No Cheap Wine Allowed

Filet Mignon with Merlot Sauce Beaulieu Vineyard Wine Society

another killer recipe from "Sammy Salumni"

1 750-ml bottle Merlot


2 14 1/2 oz. cans low-salt chicken broth


1 14 1/2 oz. can beef broth


2 Tbs. unsalted butter (room temp)


1 Tbs. all purpose flour


1 Tbs. olive oil


6 six-oz filet mignon steaks (1" thick)


freshly cracked pepper


1/4 cup chopped shallots


1 Tbs. chopped garlic


1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme





method:Boil wine, chicken broth and beef broth in heavy large saucepan over high heat until mixture is reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about 1 hr. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover refrigerate.)prepare:Mix butter and flour in small bowl. Heat olive oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle steaks with salt and pepper. Saute steaks until medium-rare, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to plate. Add shallots, garlic and thyme to skillet; stir 30 seconds. Add reduced wine mixture to skillet. Bring mixture to boil, scraping up any brown bits. Add butter mixture and whisk until smooth. Boil sauce until thick enough to coat spoon, about 2 minutes. Serve steaks with sauce.serve with BV Merlot (or use any decent merlot.. not cheap stuff!)I used Markham Merlot from BevMo or Safeway.. and it was killa!

A Dessert to Bathe In

This is an excerpt from Tales From The Table: Dordogne Stories, to be published next year by Silverback Books. www.silverbackbooks.com

The Alchemists

The word "alchemy" evokes images of a robed wizard in an ancient kitchen, stirring his bubbling cauldron. The magician drops in a pinch of the essential ingredient and in a puff of smoke, the recipe for his magical elixir that turns metal into gold is complete. While this may seem more Harry Potter than Julia Child, in modern kitchens it is not that far fetched. We’ve all heard of El Bulli, the Spanish restaurant open six months a year, with the other six reserved for chef Ferran Adriá to create recipes in his Barcelona laboratory.
Here in the Dordogne there is nothing approaching this craze, but there is definitely something brewing in the tradition-heavy kitchens, and we are seeing gold…
…good news travels de bouche à oreille (by word of mouth) around here, and this was re-affirmed when Nicolas handed us small espresso spoons and invited us to dig into a tub of creamy white ice cream. One by one we tasted, and one by one we raised our eyebrows in delicious surprise. It was not coconut as we expected, or another sugary sensation, but goat cheese flavor made with the finest A.O.C. Cabécou… Thanks to Nicolas, we hunted down the ice cream’s creator.
… Don’t get us wrong---we love the epicurean stars that make the region sparkle. At last count we have had three duck confit meals this week alone. But for foodies who want to go beyond the boundaries of what is perceived as the typical Dordogne menu, we suggest you visit some of the area’s new culinary magicians. The recipes are guaranteed to cast a spell over you.

Read all about these kitchen magicians, and many others in Tales From The Table: Dordogne Stories, written by Kimberley Lovato and Laura Schmalhorst, to be published by Silverback Books. (feel free to email info@silverbackbooks.com and tell her you can’t wait to read it!)


Laura’s Lavender Creme Caramel with Wild Strawberries

The new Perigord Cuisine is all about tradition with a twist. Once described by a dear friend as “like having a bath and dessert at the same time”, this sinfully good dessert infuses the flavors of fresh picked Dordogne lavender and "fraise des bois” (wild strawberries), with the classic dessert. Eating in the bathtub optional. Recipe created by Laura Schmalhorst.

Preheat Oven to 325 degrees Serves: 6
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4 cups (1 quart) heavy cream
1/2 cup picked lavender blossoms
8 extra large egg yolks
3/4 cup granulated sugar
Pinch coarse salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1 pint of small wild strawberries known as "fraise des bois".
6 9-oz ramekins
Optional: whipped cream for garnish
Large shallow pan for water bath

Custard
1. Heat cream and lavender in heavy 1 1/2 quart sauce pan over medium- low heat to just under a simmer, for 15 minutes. Turn off heat and let steep uncovered for 1 hour stirring occasionally. Strain, discard lavender.
2. Beat egg yolks and sugar together in a small bowl until pale yellow. Add a small amount of warm cream to sugar and egg mixture and stir to dissolve sugar. Stir back into the pan of warm cream and stir until completely blended and smooth.

Pour into prepared custard cups and set in large roasted pan. Fill roasting pan with hot water to about 2/3 of the way up the cups, being careful not to splash water into custard. Bake for about 45-minutes to an hour or just until custard is set. Cool enough to remove from water bath and chill in the cups 45 minutes or overnight.

Caramel Lined Custard Cups

1. Heat sugar in small heavy sauce pan over medium heat until sugar begins to melt. Stir gently to evenly melt the small clumps and if necessary remove from heat for a few second while stirring.

2. When sugar has reached a dark brown caramel color pour into ramekins and tilt to cover bottom and sides of cups.

Assembly
Unmold custard and its sauce onto serving plates, garnish with small dollop of whipped cream and sprinkle wild berries on top.

Serve to Your Own Prince Charming

Pan Roasted Leg of Lamb with Crown of Garlic Confit

At Château de Tiregand we asked Monique to share a special recipe. She often prepares meals for her large family and local restaurateurs who come for an annual tasting. She opts for Lamb as an alternative to the typical duck dishes prevalent around the Dordogne. Recipe re-written by Laura.

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees Serves: 6
_____________________________________________________________________________

1 (5-6 pound) leg of lamb, bone in
3 tablespoons goose fat, or butter
1 1/2 tablespoons coarse salt
2 tablespoons cracked black pepper
1/2 cup Armagnac
1 cup all purpose meat stock
1 cup Monbazillac
80-100 garlic cloves, peeled but left whole
1 teaspoon coarse salt
Trim the lamb leg of excess fat and sinewy tissue.

1. Heat a heavy skillet, large enough to hold the meaty portion of the lamb leg on med-high heat. Season the lamb well with salt and pepper.

2. Add goose fat or butter and when lightly smoking add the lamb leg to sear well turning on all sides. Reduce heat to medium.

3. Pour Armagnac over lamb and once the flames have subsided remove the lamb to a separate roasting pan.

4. Add the garlic cloves to the skillet that the lamb browned in and stir to coat with the pan juices. Add the Monbazillac, cook for about 1 minute then put garlic and all juices in an ovenproof casserole dish with a tight fitting lid.

5. Bake garlic for about 1 hours until tender but not mushy.

Roasting the Lamb:

Pour the meat stock into the roasting pan with the lamb then bake for about 45 minutes to 1 hour for or an internal temperature of 145 degrees for medium rare. After about 35 minutes add the garlic confit.

Do not cover lamb or baste while it is cooking. Allow to stand for 10-15 minutes before serving.

For serving: place the lamb on a large carving platter and spoon the garlic confit around the leg to create a "crown". Combine the juices from roasting pans, adding a little water if necessary to make a pan sauce to serve on the side.

Delicious Sneak Preview

http://www.silverbackbooks.com/

This is an excerpt from Tales From The Table: Dordogne Stories
Due out Fall, 2008

The Royal Family


In the ‘The Little Prince’, author Antoine de Saint-Exupéry writes, “Here is my secret. It is very simple. It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye”. It has always been an influential quotation, probably because it is relevant and applicable to so many things: love, friendship, and in this case, wine.
While the writing of Antoine brought the name its worldwide fame in 1943, the family of Saint-Exupéry has been making a name for itself amongst the vineyards of the Dordogne for over 300 years.

We first discovered the Château de Tiregand in Creysse (Dordogne) when we followed a small, hard to see sign off the D660 and bounced along a bumpy, dusty trail. Bottoming out our rental car was worth it. Since then, we have brought dozens of friends and culinary tour guests back to taste the delicious wines and to meet the charming prince of an owner François-Xavier de Saint–Exupéry and his wife Monique…
While he traveled the world to explore wine, including stints in the Napa Valley, he always knew he’d go back to the Dordogne.
… “I wanted to come back to my roots, and the pride I had for my family heritage brought me the desire to develop something here at home.”
While he would love his children to follow in his footsteps, François says what this business is really about is the passion to do what you love.
“I tell my sons ‘do your own thing but do it with desire’. He adds, “I believe the love of good food and good wine is a gift you give your children to last their whole life.”…

…In the tasting room, we try a rosé François recommends pairing with a light lunch on a sunny terrace. The white we taste is crisp and refreshing and Monique suggests an accompanying meal of fish or eel from the Dordogne River. We finish off with a noble red, vintage 1985…
Holding the stem of the wine glass, François closes his eyes and tilts it towards his face. He inhales deeply and takes in the scent of his heritage, his passion, and his future…


Read this story in its entirety and many others in Tales From The Table: Dordogne Stories, written by Kimberley Lovato and Laura Scmalhorst, and to be published by Silverback Books next fall. www.silverbackbooks.com
(feel free to email Lynda@silverbackbooks.com and tell her how excited you are to read it!!!)

Wine Factoids from Sam

Just in case you haven't seen this, it's a gem.

In a number of carefully controlled trials, scientists have demonstrated
that if we drink 1 liter of water each day, at the end of the year we
wouldhave absorbed more than 1 kilo of Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria
foundin feces. In other words, we are consuming 1 kilo of Poop.

However, we do not run that risk when drinking wine (or rum, whiskey,
beeror other liquor) because alcohol has to go through a purification
process ofboiling, filtering and/or fermenting.

Remember:

Water = Poop
Wine = Health

Therefore, it's better to drink wine and talk stupid, than to drinkwater and be full of shit.

There's no need to thank me for this valuable information; I'm doing it as apublic service.

ciao,
sam

Holiday Gifts for Travel Junkies

MSM Travel has a fun selections of gadgets and gizmos for foodies with passports.

"Shoot Yourself: How many times have you handed a camera to a stranger to get a picture of yourself and your companions on a trip? With the handheld QuikPod ($24.95), you can take your photos yourself. The pocket-size, telescoping monopod weighs just 3.5 ounces, unfolds to 18 inches so you don't have the extended-arm look in your self-portraits and has a small mirror to help you line up your shots. "

www.Holiday Gifts for Travelers - MSN Travel Articles.mht

Tasty Bites

Recipe by Homefood Cesarina Antonella Melandri from Bologna for BISCOTTI DI PARMIGIANO

Carol Coviello-Malzone who promises these mouthwatering little treats will be one of your favorites
Preheat oven to 350.
2/3 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano and emmanthaler (I like over half of this amount to be parmigiano, in other words almost 1/2 cup of parmigiano and then add enough emmanthaler to add up to 2/3 cup total.)
NOTE: It’s important to use an excellent quality parmigiano-reggiano. (Please not the shaker-can imposter!!) If your cheese is not good, you might as well skip the biscotti and go straight to the Prosecco.
1/4 cup butter, softened 1/2 cup all purpose flour1/2 teaspoon salt few grinds of black pepper few grinds of nutmeg (I grate whole nutmeg)
1 whole egg beaten, to brush over topMarcona (white) almonds – one for each biscuit
Mix the parmigiano-reggiano and emmanthaler with the flour, butter, salt, pepper, and nutmeg with pastry blender, two forks, or your hands.
When well mixed, form into a ball and put in refrigerator for at least one hour.
Cut in half and roll out with rolling pin as thin as possible without breaking up.
Form biscuits with biscuit cutter or glass and place on baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Press one almond in center of each and brush with beaten egg.
Bake at 350 degrees 15-20 minutes, until slightly golden at the edges.

Decadent Chocolate French Twist

Decadent Chocolate French Twist

Trick of the Trade- this makes the absolutely best Christmas morning French toast, assuming you actually have any left once you’ve baked it. Try slathered with whipped cream and raspberries.
The loaves will freeze wrapped in foil. Heat slightly before serving

Makes 2 large loaves

Dough
1 cup warm water (105° to 115°)

2 (1/4-ounce) package active dry yeast

1/2 cup sugar
1 egg, room temperature

1 cup milk, warmed

2 teaspoons salt

8 cups high gluten flour, plus more for dusting

In a large bowl, add the warm water and yeast. Stir to dissolve then add the sugar, salt, milk and egg. Whisk together until smooth. Stir in 2 cups of the flour and stir until smooth. Add two more cups of the flour and blend well. Add more of the flour until a dough has formed and is still soft put pulling away from the side of the bowl. On a smooth clean surface, sprinkle more of the four and turn the dough out. Knead until smooth, working in more of the flour as needed. The dough should be smooth and elastic. Place in clean bowl with a little oil and let rise till double. Punch down and let rise again. This will take about 3 hours.

Chocolate Filling
Mix all ingredients together
7oz bag semi sweet chocolate chips
2 cups dark brown sugar
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup walnut or pecan pieces

Egg wash for top of loaf about 1/2 cup more nuts for garnish


Preheat oven to 375 degrees

On a lightly floured surface, divide the dough into two pieces. Roll one piece into a rectangle about 12x14. Cut in half lengthwise. Fill each piece with ¼ of the brown sugar/ chocolate filling in the center of the “log” and pinch together. Lightly sprinkle each log with flour and braid together. Place on a baking pan, preferable a 1/2 sheet pan or jelly roll pan with sides. (the filling oozes, see below)

Repeat with the second loaf and place on a second baking pan. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with nuts. Let rise about 20 minutes or test by carefully pushing the dough with your finger. There should be a slight indentation.

Bake for about 30-40 minutes.

*If the filling oozes a little don’t worry, when you remove the bread from the oven, scoop the hot sauce with a splatula and spoon over the bread

Party Perfect

Good friend Linda Caivano, owner of Events by Amore in Tampa, wowed the pros at a NACE benefit. Impressing a room full of other planners and caterers is no easy feat. Here’s what BizBash Florida had to say. Kudos!

“Food stations offered goodies for guests to sample while they perused the
vignettes lining the tent walls. Events by Amore mesmerized guests with
hors d'oeuvres; in particular, their Ahi-tuna-and-pineapple "shooters"—
sushi-like rolls skewered with a pipette filled with plum sake—were popular
among attendees.”
http://www.bizbash/fla.com
http://www.eventsbyamore.com/

Dinner in the Sky? Oh MY!

Kimberley Lovato, editor of "A Broad in Belgium" just sent me this. How cool is this? I thought the underwater restaurant was creative but this truly is an uplifting event.

Transform an ordinary meal or office party into a magical moment that will leave guests hanging. Literally. Dinner in the Sky takes place at a table suspended at a height of 50 meters by a team of professionals. (Thank God there are professionals). Pricey but for those looking for that once in a life time experience, here is your chance. What if you have to go to the bathroom? I'm just asking. Acrophobes need not apply

http://www.dinnerinthesky.com/index.php

Szechwan Tea Brined Turkey

Szechwan Tea Brined Turkey

3 lemons, peel the rind with a potato peeler
2 cups kosher salt
2 cups light brown sugar
4 large ice tea bags
12 cinnamon sticks
1 cup whole dried Chinese red chili peppers or Chile de Arbol peppers
½ cup premixed spice for Pho*
*Available at Asian markets or use the following
1/2 cup star anise
1/4 cup black peppercorns
1 tablespoon cardamom pods
1 tablespoon whole cloves

1 -18 pound fresh turkey
1- 2 cups goose fat (secret ingredient)
The Brine:

Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil in large pot. Add the tea bags, lemon peel, and spices and steep twenty minutes. Remove the tea bags but leave the spices and stir in the salt and sugar. Cool to luke warm. Add about 12 ice cubes or until the brine is completely cooled. Rinse the turkey with cold water, remove all the giblets and soak in the brine for 36-48 hours. Be sure to use a nonreactive pot that will fit in the refrigerator. Weight the turkey to completely submerge in the brine. I used an un-opened plastic ½ gallon of milk that worked perfectly.

Sausage, Porcini and Bourbon Soaked Prune Stuffing:

1 -1/2 cups pitted prunes
½ cup Bourbon
Soak overnight

1 loaf crusty firm bread. (I used Italian semolina)
1 pound bulk pork sausage
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter
2 large onions, chopped
5 stalks celery, chopped
1 (5oz) package dried porcini*, soak in water , then roughly chop (save liquid)
1 tablespoon dried sage
2-3 tablespoons dried thyme
3 tablespoon black pepper
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
1-2 cups turkey *or chicken stock
Kosher salt to taste

Cut the bread in 1 inch cubes and either lightly toast in the oven or dry overnight. If you have a gas oven the heat of the pilot light is usually great for this.

Sauté the sausage in a skillet over medium heat until brown. Add the butter, onions and celery to the sausage, reduce the heat and continue to cook, for about 15 minutes. Place the bread cubes in a large bowl and add the sausage mixture. Let cool slightly and add 1-2 cups of turkey stock, the seasonings, parsley and blend well. Mix in half of the porcini (save the juice and rest for the gravy) and the prunes and whatever liquid may have accumulated.

Note: I used less salt than I normally would have for the stuffing due to the brine.

Roasting the turkey:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Remove turkey from brine and place in roasting pan. Use your fingers to carefully loosen the turkey skin from the flesh without tearing the skin. This is actually quite simple and you can loosen down to the thighs. Liberally rub the goose fat under the skin and pat the skin back in place. Fill the cavity with the stuffing placing any extra in a small casserole to bake later. Rub the outside of the turkey as well using more fat if necessary.

Roast uncovered for 1 hour at 400 degrees, then reduce oven to 350 and roast 2 more hours. I did not even have to baste the turkey. After 3 hours, the legs felt done (or 165 on meat thermometer from the thigh) and I removed the turkey from the oven and covered with foil to rest for another hours. Perfection.

Porcini Gravy:

Trick of the Trade: Buy a deli roasted chicken for dinner Thanksgiving week. Most likely you are busy so having an easy meal is ideal. Save the bones and carcass to make a quick stock along with the turkey neck and giblets. Remember to remove the turkey liver after about thirty minutes as it gets bitter. Add all your onion peels, parsley stems, celery tops and a couple carrots to the stock pot. Any leftover wine in the fridge- throw it in too. I added a half bottle of pinot noir to the stock myself.

Simmer 2 hours, strain then bring to a simmer when ready to make gravy. Use part of this stock to moisten your stuffing and more flavorful gravy.

Fool Proof Gravy Preparation – for about 1 ½ quarts of gravy (plenty leftover for the turkey hash)

Carefully pour off turkey pan dripping. Skim about 2/3 cup of the fat and place in a small skillet to make a roux. Add ½ cup of flour and cook for about 2-3 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic and 1 tablespoon paprika. Whisk into the hot stock and continue stirring until it’s beginning to thicken slightly. Add the remaining porcini, the reserved juice and the turkey drippings (skim any remaining fat first and discard). Simmer for about 30 minutes and check seasonings before serving.

Tales from the Table

Coming Soon from Silverback Books

Tales from the Table"Dordogne Stories"

Chasing fairytales-

The post card in my mailbox nearly 15 years ago was of the most beautiful village I had ever seen. Nicole and Claude, a couple my husband and I had met outside of Paris, said they were intrigued by our adventuresome spirit and love of France, and sent it to us to tempt us into venturing further and deeper into “the hexagon”, as the country is often referred to. The village in the postcard teetered on the river’s edge with a dilapidated boat at its shore. Cream-colored stone houses seemed carved from the hillside and peered over a dark blue river enveloped in mist and fog. If fairytales had dreams, this is what they would look like. The small print on the back of the post card said ‘Le Rogue Gageac, Dordogne’. I knew I had to find this place.
I have been returning to the Dordogne for 15 years now. With books, a magnifying glass and a collection of maps, I have scoured the region from top to bottom, inside out. Along the way and over the years, I discovered a land of unspoiled beauty that has spoiled me rotten and in seeking a postcard, I have created a beautiful portrait that hangs in my heart and memory.
Down each aimless path, and over each rocky and rolling landscape, this painting came to life. I was often unsure of my destination but never disappointed in the journey. Nothing can compare to the take-your-breath-away emotion you feel the first time you see a 500-year-old chateau clutching the side of a cliff above a winding river valley. And I never get bored of seeing sunlight twinkle on grape leaves, knowing that it looked the same hundreds of years ago. My countless scavenger hunts through storybook villages and medieval bastide towns have yielded great finds, from old recipe books to new friends, as well as an appreciation for a history as old as mankind itself. After each visit, I was more reassured that I had found a unique corner of the world.
But the most important element of my masterpiece was the color--a vibrant palette of sumptuous hues that could only have come from knowing the people and tasting the cuisine of the Dordogne. For me this fairy-tale setting, as stunning as it was, was merely a façade without the
personalities and flavors that bubbled behind the ancient doors. As a professional chef and caterer for 25 years, I was not only in awe of the fresh produce at the markets and the array of choice but was also astounded at the resolve of these ‘marketers’. Their life is a hard one; much harder than my years in professional kitchens. (The jury is still out on whether or not working with brides is more challenging than enduring the elements at an open-air market). Year after year, I was greeted with the warm reception and generous smile reserved for an old friend, and, of course, a kiss on both cheeks. As I roamed the markets that occur everyday in some cobble-stoned corner of the Dordogne, I was yearning to talk to the local producers and get into the restaurants to see what was happening in these kitchens.
After years of frequenting the same restaurants, markets, hotels, shops and villages for years, these gracious people invited me into their lives and kitchens and created a vivid and tangible connection to a region that has truly cast a spell over me, and will keep me coming back for years to come. From families who cultivate the same fields as their great grandparents did, to the new arrivals that sprinkle a foreign seasoning on the local ways, there is one common thread: passion. Passion for the present, passion for the past, and a passion for the paradise they now call home.
Sitting down at the table with these convivial people, many of whom I now proudly call friends, has revealed more in one duck confit dinner than all my wrinkled maps and glossy brochures ever told. Old traditions are making way for new trends, and foreign influence is on the rise not only in real estate but also in the kitchens around the Dordogne. It is here that your own once-upon-a-time begins.
I met writer Kimberley Lovato about five years ago in Dordogne. A freelance journalist and aspiring travel writer, she kept telling me that every person has a story to tell. You’d be surprised what you can learn about a person by simply asking. Kimberley’s thirst for adventure and enchantment with the people was motivating and we became instant friends. The idea of the book was born from our mutual love for the food, and nosiness to know more about the lives of the people we met along the way.
We invite you to pull up a chair on this edible journey through an enchanted land rich in history and tradition, yet brimming with contemporary new taste. Tales From The Table is a small but insightful glimpse inside a world that seemlessly blends the old and new, the past and the future. From a family matriarch who long ago stopped writing her recipes down, to a young chef who is making big waves from his small town , the characters you will read about are as delightful and tempting as the recipes themselves. Through their stories, you will discover a land that is more than just a picture on the front of a glossy card. It is a living, breathing tapestry woven with the thread of ancient flavors, new traditions and dyes from the colorful people of the Dordogne.
In case you’re wondering, I found the image on the post card that tempted me all those years ago. My husband and I were weaving along the river roads, contorting our heads in an effort to see the chateaux and villages perched above, and then we saw it. The sign, so familiar now, with simple black and white lettering that read, ‘La Rogue- Gageac’. Before us the fairy tale photo had come to life. The village was real and as I recall, there was even a worn rowboat slapping at the shore. After all these years,
my postcard image was bent and creased with age, yet the real thing seemed untouched by time.
It was then I knew we had found a very special place.

Enjoy your journey.
Laura Schmalhorst with Kimberley Lovato

The Trouble with Truffles

The trouble with truffles by Jeffrey Bardin

Well it all started with Laura’s story of the pasta with truffles dinner in Venice. Suffice it to say how could I top that meal? Well actually it was easy
1. Find truffles that you could actually afford in the United States.
2. Get Laura to fix the same meal except in her house and not in Italy.
3. Do it all at Christmas time.

God how I love the internet! I searched for truffles (fresh that is) and found lots of links web sites, etc, mostly talk about the Oregon truffle and what not but not one really selling them, and all the stuff about canned Italian and French truffles. NO GOOD! Then I found Garland Gourmet in of all places North Carolina. It seems that Franklin Garland has been growing true Perigordian truffles in North Carolina since 1979.

I called and spoke to Franklin’s wonderful wife Betty and got her to send me Fed Ex special delivery truffles in November fresh from the earth FRENCH Black Truffles grown right here in the USA,

They cost a small fortune but half what the European version would cost. But as the Scottish would say quite dear. Any way it was for Laura’s Christmas present so what is a couple hundred dollars for a world class chef to fix what is probably the best meal you will have this year.

We had a party, well not just a party but a big ass full blown o my god what is this food have I died and gone to heaven party. Plus we had press there too and all the BS needed to make this a big deal la de da event.

Well what about the truffles? First a bit about truffles. Truffles were the peasant food for ages in both Italy and France. The peasants were hungry in the winter and the truffles grew underground (food of the devils the pope said) so for hundreds of years the peasants ate truffles on eggs, and on potatoes, and over pasta. It was cheap and it was available in winter.

The along came a king who got snowed in on his way from some castle to another and he stopped at the first house along the way that had a fire place. Being the king the peasants of course took him in and offered him the only food they had , pommes (potatoes) sarladaise with truffles, pasta with truffles and olive oil, and of course scrambled eggs and truffles. The king was famished and of course being careful not to offend the hospitality of the peasants ate copious amounts of all that was offered.

It was orgasmic! The king had never felt, tasted or ever remotely sensed the captivating presence of truffles. What was this thing, this truffle? Herb? Vegetable? Excelsior of the devil? It did not matter he had to have it. That night he made love to his queen, six hand maidens, two knaves, a goat and grandmother. All were satisfied.

Suffice it to say truffles became a food of the kings, much to the chagrin of the peasants until they realized that they the could get $800 a lb for the tubers. A new industry was born. Truffles have gone gourmet. The King got the popes the change their mind about trufflles being devil food and many peasants became middle class, an industry was born, but I digress.

We had the simplest of meals, pasta, olive oil, and shaved fresh truffles. This basic preparation requires minimal skills but is only served in the best of restaurants. Only one rule. Quality ingredients and don’t screw up and add any thing. Here is the recipe.

Pasta your choice - cook al dente

Olive oil the best you can afford, (French, Italian, Spanish, Greek, it doesn’t matter each has a personality of its own but do not be cheap. drizzle lightly over pasta and tenderly, no lovingly fold it in the pasta. This part is important, no passion, no food, you supply the vital ingredient… love.

Truffles, shaved over a steaming mound of pasta, just enough to cover but not enough to be vulgar, this stuff is expensive. If you don’t have a truffle shaver use a chocolate shaver, or a cheese grater, thinner is better, let it breathe.

Smell, savor, love, enjoy slowly seductively, not too fast, smell the aromas, then taste front of mouth, chew, mull, repeat. Truffles are best enjoyed with a good red wine i.e. the most expensive you can afford be it ten, twenty, fifty or a hundred dollars, as long as it was a stretch for you to buy it it will be good.

Garland gourmet can be contacted at http://www.garlandtruffles.com/

Hey Jeff- Makes me want to get a poodle- Laura

A Chef on the Loose

Dear Diary,

If you asked me what to do with a blog a few years back , I would have responded "Start with a very hot pan..." after all, I have been a chef for very long time. Expertly trained at the prestigious School of Hard Knocks and Bad Luck , my first classes were a hilarious mix of girls don't belong in the kitchen and all the juicy tidbits Tony Bourdain spilled the beans over..

Truth is I have stories that would even make Tony blush . Maybe one day I'll bump into him and I can ask if we ever had a little fling going back in the seventies? Chances are neither of us would remember so I'll just say, that one night in a rather infamous NYC club was a definite maybe.

This isn't about me however. I've learned a blog is not something to dredge in flour and throw into a sizzling pan. Instead , pull up a chair, grab a glass of wine and welcome to our food crazed adventures. Meet our fellow foodie friends, most with passports, some chefs on the loose like me, or just vagabond gourmets in search of the next fabulous meal in a faraway place.

Laura