February 2017

Girl eating ice cream

Homemade Ice Cream (The Skinny On)

Posted on 25 February 2017
in Decadent Desserts and Sweets, Recipes
by Bob

     Sign in a store window: “Money Can’t Buy Happiness, But It Can Buy Ice Cream.” Who can argue with that? It’s never a question of whether someone likes ice cream or not; the question always is, “What’s your favorite flavor?”      You can search in all of the shops, parlors, and emporiums for the perfect scoop, but a much better idea is to make it yourself. It’s really pretty simple; it doesn’t take a lot of time, and the homemade varieties really do taste better. All you need is…

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Macaroons

The Coconut Macaroon – A Paris Icon

Posted on 25 February 2017
in Decadent Desserts and Sweets, Recipes
by Bob

     When I think of Paris there are several iconic things that come to mind: the Eiffel tower, the Moulin Rouge, the Seine, outdoor cafes, 2-hour lunches, and the macaroon. The Eiffel tower and the Moulin Rouge are a half a world away, too far for me when I need a Paris fix. The outdoor cafes and the 2-hour lunches aren’t a serious part of our culture so that leaves the macaroon.      The best tasting macaroons this side of the Atlantic are homemade, and they are so easy to…

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Preparing fish

White Fish With Crispy Caper Bread Crumbs

Posted on 25 February 2017
in Fish and Seafood Selections, Recipes
by Bob

     I have mixed feelings about people in the kitchen when I am cooking. I think the proverb is true about too many cooks. It can lead to confusion and ultimate failure (spoiling the broth).      I’ve also found it to be distracting. My efforts at trying to cook a meal and carry on a conversation has resulted in burnt French bread, sauces ending up being too thick, and meat that was overdone.      But there are times when you will want extra people in your kitchen. It might be…

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Rustic sauteed mushrooms

Mushrooms (Julia’s ‘Shrooms)

Posted on 25 February 2017
in Recipes, Sumptuous Sides
by Bob

     While searching for a side dish that contains sautéed mushrooms, I decided the place to start was  to see what Julia had to offer. Known and recognized everywhere, Julia Child was a culinary legend and a household name. Her persona was larger than life, and she had an infectious enthusiasm for both cooking and for having a good time. Few people have had as much influence in elevating fine dining in this country as she, and cooks worldwide owe Julia a large debt of gratitude for the work she had…

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Bread Pudding

New Orleans-style Sin Big Bread Pudding

Posted on 25 February 2017
in Decadent Desserts and Sweets, Recipes
by Bob

     We had just finished eating a wonderful dinner at a restaurant in New Orleans called Stella’s. Our waiter appeared at our table and asked, “How about some dessert, folks?”      “What are our choices?” I asked.      “This evening we have Bananas Foster, pecan pie, bread pudding, and some pralines.”       “That would be fine,” I said. “We’d like one of each, and please bring two spoons.”      Dorothy immediately put the kibosh on this, so I asked her to choose one we could share.      “I’d love the bread pudding with some…

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Seared tuna

Fresh Tuna Pan-seared With Ginger-Shiitake Cream Sauce

Posted on 25 February 2017
in Fish and Seafood Selections, Recipes
by Bob

     It wasn’t as if we didn’t have choices. We could choose if we wanted to buy our tuna in pouches or cans and packed in water or oil. We also had the choice of serving it in either a sandwich or a casserole. This was the extent of what I knew about tuna the first four decades of my life. Fresh tuna steaks? Whoever heard of such things?      Well, fresh tuna steaks have often been described as “the fillet mignon of the sea.” The meat’s texture is dense and firm,…

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Carmelized shrimp

Shrimp. A Versatile Little Crustacean

Posted on 25 February 2017
in Fish and Seafood Selections, Recipes
by Bob

     First of all, are prawns and shrimp one and the same? Although they have a similar appearance, they are not. We can talk about membership in different crustacean families, but the main difference is their habitat: “Shrimp come from both fresh and salt water and can live in both cold and warm waters; if they come from cold waters, then they will be smaller in size. There are more saltwater than freshwater species. Prawns come from fresh water, and are much larger and meatier, like a langoustine. Their meat…

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Turtle for soup

Turtle Soup (A Louisiana Delicacy)

Posted on 25 February 2017
in Nibbles and Appetizers (The Starters), Recipes
by Bob

      Seeking culinary adventures while vacationing in New Orleans, Dorothy and I thought what better way to begin than to dine at Commander’s Palace. We’d heard so much about the great food and impeccable service, and we were very excited about the evening’s possibilities.      As a first course we ordered turtle soup. It was suggested by our waiter that we might order a glass of sherry to drink with the soup, and we followed his advice.      The soup arrived at our table. It had a wonderful aroma and…

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