recently. I enjoyed the cinematic quality and was glad to finally cross it off my list. Personally I struggled with the believability of Robert Mitchum's character, but it is worth seeing.
The hats in these two incidents really represented what was happening in the plot. Hats off, rolling together, a sign of their new beginning. At the end she needed her hat on and she needed him by her side. Like a good supporting side dish. Two of my favorites, celeriac salad and raw zucchini ribbons.
Celeriac Salad
serves 4 people
1 celeriac root, peeled and cut into matchsticks
6 radishes, juliened or sliced
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
1 tsp. salt
1/4 cup mayonaisse
1/4 cup chopped parsley
Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Let marinate for an hour before serving, stirring a couple of times. During pomegranate season I substitute pomegranate seeds for radishes.
Raw Zucchini Ribbons
serves 4 people
2 medium or 4 small zucchini, sliced lengthwise 1/8" thick on a mandolin
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
1 tbs. chopped parsley
1 tsp. salt
3 tbs. olive oil
Toss all the ingredients together in a bowl. Serve with fish, chops or my steamed chicken buns.
To seethe latest collection of Zazu & Violets' hats, please visit our on-line Etsy shop.
At the end, after she was disgraced and her hair was shorn, they were leaving the village together and her hat blew off. He retrieved it so she could cover her shame.
"Ryan's Daughter" is a really long movie and I could never quite commit to watching it until recently. I enjoyed the cinematic quality and was glad to finally cross it off my list. Personally I struggled with the believability of Robert Mitchum's character, but it is worth seeing.
The hats in these two incidents really represented what was happening in the plot. Hats off, rolling together, a sign of their new beginning. At the end she needed her hat on and she needed him by her side. Like a good supporting side dish. Two of my favorites, celeriac salad and raw zucchini ribbons.
Celeriac Salad
serves 4 people
1 celeriac root, peeled and cut into matchsticks
6 radishes, juliened or sliced
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
1 tsp. salt
1/4 cup mayonaisse
1/4 cup chopped parsley
Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Let marinate for an hour before serving, stirring a couple of times. During pomegranate season I substitute pomegranate seeds for radishes.
Raw Zucchini Ribbons
serves 4 people
2 medium or 4 small zucchini, sliced lengthwise 1/8" thick on a mandolin
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
1 tbs. chopped parsley
1 tsp. salt
3 tbs. olive oil
Toss all the ingredients together in a bowl. Serve with fish, chops or my steamed chicken buns.
To seethe latest collection of Zazu & Violets' hats, please visit our on-line Etsy shop.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Vivien Leigh and Stuffed Cabbage
"Who's dress is that?"
"It's mine and I spent my last penny on it! I'm going to be married in it."
"Are you crazy?"
"Yes, completely, and I bought a hat, a lovely hat!"
This was probably the happiest moment for Vivien Leigh's character, Myra Lester, in the 1940 movie "Waterloo Bridge". After this scene between Myra and her roommate, things don't quite work out. The downward spiral begins and continues all the way to the unhappy ending. She is wonderful in this movie, it was made just after "Gone With the Wind". As someone commented, she acted with her eyes. Set mostly in London during World War 1, she plays a ballerina who turns to prostitution after she thinks her fiance has been killed in the war.
The hats and clothes really reflect the characters. I was fascinated by the change from a respectable young woman's appropriate attire to the gaudy feather adorned hats worn by the Ladies of the Night. When she bought the dress and hat to be married in it was the complete package, the complete look for the occasion.
Not that Vivien Leigh ever looked like a stuffed cabbage, but they are both a complete package. A beautifully prepared stuffed cabbage can be very dramatic in its own way, inside to outside, top to bottom. Like the perfect dress and hat.
Stuffed Cabbage
Serves 6-8 people
1 large head or two small heads of savoy cabbage
1 lb. ground beef, pork or lamb or a mixture of beef and pork
1 cup rice (I like Lotus Foods jade bamboo rice) soaked in water for 30 minutes, then drained
1 small fennel bulb, diced
4 carrots, grated
4 stalks celery, sliced thin
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds
1 tsp.salt
2-3 cups beef or chicken stock
olive oil
1/2 cup red or white wine
To prepare the cabbage for stuffing, cut out the core, stick a big fork in the bottom of the head where the core was, and using the fork as a handle, plunge the head into a pot of boiling salted water. The outer leaves will start to peel off in the boiling water. Blanche the leaves for 3-5 minutes, then remove to an ice bath to cool. When all the bigger leaves are off, save the inside of the cabbage to add to the stuffing.
Heat enough olive oil in a dutch oven to coat the bottom of the pot. Add the fennel, carrots, and celery and a pinch of salt and sauté for a few minutes until softened, add the garlic and cook for a couple more minutes. Remove 1/2 of the mixture and cool before adding to the stuffing mix. Leave the other 1/2 in the pot.
For the stuffing mix, chop the cooled inner part of the cabbage and mix together with the meat, fennel mixture, soaked rice, caraway seeds, and salt. To assemble the cabbage, take the three biggest leaves, or 5 if you are using two small heads, and lay on a board overlapping in a triangle with the top of the leaves in the middle. Spread a layer of the stuffing on the leaves, leaving 1 1/2 inches of leaves free of stuffing at the edge. Make another layer using the next size leaves, more stuffing and continue until everything is used.
This next step really needs 4 hands. Cut 6-8 lengths of kitchen string, long enough to fit around the cabbage head. Gather the stuffed head together re-forming a cabbage shape. Slip the strings under the head and tie into a ball. Re heat the rest of the fennel mixture in the dutch oven, add the wine and cook for a couple of minutes. Place the cabbage head core side down in the pot, add stock so it comes 1/2 way up the head of cabbage. Cover and simmer for 2 hours, basting every 1/2 hour. Remove the head to a serving platter to rest while you reduce the remaining sauce to a nice thick gravy. Serve cut into big wedges drizzled with the gravy.
For a vegetarian or vegan version, substitute sauteed vegetables and mushrooms for meat and use vegetable stock.
Serve the cabbage wedges in a bowl with some of the sauce poured over.
A surprisingly good-looking, great tasting, complete dish. As striking as Vivien Leigh in "Waterloo Bridge". I highly recommend both.
To see the latest collection of Zazu & Violets' hats, please visit our on-line Etsy shop.
"It's mine and I spent my last penny on it! I'm going to be married in it."
"Are you crazy?"
"Yes, completely, and I bought a hat, a lovely hat!"
This was probably the happiest moment for Vivien Leigh's character, Myra Lester, in the 1940 movie "Waterloo Bridge". After this scene between Myra and her roommate, things don't quite work out. The downward spiral begins and continues all the way to the unhappy ending. She is wonderful in this movie, it was made just after "Gone With the Wind". As someone commented, she acted with her eyes. Set mostly in London during World War 1, she plays a ballerina who turns to prostitution after she thinks her fiance has been killed in the war.
The hats and clothes really reflect the characters. I was fascinated by the change from a respectable young woman's appropriate attire to the gaudy feather adorned hats worn by the Ladies of the Night. When she bought the dress and hat to be married in it was the complete package, the complete look for the occasion.
Not that Vivien Leigh ever looked like a stuffed cabbage, but they are both a complete package. A beautifully prepared stuffed cabbage can be very dramatic in its own way, inside to outside, top to bottom. Like the perfect dress and hat.
Stuffed Cabbage
Serves 6-8 people
1 large head or two small heads of savoy cabbage
1 lb. ground beef, pork or lamb or a mixture of beef and pork
1 cup rice (I like Lotus Foods jade bamboo rice) soaked in water for 30 minutes, then drained
1 small fennel bulb, diced
4 carrots, grated
4 stalks celery, sliced thin
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds
1 tsp.salt
2-3 cups beef or chicken stock
olive oil
1/2 cup red or white wine
To prepare the cabbage for stuffing, cut out the core, stick a big fork in the bottom of the head where the core was, and using the fork as a handle, plunge the head into a pot of boiling salted water. The outer leaves will start to peel off in the boiling water. Blanche the leaves for 3-5 minutes, then remove to an ice bath to cool. When all the bigger leaves are off, save the inside of the cabbage to add to the stuffing.
Heat enough olive oil in a dutch oven to coat the bottom of the pot. Add the fennel, carrots, and celery and a pinch of salt and sauté for a few minutes until softened, add the garlic and cook for a couple more minutes. Remove 1/2 of the mixture and cool before adding to the stuffing mix. Leave the other 1/2 in the pot.
For the stuffing mix, chop the cooled inner part of the cabbage and mix together with the meat, fennel mixture, soaked rice, caraway seeds, and salt. To assemble the cabbage, take the three biggest leaves, or 5 if you are using two small heads, and lay on a board overlapping in a triangle with the top of the leaves in the middle. Spread a layer of the stuffing on the leaves, leaving 1 1/2 inches of leaves free of stuffing at the edge. Make another layer using the next size leaves, more stuffing and continue until everything is used.
This next step really needs 4 hands. Cut 6-8 lengths of kitchen string, long enough to fit around the cabbage head. Gather the stuffed head together re-forming a cabbage shape. Slip the strings under the head and tie into a ball. Re heat the rest of the fennel mixture in the dutch oven, add the wine and cook for a couple of minutes. Place the cabbage head core side down in the pot, add stock so it comes 1/2 way up the head of cabbage. Cover and simmer for 2 hours, basting every 1/2 hour. Remove the head to a serving platter to rest while you reduce the remaining sauce to a nice thick gravy. Serve cut into big wedges drizzled with the gravy.
For a vegetarian or vegan version, substitute sauteed vegetables and mushrooms for meat and use vegetable stock.
Serve the cabbage wedges in a bowl with some of the sauce poured over.
A surprisingly good-looking, great tasting, complete dish. As striking as Vivien Leigh in "Waterloo Bridge". I highly recommend both.
To see the latest collection of Zazu & Violets' hats, please visit our on-line Etsy shop.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Coco and Fish and Shellfish Stew
"The women I saw at the races wore enormous loaves on their heads, constructions made of feathers and improved with fruits and plumes; but worst of all, which appalled me, their hats did not fit on their heads. (I have mentioned that I wore mine pulled down over the ears.)"
With this statement Coco Chanel went on to change the fashion of women's hats. Along with freeing them from the corsets and hobble skirts of the day, she made hats that stayed on their heads and served a purpose. Hats that you could go out walking in, worn with clothes borrowed from a man's wardrobe. Her great love, Boy Capel, took her to his tailor and had certain items of clothing copied for her. The trend of women wearing clothing inspired by mens fashion is still popular today.
You had to have a mass of hair piled on your head to secure the elaborate creations she was talking about. Personally I could not have done it, my personal style is in agreement with Mlle. Chanel. Her description of those hats reminds me of a brimming pot of fish and shellfish stew. When you lift the lid the mussels almost come spilling out.
Serves 6 people
2 tablespoons butter + 2 tbs. olive oil
2 shallots, chopped fine
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 small fennel bulb, or 1/2 a large one, sliced
1 cup white wine
1 quart chicken stock
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1" cubes
pinch of saffron
1 tsp. salt
1 halibut steak, boned and cut into 1 “ pieces
1 red snapper fillet, boned and cut into 1” pieces
1 salmon steak, boned and cut into 1” pieces
1 lb. shrimp, peeled and de-veined
1 lb. mussels, rinsed and sorted
3 tablespoons parsley, chopped
juice of 1 lemon + 1 lemon
Saute the shallots, celery and fennel in the butter and olive oil until soft. Add the wine and cook for a minute, then add the chicken stock, pinch of saffron,salt and the potatoes. Simmer until the potatoes are just cooked, about 15-20 minutes. Start adding the fish, first the halibut, then the snapper and salmon. Simmer 3 minutes, add the shrimp and simmer 2 more minutes, then add the mussels and cover the pot tightly with a lid. Cook until the mussels open, about 4-7 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle in the parsley and lemon juice. Serve in wide bowls with a batch of my gluten free buttermilk biscuits. Garnish with lemon wedges.
This fish stew looks like a big extravagant hat, but it has none of the silly characteristics. More is better in this case.
To see the latest collection of Zazu & Violets' hats, please visit our on-line Etsy shop.
With this statement Coco Chanel went on to change the fashion of women's hats. Along with freeing them from the corsets and hobble skirts of the day, she made hats that stayed on their heads and served a purpose. Hats that you could go out walking in, worn with clothes borrowed from a man's wardrobe. Her great love, Boy Capel, took her to his tailor and had certain items of clothing copied for her. The trend of women wearing clothing inspired by mens fashion is still popular today.
You had to have a mass of hair piled on your head to secure the elaborate creations she was talking about. Personally I could not have done it, my personal style is in agreement with Mlle. Chanel. Her description of those hats reminds me of a brimming pot of fish and shellfish stew. When you lift the lid the mussels almost come spilling out.
Fish and Shellfish Stew
Serves 6 people
2 tablespoons butter + 2 tbs. olive oil
2 shallots, chopped fine
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 small fennel bulb, or 1/2 a large one, sliced
1 cup white wine
1 quart chicken stock
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1" cubes
pinch of saffron
1 tsp. salt
1 halibut steak, boned and cut into 1 “ pieces
1 red snapper fillet, boned and cut into 1” pieces
1 salmon steak, boned and cut into 1” pieces
1 lb. shrimp, peeled and de-veined
1 lb. mussels, rinsed and sorted
3 tablespoons parsley, chopped
juice of 1 lemon + 1 lemon
Saute the shallots, celery and fennel in the butter and olive oil until soft. Add the wine and cook for a minute, then add the chicken stock, pinch of saffron,salt and the potatoes. Simmer until the potatoes are just cooked, about 15-20 minutes. Start adding the fish, first the halibut, then the snapper and salmon. Simmer 3 minutes, add the shrimp and simmer 2 more minutes, then add the mussels and cover the pot tightly with a lid. Cook until the mussels open, about 4-7 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle in the parsley and lemon juice. Serve in wide bowls with a batch of my gluten free buttermilk biscuits. Garnish with lemon wedges.
This fish stew looks like a big extravagant hat, but it has none of the silly characteristics. More is better in this case.
To see the latest collection of Zazu & Violets' hats, please visit our on-line Etsy shop.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Morgan Freeman and Chicken Breasts with Tuna
"And finding the hat, I always like to find the hat. And then props just dress the set. It's all fabulous".
I always recommend starting with the hat. It is the one item that can really set the tone, whether you are dressing for a wedding, garden party, a casual encounter or in the actor, Morgan Freeman's case, starting a new movie. A hat defines a character, that is why you can wear so many different hats. You can ask yourself, how do I want to be perceived? To a certain extent all clothing says a lot about you, but everyone notices your hat.
Then the props do dress the set, influenced by the hat. Lets say a chicken breast represents a hat. There are lots of sauces that can dress a chicken breast and set the tone for a meal. A cream sauce can be elegant and decadent. Tomato sauce says Italy. But this tuna sauce with anchovies and capers says all things Mediterranean.
Chicken Breasts with Tuna Sauce
Makes 2 main portions or 4 appetizers
2 organic, boneless, skinless chicken breasts
about 4 cups water, please use filtered or spring water
1 bay leaf
1 sprig tarragon
1/2 lemon, sliced
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 tsp. salt
1 small can tuna
6 small anchovy fillets
juice of 1/2 a lemon
2 tbs. olive oil
2 tbs. capers
4 big handfuls arugula, dressed with a squeeze of lemon, a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of Maldon sea salt
Put the chicken breasts in a pan just big enough to fit them, barely cover with water. Add the bay leaf, tarragon, lemon slices, white wine and salt. Bring to a very low simmer, DO NOT BOIL, the water should be barely moving, you are gently poaching. This method makes the tenderest breasts. Poach for 12-15 minutes until the breasts feel firm to the touch. You can make a little incision to see if they are cooked through. Remove from the water and set aside.
Put the tuna, anchovies, lemon juice and olive oil in a food processor and process until smooth. Add a tsp. or two of water if needed to make a thick sauce.
Divide the dressed arugula among 2 or 4 plates, slice the chicken breasts into 3/4" slices and lay over the arugula portions. Pour a layer of tuna sauce over the breasts, sprinkle on the capers and a little sea salt.
As Morgan Freeman says "It's all fabulous".
To see the latest collection of Zazu & Violets' hats, please visit our on-line Etsy shop.
I always recommend starting with the hat. It is the one item that can really set the tone, whether you are dressing for a wedding, garden party, a casual encounter or in the actor, Morgan Freeman's case, starting a new movie. A hat defines a character, that is why you can wear so many different hats. You can ask yourself, how do I want to be perceived? To a certain extent all clothing says a lot about you, but everyone notices your hat.
Then the props do dress the set, influenced by the hat. Lets say a chicken breast represents a hat. There are lots of sauces that can dress a chicken breast and set the tone for a meal. A cream sauce can be elegant and decadent. Tomato sauce says Italy. But this tuna sauce with anchovies and capers says all things Mediterranean.
Chicken Breasts with Tuna Sauce
Makes 2 main portions or 4 appetizers
2 organic, boneless, skinless chicken breasts
about 4 cups water, please use filtered or spring water
1 bay leaf
1 sprig tarragon
1/2 lemon, sliced
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 tsp. salt
1 small can tuna
6 small anchovy fillets
juice of 1/2 a lemon
2 tbs. olive oil
2 tbs. capers
4 big handfuls arugula, dressed with a squeeze of lemon, a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of Maldon sea salt
Put the chicken breasts in a pan just big enough to fit them, barely cover with water. Add the bay leaf, tarragon, lemon slices, white wine and salt. Bring to a very low simmer, DO NOT BOIL, the water should be barely moving, you are gently poaching. This method makes the tenderest breasts. Poach for 12-15 minutes until the breasts feel firm to the touch. You can make a little incision to see if they are cooked through. Remove from the water and set aside.
Put the tuna, anchovies, lemon juice and olive oil in a food processor and process until smooth. Add a tsp. or two of water if needed to make a thick sauce.
Divide the dressed arugula among 2 or 4 plates, slice the chicken breasts into 3/4" slices and lay over the arugula portions. Pour a layer of tuna sauce over the breasts, sprinkle on the capers and a little sea salt.
As Morgan Freeman says "It's all fabulous".
To see the latest collection of Zazu & Violets' hats, please visit our on-line Etsy shop.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Jean Harlow and a Blueberry Tart
"I think I will take off this coat."
"How about your hat?"
"No thanks, I'm pretty cool in the head."
This little exchange was between Jean Harlow and Clark Gable in the 1933 movie, "Hold Your Man". She WAS cool in the head, taking off her hat might lead to more than she wanted, it took a while before she would even remove her coat. Jean Harlow was star of the month on Turner Classic Movies, which meant they showed a lot of her films we don't usually get to see. She is often cast as a showgirl with a heart of gold. "Hold Your Man" was a popular song of the day. She made six films with Clark Gable, they all had similar plots but the hats and clothes were a feast for the eyes. And she had a way of putting over a line. She is pretty adorable in all of them. A sweet tart.
Now, I am inspired by the hat shapes of the 1930's. The crowns got shallower, small practical brims and all trimmed to match an outfit. But before I continue working on my Harlow hat collection, I want to make something also inspired by Miss Harlow, a sweet blueberry tart.
Blueberry Tart
Makes 1-9" tart
16 oz. blueberries
3 tbs. red currant jelly
8 oz. fresh cream cheese
1/2 cup thick creme fraiche
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup fine sugar
juice and zest of 1/2 lemon
1/2 recipe of my gluten free tart dough
Put the blueberries and jelly in a saucepan and heat gently until the jelly melts. Turn off heat, set aside and let cool.
Mix together the fresh cream cheese (fresh has a fluffier consistency) and the creme fraiche. Thin a little with the heavy cream. Add the fine sugar (I grind sugar in a spice grinder for a fine texture), and the lemon zest and juice. Spread the cheese in the bottom of a partially baked 9" tart shell that has been cooled. Spread the blueberries on top and bake in a pre-heated 375 degree oven for 10 minutes. Let cool completely before removing from the tart pan. Chill before serving.
Gluten Free Tart Dough
Makes 2-9" sweet tart shells
2 cups Zazu & Violets' all purpose gluten free flour mix
1 1/2 tsp. xanthan gum
1 tsp. salt
2 tbs. sugar
8 oz. really cold butter, cut into 1/2" pieces
4 tbs. cold vegetable shortening
scant 1/2 cup ice water
Sift together the flour, xanthan gum, salt and sugar. Blend the flour and shortenings together with a pastry blender until it resembles oatmeal flakes. Add the ice water and bring it together into a ball. Turn out onto a lightly floured cool surface, I just got a marble slab for pastry and highly recommend it. Blend the dough together a little at a time with the heel of your hand, then using a pastry scraper gather it up into a ball again. Divide in two and form into 2 discs. Wrap in cling film and chill for 1 hour.
Pre-heat your oven to 375 degrees. Lightly flour your cold surface and roll the dough out until it is slightly bigger than the tart pan. I always think of modeling clay when working this dough. If it breaks just press it back together. Line the tart pan with the dough, clean off the edges with your rolling pin. Prick the bottom with a fork, then line the shell with parchment paper and fill with dried beans for pre-baking. Bake 10 minutes. Remove the paper and beans. Let cool completely before filling.
Jean Harlow and a blueberry tart. Both scrumptious!
To see the latest collection of Zazu & Violets' hats, please visit our on-line Etsy shop.
"How about your hat?"
"No thanks, I'm pretty cool in the head."
This little exchange was between Jean Harlow and Clark Gable in the 1933 movie, "Hold Your Man". She WAS cool in the head, taking off her hat might lead to more than she wanted, it took a while before she would even remove her coat. Jean Harlow was star of the month on Turner Classic Movies, which meant they showed a lot of her films we don't usually get to see. She is often cast as a showgirl with a heart of gold. "Hold Your Man" was a popular song of the day. She made six films with Clark Gable, they all had similar plots but the hats and clothes were a feast for the eyes. And she had a way of putting over a line. She is pretty adorable in all of them. A sweet tart.
Now, I am inspired by the hat shapes of the 1930's. The crowns got shallower, small practical brims and all trimmed to match an outfit. But before I continue working on my Harlow hat collection, I want to make something also inspired by Miss Harlow, a sweet blueberry tart.
Blueberry Tart
Makes 1-9" tart
16 oz. blueberries
3 tbs. red currant jelly
8 oz. fresh cream cheese
1/2 cup thick creme fraiche
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup fine sugar
juice and zest of 1/2 lemon
1/2 recipe of my gluten free tart dough
Put the blueberries and jelly in a saucepan and heat gently until the jelly melts. Turn off heat, set aside and let cool.
Mix together the fresh cream cheese (fresh has a fluffier consistency) and the creme fraiche. Thin a little with the heavy cream. Add the fine sugar (I grind sugar in a spice grinder for a fine texture), and the lemon zest and juice. Spread the cheese in the bottom of a partially baked 9" tart shell that has been cooled. Spread the blueberries on top and bake in a pre-heated 375 degree oven for 10 minutes. Let cool completely before removing from the tart pan. Chill before serving.
Gluten Free Tart Dough
Makes 2-9" sweet tart shells
2 cups Zazu & Violets' all purpose gluten free flour mix
1 1/2 tsp. xanthan gum
1 tsp. salt
2 tbs. sugar
8 oz. really cold butter, cut into 1/2" pieces
4 tbs. cold vegetable shortening
scant 1/2 cup ice water
Sift together the flour, xanthan gum, salt and sugar. Blend the flour and shortenings together with a pastry blender until it resembles oatmeal flakes. Add the ice water and bring it together into a ball. Turn out onto a lightly floured cool surface, I just got a marble slab for pastry and highly recommend it. Blend the dough together a little at a time with the heel of your hand, then using a pastry scraper gather it up into a ball again. Divide in two and form into 2 discs. Wrap in cling film and chill for 1 hour.
Pre-heat your oven to 375 degrees. Lightly flour your cold surface and roll the dough out until it is slightly bigger than the tart pan. I always think of modeling clay when working this dough. If it breaks just press it back together. Line the tart pan with the dough, clean off the edges with your rolling pin. Prick the bottom with a fork, then line the shell with parchment paper and fill with dried beans for pre-baking. Bake 10 minutes. Remove the paper and beans. Let cool completely before filling.
Jean Harlow and a blueberry tart. Both scrumptious!
To see the latest collection of Zazu & Violets' hats, please visit our on-line Etsy shop.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Madame de Noailles and Fava Bean Ragout over Gnocchi
"How, could you have complimented that lady on the frightful hat, with its gaudy colors and extravagant shape. Which she wore when she made her sensational entrance to your house? Could you really have admired it?"
"I'd prefer anything as long as I didn't have to talk to her about it." said Madame de Noailles.
I have been reading "The Allure of Chanel". It is an account in her own words of her memoirs as she was being interviewed by Paul Morand at the end of the Second World War. She was talking about a particular type of person who would just compliment someone with excessive taste rather than truthfully expressing their opinion. There is a theory that men who designed outrageous women's clothing and hats were not fond of women. Some even say that is what caused women to rebel against wearing such over designed items. Coco Chanel changed the way women dressed because they were intrigued by freedom of movement which made them more independent. And by practicality and functionality. I have always been a believer in form follows function and that is my main approach to millinery.
Not that I have not fashioned bits of fluff for suitable occasions, but I do try and not cross the line to the ridiculous. Or gaudy extravagance. Something that did remind me of gaudy extravagance were fava bean plants the first time I grew them. I had no idea they grew so big and had such showy flowers. And then the great hairy pods. They were a sight to behold in my miniscule garden plot. But they did produce a lot of beans and my family enjoyed eating them all spring.
My favorite cooking method is simple, and the beans are perfect served over gnocchi. I enjoy shelling peas and beans, makes me feel as if time is not moving a hundred miles an hour. So the preparation before cooking is not odious to me.
Fava Bean Ragout over Gnocchi
serves 4 people
About 3-4 lbs. fava beans
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 small sprig of rosemary leaves, chopped fine
olive oil
salt
juice of 1/2 a lemon
Shell the fava beans. Blanche the beans in boiling water for 1 minute, drain then cool immediately in ice water. Pierce the outer skin with a thumbnail and squeeze each bean out of its skin.
Put the fava beans in a saucepan and barely cover them with 1/2 water and 1/2 olive oil. Add the garlic and rosemary. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for about 5 minutes until tender. Finish with the lemon juice. Serve over gnocchi.
For 4 people use 1/2 a recipe of Potato Gnocchi.
You can top this dish with some of the tender shoots of the fava bean plant. Dress with a little olive oil, squeeze of lemon and a sprinkle of Maldon sea salt.
This dish is a taste of Spring!
To see the latest collection of Zazu & Violets' hats, please visit our on-line Etsy shop.
"I'd prefer anything as long as I didn't have to talk to her about it." said Madame de Noailles.
I have been reading "The Allure of Chanel". It is an account in her own words of her memoirs as she was being interviewed by Paul Morand at the end of the Second World War. She was talking about a particular type of person who would just compliment someone with excessive taste rather than truthfully expressing their opinion. There is a theory that men who designed outrageous women's clothing and hats were not fond of women. Some even say that is what caused women to rebel against wearing such over designed items. Coco Chanel changed the way women dressed because they were intrigued by freedom of movement which made them more independent. And by practicality and functionality. I have always been a believer in form follows function and that is my main approach to millinery.
Not that I have not fashioned bits of fluff for suitable occasions, but I do try and not cross the line to the ridiculous. Or gaudy extravagance. Something that did remind me of gaudy extravagance were fava bean plants the first time I grew them. I had no idea they grew so big and had such showy flowers. And then the great hairy pods. They were a sight to behold in my miniscule garden plot. But they did produce a lot of beans and my family enjoyed eating them all spring.
My favorite cooking method is simple, and the beans are perfect served over gnocchi. I enjoy shelling peas and beans, makes me feel as if time is not moving a hundred miles an hour. So the preparation before cooking is not odious to me.
Fava Bean Ragout over Gnocchi
serves 4 people
About 3-4 lbs. fava beans
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 small sprig of rosemary leaves, chopped fine
olive oil
salt
juice of 1/2 a lemon
Shell the fava beans. Blanche the beans in boiling water for 1 minute, drain then cool immediately in ice water. Pierce the outer skin with a thumbnail and squeeze each bean out of its skin.
Put the fava beans in a saucepan and barely cover them with 1/2 water and 1/2 olive oil. Add the garlic and rosemary. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for about 5 minutes until tender. Finish with the lemon juice. Serve over gnocchi.
For 4 people use 1/2 a recipe of Potato Gnocchi.
You can top this dish with some of the tender shoots of the fava bean plant. Dress with a little olive oil, squeeze of lemon and a sprinkle of Maldon sea salt.
This dish is a taste of Spring!
To see the latest collection of Zazu & Violets' hats, please visit our on-line Etsy shop.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Mark Twain and Crispy Rice Fish Cakes
"You take the lies out of him and he'll shrink to the size of your hat, you take the malice out of him and he'll disappear."
I'm not quite sure how to interpret this quote by Mark Twain. But again, hat as metaphor. Not a dinner plate or a bowling ball. Was he speaking of a specific person who was a malicious liar? Or was this his general opinion of mankind? When I first meet people I assume they are truthful and without malice. I am always surprised when they are not who I originally thought them to be. I guess if they then became a different kind of person without the lies or malice, that despicable person would disappear. Who would be left? I think I should reread some Mark Twain. He also said "I find that principles have no real force, except when one is well fed".
Someone was very well fed at my house recently. Our little goddaughter was visiting, 4-year old Alea, and I had made fish cakes for lunch. You never know what a 4-year old will eat. Once she had tasted them she would not stop eating. Then she decided they were best if you closed your eyes and savored every bite with mmm for accent. And have it with a bite of avocado.
I tried a crispy rice coating which should really be made into snack food.
Crispy Rice Fish Cakes
makes 8 cakes
1 cup short grain rice (I used Lotus Foods Jade Rice)
1 lb. flaky white fish: sole, halibut, cod
3 tbs. olive oil
2 tbs. butter
1/2 fennel bulb, diced
2 tbs. chopped fennel fronds
2 tbs. chopped parsley
1 tsp. lemon zest
juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/2 tsp. salt
Cook the rice in 1 1/4 cups water for about 10 minutes. Spread it on a sheet pan in one layer, it will be sticky, and put in a pre-heated 300 degree oven for 5-8 minutes to dry it a bit.
Sauté the fish in 2 tbs. olive oil and 1 tbs. butter on both sides until cooked and flaky. Remove to a bowl. Add 1 more tbs. of olive oil and butter to the pan. Sauté the diced fennel until it starts to soften, add any fish juice from the bowl with the fish and cook until there is no more liquid in the pan. Add 1/4 cup of the cooked rice, the cooked fennel, the fennel fronds, parsley, lemon zest and juice, and salt to the fish and mix together. Let cool.
Form the cakes in your hand and press a layer of rice into each side of the cake to form the crust. Make them about the size of a hockey puck. Place on a plate and put them in the fridge for at least 1/2 hour to firm up.
Heat 2 tbs. of olive oil and 1 tbs. of butter in a heavy bottom skillet. Gently place the fish cakes in the pan and fry on one side until the rice is golden brown, turn and fry the other side. They should hold together if you handle them gently.
Serve on a mixed green salad with a simple vinaigrette. The rice is crispy and the fish filling is so flavorful. If you want, savor the taste with your eyes closed, a la Alea. And say mmm...
To see the latest collection of Zazu & Violets' hats, please visit our on-line Etsy shop.
I'm not quite sure how to interpret this quote by Mark Twain. But again, hat as metaphor. Not a dinner plate or a bowling ball. Was he speaking of a specific person who was a malicious liar? Or was this his general opinion of mankind? When I first meet people I assume they are truthful and without malice. I am always surprised when they are not who I originally thought them to be. I guess if they then became a different kind of person without the lies or malice, that despicable person would disappear. Who would be left? I think I should reread some Mark Twain. He also said "I find that principles have no real force, except when one is well fed".
Someone was very well fed at my house recently. Our little goddaughter was visiting, 4-year old Alea, and I had made fish cakes for lunch. You never know what a 4-year old will eat. Once she had tasted them she would not stop eating. Then she decided they were best if you closed your eyes and savored every bite with mmm for accent. And have it with a bite of avocado.
I tried a crispy rice coating which should really be made into snack food.
Crispy Rice Fish Cakes
makes 8 cakes
1 cup short grain rice (I used Lotus Foods Jade Rice)
1 lb. flaky white fish: sole, halibut, cod
3 tbs. olive oil
2 tbs. butter
1/2 fennel bulb, diced
2 tbs. chopped fennel fronds
2 tbs. chopped parsley
1 tsp. lemon zest
juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/2 tsp. salt
Cook the rice in 1 1/4 cups water for about 10 minutes. Spread it on a sheet pan in one layer, it will be sticky, and put in a pre-heated 300 degree oven for 5-8 minutes to dry it a bit.
Sauté the fish in 2 tbs. olive oil and 1 tbs. butter on both sides until cooked and flaky. Remove to a bowl. Add 1 more tbs. of olive oil and butter to the pan. Sauté the diced fennel until it starts to soften, add any fish juice from the bowl with the fish and cook until there is no more liquid in the pan. Add 1/4 cup of the cooked rice, the cooked fennel, the fennel fronds, parsley, lemon zest and juice, and salt to the fish and mix together. Let cool.
Form the cakes in your hand and press a layer of rice into each side of the cake to form the crust. Make them about the size of a hockey puck. Place on a plate and put them in the fridge for at least 1/2 hour to firm up.
Heat 2 tbs. of olive oil and 1 tbs. of butter in a heavy bottom skillet. Gently place the fish cakes in the pan and fry on one side until the rice is golden brown, turn and fry the other side. They should hold together if you handle them gently.
Serve on a mixed green salad with a simple vinaigrette. The rice is crispy and the fish filling is so flavorful. If you want, savor the taste with your eyes closed, a la Alea. And say mmm...
To see the latest collection of Zazu & Violets' hats, please visit our on-line Etsy shop.
Monday, March 21, 2011
Mon Oncle and Stuffed Globe Eggplants
"I see you noticed my hat."
"Yes, do you still use the same milliner? My head is so difficult to fit."
"Nonsense."
That is the answer I always wanted to give when the customers would use the size or shape of their heads as an excuse not to wear a hat. And that is why you visit a real milliner. I heard this little exchange in the French movie, "Mon Oncle" by Jacques Tati. If you haven't seen his films, they are charming. My particular favorite is "Playtime". And "Mon Oncle" is a delightful look at mid-century modern in its day.
If you have a very large head or the opposite, it can be difficult to find a mass produced hat that looks good because they just don't fit. Whenever someone tells me they don't look good in hats I always say, you just haven't found the right hat or have had one especially made for you in the correct size and a flattering style. Of course, as a milliner, I also look at the shape of their face, hairstyle, volume of hair and consider their personal style. Then you have a repeat customer that you have gotten to know and suddenly they wear hats!
I will now compare heads and globe eggplants. Both are round and come in small and large sizes. Although I would never consider stuffing and baking a head, eggplants are delicious prepared this way. Again I consulted Chez Panisse Vegetables and this is my version of their recipe.
Stuffed Globe Eggplants
serves 4 heads
2 large globe eggplants or 4 small ones
1 cup cooked rice
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup chopped olives
2 tbs. capers
6 anchovy fillets, chopped
1 small fennel bulb, diced
2 tbs. chopped fennel fronds
1 tbs. chopped sweet marjoram
2 tbs. chopped parsley
1 tsp. salt
2 tbs. olive oil
Cut the stems off the eggplants and cut them in half, cutting so you have the deepest bowls for the stuffing. Scoop out the pulp leaving about 1/4" of flesh. I found if you use a paring knife and cut around the inside 1/4" from the flesh, then score the pulp in a crisscross design (without piercing the flesh with the knife), it is easier to scoop out. Place the hollowed out eggplant bowls cut side up in a baking dish and drizzle with olive oil.
Chop up the pulp and mix together with the rest of the ingredients. Fill the eggplant bowls with the stuffing, mounding it up until you have all the stuffing distributed evenly. Drizzle with a little more olive oil, cover loosely with foil and bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 1 hour. Uncover for the last 5 minutes so the tops are lightly browned.
This is a great side dish or lunch served with a green salad. Just eliminate the anchovies for a vegetarian version. The eggplant flavor is very subtle when combined with all these Mediterranean ingredients, except for the cheese which gives it a buttery taste and helps hold the stuffing together.
My husband declared it the best eggplant dish he had ever had and judging from the comments while he was eating, I believe him!
To see the latest collection of Zazu & Violets' hats, please visit our on-line Etsy shop.
"Yes, do you still use the same milliner? My head is so difficult to fit."
"Nonsense."
That is the answer I always wanted to give when the customers would use the size or shape of their heads as an excuse not to wear a hat. And that is why you visit a real milliner. I heard this little exchange in the French movie, "Mon Oncle" by Jacques Tati. If you haven't seen his films, they are charming. My particular favorite is "Playtime". And "Mon Oncle" is a delightful look at mid-century modern in its day.
If you have a very large head or the opposite, it can be difficult to find a mass produced hat that looks good because they just don't fit. Whenever someone tells me they don't look good in hats I always say, you just haven't found the right hat or have had one especially made for you in the correct size and a flattering style. Of course, as a milliner, I also look at the shape of their face, hairstyle, volume of hair and consider their personal style. Then you have a repeat customer that you have gotten to know and suddenly they wear hats!
I will now compare heads and globe eggplants. Both are round and come in small and large sizes. Although I would never consider stuffing and baking a head, eggplants are delicious prepared this way. Again I consulted Chez Panisse Vegetables and this is my version of their recipe.
Stuffed Globe Eggplants
serves 4 heads
2 large globe eggplants or 4 small ones
1 cup cooked rice
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup chopped olives
2 tbs. capers
6 anchovy fillets, chopped
1 small fennel bulb, diced
2 tbs. chopped fennel fronds
1 tbs. chopped sweet marjoram
2 tbs. chopped parsley
1 tsp. salt
2 tbs. olive oil
Cut the stems off the eggplants and cut them in half, cutting so you have the deepest bowls for the stuffing. Scoop out the pulp leaving about 1/4" of flesh. I found if you use a paring knife and cut around the inside 1/4" from the flesh, then score the pulp in a crisscross design (without piercing the flesh with the knife), it is easier to scoop out. Place the hollowed out eggplant bowls cut side up in a baking dish and drizzle with olive oil.
Chop up the pulp and mix together with the rest of the ingredients. Fill the eggplant bowls with the stuffing, mounding it up until you have all the stuffing distributed evenly. Drizzle with a little more olive oil, cover loosely with foil and bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 1 hour. Uncover for the last 5 minutes so the tops are lightly browned.
This is a great side dish or lunch served with a green salad. Just eliminate the anchovies for a vegetarian version. The eggplant flavor is very subtle when combined with all these Mediterranean ingredients, except for the cheese which gives it a buttery taste and helps hold the stuffing together.
My husband declared it the best eggplant dish he had ever had and judging from the comments while he was eating, I believe him!
To see the latest collection of Zazu & Violets' hats, please visit our on-line Etsy shop.
Friday, March 18, 2011
Mrs. Parker and Hors d'oeuvres
"It's a very small apartment. I've barely enough room to lay my hat and a few friends."
I love the poems, writings and wit of Dorothy Parker. There is a good movie about her life called "Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle." In it she holds court at the Algonquin Hotel in New York, she and her friends wearing great hats from 1920's-1940's, the time period the movie covers. One particular favorite hat of mine is a headpiece covered in ribbon flowers. The last time we were in New york, we visited the Algonquin to see the table where her circle would all meet. It was exciting to be there.
I love this quote and it is true about the size of her apartment. Sounds like my house, although I have several hat stands in the living room filled with my creations. I just move them aside when friends come over and serve them hors d'oeuvres.
Two of my favorites are endive leaves stuffed with shrimp salad and little potato pancakes topped with creme fraiche and smoked salmon. These pancakes hold together really well even without eggs.
1st Hors d'oeuvre
Shrimp Salad in Endive Leaves
serves 6-8 friends
1 1b. shrimp, peeled and deveined
juice and zest of 1 small lemon
juice and zest of 1 lime
2 tbs. olive oil
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 tsp. Maldon sea salt
6 small endives
Sauté the shrimp in a little oil, remove from pan, cut them into a small dice and put them into a mixing bowl. While the pan is still warm, deglaze with the citrus juices. Pour the mixture over the cooked shrimp and mix in the olive oil, cilantro and salt.
Cut the root ends off the endives and separate the leaves. Spoon a teaspoon of the shrimp salad into each leaf and arrange on a platter.
2nd Hors d'oeuvre
Potato Pancakes with Smoked Salmon
serves 6-8 friends, makes 24 2" cakes
6 medium size Yukon gold potatoes
3/4 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup all purpose gluten free flour
2 tsp. kosher salt
3 tbs. olive oil
3 tbs. butter
4 oz. smoked salmon
1 cup creme fraiche
1/4 cup chopped fennel fronds and a sprinkle of sea salt for garnish
Grate the potatoes, skins on, place in a sieve and squeeze out the potato water. This will prevent the potatoes from turning brown and keep the pancakes from being too wet. Mix together the potatoes, buttermilk, flour and salt. Heat a hevy bottomed frying pan until it is HOT, then add 1/2 the olive oil and 1/2 the butter. (You will probably need to fry these in at least 2 batches). Set the oven at 200 degrees to keep the cakes warm while frying the next batch. I use a round serving spoon to form 2" cakes about 1/2" thick. Then slide them into the hot pan. Fry on each side until crispy and browned, about 3-4 minutes a side depending on how hot your pan is. Add more oil and butter before you fry each batch. Keep them on a platter in the warm oven until you have cooked all of the cakes.
Top each cake with a little salmon, a teaspoon of creme fraiche, and a sprinkle of fennel fronds and Maldon sea salt.
I had a version of this at a little outdoor, sea-side bar in England. The creme fraiche really adds a a tanginess that is different from sour cream. The recipe for making your own creme fraiche is in this blog archive from February 4.
Don't let a little house or apartment stop you from serving hors d'oeuvres to a few friends! Even if they are just laying around.
To seethe latest collection of Zazu & Violets' hats, please visit our on-line Etsy shop.
I love the poems, writings and wit of Dorothy Parker. There is a good movie about her life called "Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle." In it she holds court at the Algonquin Hotel in New York, she and her friends wearing great hats from 1920's-1940's, the time period the movie covers. One particular favorite hat of mine is a headpiece covered in ribbon flowers. The last time we were in New york, we visited the Algonquin to see the table where her circle would all meet. It was exciting to be there.
I love this quote and it is true about the size of her apartment. Sounds like my house, although I have several hat stands in the living room filled with my creations. I just move them aside when friends come over and serve them hors d'oeuvres.
Two of my favorites are endive leaves stuffed with shrimp salad and little potato pancakes topped with creme fraiche and smoked salmon. These pancakes hold together really well even without eggs.
1st Hors d'oeuvre
Shrimp Salad in Endive Leaves
serves 6-8 friends
1 1b. shrimp, peeled and deveined
juice and zest of 1 small lemon
juice and zest of 1 lime
2 tbs. olive oil
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 tsp. Maldon sea salt
6 small endives
Sauté the shrimp in a little oil, remove from pan, cut them into a small dice and put them into a mixing bowl. While the pan is still warm, deglaze with the citrus juices. Pour the mixture over the cooked shrimp and mix in the olive oil, cilantro and salt.
Cut the root ends off the endives and separate the leaves. Spoon a teaspoon of the shrimp salad into each leaf and arrange on a platter.
2nd Hors d'oeuvre
Potato Pancakes with Smoked Salmon
serves 6-8 friends, makes 24 2" cakes
6 medium size Yukon gold potatoes
3/4 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup all purpose gluten free flour
2 tsp. kosher salt
3 tbs. olive oil
3 tbs. butter
4 oz. smoked salmon
1 cup creme fraiche
1/4 cup chopped fennel fronds and a sprinkle of sea salt for garnish
Grate the potatoes, skins on, place in a sieve and squeeze out the potato water. This will prevent the potatoes from turning brown and keep the pancakes from being too wet. Mix together the potatoes, buttermilk, flour and salt. Heat a hevy bottomed frying pan until it is HOT, then add 1/2 the olive oil and 1/2 the butter. (You will probably need to fry these in at least 2 batches). Set the oven at 200 degrees to keep the cakes warm while frying the next batch. I use a round serving spoon to form 2" cakes about 1/2" thick. Then slide them into the hot pan. Fry on each side until crispy and browned, about 3-4 minutes a side depending on how hot your pan is. Add more oil and butter before you fry each batch. Keep them on a platter in the warm oven until you have cooked all of the cakes.
Top each cake with a little salmon, a teaspoon of creme fraiche, and a sprinkle of fennel fronds and Maldon sea salt.
I had a version of this at a little outdoor, sea-side bar in England. The creme fraiche really adds a a tanginess that is different from sour cream. The recipe for making your own creme fraiche is in this blog archive from February 4.
Don't let a little house or apartment stop you from serving hors d'oeuvres to a few friends! Even if they are just laying around.
To seethe latest collection of Zazu & Violets' hats, please visit our on-line Etsy shop.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Charles de Gaulle and Breakfast
"You start out giving your hat, then you give your coat, then your shirt, then your skin, and finally your soul."
Wow, General De Gaulle, was that what is was like to be the president of France? See it all starts with a hat. A hat can be a very powerful symbol and is often used in quotes as a metaphor for bigger things. Sometimes bleak, sometimes more optimistic, as in "Grab your coat, get your hat, leave your worries on your doorstep." I guess that is hard to do if you are the president of France.
Well, either way before you give away your hat and soul, or leave your worries on a doorstep, have a good breakfast. You might have a chance of making it through the day with soul intact. And this calls for hot cereal, or an anti-oxidant filled, protein laced smoothie.
My Favorite Hot Breakfast Cereal Mix:
Mix together 2/3 brown rice cereal to 1/3 buckwheat cereal. The buckwheat has a nice texture and adds an interesting flavor to the rice cereal. The cooking proportions are 3 parts water to 1 part cereal. 1 cup of cereal makes 2-3 bowls, depending on your appetite. Put the cereal in cold water and slowly bring up to a simmer, add 1/2 tsp. of salt when it is hot. Stir frequently to prevent lumps, and cook until thick. It only takes about 8 minutes. In blueberry season I like to add a handful after the cereal is cooked. Turn off the heat, mix in the berries, cover and let sit for a few minutes until the blueberries are hot. Serve with maple syrup or a tablespoon of brown sugar and a little milk. I like to add a pat of butter to mine, but my husband does not.
I always fed rice cereal to my children when they were sick with a cold or flu because it is nutritious, easy to digest, not mucous forming and gluten free. Quite delicious, especially with the blueberries.
Another way to start the day is with a power beverage, a Blueberry and Banana Breakfast Smoothie.
serves 2-3
2 bananas, cut into pieces and frozen (even an hour in the freezer is good)
1 cup blueberries
juice of 1 lemon or lime
4 big soup size spoons of yogurt (I like goat)
3 tbs. of gluten free protein powder, (Seitenbacher is a good brand, I like the vanilla flavor or Navitas Natural hemp powder, made from organic hemp seeds, again the vanilla is the best flavor)
1/2 cup water
Put everything in a big pitcher and blend together with an immersion blender, or use a blender, I don't have one so I use my immersion blender constantly. This smoothie is a real pick-me-up.
Then grab your coat, get your hat, leave your worries on your doorstep. And just direct your feet to the sunny side of the street. And try to keep your soul.
To see the latest collection of Zazu & Violets' hats, please visit our on-line Etsy shop.
Wow, General De Gaulle, was that what is was like to be the president of France? See it all starts with a hat. A hat can be a very powerful symbol and is often used in quotes as a metaphor for bigger things. Sometimes bleak, sometimes more optimistic, as in "Grab your coat, get your hat, leave your worries on your doorstep." I guess that is hard to do if you are the president of France.
Well, either way before you give away your hat and soul, or leave your worries on a doorstep, have a good breakfast. You might have a chance of making it through the day with soul intact. And this calls for hot cereal, or an anti-oxidant filled, protein laced smoothie.
My Favorite Hot Breakfast Cereal Mix:
Mix together 2/3 brown rice cereal to 1/3 buckwheat cereal. The buckwheat has a nice texture and adds an interesting flavor to the rice cereal. The cooking proportions are 3 parts water to 1 part cereal. 1 cup of cereal makes 2-3 bowls, depending on your appetite. Put the cereal in cold water and slowly bring up to a simmer, add 1/2 tsp. of salt when it is hot. Stir frequently to prevent lumps, and cook until thick. It only takes about 8 minutes. In blueberry season I like to add a handful after the cereal is cooked. Turn off the heat, mix in the berries, cover and let sit for a few minutes until the blueberries are hot. Serve with maple syrup or a tablespoon of brown sugar and a little milk. I like to add a pat of butter to mine, but my husband does not.
I always fed rice cereal to my children when they were sick with a cold or flu because it is nutritious, easy to digest, not mucous forming and gluten free. Quite delicious, especially with the blueberries.
Another way to start the day is with a power beverage, a Blueberry and Banana Breakfast Smoothie.
serves 2-3
2 bananas, cut into pieces and frozen (even an hour in the freezer is good)
1 cup blueberries
juice of 1 lemon or lime
4 big soup size spoons of yogurt (I like goat)
3 tbs. of gluten free protein powder, (Seitenbacher is a good brand, I like the vanilla flavor or Navitas Natural hemp powder, made from organic hemp seeds, again the vanilla is the best flavor)
1/2 cup water
Put everything in a big pitcher and blend together with an immersion blender, or use a blender, I don't have one so I use my immersion blender constantly. This smoothie is a real pick-me-up.
Then grab your coat, get your hat, leave your worries on your doorstep. And just direct your feet to the sunny side of the street. And try to keep your soul.
To see the latest collection of Zazu & Violets' hats, please visit our on-line Etsy shop.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Twelve Hats and Dinner Guests
"I myself have twelve hats, and each one represents a different personality. Why just be yourself?"
This quote is from the writer Margaret Atwood. She is right, every different hat you wear represents a different personality. As simple as a fireman's hat to that flirty little number that you wear to a cocktail party. Or the hat with the big brim that you can wear as a disguise with sunglasses. Think Audrey in "Breakfast at Tiffany's". There was the time I was on vacation with my kids at the beach and my favorite hat was my son's baseball cap with Sylvester on the front. It was also the last time I could beat him in a foot race. The cap helped.
Last night we had dinner guests. I felt I wore many different hats during the day. It started with my milliner hat while I filled an order for a customer, my writing hat (this blog), then I was a prep cook, cleaning lady, the cook and finally hostess.
By the time I put on my hostess hat I was happy. We sat down to a delicious meal, skirt steak with tomatillo sauce, baked black beans, fingerling potatoes, green salad and for dessert, Teff pudding.
Tomatillo Sauce
You have to start here because it is an ingredient in the baked black beans.
2 tbs.olive oil
1 1b. tomatillos, diced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. sugar
zest and juice of 1 lime
Cook the tomatillos with a little salt in the olive oil for about 10 minutes until they change color and look like pulp. The color will go from vivid green to olive green. Process in a blender or small processor until the skins are chopped up, don't overdo it, you want to see the seeds. Return to the pan on a low heat and add the rest of the ingredients. Cook the sauce for a few minutes until it thickens a little, taste for seasoning. If too tart add a little more sugar, it might need more salt and you should taste just a hint of the cumin. Done, set aside.
Baked Black Beans
Serves 2-4 people depending on your portion size, this was perfect for the 4 of us.
1 cup dried black beans
2 tbs. chopped cilantro
1/2 tsp. cumin
2 tbs. brown sugar
4 tbs. tomatillo sauce
Cover the beans with 2 cups water, boil for 1 minute, turn off the heat and let soak for 1 hour. Drain, add fresh water to cover by about 2". Add the rest of the ingredients and bake in a 300 degree oven for 2 hours, stirring every 1/2 hour, and adding more water if needed. Season with salt to taste at the end of the cooking time. Turn off the heat and keep in the warm oven.
Fingerling Potatoes for four
15-20 small fingerling potatoes
2 bs. butter
2 tbs. chopped parsley
good sprinkle of Maldon sea salt
Cook the whole potatoes in boiling salted water until easily pierced with a knife. Drain. Put the 2 tbs. of butter in a warmed bowl. When just cool enough to handle peel the potatoes and drop them into the bowl. Mix in the parsley and salt and keep warm in the oven with the baked beans. If you want to visit with your guests for more than a few minutes, turn the oven on to 200 degrees.
Skirt Steak for four
2 lbs. skirt steak, cut in sections to fit the pan. I used 2 big cast iron skillets so I could cook it all at once. Heat the pans for 4 minutes until they are HOT. Drizzle the steak with a little olive oil, sprinkle with a little salt and place in the hot pans. Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side until browned, but still a little rare. Remove to a board to rest, one that can catch the juices. For the sauce, deglaze the pans with 1/4 cup red wine in each pan, combine sauce in one pan. Add 3 tbs. of the tomatillo sauce and swirl in 1 tbs. butter. Slice the steak against the grain and return the steak and its juices to the pan with the sauce. You can do all this with the heat off, the pan will still be hot enough. Toss the steak in the delicious sauce and turn out onto a warmed platter.
Serve this meal to your dinner guests buffet style with more tomatillo sauce on the side, followed by a butter lettuce salad with creme fraiche dressing.
Teff Pudding for dessert, or since our friend is English, teff pudding for pudding. (Recipe for Teff Pudding is in blog archive from March 1st))
To see the latest collection of Zazu & Violets' hats, please visit our on-line Etsy shop.
This quote is from the writer Margaret Atwood. She is right, every different hat you wear represents a different personality. As simple as a fireman's hat to that flirty little number that you wear to a cocktail party. Or the hat with the big brim that you can wear as a disguise with sunglasses. Think Audrey in "Breakfast at Tiffany's". There was the time I was on vacation with my kids at the beach and my favorite hat was my son's baseball cap with Sylvester on the front. It was also the last time I could beat him in a foot race. The cap helped.
Last night we had dinner guests. I felt I wore many different hats during the day. It started with my milliner hat while I filled an order for a customer, my writing hat (this blog), then I was a prep cook, cleaning lady, the cook and finally hostess.
By the time I put on my hostess hat I was happy. We sat down to a delicious meal, skirt steak with tomatillo sauce, baked black beans, fingerling potatoes, green salad and for dessert, Teff pudding.
Tomatillo Sauce
You have to start here because it is an ingredient in the baked black beans.
2 tbs.olive oil
1 1b. tomatillos, diced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. sugar
zest and juice of 1 lime
Cook the tomatillos with a little salt in the olive oil for about 10 minutes until they change color and look like pulp. The color will go from vivid green to olive green. Process in a blender or small processor until the skins are chopped up, don't overdo it, you want to see the seeds. Return to the pan on a low heat and add the rest of the ingredients. Cook the sauce for a few minutes until it thickens a little, taste for seasoning. If too tart add a little more sugar, it might need more salt and you should taste just a hint of the cumin. Done, set aside.
Baked Black Beans
Serves 2-4 people depending on your portion size, this was perfect for the 4 of us.
1 cup dried black beans
2 tbs. chopped cilantro
1/2 tsp. cumin
2 tbs. brown sugar
4 tbs. tomatillo sauce
Cover the beans with 2 cups water, boil for 1 minute, turn off the heat and let soak for 1 hour. Drain, add fresh water to cover by about 2". Add the rest of the ingredients and bake in a 300 degree oven for 2 hours, stirring every 1/2 hour, and adding more water if needed. Season with salt to taste at the end of the cooking time. Turn off the heat and keep in the warm oven.
Fingerling Potatoes for four
15-20 small fingerling potatoes
2 bs. butter
2 tbs. chopped parsley
good sprinkle of Maldon sea salt
Cook the whole potatoes in boiling salted water until easily pierced with a knife. Drain. Put the 2 tbs. of butter in a warmed bowl. When just cool enough to handle peel the potatoes and drop them into the bowl. Mix in the parsley and salt and keep warm in the oven with the baked beans. If you want to visit with your guests for more than a few minutes, turn the oven on to 200 degrees.
Skirt Steak for four
2 lbs. skirt steak, cut in sections to fit the pan. I used 2 big cast iron skillets so I could cook it all at once. Heat the pans for 4 minutes until they are HOT. Drizzle the steak with a little olive oil, sprinkle with a little salt and place in the hot pans. Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side until browned, but still a little rare. Remove to a board to rest, one that can catch the juices. For the sauce, deglaze the pans with 1/4 cup red wine in each pan, combine sauce in one pan. Add 3 tbs. of the tomatillo sauce and swirl in 1 tbs. butter. Slice the steak against the grain and return the steak and its juices to the pan with the sauce. You can do all this with the heat off, the pan will still be hot enough. Toss the steak in the delicious sauce and turn out onto a warmed platter.
Serve this meal to your dinner guests buffet style with more tomatillo sauce on the side, followed by a butter lettuce salad with creme fraiche dressing.
Teff Pudding for dessert, or since our friend is English, teff pudding for pudding. (Recipe for Teff Pudding is in blog archive from March 1st))
To see the latest collection of Zazu & Violets' hats, please visit our on-line Etsy shop.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Sophie and Crusty Pork Chops
"What a tacky shop, I've never seen such tacky little hats, and by far you're the tackiest thing here!"
Poor Sophie. She spent her days making and trimming beautiful hats in her mothers hat shop, only to be insulted by the Wicked Witch of the Waste in the movie, "Howl's Moving Castle". And then the Witch put a spell on her that turned her from a young woman into an old one.
I had some experiences like that during the years I spent in my hat shop where I spent my days making and trimming beautiful hats. Some women can truly be witches when they don't understand hat wearing in today's world and are intimidated by them. I always wondered why they even came into the shop. Don't get me wrong, they were greatly outnumbered by the lovely supportive customers who bought and wore my hats. And used nice complimentary words.
"Howl's Moving Castle" is a charming movie. Visually stimulating, good story of good versus evil. And that Witch certainly was a crusty old broad.
"Crusty". One of the hardest things to substitute in a gluten free diet are bread and bread crumbs. I just don't eat much bread because the gluten free bread is all so white, I do love whole-grained bread. And I like to use bread crumbs for a nice crust on fish or pork chops. Recently on a cooking show I saw a chef use instant mashed potato flakes to crust fish. Although I would never make instant mashed potatoes, I thought this sounded like a good idea for a gluten free crust.
So my husband found some organic instant mashed potatoes for me to try, but didn't read the ingredient list because who would put onion powder in mashed potatoes? Apparently this company and I tell you it is not good. Look for the flakes without seasonings, a little sea salt is all right. It does make a nice crust.
Crusty Pork Chops
Serves 2 people
2 boneless pork chops
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup unseasoned instant mash potato flakes
3 tbs. olive oil
1 tbs. butter
Pound the pork chops thin. Sprinkle them lightly with salt. Dip the pork chops in the buttermilk then dredge them in the potato flakes to coat. Let them sit for 5-10 minutes so the crust will stick.
Melt the butter with the olive oil in a cast iron or heavy bottom pan. Fry the pork chops in the oil for 4-5 minutes on each side until the crust is golden.
Serve with a side of sautéd rainbow Swiss chard and you have a complete tasty main course.
And remember, if you can't say anything nice, don't speak, unless you want to be a crusty old witch.
To see the latest collection of Zazu & Violets' hats, please our on-line Etsy shop.
Poor Sophie. She spent her days making and trimming beautiful hats in her mothers hat shop, only to be insulted by the Wicked Witch of the Waste in the movie, "Howl's Moving Castle". And then the Witch put a spell on her that turned her from a young woman into an old one.
I had some experiences like that during the years I spent in my hat shop where I spent my days making and trimming beautiful hats. Some women can truly be witches when they don't understand hat wearing in today's world and are intimidated by them. I always wondered why they even came into the shop. Don't get me wrong, they were greatly outnumbered by the lovely supportive customers who bought and wore my hats. And used nice complimentary words.
"Howl's Moving Castle" is a charming movie. Visually stimulating, good story of good versus evil. And that Witch certainly was a crusty old broad.
"Crusty". One of the hardest things to substitute in a gluten free diet are bread and bread crumbs. I just don't eat much bread because the gluten free bread is all so white, I do love whole-grained bread. And I like to use bread crumbs for a nice crust on fish or pork chops. Recently on a cooking show I saw a chef use instant mashed potato flakes to crust fish. Although I would never make instant mashed potatoes, I thought this sounded like a good idea for a gluten free crust.
So my husband found some organic instant mashed potatoes for me to try, but didn't read the ingredient list because who would put onion powder in mashed potatoes? Apparently this company and I tell you it is not good. Look for the flakes without seasonings, a little sea salt is all right. It does make a nice crust.
Crusty Pork Chops
Serves 2 people
2 boneless pork chops
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup unseasoned instant mash potato flakes
3 tbs. olive oil
1 tbs. butter
Pound the pork chops thin. Sprinkle them lightly with salt. Dip the pork chops in the buttermilk then dredge them in the potato flakes to coat. Let them sit for 5-10 minutes so the crust will stick.
Melt the butter with the olive oil in a cast iron or heavy bottom pan. Fry the pork chops in the oil for 4-5 minutes on each side until the crust is golden.
Serve with a side of sautéd rainbow Swiss chard and you have a complete tasty main course.
And remember, if you can't say anything nice, don't speak, unless you want to be a crusty old witch.
To see the latest collection of Zazu & Violets' hats, please our on-line Etsy shop.
Monday, March 14, 2011
The Cat and Duck Breast Salad
"A woman's hat should never panic the cat."
I believe this quote is from P.J. O'Rourke, not quite sure who that is, but it got me to thinking about what might panic the cat. Perhaps lots of feathers, or even the whole bird tacked onto the front of the hat. Judy Garland wears a bird on her hat in "The Good Old Summertime" which is accidentally knocked off when she collides with Van Johnson and creates quite a fuss. In the Lucia series that I have talked about recently, Mrs. Wise can't let go of her dead parakeet so she puts it on her hat. She didn't attach it very well and at dinner one day it fell into her soup. That might panic the cat.
Or a duck on your hat. What would the cat think of that. I am starting to sound like Doctor Seuss, so let's just think of duck, as in breast. I had a serious craving for warm duck breast salad and yesterday I satisfied that craving. Also on the salad, baby turnips and those cute round carrots.
Duck Breast Salad
Serves two
1 duck breast, remove the tenderloin, save for another dish
1 bunch round carrots, cut into quarters
1 bunch baby turnips, cut into quarters
1 tbs. butter
2 big handfuls of assorted baby lettuces
juice of a small lemon
Score the fatty skin on the duck breast in a criss-cross pattern. Cook in a hot cast iron pan fat side down first, about 4-5 minutes, until the skin is browned. Turn and finish cooking on the other side, another 4-5 minutes, you want it a bit rare. Remove to a board to rest before slicing. While the duck is cooking steam the carrots and turnips until tender. The carrots take a little longer, so start them first and in a couple of minutes add the turnips. Put them in a bowl with a tbs. of butter and a sprinkle of sea salt. Mix to coat with the butter.
Make a warm dressing by using the rendered fat in the pan from the duck, de-glaze with the lemon juice. Slice the duck breast, arrange on the lettuces with the steamed vegetables and pour the warm dressing over.
So simple to prepare, so satisfying and as my husband said, so delicious! And no cats were panicked.
To see the latest collection of Zazu & Violets' hats, please visit our on-line Etsy shop.
I believe this quote is from P.J. O'Rourke, not quite sure who that is, but it got me to thinking about what might panic the cat. Perhaps lots of feathers, or even the whole bird tacked onto the front of the hat. Judy Garland wears a bird on her hat in "The Good Old Summertime" which is accidentally knocked off when she collides with Van Johnson and creates quite a fuss. In the Lucia series that I have talked about recently, Mrs. Wise can't let go of her dead parakeet so she puts it on her hat. She didn't attach it very well and at dinner one day it fell into her soup. That might panic the cat.
Or a duck on your hat. What would the cat think of that. I am starting to sound like Doctor Seuss, so let's just think of duck, as in breast. I had a serious craving for warm duck breast salad and yesterday I satisfied that craving. Also on the salad, baby turnips and those cute round carrots.
Duck Breast Salad
Serves two
1 duck breast, remove the tenderloin, save for another dish
1 bunch round carrots, cut into quarters
1 bunch baby turnips, cut into quarters
1 tbs. butter
2 big handfuls of assorted baby lettuces
juice of a small lemon
Score the fatty skin on the duck breast in a criss-cross pattern. Cook in a hot cast iron pan fat side down first, about 4-5 minutes, until the skin is browned. Turn and finish cooking on the other side, another 4-5 minutes, you want it a bit rare. Remove to a board to rest before slicing. While the duck is cooking steam the carrots and turnips until tender. The carrots take a little longer, so start them first and in a couple of minutes add the turnips. Put them in a bowl with a tbs. of butter and a sprinkle of sea salt. Mix to coat with the butter.
Make a warm dressing by using the rendered fat in the pan from the duck, de-glaze with the lemon juice. Slice the duck breast, arrange on the lettuces with the steamed vegetables and pour the warm dressing over.
So simple to prepare, so satisfying and as my husband said, so delicious! And no cats were panicked.
To see the latest collection of Zazu & Violets' hats, please visit our on-line Etsy shop.
Friday, March 11, 2011
Mrs. Hughes and Cheese Coins
"Oh Mrs. Hughes, have you had any thoughts about the garden party for the hospital?"
"I've started on it, but there are things we have to talk about."
"Oh dear, that sounds like trouble. I'll take my hat off."
Lady Granthan and Mrs. Hughes were getting to work on the garden party in the series "Downton Abbey". It is so telling that when work needs to be done, the extravagant hat comes off. It is equivalent to rolling up your sleeves. They probably had all kinds of things to sort out, guest list, how much champagne would be needed, would they need more servers, and how many cheese coins would have to be made.
Cheese coins are an excellent snack for a party. Their sharp, cheesy, salty taste is so perfect with a cocktail or a glass of champagne. The recipe is equal parts of three ingredients, you can just multiply by the number of guests. And since "Downton Abbey" takes place in England, I hope they used sharp English coastal cheddar from Dorset.
Cheese Coins
Makes 24 1-1/2 inch coins, figure 3-4 per guest
1 stick butter (8 oz.), at room temperature
1 cup grated sharp English cheddar cheese
1 cup Zazu & Violets' all purpose gluten free flour mix
1/2 tsp. xanthan gum
1 tbs. milk
In a stand mixer, cream together the butter and cheese. Add the flour and mix until well incorporated. Add the milk to bring the dough together. Turn out onto waxed paper and using the paper, roll into a log that is 1-1/2 inches thick. Twist the ends to make a neat package and chill for one hour.
Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees
After chilling, unwrap and slice into 3/8 inch slices and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden.
Put your extravagant hat back on and enjoy the party. Be careful when eating them, cheese coins can be addictive!
To see the latest collection of Zazu & Violets' hats, please visit our on-line Etsy shop.
"I've started on it, but there are things we have to talk about."
"Oh dear, that sounds like trouble. I'll take my hat off."
Lady Granthan and Mrs. Hughes were getting to work on the garden party in the series "Downton Abbey". It is so telling that when work needs to be done, the extravagant hat comes off. It is equivalent to rolling up your sleeves. They probably had all kinds of things to sort out, guest list, how much champagne would be needed, would they need more servers, and how many cheese coins would have to be made.
Cheese coins are an excellent snack for a party. Their sharp, cheesy, salty taste is so perfect with a cocktail or a glass of champagne. The recipe is equal parts of three ingredients, you can just multiply by the number of guests. And since "Downton Abbey" takes place in England, I hope they used sharp English coastal cheddar from Dorset.
Cheese Coins
Makes 24 1-1/2 inch coins, figure 3-4 per guest
1 stick butter (8 oz.), at room temperature
1 cup grated sharp English cheddar cheese
1 cup Zazu & Violets' all purpose gluten free flour mix
1/2 tsp. xanthan gum
1 tbs. milk
In a stand mixer, cream together the butter and cheese. Add the flour and mix until well incorporated. Add the milk to bring the dough together. Turn out onto waxed paper and using the paper, roll into a log that is 1-1/2 inches thick. Twist the ends to make a neat package and chill for one hour.
Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees
After chilling, unwrap and slice into 3/8 inch slices and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden.
Put your extravagant hat back on and enjoy the party. Be careful when eating them, cheese coins can be addictive!
To see the latest collection of Zazu & Violets' hats, please visit our on-line Etsy shop.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Lily Bart and Pasta Puttanesca
"In Edith Wharton's 1905 novel, The House of Mirth, the tragic Lily Bart examines what remains of her wardrobe as she descends from New York high society into the social and economic abyss. From wearing beautiful frocks, she's reduced to learning a trade, millinery, at which she is not adept, and is, anyway, only a small remove from prostitution."
Imagine my shock when I read this paragraph in the book The Thoughtful Dresser by Linda Grant. I had to stop reading and contemplate this comment. First of all the use of "is" instead of "was" makes me take it a little personally. It sounds like we milliners are almost prostitutes. It is surprising that no one during the editing process caught the implication. And after finally finishing the book I am convinced that Miss Grant is not a hat person. Secondly, in 1905, millinery was a trade which was definitely middle class but there were some very respectable young women learning to be milliners. You could also say that any job at the time was a step away from selling yourself if you were forced to make your own way.
So if I stop being a milliner I guess I might be reduced to prostitution? If so I am certainly making puttanesca, the sauce of the whores. This is my version with red bell peppers as a substitute for tomatoes.
Pasta Puttanesca
Serves 4 prostitutes
3 tbs. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
6 anchovy fillets
1 tbs. capers
2 tbs. chopped black olives
1 tbs. chopped oregano or sweet marjoram
2 red bell peppers, chopped, sautéd in olive oil until tender, then pureed.
1 lb. gluten free pasta
Freshly grated Parmagiano-Reggiano
Cook the pasta in gently boiling, salted water with a little oil added to it. Stir a couple of times, taste after 7 minutes, do not overcook! Drain and reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water. Drizzle the pasta with a little olive oil and mix to keep it from sticking together.
Sauté the garlic in the olive oil, add the anchovies and cook until they are melted. Add the capers, olives, oregano, pureed pepper sauce, and reserved pasta water. Cook together for a few minutes, until flavors have melded.
Add the pasta to the sauce, serve with a sprinkling of Parmagiano-Reggiano.
This pasta puttanesca is what the prostitutes would eat in the morning after working all night. We are just having it for dinner, I plan on keeping my day job.
To see the latest collection of Zazu & Violets' hats, please visit our on-line Etsy shop.
Imagine my shock when I read this paragraph in the book The Thoughtful Dresser by Linda Grant. I had to stop reading and contemplate this comment. First of all the use of "is" instead of "was" makes me take it a little personally. It sounds like we milliners are almost prostitutes. It is surprising that no one during the editing process caught the implication. And after finally finishing the book I am convinced that Miss Grant is not a hat person. Secondly, in 1905, millinery was a trade which was definitely middle class but there were some very respectable young women learning to be milliners. You could also say that any job at the time was a step away from selling yourself if you were forced to make your own way.
So if I stop being a milliner I guess I might be reduced to prostitution? If so I am certainly making puttanesca, the sauce of the whores. This is my version with red bell peppers as a substitute for tomatoes.
Pasta Puttanesca
Serves 4 prostitutes
3 tbs. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
6 anchovy fillets
1 tbs. capers
2 tbs. chopped black olives
1 tbs. chopped oregano or sweet marjoram
2 red bell peppers, chopped, sautéd in olive oil until tender, then pureed.
1 lb. gluten free pasta
Freshly grated Parmagiano-Reggiano
Cook the pasta in gently boiling, salted water with a little oil added to it. Stir a couple of times, taste after 7 minutes, do not overcook! Drain and reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water. Drizzle the pasta with a little olive oil and mix to keep it from sticking together.
Sauté the garlic in the olive oil, add the anchovies and cook until they are melted. Add the capers, olives, oregano, pureed pepper sauce, and reserved pasta water. Cook together for a few minutes, until flavors have melded.
Add the pasta to the sauce, serve with a sprinkling of Parmagiano-Reggiano.
This pasta puttanesca is what the prostitutes would eat in the morning after working all night. We are just having it for dinner, I plan on keeping my day job.
To see the latest collection of Zazu & Violets' hats, please visit our on-line Etsy shop.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Coco Chanel and Potato Galette
"Who does she think she is, Coco Chanel?"
This remark was actually said about me when an acquaintance heard that I had started making hats and was going to open a shop. That was twenty years ago and I thought, well that is not so outrageous, Coco Chanel had to start somewhere and she started as a milliner. I still make hats today. My career hasn't quite led me to the kind of fame that Miss Chanel enjoyed, but I consider myself a successful milliner. And what a thing to say. Most of my friends wished me well.
Ironically this person purchased a few hats from me, then told me she gave them away because she realized she would only wear Chanel. Again maybe information she could have kept to herself. But she made her point, I was not Coco Chanel.
I do love a potato galette and I am sure Miss Chanel would have enjoyed it too. A perfect little side dish, an accessory that goes with almost anything, like a jeweled cuff. Or a little black hat.
Potato Galette
Makes a 9" Galette , Serves 4 people
2 tbs. butter
2 large Russet potatoes or 3 medium Yukon Golds
2 cups gruyere grated gruyere cheese
1 tsp. salt
Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees
Slice the potatoes about 1/8" thick on a mandolin. I don't peel them. On the stove top, melt the butter in a cast iron skillet. With the pan on and working quickly, lay 1/2 of the potato slices, slightly overlapping, in one layer in the bottom of the skillet. Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. salt and half of the cheese. Repeat with the rest of the potatoes, salt and the cheese. By this time the potatoes will have started to brown a little on the bottom. Put the pan in the hot oven and bake for 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and golden.
Like I said, this potato galette is the perfect accessory for any grilled meat or fish, or have it for lunch with a green salad.
To see the latest collection of Zazu & Violets' hats, please visit our on-line Etsy shop.
This remark was actually said about me when an acquaintance heard that I had started making hats and was going to open a shop. That was twenty years ago and I thought, well that is not so outrageous, Coco Chanel had to start somewhere and she started as a milliner. I still make hats today. My career hasn't quite led me to the kind of fame that Miss Chanel enjoyed, but I consider myself a successful milliner. And what a thing to say. Most of my friends wished me well.
Ironically this person purchased a few hats from me, then told me she gave them away because she realized she would only wear Chanel. Again maybe information she could have kept to herself. But she made her point, I was not Coco Chanel.
I do love a potato galette and I am sure Miss Chanel would have enjoyed it too. A perfect little side dish, an accessory that goes with almost anything, like a jeweled cuff. Or a little black hat.
Potato Galette
Makes a 9" Galette , Serves 4 people
2 tbs. butter
2 large Russet potatoes or 3 medium Yukon Golds
2 cups gruyere grated gruyere cheese
1 tsp. salt
Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees
Slice the potatoes about 1/8" thick on a mandolin. I don't peel them. On the stove top, melt the butter in a cast iron skillet. With the pan on and working quickly, lay 1/2 of the potato slices, slightly overlapping, in one layer in the bottom of the skillet. Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. salt and half of the cheese. Repeat with the rest of the potatoes, salt and the cheese. By this time the potatoes will have started to brown a little on the bottom. Put the pan in the hot oven and bake for 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and golden.
Like I said, this potato galette is the perfect accessory for any grilled meat or fish, or have it for lunch with a green salad.
To see the latest collection of Zazu & Violets' hats, please visit our on-line Etsy shop.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Lady Bountiful and Cauliflower Soup
"She'll be playing football for Tilling next winter, shorts and a jersey in the Tilling colors and that hat! And then cutting people up in the hospital!"
Yes, Miss Mapp is very upset with Lucia in the episode "Lady Bountiful" of the Mapp and Lucia BBC series. Lucia has had some very successful investments and has been giving money to the Tilling sports teams and to the hospital for a new operating theater. And she has a fabulous new hat that is attention getting and is the focus of Mapp's frustration. Poor Miss Mapp, she really is no match for Lucia.
I feel like Lady Bountiful every time I come home from the farmer's market. Bags of gorgeous produce. Heirloom varieties, super fresh, right from the farmers who grow them. I am definitely inspired, especially by the orange-yellow colored cauliflower, a variety aptly named "cheddar". When I find it I always make cauliflower soup.
Cauliflower Soup
Serves 2 people (for more servings pick a larger head and double the recipe)
1 small head of "cheddar" cauliflower, cut into florets
2 tbs. butter
1 leek, washed and cut into 1/2 rounds
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tbs. creme fraiche
a drizzle of olive oil for garnish
Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees
Put the cauliflower florets on a baking sheet and roast for 15-20 minutes until slightly browned.
Melt the butter in a small soup pot, saute the leeks until softened with a little salt to draw out the moisture. Add the cauliflower and saute with the leeks for a couple of minutes. Remove a serving size spoonful of the florets and reserve for garnish. Add the stock to the pot and bring to a simmer, simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and puree with an immersion blender. Add the cream and heat on low until the soup is warmed through.
Divide into two bowls and garnish each with the reserved cauliflower florets, the creme fraiche and a drizzle of olive oil.
Alongside serve a celeriac and pomegranate salad. Peel and cut a small celeriac root into matchsticks, marinate in lemon juice and a little salt, dress with mayonaise, bang in the seeds of 1/2 a pomegranate and a small hand full of chopped parsley.
Both these dishes are very good for you, and the creamy cauliflower soup with the crunchy salad is a perfect meal.
To see the latest collection of Zazu & Violets' hats, please visit our on-line Etsy Shop.
Yes, Miss Mapp is very upset with Lucia in the episode "Lady Bountiful" of the Mapp and Lucia BBC series. Lucia has had some very successful investments and has been giving money to the Tilling sports teams and to the hospital for a new operating theater. And she has a fabulous new hat that is attention getting and is the focus of Mapp's frustration. Poor Miss Mapp, she really is no match for Lucia.
I feel like Lady Bountiful every time I come home from the farmer's market. Bags of gorgeous produce. Heirloom varieties, super fresh, right from the farmers who grow them. I am definitely inspired, especially by the orange-yellow colored cauliflower, a variety aptly named "cheddar". When I find it I always make cauliflower soup.
Cauliflower Soup
Serves 2 people (for more servings pick a larger head and double the recipe)
1 small head of "cheddar" cauliflower, cut into florets
2 tbs. butter
1 leek, washed and cut into 1/2 rounds
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tbs. creme fraiche
a drizzle of olive oil for garnish
Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees
Put the cauliflower florets on a baking sheet and roast for 15-20 minutes until slightly browned.
Melt the butter in a small soup pot, saute the leeks until softened with a little salt to draw out the moisture. Add the cauliflower and saute with the leeks for a couple of minutes. Remove a serving size spoonful of the florets and reserve for garnish. Add the stock to the pot and bring to a simmer, simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and puree with an immersion blender. Add the cream and heat on low until the soup is warmed through.
Divide into two bowls and garnish each with the reserved cauliflower florets, the creme fraiche and a drizzle of olive oil.
Alongside serve a celeriac and pomegranate salad. Peel and cut a small celeriac root into matchsticks, marinate in lemon juice and a little salt, dress with mayonaise, bang in the seeds of 1/2 a pomegranate and a small hand full of chopped parsley.
Both these dishes are very good for you, and the creamy cauliflower soup with the crunchy salad is a perfect meal.
To see the latest collection of Zazu & Violets' hats, please visit our on-line Etsy Shop.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Major Benjy, Georgie and Two Pizzas
"I always knew the man was a milliner."
When I started making hats twenty years ago a big source of my inspiration were the characters in a series of books by E.F. Benson called "Make Way For Lucia".
The two lead females, Lucia and Miss Mapp were always competing for the top spot in Tilling society, the small village where they lived. Lucia's best friend was Georgie and Miss Mapp ends up married to Major Benjy. These two also had plenty to say to each other.
Major Benjy was a man's man, he drank whiskey, played golf and generally looked down upon Georgie's more feminine nature. Georgie loved to embroider, play piano duets with Lucia and dress to the nines. Hence the comment about Georgie, made by Major Benjy.
I recommend both the books and the PBS series called "Mapp and Lucia". It is set in the 1920's with clothes and hats to match.
Yesterday I made two pizzas and as my husband pointed out, one was more masculine and one more feminine.
Dough for Two Pizzas
Makes 2 9" pizzas
Make a sponge by mixing together:
1/4 cup lukewarm water
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/4 cup Zazu & Violets' all-purpose gluten free flour mix
Let rise in a warm place 20-30 minutes, then add:
1/2 cup lukewarm water
1 tbs. milk
2 tbs. olive oil
1 tsp. salt
1 3/4 cups Zazu & Violets' all-purpose gluten free flour mix
4 tsp. xanthan gum
Mix the dough with a wooden spoon, then turn out onto a floured board. Knead until smooth adding a little more flour if it gets too sticky. Normally you would knead to develop the gluten, but in this case you just want a dough where all the ingredients are well incorporated. Put the dough in an oiled bowl and rub with a little olive oil to keep it from drying out. Cover with a towel and put in a warm place to rise for 1 1/2 hours. It doesn't rise as much as a wheat dough, but the end result is surprisingly similar.
While the dough is rising, prepare your toppings.
Masculine Pizza Toppings
1 big red bell pepper, cut into chunks, sauteed in olive oil (cover while cooking so it steams a bit to become very tender), then puree.
1 big handful of broccolini, peel and dice the stems, cut the florets in half if they are big. Cook the same as the bell pepper, but don't puree.
1/2 cup sharp English cheddar
1 cup fresh mozzarella, cut into matchstick size pieces.
4 slices prosciutto, torn into pieces
Feminine Pizza Toppings
1/2 of a sweet potato, peeled and sliced thin on a mandolin, sauteed in olive oil on both sides until golden, but not too crispy.
1/2 fennel bulb, sliced thin and sauteed in olive oil until tender.
4 ounces goat cheese, mixed with 1 tbs. chopped thyme, zest and juice of 1 small lemon, and 1 tbs. olive oil.
1/2 cup grated Parmagiano-Reggiano.
1 tbs. chopped fennel fronds
Put a pizza stone in the oven, pre-heat the oven to 500 degrees.
Divide the dough in half, keeping one half covered while you make the first pizza. On a floured board, roll the dough into a 9" circle, the edges will be a little uneven due to no gluten in the dough, it just looks more rustic. For the masculine pizza, layer the pureed bell pepper, then the cheddar cheese, the broccolini, the Parmagiano-Reggiano and finish with the prosciutto. Slide the pizza onto the stone and bake for 12 minutes until the cheese is golden and the crust is browned. I form my pizzas on a small pizza paddle.
For the feminine pizza, roll out the remaining dough and layer on the sweet potato slices, cooked fennel, dot with the goat cheese mix, and sprinkle with the parmagiano. Slide onto the stone and bake for 10 minutes, until the goat cheese is lightly browned. Sprinkle with the fennel fronds before serving.
We were going to have a baby lettuce salad alongside, but we ate too much delicious pizza!
To see the latest collection of Zazu & Violets' hats, please visit our on-line Etsy shop.
When I started making hats twenty years ago a big source of my inspiration were the characters in a series of books by E.F. Benson called "Make Way For Lucia".
The two lead females, Lucia and Miss Mapp were always competing for the top spot in Tilling society, the small village where they lived. Lucia's best friend was Georgie and Miss Mapp ends up married to Major Benjy. These two also had plenty to say to each other.
Major Benjy was a man's man, he drank whiskey, played golf and generally looked down upon Georgie's more feminine nature. Georgie loved to embroider, play piano duets with Lucia and dress to the nines. Hence the comment about Georgie, made by Major Benjy.
I recommend both the books and the PBS series called "Mapp and Lucia". It is set in the 1920's with clothes and hats to match.
Yesterday I made two pizzas and as my husband pointed out, one was more masculine and one more feminine.
Dough for Two Pizzas
Makes 2 9" pizzas
Make a sponge by mixing together:
1/4 cup lukewarm water
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/4 cup Zazu & Violets' all-purpose gluten free flour mix
Let rise in a warm place 20-30 minutes, then add:
1/2 cup lukewarm water
1 tbs. milk
2 tbs. olive oil
1 tsp. salt
1 3/4 cups Zazu & Violets' all-purpose gluten free flour mix
4 tsp. xanthan gum
Mix the dough with a wooden spoon, then turn out onto a floured board. Knead until smooth adding a little more flour if it gets too sticky. Normally you would knead to develop the gluten, but in this case you just want a dough where all the ingredients are well incorporated. Put the dough in an oiled bowl and rub with a little olive oil to keep it from drying out. Cover with a towel and put in a warm place to rise for 1 1/2 hours. It doesn't rise as much as a wheat dough, but the end result is surprisingly similar.
While the dough is rising, prepare your toppings.
Masculine Pizza Toppings
1 big red bell pepper, cut into chunks, sauteed in olive oil (cover while cooking so it steams a bit to become very tender), then puree.
1 big handful of broccolini, peel and dice the stems, cut the florets in half if they are big. Cook the same as the bell pepper, but don't puree.
1/2 cup sharp English cheddar
1 cup fresh mozzarella, cut into matchstick size pieces.
4 slices prosciutto, torn into pieces
Feminine Pizza Toppings
1/2 of a sweet potato, peeled and sliced thin on a mandolin, sauteed in olive oil on both sides until golden, but not too crispy.
1/2 fennel bulb, sliced thin and sauteed in olive oil until tender.
4 ounces goat cheese, mixed with 1 tbs. chopped thyme, zest and juice of 1 small lemon, and 1 tbs. olive oil.
1/2 cup grated Parmagiano-Reggiano.
1 tbs. chopped fennel fronds
Put a pizza stone in the oven, pre-heat the oven to 500 degrees.
Divide the dough in half, keeping one half covered while you make the first pizza. On a floured board, roll the dough into a 9" circle, the edges will be a little uneven due to no gluten in the dough, it just looks more rustic. For the masculine pizza, layer the pureed bell pepper, then the cheddar cheese, the broccolini, the Parmagiano-Reggiano and finish with the prosciutto. Slide the pizza onto the stone and bake for 12 minutes until the cheese is golden and the crust is browned. I form my pizzas on a small pizza paddle.
For the feminine pizza, roll out the remaining dough and layer on the sweet potato slices, cooked fennel, dot with the goat cheese mix, and sprinkle with the parmagiano. Slide onto the stone and bake for 10 minutes, until the goat cheese is lightly browned. Sprinkle with the fennel fronds before serving.
We were going to have a baby lettuce salad alongside, but we ate too much delicious pizza!
To see the latest collection of Zazu & Violets' hats, please visit our on-line Etsy shop.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)