Claudine, Oui c'est Francais

Happy Birthday Mickey

This cute little thing is my Great-grandmother. Born on leap year 1896..... She lived to the ripe old age of 103 or as she liked to tell us 25..... She only had 25 real birthdays and once I was 25 she would tell me how we were the same age. She was the cutest thing ever, just look at those pearls. I wish I knew where my grandpa took this picture, it looks like it could be a street in Paris.

Her name was Adeline but we called her Mickey, but we learned early not to sing the Mickey Mouse song to her she was not a fan. Recently I asked my grandmother why we called her Mickey, her maiden name was McCormick  so Mickey evolved from there. She was a excellent cook and would make the best clam chowder and mac and cheese. But as a 8 year old visiting her great grandmother you want the mac and cheese out of the blue box. What I would give for her macaroni and cheese today. The closest thing I have ever found is the Martha's Mac & Cheese. I think I will make it in her honor this weekend.

My grandmother likes to tell me I got my cooking from Mickey but I also think she gave me her Migraines... Well one of two is pretty great....

Happy birthday Mickey! I miss you....

47 years ago today

November 22, 1963

47 years ago today a day that I think changed this country happened. On a Friday morning in Dallas Texas, John F Kennedy was killed. It is a day that people remember exactly where they were when the heard the news. Since I wasn't born then and wouldn't be for 8 more years, I can't count myself as one that had that moment.

But I do remember sitting in my 8th grade history class and watching the mini-series Kennedy staring Martin Sheen as JFK and Blair Brown. I remember being so sad at the assassination portion of the movie. But before that the movie focused on the life of Kennedy, and his family and even what was going on in the country in the 60's. I remember vividly watching the scenes of the African American men and women being beaten by horrible hateful white men because they wanted to ride on a bus. It sickened me to see this and I remember it to this day.

I remember watching this movie and I think that it really shaped the way I think and believe. I am a one of those bleeding heart liberals that believes that we need to help our fellow man, that social injustice is wrong and when things like Hurricane Katrina happen and our government reacts the way that they did it is  horrific.  What JFK and his brother Robert Kennedy and also during that time Martin Luther King stood for and what they tried to change in this country should be remembered and should be something we still strive for 46 years later.

I  believe that if JFK had not been shot, this country would be a very different place today.

So I now have that miniseries on DVD and I watch it every year, and it still makes me sad

If you remember where you were that day, let me know......

livestrong day 10//2

October 2nd is marked as the day that Lance Armstrong learned that he had cancer, the day that changed his life. Today October 2nd is celebrated as "Livestrong Day" for everybody that has had cancer or has been touched by cancer. It is one disease that everybody can say they have been effected by, either by themselves or their friends and loved ones have been.

My grandfather passed away 16 years ago from Prostate cancer, and we know first hand how horrible cancer can be. It doesn't descrminate and doesn't care if you are young or old. It is a horrible disease and needs to stop. Hopefully we can get our health care figured out in the US and can help some of the millions of people that learn they have cancer every year. 

So on Livestrong day, do something that makes your life better and the people around you.

I wanted to make a cake inspired by the Livestrong wristband, a cake covered in yellow fondant and then inscribed with "Livestrong" just like the bands.

My Book: It's in print and ready for purchase

I know that each and everyone of you are counting down the days to the start of the 2010 Tour de France, 19 in case you lost track, but just in time you can today order a copy of my 2009 Tour de French Cuisine in BOOK form. It took me almost a year to get it finished and together but its just in time for the start of the 2010 TdF and 2010 Tour de French Cuisine.  Its over 120 pages and filled with recipes, history of  hundreds of town in France and loads of pictures. When the Tour reached Paris you will find over 30 pages just on Paris and history behind the name of evey street they crossed (the only comprehensive guide of the Paris streets in one place)

the cover is my custom painting made for me by the wonderful Fifi of Fififlowers, I love it every single time I look at it and was so happy to include it onto the cover, nothing describes the things I adore more.

I do want to send a big thank you to my friend Darby Higgs for all the help on getting my book published, he has a fantastic website, Vinodiversity and has published two books on wine, Vinodiversity-the Book and Bacchus and the Bird: a cookbook for poultry and wine and was a wealth of knowledge and support to get this baby into print.

It arrived today on my doorstep and I was so excited to see it all in one handy little volume. So I hope you order one today.......

Happy Birthday Meatball

the 8th is my little buddy Payton or as we recently nicknamed him Meatball's birthday. While my sister and family were at the beach for the weekend John and I sneaked in and decided to fill his room with balloons. I didn't tell them I was going to do it so when they came home they had no idea until they went upstairs and saw the banner on the door. My sister said that when they opened the door my nephew was so excited he was dancing around and screaming....

happy birthday little buddy! Love you lots

June 5th

(picture taken only days before Robert Kennedy died in Gearhart Oregon. It's hard not to think about it every time we are down and on the beach)

"My brother need not be idealized, or enlarged in death beyond what he was in life, to be remembered simply as a good decent man, who saw wrong and tried to right it, saw suffering and tried to heal it, saw war and tried to stop it.

"Those of us, who loved him and who take him to his rest today pray that what he was to us and what he wished for others will someday come to pass for all the world. "

As he said many times, in many parts of this nation, to those he touched and who sought to touch him:

'Some men see things as they are and say why. I dream things that never were and say why not.'"

As read by Teddy Kennedy at Robert Kennedy's funeral

Robert Francis Kennedy Nov 20, 1925 - June 6, 1968

What would this country be like if Bobby and his brother had lived. I think it would be a much better place than it is today....

June 5th is not on a rather sad anniversary but also my mom's irthday. A very happy birthday to my mom, a very strong and wonderful woman that I am so lucky to have in my life every day.  I love you mom

a day to remember

  So Memorial Day is a day to remember the fallen hero's. Since I have luckily not had anybody in my immediate family loose there life in a war I like to remember the family that are no longer with us.

My Great Grandpa Nick- my grandmothers father worked for years as a engineer in the first World War. He traveled all over the world and saw many things, from the pyramids of Egypt to beheadings in the Middle East. I was about 7 or 8 when he died, and thankfully being the oldest Great Grandchild I have memories of him. My fondest is when he gave me my Shetland pony Buttercup and a cart for her to pull that I could ride in.

My Great Grandmother- Micky as she was called. Really Adeline McCormick Pearson. She lived to the ripe old age of 103. She was cutest thing you have ever seen. She made the worlds best Macaroni & Cheese, Clam Chowder, Fried Chicken and the #1 cookie of all times. A cookie that in fact was so good my mother and I got in a fight over them and didn't talk for a few months. She was the funniest little thing and I miss her dearly.

and then there is my Grandfather. Papa as we called him. It has almost been 16 years since we lost him and it is still hard to write this. There is so much I could say about him but it comes down to this. He was the best grandfather a girl could ever have.

I miss you all!!!

Salmon season

It's Copper River Salmon season and if you love Salmon, there is NOTHING BETTER... it melts in your mouth and has a wonderful silky buttery taste, perfect on its own, but this is one of my favorite ways to have salmon any time of the year

 

You need to make it when you have some time, you can take a shortcut with the risotto but the tomatoes take some time, and they are well worth it.

I start by roasting the tomatoes in a oven at 350 degrees for at least 1 hour. But first you cut the tomatoes in half and core them and scoop out the seeds. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and minced garlic, drizzle a little olive oil and into the oven.

For the risotto I usually make a risotto or if in a hurry you can make a lovely wild rice mix. Martha has some great recipes on-line, I really like the Parmesan Risotto, but again, anything will work with this.

For the Salmon, cut the salmon up into individual portions and pat dry with a paper towel. Then salt and pepper and place into a hot pan with some canola oil, it only needs a few minutes per side and then you are set. It will create a great crust on the outside and delicate and wonderful inside.

Plate up like in my picture above, it is a easy one, any always gets rave reviews!

Bon Apetit!

the Naked Chef

In recent months Jamie Oliver has become a hit in the United States to a much wider audience then just those that watch the food network. With a prime-time show on abc he took over what was one of the fattest towns in American and make over their school lunch program. As a long time fan I watched the show and was slightly disgusted with some of the reaction of what he was trying to do. He won over some of the people that were his harshest critics in the end and hopefully really changed some peoples lives forever.  

But lets look back to one of his very first books when he was known as the "Naked Chef" Now don't get any perverted ideas, it's not that kind of chef.... he is Jamie Oliver and he is known as the Naked Chefbecause he "strips it bare and makes it work"  Who hasn't fallen in love with this cute English chef that we all noticed on the Food Network many years ago when they showed good shows. you know before it was filled with hours of "she who must not be named" the one that says yummo and the semi homemade lady. Alright off my soap box and back to Jamie. He has such a great way of presenting ingredients and made you just want to cook. This is the first book in my collection of Jamie Oliver, they are all great by the way. Here are some of the hits:

Baby Spinach, Fresh pea and Feta cheese salad. This is Spring on a fork, such fresh, delicate and lovely.

Buttered Taglierini with Seared Scallops, White wine, chili and Parsley. This goes together in a snap, I love scallops so this is a big hit

Seared Encrusted tuna steak with cilantro and basil. Tuna is another of my favorite things and searing it for a minute or so is the perfect way to eat it. Serve it over salad with potatoes or a bean red onion and rocket salad... or just plain out of the pan is good with me. Tuna and white beans are the perfect buddies, as Jamie would say.

Pork chops with Thyme, Lemon and Pesto.  What is better on a early fall day then a pork chop, these are grilled and then topped with the pesto. Serve with a little rice and you have a perfect meal.

Roasted Red onion with thyme and butter. Roasting vegetables is one of the best ways to eat them, it brings out a whole new level of flavor and red onions are even better. Add a little butter and fresh thyme and you have the prefect pair to a herb roasted chicken.

Lemon & Lime Cream Tart, two of the perfect flavors together. A Tart is such a lovely and easy dessert to make, serve it with some raspberries and a dollop of creme fraiche....

So do you have any Jamie Oliver cookbooks? If so, share some of your favorite recipes

dress up time

This is what happens when my niece and nephew come to their Aunt's house.....

of course we have craft time, but they also love some of the fancy things they can try on. And my niece thinks she gets to take one of my tiaras home... not going to happen missy!