BEETS MEMORIES

BEETS MEMORIES

Yesterday at the farmer’s market at State Center here in Baltimore, Maryland, I couldn’t resist the beautiful burgundy of the beets with their dark green, crisp leaves, with wine colored, vines running through them. I watched them lying among the turnips, potatoes, parsnips and butternut squashes.

seasoned beet leaves

fresh beets with leaves

The beets’ vibrations were so strong that I bought myself a bunch trying to figure out what special dish I would want to create with them. And then I remembered my childhood days in Montserrat, with my grandmother scrubbing the dirt off the beets she had just pulled from her garden, while she soaked and washed the leaves over and over again to get the sand off of them, so she could add them to her callaloo.  

My grandmother made many different things with her beets and the beet leaves. She would use her hand mill to grind the beets, soak it in a bit of water, strain it and give to me to drink. Sometimes I thought my grandmother was speaking to me as if I was an adult, because when it came to food she was always teaching me, about how powerful food is. She would remind me of how good beets are; she would ask me why I believe I do not get sick. My grandmother told me that beets make me healthy by cleansing my blood and nourishing my liver. So, I'd turn my nose up and drink the beet juice, and guess what after I got older I began to enjoy it.

Sometimes she would make braised beets and onions and her callaloo and I would enjoy that. On the days when she made her braised beets and onions and her callaloo I was especially happy because they were two of my favorites. When it came to her food I couldn’t wait to eat because it was always delicious.  

Now I know why my grandmother was always telling me about food. Today, the market brought back memories of my granny. Wherever your grandmother is today give thanks, give her a thought, say thanks grandma, thanks for me. I am alive!!! You did well.

For your free recipe of braised beets copy the link below and paste in your browser. http://festivepalate.com/2012/11/23/braised-beets-with-onions/

 

 

 



 

 



kaleidoscoping chaos...: Magical Mornings

kaleidoscoping chaos...: Magical Mornings

GINGER BEER HOT & SWEET

Aunt Mil is celebrating her 88^th birthday; and I am creating a special luncheon for her. I’ve invited a few of her friends and I’ve created a special menu with many of her favorites and a few surprises she hasn't tried before.

Ginger Root Photo from Wikipedia

Ginger beer is one of her favorite things that I make. She enjoys it hot or cold. In the evening after super she warms it and drinks a cup of it as she enjoys her cookie.

A couple days ago I was hanging out with my mom and told her of my menu for Aunt Mil’s luncheon. She told me of her childhood years when every home in Montserrat had to have a piece of ginger. She told me when she was a girl suffering with period cramps; her mom would give her a shot of gin and a cup of ginger tea to help stop the pain. According to her in those days it was a custom throughout the Caribbean.

As mommy shared about using ginger back home in Montserrat, her story took me back to the days when my grandmother made ginger beer. When I was a little girl watching my grandmother make ginger beer, I used to think, “I’m never going to do that”. I watched granny with the big stainless steel bowl and grater in her lap as she sat on the kitchen stool. Next to her she had a bucket full of ginger. She hummed as she was grating the ginger. Like Granny I to hum when I am cooking, but I have found that the blender works just as well as the grater and is certainly much faster and easier.

She was quick at grating, but to me as a little girl it felt like it took her forever. I loved her ginger beer and so did many of her neighbors. One day I asked her why she grated so much ginger and she rattled off the names of the people who needed to get a bottle.

I remember how happy granny’s neighbors were when they got a bottle of her ginger beer. That is the joy I wanted Aunt Mil to feel when she and her friends shared her special luncheon. 

For your free recipe please visit:  http://festivepalate.com/festive-palates-homemade-ginger-beer/ and sign up to recipe new posts.

GREEN BUTTER

GREEN BUTTER

I am so happy to be home in Maryland; even though I am totally in love with Phoenix. I walked into the house and out the back door to sit in my herb garden. I am amazed at how lush the parsley, and thyme grew. The basil smells great; I can’t wait to make my delicious, fiery green emulsion.

Just getting home, I need to check to be sure I have everything I need to make it. The garlic in my garden is ready, basil and parsley are ready, too. I have some pickled hot peppers and some sweet seasoning peppers; I have my raw cashews and my dark green extra virgin olive oil and my pink sea salt. I am making enough to freeze for the winter.

My emulsions taste great on my salads, in my couscous, and on my toast with hummus; also in my stir fry and even in my fruit salad with kimchee, yum.

Go to  http://festivepalate.com/2012/08/16/recipes/  to receive your free recipe.

Emulsions are my substitute for various dressings, butters and seasonings.

TURQUOISE COCONUT

I know I am in the desert, and I know that good fresh young sweet coconuts are not going to show up here, but I must say all that I know has not stopped my yearning or constant sharing about how much I would like to drink Montserrat coconut water. 

Because I wouldn’t stop talking about my real coconut water, one of my friends said he would help me quench my longing. He went out and bought some, he told me how sweet his special find was. He said it reminded him of the coconut water back home in Montserrat, “and they even put the coconut jelly in it”. When he said jelly I was totally convinced he had found the right one.

My friend pulled out a tall turquoise can with a caricature of a red headed, blue, green parrot, and the description of the contents. The shock of it had me say out loud, this is not coconut water. Which started a passionate discussion about what coconut water is. I decided the best way to make my point was to read the ingredients on the can, Young Coconut juice, (I just want to interject here that no decent coconut water would call itself juice); water, young coconut pulp, sugar, sodium Metabisulphite (a word that is difficult to pronounce and the way I promised myself that if it I cannot speak the word then I cannot eat the food).  I was very annoyed that they would do such a terrible thing to a perfect drink. Coconut water already has every ingredient it needs, why put processed sugar and sodium Metabisulphite in it? Even on the can they told you of all the good things about coconut water. Did they think they could improve on it? This drink contains electrolytes; it is high in potassium, and has a small amount of sodium and sugar. It is easily digested, low in fat and re-hydrates the body. A friend of mine even told me a funny story, she said when she was a little girl growing up in Montserrat, they told her to drink coconut water because it was good for her kidneys; but they said she shouldn’t drink it at night because it would make her wet her bed.

My friend was vexed because I told him his coconut water was rubbish. Even so he did do a really generous thing for me, and in-spite of my ungraciousness I really did appreciate his effort.

ORGASM COCONUT MILK CURRY SOUP

Dry grated Coconut and Coconut Milk

Coconut Milk Curry  Soup

Hey Guys I’m hanging out in Phoenix, Arizona and all week I have been craving coconut water after my morning walks in the mountains. We went to lunch at Pita Jungle on 3^rd Ave. & Roosevelt in Downtown Phoenix, a first visit for me.

I didn’t get coconut water and I am still thirsty for it...but I did get, one of their specials, a coconut milk curry soup with roasted red bell peppers. It was so delicious my mouth was having orgasms. I wanted to take the taste home with me, so I was tempted to order a second bowl but, I didn’t. 

Coconut Milk Curry Soup