Beers, Ales and Vacation related thoughts

Vacation.

It's been a stay-cation actually as we did not travel this year. If we had gone to Cedar Key (great place) we would have sat on the patio and read, waiting for the Tiki bar to open at 4:00. We would have also had some fantatsic seafood chowder at Tony's restaurant but.....we stayed home.

The good part of that was saving some cash as we had some unfortunate events occur on the forefront of vacay. Our pump in the above-ground drain field died which means - a new pump needed to be installed for $800. Nice. But, if you have lots of trees near your property then an above-ground drain field is what you will be faced with.

Then, poor Kobe stepped on something sharp at the local park - this resulted in a quick visit to the vet before they closed and extra medications. Poor little guy can't catch a break.



Good stuff is, we did a lot of what we would have done anyway at Cedar Key. We sat on the patio and read, sampled some new beers and ciders, smoked a brisket, went shooting one day, took a motorcycle ride another day...played and ate and drank and read!

The cider throw down was between Woodchuck Amber and Angry Orchard Crisp Apple. I liked them both but I prefered the Woodchuck overall. My other favorites are Woodpecker and Bulmers. We loved the Bulmers when we visited Ireland.



Some of the beers and ales we tried were Lazy Magnolia Southern Pecan and Laughing Skull amber ale.
The pecan beer was fantastic - VERY good. The skull ale we sipped and tossed down the sink. Hey, if you like the light ales maybe you would have enjoyed this one but we didn't.



Also in competition during the tasting week were Saison Dupont Belgian Farmhouse Ale and Ommegang Hennepin Farmhouse Saison



Pumpkin Ale from Buffalo Bill's Brewery and Milk Stout.



All that made me tired so I will tell you about the brisket next time. Previously I cooked one in the oven and it was tender and moist. Very good stuff. This time Doug smoked it over a 4 hour period. It was amazingly delicious!

I also have some nice photos of some rural walkabouts we did......It's been great. Reading, relaxing....

See ya later!

Nigella's Crustless Pizza is an easy hot lunch ♥

First off, thank you to Little Joy Factory for becoming a follower of my site!

I made this much earlier in the month but saved it for a Potluck dish at I ♥ Cooking Club. It was hard to wait because but it's so good and very easy. Anyone who knows me (or has been reading along for the last several years) gets my infatuation with Nigella’s recipes.



Sometimes I have to take a break because many of her recipes use lots of cream and high fat ingredients. Not all of her recipes are calorie laden; for sure we have had some great ones which are not belly busters……….but yeah…had to take a short break for a bit.

Her Crustless Pizza is more like a thick grilled cheese sandwich. It’s super easy and I had it out for a hot lunch in under 40 minutes. That is mostly hands off time as it bakes for 30 of those minutes.



Ingredients

1 egg
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
Salt
1 cup whole milk
Butter, for pie dish
1 cup grated Cheddar
2 ounces small chorizo or pepperoni slices, about 3/4-inch diameter, optional
Special equipment: 1 round ovenproof pie dish, 8 or 9 inches in diameter

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. In a small bowl, beat the egg with the flour, salt, to taste, and milk to make a smooth batter.

Butter a round ovenproof pie dish, then stir half the grated cheese into the batter, before pouring it into the dish.

Bake for 30 minutes. Take the dish out of the oven, sprinkle with the remaining cheese, and add the chorizo or pepperoni, if using, - or anything else - now, too. Return the dish to the oven and cook for another 2 or 3 minutes to make sure it's heated through.

Take it out of the oven and serve, cut into slices. Nigella suggests a green or tomato salad on the side. This turned out airy rather than pizza crust-like. It was good, ooey but I was left wanting just a little something else for lunch.

By the way, this goes well with Pumpkin Ale!



Leftover Note: Leftovers can be reheated the next day in a hot oven for 8 to 10 minutes, but sadly they won't be as nice as the first time around. Also, we demolished this between two of us, no leftovers that day.

This recipe is from Nigella Kitchen. Excellent cookbook, in my opinion.

Bonjour! May I take you to Provence and share some Pissaladière?

Welcome to Provence! I would love to greet you that way and actually be in Provence...welcoming you to our humble little abode in the French countryside.

Earlier this month I announced I would be hosting at Food 'n Flix for the movie A Good Year. My announcement post and much detail may be found HERE.

(If you would like a detailed book review of A Good Year, check out Novel Meals here).

The main character in the story, Max Skinner, takes a trip to Provence with the purpose of selling his newly inherited estate. The plan is a a quick visit and selling it as soon as possible. Then life slows for him as he is immersed in memories of his childhood, his uncle and French culture.

For my inspired dish I prepared a Pissaladière. It was served at Rousel's home:

“The lamb is always good and so is the salmon. They serve it with sorrel sauce. And you should try the pissaladiere.”



Pissaladière is a savory, Provencal onion tart layered with olives, anchovies, and herbs. Serve it cut into little rectangles for a fabulous appetizer.





Ingredients:

· 2 tablespoons butter
· 6 yellow onions, chopped
· 2 teaspoons demerara sugar (raw sugar)
· ¼ teaspoon salt
· ¼ teaspoon black pepper
· ½ teaspoon dried thyme
· 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
· 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
· 20 anchovy fillets
· 20 black olives in oil, drained
· 2 teaspoons olive oil
· 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and demerara sugar and sauté, stirring frequently, until the onions become tender and start to turn golden. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and thyme. Stir the mixture and transfer the skillet to the preheated oven. Cook for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are wilted, very soft, and are a medium gold throughout.

Add the vinegar during the last 5 minutes of cooking. Remove from the onions from the oven and set them aside while preparing the pastry for the pissaladiere. until they reach room temperature, and then serve.

Raise the oven temperature to 425F. Press the thawed pastry into a rectangle on a 12-inch by 18-inch baking sheet, building it up a bit around the edges. Spread the pastry with the onion confit, leaving 1 inch of dough uncovered around the edges of the pastry. Arrange the anchovy filets and olives on the pissaladière. Bake it for 15 to 25 minutes, until the pastry has puffed up, turned golden, and crisped.

Remove the pissaladière from the oven and sprinkle the olive oil and fresh thyme across the hot surface of the tart. Cut it into rectangles and serve very warm or at room temperature.

This made a great appetizer and I would probably make it again but change out the toppings. Certainly the caramelized onions will be making an appearance (they are so delicious) but I may want to used grilled zucchini or goat cheese next time.

So, this is my effort for A Good Year, both movie and book. If you'd like to join in there is still time. Entries accepted through October! Au revoir!

Hey Hay, Donna Hay ....Classic Big Breakfast

My weekly Donna Hay fix is ultra-easy this time. Breakfast time…a favorite for us, it doesn't even have to be in the mornings. I could eat breakfast food for dinner but we don’t (not lately), because what wine would I served with over-easy eggs? Andrea Immer says you can serve champagne with anything but that is not at all likely at our house. Champagne and eggs, that is.

This now, this is a breakfast my mother would have ready at 6:30 a.m before Dad left for work and I was herded off to school. She got up before us all and was clearly a morning person. There would be what is called the classic breakfast (which I present here) or French Toast. There was always coffee, tea and juice. (Coffee for Dad, tea for mom)



It doesn’t get any simpler than this folks………..The only modification was, I forgot to buy the mushrooms. I have written out the recipe as Donna does it though, mushrooms and all. It was still great - especially dining outdoors and watching the birds at the feeders.


Classic Big Breakfast

8 slices streaky bacon or smoked paprika
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 free-range eggs
toasted sourdough or rye bread, to serve
roasted mushrooms and tomatoes
4 field mushrooms, trimmed
250g cherry tomatoes
¼ cup (60ml) olive oil
sea salt and cracked black pepper




To make the roasted mushrooms and tomatoes, preheat oven to 200ºC (390ºF). Place the mushrooms and tomatoes in a baking dish, drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 20–25 minutes or until mushrooms and tomatoes are soft. Set aside and keep warm.

Grill (broil) the bacon under a preheated hot grill until crispy. Keep warm. Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan over high heat. Crack the eggs into the pan and cook for 3–4 minutes or until the yolks are just set. Serve with the bread, bacon, mushrooms and tomatoes and sprinkle with thyme salt. Serves 4.

For more breakfast ideas check out I ♥ Cooking Club!

Brisket, Books and Movies

Still plowing along with Dance with Dragons by George R.R. Martin. So much happens in this book – it’s not the most exciting one so far in the series, but there is action and many important revelations. It’s taking me longer to read this book as I don’t sit down each night and put some book time in. Hopefully on vacation I can get quite a bit reading done.



I am on the list for a digital copy (delivered to Kindle) for World War Z. We watched the movie recently. It was good. It wasn’t awesome, but good. Doug on the other hand said it was disappointing but he has read the book. I find that if you read the book first there is a high chance you won’t like the movie. What is it with Hollywood and directors changing everything about a perfectly good plot?

Such as, the second series of Game of Thrones/ Fire and Ice series. Damn! How could they change so much in the HBO production when there were crucial plots (from the book) needing to be told? Don’t get me started, because I may have a spoiler and that wouldn’t be fair to anyone reading this if they haven’t read the books or watched the show. The books are amazing, I will say that.

Since we don’t have live feed TV we get our movies via Netflicks DVD delivery. Always behind the rest of the pack in movie watching but I think more people are sick of paying cable or satellite fees and dumping the whole package. That’s what we did. Never have regretted it. We catch up on a series or show if we choose and don’t care if it’s been out for years. It’s all new to us!

Within the last month we have watched Mud with Matthew McConaughey (not action filled but a good story), Ironman 3 (eh…shrugging shoulders upward) and the last season of Deadwood.



Deadwood was supposed to run 5 seasons. It quit after 3 seasons so….there are a few unresolved storylines. It interested me enough to request a history of the town’s formation. That was a tough group of men and women to survive such harsh and brutal environments. We enjoyed this series quite a bit but if you are easily offended by swearing, skip this one.



Ok, to the Brisket.



My first experience cooking one and it was all good. It’s something I order fairly regularly at BBQ joints and I am pleased to say, our version came out quite tender and flavorful. There is another brisket in the freezer and next time, Doug will cook it on the charcoal grill.

For this Texas Oven-Roasted Brisket:
The rub was simple to toss into a bowl. From there, just massage it into the fat and beef side. Hands on time is about 10 minutes. I love a meal you don’t need to tend constantly. This is a weekend meal (for us) unless you have several hours to be home. I don’t like going away for extended periods with the oven cranked up so this is certainly a weekend or day off “project”.

Texas Oven-Roasted Beef Brisket

Ingredients

2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 bay leaf, crushed
4 pounds beef brisket, trimmed
1 1/2 cups beef stock

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Make a dry rub by combining chili powder, salt, garlic and onion powders, black pepper, sugar, dry mustard, and bay leaf. Season the raw brisket on both sides with the rub.



Place in a roasting pan and roast, uncovered, for 1 hour.

After that hour passes, add beef stock and enough water to yield about 1/2 inch of liquid in the roasting pan. Lower oven to 300 degrees F, cover pan tightly and continue cooking for 3 hours, or until fork-tender.
Trim the fat and slice meat thinly across the grain. Top with juice from the pan.



That was a lengthy post but, it's what we are up to at present. Hopefully with vacation week we will get a bit of work done around the house, reading and playing. And of course, good food and wine figures into all of our vacations!

Hope all is well in your world and you are having fun.

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Montepulciano d'Abruzzo for the Weekend Wine Review

Montepulciano d'Abruzzo is an Italian wine from the Abruzzo region of east-central Italy. For me, it’s also unpronounceable …that does not keep me from giving this wine a big A+
What a winner in taste and value. We bought the large bottle and have been pouring ½ liter servings in a carafe. It’s seen us through brisket (very good pairing) and leftover Carnitas.




Great mouth feel, not especially fruity and certainly not sweet. I am not a fan of sweet wine…unless we are talking dessert wines such as a Sauterne. Oh, that’s very nice with a chocolate cheese cake or hot brownie. I digress…………… Montepulciano d'Abruzzo is a good value and will be restocked at our place. Holds up well to recorking but drink up within a few days of the initial opening.

If I were sent a bottle I wouldn’t say no :-)

Digging in the pantry - Presenting Bacon and Lentil Soup

It's October. I expected cooler weather. I have been deeply disappointed. Truth be told, it's usually a false hope (on my part) because in northern Florida, we don't see cool temps until the third week of October. I'm all about boots and sweaters - guess we live in the wrong part of the country for that, right?

Another thing I like about cool weather is settling down with hearty bowl of soup. We eat soup all summer long, hot temperatures or not, but there is a deep satisfying feeling having a bowl in late Fall.

The Donna Hay theme for week two at I ♥ Cooking Club is From the Pantry.



The only thing I modified was tossing in some shredded carrot and a teeny tiny bit of leftover chicken.

Bacon and Lentil Soup
From Fast Fresh Simple

Ingredients

2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 rashers bacon, finely chopped
1 teaspoon thyme leaves
¾ cup red lentils
5 cups chicken stock
Sea salt and cracked black pepper
Finely grated Parmesan and sour cream, to serve

Method

Heat a saucepan over medium-high heat. Chop the bacon and onion.



Add the oil, onion and bacon and cook for 4 minutes or until lightly browned.
Add the thyme, lentils and stock, cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until the lentils start to break down.
Stir in salt and pepper.
Ladle between bowls and top with Parmesan and sour cream to serve.

Stop by next week for a Donna Hay breakfast theme post, here and at I ♥ Cooking Club. Also, can't wait to share my first experience roasting brisket. It was easier than I thought and I have to share this recipe with my daughter-in-law. It's wonderful.

I am sharing this with Beth Fish's Weekend Cooking Series and Kahakai Kitchen for Souper Sunday .



Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. You do not have to post on the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page. For more information, see the welcome post.

Wool Gathering

At a glance, this looks like a modest little blanket chest, nothing remarkable or special about it.



For me, it’s a tangible piece of my childhood. It evokes memories of my idyllic upbringing in southeast Pennsylvania. I can visualize it in our home in Brookhaven. Small as it is, I actually fit inside that little box once upon a time. I climbed in to hide from my brother during a rare game of hide and seek. He was 11 years my senior so we didn’t play very often. Roughly 24 years ago, my father brought the toy box down on one of his annual visits. He brought it for our baby…...our baby who will be 25 years old this year. Where did all that time go?!

Now I have the privilege of passing the toy box on my son and wife for their little baby. The blanket on top was crocheted by my grandmother, Margaretta Wynyall Dalton Jackson, as a gift to our son when he was only 4 months old. It was meant to be given to him when we arrived for a much anticipated visit to PA but unfortunately, I fell seriously ill and the trip was canceled. Nana never did see her great grandchild as she passed away before we could get up there. She’d be thrilled to know that blanket was going to her great great grandchild.



Let’s see if I can get my crocheting skills up to par with Nana’s excellent stitchery. My stitches are just not as uniform but…winter is coming, so I will surely crochet more in the colder months. Practice, practice and more of the same.

This is my grandmother. Her photo sits near one of my grandfather, he's the soldier on the far left. His photo was taken during WW I.


There is so much family history I hope to record for this grandchild. Maybe they will love knowing about their roots... and maybe not. My Nana imparted so many stories about the family and gave me a great start with genealogical clues.

Growing up around old people is surely what caused such an interest in family history, roaming through graveyards (we were certainly there often enough) and the occasional predisposition to coin old fashioned phrases.

If only I had a dollar for the times my son would say, "Uh..mom...the 1860's called" and mock my use of tom foolery, ne'er do well, a stitch in my side and the like .....okaaay...I am back to the wool gathering now, aren't I?

So...anyway.......coming up I have book and movie talk as well as a contribution to this week's Donna Hay theme at I ♥ Cooking Club.

See ya later!

Montes Cabernet Sauvignon is the star of Weekend Wine Review

This one will impress you. This long legged wine has a rich, deep ruby coloring. It entices you with dark cherry flavors and hint of vanilla. Robert Parker rates this one a 90. Well done.



A blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon with 15% Merlot, this Chilean wine is a great buy at under $14. Stocking up next time we shop.

A Good Year for Food 'n Flix

Would you like to watch a movie and read a book with me? It’s my turn to host at Food ‘n Flix and I selected A Good Year for this month’s film.

For me, the appeal of this movie is wine, French food, Russell Crowe and a fantasy come true. I think there are many of us who have had, at one time or another, dreams of being an ex-pat. The country is whichever one you read about passionately, mentally planning vacations and well…we all have different aspirations but you get the idea.

Being a fan of Peter Mayle’s book, A Good Year, I was excited when this film came out. If you have read the book and not seen the movie, a warning here....it doesn't follow the book. At all. Ok, there is a character named Max Skinner and he does go to France.



Here’s the gist of the story line..........

After years of no contact with his Uncle Henry, London investment banker Max Skinner learns he’s inherited his uncle's chateau and vineyard in Provence.

Max spent summers of his childhood at the chateau, learning to play chess and listening to his Uncle’s stories and advice. He goes to France with the sole intent of selling the property. But after some time spent preparing the chateau, getting it ready to show………he realizes this laid-back lifestyle, the food and people have a great appeal. Now his childhood memories, the beautiful woman Fanny, and an American claiming to be Uncle Henry's illegitimate daughter make him evaluate his future.



Aaron Eckhart originally had a role in this film, but dropped out. Personally, I think Crowe is a better fit for the character of Max Skinner.

Some quotes I like:

Max Skinner: Look, I wasn't joking about what I said before about the wine they make here. It is not - I repeat, NOT - first class. Will that affect our price?

Charlie Willis: Well, how bad can it be?

Max Skinner: Uh, well, it gives you a blinding headache and it makes you angry... I can't imagine the damage a second sip might do.

Charlie Willis: Well, we'll just have to make sure our buyers don't know anything about wine. We'll concentrate on the Americans.



Christie Roberts: Are your memories of my father good?

Max Skinner: No they are extraordinary. My uncle loved women, although no one for a long time, and he never married. He loved England, yet lived in France. He was an adventurer, yet all my memories take place within 100 steps of this spot.

Ready to watch this movie? - How to participate in Food 'n Flix

1. Watch the chosen film A Good Year. It's most likely available at your local library if you care to check it out. After watching the film think about what you'd like to prepare. What dish are you inspired cook, bake or prepare after seeing some gorgeous French countryside and watching a few foodie scenes?

2. Post about it on your web site with a link back to THIS post and a link to Food 'n Flix. Use of the Food ‘n Flix logo is optional.

3. You must post must be current (done during October 2013). And of course we don't mind if your post is linked to other events. The more the merrier!

Email your entries to me at: hexandkobe (at) yahoo (dot) com and include:

Your name
Your blog's name and URL
The name of your dish and the permalink to the specific post you're submitting
Attach a photo of any size, though 500 to 620 pixels is ideal (or just give me permission to “grab” one from your post)
Indicate “Food 'n Flix Submission” in the subject line
Deadline for submission is: October 31, 2013.

When I am ready to post the inspired dish I will also link up to my book site Novel Meals with a book review of A Good Year. But that's just me....you don't have to read the book, just get the movie and play along for Food 'n Flix. Let Russell Crowe take you to France for an adventure :-)