Thyme For Cooking, the Blog

Barbecued Veal Chops; Weekly Menu Plan

We plant; we water; we weed; we hoe.

We wonder if it's all going to be worth it....

We wonder why the tomatoes don't set; why the beans don't grow, why we're the only one without zucchini blossoms.

Then, one morning we wake up and everything is ripe and ready for picking.

NOW!

Today I have to pick green beans, zucchini, cucumbers, tomatoes, chard and sweet corn.

I'll be picking enough of each to feed a family of 16.

We are two.

It's not always like this.  Some years the weather is more consistent and things ripen closer to the expected schedule.  But, this year the later crops are early and the early crops are late.

I'm not complaining; I love it all.

I just don't know what to eat first.

I'm really tempted to just sit in the middle of the garden with a fork.

One of the things I do complain about here, on occasion, is the inability to buy really good steak. 

One can get a good steak in a good restaurant.... sometimes.  They are always flavorful, but, more often than not, a bit on the tough side.  

We really need a good steak knife!

Which explains why steaks at the meat counter are always cut to a thickness of 1/2 inch or less.

Which also explains the popularity of good veal.

I'm not talking 'milk-fed, baby veal'; I'm talking good beef, pasture-grazed and butchered at about a year.

In Andorra it was called 'country veal' and was given it's own AOC.

It's not as tasty as a well-aged chunk of beef, but it's good, it's tender and it does very well with a marinade.

I rarely get a chance to have them cut to order, and the butchers even cut these way too thin..... Sigh....

(In Andorra our local butcher was a huge man, and when we would get chops he would always look at mon mari, grin, and cut them about 1 1/2 inches thick.  Perfect!)

Barbecued Veal Chops
2 veal chops, 20oz total weight (600gr)

Barbecue Marinade
8oz (220ml) tomato sauce
1/3 cup red wine
1/3 cup olive oil
1 tbs lemon juice
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced - or 1 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp dried oregano

Mix all ingredients for marinade and pour over chops. Refrigerate for at least 1 and up to 8 hours. Remove chops from marinade and cook on barbecue grill for 4 - 6 minutes a side depending on thickness or until done to desired degree. Could also be sautéed or broiled for about same amount of time. Serve.

In addition to this, for the week of July 30 we have Grilled Tuna, Greek Olive Mini Frittatas, Couscous Feta Pilaf. Teriyaki Burgers, Pasta Salad with Grilled Chicken and Peppers, Rubbed, Grilled Pork Tenderloin...  

Thyme for Cooking is a Weekly Menu Planning Service focusing on healthy, seasonal foods.

Join now and try it free for a week!  The menu, complete recipes with meal preparation instructions, and shopping list is available each Thursday.  (Reverse seasons available for Australia, and others in the Southern Hemisphere).

Don't need 7 complete dinners?  Try the Main Course Menu Mailer option: 6 new main courses every week.

White Wine Sangria; Cheap wine and a Tapa

Spain has long, hot summers. 

Spain also has lots of really cheap wine of all colors. 

I once had a Spanish friend explain to me that she refused to spend more than 1.50 euros (less than $2.00) on a bottle of red wine because her children (adult) were into the awful, but popular, habit of pouring that American plague, Coca Cola, into it. 

She was actually being rather nice about it. 

The cheapest bottle of red wine I found in Andorra was $0.60, and, yes, that was for a regular size .75 litre bottle...with a cork. 

One could usually find a rose or white for around $0.50. 

I'm not saying that they were drinkable, only that they were available. 

We, being flashy Americans, normally spent at least $3.50, even when we were buying the cheap stuff.

Except when I made Sangria. 

I accidentally stumbled on an absolutely atrocious (IMHO) white wine called 'Blanc Pescador' (white fisherman). 

It was made by one of our favorite Spanish wineries, located in Catalonia, called Perelada.  We used to buy a wonderful Chardonnay and lovely Cabernet Sauvignon from them. 

It was our regular stop on trips to Barcelona. 

On one visit we saw cases of Blanc Pescador for the whopping price of 13 euros....for a case of 12.  We decided that it couldn't be all that bad since their other wines were so wonderful. 

We were wrong! 

It had a very faint fizz to it, tiny little bubbles, almost undetectable, and not nearly powerful enough to cover the taste. 

This taught me one of life's important lessons: to make really good Sangria one has to start with really awful wine...then anything one does is an improvement. 

If you used a decent wine you would feel guilty about ruining it. 

Spain is known for its traditional Sangrias, made from red wine with oranges and brandy added.  They are everywhere, all summer long and, in the heat of a long, lazy lunch at a sidewalk cafe, can pack an unsuspecting wallop. 

That, I concluded after one such lunch, is why naps were invented. 

With 11 bottles of white #?!$@ on hand I decided a white wine Sangria was in order.  This one is light, refreshing, and not so alcoholic as the traditional, which is a good thing as it slips down rather easily. 

Perfect for hot summer days...and nights!

White Wine Sangria:

2 bottles (.75 litre) cheap white wine (if you can find one with a little fizz, all the better)
1 bottle (.75 litre or equivalent - it's a 2 - 1 ratio) fizzy water - Perrier, club soda,
1/2 cup Peach Liqueur - NOT Eau de Vie or brandy, but lower alcohol, intensely flavored and probably overly sweet, peach liqueur
1/4 cup sugar
1 orange
1 lemon
2 limes

In a large pitcher mix the wine, water, peach liqueur, and sugar.  Stir well to combine.  Slice the fruit and remove pips.  Squeeze each slice into the sangria, then drop it in.  Stir well to combine the sugar and rest of ingredients.  Add lots of ice and serve.  Graciously accept praise. 

And something to nibble whilst you sip...

Chickpea Patties

15oz (450gr) chickpeas, drained, rinsed, and chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped  about 1/3 cup
1 rib celery, finely chopped,  about 1/3 cup
1/2 onion, finely chopped,  about 1/3 cup
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbs basil, chopped
2 tbs oregano, chopped
1 egg
1 - 2 tbs olive oil

Sauté onion, carrot, celery and garlic in oil until tender.  Remove and put into a bowl, along with chickpeas and herbs. Stir to combine and cool vegetables.  Lightly whisk egg and add to vegetables.   Heat a bit of oil in large nonstick skillet.  Drop mixture, about 1/2 cup at a time, into skillet and form patties with 2 spoons.  (It's rather a loose mix - and you don't want them too big or you won't be able to turn them) Fry them about 4 minutes, then turn and fry 4 minutes longer.
I made them in 2 batches of 4 patties each. 

Zucchini (Courgette) Rolls with Pesto Rosso; the update

Plumbing hell has ended.

The sinks are hooked up; the toilet installed:

Yes, he still need to build the shelves and doors and drawer fronts.... But he's planning on doing that after his hospital visit.

Yes, we can look out the window whilst sitting on the throne.

The shower is finished, and the door installed:

We still have to take the plastic protective wrap off the basin.

At least it's not hot pink....

I know I told you the story of the hot pink shower - but, did you read it?  You should.... really....

The bathtub is also plumbed and, after much cursing, all is working correctly - no leaks (or leeks).

I think we're in the last stretch for bathroom work.....

I, on the other hand, am still attempting to be creative with zucchini.

We've lost our summer heat so I've been cooking in the kitchen a bit.

Zucchini (Courgette) Rolls with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes and Pesto Rosso

1 medium - large zucchini, for 8 thin slices
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
10 pimiento-stuffed green olives, roughly chopped
1 good handful fresh basil, snipped
15 - 20 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
2 tbs pesto rosso (red pesto sauce)
2 tbs red wine
2 tbs olive oil

Using a mandoline, slice the zucchini the long way into slices 1/16th" thick.  They need to be thin enough to roll easily.

I sliced until I got to the seeds, then sliced the other side.  I was avoiding the seeds.  Zucchini is so plentiful, I figured I could waste a bit to get the nice slices.

Mix the riccota, olives and basil.  Divide the mixture evenly between the 8 slices of zucchini and roll up.

Drizzle 1 tbs olive oil in the bottom of a baking dish.  Lay the rolls, seam side down in the dish, keeping seperate.  Distribute the cherry tomatoes around the rolls, tucking into the oil.

Combine the remaining 1 tbs olive oil with the pesto rosso and red wine.  Spoon over rolls.
Bake, covered, 375C (190C) for 30 minutes. 

 

The cherry tomatoes cook down into the drizzled pesto rosso making a thick, flavorful sauce.

I'll definitely do this one again.

We had it for a first course ;-))

The Pesto Rosso is a commercial product.  It was an impulse buy at the store last week. It's pesto sauce with tomato added.

Now I have to figure out how to make it - has anyone else tried?

Preserving Herbs; Using summer's herbs in winter, Summer Basmati Pilaf

Herbs are, at least for me, a crucial component of summer's bounty.

I start using fresh herbs as soon as the chives show signs of growth in the spring and don't stop until I've picked the last sage leaf before frost.

In my herb garden I have parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme, lemon thyme, tarragon, chives, garlic chives, marjoram, oregano, chervil, and 5 kinds of basil.

My basil was starting to flower before I cut it back this morning....

Except the cinnamon basil. I just plant that for the flowers

 

In my potager I have dill - it's a bit big for the herb garden....

 

And I have a huge laurel (culinary bay) tree on the side of the house

This is the time of year to think about preserving your herbs for winter use.  Most of them will benefit from a serious cutting back - allowing them to grow fresh leaves for more summer use, before flowering.

And you wouldn't want to just throw all those cutting on the compost pile, now would you?

The traditional way of preserving herbs is drying:

Tie clean herbs in bunches and hang upside down in a cool, dry place with plenty of air circulation, and, if possible, without dust. When leaves are dry rub off stems and store in bags, jars or tins. They will keep up to a year.

I have done this in years past but, other than sage and bay, I don't any longer.  The main reason is, living in a house being restored is not conducive to a dust-free place to dry them. 

Have you ever tried to dust bunches of very dry herbs?

Mon mari built a mesh drying tray for me that I use for the sage and bay, the only 2 herbs I still dry.

Plus the dill seed, of course.  That is picked already quite dry.

I just rub the seeds of the heads and spread it out on paper towels for a week or so to be thoroughly dry before putting it in food bags for storage.

I'm doing the sage leaves a few at a time this year.  My plants are new and small so I can't harvest a lot of leaves at once.  As you can see in the photo, last week's are almost dry.  On the tray with the dill seeds are the sage leaves I cut today.

For the rest of my herbs, I prefer freezing. It preserves the fresher, summer flavors that I like and it's less work:

Finely chop the herbs and put into ice cube trays. Cover with chicken stock or water and freeze. When frozen pop out and put in a freezer bag labeled with herb name.
Some herbs can also be frozen whole: Sage, tarragon, chives, thyme. Basil will discolor but the flavor is fine. Freeze on a try, then put into freezer bags.
Frozen herbs will keep 8 - 12 months.

These are chives, ready for the freezer.

I also do basil in olive oil: put lots of fresh basil in the blender, pour in as much olive oil as needed to puree and put into the trays for freezing.  This is a good base for pesto - add the cheese and nuts before using (it freezes better without them). 

I love the ease of using 'herb cubes':  just drop a cube or 2 into rice as it cooks, or sauces, or soups, or braises, or stews - anything that is cooked that you would use fresh or dried for. They have the taste of fresh with the ease of dried.

Put a little summer into your winter..... Freeze a few herbs.

But, while you still have them fresh, make this Basmati Pilaf.

Basmati Rice Summer Pilaf

1/2 Basmati rice
1 tsp butter
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 avocado cut into small cubes
10 yellow cherry tomatoes cut in half
1 tbs fresh snipped basil
1 tbs fresh snipped purple basil
1 tbs fruity olive oil
1 tbs white Balsamic vinegar

Melt butter in small saucepan over medium heat. Add rice and sauté, stirring for 2 - 3 minutes. Add stock, cover and cook rice for 15 minutes. When done fluff with a fork and put into a bowl. Add remaining ingredients and stir gently.

Fried Zucchini; How do you eat? Survey wants to know!

How do you eat?

When eating in restaurants in the US I'm usually asked: 'Would you like an appetizer?'.  The question always makes me think of Potato Skins or Cheese Curds or something similar.... Something to nibble on while deciding on dinner.

The dinner which will consist of a first course, a main course and a dessert.

I always decline the appetizer, then order a first and main course (and confusing the server, I've learned).

Here, as in the rest of Europe, the question is never asked. 

It's assumed.

Occasionally, for lunch you will see offers of a 2 course menu option - either first and main or main and dessert.

But, a full dinner menu at any restaurant  is the norm, and includes a first course, main course, cheese course and dessert.

At a 'nicer' restaurant dinner will start with a small 'taste from the chef' and end with chocolates or a small sweet 'from the chef' with coffee.

Coffee, by the way, is a separate, optional, course.

And the cheese trolley at a nice restaurant is a thing of beauty - often 10 - 15 different cheeses to choose from.

But, that's dining out..... What about dining in?

How do you eat at home?  

When I was a child we had the traditional meat, potatoes, vegetable with an occasional, seasonal dessert.

When I started entertaining in the US, I normally served a salad, main course and dessert.

When I started entertaining in Andorra, and now in France, I serve a first course, main course, cheese course, dessert, coffee with chocolates.

Preceded, of course,  by drinks and nibbles.

But, how do you eat at home?  When not entertaining?

On Friday and Saturday we have a first course and main course.  Occasionally we'll have a bit of cheese or a bit of fruit after, rarely an actual dessert and rarely coffee.  Maybe a square of dark chocolate.

On Sunday, in winter I'll make a kettle of soup, or a slow-simmered stew; in summer a roast or chicken on the barbecue.

Monday  - Thursday we have stir-fries, pastas, simple grilled or braised meats with rice and vegetables, salads in summer, leftover soup in winter.

How do you eat - take the quiz and let's find out....

Quizzes by Quibblo.com

Needless to say, one of the things we eat a lot of this time of year is courgette (zucchini).

Mon mari thinks I should do a cook book: 101 Ways with Zucchini.

Perhaps I shall....

I do have about 30 recipes in my personal arsenal, but, when time is short this is my favorite.

Sometimes simple is best.

It works equally well with yellow and green.... or my bastard mixes.....

These get very, very creamy inside - melt in your mouth!

Fried Zucchini (Courgette)

1 yellow or green courgette (zucchini), 8 inches (20cm) long
1 tbs olive oil
salt, pepper for finishing

Slice the blossom end off of the zucchini, then slice it into 1/3 inch (1 cm) rounds. Don't bother with the thin, stem end. (Slice as much as you'll want to eat; I did about 12 slices. Heat the oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. The skillet needs to be large enough to hold all of the slices flat. Add zucchini slices and sauté 6 - 8 minutes. Check after 8 by lifting up with tongs and looking at the bottom; it should be getting brown spots on it. If not, sauté some more; if yes turn and sauté the other side. The other side won't take quite as long. When they are done the slices will have nice, browned patches on both sides and be tender. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, serve.

You can always sprinkle them with shredded purple and green basil.....

In addition to this, for the week of July 23 we have Grilled Lemon Shrimp, Melon with Prosciutto, Barbecued Cornish Hens, Inside-Out Burgers on the Grill, Quinoa dn Lentil Salad...  

Thyme for Cooking is a Weekly Menu Planning Service focusing on healthy, seasonal foods.

Join now and try it free for a week!  The menu, complete recipes with meal preparation instructions, and shopping list is available each Thursday.  (Reverse seasons available for Australia, and others in the Southern Hemisphere).

Don't need 7 complete dinners?  Try the Main Course Menu Mailer option: 6 new main courses every week.

Cobb Pasta Salad; Clandestine garden goings-on

I'm not sure what's going on in my garden at night.

I have radishes turning into big, hulking bullies:

That could be the result of lack of discipline on my part as chief (and only) gardener.

I accept the blame.

But....

What's wrong with this picture?

I planted 2 types of courgette: the green, striped, traditional one (known as zucchini across the pond) and the pretty yellow one (known as yellow squash across the pond).

Well, the green courgette is rather aggressive, and, dare I say it... apparently had it's way with the pretty little yellow one.  

Now all of my yellow courgettes are coming out bi-colored.

Last year, if you recall I had the same problem with the green squash attacking the butternut.

 

No harm was done - except on the surface.

But it's the surface that we all pay attention to, isn't it?

Is this the vegetable world telling us that beauty really is only skin deep?

I have to admit I'm a little concerned about my cucumbers....

And God only knows what the dill is doing with the sweet corn.

Could I be growing herbed corn?

Could this be the reason that professional gardeners don't do companion planting?

(My garden is very compact, making the most efficient use of space and keeping my time tending down just a wee bit.  But it could be encouraging all this clandestine behavior.)

There is nothing clandestine about Presto Pasta Nights.  

The event was started more than 3 years ago by  Ruth of Once Upon A Feast.

Every Friday it brings you a wonderful collection of pasta dishes from around the world. 

This week it's hosted by Janet of The Taste Space. 

She'll have the recap on her blog on Friday.

It's hot; it's summer; we need salads.

This is not a traditional pasta salad.

With lots of vegetables and big chunks of ham, cheese and egg, no one will mistake this for a small side dish.

I didn't thoroughly cool the beans. As I wanted them to retain a bit of warmth I just rinsed lightly.

Cobb Pasta Salad

8oz (250gr) ham or smoked turkey, thick slice get it at the deli counter
4oz (125gr) green beans I used flat Italian or runner beans
2oz (60gr) firm cheese, Cheddar, Colby
2 eggs, hard-boiled
1 avocado
1/2 red or orange bell pepper
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes
10 - 12 basil leaves
1 1/4 cup pasta, bite-size, fusilli, elbow, (about 3.5oz, 100gr)
White Balsamic Vinaigrette

Cook pasta according to package directions. When done, drain.
Boil eggs.
Top and tail beans...cut off the ends. Cut into 1 1/2 inch lengths (4cm) Bring a medium saucepan half full of water to a boil over high heat. Add beans and blanch for 4 minutes. Remove, drain, rinse with cold water and set aside.
Slice pepper, about 1/4" thick (.5cm) then cut slices in half. Slice ham or turkey and cheese into large, bite-size chunks. Cut cherry tomatoes in half. Cut avocado into large chunks. When eggs are done, cool, peel and cut into chunks. Tear large basil leaves in half. Make vinaigrette.
To assemble: Put drained pasta in a large bowl and add vinaigrette. Toss well to combine. Add ham, peppers, tomato and beans, toss well. Add cheese, egg, basil and avocado. Stir gently, just to combine. Serve.

White Balsamic Vinaigrette

1 tbs Dijon-style mustard
2 tbs white Balsamic vinegar
4 tbs olive oil - the good stuff

Whisk vinegar,and mustard. Slowly whisk in oil and whisk until it emulsifies.

Do you think I'm getting orange tomatoes because I planted the red ones too close to the yellow ones?

But where are the white ones coming from?

I think I know where Mary Shelley got her ideas.... She was a gardener, wasn't she?

Barbecued Ginger Rosemary Pork Loin; the update

I'm sitting here, very quietly, at my desk, head down, trying to be be as inconspicuous as possible.

Today is plumbing day.

We hate plumbing day.

Mon mari hates it because he really truly hates plumbing.

We don't know if he hates it because it's always a difficult, problem-filled endeavor or if it's a difficult, problem-filled endeavor because he hates it so.

Trust me in that this is not an appropriate time to have that, somewhat existential, conversation.

I hate plumbing day because the water is shut off.

I can't take a shower after I'm through working in the garden and exercising.... and have you ever tried to NOT flush a toilet?

The sinks are working.... one out of four ain't bad. (I did not say that out loud.)

The lights are up and one mirror.  I wanted two simple mirrors.  How I manged to buy one with a beveled edge and one with a plain edge, I don't know.  Next trip to Bordeaux I'll need to get one more of each.... We'll use 2 in the other bathroom.

The shower is tiled: 

And the tub is finally installed, leveled and all that. 

It's the plumbing for the tub that is currently giving him fits.

It wouldn't be quite so bad if he didn't have to go all the way down into the cellar to turn it off, then back up to check for leeks.

I offered to help.

I may have picked a bad time to offer.... Or perhaps my voice was a tad too cheerful.

I am now sitting quietly.

But I'll make one of his favorites for dinner tonight.

Barbecued Ginger-Rosemary Pork

1 small, boneless pork loin roast,
1 tbs paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp dried rosemary
1 tbs fresh ginger, peeled and minced
3 tbs Dijon Mustard
2 tbs Balsamic vinegar
1 tbs Worcestershire

Mix paprika, garlic and rosemary. Rub on pork. Start to cook on barbecue grill, over indirect heat with the cover closed.
Mix remaining ingredients. Baste pork with sauce every 10 minutes, starting 30 minutes after you begin cooking.
Pork is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 160F (70C) Use an instant read or a remote meat thermometer for best results. If you don't have either, take the roast off and slice into it after 40 - 50 minutes (depending on weight and shape) to test. It should be cooked through, a bit of pale pink right in the center is perfect.
When done, cover with foil and let rest for 5 minutes. Slice and serve.

Maybe I'll go up and try to take a picture of the leaky connection for my next post...

I'm sure he won't mind my getting in the way....

Or taking the photo....

Purple Green Beans; growing and freezing beans

I picked the first of my favorite summer vegetable yesterday.

I'll admit that my favorite vegetable is usually the one on my plate.... But I have a particular fondness for fresh green beans.

Like sweet corn, they are best picked, cooked and eaten within a few hours.

One of the beans I planted this year is purple.

Purple stems, purple flowers and purple beans against the green leaves is gorgeous..

And look:

 

Even the bug is in green and purple.

There are over 14,000 members of the bean family, but only a small percentage are grown for human food. 

Beans come in 3 main types: fresh, shelling and drying.

Fresh beans are eaten when young and the seeds are immature.  Both the pod and bean are eaten.  They are commonly called green or snap beans.

Shelling beans have matured longer in the pod. The seeds are larger and the pod is not eaten.  They are 'shelled' like peas and cooked fresh.

Drying beans (kidney,  pinto) are left to mature completely, removed from the pod and dried.

There are beans bred specifically to be at their best for each use, but some, like Kentucky Wonder, can be used in all three stages.  Some, bred for drying, will have a tough, stringy pod if eaten young.

For the home gardener, unless you live in a climate with a very long growing season, there simply may not be enough time to grow beans for drying.

The other consideration is whether to grow bush or pole beans.

Bush beans grow on low bushes.  They are ideal for the gardener who plans on freezing or canning the crop.  They normally produce one large crop, then, a few weeks later, another, smaller crop.

Pole beans climb and need to be supported either on a trellis-type system or a tee-pee.  I use wooden posts with cross beams and string for the beans to climb on.  Pole beans produce a smaller crop continuously.  I will normally pick every 2 or 3 days for about 6 weeks.  There will be a peak week where I have enough to freeze or give to the neighbors.

Freezing green beans, if you have the extra, is simple:  Blanch in rapidly boiling water for 3 minutes.  Drain and cool immediately in ice water.  Pack in freezer bags and freeze.

Fresh green beans can be braised, boiled, steamed, roasted, fried, or blanched and chilled for use in salads.

And I just did a bit of research and learned that blanching with a bit of baking soda or frying in butter will preserve the purple color.... I'll try that tomorrow.

As to the taste - green, yellow and purple all taste the same. 

Next year I have to find some yellow pole beans.... I do like colorful food!

Braised Green and Purple Beans with Green and Purple Basil

8oz (250gr) green and purple beans   or all green
3 shallots    preferably freshly dug
2 tsp olive oil
1/4 cup chicken stock
handful green basil, snipped
handful purple basil, snipped
2 tsp butter

Top and tail beans...cut off the ends. Cut in half.  Cut shallots in half.  Heat olive oil in a small skillet.  Add shallots and sauté until starting to brown about 5 minutes.  Add beans, stock, cover and simmer over medium heat until just barely tender, about 7 minutes. Uncover and cook off any remaining liquid.  Remove from heat, add butter, herbs, stir to combine and serve.

Don't you just love summer?

The Bread Baking Babes are sprouting!

Flourless bread?

Why not?

To the Bread Baking Babes all things are possible!

They may not all be achievable, but the possibilities are endless (or would that be mindless?)

First, some news.

About a month ago someone, who shall remain nameless, came to the realization that we are not all perfect Babes. 

Okay, none of us are perfect but we are Babes to the tips of our dainty toes.

The realization was that life, on occasion, interferes with important things, like baking bread. 

(Funny, it never seems to interfere with that other important thing - drinking wine.  Hmmmm)

The Babes have always preferred to be a small group, to keep it personal, as it were.... But, some months there just weren't enough active bakers to really get a good baking dialog going.

We decided to grow - just a teeny, tiny little bit.

Allow me to present the newest additions to the Bread Baking Babes:

blog from OUR kitchen - Elizabeth
Feeding My Enthusiasms - Elle
Paulchens FoodBlog - Astrid
Wild Yeast - Susan

And some news for all of you bread baking enthusiasts....

We Babes have an Anniversary coming up - in February.  We thought it would be fun for someone else to pick our Anniversary Bread.  Details will be announced in November regarding submissions, etc.  But, until then, start thinking about a favorite bread, or a challenging bread, that you would like to see us bake for our celebration.  Be nice.....

This month's bread presented an obstacle or two for me.... finding the wheat berries and convincing mon mari that I really need a food processor.  I might have succeeded on the second if I had accomplished the first.

Just enjoy everyone else's accomplishments - and go vist to read their stories.  This was a very challenging bread..... 

You'll find the recipe at this month's host kitchen, Lynn, of Cookie Baker Lynn.

Buddy posting date is, as usual (we have a system now) on the 29th.

Tanna's Loaf

 

Astrid's Loaf

Elizabeth's Loaf

 

Elle's Loaf

 

Natashya's Loaf

 

Susan's Loaf

 

Lien's Loaf

 

Gorel's Loaf

I'll be adding more - be sure to check back for the rest of the Babe's Breads

And the Babes:

The Bread Baking Babes

Bake My Day - Karen
blog from OUR kitchen - Elizabeth
Canela and Comino - Gretchen
Cookie Baker Lynn - Lynn
Feeding My Enthusiasms - Elle
Grain Doe - Gorel
I Like To Cook - Sara
Living in the Kitchen with Puppies - Natashya
Living on bread and water - Monique
Lucullian Delights - Ilva
My Kitchen In Half Cups - Tanna
Notitie Van Lien - Lien
Paulchens FoodBlog - Astrid
The Sour Dough - Breadchick Mary
Wild Yeast - Susan

And you thought you couldn't make bread without flour.

Sheesh!

Stuffed Baby Zucchini; Foiled by Minitel; Weekly Menu

Every time I think I am moving forward something happens to make me realize that, if I'm moving forward, it's in reverse.

Last week I called the chimney sweep to arrange the annual summer cleaning.

I was prepared.

First: He had cleaned our chimneys last year.  As we are the only Americans in the area we should be somewhat memorable.

Second: I was prepared to identify our house as 'the house that used to be owned by....'

Third: I was prepared to identify both of our neighbors, whose chimneys he also cleans.

And, last: I'm getting darned good at spelling my own address, giving out my own phone number and directions to our house.  I mean, I have manged to get heating fuel delivered by perfect strangers, as well as getting the septic tank pumped, our electrical box upgraded and the leaky water connection repaired.

I thought I would be able to arrange to have a repeat visit by the chimney sweep.

As is so often the case, I thought incorrectly.

I called.

I gave him all of my prepared information and everything seemed to be going well.

Then he asked for my address. 

I told him.

He didn't understand.

I spelled it. 

He didn't understand.

This went on for about 5 minutes: Me giving the information in as many different ways as I could think of; him not getting any of it.

Magically, all of a sudden, he understood.

He asked for my phone number.

I told him,

He repeated it correctly except for the last digit.

He said: quatre (4).

I said: non, sept (7)

He said: oui, quatre.

I said: non, sept.

He said: oui, quatre.

I said: non, cinq, six, SEPT.

He said: huh? (in French, of course)

This went on for a very long time, both of us getting more and more frustrated.

I finally gave up and agreed.

He said he would come this week and we both hung up.

One of two things would happen: something would jog his memory and he would check last years files for the right info about us or he wouldn't show and I would have to do this all again.

He was here at 8:00 this morning.

I had been thwarted by his Minitel.  Apparently the info he was reading on his Minitel didn't agree with what I said.

But he had remembered me and did check his records for the right phone number.

All's well that ends well.

We now have 3 squeaky-clean chimney's and a wood stove so sparkly that I will never again light a fire in it.

What, you might ask, is a Minitel?

Back when the Internet was just a spark in some geek's eye, in ancient times, 1982 to be exact, France launched the Minitel. 

The Minitel consisted of a screen and a keyboard, (sound familiar?) and they were distributed free to everyone with phone service.  It allowed users to shop online, make travel arrangements, check stock, weather forecasts and had phone directories.  (Sound familiar yet?)

By the time the internet came around, it was all old hat to the French.

At least it wasn't my accent causing the problems.....

Anyone still have zucchini in their garden?

I used 2 small yellow squash for these, about 7" (18cm) long but only an inch (2.5cm) in diameter.

Stuffed Baby Zucchini (Courgette)

 2 small yellow squash or zucchini (courgette)
4 tbs finely chopped tomato
2 tbs finely chopped red onion
2 tbs shredded Parmesan
4 tsp fresh basil, snipped
2 slices Prosciutto or other dry-cured ham
4 cherry tomatoes for garnish

Cut each squash in half the long way. Using the tip of a small spoon, scrape out the seeds and a bit of flesh, leaving about 1/4" (.5cm) all around. Divide and spread the onion, then tomato, basil and cheese into each of the halves.
Cut the Prosciutto in half the long way. Wrap each half slice diagonally around a squash half, tucking the ends under the squash. Place on a baking sheet and bake, 400F (200C) for 25 minutes.

To Serve: Cut cherry tomatoes in half. Remove Stuffed Zucchini, arrange on plates, garnish with tomatoes and serve.

In addition to this, for the week of July 16 we have Cod with Olive Caper Sauce, Gazpacho de Andaluz, Barbecued, Stuffed Pork Loin, Steak Caesar Salad, Cumin-Scented Chicken....  

Thyme for Cooking is a Weekly Menu Planning Service focusing on healthy, seasonal foods.

Join now and try it free for 2 weeks - the menu, complete recipes with meal preparation instructions, and shopping list is available each Thursday.  (Reverse seasons available for Australia, and others in the Southern Hemisphere).

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