better than snow shoveling

The wind is howling and the temperature has dropped. Yes, I am in Florida on a winter break, hahaha! I am not complaining. We are guests in my mother-in-laws beautiful home overlooking Sarasota Bay. I can see pelicans and herons soaring past the large plate glass window looking for their breakfast in wind whipped water. Peace and tranquility abounds.

A windy walk on the beach. The air temperatures barely brushed the low 50s.

For me the big event of the trip is a visit to the Saturday farmer's market. I have to say that Sarasota is a little loose in their definition of farmer's market. It is really more of an outdoor produce market. Much of what is sold comes from as far as California. I am not sure that the concept of local produce has been grasped here. As a shopper you have to pay attention to what each vendor is selling and ask where it comes from. I even came across the ubiquitous garlic from China. Seriously.

The sights and sounds of beautiful fruit and vegetables managed to sooth my cranky soul and I sent the kids forth to gather the ingredients for tomato salsa, a task they readily complied with as this is one of their most favorite treats. I taught them this recipe years ago and it has become a fun group project with the big payoff, typical of kitchen activities, that we get to eat our efforts!

Which brings me to this video of chef Jamie Oliver talking about the state of our collective eating habits in this country. The video was brought to my attention in a post from blogger, cook book writer and famed Long Island City dinner party hostess Zora O'Neill. Thank you, Zora.
Oliver is blunt in his assesment, to say the least. AND I have always found him to be way too fond of his own pretty face which he plasters on everything that passes through his hands. None-the-less, his message is a good one and stimulates plenty of thought. Teaching our children to cook is a very worthy endeavor and I have to admit that for all my home cooking, my kids could learn a few more lessons by the stove. I compiled a list of foods they knew how to cook by themselves at a young age and I see they certainly could survive on it, perhaps not thrive. So my mission is to encourage us all to teach our survive and thrive skills to those we love.

10 FOODS MY KIDS COULD COOK THEMSELVES by the age of 10

French Toast

Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Salsa

Quesadillas

Guacamole

Pasta with cheese and peas

Tuna salad sandwich

Scrambled eggs

Green Salad

Spaghetti and Tomato Sauce

Ok, lets get back to salsa- fun and easy to make, it turns any occassion into a party. We are talking basically a big wet salad made from fresh ingredients. Even vegetable haters love it. Show the kids how to make this and they will party for life!

After you finish this life lesson you may want to relax and sip some wine while nibbling on whatever salsa the kids leave in the bowl, which probably won't be much. Amanda, does any wine pairing come to mind for Tomato Salsa?

Tomato Salsa
1 large tomato finely chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, minced
1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
3 Tbs. cilantro, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
Juice of 1 lime
Place all ingredients in a bowl and allow to marinate for 15 minutes before serving.

Amanda
Love this post, Deb! Let me first say that I can only hope that by age 10 my children are eating tuna salad, guacamole and peas. Not in their repertoire as of yet, at ages 6 and 4. But as my husband and I love all things food, I am praying my children will follow suit. I feel fortunate that I am married to a culinary graduate, and it would be a wonderful pleasure should my kids inherit his culinary talents! Currently, my kids can fix their own breakfast as long as it's candy and is within their reach. (Even if it's not within their reach, they will go to great lengths to get it). Yesterday morning, I tried to "sleep in" a little. At 9:15 am I went downstairs to find my son, chocolate lollipop in hand (and on face), and my daughter holding a box of gumdrops in one hand and 3 tootsie roll pops in the other. Yes, I do have to start working on their culinary skills.


Well, this recipe is making me crave salsa and chips! I usually take the easy way out and purchase "home-made" salsa from Whole Foods, or Kings. I think it's time I made my own. But to answer Deb's question - yes! A wine pairing absolutely comes to mind! When I think of salsa, I immediately think of a crisp, lively, refreshing white. While this is the sort of wine I'd be more apt to drink in the warmer weather, I can't think of anything I'd enjoy more with this fresh, bright salsa.


Albarino would be my first choice for this recipe. This white varietal is grown primarily in Galicia, in northwest Spain. The Rias Baixas DO is particularly known for producing a significant amount of this grape. Albarinos typically are very aromatic, and light, with ripe fruit flavors of apple, citrus fruit and peach. The wines are crisp with lively, bright acidity.

Bodegas Martin Codax is known for making wonderful Albarinos. The 2008 Burgans Albarino from Bodegas Martin Codax is one of my favorite everyday white wines. (when purchasing an Albarino, always be sure to get one from a recent vintage - the wines do not age well.  Younger is better). The Burgans is fruity and complex with great balance - and a great value at $12.99.


I am having a "mom's night out" at my home on March 19th, to welcome Spring. I have been thinking of the menu. Now I have one more recipe to add! Thanks, Deb!

Good things in small spaces

Deborah

A visit to Hook Mountain Growers
Dr. Pamela Yee and her husband Dr. Charlie Paolino have taken on a life project dear to their hearts. They have converted a portion of their sprawling Nyack, NY suburban backyard into a magnificent kitchen garden. It's more of a mini-farm with a wide range of vegetables and herbs thriving in terraced raised beds. Pam calls her project "homesteading". I call it amazing!

My recent visit to see what a small garden could yield was well rewarded with a perfect sunny day, an eyeful of beautiful bounty and an armload of freshly picked produce.



Butters the bull dog guards the tomato harvest

Pam and her husband devote many hours to the land and I envied the peace and tranquility of their natural back-to-the-land lifestyle so close to NY City. The abundance is impressive and not withstanding the devastation of the tomato blight the couple are able to sell their produce to friends and neighbors on the weekends.
I purchased several pounds of tomatillos for a salsa I planned to make for a large party I was catering in the Hamptons. I picked up a few more vegetables to bring home for my family (Pamela allowed me to choose the most gorgeous peppers right off the plant!) and came home with a grilled ratatouille in mind. The classic French vegetable stew is always an inspiration when the harvest comes in. Rather than slow cooking on the stove, I opted to grill the traditional mix of vegetables. After grilling they are roughly chopped and and then briefly simmered w/ garlic oil and fresh herbs. This can be made the day before and allowed to sit overnight to allow the flavors to blend. Pretty, simple and delicious. Thank you Hook Mountain Growers!

Grilled Ratatouille
The key to this recipe is to keep it rustic. Use the vegetables and herbs you have on hand. I like spicy so I always add some hot peppers. Amanda, the final dish is loaded with flavor and very robust, with a smoky undertone from the grilling. What would you suggest for a compatible wine?

Vegetables before grilling and after

1 eggplant sliced into 1 inch disks
1 onion sliced into quarters w/ root attached to keep pieces together
2 small bell peppers left whole
1 zucchini sliced on an angle into wedges
2 medium tomatoes cut in half
1 jalapeno pepper (optional)
Olive oil (about 6 tablespoons)
3 garlic cloves roughly chopped
small handful of fresh herbs roughly chopped (parsley, tarragon, oregano, basil in any combination)

Brush the vegetables w/ olive oil and grill over hot coals till tender, about 10-15 minutes. Remove charred skin from the peppers and roughly chop all the vegetables and set aside. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a sauce pan and add the garlic. Simmer garlic till it begins to turn golden, about 5 minutes. Add the chopped vegetables and the white wine and herbs and simmer for another 10 minutes till flavors combine and wine begins to evaporate. I aggressively mash down the larger pieces of vegetables with the end of a wooden spatula while the stew simmers to further "rusticate" the dish.

Remove from pan and refrigerate overnight to allow the flavors to blend (I can't wait that long and always eat some right away!). Can be served warm or cold.
serves 4

Amanda
Deb, this looks and sounds absolutely wonderful! Right away, I think of a red. Something with lots of earth but not too powerful as to overwhelm the vegetables. My first thought would be Cabernet Franc, originally from the Bordeaux and Loire Valley regions of France. While it is now grown successfully around the world, I would choose something from the Loire. Chinon is the red wine, made from Cabernet Franc, which comes from this specific area. The wine typically has beautiful aromatics, and has that hint of tobacco which should work well with the smoky flavors from the grill. One of the leading domaines in the area is Couly Dutheil, a favorite of mine. Their Chinon is deep and dark, with lots of complexity - definitely a "food wine". The rusticity of the wine would do wonders with that same quality of the dish.

With this recipe, my mind also wanders to thoughts of Malbec. Originally from the southeast of France, Argentina does wonders with this varietal as well. While the grape is used mostly for blending in France, with the exception of Cahors, it has achieved great success in Argentina due to the hotter climate. And great bargains abound. One of my favorite Argentine winemakers is Susana Balbo, who in my book, can do no wrong. This seems like a perfect combination for an impromptu get-together with friends!