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August 2006, Volume 1 Issue 8
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In This Issue:
Welcome to the August Foodletter
Alan's Recipes of the Month
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Welcome to the August Foodletter
Wow! Where did the summer go? Labour Day is galloping up on us and it feels like we just put the snow shovels away!
Here in Sebringville, the nights are getting cooler, and I've even noticed some leaves starting to fall. I think we lost track of time during the heatwave. The air-conditioning unit on the building seems to be there just for decoration and some idiot kept turning on the ovens! It was a hot and (mentally) hazy couple of weeks.
But we've survived another summer and so have the spiders. It seems to be an amazing year for them, and not just here. My Mother down in Kingsville reports that an all-out war with them is on in the nursing home. They can string a web across vast amounts of space in no time at all. Alan has taken to walking through the place with his hand in front of his face like some kind of old-time explorer. I, of course, forget they're there and so spend a lot of time dancing around like an idiot, trying to get the nasty, sticky webs off of me (and this, mere moments after doing the cleaning. How do they move so fast?). Can we train them to use their powers and incredible energy for good? Sweeping the floor, for instance....
More research is required.
On a more positive note, the harvest is on! One of the things I love about living in this area is that, even without planting a thing, we can be completely inundated with fresh fruit and vegetables. Friends arrive for dinner bearing gifts from their gardens: beets and tomatoes and green beans. My brother came last week with a sack of corn and a very heavy watermelon. The farmer's market is awash with temptation. We've been eating like kings lately, happy in the knowledge that many of our friends do their own canning. Alan made several batches of jam during soft-fruit season. We will gladly trade.
We're getting quite an education, too, watching the farm vehicles drive past, from one job to another. I've no idea what they could possibly be for, but sometimes we see one in action in a field and the picture gets a little clearer.
Hope treasures abound in your corner of the world, as well!
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Alan's Recipes of the Month
John Taylor's Stacked Tomato Salad
It's tomato season and time for a couple of recipes featuring this most wonderful (and healthful) fruit. John Taylor was the first chef I worked for at the Westover Inn in St Marys, Ontario (just South of Stratford) many years ago. He now has his own highly acclaimed place in Ottawa (http://www.domuscafe.ca/) and occasionally this recipe reappears on his ever changing menu.
Ingredients (per person)
1 med Ripe Tomato, can be red or yellow (or a mixture) and the fresher - the better
4-6 lg Kalamata Olives, pitted and chopped
2 oz Soft Goat (or Sheep) Cheese, crumbled
3 T Extra-virgin Olive Oil
1 T Balsamic Vinegar
1/2 bu Fresh Basil Leaves
Salt and Fresh Cracked Pepper, to taste
1 handful Mixed (Mesclun) Greens
Method
Core the tomato and turn it on its side. Cut the tomato into six slices. Take the top and bottom slices and chop into fine squares.
Make the vinaigrette by mixing the oil and vinegar in a bowl. Finely chop a few of the basil leaves and mix them in. Season with salt and pepper. Mix in the greens.
Place a slice of tomato in the centre of a large plate. Place a few of the greens on top. Add another slice of tomato on top of that. Top with some of the chopped olives and a few more greens. Top with another tomato slice. Gently place some of the crumbled goat cheese on this slice, along with some more greens. Add the last slice of tomato on top of this and place a small basil leaf on top.
Sprinkle the rest of the chopped tomato, olives, chopped basil and cheese around the plate. If there is any vinaigrette left, sprinkle that about as well.
Crack a bit of fresh black pepper over the whole thing and bring carefully to the table.
Variation Place all of these ingredients (except the greens) in a big bowl and toss in hot pasta - just about any shape will do. Add a bit more olive oil if need be and serve with crusty bread (to sop it all up). Makes a lovely light summer supper.
Gazpacho
Ingredients
4 lg Ripe, Fresh Tomatoes, cored and chopped
1 ea Red and Yellow Bell Peppers, chopped
1 med Cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped
2 cloves Garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 T Red Wine, Balsamic or Tarragon Vinegar, or to taste
1 bu Fresh Basil, chopped
1 pinch Cayenne Pepper, or to taste
Best Quality Extra-virgin Olive Oil
Croutons (small toasted chunks of bread rubbed with garlic)
Salt & Pepper to taste
Method
Place the tomatoes, half of the peppers and half of the cucumber in a food processor and pulse until good and sloppy, but not pureed. Pour into a large bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients, mix thoroughly and chill well until ready to serve.
To serve, pour about 6 ounces into each bowl. Top with a splash of olive oil, a few croutons and some more chopped basil.
Serves 4.
Cheers!
Barb & Alan
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