Skip to main content

Featured

Life Moves Pretty Fast

“Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”  ―  Ferris Bueller It's so true. Last week I was checking out my many rose bushes and wondering when they would bloom. They seem late this year.  A few days later I was outside chasing one of my little dogs. She is losing her hearing and sight, but I swear her little legs are running faster than ever. It's never been like her to run off. While I was running after her (or more like hobbling and limping) I noticed a couple of bushes with a few roses.  After I got the pup settled and inside, I went back out to cut a few roses. The bees even took pity on me and allowed me to cut some of their sage blossoms. I placed the pretty little vase from my Mother's collection by a few Paris mementos. 
1 comment
Read more
Labels

Butter Me Up

During the 1990s, the low-fat food craze changed the way many of us ate, but there were two things I would not compromise; and that was the "Best" mayonnaise, and most of all, I would not give up my real butter. I am not one to use butter every day, but it is a necessary ingredient when doing my holiday baking, or baking my annual Lebanese-style baklava or my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe. Oh, forgot about my linguine and clams with butter, garlic and wine sauce. 

 All in moderation, right? It's been discovered that real butter is healthier than using margarine and highly processed "butter-like" products that have a list of chemical ingredients that we cannot pronounce. 

 Oh, and did I mention, butter is not only a natural food, but it tastes good, too. Other than used for baking, butter is a friend when cooking. Let's face it, if you are going to cook something special, especially when you are using fresh produce and the recipe is time intensive, why would you cut corners with chemical-laden "butter-like" products? 

A joy that I happened across was French butter, and especially that made with flecks of sea salt. This creamy rich butter with the sea salt is what I refer to as "krak-butter." It's wonderful whisked into the preparations of scrambled eggs or an omelette. Slather it over vegetables, baked potatoes, or even top a slice of it on steak or salmon.  Yes, and even on pancakes and waffles, and don't forget the maple syrup. It's like a bite of salted caramels. 

 One of my favorite ways to enjoy this treat or to share it with friends, is to spread "krak-butter" on slices of baguettes, and top the butter with either thinly sliced cucumbers or radishes, or both. Even simpler is to place the room temperature butter on an attractive plate and let your guests make their own little bites of bread and butter.  Perfect to entertain with instead of labor intensive appetizers, and just as impressive as a cheese spread or dip.  

 So, butter yourself up. After all, Julia Child lived to be 91 years old and there wasn't a day where she renounced butter. Enjoy. 

 (Can't find butter with sea salt at your local market? Check out "My Favorites" on my Amazon widget - Les Pres Sales Butter with Camargue Sea Salt.)
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular Posts