I'm loving this whole New Year thing!

I know, I know! Already falling down on the job aye?! Sorry for that lull between the last blog and this one but I assure you it was with good reason. AND yes- it's only fair that since I missed last week, that I give you two food recipes and two cocktail recipes to make up for it! Okay, so now that I have addressed that, on to my news. It is time that I share what's been keeping me so busy lately, because I am so excited I am bursting at the seams.

Thanks to a great response to my blog, I am now the new food columnist for TheBahamasWeekly.com! It's a local online paper, based here in The Bahamas, that covers everything going on around The Bahamas! I'll be responsible for sharing my thoughts and recipes as I see fit with some Million readers a month worldwide! I'll also doing restaurant reviews, covering food fairs, and even highlighting chefs around the country. It's an additional Chapter in my growing aspiration to take over the Food world-- Muuuuhahahahahaha (evil Chef laugh, lol)! Did I mention how excited I am?

I have already posted my first piece about food and the associations we draw between food and memories from our pasts, please take a trip over there from time to time and have a read. I'm loving where this New Year is off to! I'm way excited for all the prospects ahead of me. I also have two amazing job opportunities that I am weighing out that I can't wait to share with you, but alas it is too soon. I still have some things to work out, but rest assured, as soon as I make a decision, you guys will be first to know!

Hope that you guys have started working towards your New Year goals too. If not what are you waiting for?? Carpe diem-- Seize the day!

Forks up!

Are we still doing that ...?

So, I'm checking my Facebook page today when up pops that little chat window that I swear gets more and more annoying sounding with every upgrade. Every time it goes off I find myself wanting to look around half-expecting to see my fairy-godmother with an antique Kitchen-aid stand mixer at the foot of my bed, but alas no. It's usually just a friend with some hot gossip, just saying hi or often lately a request similar to the following.

*Lisa:
Hey girl, I need a favor...

Me:
Ok, shoot!

Lisa:
So I can't boil water without burning it, but I want to lie to this guy and cook a meal that is really easy but seems like it took a really long time for me to make it. What do you have that's like that?

Me: LOL! Wait...

Lisa: Yeah girl, women still doing that in this day and age... go figure!

After a moment of hysteric laughter at the visual of her panicking over burnt water, I proceeded to consider the larger implications of this question. Firstly, after all the years of fighting our way out of the kitchen, why is it that so many of us still feel as though we need to be able to throw down in one to get the guy? Of course maybe that's easy for me to say because I've always cooked and besides it being my profession, I actually enjoy doig it! But last I checked, most men will settle for a ham sandwich if the timing is right...if you get my drift!

Next, what is this notion that seemingly difficult food is better food? I happen to disagree wholeheartedly. I'm more impressed with a well cooked herb roasted chicken with roasted potatoes any day over say Pecan crusted fish with Pineapple salsa on Garlic Couscous with Lavender oil, edible Lilies and a 3-mint Relish en papillote. Sometimes, less really is more! In fact more and more chefs around the globe are returning to their french routes of butter, salt, protein, a lil' wine or brandy and timing...oh, and heavy cream--but still!

And I think herein lies the rub; good food is simply put well cooked food! Plain and simple; anything cooked to the perfect texture, consistency, temperature will do incredible things to your palette compared to how you've probably eaten most things, particularly meats. I don't need a million ingredients on my plate I need two or three really well executed ones. Perfectly cooked pasta with a simple pesto or even garlic olive oil and shaved cheese can do wonders for my comfort level.

My favorite way to eat steak for example is about as simple as it gets. You start with a great cut of steak (one must start with a great cut of steak). Season it liberally with salt and fresh cracked pepper on both sides. Sear it in a med-hi pan on one side for about 3 minutes, turn it over and while it sears on the other side, place it into a 375 degree oven for about 5-7 minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit for about 10 minutes covered to let the juices seep back in through the meat, and Voila!-- a perfectly medium rare steak. Serve with a compound butter, sauteed green beans, a nice salad with crumbled blue cheese or a simple baked potato and a nice glass of red wine. It doesn't get easier or better than that. If it does...let me know!

Forks up!



* Name has been changed.

Recipe of the Week

I've always had a thing for Bivalves, ya know... Mussels!

If I had to name two of my most absurd food weaknesses the first would have to be Pasta, the second would be any form of Seafood. Hence this recipe is one of those that makes me as excited to think about it as it does to eat it. I LOVE bivalve molluscs!!! The only times you'll hear me sound like a geek is in reference to food, go figure! But really, Mussels, Oysters, Clams, Scallops-- you name it and I love it and have a preferred way of preparing or eating each. While they are all delicate in nature, each bivalve has a different amount of heat or cooking procedure that brings out its natural flavor best or even heightens it.

For example, other than raw, I love oysters deep fried in Panko Breadcrumbs, delicious! Scallops are always best to me pan seared and draped in something decadent, like a saffron butter sauce. Mmmmmmm! Sorry, but I'm actually drooling thinking about it.. Now when it comes to Mussels there is only one way to go in my opinion, and that is steamed, preferably in some form of alcohol, but that's just me!

When placed in wet heat and covered, Mussels steam open and as they do so they absorb all of the flavors that they are steaming in, hence why I love them steamed in white wine, champagne etc. Don't get caught up in the food-store bought cooking wines, theyre usually loaded with salt and can't be drank while cooking---pshaw, where's the fun in that! Every time I make this recipe, I change a little something and its every bit as delicious as the time before. Whether for yourself, a special someone or to impress friends, this dish is absolutely to die for. You can even serve it without the pasta as an appetizer with some garlic croutons or slices of toasted Italian bread with rubbed Garlic and Olive oil. No matter the extras this dish is sure to please. Add this one to your favorites list folks, its definitely gonna be a repeat-- I promise!

Forks up!

My Mussels Provencal w/ Linguini
Ingredients

• 1 (12 ounce) package Linguini pasta
• 3 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 6-8 tlbs. unsalted butter
• 4 oz. pork fatback, diced (optional)
  
• 1 bottle white wine
• 1 lemon, juice and zest
  
• 2 fresh (large) tomatoes, diced
  
• 10 fresh mushrooms, chopped
• 1 teaspoon fresh (or dried) basil
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh (or dried) oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh (or dried) cilantro
  
• 1 teaspoon fresh (or dried) tarragon
• 36 raw mussels
• 1/2 cup olives, green and black, chopped (optional)
• Shaved Parmesan cheese for garnish (optional)
  

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of water to boiling. Cook pasta in boiling water until al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain.
2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook pork fat until golden brown and slightly crispy. Add onion and garlic and saute in oil until soft.
   
3. Stir in half of diced tomatoes, mushrooms, basil, oregano, cilantro and tarragon, let cook down until mushrooms are cooked through and tender. Add the juice of the lemon and about 3 cups of a nice, not too sweet white wine (I actually use Lamothe Parrot Blanc). Let cook about 2 minutes then add the mussels. Stir in half of butter. Cover, and simmer for about 8 minutes.
   
4. Stir in olives, remaining tomatoes and lemon zest. Cover, and simmer 5 minutes, or until all the mussels are open. Stir in remaining butter and let set. When the mussels are all open they are done, do not let them over cook, they will get rubbery. Note: Any mussels that didn't open after steaming them should be thrown out as they were probably dead before you cooked them.
   
5. Serve mussels and sauce over pasta. Garnish with fresh Basil leaves and Parmesan cheese.
   
6. Pour a glass of the same white wine, and enjoy!

Cocktail of the Week

I figure I should at least start you off with something fun and festive.

"Oh you fancy hunh?" Champagne Martini

2 parts Pink Champagne
1 part Palma

Splash of Sweet Vermouth (optional)

Obviously, you can do this with regular champagne (or prosecco/ sparkling wine) and any number of liquers such as Cointreu or Chambord. The possibilities are endless. Have fun with it! Just enjoy! Happy New Year!

New Year... Same Passion!

You know how we always manage to tell ourselves we'll get to something and we keep putting it off and putting it off, until the very thing that was once of such importance just slips into relative nonexistence; a vague memory, a fleeting thought, a mere impression of where something used to be.

Sigh!

I have decided to start the new year back on track doing more of the things that make me happy. I have vowed to cook more (for fun--Ill explain ...), write more and thus share more...with all of you. I refuse to call it a New Year's resolution, because lets face it...those rarely stick. Instead I've decided to make certain commitments to myself. Commitments to ensure my happiness, success and general sanity.

So A LOT has changed since the last time I was here, which I dare say, GASP... was almost 2 years ago!!!! Excuse me while I gulp down and refill my glass of wine. Ok, much better. Well where do I begin...

Well for starters I am no longer broadcasting to you from my brick walled Brownstone in Brooklyn, NY, but instead from a quaint airy apartment near Paradise in Nassau, Bahamas. Yes that excited and giddy trip home back in 2009 turned into a rather permanent one. I won't inundate you with all the mundane details about how I was overcome by depression and self-loathing after I was forced to move back to The Bahamas, and lost all passion, drive and will to... cook. I will simply say that in hindsight the move has brought about some amazing revelations both about my food and myself.

Firstly after fighting the great battle against the job market and being terribly, almost mortally wounded, I crawled into my shell and waited to succumb to my injuries. I had given up all hope when I was pried out of my shell, nurtured back to health and coaxed into getting back on my battle horse. I decided that if I couldn't find a job that would let me into their niche in the industry, then I would create my own. And so Social Butterfly Catering Services was born. In a rather ballsy turn of events I decided to enter an annual Christmas cooking competition against a few restaurants, just to get my name out there-- and I won. Who'd a thunk it-- 'lil ole me!

So I was up and running and in the perfect season. I was getting jobs left and right and having great fun doing it, but after about a year it became painfully obvious that my service was a luxury that my home isle did not have the ability to sustain. The economy just could not sustain the flight of my butterfly. I joke, but seriously, the economy was slow and painfully so, I saw my dream dying again, and I refused to fall back into that defeated mode that had plagued me the year before. So I jumped shipped, hit the road, stuck out the thumb, put foot on pavement-- you get the picture, I was outty!! But I didn't venture far, I just island hopped to the more robust and bustling city isle of Nassau. And here I am starting over for the third time in as many years, in a new place, with new players in this crazy game called life.

So it's been a crazy little journey these last few years, but I'm back. I feel more like myself than ever before. I started a business, formed a company, I'm working on a fabulous new venture and all without the formal constraints of having to settle for less than I deserve. Compromise maybe-- but settle NO WAY!

As I mentioned, I've learned some very valuable lessons along the way by the way, like to hear it, here it goes:
1. You never know what you're capable of until you try.
2. Family as it is intended to be is the best life raft-- next to God.
3. Never say never!
4. You can't deny passion, nor should you try. It has a way of rotting, when wasted, that eats you whole.
5.God has an amazing sense of humor! Just when you think you have it all figured out there he is to show you how wrong you are.

So with out anything else to run on about for the mo, I bid you adieu-- for now. But stay tuned for lots of tid-bits from my life, recipes and other exciting snippets. It feels good to be back and for those of you that never left big hugs and kisses you're why I 'm here!

Forks up!!