Zazu and Violets' hats and food

Up at the Villa and Tacos

2011-11-07T16:58:00.000-08:00

"Give a plain woman a hat and a pretty woman a book. Isn't that the idea?"- Up at the Villa, W. Somerset Maugham,(1941 novella)

The assumption here, made in 1941, is that a pretty woman doesn't think much and a plain woman can be made more attractive by wearing a hat. I am glad times have changed. Women can be smart AND attractive. We can all read books and wear hats. And run our own businesses, have careers and raise families. Just takes some juggling. Not always easy. That is why I like tacos. They are easy and the family loves them.

I got some organic pasilla peppers at the farmer's market.One of my favorite vendors grows all kinds of ingredients for Mexican food. Usually these peppers are only available from Mexico. I like to stuff them with a goat cheese mixture, top them with Monterey Jack cheese and bake them. They are a delicious side dish for skirt steak and tomatillo sauce. Because I had also gotten little corn tortillas, I made tacos with the baked peppers. They were very tasty vegetarian tacos.

You can prepare the fillings ahead of time for tacos, then it is just assembly, which is great after a long day.

Baked Pasilla Peppers

Serves 4 people

2 pasilla peppers
4 oz. goat cheese
2 tbs. chopped cilantro
zest and juice of 1 small lemon
1 tbs. olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
12 small corn tortillas

Cut the peppers in half lengthwise so you have the biggest pockets for stuffing. I cut right through the stem and leave it attached. Carefully clean out the seeds and membranes. Place in a baking dish cut side down and drizzle with olive oil. Cover the dish with foil and roast for 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Turn the peppers over, recover with the foil and roast for another 15 minutes. Let cool.

While the peppers are roasting, combine the goat cheese, cilantro, lemon zest and juice and the tablespoon of olive oil. Spread 1/4 of the mixture in the bottom of each pepper. Top each pepper with 1/4 cup of the grated cheese and bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes or until the cheese is lightly browned. They can be served as a side dish or saved and re-heated when it is time for tacos. One pepper will fill 3 small taco shells.

To make the tacos; fry the tortillas on both sides in a little butter until they are cooked but still soft. Fill with slices of the cheese-stuffed pepper, sliced avocado, tomatillo sauce and a dollop of yogurt mixed with some tomatillo sauce. Finish with baby lettuces or micro-greens.

Tomatillo Sauce

2 tbs.olive oil
1 1b. tomatillos, halved or quartered
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tbs. 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, use it for tacos, sauce for steak or chicken, or in baked beans. I make a batch of this sauce every week when tomatillos are in season.

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Zazu & Violets' hats

A Carnaby Hat and Perfect Potatoes

2011-11-03T12:51:00.000-07:00

"I wore the pièce de résistance- a green velvet Carnaby hat- slightly tilted, practicing my Mrs. Peel half-smile in the mirror. Venturing out in my blazer and that hat, I felt a new found confidence." -Lucette Lagnado, Elle, October 2011.

The screen saver on my computer is a photo I took in London of the beginning of Carnaby Street. The sign says "To Carnaby Street", the street known for its Mod Fashion of the 1960's. It is still filled with fashionistas, outfitted from head to toe. The 1960's was the last decade that really included hats in fashion. They were adapted to fit the new hairstyles like the bee-hive. There is a great scene in the movie, The Grass is Greener, where Jean Simmon's character takes off her hat which has a VERY tall crown. The bee-hive hair-do is revealed.

Journalist, Lucette Lagnado, is writing about her fascination with the clothes of the 60's as an adolescent. Her heroine was the Emma Peel character played by Diana Rigg in The Avengers. Mrs. Peel could wear a hat. And she exuded confidence. Maybe in part because of the hat.

Ah, the perfect hat is a beautiful thing. You adopt a little of its attitude when you wear it. It is an ally. Perfect potatoes are also a beautiful thing. This is my favorite way to serve potatoes. I try to always have fingerling potatoes in the pantry for this preparation.

Perfect Fingerling Potatoes

serves 2 people

8-10 smallish banana fingerling potatoes
1 tbs. butter
2 tbs. chopped parsley
sea salt.

Boil the potatoes whole in salted water until they are tender when pierced with a small knife. Drain and cover the pot with a kitchen towel. Let sit for 10 minutes. Remove from the pot and add the butter to the pot. Peel the potatoes, the skin should come right off, and return to the pot with the melting butter as you peel them. Keep the pot covered while you are peeling the potatoes. They will still be quite hot, just cool enough to handle. Sprinkle with the parsley and a good pinch of sea salt. Toss together. Always a tasty gluten-free side dish for any protein.

To see my latest hat creations, visit Zazu & Violets' hats.

The Red Queen and Roast Chicken

2011-10-27T12:27:00.000-07:00

"You have an unusually large head, I would love to hat it!"
"Hat it?"
"What I could do with this monument, this orb! Well then, shall it be a bonnet or a boater? Or something for the boudoir? Cloche, dunce hat, bed cap, coif, snood, babush, yamaka, pork pie, tam'o'shantor, bi-corn, tr-corn, bandeau..."- Mad Hatter to the Red Queen in Alice in Wonderland.

Well, that is quite a list of hats. There were more but the Mad Hatter was speaking so fast I couldn't catch them all. I do love this Tim Burton version of Alice in Wonderland. It's a little dark and scary, fabulous to look at and I am always taken by how a milliner's, or hatter's, workroom in a movie looks so much like mine. You must be able to make many different hats!

Cooking chicken is the same. Should it be poached, fried, breaded, pounded, sautéd, baked, boiled, broiled, barbecued, stuffed, ground, deboned, skinned, braised or roasted? Believe me I have tried it all. Like making a favorite hat, I have a favorite cooking method. They say you can tell how well someone cooks by their roast chicken. And everyone seems to have their own way. I have combined several techniques and I think this is the best way to roast a chicken, thanks to Julia Child, Mario Batali and Jamie Oliver. I use a rack in the pan so the heat is all around the chicken and I can strew vegetables in the bottom.

Roast Chicken

3-4 lb. organic, free-range whole chicken
1 tsp. sea salt
1 bunch sage leaves
1 lemon, quartered,
4 tbs. compound butter; softened butter mixed with finely chopped tarragon, thyme leaves and sea salt
olive oil
vegetables for strewing; can include carrots, potatoes, peppers, fennel
1 large cast-iron skillet and a chicken rack

Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees

Remove the bag of chicken parts. Save for later. Rinse the chicken in hot water and dry thoroughly with paper towels. Sprinkle the inside cavity with sea salt. Stuff in the bunch of sage leaves. Squeeze a little lemon juice from each quarter into the cavity and stuff in the lemon wedges. Loosen the skin over the breasts and spread 2 tbs. of the compound butter over each breast under the skin. Tuck the ends of the wings behind the back of the bird. I don't truss, I like the legs open so the inside thigh meat cooks before the breasts dry out. Make a small slit in the inside thigh where it connects to the body, this will also help to cook the thighs by the bone. Massage the chicken all over with olive oil.

Place the chicken on its side on the rack. Roast in the hot oven for 15 minutes. Turn the chicken over to the other side and roast another 15 minutes. Turn the heat down to 350 degrees and put the chicken on its back. Baste with any juices in the pan. Strew your selection of vegetables in the pan, baste with the juices and continue roasting another 30-45 minutes, basting every 10 minutes. The chicken is done when the temperature reaches 160 degrees, or the leg wiggles and the juices are clear. Remove the chicken to a platter to rest and cover loosely with foil.

Stir the vegetables and continue roasting until they are caramelized and tender. Serve family style with the carved chicken.

You can then use the carcass and the neck, etc. from the bag of parts to make a stock. (Except the liver, which I sauté and add to a potato salad). Simmer gently in water to cover for 1-1 1/2 hours with a carrot, celery, bay leaf and a bouquet of herbs or parsley stems. Skim any foam off the top as it simmers. Cool, strain, store in fridge, use within 2 days.

Yummy, evenly cooked every time. Thanks to Julia for the roasting each side first technique, to Mario for the tip of slitting the thigh and to Jamie for the compound butter under the skin. A perfect creation...

To see my latest hat creations, visit Zazu & Violets' hats.

The Prince and Rice Pudding

2011-10-22T12:18:00.000-07:00

"She's quite what you call old hat."
"And I'm what you call new hat?"
"Better an old hat than a bare head."-Prince and the Showgirl (1947)

This exchange is part of a conversation between Lawrence Olivier as the Prince and Marilyn Monroe as the Showgirl in the 1947 film. I have read that there were tensions between these two actors, but it is one of my favorite Marilyn Monroe films. And she gets to attend a Royal wedding.

It is funny how once again a hat is a symbol for something else, in this case something a bit risque. These two characters dance around each other and end up having a good time in spite of themselves. That white dress that Miss Monroe spends most of the movie wearing is almost a scene stealer.

Creamy white rice pudding is also a scene stealer. For such a humble dessert, it can be so satisfying. If you serve it with a fruit preserve or compote in a parfait glass it is ready for a closeup.

Rice Pudding

1/2 cup Arborio rice
2 tbs. butter
4-5 cups hot milk
1/2 cup sugar
zest of 1 lemon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup plum preserves

Sauté the rice in the butter until all the rice kernels are coated. Add 4 cups of the hot milk, the sugar, lemon zest and salt. Cook for about an hour over medium low heat, stirring every few minutes. If the pudding gets too thick add a little more hot milk. The consistency should stay loose, it will thicken a lot as it cools. The rice should be very creamy with a tiny bit of bite at the center of the kernels.

When the pudding is ready, layer it into parfait glasses with the plum preserves. Chill before serving.

White and scrumptious, as good as Marilyn in that white dress!

To see my latest hat creations, visit Zazu & Violets' hats.

Hedy Lamarr and Scarlet Runner Beans

2011-10-13T13:01:00.000-07:00

"Watch out for your stovepipe."-Spencer Tracy to Hedy Lamarr in the film, I Take This Woman, 1940

The hats of this era were very sculptural. Hence the comment from Spencer Tracy. Hedy Lamarr's hat did resemble a stovepipe. I think it was also a nick-name for a top hat. She wore a very interesting outfit with this rather plain column shaped creation. It was adorned with dangling balls. The movie plot itself was pretty forgettable, mostly interesting as a visual treat and a chance to see Miss Lamarr. She was very beautiful and didn't make too many movies.

A visual treat in the garden are scarlet runner beans. Beautiful red flowers turn into big pods with large purple beans inside. The beans are big enough to cut with a knife and fork when cooked and served. I felt a little like Mickey Mouse in the cartoon, Mickey and the Beanstalk. He has one bean and it is big enough to cut with a knife and fork. Well, we know what became of that bean. My neighbor had some of these bean plants cascading over a low brick wall. The person tending this particular garden never picked them and when they were ready I did some foraging. A cup of these delicious beans in a homemade pesto sauce, served over my favorite gluten-free pasta was a memorable dish.

Scarlet Runner Beans in Pesto

serves 4 people as a side dish

1 cup dried Scarlet Runner beans
1 bay leaf
1 tbs. fresh thyme leaves
2 cups basil leaves
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmagiano-Reggiano
salt to taste
1 8oz. box of Ancient Harvest corn and quinoa linguine

Soak the beans overnight in cold water. Drain and cover with fresh water, add the bay leaf and thyme and simmer until tender, about 1- 1/2 hours. Salt to taste after the beans are cooked. Drain off all but 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.

To make the pesto, process the basil leaves and olive oil in a small food processor, mix in the grated cheese. Mix with the beans while they are still warm.

Cook the pasta until al dente in boiling salted water. Toss with the pesto and bean mixture. Serve with a grating of fresh Parmagiano-Reggiano and a squeeze of lemon juice.

I can't wait until next spring to plant my own crop of scarlet runner beans...

To see my latest hat creations, visit Zazu & Violets' hats.

Talking Hats and Pepper Enchiladas

2011-09-21T13:32:00.000-07:00

"You're the one with the hat that didn't say anything."

"You must know some pretty talkative hats."-Two for the Seesaw (1962)

In this movie based on a play, Two for the Seesaw, the two main characters are played by Shirley Maclaine and Robert Mitchum. It is very much about the developing relationship between two people, using hats as an introduction. They meet in Manhattan and each are trying to put their lives back together. It is an interesting character study, but as a movie I did not think it was "the whole enchilada".

But the roasted pepper enchiladas we had last night were "the whole enchilada". So many lovely subtle flavors in this dish. I adapted the recipe from one of Rick Bayless's in Mexico, One plate at a Time. He used roasted poblano peppers and spinach. I had red bell peppers and a very ripe tomato, but the addition of milk to make a slightly creamy sauce was the same.

Roasted Red Pepper Enchiladas

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
2 cups chicken stock
3 large red bell peppers
1 big ripe tomato
1 cup milk
2 tbs finely chopped cilantro
8 oz. Monterey Jack cheese, grated
12 corn tortillas
grape seed oil for frying
guacamole; 2 ripe avocados smashed with juice of 1 lime, 1 tbs. chopped cilantro and a pinch of sea salt

Poach the chicken thighs very gently in the chicken stock for 20 minutes. Remove the thighs and let cool, reserving the stock.

Roast the bell peppers over a flame until the skin is completely blackened. Place the peppers in a bowl, cover with cling film and let them steam for 10 minutes. When they are cool enough to handle, remove the blackened skin, seeds and ribs from the inside of the peppers. Cut two of the peppers into big chunks and put in a saucepan with a cup of the reserved stock. Let simmer to finish cooking the peppers. Add 1/2 tsp. salt and 1 tbs. chopped cilantro.

Prick the tomato with the point of a knife and place in boiling salted water for one minute. Remove the skin, coarsely chop and add to the bell pepper mixture. When the peppers are tender and the tomato has dissolved into the sauce, puree with a hand blender. Mix the cup of milk with 1/4 cup of the reserved stock and add to the pureed peppers. Simmer the sauce until it thickens slightly.

Heat about 1" of the grape seed oil in a small cast iron pan just big enough to fit the tortillas. When the oil is hot, fry the tortillas one at a time for 1 minute on each side. Work quickly, you don't want them crispy. Drain on a brown paper bag.

To prepare the filling, shred the cooked chicken. Finely dice the remaining bell pepper and mix with the shredded chicken along with 1/2 cup of the grated cheese and 1 tbs. of the chopped cilantro. Season with a pinch of salt.

To form the enchiladas, put some of the sauce in a shallow dish big enough for dipping the tortillas. Coat a tortilla on both sides with the sauce, fill with about 2 tbs. of the filling, roll it into a cigar shape and put seam side down into a rectangular baking dish big enough to hold all twelve enchiladas. Assemble the rest of the enchiladas in the dish and pour over the remaining sauce. Sprinkle on the rest of the cheese and bake in a 350 degree oven for 35 minutes until the cheese is golden brown. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.

Garnish with homemade guacamole and sour cream. Serve with baked black beans and a green salad.

Now that is the whole enchilada.

To see my latest Fall hat creations, visit Zazu & Violets' hats.

The Eligible Bachelor and Carrot Salad

2011-09-02T12:41:00.000-07:00

"That girl is as nervous as a cat."
Response from hard of hearing Aunt, "Yes, she always looked curious in a hat."- The Eligible Bachelor with Sherlock Holmes

Can you imagine if they were playing telephone? Curious, as in 'What's that?' or funny looking in a hat? Well it was all nonsense and did not help Mr. Holmes solve the case of murder.

I came across a curious recipe recently. It made me curious, so I tried it. I was looking for something to make with a big bunch of organic carrots. These were the fat tipped ones that have great flavor. Jamie Oliver had a recipe for carrot and avocado salad. This is my version.

Carrot and Avocado Salad

serves 4 people

8-10 big fat-tipped heirloom organic carrots
1 tsp. cumin seeds1 tbs. chopped cilantro
2 tbs. olive oil
1 tbs. red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 orange, cut in half
1 lime, cut in half
2 ripe avocados
1 cup micro-greens

Wash, peel and cut the carrots in half lengthwise. Cook for 8-10 minutes in boiling salted water until just tender. While the carrots are cooking, prepare the marinade. In a mortar and pestle, grind the cumin seeds with the chopped cilantro, olive oil, vinegar and sea salt.

When the carrots are cooked and still hot, toss them into the marinade. Put them in a single layer in a baking dish big enough for them and the orange and lime halves, cut side down. Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 20-25 minutes. Let cool to room temperature. Make a dressing with the juice of the cooked orange and lime and a little olive oil. Cut the avocado into bite sized pieces, cut the carrots into big chunks and gently mix with the avocado. Arrange on 4 plates, top with a small handful of the micro-greens and drizzle over the orange and lime dressing. Finish with a drizzle of really good olive oil.

A curious carrot salad, and very tasty.

To see my latest hat creations, visit Zazu & Violets' hats.

Philip Marlowe and Sauted Cucumbers

2011-08-19T12:42:00.000-07:00

"On the smooth brown hair was a hat that had been taken from its mother too young." -Philip Marlowe, The Little Sister

Raymond Chandler sure had his own way with words. In this one sentence we have a picture of what this new client of his detective, Philip Marlowe's, was like. A young woman trying to look older, but only looking as if she were dressed in her mother's clothes. Philip Marlowe summed her up in one look. He was super cool. As cool as a cucumber.

Cucumbers are also cool. But one of my new favorite ways to eat them is hot from being sautéd in butter. A really good side dish for fish or lamb chops. I successfully grew cucumbers this year and there is nothing like the freshness of them freshly picked. They stay a little crunchy when you cook them.

Sautéd Cucumbers

Serves 2 people

1 large or 2 small cucumbers
2 tbs. butter
1 tbs. olive oil
1/2 cup chicken stock (optional)
sea salt

Peel the cucumbers. Cut them in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. Halve again and cut into 2"-3" lengths. Melt the butter in a sauté pan with the olive oil. Add the cucumbers and sauté until tender. Season with sea salt. They can be served at this point or if you want a little more sauce, add the chicken stock and cook for a few minutes until it reduces and thickens.

Philip Marlowe and cucumbers. Both pretty cool.

To see my latest Fall hat creations, visit Zazu & Violets' hats.

Re- visit: Bette Davis and Chicken Pot Pies

2011-08-08T16:56:00.000-07:00

 "Bette Davis in rags!  She wore the same toque hat three days in a row."

This was a newspaper quote about a court trial in London involving Bette Davis.  And another classic like Miss Davis, chicken pot pies.  Through the middle of August while working on the Fall hat collection, I will be re-visiting favorite past posts.   

today; Bette Davis and Chicken Pot Pies

To see my latest hat creations, visit Zazu & Violets' hats.

Re-visit Bird's Nests and Stone Friut Cobbler

2011-08-03T17:05:00.000-07:00

"What are you wearing on your head?"
"Don't you recognize a hat without a bird's nest on it?"

The hat in question was being worn by Coco Chanel. It was typically unadorned. Through mid-August, I will be re-visiting favorite past posts while I am producing the Fall hat collection.

This is a perfect cobbler to make in the summer.

today; Bird's Nests and Stone Fruit Cobbler

To see my latest hat creations, visit Zazu & Violets' hats.

Re-visit: Scarlett O'Hara and Cucumber Gazpacho

2011-08-01T17:07:00.000-07:00

"Oh don't let's fool with any books this afternoon, Ashley! I just can't be bothered. When I'm wearing a new hat, it seems like all the figures I know leave my head."

"Figures are well lost when the hat's as pretty as that one."

The South, summertime, Gone With the Wind and cucumber gazpacho. They all go together. Through mid-August I will be re-visiting favorite past posts while I am working on the Fall hat collection. This is the perfect time of year to try this recipe.

today; Scarlett O'Hara and Cucumber Gazpacho

To see my latest hat creations, visit Zazu & Violets' hats.

Re-visit: Lady Mary and Buttermilk Biscuits

2011-07-28T13:04:00.000-07:00

"I'll admit that if I ever wanted to attract a man, I'd stay away from those clothes and that hat."

Lady Mary was so mean to her sister in the PBS series "Downton Abbey.  Read more and try the gluten-free buttermilk biscuits.  Through the middle of August I will be re-visiting favorite past posts while I am working on the Fall hat collection.

today; Lady Mary and Buttermilk Biscuits

To see my latest hat creations, visit Zazu & Violets' hats.

Re-visit: Coco Canel and Potato Galette

2011-07-25T16:01:00.000-07:00

"Who does she think she is, Coco Chanel?"

This is a quote about me when I started making hats.  Not very supportive is it?  That was twenty years ago.  Through the middle of August I will be re-visiting favorite past posts while I am producing the Fall hat collection.  A potato galette is so easy to make, but the rewards are great!

today; Coco Chanel and Potato Galette

To see my latest hat creations, visit Zazu & Violets' hats.

Re-visit: Tuppence and A Bowl of Mussels

2011-07-22T13:58:00.000-07:00

"It couldn't have been a woman who killed him. No one uses hat pins these days. Hats pull on!" -Tommy and Tuppence by Agatha Christie

I could watch Tommy and Tuppence solve murders any time. And eat a bowl of mussels. Through the middle of August, while I am working on the Fall hat collection, I will be re-visiting favorite past posts.

today; Tuppence and a Bowl of Mussels

To see my latest hat creations, visit Zazu & Violets' hats.

Re-visit: Coco and Fish and Shellfish Stew

2011-07-21T13:11:00.000-07:00

"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.)" -Coco Chanel

Always a favorite with me, a simple hat pulled down over my ears, and a big pot of fish and shellfish stew. I will be re-visiting favorite past posts through mid-August, while working on the Fall hat collection.

Today; Coco and Fish and Shellfish Stew

To see my latest hat creations, visit Zazu & Violets' hats.

Re-visit: A Smart Hat and Shepherd's Pie

2011-07-20T12:12:00.000-07:00

"If a woman rebels against high-heeled shoes, she should take care to do it in a very smart hat." -George Bernard Shaw

Until the middle of August, while I am working on the Fall hat collection, I will be re-visiting favorite past posts.

today; A Smart Hat and Shepherd's Pie

To see my latest hat creations, visit Zazu & Violets' hats.

Re-visit A Cherry on Top and Jam Pasties

2011-07-19T14:40:00.000-07:00

"Forget the dress. It's all about the cherry on top, the hat."

That is right, the hat is the cherry on top. Through the middle of August while I am working on Fall hats, I will be re-visiting some favorite past posts.

Today; A Cherry on Top and Jam Pasties

To see my latest hat creations, visit Zazu & Violets' hats.

Re-visit: Morgan Freeman and Chicken Breasts with Tuna

2011-07-18T12:25:00.000-07:00

"And finding the hat, I always like to find the hat. And then props just to dress the set. It' all fabulous." -Morgan Freeman

I completely agree with this quote. And chicken breasts with tuna is one of my favorite summer lunches. Through mid-August I will be re-visiting favorite past posts while I am busy with Fall hat production.

today; Morgan Freeman and Chicken Breasts with Tuna

To see my latest hat creations, visit Zazu & Violets' hats.

Re-visit: Shanghai Lil and Steamed Chicken Buns

2011-07-15T11:59:00.000-07:00

"What are you doing here in Shanghai?"
"I've come to buy a hat." -Shanghai Lil

I am in the midst of producing the Fall collection and through the middle of August I will be re-visiting some of my favorite past posts.

Today; Shanghai Lil and Steamed Chicken Buns

To see my latest hat creations, visit Zazu & Violets' hats.

Re-visit: The Matchmaker and Teff Pudding

2011-07-14T16:57:00.000-07:00

"Life is like a new hat. You never know if it suits you if you sit around trying it on in front of your own mirror." -The Matchmaker

I am in the midst of producing the Fall collection and through the middle of August I will be re-visiting some of my favorite past posts.

Today; The Matchmaker and Teff Pudding

To see my latest hat creations, visit Zazu & Violets' hats.

The Cheshire Cat and Colorful Coleslaw

2011-07-12T14:55:00.000-07:00

"I really do love that hat...I'll wear it to all the finest occasions." -Cheshire Cat, Alice in Wonderland

The Cheshire Cat does have a chance to wear the Mad Hatter's top hat. He actually saves the Mad Hatter's life while wearing it. That hat had really been on an adventure. It had been re-trimmed with a luxurious satin ribbon and sported some very fine hat pins. When the Cheshire Cat had to give back the hat, his parting words were, "Goodbye, sweet hat."

I wonder what fine occasions the Cheshire Cat was talking about. He had a way of appearing and disappearing whenever he wanted to. Say he made an appearance at a summer picnic. And he was wearing the hat and eating coleslaw. Very colorful coleslaw...it was wonderland after all.

Colorful Coleslaw

1 small head green cabbage, shredded
1 small head purple cabbage, shredded
1 bunch rainbow carrots, grated
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup chopped parsley

dressing; whisk together 1/2 cup nayonaise, 1/2 cup creme fraiche, zest and juice of 1 lemon, 2 tbs. apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp. fennel seeds, 1 tsp. sea salt

In a big mixing bowl, combine the shredded cabbage, carrots, cranberries and parsley. Pour over the dressing and toss together. Let marinate for at least an hour before serving, stirring a couple of times.

This coleslaw is colorful enough for a fine occasion, to be eaten outside with hats on.

To see my latest hat creations, visit this link:
Zazu & Violets' hats

The Mad Hatter and Fried Chicken Legs

2011-07-11T15:17:00.000-07:00

"Everyone can get a horse and carriage, but the absolute best way to travel is by hat." -Mad Hatter, Alice in Wonderland

This would sound silly if it weren't spoken by the Mad Hatter. Nothing is as it seems in Wonderland and traveling by hat is indeed how Alice gets to the palace of the Red Queen of Hearts.

In my house there were very mixed reviews of the 2010 version of Alice in Wonderland. I finally saw it and I for one, loved it. Especially the heads floating in the moat...that was creepy. There were a couple of good hat scenes, where the Mad Hatter was working on, then trying his hats on the Queen. His hat has a major part in the movie.

So Alice traveled by hat, she did not have to use her legs when it came to covering a great distance. Should I say her legs reminded me of chicken legs. No, that would be mean. Now I am thinking of chicken legs. And frying them.

Fried Chicken Legs

serves 2 people

5-6 chicken drumsticks
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup gluten-free, all-purpose flour
1tbs. salt
grape seed oil for frying

Marinate the chicken drumsticks in the buttermilk for at least 2 hours. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat about 3" of grape seed oil to 325 degrees in a heavy pot with high sides. Mix the flour and salt in a shallow dish and coat the chicken with the flour right before frying. Work in small batches. Fry the chicken on all sides until golden brown. Trasnsfer to a rack on a sheet pan in the hot oven. When all the chicken is done, leave it in the oven for 10 minutes. Serve hot with a green salad.

Eating crunchy fried chicken legs and traveling by hat...both good.

To see my latest hat creations, visit this link:
Zazu & Violets' hats

The Doll's Hat and Little Zucchini Cakes

2011-07-07T16:28:00.000-07:00

"The entire gamut of female cussedness reduced and confined to a few spare inches of hat." -New York Sunday Mirror, Spring 1938

Hats became almost miniature in the Spring of 1938. They were called "Doll's Hats". Apparently men hated them. I wonder why they elicited such a strong opinion. Of course the thing about hats is everyone has an opinion about them. But this is not a very nice one.

At the New York World's Fair in the 1930's, a copper time capsule was sealed to be opened in 5,000 years. The hat chosen to be put in the capsule and to represent the 1930's turned out to be the "Doll's Hat". A miniature purple and green hat with a veil and purple ostrich feathers was made by famed milliner, Lilly Daché.

There is a resurgence today of the "Doll's Hat". They have a new name, "fascinators". A few inches of hat. You can top them with almost anything. If I relate that to food I think of little zucchini cakes. A few inches and top them with almost anything.

Little Zucchini Cakes

makes 8-2" cakes

2-6" zucchini, grated
1 tbs. all-purpose, gluten-free flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup gluten-free flour for dredging
grape seed oil for frying

Mix together the zucchini, flour, and salt. Let sit for 5 minutes, then form into 2" patties. Heat grape seed oil in a skillet, enough to just cover the bottom of the pan. When the oil is hot, working quickly, lightly dredge the patties in the flour and lay in the hot pan. Fry for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

Let the zucchini cakes cool a bit. Top with creme fraiche and chopped chives or smoked salmon and horseradish cream. Try finely sliced cucumbers mixed with yogurt for a refreshing topping.

These little zucchini cakes are a few inches of goodness, and that is also my opinion of the "Doll's Hat".

To see my latest hat creations, visit this link:
Zazu & Violets' hats

My Coco and Tofu Burgers

2011-07-06T15:50:00.000-07:00

"She likes dresses with no corsets, shoes with no heels, and hats with no feathers. That's my Coco..."

When she was very young Coco Chanel had a relationship with a wealthy fellow named Étienne Balsan. He was amused by her because she did not follow the fashion of the time. She borrowed his clothes, refused to ride sidesaddle and wore plain straw boater style hats with no feathers. That was the beginning of the new Chanel look.

She might have also liked burgers with no beef. Like tofu burgers. I just discovered firm sprouted tofu. The sprouting makes it alive and easier to digest. Once you add all the fixings, it is a delicious burger substitute.

Tofu Burgers

makes 4 burgers

1 14 oz. square of firm sprouted tofu
olive oil
4 gluten-free buns, lightly toasted
1 fennel bulb, sliced thin and caramelized
1 cup grated English cheddar cheese
sliced pickles
1 cup micro-greens
2 tbs. nayonaise mixed with 1 tbs. mustard

Cut 4-3/4" slices across the widest part of the block of tofu. Using a biscuit cutter a little bigger than your buns cut the slices into circles. Pat dry. Sprinkle a little salt on the tofu circles. Save the scraps of tofu to crumble into a salad.

Heat 1/4" of olive oil in a cast-iron skillet big enough for the 4 circles of tofu. Fry the tofu on both sides until golden brown, adding the cheese to the second side. Slather the buns with the mustard-nayo mixture. Put the tofu burgers on the buns and top with the pickles and micro-greens.

No corsets, no heels, no feathers and no meat.

To see my latest hat creations, visit this link:
Zazu & Violets' hats

Mom's a Milliner and Calzones

2011-07-05T11:59:00.000-07:00

"My mother was a milliner in Wales.  I often had to dress up in her creations and parade up and down the street in front of her shop, as a sort of advertisement."  -Ellen Punnet, 1000 Hats by Norma Shephard

My daughters have been my biggest influence as a milliner.  I started making hats and named the business after them when Zazu was 9 years old and Violet was 7 years old.  I would fashion a hat and try it on their heads.  This was before I had hat blocks.  They considered it a form of dress-up.  I never made them parade up and down in front of my shop, but occasionally they would pose as mannequins wearing hats in the display windows.

Now, they have grown into young women and they do wear their mother's creations.  Another thing I make that they are fond of are calzones.  I started by making big ones, but found the single size portion was everyone's favorite.  The calzones freeze and re-heat perfectly.  An easy lunch or dinner courtesy of Mom, and thanks for all the hat modeling.

Calzones

2 gluten-free pizza doughs

Calzone Filling

Makes 16 single portion calzones

This recipe is enough to fill two pizza doughs. The filling has a better consistency if prepared a day ahead.

1 16 oz. package of frozen spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
1 16 oz. tub of ricotta cheese
1 8 oz. ball of mozzarella, cut into small cubes
1/2 ham steak.cut into 1/4 cubes, or 3 sweet cooked Italian sausages cut into cubes
zest of one lemon + juice
3 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped fine
2 tablespoons fresh lemon thyme leaves
1 teaspoon salt

Combine all ingredients for filling and refrigerate overnight. When your dough is almost risen, bring the filling to room temperature. Punch the dough down and knead briefly. Divide each dough into eight balls, keep under a kitchen towel while forming the calzones. To form, roll each ball into a 5" circle, mound filling on one half and fold dough over filling and seal. I roll the edges over and crimp like a pie crust. Bake 8-10 minutes on a pizza brick in a 500 degree oven until the crust is golden brown.

Eat while piping hot, or cool and wrap in freezer paper to freeze. To re-heat, unwrap, place the frozen calzones on a baking sheet in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes.

To see my latest hat creations, visit this link:
Zazu & Violets' hats

Mr. Fred and Picnic Pasta Salad

2011-07-04T12:31:00.000-07:00

"Everybody must wear a hat. You look smarter in a hat. The time for hatlessness is over." -majordomo of milliner, Mr. Fred of John-Frederics

After the war in the late 1940's, hatlessness was rampant. One milliner, Mr. Fred, required his customers to wear hats when visiting his showroom. His majordomo who was dressed in a Revolutionary costume, chanted this quote outside the showroom.

It being the 4th of July, I thought it was a good sentiment for the day. Especially with the Revolutionary costume. The time for hatlessness is over. Everybody must wear a hat! I know it is unrealistic to think that everybody will wear hats, but we milliners today are keeping hats on heads, one hat at a time.

For a 4th of July picnic, someone must bring the pasta salad. There are countless versions of pasta salad. This one has all the necessary ingredients; pasta, veggies, cheese, protein and a vinaigrette to bring it alive.

Picnic Pasta Salad

serves 4 people

8 oz. gluten-free quinoa/corn fusilli
3 tbs. olive oil
3 oz. fresh goat cheese
1 bunch broccolini
3 oz. firm, sprouted tofu, cut into 1/4" dice
1 tbs. fish sauce
juice of 1/2 a lime
zest of 1 lime
2 tbs. olive oil
sea salt
3 slices of bacon, cut into lardons, cooked until crispy
3 tbs. chopped parsley
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmagiano-Reggiano

vinaigrette; Whisk together, 4 tbs. olive oil, juice of 1/2 a lime, 2 tbs. rice vinegar, and a 1/2 tsp. sea salt

Cook the pasta in boiling, salty water according to package directions. Add a little olive oil to the water, stir a couple of times during cooking, do not over-cook! Cook al dente. Drain, pour into a mixing bowl and drizzle with the 3 tbs. olive oil. Crumble in the goat cheese while the pasta is still hot. Mix and set aside.

Marinate the diced tofu in the fish sauce, lime zest and juice, olive oil and sea salt.

Trim the stems of the broccolini with a vegetable peeler. Steam until tender, then cut onto 1" pieces.

Add the tofu and marinade, the broccolini, bacon, parsley and Parmagiano-Regiano to the pasta, pour over the vinaigrette and mix it all together.

And surely you will wear a hat when you take this pasta salad to a picnic. Everybody must wear hats!

To see my latest hat creations, visit this link:
Zazu & Violets' hats

Edwardian Grandeur and Spaghetti Carbonara

2011-07-01T17:06:00.000-07:00

"My aunts were stylish Edwardian ladies who stored their laces, furs, and frou frou in a trunk, from which we extracted special items when making a hat. We referred to this as the 'chest of grandeur.'" -anonymous quote from 1000 hats by Norma Shephard

I can imagine the goodies in that trunk. All kinds of feathers, ribbbons, fabric flowers. Exotic bird feathers were very popular on hats during this time. The use of feathers for millinery led to the endangerment and extinction of many species. A group of ladies in the late 1880's organized a protest of the use of feathers on hats that led to the establishment of the Audobon society, domestic bird sanctuaries and hunting regulations.

There is an ongoing discussion among my hat-making Milliners of Etsy colleagues about where to get feathers for hats. Ostrich feathers can be used because they can be harvested without harming the bird. Pheasant feathers are available from pheasant farmers. Unless one is lucky enough to have a 'chest of grandeur'.

A 'chest of grandeur' is like a pantry. You can extract all kinds of special items to create a dish. Pasta is always a good pantry item, especially the gluten-free quinoa and corn flour spaghetti. I usually also have the other ingredients needed for a spaghetti carbonara. Since I can't eat eggs, I subtituted tofu for that eggy texture.

Spaghetti Carbonara

serves 3-4 people

8 oz. gluten-free quinoa/corn spaghetti
4-6 slices bacon, cut into lardons
1/2 cup sorrel leaves, chopped
4 oz. firm tofu, chopped fine
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmagiano-Reggiano
2 tbs. chopped parsley

Cook the pasta according to package directions in boiling salted water. Reserve 1 cup cooking water.

In a heavy bottom skillet, sauté the bacon until crispy. Remove from the pan and drain on paper towels. Pour off a little of the fat. Add the sorrel leaves and the tofu to the pan, cook for a few minutes until the leaves have melted and coated the tofu. Add the cooked spaghetti and the cream, cook for 8-10 minutes adding pasta water as needed to help coat the pasta. Sir in the cheese and parsley.

So with a well-stocked pantry or a chest of grandeur, you can create almost anything, like spaghetti carbonara or a hat.

To see my latest hat creations, visit this link:
Zazu & Violets' hats

The Cloche and Mushy Peas

2011-06-30T16:45:00.000-07:00

"The monstrous reign of the cloche, dismissed by Vogue as 'alike as two million peas', was finished. What replaced it was a giddy parade of styles. Beginning around 1935, hats brandished spectacular trims, blinding colors, awe-inspiring or just plain silly shapes." -hats, a stylish history and collector's guide, by Jody Shields

The cloche shape was extremely popular all through the 1920's. It did project a particular image and I could see how women were ready for a change after a decade of small close fitting hats. The outlandish hats of the 1930's allowed women to explore new silhouettes and different hairstyles. No more as 'alike as two million peas' in a pod.

Two million peas. That is a lot of peas. I would bet that they eat at least two million peas a year in the England. I found a new appreciation of peas during my two recent visits to the U.K. We were at the counter of an outdoor cafe where all the fast cooking was being done and the cook kept serving up side after side of mushy peas. Since they seemed so popular I asked what she added to the peas. Compound butter and triple cream. She kind of laughed when she said it. They were delicious. My recipe is a tiny bit lighter, I use a dollop of creme fraiche instead of the triple cream.

Mushy Peas

8 oz. frozen peas
1 tbs. compound butter
1-2 tbs. creme fraiche
1-2 tbs. freshly grated Parmagiano-Reggiano
1/2 tsp. salt

compound butter; Mix 4 oz. softened butter with 1 tsp. finely chopped mint, 1 tsp. finely chopped parsley, 1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves, and 1 tsp. finely chopped chives. Roll into a 1 1/2" log in cling film and chill. Slice it as needed when cold.

Cook the peas in salted water for 3-5 minutes until tender and still very green. Drain and put into a small food processor. You can also mash them with a potato masher for a rougher texture. Add the compound butter, 1 tbs. each of the creme fraiche and cheese, and salt. Puree or mash together. Taste and add more creme fraiche or cheese if needed.

I still do like a cloche shaped hat, after all that experimenting with crazy shapes, it survives and is as reliable as mushy peas.

To see my latest hat creations, visit this link:
Zazu & Violets' hats

A Red Pen and Forbidden Rice

2011-06-29T11:26:00.000-07:00

"I used to carry a red pen with me when I went shopping. I would keep the sales tag on after I bought a hat, but mark the price down myself before I showed the new purchase to my husband. I was able to by more hats that way." -Anonymous quote from 1000 Hats

I never went to such lengths to fool my husband, but I admit to rounding down when relating a price. When I had my hat shop women would tell me all the time that they never told their husbands what they really paid. One woman said everything she bought cost $50.

Most of these women earned their own living, but found that their monetary values were not the same as some men. So instead of the hat, handbag or pair of shoes becoming a forbidden purchase, they adjusted the price tag. It leads to a longer, happier life.

As does eating forbidden rice. Forbidden rice is the black rice from China. Many years ago it was reserved for only the Emperors to eat because it was thought to enrich health and ensure longevity, making sure they would live long and healthy lives. It is high in antioxidants and rich in iron and other nutrients. It is also nutty and delicious, and a beautiful, dark purple color when cooked.

Forbidden Rice Pilaf

serves 4 people

1 shallot, diced
2 tbs. olive oil
1 lemon, zested, peeled and supremed
1 cup Lotus Foods forbidden rice
1 1/4 -1 1/2 cups water, or chicken stock
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tbs. chopped parsley

In a small saucepan with a lid, sauté the shallot until soft, add the lemon supremes and rice and stir together for a couple of minutes. Add enough water or chicken stock to cover the rice by 1". Cover with the lid and keep on a low simmer for 25-30 minutes until the rice is cooked. Turn off the heat, let stand covered for 15 minutes. When ready to serve, uncover, add the lemon zest and parsley and fluff with a fork.

Serve the forbidden rice pilaf with a perfectly cooked rib-eye steak and baked black beans.

Not forbidden anymore.

To see my latest hat creations, visit this link:
Zazu & Violets' hats

Lana Turner's Hat and a Ribeye Steak

2011-06-27T17:12:00.000-07:00

"Remind me to be with you the next time you pick out a hat."
"Don't you like it?"
"No. Too much of it."

Clark Gable commenting again on Lana Turner's hat choice in the 1942 movie, "Somewhere I'll Find You. It was rather an odd hat, kind of out of proportion. In the 1940's they got into a pilgrim look, the hats with the tall cone shaped crowns. This one was like that and as Clark Gable said, "Too much of it."

The cut of a hat is everything. It has to fit the head properly, flatter a face and never be too much. A hat can be a magnet for attention, but should stop short of getting all the attention.

My attention last night was gotten by a very nice cut of meat, the ribeye steak. About once a month my husband and I share one and it is the just the right amount of meat. This one was especially tender and went really well with Lotus Foods Forbidden Rice. I have a very reliable method for cooking a perfectly medium-rare ribeye steak. We do have to open all the windows doors and turn on a fan, but it is worth the end result.

Ribeye Steak

1 12 oz. grass-fed ribeye steak
olive oil
1/2 cup wine
1 tbs. butter

Pat the steak dry and coat on both sides with a little olive oil. Let come to room temperature. Heat a cast iron skillet on high for 4 minutes. Lightly salt the steak, lay salt side down in the hot pan and cook for 5 minutes on the first side. Keep the heat on high. Salt the other side and turn, cook for 4 more minutes. Remove to a board to rest, cover with foil.

Reduce the heat to medium-high, pour in the wine to deglaze the pan. Let the sauce reduce, stirring a little. Add any of the meat juices from the resting steak. When the sauce thickens and is reduced to a couple of tablespoons, turn off the heat and swirl in the butter. Slice the steak across the grain and pour over the sauce.

The perfect amount of ribeye steak. Not too much of it.

To see my latest hat creations, visit this link:
Zazu & Violets' hats

Clark Gable and Leftovers

2011-06-24T16:09:00.000-07:00

"You must be 25 and fair in the face. You have to be to wear this hat."

Clark Gable was talking to the beautiful Lana Turner in the 1942 movie, "Somewhere I'll Find You". He hadn't seen her yet. He was looking through her wardrobe while he was waiting for her to come out of the bathroom. He realized he was right about 25 and fair of face when he first saw her.

Throughout the movie he was not very complimentary about her hats. At one point he told her she was a girl "with a mistaken daring in hats".

The story was about two brothers who were war correspondents in love with the same girl. Of course Clark Gable steals her affection from his brother, but when he doesn't want to alienate his brother forever, he dismisses her like yesterday's leftovers.

Leftovers. Wait a minute, they can usually be turned into a really good lunch. Especially if they are succulent slices of stuffed pork loin roast. Perfect for stir-fry.

Leftovers

serves 2 people

2-2" slices leftover stuffed pork loin roast
3 tbs. grape seed oil
1 baby leek, sliced thin
1 bell pepper, sliced thin
1 tbs. oyster sauce
2 tbs. fish sauce
juice of one lime
2 packages mung bean noodles, soaked in hot water for 20 minutes
2 tbs. chopped cilantro
1/2 tsp. kosher salt

Slice the pork roast pieces with the stuffing into 1/4" slices. Set aside. Heat the grape seed oil in a wok. Stir-fry the fennel for a couple of minutes, add the bell pepper and stir-fry until the pepper is tender, about 4-5 minutes. Add the pork and stir-fry until the pork is heated through. Add the oyster sauce, fish sauce and lime juice. Stir until everything is coated with the sauce. Add the noodles with a little of the soaking water. I just fish them out of the water and don't drain them. Stir until the noodles soak up the sauce. Turn of the heat and mix in the chopped cilantro and salt.

Leftovers, delicious...and in the end Clark Gable got the girl.

To see my latest hat creations, visit this link:
Zazu & Violets' hats

Sunday Best and Stuffed Pork Loin Roast

2011-06-23T12:08:00.000-07:00

"For churchgoing women, Sunday is an event and they greet it in style. So the fancier the hat, the better." -Patricia Underwood, hat designer, 2003

The Church Ladies. It was always fun to make hats for the ladies who went to church on Sundays. I had one customer who decided she wanted to be different and wear all little hats to church. Everyone else was wearing big portrait style hats. So, one by one she would bring in an outfit and I would fashion a small matching hat. I loved that each outfit had its own hat. So often I was trying to help someone make one hat go with everything.

The fancier, the better. Feathers, sequins, veiling and COLOR! I have to admit, I was inspired by these women to go over the top. My usual inclination is to make attractive, serviceable hats. But sometimes you have to go all out.

Sunday is a good day for fancy hats and a special dinner. A butterflied, stuffed and rolled pork loin roast is a delicious and elegant presentation. Serve it with some caramelized baby carrots, a potato galette and a butter lettuce salad with creme fraiche dressing.

Stuffed Pork Loin Roast

serves 6-8 people

3-4 lb. boneless pork loin roast, butterflied, with 1/4" of fat left on
3 slices bacon, diced
2 shallots, finely diced
2 bunches fresh spinach, washed and chopped or 1-16 oz. package frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1/2 cup gluten-free breadcrumbs
1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
3 tbs. butter
2 tbs. olive oil
2-3 bunches baby carrots, depending on size, cut lengthwise into halves or quarters
1 cup white wine
1/4 cup plum preserves

Open up the pork roast and lay flat. Cover with cling film and pound it to about 1" thick. Cut 5 lengths of kitchen twine for tying after stuffing. Set aside while you prepare the stuffing.

In a heavy bottomed pan, sauté the bacon in a little olive oil. When the bits are crispy, remove to kitchen paper to drain. Cook the shallots in the bacon fat until softened, add the spinach and cook 10-15 minutes until the spinach is tender. Remove to a mixing bowl to cool. When cooled to room temperature, add the bacon bits, bread crumbs, cheese, salt, and nutmeg. Mix together and spread evenly on the pork roast, leaving a 1" border all around. Roll the roast back up and tie with the twine.

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Melt the butter and olive oil in a roasting pan just big enough to fit the roast. Brown the roast on all sides. Lay fat side up and seam side down in the pan. Strew the carrots on either side of the roast and toss in the fat in the pan. Put the roast in the hot oven. Total cooking time wil be 1-1 1/4 hours, basting every 15 minutes with the juices in the pan and stirring the carrots. The drippings will get darker and darker as the carrots caramelize and the roast browns. Remove the carrots after 45 minutes, drizzle them with a tiny bit of balsamic vinegar. Check the temperature of the meat after 1 hour. It is done when it reads 155-160 degrees. When done, take it out of the pan and cover tightly with foil.

To make the sauce, put the pan on the stove-top on medium-high, de-glaze the pan with the wine and scrape the bits off the bottom of the pan. Cook until the wine reduces and the sauce starts to thicken. Stir in the plum preserves and continue to cook until they melt into the sauce.

Remove the twine ties from the roast. Slice the roast in 2" slices exposing the beautiful spiraled stuffing. Arrange the slices on a platter and pour over 1/2 the sauce. Garnish with the caramelized carrots. Serve the rest of the sauce on the side.

Like I said, this stuffed pork loin roast is a delicious and elegant presentation. Special enough for Sunday and a Sunday hat!

To see my latest Sunday hat creations, visit this link:
Zazu & Violets' hats

Victoriana and A Smoked Salmon Plate

2011-06-22T12:07:00.000-07:00

"I remember buying and selling the most beautiful old tin hat box. It was lined inside with red velvet and contained a lovely beaver felt hat, positioned on a bunny. It came complete with a brush, stored in the lid, which even had a place for hatpins. I would never break something like this up and sold it complete to a collector." -Susie, antique shop owner, quote from 1000 Hats, by Norma Shephard.

A beaver fur felt hat was a cherished item and was cared for and stored accordingly. It was a sign of affluence in Victorian times. The fur felt was always brushed smooth after wearing and before placing it in its custom made box. The fact that this hat and box have survived, shows how a good hat will last many lifetimes if treated with care and stored properly.

I don't know what the bunny reference is about. Maybe it was a term used to describe the stand in the hatbox to hold the hat. Anyone know?

One thing I do know, there are three things that should also always stay together, like the hat, brush and box. Smoked salmon, potatoes and horseradish cream. I have had this combination prepared different ways, always good. We had this smoked salmon plate for dinner recently. The potatoes are prepared like a potato salad and piled onto the smoked salmon, then drizzled with the cream.

Smoked Salmon plate

serves 4 people

4 oz. smoked salmon slices
1/2 lb. fingerling or creamer potatoes
2 tbs. olive oil
1 tbs. tarragon vinegar
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 tbs. capers
1 tsp. chopped dill
sea salt
horseradish cream; 1/4 cup creme fraiche mixed with juice of 1/2 a lemon, 1 tbs. freshly grated horseradish, and 1 tsp. sea salt

Arrange the smoked salmon slices on a platter in waves around the plate.

Boil the potatoes in salted water for about 10 minutes until tender when pierced with the tip of a knife. Drain, return to the pot and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Let stand 5 minutes then turn out onto a board to cool. When you can handle the potatoes, peel them and put into a mixing bowl. Leave the creamers whole, cut the fingerlings into 1" coins. Dress the potatoes while still warm with the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice and capers. When completely cooled, mix in the dill and season with sea salt. Pile the potatoes in the center of the platter of salmon.

Drizzle the salmon with a little of the horseradish cream and serve a small bowl of the cream on the side for horseradish lovers like me. Sprinkle over a few more picked dill fronds for garnish.

My favorite spot where I have enjoyed this smoked salmon plate was at an outdoor, sea-side cafe on the south coast of England in a little Victorian village called Swanage. Every time I have it now I am transported to that spot. During Victorian times, I am sure you would have spotted a beaver felt hat. And of course we were having Scottish smoked salmon.

To see my latest hat creations, visit this link:
Zazu & Violets' hats

Yoko Ono and Fruit Salad

2011-06-21T14:59:00.000-07:00

"I think she's earned the right to wear as many hats as she wants." says Lazaro Hernandez of Proenza Schouler.

Yoko Ono is often identifiable by her dramatic millinery, of which she has a dizzying array. She is always wearing a hat, literally and metaphorically. She is an artist, musician and icon. I cannot believe she is 78-years old. Have you seen her lately? She appears ageless. Her look these days is black and tailored, the variety in her wardrobe is in her hats.

Speaking of variety, it is the first day of summer and all I can think about is fruit salad. So many different summer fruits to choose from. My kids used to chant, "Fruit salad, yummy yummy", every time I made one. When I was a kid on those really hot summer days, my mother would do a buffet of fruits for dinner, served with cottage cheese. One of my favorite childhood meals.

It's funny, if I leave a pile of fruit on the counter a little will get eaten. If I stand there and cut it up into fruit salad it all disappears. For a party I like to put all different kinds of melon balls together with a little mint or basil. Or all the stone fruits. Mix them and let them macerate in their juices and a sprinkle of cane sugar.

Fruit salad is also tasty with a little Triple Sec drizzled over. Mix in a little lemon, lime or orange juice. The only thing I don't like in fruit salad are bananas. They always look and taste old. Best to eat them in the morning with yogurt.

Supreme a variety of citrus fruit and make an interesting salad to mix with sliced fennel. Or the all berry salad. You get the idea.

"Fruit Salad. Yummy, Yummy!"

To see my latest hat creations, visit this link:
Zazu & Violets' hats

Millinery Law and Fish Sandwiches

2011-06-20T15:23:00.000-07:00

"Wearing a hat to call at the home of a friend was a sign of respect, out of which developed the rule that a woman might not wear a hat indoors after 5 o'clock. This was to insure that a visitor did not overstay her welcome and interfere with the supper hour of her hostess." From 1000 hats, by Norma Shephard.

This was a rule I had never heard of, and it explains why you never saw hats indoors in the evening. Lots of feather hair adornments, barrettes, jeweled clips, but a hat was not permitted indoors after 5. Such a crazy scene, women rushing home before 5 o'clock to take off their hats. What would happen I wonder if you had your hat on indoors after 5? Hat police? Did everyone know this rule?

Well, I guess it would be good if your friends left by 5 o'clock so you could have your supper. Especially if you had been looking forward to eating fish sandwiches.

Fish Sandwiches

serves 2 people

1 large rock cod fillet
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
3 tbs. olive oil
1 tbs. butter
4 slices gluten-free bread
1/4 cup homemade tartar sauce; 1/4 cup Nayonaise mixed with 1 tbs. capers, 1 tbs. diced dill pickles, juice of 1/2 a lemon, 1/2 tsp. salt
1 ripe avocado
2 small handfuls micro-greens

Pull any pin-bones out of the fish fillet. Put the buttermilk in one shallow dish and the flour and salt into another. Heat the olive oil and butter in a sauté pan. Get the pan hot before you dredge the fish in first the buttermilk, then flour, then flour again. Immediately lay the coated fish in the hot pan. Cook on the first side until the crust is golden, about 4-5 minutes. Turn and cook on the other side. Remove from the pan to a board. Cut the fillet in 1/2 before you make the sandwiches. Lightly toast the bread and slather with the tartar sauce. Add the fish, slices of avocado, and a handful of micro-greens.

Share your fish sandwiches with a friend, you need not wear hats. Actually you aren't allowed to...it was a rule.

To see my latest hat creations, visit this link:
Zazu & Violets' hats

Life Magazine and Gluten-Free Pizza Dough

2011-06-17T14:38:00.000-07:00

"Life magazine published a service feature on made-at-home hats in 1942. 'Life editors are well aware that the strategy of hat-making has as many pitfalls as the strategy of invasion', was the sobering explanation given along with the instruction. Nevertheless, if a woman followed the step-by step details, she could create 13 hats for $10, using buckram, flowers and ribbons from the five-and-dime."

I am quoting from the Jody Shield's book "Hats", which was published in 1991, the same year I started my hat business. She talks about hats from the 1920's-1960's. All eras that I have used for inspiration. In the 1940's the war dominated everything, creating shortages in materials and even comparing hat-making to invasion!

I think there were a lot of do it yourself projects, which is why step-by-step instructions were so helpful. A trifle daunting if you are talking about strategy, but at least you could have an entire hat wardrobe that you made yourself. For $10.

I do follow my own instructions when making a hat because there is some strategy involved. You do want to do things in a proper order. Cooking is just like that. If you follow directions and have a strategy things come out right, especially with doughs and baking.

This pizza dough is completely reliable. Just follow these step-by-step instructions. If you make it at home, you can have two pizzas for $10. The cost of 13 hats that you made yourself in 1942.

Gluten-Free Pizza Dough

makes 1-18" pizza, or 2-9"

Make a sponge by mixing together in a ceramic bowl with a wooden spoon;

1/4 cup lukewarm water
1 packet of Quick-Rise yeast, (really rises more than regular yeast when using gluten free flour)
1/4 cup gluten-free Bob's Red Mill All Purpose Flour

Let rise in a warm place for 20-30 minutes, then add;

1/2 cup lukewarm water
1 tbs. milk
2 tbs. olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt
4 tsp. xanthan gum
1 3/4 cups gluten-free flour

Always use a wooden spoon to mix this dough. Mix until it comes together and forms a ball. Turn out onto a floured board and knead for about 5 minutes until the dough is smooth. You aren't developing the gluten as in wheat flour, so don't over-knead. Put the dough into a clean oiled ceramic bowl, roll it in the oil to coat, cover with a clean cloth and put it in a warm place to rise for 2 hours.

Pre-heat the oven to 500 degrees. Put a pizza brick on the bottom rack.

Turn the risen dough out onto a floured surface and knead again until smooth. Pat it into a disk and roll into 1 big 18" circle or cut the dough in half and make two 9" circles. I usually make the 9" pizzas, easier to work with in my small kitchen and I can make two different toppings.

Put the rolled circle on a pizza paddle or cutting board that has a sprinkling of flour or corn meal to help keep the dough from sticking. Work quickly and layer on your toppings. A sauce base, veggies or meat, and cheese. This is where you can be creative.

Loosen the pizza with a thin spatula so it slides easily on the paddle or board. Slide the pizza onto the hot pizza stone and bake the 18" pizza for 12-15 minutes and the 9" pizzas for 10-12 minutes. The crust and cheese should be browned and bubbly. Let sit a couple of minutes before cutting into slices.

Yellow Bell Pepper Sauce with prosciutto, sliced yellow peppers and a Swiss cheese.

Red Bell Pepper Sauce with sliced red peppers, mozzarella and basil.

Or visit this past post for two more pizzas.

I use a lot of bell pepper sauces as a substitute for tomato sauce because of an allergy I have, feel free to substitute. Same with fennel instead of onions. Like I said, follow the directions for the pizza dough, then you can create your own pizzas. Just like those 13 hats.

To see my latest hat creations, visit this link:

Zazu & Violets' hats

John Barrymore and Raw Vegetable Salad

2011-06-16T12:33:00.000-07:00

"Three things a woman can make out of anything...a salad, a hat, and an argument."

Well Mr. Barrymore, you got two out of three right. Hats and food. But arguers are arguers. I stopped arguing many years ago, big waste of time. And I have met many argumentative men, maybe more than women.

I do know that I can make a salad or a hat out of anything. In the 1930's, milliners were literally making hats out of whatever was around. Everything but the kitchen sink, from plastic dogs to dangling heart pins, sprouted on hats.

Salads and hats are such a big part of my day. I frequently stop working on a hat to go make a salad. That is what I really like about working at home. The fun thing is to pull all the veggies out of the fridge and combine as many different types and colors as you can. When I go to Monterey Market I first visit the aisle with the organic baby vegetables. Get one of everything.

Raw Vegetable Salad

serves 2-4 people

5 assorted colors of baby carrots, sliced lengthwise
1 baby fennel bulb, sliced thin
2-3 radishes, sliced thin
10-12 assorted baby squash, sliced
3-4 baby turnips, sliced
2 Chiogga, or yellow beets, sliced thin on a mandolin
1 Persian cucumber, sliced thin
juice of 1 lemon
1 tbs. tarragon vinegar
1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
1 tsp. sea salt
2 handfuls of assorted baby lettuces
1 handful of dandelion greens
1/4 cup picked parsley leaves
3 tbs. olive oil
1 tbs. tarragon vinegar
sprinkle of sea salt

Mix together the carrots through the cucumber. Marinate with the lemon juice, vinegar, thyme and salt for 30 minutes, tossing the vegetables a couple of times. In a separate bowl mix the greens, toss with the olive oil, vinegar and sprinkle of salt. Divide the greens among 2-4 plates and top with the marinated vegetables.

Raw vegetable salad, make it with whatever you have around...

To see my latest hat creations, visit this link:
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Vogue 1942 and Kale Chips

2011-06-15T16:06:00.000-07:00

"Vogue introduced millinery for Fall 1942 as having 'character, consideration, distinction, and no daftness.'"

They also called the hats of the day hardly inspirational. This was during the war and it was a sober time. There was material rationing and milliners were without the influence of Paris or foreign expositions. They were moving away from the bizarre hats of the 1930's.

This is actually a good discription of most of the hats I make. A little daftnes at times, but mostly character, consideration and distinction. Character; they make a statement, they are well made and stand the test of time. Consideration; form follows function, I like them to serve a purpose, whether it is keeping your head warm or protection from the sun. Distinction; they are recognized as quality items.

In some ways these are also sober times. But, do not despair, there is also a healthy interest in the frivolous, hence the popularity of "fascinators" and cocktail hats. A little daftness.

I would call kale a sober green. Dark in color, rich in character. Hearty, sturdy and so good for you. Let us be a little daft and make it into a snack food, crunchy kale chips.

Kale chips

1 bunch of kale, washed and dried
olive oil
sea salt

Pre-heat the oven to 300 degrees

Cut the rib out of the kale leaf and tear it into 4 pieces. Toss the leaves in olive oil and sea salt and spread in a single layer on baking sheets. Bake for 25 minutes until crispy.

Snack away!

To see my latest hat creations, visit this link:
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The 1950's and Crispy Potatoes

2011-06-14T12:30:00.000-07:00

"Atop her head sat a hat shaped like a cartwheel, a meringue, a bell, a champagne cork, a pie plate, or an upside down mixing bowl."

This is how hats from the 1950's were described in a book I just purchased called simply "HATS", by Jody Shields. It is a history of hats from the 1920's thru the 1960's. Great inspiration for me and lots of points of view and quotes about hats.

The hats of this era were not very flattering. Someone even accused male milliners of making women look ridiculous on purpose. By the end of the 1950's women were starting to rebel against wearing hats. They really didn't start getting attention again until the 90's. It was startling, after 200 years of hat wearing.

This quote draws many references to food related items. Sometimes hats and food do come together in a strange way. Food AS hats has never been a favorite of mine. So let's talk about food as food.

I have been cooking duck breasts lately, and have heard about frying potatoes in the duck fat that you render out from the breasts. I prepared potatoes like that recently and they were the best crispy potatoes I have ever eaten. From now on, every time I cook a duck breast, it is being served with these crispy potatoes.

Crispy Potatoes

serves 2 people

10-12 Russian fingerling potatoes
1 tbs. salt
rendered fat from 2 duck breasts

Boil the whole potatoes in salted water until tender, about 10 minutes. Let cool, slice into 1" thick coins.

Cook the duck breasts, remove from pan. Pour off the clear fat into a clean sauté pan, leaving any bits at the bottom of the first pan. Heat the fat, add the potatoes and cook until the potatoes are crispy and golden brown, stirring them frequently.

That's it, serve these crispy potatoes with your sliced duck breast and a favorite salad.

To see my latest hat creations, visit this link:
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A Feather in Her Hat and a Perfect Peach Tart

2011-06-13T15:58:00.000-07:00

"I often wonder what goes on in those ridiculous hats of hers."

One thing that I have realized about the movies of the 1930's is the number of young actors who would become very famous in the next two decades and headline movies of their own. I just watched "A Feather in Her Hat", made in 1935. I had never heard of it, but I started seeing all these familiar faces and was intrigued. Basil Rathbone, Billie Burke and David Niven among them.

A well known stage actress, Pauline Lord, plays a cockney woman who has a plan to raise her son to be a gentleman. The title comes from her penchant for wearing feathers on her hats and the play on words, a feather in your cap. Her plan works. Her son becomes involved with a wealthy theater family and becomes a successful playwright. He was certainly the feather in her hat.

A movie worth watching and of course lots of the fashion of the day. Some outrageous sleeves on some of the gowns and some lovely blouses. And of course, the hats.

I felt as if I had a feather in my hat the other day when I finally made the perfect peach tart. I kept trying to find the best way to bake it with a creamy filling and the perfect crust. I think I've got it.

Perfect Peach Tart

makes 1-10" tart

tart shell

1 cup all-purpose gluten-free flour
1/4 tsp. xanthan gum
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 cup cane sugar
4 oz. very cold butter, cut into 1/2" pieces
1/4 cup ice water

Sift together the dry ingredients. Working quickly, use your fingers or a pastry blender to combine the butter with the flour mixture. Sprinkle over the ice water and bring the dough together. Flatten the dough with the palm of your hand, scrape it together and repeat a couple of times. Form into a flat disc and wrap in cling film. Chill in the fridge for at least an hour.

Filling

1 tub mascarpone cheese
3 tbs. cane sugar
zest and juice of one lemon
3 ripe yellow peaches, cut into slices and macerate in 3 tbs. sugar and the juice of a lemon

Mix the cheese, sugar and lemon together until creamy.

Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees

The best surface to work on with pastry dough is marble. You can buy a marble slab for about $30 at Sur la Table. Well worth it for making dough. Roll the chilled dough to fit a 10" tart pan. Use a little flour mixed with sugar to roll in, it helps keep the dough from sticking. Carefully fit the dough into the tart pan and trim the edges by rolling over it with your rolling pin. These dough bits make tasty little cookies. Gather them together, roll out in sugar and cut with a round fluted 2" cutter. Bake for 8 minutes until golden.

Spread the cheese mixture in the bottom of the prepared tart shell. Arrange the peaches around the edge of the tart and overlap in a rose pattern in the center. Drizzle over any peach juices.

Bake in the bottom part of the hot oven for 35-45 minutes until the tart shell is golden brown and the cheese is puffed up. Remove to a cooling rack and let cool completely before unmolding.

Serve with a dollop of creme fraiche.

A feather in my hat, the perfect peach tart.

To see my latest hat creations, visit this link:
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Rana Hats and Rex Sole

2011-06-10T14:31:00.000-07:00

"If I was a hat I would want to be one of yours."

I read this quote on one of my Milliners of Etsy colleague's web-sites and thought it was a very nice compliment. MOE is a group of like-minded milliners who are exploring hat-making and sharing techniqies and ideas. We all have shops on Etsy selling our creations.

This compliment was for Rana Hats. Rana lives and works in Israel, and makes lovely hats. And she has a section on her web-site for recipes...hats and food!

If I were Rex Sole I would want to be cooked exactly the way I just prepared it for lunch. Light crunchy crust and a lemon, butter caper sauce. My grandson, J.J., once said to me "Nonna, I like anything you make with the lemon, butter, caper sauce." Thanks J.J.! It also helps to have the freshest fish from Monterey Fish Co., and I love any kind of sole.

Rex Sole with Lemon, Butter, Caper Sauce

serves 2 people

1/2 lb. Rex Sole, about 3 big fillets
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup all-purpose, gluten-flour(Bob's Red Mill)
1 tsp. salt
3 tbs. olive oil
2 tbs. butter
1/2 cup white wine
juice of one lemon
2 tsp. capers

Set up a dipping station so you can coat the sole with the buttermilk and flour. Season the flour with the salt. Dip the sole briefly in the buttermilk, shake off excess and dredge in the flour. Place on a clean plate, do the same with the rest of the sole, then dredge them in the flour one more time. They should be evenly coated with a nice layer of the flour.

Pre-heat the oven to 250 degrees.

Heat the olive oil and 1 tbs. of the butter in a wide heavy bottomed saucepan. You want the heat medium-high. When it starts to sizzle, lay in the sole fillets. Fry on the first side 4-5 minutes until the crust is golden brown. Turn and fry the other side, about 3-4 minutes, or until golden and the fish feels firm. Place on a heated platter in the oven while you make the sauce.

Lemon, Butter, Caper Sauce

Keep the pan on medium-high heat and de-glaze the pan with the wine. Stir and get the tasty bits off the bottom of the pan. Add the lemon juice and continue reducing the sauce until it thickens. When you have only a few tablespoons, turn off the heat, melt in the butter, and add the capers. Spoon the sauce over the sole when you serve.

We had the rex sole with a crunchy, fresh salad of romaine lettuce and creme fraiche dressing. A delicious light lunch...

To see my latest hat creations, visit this link:
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So Big and Asparagus in Orange Sauce

2011-06-09T12:33:00.000-07:00

"I used to get 25 cents each for sketching hats...at Bernsteins."

Edna Ferber won a Pulitzer Prize in 1925 for her novel "So Big". It tells the story of a group of Dutch farmers who settle outside of Chicago. There are three movie versions of the book.

This quote is from the 1932 adaption starring Barbara Stanwyck as the farm wife and Bette Davis in a supporting role as an artist and illustrator. It was 1932 and Bette Davis' character was asking for $1500 for an illustration for a big company that 'So Big' works for. A lot of money, which is why she refers back to the days when she sketched hats for 25 cents each. That would be a lot of hats to sketch.

As with all the movies made in the 1930's, there is great style. Miss Stanwyck and Miss Davis are both so young, a treat to see them developing their trademark ways. And good hat-watching.

The family farmed asparagus and it became so well known that it was mentioned by name on the menus of top restaurants. Very much like the trend today of knowing who is growing your food. One of my favorite sauces to cook with asparagus is made from oranges. Delicious with a Niman Ranch pork chop.

Asparagus in Orange Sauce

serves 4 people

1 lb. asparagus spears
3 tbs. olive oil
1 baby fennel bulb, thinly sliced
1 shallot, chopped fine
juice of 2 oranges
zest of 1 orange
1/2 cup white wine
1 tbs. fresh thyme leaves
1/2 tsp. salt

Wash the asparagus, trim 1/2" off the bottom of the spears, peel the bottom half of the asparagus spears with a vegetable peeler. Steam the asparagus for 5-7 minutes until just tender. Shock them in ice water to keep them bright green.

In a shallow wide saucepan with a lid, heat the olive oil. Gently sauté the fennel bulb and shallot until tender, about 10 minutes. Add the orange juice, zest, wine, fresh thyme leaves and salt. Simmer for 20 minutes.

When the sauce is reduced and thickened, add the asparagus and coat with the sauce. Serve with any grilled meat.

"So Big" has a good moral to the story that time hasn't diminished. Appreciate art, don't be afraid of hard work and money isn't everything. And eat your asparagus, especially with orange sauce.

To see my latest hat creations, visit this link:
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Julia Child and French Lentil Soup

2011-06-08T12:39:00.000-07:00

"I saw a notice on the Embassy billboard. Hat-making lessons."
"You like hats."
"I do, I do like hats."
later...
"Are you still making hats?"
"Oh no, I abandoned it."

Julia Child was trying to find something to do in Paris while her husband Paul worked at the Embassy. She tried hat-making lessons and found they were not for her. She was just not good at making hats. The next thing she tried was cooking school and that is where she blossomed. She did still wear hats.

In the movie "Julie and Julia", the little hat studio she works in reminds me of home. Same with the French kitchens. And I especially love the scene where she is in the kitchenware shop just flinging copper pots into her basket.

Since Julia once tried my profession, I wanted to feature French lentil soup and try her recipe. Lentil and bean soups are favorites of mine. Full of protein, 2/3 as much as equal amounts of beef or chicken, and a lot of necessary vitamins and minerals. Lentil soup goes back to Biblical times.

French Lentil Soup

serves 4-6 people

3 tbs. olive oil
1 baby fennel bulb, sliced thin
1 small leek, chopped
2 carrots,chopped
3 tbs. rice flour
6 cups vegetable, chicken or beef stock
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 cups green French lentils
1 bunch baby turnips, quartered
1 tsp. salt

Heat the olive oil in a soup pot or Dutch oven. Sauté the fennel, leek and carrots until softened, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle in the rice flour, stir and add 1 cup of the stock. Cook until the flour is dissolved. Add the rest of the stock, the bay leaf, lentils and the turnips. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 1-1 1/4 hours, stirring every 20 minutes. When the lentils are tender, turn off the heat, remove the bay leaf and puree with an immersion blender. Add the salt and taste for seasoning. Add a little more stock if it seems a too thick.

Garnish

1 tbs. butter
1 carrot, diced
1 small zucchini, diced
1 1/4" slice of cooked ham, diced
herb butter, 3 tbs. softened butter mixed with finely chopped parsley and fresh thyme leaves

Sauté the carrot, zucchini and ham in the butter until caramelized. Use them to garnish the lentil soup along with a tsp. of the herb butter.

Here's to Julia, just food, no hat-making, and to me, a little of both...

To see my latest hat creations, visit this link:
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Spencer Tracy and Meatballs

2011-06-07T12:17:00.000-07:00

"Last time we jawed, you gave me the high hat...and I'm sick of this high hat."

Spencer Tracy and Jean Harlow starred in a few movies together in the 1930's. This quote is from the 1936 movie "Riffraff". Tracy plays a dock worker and Jean Harlow works in a saloon. The movie is about their relationship and a good view of life at the time.

The quote is full of slang. 'Jawed' means talked, and high hat refers to being arrogant and thinking you are above someone. It came from the fact that the higher a man's top hat, the higher his position was in society. Kind of funny, because Tracy is accused of giving someone the high hat treatment, when in a review of the movie that I read he is described as a vain lunkhead. There are all levels of arrogance, in all parts of society.

I do like this movie, Jean Harlow is adorable and can hold her own in the wisecrack department. I might describe Spencer Tracy as a meatball, another word for lunkhead. But it all works out in the end.

Let's think of meatballs in another way. As delicious balls of meat and herbs poached in a sweet flavorful sauce.

Meatballs

makes about 60-1" meatballs, serves 4-6 people

1 lb. grass-fed ground beef
1/2 lb. ground pork
3 tbs. chopped parsley
1 tbs. fresh thyme leaves
1/2 cup gluten-free oats, coarsely ground and soaked in 1/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup grated Parmagiano-Reggiano
1 tsp. salt
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup rice flour for dredging

Mix all the ingredients(except the rice flour) together with your hands. Form into 1" balls and roll in the rice flour. Chill the balls for 1/2 hour in the fridge. At this point they can be prepared a couple of ways. Poached in a sauce or browned for Swedish style meatballs.

I love to poach them, they are melt in your mouth tender. You can use any basic tomato sauce or since I can't eat tomato sauce, I make a red bell pepper sauce with anchovies.

Red Bell Pepper Sauce

4 red bell peppers
6 anchovy fillets
1 small fennel bulb, diced
1 tsp. fresh sweet marjoram leaves, chopped
1 tsp. fresh oregano leaves
1/2 cup red wine
1 tbs. sugar
1 tsp. salt

Roast the bell peppers for 45-60 minutes in a 350 degree oven. When they are cool enough to handle, peel, seed and puree. Melt the anchovy fillets in a little oil in a saucepan with a lid, or a dutch oven big enough to hold 1 layer of meatballs. Sauté the fennel with the anchovies until tender. Add the herbs, red wine, sugar and salt. Cook together for 3-4 minutes. Add the bell pepper puree and heat to a simmer. If the sauce is too thick, thin with a little water. Gently lay the meatballs in the sauce in a single layer. Use the end of a wooden spoon to move them around so they all fit. Cover and gently simmer for 30 minutes until the meatballs feel firm.

Serve over gluten-free pasta with a sprinkle of freshly grated Paramagiano-Reggiano.

Two kinds of meatballs, Spencer Tracy and poached...

To see my latest hat creations, visit this link:
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Cary Grant and Spaghetti with Meat sauce

2011-06-06T13:59:00.000-07:00

"You found out everything else about me; my barber, my haberdasher, my laundress and last year's girlfriend."

This was Cary Grant's response to Betsy Drake in the 1948 movie, "Every Girl Should Be Married." I am not surprised I never heard of it, I stopped to watch a little because it was Cary Grant. And, Cary Grant's character has a haberdasher, the equivalent of a milliner for men. He was married to Betsy Drake for a while and they made at least two movies together.

This movie is a bit tiresome, starting with the title. However, there are a lot of 1940 style hats that are worth watching for. Especially in one scene when he is giving a talk to a group of women. That's about all I could take. Betsy Drake's character did everything but cook Cary Grant's character spaghetti with meat sauce to get him to marry her!

Ah, spaghetti with meat sauce, such a homey, family style dish.

Spaghetti with Meat sauce

serves 4-6 people

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 small fennel bulb, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped fine
1 lbs. ground beef
1/2 lb. ground pork
1/2 cup red wine
3 red bell peppers, roasted in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes, peeled, seeded and pureed
1 tablespoon sweet marjoram, chopped
3 tablespoons Italian parsley, chopped fine
salt & pepper to taste
1 lb. gluten-free quinoa spaghetti(Ancient Harvest brand is very good)
Parmagiano-Reggiano cheese, freshly grated

In a large heavy bottomed sauce-pan, saute the fennel in the olive oil until soft, add the carrots and garlic and cook together for a few minutes. Add the beef and pork and saute until browned. Pour in the wine, cook for a minute, then add the bell pepper puree, sweet marjoram and parsley. Taste the sauce and season with salt & pepper. Simmer until thickened, about 30 minutes.

Cook the spaghetti in boiling salted water with a tsp. of olive oil added until al dente. I always cook the minimum time recommended. Top with the meat sauce and a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.

And cheers to Cary Grant's haberdasher for always making him look so dashing...

To see my latest hat creations, visit this link:
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Upstairs and Fried Goat Cheese

2011-06-03T17:19:00.000-07:00

"I shall buy a black hat now he is definitely dead. He was an exemplary monarch."

'Upstairs, Downstairs' fans (like me), should be thrilled that Jean Marsh has the keys again to 165 Eaton Place. She comes back as the housekeeper when the house is inherited and re-opened.

Upstairs, a friend of the new mistress was referring to the death of King George. She was going to buy a new black hat out of respect for his death. In 1991, the first year I had my hat shop I only sold black hats. That was what the customer wanted. It was the beginning of the black decade, so many people wore head to toe black. I know I did. A reaction to the 80's.

They were having tea Upstairs when the hat conversation took place. A tasty fried goat cheese appetizer is elegant enough to have been served that afternoon. Especially with a cranberry, beet and raspberry puree. I first had this dish in England.

Fried Goat Cheese

serves 2 people

1-4" or 2-2" sliced rounds of aged goat cheese, about 3/4" thick
1/4 cup rice flour
grape seed oil for frying

Heat 1/2" of oil in a small frying pan. Dredge the goat cheese in the flour and lay in the oil when it is really hot. Fry on the first side until golden. turn and fry on the other side. Serve on top of a cranberry, beet and raspberry puree.

Cranberry, Beet and Raspberry Puree

1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
1 bunch beets, steamed until tender, peeled, diced
1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
juice and zest of one lemon
1 tbs. superfine sugar (I grind sugar superfine in a spice grinder)

Put all the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes, remove from the heat and let cool. Process until smooth with an immersion blender. Add a tablespoon of water if it is too thick.

Spoon some pureé on a plate and place the fried goat cheese on top. Serve with gluten free bread.

If you are having tea, make it more 'Upstairs" and wear a hat.

To see my latest hat creations, visit this link:
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Joan Crawford and Broiled Salmon

2011-06-02T13:16:00.000-07:00

"You'll wear a hat with a red rose on it."
"Must I?"
"It's how he will identify you. You will say your name is Mrs. Rose."

These were Joan Crawford's instructions in the 1943 movie "Above Suspicion". Turner Classic Movies had a theme of 'how to fool the Nazis' the other day. This is a pretty lighthearted movie despite the theme. She and Fred McMurray play newlyweds with a mission to accomplish while on their honeymoon.

The hat with the red rose played a big part in the plot. And it is a perfect hat for Miss Crawford, even though she seemed a bit reluctant. Big red rose, too obvious?" That 1940's cocktail style hat with a little veil and of course a big red rose. In another scene she also dresses as a Swiss maiden. That is not so in character with her image. She fools the Nazis with that get-up, but not the one at the end where she is made up as an old woman.

The movie had enough going on to watch all of it and I have become more of a fan of Joan Crawford's recently. Two years after she made this movie she won the Oscar for "Mildred Pierce".

I was pondering the thought of a red rose and rosy pink salmon popped into my head. And one of my favorite ways of cooking it, under the broiler with a maple syrup-mustard sauce.

Broiled Salmon

serves 2 people

1 salmon fillet, with skin, about 3/4 lb., remove any pin bones and cut into 2" wide sections
1 clove garlic, finely minced
2 tbs. whole grain mustard
1 tbs. maple syrup
juice and zest of 1 small lemon
1/2 tsp. salt

Brush some olive oil onto a baking sheet. Lay the salmon sections on the sheet skin side down. Broil for 4 minutes. Remove from the broiler to add the topping.

Mix together the rest of the ingredients to make a paste. Spread the paste on the salmon sections and put back under the broiler for another 4-5 minutes until the salmon looks done.

Carefully remove the salmon meat from the skin in one piece and put on a platter. To make salmon chips with the skin, loosen the skin from the baking sheet with a spatula and put back under the broiler to crisp, turning it after the first side looks golden. This technique works pretty well if you have oiled the sheet in the beginning so the skin doesn't stick. They are delicious!

A red rose and rosy red broiled salmon, both memorable.

To see my latest hat creations, visit this link:
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Miss Mapp and Chard with Beets

2011-06-01T11:52:00.000-07:00

"And I'm sure she was crocheting a baby cap in white wool, and she must have pulled a lot of it out and begun again. She was wearing it."

And so continues the battle between Miss Mapp and Lucia for attention in the town of Tilling in the book series, "Make Way for Lucia." It was written by E.F. Benson and set in the 1920's-1940's. It is one of my favorite chronicles of life in a small English village. And it has also been brought to life in a PBS mini-series called "Mapp and Lucia."

Miss Mapp had let out her skirts and assumed the mannerisms of someone who was expecting a baby, including crocheting a baby cap. When her charade was over, she took in the waistbands of her skirts and remade the cap into a hat for herself. Once again a hat moved the story along and was used for symbolism.

There is a lot of discussion about the vegetables in Miss Mapp's garden. She rents her house to Lucia for a summer and does not include garden produce in the rental. Instead Miss Mapp sells it to the local greengrocer. So if Lucia wanted to make Swiss chard with beets, she would have had to buy the ingredients at the store, the vegetables that were actually grown in the garden where she was staying.

And what a tasty, healthy side dish. Very pretty too if you can find chiogga beets, which are rosy pink and striped inside.

Chard with Beets

serves 2 people

1 big bunch red Swiss chard
1 bunch chiogga beets
2 tbs. olive oil
1 baby fennel bulb; remove and discard stems, slice bulb thin and save the tender middle fronds
1 tbs. tarragon vinegar
1 tbs. butter
sea salt to taste

Strip the leaves off the chard, wash and roughly chop. Save the stems for a chard gratin. Wash and trim the beets and put in a baking dish. Tightly cover with foil and bake in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes or until easily pierced with a knife. Let cool, peel and cut into quarters or sixths if the beets are big.

Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan. Add the fennel and cook until tender, add the chard and continue to sauté until the chard is wilted and tender, about 15 minutes. Add the beets, tarragon vinegar and butter and gently stir until everything is combined and warmed through. Add sea salt to taste.

Serve this chard and beets dish with any grilled meat, like lamb chops and a side of quinoa pasta. Or serve over the quinoa pasta for a vegetarian meal.

Then take some time for a good read, all 912 pages of "Make Way for Lucia."

To see my latest hat creations, visit this link:
Zazu & Violets' hats

Hats and/or Food and Baked Beans

2011-05-31T16:39:00.000-07:00

"It can't be hats and food. It has to be hats OR Food."

I asked a good friend of mine if she ever read this blog. She said she had once and not again because it had to be hats OR food, not both. I was surprised. She likes hats, we go out, she likes food.

So, the other day I had just started a pot of black beans for baked beans, when my neighbor called. She had a lot of friends in town and they wanted to come and look at some hats. I never say no if I can accommodate and they came over. While all that was going on I suddenly smelled the beans. I hadn't turned them off for soaking. So I went from showing hats to running to the kitchen to attend to the beans. Hats AND food.

Baked Black Beans

serves 4 people

1 1/2 cups dried black beans
3 cups vegetable, chicken or beef stock
1 fennel bulb, chopped, sautéd in butter until tender
1 small bunch of cilantro stems, tied with string
3 tbs. sugar
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. paprika
1/4 cup tomatillo sauce

Put the beans in a heavy soup pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, boil for one minute, turn off the heat and let soak for one hour.

Pre-heat the oven to 300 degrees

After 1 hour, drain off the water and add the rest of the ingredients. Bring to a simmer on top of the stove, put in the oven and let bake at a slow simmer for 2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes and adding more stock if needed. Salt to taste at the end of the two hours. The beans should be sweet and tender and the sauce should not be too thick.

Stir in 1/4 cup chopped cilantro before serving with skirt steak and rice, or pork chops and potatoes.

While the beans are baking, I usually work on making hats...because I like to think about both hats and food.

To see my latest hat creations, visit this link:

Zazu & Violets' hats

Baroness Blixen and the Basics

2011-05-27T18:59:00.000-07:00

"I do like your dress."
"Oh, thank you."
"Not much of a hat though."
"It's meant to be stunning."
"We DIE of sun-stoke here."
"At least I'm safe from mosquitoes."
"Big ones."

Baroness Blixen, played by Meryl Streep in the movie "Out of Africa" which takes place in 1914, had come to Africa from Denmark to marry a baron and run a farm. For their wedding she wore a small hat with a veil. The hat had a tiny brim and no sun protection, and the size of the veiling would not keep out any mosquitoes...except the big ones.

She had a lot to learn and she did. This film is on my list of top favorites. One of the best costume dramas and a great story written by Isaak Denison, a woman who had lived on a farm in Africa. Baroness Blixen learned quickly to cover the basics, starting with a sun hat. She needed to. I rely on the basics in my kitchen.

The Basics

Aromatics; Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme. Also Sweet Marjoram, Bay, and Tarragon. I have all these growing in my garden. One bit of lore I love. They say the size of your sage plant reflects your prosperity. Mine was not doing so well last year but now I have two that are thriving. I am hopeful.

Fennel; Because I have developed an allergy to onions, I replace them with fennel. Cooks and looks the same, different flavor profile.

Bell Pepper Puree; I am also sensitive to cooked tomatoes, so I substitute a bell pepper puree. Roast 3 red, yellow and/or orange peppers at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Peel and purée in the food processor. Store in the fridge and use it any time you would a tomato sauce. Yields about 2 cups.

Rice Pasta; Trader Joe's fusilli is the best

Rice; any by Lotus Foods

Instant mashed potato flakes; use instead of breadcrumbs, Whole Foods has one that is only potatoes.

Creme Fraiche; mix together 2 cups heavy cream, 3/4 cup buttermilk and 1/4 cup plain yogurt. Cover with cling film and put in a warm spot to thicken. Stir every day until desired thickness, usually 2-3 days. I make mine on the thick side.

Also a selection of olive oils and vinegars.

And Maldon Sea Salt.

Add capers, olives, and anchovies.

Then there is cheese; English Coastal Cheddar(from Trader Joe's and my favorite part of England, coastal Dorset), California goat cheese, Monterey Jack, feta, riccotta and mozzarella.

Gluten Free all-purpose flour; Bob' Red Mill

Brown Rice Flour

Chicken Stock; I try to roast a chicken every week or so and make my own with the carcass, everything in the market has onions.

Lots of fresh organic vegetables.

Those are the basics.

To see my latest hat creations, visit this link:
Zazu & Violets' hats

Make a Living and Mung Bean Noodles

2011-05-26T14:03:00.000-07:00

"Do you really think you can make a living making hats?"

That question was asked of me numerous times in my millinery life. It was also asked of Coco Chanel when she started to make hats. She made a better living than me, but I fed the children and paid the rent.

I used to overhear comments in the alcove of my shop while people were looking in the windows, when it was closed. They spoke freely since they were not aware I was in the shop. One day a couple were looking in and the woman said dreamily, "Just imagine, behind this door someone is making a living making hats." The man with her answered sarcastically, "I can imagine what kind of a living that is." Mean.

Like I said, I fed the children and paid the rent. They ate a lot of pasta, salad and vegetables. Yes, I could not afford expensive cuts of meat or fish, but they always ate good food. I wish I had known about mung bean noodles when they were young. My new favorite gluten free ingredient.

Mung Bean Noodle Stir-Fry

serves 2 people

1-2 packets of mung bean noodles
3 tbs. olive oil
1 baby fennel sliced thin
3-4 baby rainbow carrots, cut into lengthwise strips
1 orange bell pepper, cleaned and cut into strips
1/2 lb. cooked skirt steak cut into strips against the grain
juice of 1 lime mixed with any steak drippings
1 tsp. fish sauce
3 tbs. tomatillo sauce
chopped fennel fronds
cilantro leaves

Soak the noodles in hot water for 15 minutes. Drain before adding them to the stir-fry. If you are hungry, make both packets.

Heat the olive oil in a wok on high heat. Add the fennel and carrots and stir-fry until they wilt. Add the bell pepper and continue to stir-fry. Add a sprinkle of salt. When the vegetables look just cooked, about 10-15 minutes, add the steak and lime juice mix, fish sauce and tomatillo sauce. Stir-fry 3-4 minutes, add the drained noodles and mix until they soak up all the sauce. Mix in the fennel fronds. Serve in big bowls, garnish with cilantro leaves, and eat with chopsticks.

The mung bean noodles have a nice texture and almost sweet flavor. I hear you can deep fry them for those piles of crunchy thin noodles. I will make them for J.J., the next generation I am now feeding. I am still making a living making hats and feeding the children.

To see my latest hat creations, visit this link:
Zazu & Violets' hats

India and Fruit Juice Panna Cotta

2011-05-25T18:55:00.000-07:00

"Why in hell does one wear collars at all?"
"We wear them to pass the Police."
"What's that?"
"If I'm biking in English dress-starch collar, hat with ditch-they take no notice. When I wear a fez, they cry: 'your lamp's out!'"

I have decided to read "Passage to India" by E.M Forster again. And then watch the movie. The book and movie are set in the 1920's and the costuming is wonderful. Including the hats. This exchange really shows the division between the British community and the native Indians.

It was during the time when Britain had colonized and controlled India. Life was easier if you dressed like an Englishman, complete with hat with ditch. I am assuming that is a brim that rolls up at the edge, like a bowler.

And the fez as lampshade? Lampshades are sometimes worn as hats. Usually the lampshade hat-wearer is inebriated.

The hot climate of India calls for cool, creamy puddings. Like a fruit juice panna cotta. I originally made this recipe with Meyer lemons, which is refreshingly delicious, but my family has decided that the fruit flavors are even better. Try any of your favorite juices, like blueberry or pomegranate.

Fruit Juice Panna Cotta

makes 7-8 ramekins

1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1 cup + 2 tbs. superfine sugar, I use organic cane sugar ground fine in a spice grinder.
1 cup whipping cream
1 1/2 cups fruit juice, reduced to 1 cup
Zest of 1 lemon
1 cup Greek style yogurt

Sprinkle gelatin over 1/2 cup cold water in a small bowl and let it soften for 5 minutes. Set aside. Combine sugar and 1/2 cup water in a saucepan, bring to a simmer and stir until sugar dissolves. Turn off the heat and stir in the gelatin until it dissolves, add the cream, reduced fruit juice and zest.

Put the yogurt in a mixing bowl, I use one with a spout, and whisk the yogurt to loosen it up. Add the cream mixture little by little while whisking gently to avoid creating air bubbles. Fill the ramekins, and tap them on a surface to eliminate any air bubbles. Cover individually with cling film. Chill for at least 6 hours, overnight is even better. If you have blueberries or other fruits, serve over the panna cotta.

This version with yogurt is surprisingly light and creamy. Perfect for summer weather and all the summer fruits...be creative!

To see my latest hat creations, visit this link:
Zazu & Violets' hats

Bird's Nests and Stone Fruit Cobbler

2011-05-24T17:47:00.000-07:00

"What are you wearing on your head?"
"Don't you recognize a hat without a bird's nest on it?"
,

The hat in question was being worn by Coco Chanel. Birds, bird's nests, netting, other types of nature's bounty were all being piled onto hats. Chanel's personal style of simple clothing had nothing to do with that. She changed women's fashion by starting with the hats.

Also shoes. At the beach in the summer while walking in the hot sand, the thin soles of her shoes did not protect her feet from the heat. She found some cork and had it cut in the shape of her foot, attached some ties and the cork sandal was an instant success.

Ah summer, hot sand, good ideas and simple things. And stone fruit cobbler.

Stone Fruit Cobbler

serves 4 people

Filling; mix the fruit, lime juice and sugar, let macerate 20-30 minutes
1/2 1b. peaches, pitted and sliced
1/2 lb. nectarines, pitted and sliced
1/2 lb. cherries, pitted and halved
juice of a lime
1/4 cup sugar

Topping; Blend together ingredients with a pastry blender
5 tbs. butter
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup rice flour
1/2 cup gluten free oats

Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees

Put the filling in a small ceramic baker. Evenly cover the fruit with the topping. Bake for 45-50 minutes until the crust is browned and bubbly. Serve warm with cream or creme fraiche.

To see my latest hat creations, sans bird's nests, visit this link:
Zazu & Violets' hats

The Savoy and Pork Stir Fry

2011-05-23T18:19:00.000-07:00

"Haven't I seen that hat before?"
"It's not a bad hat, is it?"
"It's a lovely hat"
"Oh, now it will be a lovely lunch!"

I just watched the 1942 movie "Random Harvest", starring Greer Garson. Her movies are always good hat movies. This story has a few twists, enough to hold your interest while you admire the lovely Miss Garson and her hats. Two of the characters had this exchange just before going to lunch at the Savoy.

Hats were always worn for lunch at the Savoy. I think even now if you wear a hat to tea they will give you a free glass of champagne. We had the loveliest lunch yesterday. It was not at the Savoy, probably not what is on their menu, but fresh and perfect for a midday meal. And a great way to use up the left-over pork chops.

Pork Stir Fry

8 oz. rice noodles soaked in hot water for 15 minutes
1 tbs. butter
2 tbs. olive oil1 bunch baby carrots, cut into quarters lengthwise
1 baby fennel, sliced thin
10-12 assorted baby squash
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbs. fresh thyme leaves
2 thin pork chops, cooked and cut into slices
2 tsp. fish oil
1 tsp. sesame oil
big handful of micro-greens

Heat the butter and olive oil in a wok. Stir-fry the carrots and fennel for 3-4 minutes, add the baby squash and stir fry until the vegetables are tender. Add the garlic and fresh thyme leaves. Give it a stir and add the cooked pork. When the pork is warmed, add the noodles, fish sauce and sesame oil. Stir fry for a couple more minutes until everything is combined.

Serve the pork stir fry with micro-greens dressed with a little rice vinegar and sesame oil. Eat with chopsticks. If you can, imagine having lunch at the Savoy, wearing a lovely hat.

To see my latest hat creations, visit this link:
Zazu & Violets' hats

Jane Russell and Baby Squash

2011-05-19T15:49:00.000-07:00

"Anywhere I go, I sing at the drop of a hat."
"Even if you have to supply the hat?"

This little exchange took place between Jane Russell and Robert Mitchum in the 1951 movie, "His Kind of Woman". They only made two movies together, which is a shame because they made a very charismatic couple. There is a lot of great dialogue in this movie, especially from Vincent Price's character. He speaks mostly in quotes from Shakespeare.

Not really a hat movie, but again using a hat reference to make a point. There is another line from Vincent Price that I personally found very funny. Jane Russell was saying one wisecrack after another and Vincent Price turned to her and said, "If you used that needle to sew with you'd be a much happier woman".

Now I do use a needle to sew with, (and have been known to wisecrack), but what really makes me happy is seeing organic baby squash at the market. Batter and deep-fry.

Fried Baby Squash

serves 2 people

1/2 lb. assorted baby squash(all about 1"-2"; zucchini, crookneck, patty pan
1 cup olive or grape seed oil
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup rice flour
sea salt

Mix the buttermilk, rice flour and a pinch of salt together to make a batter. Coat the baby squash with the batter.

Heat the oil in a wok until bubbles form around the end of a chopstick when inserted in the oil. Fry the squash a few at a time until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes. Drain on paper towels and keep in a warm oven while you fry all the squash. Sprinkle with sea salt.

Serve with a dipping sauce; mix together 2 oz. goat cheese, 1 tbs. creme fraiche, zest and juice of a small lemon, 2 tbs. olive oil, and 1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves. If it is still too thick for dipping, whisk in a tablespoon of water at a time until it is the right consistency.

Baby squash makes me happy...oh, and Jane Russell does sing in the movie...at the drop of a hat.

To see my latest hat creations, visit this link:
Zazu & Violets' hats

Jezebel and Stuffed Squash Blossoms

2011-05-18T17:09:00.000-07:00

"Somehow, I don't like your hat and your ears and anything in between them."

Ouch. That is how you insult someone in 1852. This quote is from the movie "Jezebel", set in the mid- 1800's, made in 1938 and starring Bette Davis. She is truly a southern belle in this role. Hoopskirts, ringlets, flirtatious ways, and scandal.

One of her suitors confronts another man brecause he had mentioned a lady's name in a bar, the lady being Bette Davis. The men end up fighting a duel. Then she was ostrasized from society by deliberately wearing a red dress to a ball when all unmarried girls wore white. That cost her, her beau. Thank goodness times have changed.

I could compare this quote to stuffed squash blossoms with the opposite result. I like the hat(blossom), the ears(baby squash) and everything in between(stuffing). Lightly battered and fried, a real treat when you can find the blossoms at the market.

Stuffed Squash Blossoms

serves 2 people

6 squash blossoms, baby squash attached

goat cheese stuffing; mix together 3 oz. goat cheese, 1 tbs. creme fraiche, juice of 1/2 lemon, 2 tbs. of olive oil, 1 tbs. fresh thyme leaves, pinch of sea salt

Open the blossoms carefully and using a teaspoon, stuff them half way with the goat cheese mixture. Twist the ends to seal. Be careful not to tear the blossoms. Dip them in buttermilk and dredge in a little rice flour. Let them sit a minute on a plate and make sure the ends are still twisted. Heat 1 cup olive or grape seed oil in a wok and fry the blossoms until golden, a couple at a time. They should be completely covered in the oil. Don't turn them, lift them out starting with the fruit end and drain on a paper towel. Serve with a glass of wine, or a cocktail.

Traditionally Italian peasant food, but such a delicacy in my house. And a sure sign of summer and straw hat weather.

To see my latest hat creations, visit this link:
Zazu & Violets' hats

That Certain Woman and Comfort Chicken

2011-05-17T15:01:00.000-07:00

"What have you got your hat on for?"
"Oh, I don't know, it seems safer on my head, the way things are going around here."

Bette Davis is "That Certain Woman" in the 1937 movie of the same name. It is a complicated plot and at one point even her maid doesn't know what is going on. Her hat just seems safer on her head. Hats were such a symbol for being dressed and so she is ready for whatever is next. They can be a comfort at certain times because of this.

The movies of the 1930's are the best for hat and clothes watching. Usually lots of the latest fashions and many costume changes. I could watch Bette Davis in anything, and she was so young in the 30's. But already had her signature moves. That particular way of walking, hips first, the upwards glance with her big eyes. And she really looked great in hats and clothes.

Chicken paired with classic vegetables is always a comfort meal. You know what to expect, but it always satisfies. Like watching a classic Bette Davis movie.

Comfort Chicken

serves 2 people

3 big chicken thighs, poached in aromatics and cut into bite size pieces; set aside
6 small potatoes, boiled whole, mixed with 1 tbs. butter, 2 tbs. chopped parsley and 1/2 tsp. sea salt; set aside
1 tbs. butter
1 tbs. olive oil
1 small fennel bulb, sliced
10 baby carrots, halved lengthwise
1/4 cup frozen peas
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 tbs. chopped fennel fronds
salt to taste

Melt the butter with the olive oil, sauté the fennel until it starts to caramelize, add the carrots and continue to cook until they are tender. Add the cooked chicken, peas and heavy cream and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for 3-4 minutes until the cream thickens a little. Remove from the heat and stir in the fennel fronds and salt to taste.

Serve with the boiled potatoes.

Comfort chicken and 'that certain woman'...always good.

To see my latest hat creations, visit this link:
Zazu & Violets' hats

Sydney and Salad Niçoise

2011-05-16T15:12:00.000-07:00

"You are so talented. I had a friend like you. She could put three dried up apple cores on a plate and make it look good."

I was talking to my neighbor's mother. She was visiting and had just looked in the window of my hat shop which was in the neighborhood. As she was telling me how pretty the shop was and paying me this lovely, kooky compliment, I was arranging apple cores on a plate in my head.

Thank goodness I had a knack for arranging things. Making hats is all about that. It has certainly helped in my creative path. It is also true with food. Presentation is so important, we all know we eat with our eyes first. One of my favorite quotes is. "Sometimes I see a plate of food and think it might be better as a hat." Sometimes I guess you can go too far with the arranging, or at least at that point, stick to a hat.

One dish that is a bit of arranging is a Salad Niçoise. The best salad bargain in my city is at Saul's Delicatessen. A base of organic baby lettuces, topped with asparagus, beets, potato, hard-boiled egg and barely grilled tuna. And a lovely herb dressing drizzled over. You can make your own version with your favorite foods. This is my latest.

Salad Nisçoise

Serves 2 people

2 big handfuls of mixed greens
3 tbs. olive oil
juice and zest of a small lemon
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 lb. asparagus
6 small potatoes
1 1/2 lbs. fava beans, blanched and peeled
3 slices of cooked ham, cubed

Herb Dressing; blend all ingredients together in a mortar and pestle.

1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
1 tsp. finely chopped parsley
1 tsp. finely chopped marjoram
1/2 tsp. salt
3 tbs. olive oil
squeeze of lemon

Wash and spin dry the lettuces. Whisk together together the olive oil, lemon zest and juice. Keep chilled while you prepare the vegetables.

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Trim the ends of the asparagus and peel the bottom half of the stalk with a vegetable peeler. Arrange on half of a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil and a little salt. On the other half, do the same with the potatoes. Bake until tender. The asparagus will be done in 10-12 minutes. Remove from the pan and stir the potatoes. Bake the potatoes until browned, another 10-15 minutes.

Sauté the ham with the fava beans in 1 tbs. butter and 2 tbs. water. Cook for 5 minutes until the liquid is gone.

To assemble the salad, toss together the lettuces and lemon juice dressing. Arrange on 2 plates. Garnish with a pile each of the asparagus and potatoes, spoon over the ham and fava beans. Drizzle the Herb Dressing over the vegetables.

Be creative with this salad. All it needs is a little arranging.

To see my latest hat creations, visit this link:
Zazu & Violets' hats

Chanel and Asparagus Soup

2011-05-13T12:45:00.000-07:00

"Once more, Chanel stands apart from the crowd by virtue of the astonishing simplicity of her attire, an almost masculine tailleur made of white linen, completely unadorned by jewelry. No less spare is the hat, with its relatively discreet brim and its utter lack of 'garnish'." Edmonde Charles-Roux, Chanel and Her World.

Coco Chanel lived in the right time for her designs. Women were becoming more independent, wanting the right to vote and to earn their own living. Consequently, they needed to be free of restrictive clothing like corsets, hobble skirts and elaborate hats. Chanel was unconventional and independent, and much influenced by the ease of some menswear, hence adopting the style into her own wardrobe.

Simplicity was and is the key. Nothing is simpler, yet celebrates the essence of a vegetable more than asparagus soup. Serve this soup with fried rice tortilla wedges, topped with melted cheese and fresh thyme leaves.

Asparagus Soup

serves 2 people

1 lb. asparagus
2 tbs. butter
2 tbs. olive oil
1 tbs. fresh thyme leaves
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup white wine
2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1/4 cup heavy cream

Trim the ends of the asparagus. Peel the bottom half of the stalks with a vegetable peeler, cut into 1" pieces. Melt the butter in a small soup pot, add the asparagus, thyme leaves and salt. Sauté for about 10 minutes until the asparagus is tender. Add the white wine and simmer for 5 minutes, add the stock and simmer for 10 more minutes. Remove from heat and blend with an immersion blender. Return to the heat, add the cream and gently simmer until the soup is thickened, about 4-5 minutes.

Fry some rice tortilla wedges in olive oil until golden, drain and arrange on a baking sheet. top with a melting cheese and sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves. Put under a broiler or in a hot oven until the cheese is bubbly.

I think Coco Chanel would have enjoyed this simple asparagus soup, sitting in a garden in the Spring, wearing white linen.

To see my latest hat creations, visit this link:
Zazu & Violets' hats

Paul Morand and Prawn Scampi

2011-05-10T17:52:00.000-07:00

During the beautiful weather of June 1914 Paul Morand, a friend of Coco Chanel, noticed ladies fishing for prawns wearing "a boater embellished with Chantilly violets."

This is when Chanel saw an opportunity for change, and it seemed possible that women might be persuaded to go bathing. She borrowed the knit material of a man's sweater and fashioned a bathing suit. Instead of wading wearing your clothes and a boater.

But whatever they were wearing, how did these ladies prepare the prawns they had been fishing for. If they were big prawns I would definitely make scampi.

Prawn Scampi

serves 2 people

1 lb. prawns, cleaned, de-veined, leave tail attached
1 cup dry white wine
2 tbs. tarragon butter (combine 1 tbs. chopped tarragon with softened butter and 1/2 tsp. salt)
2 tbs. chopped parsley

Pre-heat the oven to 500 degrees

Cut the prawns from just below the tail in half. Flip the halves of the body around and wrap them around the tail so it stands up. Place in a shallow baking dish. Pour over the wine, dot with the tarragon butter and bake in the hot oven for 5-6 minutes until the prawns are pink and cooked.

Remove the prawn scampi from the oven and sprinkle with the parsley. Serve with crispy, buttery, gluten free toasts and a green salad.

Save your boater trimmed with Chantilly violets for a walk in the park.

To see my latest hat creations, visit this link:
Zazu & Violets' hats

Tuppence and A Bowl of Mussels

2011-05-09T17:37:00.000-07:00

"It couldn't have been a woman who killed him. No one uses hat pins these days. Hats pull on!"

Tommy and Tuppence were characters created by Agatha Christie. They inherited a detective agency in the 1920's and they were determined to successfully solve crimes. Of course Tuppence was talking about a cloche, very popular at that time, (and today), and very fitted to the head. This crime was committed with a hat pin, and as Tuppence said, women did not use hat pins to keep their hats on any more. Thus, if it was used to implicate a woman, she was not a fashionable one.

They were such a great couple; chic, interesting, attractive and very happy together. They would have enjoyed sharing this delicious big bowl of mussels for two.

A Bowl of Mussels for Two

2 lbs. mussels, cleaned and checked. Throw away any that don't close as you are handling them.
1 small fennel bulb, sliced thin 1/2 tsp. salt
2 tbs. olive oil
2 tbs. butter
2 cups white wine
2 tbs. chopped fennel fronds
2 tbs. chopped parsley
2 tbs. basil, cut into a chiffonade
juice of a lemon
Buttery toasts made from gluten-free bread

Melt the olive oil and butter in a dutch oven. Sauté the fennel until it softens and starts to caramelize, add the salt and the white wine. Cook for 5 minutes to reduce the wine a little. Add the mussels and clamp on the lid. Steam for 5-7 minutes until the mussels have opened. Strew the fennel fronds, parsley, and basil over the mussels, squeeze over the lemon juice and give it a big stir.

Eat the mussels with the buttery toasts dipped in the broth. Discard any that have not opened. Perfect after a hard day of sleuthing.

To see my latest hat creations, visit this link:
Zazu & Violets' hats

Young Chanel and a Ploughman's Lunch

2011-05-06T18:08:00.000-07:00

"And what about the hats? It was grotesque, how could a brain function normally under all that?"

This was the opinion of the young, new to millinery, Coco Chanel, of the monumental, overloaded, headache-producing "lids" that women were wearing at the time. Not only the hats, but all the clothing was over done, restrictive and uncomfortable to wear. No wonder women were considered delicate, their clothing sapped all of their energy.

That is one reason Chanel moved away from corsets, hobble skirts and elaborate hats. She was active and fond of the outdoors. She could be very happy in the country. A good day would be a long walk and a typical ploughman's lunch.

Ploughman's Lunch

for 2 people

2 apples
4 oz. English sharp cheddar cheese
handful of gherkins
portion of pickled vegetables
gluten-free buttermilk biscuits, or bread
2 tbs. butter
beverage of choice

Take a hike, find a nice quiet spot, preferably with a view. Spread your simple fare on a big gingham napkin and nibble away. Wear comfortable clothes and a hat that lets your brain function normally.

To see my latest hat creations, visit this link:
Zazu & Violets' hats

A Hat Rack and Tea Shorbread Cookies

2011-05-05T18:15:00.000-07:00

"He's not just a hat rack."

The hat quotes come from all different places. Movies I see, books I read, research, and personal experience. This one was from an unlikely source. One that I don't usually pay attention to, but is often within hearing. Especially during the playoffs.

Yes, you guessed it, basketball. Half time commentary. This statement was made by Charles Barkley, who has a particular voice and way of talking. Sometimes I can't help listening to him and my ears always perk up at the word hat. I had to have my husband explain this one to me.

It means you are smart. There is substance under that place you hang your hat. You have a brain. So if your guy is not just a hat rack, bake these tea shortbread cookies, sit down and have a nice intelligent conversation. Not about basketball.

Tea Shortbread Cookies

Makes 24 cookies

2 cups all-purpose gluten free flour
1/2 tsp. xanthan gum
2 tbs. fragrant loose tea
16 oz. (2 sticks) butter at room temperature
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees

Mix together the flour, xanthan gum and loose tea. Set aside. In a mixer, cream together butter,sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. Slowly add the flour mixture until completely incorporated. Using a 1 oz. scoop, drop the cookies onto an un- greased baking sheet about 2" apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes until just starting to color.

These tea cookies are also a lovely treat at a tea party with your friends. Make it a hat event!

To see my latest hat creations, visit this link:
Zazu & Violets' hats

True Torture and Baby Biscuits

2011-05-04T16:34:00.000-07:00

"It is true torture for a woman to put her in a room full of hats and no mirror."

I overheard this comment at a Garden Party Sale I had recently. No, I did not torture them, there were many mirrors. You need a mirror when you try on hats. Where else can you make your hat face. Some women cock their heads to the side, some purse their lips, and my favorite, the sucked in cheeks.

The garden was a lovely place to try on hats. There was natural light, feedback from other ladies in hats, and baby biscuits with proscioutto.

Baby Biscuits

serves 8-10 dainty eaters

1 cup gluten free flour
1 cup rice flour
1 1/2 tsp, xanthan gum
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
7 tablespoons very cold butter
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
4 oz. proscioutto

Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees

Sift flours, xanthan gum, baking powder, and salt together in a mixing bowl. Cut the butter into 1/2 inch pieces and add to the flour mixture. Blend with your hands until it resembles coarse meal. Do not over blend. Make a well and pour in the buttermilk. With a wooden spoon, mix the flour into the buttermilk just enough to blend into a rough looking dough. Butter a cookie sheet. Drop teaspoon size balls of the dough onto the cookie sheet. Bake in the hot oven for 8-10 minutes until the biscuits are browned.

Cool slightly, cut in half, spread with a little softened butter, add a slice of prosciutto to make a baby biscuit sandwich. Serve with hats and tea.

To see my latest hat creations, visit this link:
Zazu & Violets' hats

Under Your Hat and Chicken Bites

2011-05-02T17:48:00.000-07:00

"The greatest underdeveloped territory in the world lies under your hat."

It sure does, that is if you are wearing a hat. Another good reason to wear a hat. So we can identify all that underdeveloped territory. We are always learning, always growing. Like a shark, keep moving forward.

You never know about the future, even the immediate future. I had an idea for dinner, wok-fried chicken and broccolini. So after a long day in the veggie garden, I asked my husband to cut up the chicken and marinate it in lemon juice while I got cleaned up. Because he cut it into very small bite size pieces I thought fried chicken bites. No more stir-fry. The wok is excellent for deep frying, you don't need much oil if you only fry a few pieces at a time.

Gluten-free Chicken Bites

serves 3-4

4-5 chicken thighs, cut into 1" cubes
juice of 2 lemons
1 cup rice flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup olive oil

Marinate the chicken in the lemon juice for 1 hour. Remove with tongs and drop into the flour and salt. Coat all sides of the chicken and put in the fridge for 1/2 hour.

Pre-heat the oven to 300 degrees.

Heat the oil in a wok. When it is hot, drop the chicken in one at a time, not crowding the pieces. Fry until golden, turning to brown all sides. Remove to a platter in the warm oven and fry all the rest of the chicken.

Sprinkle the chicken with salt and chopped cilantro or parsley. Serve with your favorite dipping sauces and a salad. I make nayonaise with lemon, capers and cilantro for me, and a hot ketchup for my husband.

Never be afraid of a new idea or new territory. Develop it!

To see my latest hat creations, visit this link:
Zazu & Violets' hats

Confidence and Smoked Trout Salad

2011-04-29T13:36:00.000-07:00

"The most important thing about wearing a hat is to have confidence."

After seeing the spectacle of the Royal Wedding, I have to say that there are a lot of British women with confidence. They certainly explored the whimsy of what a hat can be. I loved it all. As one of my millinery colleagues stated, "I am in hat heaven."

And what a beautiful bride. So simple, the lovely lace, the hair down, and the understated tiara. So poised, such a ready, happy smile. And what a lot of people celebrating this event. So many of them wearing hats.

All this attention to hats has inspired me and I think a lot of other women who may re-think the idea of marking an occasion by wearing a hat. I have worn a hat to every wedding I have ever been to, including my own. And after seeing the artistry in some of the creations being worn at the Royal Wedding, I am excited about my next projects.

I am also excited about the smoked trout salad I made for lunch last week. This was after a visit to the fish store, and not being able to resist their smoked trout.

Smoked Trout Salad

serves 2 people

1/2 lb. smoked trout
2 big handfuls mixed baby greens
1/2 small fennel bulb, sliced very thin
2 tbs. parsley leaves
1 pink grapefruit
2 tbs. olive oil
sea salt

Remove the trout skin and break up the fish into bite size pieces. Arrange the baby lettuces in a layer on a platter. Distribute the trout, fennel slices and parsley on top. Supreme the grapefruit over the salad, squeeze over all the remaining juice. Drizzle with the olive oil, add a sprinkle of sea salt.

Simple, understated, elegant and refreshing...a little like the beautiful bride. And a perfect, romantic light lunch for two. In honor of Will & Kate.

To see my latest hat creations, visit this link:
Zazu & Violets' hats

Today's Fashion and Sorrel Risotto

2011-04-28T16:46:00.000-07:00

"What I find charming are the girls who shop the thrift stores and wear hats from the 60's, let's say, and they wear them with today's fashions."

That has always been my goal. To draw inspiration from the past and make a hat that looks current today. I like hats from all eras, I have even begun to appreciate the 50's. Particularly when they can be integrated into fashion today. The cloche style from the late 20's is a perfect example. It will make a jacket look retro, or like an experience I had today, it transformed one of my young customers. She was wearing a simple black sun-dress. With the hat she became a 1920's flapper.

I do like the big headbands from the 1950's. Especially covered in flowers. My inspration for Fall 2011.

The herb, sorrel, has been a new inspiration for me in the kitchen. My little herb patch is starting to do well and the sorrel plant is big enough to use the leaves in many new ways. I recently used it as part of the base for pizzas. That was yummy. And it is wonderful melted into rissotto.

Sorrel Rissotto

serves 2 people

2 tbs. butter
1 shallot, diced
1 cup Arborio rice, or try Lotus Foods Jade Rice
1/2 cup white wine
2 1/2 cups chicken stock, heated
1/4 cup sorrel leaves, cut into a chiffonade
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmagiano-Reggiano
salt to taste
squeeze of lemon

Melt the butter in a shallow straight sided sauce pan (about 4-5" high). Sauté the shallot until soft, add the rice and toast in the butter with the shallot. De-glaze with the white wine and stir. When the wine is absorbed, start adding the hot stock, a ladle at a time, stirring each time. When all the stock has been absorbed, add the sorrel and the cheese. Stir. Salt to taste, squeeze over lemon juice, cover and let sit for 15 minutes.

Serve the sorrel rissotto with a little more cheese, more lemon, a drizzle of olive oil and a green salad. One inspiration for a tasty risotto.

To see my latest hat creations, visit this link:
Zazu & Violets' hats

Philip Treacy and Meat loaf

2011-04-27T15:25:00.000-07:00

"Well the British have an in-built understanding of the hats I make. My customers are very conservative, but they think my hats are normal."

Most people would not consider the hats of Philip Treacy normal. He is in my opinion the most talented milliner in the world. The Royal family agrees because he is making hats for members of the wedding party. His hats are artistic, sculptural, and instantly recognizable.

I am surprised that he says his customers are conservative. But he is right about the British understanding hats. They have not ever just dismissed them. They know that hats have a part to play in many different occasions and they help create the memories based on what you wore.

Surprisingly when I visited London last fall, it was the young men who were all wearing hats casually. The ladies all preferred dressing up head to toe for an event.

Meat loaf is a very conservative dish and decidedly not British. I like a very classic meat loaf. All American and unchanged from the 1950's version.

Meat Loaf

serves 2-3 people

1 lb. grass fed ground beef
1 small fennel bulb, diced and sautéd in olive oil
1 tbs. chopped marjoram
1 tbs. chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 tbs. chopped fennel fronds
2 tbs. chopped parsley
1/2 cup gluten free bread crumbs, soaked in 1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup gluten free oats
1 tsp. salt

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Combine all ingredients until well mixed, form into a loaf and fit into a bread loaf pan big enough to add sliced carrots and potatoes around the meat loaf.

Make a bell pepper sauce by roasting, peeling and pureeing one red pepper with 1 tbs. honey. Make a little dent lengthwise on top of the meat loaf and spoon the sauce over. Drizzle the potatoes and carrots with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and a little ground cumin.

Bake for 1 hour, remove the meat loaf, stir the vegetables and return to the oven for 15 minutes while the meat is resting.

Serve with a green salad and creme fraiche dressing.

Conservative, and normal...like a Philip Treacy hat?

To see my latest hat creations, visit this link:
Zazu & Violets' hats

Cherry on Top and Jam Pasties

2011-04-26T15:59:00.000-07:00

"Forget the dress. It's all about the cherry on top: the hat."

Start with the hat. Then work your way down. The oufit will follow. It doesn't have to be too matchy-matchy, in fact it shouldn't. More important to get an era, or a particular genre right. Just think of the hat as that pop of color, like the cherry on the top.

With it's sweet treat hidden inside, a jam pastie is the opposite of a cherry on top. Inside a tender crust is a bite of your favorite jam. Unexpected and sweetly delicious. More subtle than your hat.

Jam Pasties

makes 12-15 pasties

Gluten-free Cream Cheese Dough

1 stick, 4 oz. butter, room temperature
4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup gluten-free, brown rice flour
3/4 tsp, xanthan gum
1/2 tsp. salt

Your favorite jams for filling

In a mixer, cream together the butter, cream cheese and sugar. Add the flour, xanthan gum and salt and mix until it forms a ball. Take out of the mixing bowl and form into a disk. Wrap in cling film and chill for 30 minutes in the fridge.

Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees

Preferably working on a marble or very cold surface, roll out the dough to 1/4" thick, using a bit of flour to keep from sticking. The dough is quite tender. Using the fluted side of a 3 1/2" biscuit cutter, cut out as many rounds as you can. Keep rolling the scraps and cutting disks until you run out of dough.

Fill each disk with 1 scant tsp. jam. Moisten half the edge with a little water and fold over into a half moon shape. Press the edges together and seal. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes until the edges are lightly browned. Remove to a rack to cool. Dust with powdered sugar before eating.

You can have your hat: the cherry on top and jam pasties too. Forget the dress.

To see my latest hat creations, visit this link:
Zazu & Violets' hats

Tradition and Chard Stem Gratin

2011-04-25T17:09:00.000-07:00

"You have to wear a hat because it's tradition. That's what England's about."

No one goes to a wedding in England without wearing a hat. It is tradition. That is what is so exciting about the Royal Wedding. So many hats! And although certain things have progressed, like who will obey who, hats are a big part of the event. Everyone knows who the milliner for the Royal wedding is, not even the dress has gotten so much publicity.

I just saw the Royal milliner, Philip Treacy, meet with Barbara Walters and again she commented that American women don't wear hats. The last time I heard her say it was on the national T.V. show, The View. At that time I contacted the show and Whoopi Goldberg wore hats for a week in support of millinery in America. Now what little respect I had for Ms. Walters is gone. I had appealed to her sense of fairness when I told her there are working milliners in America and her opinion could affect our business welfare if she makes such comments. But apparently she clings to the idea and continues with her negative hat vibe.

Along with the established tradition of wearing hats, I have a new tradition in my house. Whenever I cook chard, I save the stems for chard stem gratin. One of the most delectable side dishes ever.

Chard Stem Gratin

Serves 3-4

Stems from two bunches of Rainbow Chard
4 oz. diced pancetta
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/4 cup heavy cream
salt
1/2 cup grated Parmagiano Reggiano

Pre-heat the oven to 450 degrees.

Pull the stings off the chard stems and cut into 4" pieces. The yellow chard needs more cleaning than the red. Boil them in salted water for 10-12 minutes until tender, place in a small baking dish.
Sauté the pancetta in a little olive oil until crispy. Scatter it over the chard. Sprinkle on the parsley and pour the cream over. Salt lightly. Bake in the hot oven for 20 minutes, sprinkle on the Parmagiano-Reggiano and bake another 10 minutes until golden and bubbly.

Serve with any meat, chicken or fish.

Two traditions, one old, one new. Hats and chard stem gratin.

To see my latest hat creations, visit this link:
Zazu & Violets' hats

Sherlock Holmes and Fried Chicken

2011-04-22T17:20:00.000-07:00

"You see that girl under the tree, with the occasional hat. What is she looking for?"
"Her dog."
"Isn't she attractive?"

Attractive was Sherlock Holmes most effusive compliment for a woman. But what is an occasional hat? For an occasion? Do you wear it occasionally? It was trimmed with a very pretty ribbon and Mr. Holmes certainly noticed it, and her. The girl was fairly young and the hat was straw, shaped like a boater. Not too fancy, but festive.

One thing I only do once in a while is fry chicken. It does make a bit of a mess, so it is an occasional occurrence. But like the hat, it is not too fancy, but festive. It has a crunchy, light, gluten free crust made with rice flour.

Fried Chicken

serves 4-6

6 chicken drumsticks
6 bone-in chicken thighs
2-3 cups buttermilk
1 1/2 cups gluten free flour
1 1/2 cups rice flour
2 tbs. paprika
1 tbs. salt
4 cups grape seed oil for frying

Put the chicken pieces in a casserole dish in a single layer, cover with the buttermilk. Cover with cling film and marinate in the fridge for 3-4 hours, turning a couple of times in the buttermilk.

Heat the oil in a high sided cast-iron pot, or small dutch oven to 350 degrees.

In a shallow baker, mix together the flours, paprika and salt. Dredge the buttermilk soaked chicken pieces in the flour mixture one at a time and gently lay in the hot oil. In my pot I can fry three pieces at a time. Fry for 12 minutes turning so they brown evenly. Keep the oil at a low boil. Remove to a platter lined with parchment paper in a warm oven while you fry all the chicken. Sprinkle with sea salt.

Serve with any of your favorite side dishes. We just had it with a green salad, and some of those crunchy bits became croutons.

The occasional hat and the occasional fried chicken; always special.

To see my latest hat creations, visit this link:
Zazu & Violets' hats

Hat and Gloves and a Pear Tart

2011-04-21T17:34:00.000-07:00

"Complete with hat and gloves."

That is an old saying. It meant that you were completely dressed, ready for anything. You looked appropriate for any occasion and there were definitely rules for proper attire. Although I love wearing hats, I am glad that the rules have changed.

Last season I also made fingerless gloves. I used a pattern from the 1940's and altered it for modern needs. It is not practical to wear gloves with fingers, they get in the way of all of today's transactions. These gloves still make you look dressed and finish an outfit. They will compliment a hat, and keep alive that old sentiment about being completely dressed.

Like dinner with dessert. I don't often plan dessert unless we are having guests. It just seems like the right time to have it. There needs to be a finish to the meal at a dinner party and it wouldn't be complete without dessert. And that might be a pear tart. A little like the hat and gloves. The right finish.

Pear Tart

tart shell: makes 1-9" tart

1 cup gluten free flour
3/4 tsp. xanthan gum
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
4 oz. butter cut into cubes
2 tbs. vegetable shortening
1/4 cup ice water

Sift together the flour, xanthan gum, sugar and salt. Blend in the butter and shortening using a pastry blender. Using your fingers, smooth out the bits of butter and shortening. Make a well and sprinkle in the ice water. Gather the dough together. Dump it out onto a cool surface and work it into a disk. A marble surface makes this much easier. Blend the flour and butter until it starts to look smooth and comes together. Wrap the disk in cling film and chill for 1 hour.

Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees. Roll out the tart shell and fit it into the pan. Line with parchment and fill with beans. Pre-bake for 12 minutes, remove the beans and paper, bake for 12-15 more minutes until browned and done. Let cool completely before filling.

Poached Pears and Filling

3 slightly under ripe Bosc pears, peeled
1 1/2 cups white wine
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup sugar
zest and juice of 1 lemon

In a small saucepan, combine the wine, water, sugar and lemon and heat until the sugar is dissolved. Lay in the pears, cover and gently poach for 45 minutes. Remove the pears to cool and boil down the liquid into a syrup. When the pears are cool, cut in half, remove the seeds and stringy middle and thinly slice lengthwise. Keep the halves intact, you will fan them out on the tart.

Filling

8 oz. marscapone cheese
2 tbs. heavy cream
2 tbs. superfine sugar
zest of one lemon

Thin the cheese with the cream and fold in the lemon zest. Spread on the bottom of the cooled tart shell. Fan the pears around the shell on top of the filling, making a flower design, and drizzle with the thick syrup. Chill for at least an hour before serving.

An elegant finishing touch to your meal. Just like a hat and gloves!

To see my latest hat creations, visit this link:
Zazu & Violets' hats

A Wedding and Rainbow Chard

2011-04-20T17:41:00.000-07:00

"Now of course, nobody would even consider going to a U.K. wedding withouut some kind of a head covering, whether it's a large brimmed hat or the new more popular little fascinators."

Nineteen hundred people are attending the Royal Wedding. About half will be women in hats? What a lot of choices for the most delicious hat. Say nine hundred, still a lot of hats. That is four hundred more than Bartholemew Cubbins of the Five Hundred Hats.

I am feeling the hat energy this year, there is a less resistance to hats. They are getting a lot of attention and the art of millinery has been reborn. For a "Fascinator", there are lots of charming examples for sale on Etsy. I have been exploring hats with bigger brims. Nothing like wearing a big hat to an occasion, you are under the hat. Delicious.

When I think of Rainbow Swiss Chard, I think delicious. Never bitter, so good for you, grows like a weed, add it to all meatballs, spaghetti sauce, chicken soups, beans, etc. My favorite cooking method is a sauté in a small dutch oven.

Rainbow Chard

serves 2-3 people

2 big bunches rainbow chard, washed, greens stripped from stems with a knife and chopped. (Save chard stems for a gratin)
3 tbs. olive oil
2 tbs. butter
salt
1/4 cup heavy cream

Heat the olive oil and butter and start to layer in the chard. Stir as it wilts, cover and add more chard as it cooks down. When the chard is all wilted and cooked, add the cream and cook until thickened.

Serve over rice. Add cooked chicken at the end for a heartier meal.

Big Hat, Rainbow Chard, both delicious.

To see my latest hat creations, visit this link:
Zazu & Violets' hats

An Expensive Hat and Potato Fennel Gratin

2011-04-19T17:20:00.000-07:00

"The first thing needed in wearing a hat is confidence. Another good rule of thumb is that it pays to get an expensive hat.

I know that sounds crazy, but be prepared to spend several hundred dollars and get a hat that you absolutely love, a well-made hat, and keep your entire silhouette in mind."

Again, more great advice from Norma Shephard, director of the Mobile Millinery Museum. An expensive hat, especially if it has been made for you, will be the most flattering, because it will fit perfectly and everything will have been considered. And it will look expensive. You will feel beautiful and be complimented every time you wear it.

Of course, you may have to eat potatoes for a week after investing in the hat. One inexpensive and tasty dish is potato and fennel gratin. I put only fresh goat cheese in the bechamel sauce, so it is light for a potato dish.

Potato Fennel Gratin

serves 4 people

3 med-large russet potatoes, scrubbed and sliced 1/4" thick on a mandolin.
1 small fennel bulb, sliced thin
2 tbs. olive oil
4 tbs. butter
3 tbs. rice flour
2 cups milk
4 oz. fresh goat cheese, mixed with zest and juice of 1 lemon, 2 tbs. olive oil, 1 tbs. chopped thyme leaves and a pinch of sea salt
2 tbs. chopped fennel fronds
1 cup freshly grated Parmagiano Reggiano

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees

Boil the potato slices in salted water for 5 minutes until they start to feel tender. Drain and set aside to cool.

Sauté the sliced fennel in the olive oil and 2 tbs. butter over a medium flame, cover to wilt, when soft, turn up the heat and cook until caramelized, stirring frequently.

Butter a ceramic baking dish. Put a layer of overlapping potatoes in the bottom of the dish, lightly salt. Spread over half of the fennel. Another layer of potato, rest of the fennel and the last potato layer.

Make a bechamel sauce by cooking together the flour and 2 tbs. of butter for a couple of minutes in a small saucepan. Add the milk and whisk frequently until the sauce thickens. When it coats the spoon, turn off the heat and add the goat cheese mixture. Stir until it melts, pour over the potatoes. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes, uncover, sprinkle on the Paramagiano Reggiano. Bake for another 15-20 minutes until golden browned and bubbly.

Let cool a bit before serving with some pea shoots, roasted peppers or a green salad. It doesn't look or taste like an inexpensive meal.

To see my latest hat creations, visit this link:
Zazu & Violets' hats

Mobile Millinery and Chicken Thighs

2011-04-18T11:45:00.000-07:00

"The matchy-matchy thing is kind of history. I think a great contrast or compliment is the way to go. Think of yourself as a work of art and the hat is a crowning glory."

This is what I have been saying to customers all along. A hat is the one accessory that really gets noticed and you can wear it to compliment many different outfits. This bit of advice that I heartily agree with, is from Norma Shephard, the founder and director of The Mobile Hat Museum in England.

The Mobile Hat Museum has over 2,500 historical hats in its collection. They take the hats into the community for retrospective millinery fashion shows and do installations in museums and at other locations. They now have a series of royal wedding teas scheduled leading up to the big day. Come on ladies, we can have a tea and wear hats in honor of the Royal Wedding!

Like a good hat is the star of my wardrobe, the stars in my kitchen these days are chicken thighs. You can prepare them in as many different ways as you can wear a good hat. A very delicate flavor is achieved with a white wine sauce.

Chicken Thighs braised in White Wine

serves 2-3 people

6 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs
2 tbs. olive oil
2 tbs. butter
1 small fennel bulb, halved and sliced thin
5 baby carrots, cut into coins
2 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken stock

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels so they will brown nicely. Heat the olive oil and butter in a dutch oven big enough to hold the thighs in one layer. Sauté the thighs skin side down until the skin is crispy and browned and releases form the pot. Turn over and brown the other side, remove to a plate.

Sauté the sliced fennel in the hot drippings until translucent, add the carrots and cook for 5 minutes, add the potatoes and cook until everything looks slightly caramelized, stirring regularly. De-glaze the pan with the white wine and stir until all the bits are released from the bottom of the pot. Place the chicken, skin side up on top of the vegetables. Pour the chicken stock around, not over the chicken. The liquid should only come half way up the chicken. Bring to a simmer, cover and put in the pre-heated oven for 20 minutes.

Remove the chicken and vegetables to a platter with a slotted spoon and cover with foil to keep warm. Boil down the liquid in the pot until it is a thick gravy.

Serve with buttermilk biscuits and a green salad. And don't forget to plan an event where you can wear your hats!

To see my latest hat creations, visit this link:
Zazu & Violets' hats

Hang your Hat and Stuffed Peppers

2011-04-14T17:35:00.000-07:00

"Don't hang your hat higher than you can reach."

Is this possible? Or is this a metaphor for staying where you are within your capabilities. I know my capabilities and limitations, but I do try to hang my hat just a little higher all the time. Take writing. I don't use nearly as many commas as I used to and I am not afraid of short sentences.

Hat making is an ongoing process of practice makes perfect, then on to the next challenging technique. Metaphorically speaking I hang each hat a little higher than the previous one. Soon I will need a chair to get my hat!

So don't hang your hat too high and don't pass up three organic (red, yellow and orange), bell peppers for $3.29. It changed my whole menu. I had gotten grass fed beef and a little ground pork to make meatballs, but half of that ended up mixed with rice and stuffed in those peppers. I just made a smaller batch of meatballs.

Stuffed Peppers

serves 3-4

3 bell peppers, cut in half, seeded and par-boiled in salted water for 7-8 minutes
3/4 cup red rice, cooked in 1 cup water, fluffed and cooled
1 small zucchini diced
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmegiano-Reggiano
1 tsp. chopped fresh marjoram
1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
2 tsp. fresh chopped parsley
1/2 lb. grass fed beef
1/4 lb. ground pork
1 tsp. salt

Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees

Drizzle a little olive oil in a baking dish and arrange the pepper halves in it, cut side up. Mix together all the other ingredients for the filling. Stuff each pepper with filling mounding it until all the filling is used. Pour a cup of chicken stock around the peppers, cover loosely with foil and bake for 1 hour, basting every 20 minutes. Uncover, top with a mixture of gluten free bread crumbs and freshly grated Parmigiano- Reggiano, drizzle with olive oil and bake another 20 minutes until the crust is golden.

To see my latest hat creations, visit this link:
Zazu & Violets' hats

Your Future and Crusty True Cod

2011-04-13T13:40:00.000-07:00

"All your future lies beneath your hat." John Oldham

That's a pretty good way of saying that. You control your own destiny when you use your brain. A lot can go on under that hat. Creative thinking, practical thinking, planning, dreaming, wondering, knowing...

I know life is easier for me when I take time to contemplate things. Sometimes you just can't push the universe. But you can sometimes find a way forward by thoughtful thinking. Looking at all sides, looking under your hat. And by wearing your hat. If your head is protected and you happen to look fabulous, all the better.

So what is the future of that fresh cod I just bought at Monterey Fish Co? It is best beneath a coating of my new favorite substitute for bread crumbs, instant mashed potato flakes. A delicious, gluten free, crusty substitute.

Crusty True Cod

serves 2

2 bell peppers; 1-red, 1-orange

3/4 lb. true cod, de-boned and cut into 2 pieces
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup plain mashed potato flakes (Whole Foods 365 brand)
3 tbs.olive oil
3 tbs. butter

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees

Seed and slice the bell peppers. Put in a baking dish, toss with a little olive oil and salt, roast in the oven for 35-45 minutes until soft and caramelized. Set aside.

Marinate the fish in the buttermilk for 10 minutes. Dredge in the potato flakes until thoroughly coated and set on a plate in the fridge for 15 minutes to set the crust.

Heat the olive oil and butter in a sauté pan. When the oil is HOT, gently lay in the cod. Cook for about 4 minutes on the first side until the crust is golden. Turn over and finish cooking, another 4-5 minutes.

Serve with the bell peppers on top and a side of mixed vegetables, like steamed baby turnips, carrots and peas. This dish is so fresh, the potato crust is so crunchy, and the bell peppers add just the right sweetness.

Here's to Crusty Cod and the future.

To see my latest hat creations, visit this link:
Zazu & Violets' hats

Steven Tyler and Rice Flour Tortillas

2011-04-12T12:23:00.000-07:00

"I thought you were all hat and no cattle."

I just heard Steven Tyler say this to one of the contestants on the popular T.V. show, American Idol. The young man he was speaking to is a country style singer with a very deep tone to his voice. The song that prompted this comment showed that he was a more well rounded singer. He showed a bigger range and didn't just rely on the base notes.

I thought this was a very funny analogy. Steven Tyler is a funny man as well as a rock star. He is full of witticisms, kind of like a modern day Oscar Wilde. For him it proved there was substance wrapped up in the outside package, like a real cowboy who walks the walk, and isn't just wearing the hat.

Rice flour tortillas also make a good outside package to wrap up many different ingredients. The best ones I have tried are from Trader Joe's. They are made from brown rice and have a nice pliable texture. Only on one occasion did I come across a batch that was a little too brittle for what I had planned. So I changed the plan. We have had quesadillas, burritos, flautas and nachos. They steam well, you can deep fry them or fry them like a crepe.

Quesadillas

serves 3-4

4 brown rice flour tortillas
butter
2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, grated
guacamole: 2 avocados, smashed with juice of 1/2 a lime, 2 tbs. chopped cilantro, sea salt
creme fraiche, sour cream or goat yogurt
clover sprouts or micro greens.

Melt 1/2 tsp. butter in a crepe pan or cast iron skillet. Fry a tortilla on both sides until lightly golden. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of cheese on 1/2 of the tortilla, fold over and cook on both sides until crispy. Remove from pan and keep warm in the oven while you fry the other 3 quesadillas.

To serve, cut each quesadilla into 4 wedges, top with guacamole, cream of choice and sprouts. If you like it hot, sprinkle on a little hot sauce.

Burritos

serves 4 people

6-8 brown rice flour tortillas
1/2 small fennel bulb, diced
1 lb. ground grass fed beef
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tbs. chopped cilantro
2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, grated
guacamole, (recipe from quesadillas)
creme fraiche, sour cream or goat yogurt
clover sprouts or micro greens

Set up a steamer for the tortillas. A bamboo steamer big enough to fit the tortillas works well.

Fry the fennel in a little olive oil, add the beef, cumin and 1/2 tsp. salt. Cook until the meat is browned. Turn of heat and fold in the cilantro. Steam the tortillas one at a time and fill with the meat, cheese, a spoon of guacamole, cream and some sprouts or greens. Add hot sauce if you like. Roll up and eat.

Flautas (these won't work with dry tortillas)

serves 4

8 brown rice flour tortillas
4-5 chicken thighs, poached in stock, shredded
2 cups Monterey Jack cheese
2 tbs. chopped cilantro
guacamole
creme fraiche, sour cream or goat yogurt
clover sprouts or micro greens
grape seed oil for frying

For the filling, mix together the shredded chicken, cheese and cilantro. Season with a pinch of salt. Fill the torillas with a line of the mixture and roll into a cigar shape.

I use an oblong Le Creuset pot to fry in.

Pour about 1 1/2" of oil into your pot. Heat the oil until a piece of tortilla starts to fry when you drop it in. Carefully lay two of the filled tortillas in the hot oil at a time. Turn when the first side is golden brown. The rice tortillas fry very quickly. Remove to a heated platter in a warm oven and fry the rest.

Serve two flautas per person with all the toppings.

Nachos

serves 2-4

4 brown rice flour tortillas. cut into wedges
grape seed oil for frying
pinto or black beans, cooked and seasoned with a little salt, cumin and chopped cilantro.
shredded chicken or the cooked ground beef from the burritos
2 cups Monterey Jack cheese
creme fraiche, sour cream or goat yogurt
tomatillo sauce
pickled jalapeno peppers (optional)

Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees

Heat about 1 1/2" of oil in a small cast-iron skillet. Fry the tortilla wedges a few at a time on both sides until just golden. Remove to a paper towel to drain. Lightly salt. Arrange all the tortilla chips on a parchment lined baking sheet and top with the beans, meat and cheese. Bake in the hot oven for 10-15 minutes until the cheese is melted.

Serve on the parchment paper on a platter and top with the cream and tomatillo sauce. Dot with jalapeno peppers. Share family style.

Brown Rice Flour Tortillas. They are all hat with the cattle.

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Zazu & Violets' hats