Red Stick Farmers Market

One of my favorite things to do on Saturdays, besides getting to sleep in, is getting to head downtown to the Farmers Market. 

It makes me happy to get out and talk to the vendors. Try the new stuff they've created and see what they recommend. I haven't been able to go as much as I would want. The markets during the week are always closed by the time I get off work. 

Inside the view of Farmers Market

I always get my honey from the farmers market. Love getting my eggs and bread from there as well. I even like to get my meat products from a vendor as well. Everything is down there, even dairy products. 

The farmers market reminds me of the markets in France. The access to fresh and local produce is something I enjoy having. Another reason why I like being able to have a garden. 

I bought myself some caramel balsamic vinegar. It had the perfect flavor notes. I could taste the caramel and the balance of the aged balsamic. Sweet and tangy. I have some great ideas for the caramel balsamic vinegar.  

Different olive oils and balsamic vinegars 

The access to all of these products makes me happy and more connected in a sense to the community.

I enjoy talking to the vendors and asking about their products. They are always happy to talk. You get a sense of how proud they are of their product, and happy to hear that you enjoy the fruits of their labor.

I hope that you have access to a farmers market like this. I obviously thoroughly enjoy it. I know I say it a lot, but I don't think I can every say it enough... Support your local farmers and purveyors. I'm happy that I've been able to do this as much as I have living down here in South Louisiana.

I do have a humble garden in my backyard area. I already have a tomato and a bell pepper sprouting... Exciting! 

Little Tomato

Little Bell Pepper

The Little Garden 

Well, Happy Eating friends. Looking forward to hearing what you think! 

Bye Mardi Gras

Last week was shortest long week ever. 

I was off for Mardi Gras (another benefit of working at a college in South Louisiana). Long four day weekend then only three days then off again for the weekend. 

The last king cake I made for the season 

It was only three working days but it dragged by and it felt like I hadn't had a break in months. I welcomed the weekend. 

But I was happy to have my parents down for a couple of days over the long weekend. We just tooled around town and I showed them some of the Mardi Gras stuff. But did steer clear of most of it. 

I did make them dinner the night they came into town. Spinach pasta w/an artichoke tomato sauce and caramelized onion and chicken meatballs. It was very tasty and they were happy. 

Getting dinner going for my parents 

I found the pasta at Fresh Market and I also bought the tomato sauce as well. I know... Some people frown upon store bought anything, but to me, if it is a great product and you like the company that produces it, why not? And I had just finished a week of making over 100 king cakes so I was looking for all the time saving help I could. 

So much yumminess 

The sauce did need some doctoring up. I cooked up the meatballs and some pancetta pieces and then poured the sauce into the same pan I cooked the pancetta (took the pancetta and meatballs out and put on a paper towels to absorb some of the grease and also wiped out some of the grease from the pan). I added in some artichoke hearts I had in the fridge, and tossed the cooked pasta to the mix and added the meatballs back to the pan. 

All finished. Spinach egg noodle pasta with artichoke and tomato sauce w/caramelized onion and chicken meatballs  

My parents were happy. When I served them the pasta with some garlic bread, I topped the pasta and meatballs with the crunchy pancetta pieces. They got seconds :)

It was also Valentines weekend as well... 

I went out to eat with my parents and my cousin, and then went back to the house. We made some cocktails and watched the Ole Miss basketball game. 

Instead of just flowers for Valentines, I got a garden. I have to say I was a very happy girl. Planted tomatoes, bell peppers, herbs and lettuce. Can't wait to write and tell y'all about how my plants are growing and what recipes I'm using them in. Happy Eating! 

My Valentines gift. A garden!! 

Eau de King Cake

I’ve always lived in parts of the country that don’t heavily observe the Mardi Gras season. In my hometown, there was only one very small “parade” on Fat Tuesday. It consisted of a handful of people wearing the traditional colors of Mardi Gras, the beads, a few trumpeting a zydeco/jazz tune and walking around the downtown square before heading into their favorite bar.  

Find Me waiting for the bead throwing 

When I was out in Colorado, it was the same idea. A handful of bars had stuff up for Fat Tuesday/Mardi Gras and some drinks that were named after some popular streets in New Orleans, Louisiana. Even drinks made to taste like king cake.

Photo w/Krews Queen and King

Being down in south Louisiana I’ve gotten to see more of carnival season. There are different balls of the Krews on the weekends at the first of the carnival season, then the weekends closer to the end there are the parades for the different Krews. Now this is how it is here in Baton Rouge. I know that in other places, like NOLA and even over in Mobile, Alabama, the parades of the Krews take place the night of the ball; which I find a whole lot of fun and enjoy.

Mardi Gras Ball w/a college friend 

I thing I do enjoy is that everywhere you go, there is some form of king cake available. The traditional king cake is made up of a Danish dough, and filled with a cinnamon filling. After it is baked, the cake is coated with an icing and then topped with yellow, green and purple sugar. You can even get different fillings if you like. I prefer the traditional cinnamon.

King cakes 

I’ve made a lot of king cakes this season. Seems like every time I turn around there is another request/order for king cakes. It’s a labor of love. At work I use a premade Danish dough and cinnamon smear and go to town. I roll, split and twist every log and then decorate. 

I feel like my perfume during this time of year is Eau de King Cake. It has hints of sugar, butter, cinnamon and flour.

When I'm making king cakes or other types of pastries at home, I always go for scratch. It taste better. Don't get me wrong, I do use some store bought puff pastry dough and fillo dough. There just isn't enough time in the day if you don't have your own menions helping you out. 

View of my recipe from my notebook 

I have to admit I’m happy that the end of the season is coming… I can make different desserts. I look forward to making other things with seasonal produce. I can’t wait for the new produce of Spring. Hurry up Spring!!!

Happy Eating!

Little Things

A couple of months ago I had a dessert/tweet shown on a tv show called The Kitchen on Food Network. 

Screen shot of the TV w/the picture of dessert and Sunny Anderson show the Cherpumple 

I did a take on a cake that one of the chefs, Sunny Anderson, had shown on the show. She made a chocolate cake with an apple pie baked in the center. 

My version was a pecan pie baked inside the chocolate cake. I then topped the cake with a bourbon chocolate ganache and toasted pecans. I called it The Two For One.  

Two For One. Dark Chocolate cake w/a pecan pie center, topped w/bourbon chocolate ganache and toasted pecans

The tweet of that dessert became very popular. So much so that it was shown on the show that the hosts shared what other viewers of the show had done with other recipes as well. 

It was really neat/cool to see that on national tv. It's the little things. But what was fun was hearing Sunny Anderson talking about it and then hearing the other hosts vocally mmm at the description of my take on the dessert. 

Sunny then showed another dessert that she called The Cherpumple. It's a cheesecake with a pumpkin pie in the center. 

I loved how Sunny said," I see your chocolate cake and I raise you The Cherpumple." So took that as a challenge. 

I made The Presley. It's a no-bake cheesecake with a fudge insert. The Presley is an homage to Elvis Presley's favorite sandwich; a peanut butter and banana sandwich with bacon on white bread. 

So what I did was to make the cheesecake (which I made banana), and then made a peanut butter fudge for the inside. I put it all together then I fried off some bacon. I crumbled up the bacon and garnished a slice with the bacon. It all sounds like it wouldn't be good together, but surprisingly it is delicious. 

The Presley. Banana cheesecake w/peanut butter fudge center topped with pan fried bacon 

I grew up less than an hour from where Elvis Presley was born and less than hour from Graceland. Knowing that Sunny Anderson spent some of her life in the South, I figured she would appreciate this nod to Elvis.

I find pleasure in the little things. It was no more than a minute being mentioned on TV but I got mentioned. Little things. I'm still a pastry chef that looks at all things for inspiration. You will always surprise yourself on what inspires you. Happy Eating!

Loved Ones

The smell of sausage fills the air, and I’m instantly transported back 20 plus years to my grandparents’ house.

My alarm clock is the smells and sounds of granddad cooking breakfast. I am stirring awake on the pull out couch in the den, and the creaks and quick pops of the springs let my granddad know I’m waking up. “Morning. Your breakfast will get cold if you stay in bed,” he says to me. I hear the pendulum of the clock ticking and letting me know its 5:30 in the morning. I make the bed, and put away the pull out. Like I was never there. I smell the biscuits coming out of the oven and the eggs are popping in the pan in the sausage grease. I’m sort of awake, but eating away. I hear my brother stirring in the front room; he stayed in bed; more for me.

L: My uncle, grandmomma, granddad, and my dad 1960s. R: My granddad's WW2 service photo 

Like clockwork, my granddad would be up, dressed and making breakfast before 6, starting his day. He always kept a schedule. After he had his breakfast, he would be off to work (he had his own shop as a mechanic). He would be back for lunch, then go back to work then be back for dinner.

I remember the times we visited when I was younger, the days when my granddad didn’t have to go into the shop, he would be outside in the yard. He would either be tending to his garden, make sure the lawn was kept up and that the wood pile was in order. Had to have that woodpile in order and filled. The fist cold snap, there would be a fire roaring. It would feel like the middle of summer in the dead of winter.

My granddad had a major work ethic that lives on in the ones he has left behind. My dad has this strong work ethic that he also instilled in me.

My granddad had a love of food, and taught himself how to cook many things. He actually took over the cooking of meals from my grandmomma since he loved it so much. My grandmomma would still be in the kitchen helping cook and making her yellow cake with chocolate icing.

In the summer, I remember sitting on the floor in their den with different baskets filled with green beans, butter beans and tomatoes that were from the garden. A very distinct smell filled the room, almost like a mixture of damp cool summer night mixed with a little dirt.

My little garden last spring; Grandparents made me love gardening 

I remember helping snapping the ends off the green beans and putting them into a new basket for them to be rinsed off before they were put away (either put in a pot to cook for that nights dinner or to be canned).

Most of my memories that involve my grandparents take place around food. It is my way to remember them and, in my own way, keep their memory alive for me. I can’t eat a bowl of spaghetti without comparing it to my grandmomma Earnest. I can’t eat cantaloupe without thinking of the times I would share lots of cantaloupe pieces with my granddaddy Earnest. They were my mom’s parents.

I can recall watching my mom and grandmomma (my mom’s mom), doing their kitchen dance when preparing meals for the holidays. I always watched from the other side of the counter, so not to be in the way. I was always in awe, and wanted to be where the action was.

Now, I like green beans, but I love the green beans my granddad Little would cook (my dad asked and mastered my granddad’s green beans). The smell of sausage cooking always reminds me of him as well. A yellow cake with chocolate icing reminds me of my grandmomma Little. She always has a cake for after dinner.

It is hard when the time comes to have to say your goodbye’s to loved ones.

I said till next time to my maternal grandparents years ago. But just recently I had to say that again to my granddad Little. It wasn’t totally unexpected, but still sad.

I have a passion for food. I believe its because it is what connects me to my family and passed loved ones. Whenever my family is getting together, we are gathered around the table or in the kitchen talking and goofing off. Laughter and food is always involved.

To me, food has stories and memories tied to them. Every time I’m in the kitchen, I feel connected to my family’s past. It is a way for me to celebrate them daily.

Happy Eating!

Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

I hope all my American readers enjoyed their Thanksgiving! I was very thankful to get to spend time with my family and friends while I was home. Even had a clean-up helper. 

One sous chef getting some final bits off the plates 

                               

Now in full Christmas holiday mode, not that they don’t start before Halloween with Christmas advertisements. I do love this time of year stretching from October through January. I love kicking off with Halloween. The crazy holiday with very interesting history, but a fun night to dress-up and hang out with friends.

Thanksgiving is next up that gets us prepared for the Christmas season. A national day of thanks that gives us the time to reflect on what we are thankful for. Gets one in the spirit of not thinking of oneself but of others.

Since coming back from Thanksgiving break (perk of working at a college), I’ve been getting a lot prepped for up coming holiday parties, and making sure that I’m all stocked up with pastries for the coffee shops on campus since finals are upon us as well. It is amazing how much more the students go through the pastries during finals… study fuel.

Study fuel: L-R T-B: Muffins, sticky buns, croissants and cinnamon rolls 

One thing I do love about the three weeks back is getting to be even more creative with the small desserts for the holiday parties. The major one that we have is for the President Chancellor of LSU. I get to create lots of holiday cookies, petite fours, and other small finger desserts.

                    

Some of my favorite holiday treats to make are pate choux, or cream puffs. There is just something about them. Just so cute and then you can fill them or turn them into a croquembouche. Such a showstopper. Well, at least I think so. I also love creating gingerbread houses. The smell alone gets me into the Christmas spirit.  

Replica of the Faculty Club building that I work out of... Poured sugar made up the windows 

My most used recipes for this time of year are three main staples… ginger snap cookie, sugar cookie and pate choux recipes. I use these three the most because, ginger snaps are always a hit and are a lot like gingerbread cookies (I find them tastier), the sugar cookies because well they are great for decorating. Lastly the pate choux because you can make cream puffs and éclairs out of the dough. 

Later this week I'll be posting my recipes and what I've made out of them. Hopefully y'all will try them out and let me know how they work out for you! Hope you're having a great holiday season. Happy Eating! 

Gobble Gobble Turkey Time

So next week is Thanksgiving. Stressed? Don’t be.

I have a few things that help me get through the preparation and cooking.

Every year I lend a major helping hand. I mean kind of expected right? :)  

Over the years, before I become a professional chef, my mom and I would get a game plan together on what we needed to get done. Each year we got better… each year we did more and more ahead of time. We even got more and more organized.

Veggie plate for munching on

These are some of my tips on what helps us on Thanksgiving so we aren’t running around like chickens with our heads cut off.

First thing… Get a game plan together.

If you have a large crowd coming, you want to spend time with them (well in doses). You also want to make sure you have enough to feed everybody. Pull the recipes that you want to prepare, make the first round grocery list of non-perishable items and then the second round list of the items that are perishable items. So when family and friends start showing up, you will having everything in order and you can float in and out of the kitchen (if not everybody is hanging out in there) and mingle stress free.

I always have a soup or 2 for those that would want something warm 

Getting a game plane together, knowing when you need to go to the store, and what for really helps keep things (and you) calm. Make lists of what you’re cooking, and have a reminder of when you need to pull out your turkey to FULLY thaw out for proper cooking. Large crowds are fun to have but can cause stress. Planning is the number one key to keep you head together.

Getting things in order for a recipe 

Second thing… make a timeline.

I know what your probably thinking… isn’t this the same thing as a game plan? Yes and no.

Making a timeline does fall into getting a game plan together but a the timeline helps break down each day and helps you keep track of what all you have going on.

I make a timeline so that I know when the latest time I can put something in the oven and I know what is going on when and how long it will be in the oven. Timing is everything in a kitchen both professionally and at home. As you can imagine with a lot going on, I have multiple timers ticking away with notes on them of what the timer is for… organized hectic home kitchen. Having something in the oven or on the stove a minute or two too long and lead to drying out or burning. Those two things can just put a wrench in your day.

Third thing… do as much ahead of time as you can.

I can’t stress this point enough. I prepare a lot of dishes ahead of time. This takes a lot of stress off my plate. Casseroles and my family’s chicken and dressing are items I prepare up to the point that they just have to go into the oven.  

For instance, I look at the recipes and look and see what the ingredients are and get all my mise en place (which means everything in its place) together. I get everything chopped, diced and minced up that I need. Separate everything out for the recipes and get dishes together to the “ready for the oven” point. Plastic wrap it and put it in the fridge. 

I make all my desserts ahead of time. I get them out of the way because they can go into the fridge and the only thing you have to worry about is people eating them before the day. You can usually bake a few different holiday pies at one time since they are all usually baked at the same temp (and they don't take up that much room in the oven). 

Gobble gobble Turkey is ready!

Fourth and final thing… don’t be afraid to ask for help!

I can’t stress this point enough. You and everybody else will be a lot happier and you can enjoy the holiday much more. Divvy up the duties among your helpers and keep calm. Relinquish some of the control if you have control issues. You can’t do it all. If people offer to help… let them, and don’t be afraid to ask for it. Nobody will think any less of you.    

It is the time of year for being around family and friends and to be thankful what you have. Enjoy it. Things aren’t always perfect. The imperfections over the holidays always make for stories for the years to come.  

Hope this helps out with any stress you might be feeling with Thanksgiving coming up. Remember it is about celebrating what we are thankful for and spending time with loved ones. Happy Eating!!