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Alice Waters' Blueberry and Lemon Tart

9/8/2020

2 Comments

 
Here we are, Labor Day has passed, summer is almost over. Recent weeks have been  devastating for Santa Cruz County and California with huge fires burning and thousands of people evacuated. Many people lost their homes and all their belongings and some lost  their lives. My heart goes out to all of them. For a couple of days Santa Cruz had the worst air quality in the world. My husband and I decided to  go to our mountain cabin. I packed some personal stuff, just in case. I also took one of my favorite cookbooks called Chez Panisse Fruit  by Alice Waters that had not been packed away during my remodel. From this book I would like to share a scrumptious recipe for a blueberry lemon tart. I have made many recipes from this book and have never been disappointed. I make her apricot jam every year and never get tired of it. I like everything about this book, the recipes, the layout, and the illustrations. I also have been fortunate enough to eat at Chez Panisse in Berkley many times. Alice Waters is a great cook and shares her talent with children and young adults, which I think is wonderful. She was a pioneer in the farm-to-table movement. ​
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I baked the lemon tart twice, once in the first week of August and then again last week. Even my husband who usually goes for the sweeter versions when it comes to dessert liked this tart.  ​
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The flavors in this tart are phenomenal, with the crispness and rich butter flavor of the páte sucrée, and the sweet tart flavor of the blueberries combined with the zesty lemon curd. It is a perfect combination for your taste buds. If you bake this, I hope you enjoy this tart as much as we have.
If you are interested in some different lemony or blueberry desserts click on the photo for my blogpost and the recipe.
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An easy to make German sheet cake with blueberries
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A rustic galette made with raspberries and blueberries
The pâte sucrée is easy to make. I baked mine a day before I added the filling. You might have some leftover dough, which you can be used to a cookie a cookie or two. If you have enough you can make a  mini tart. The eggs and butter should be at room temperature. You can use an 11-inch round tart pan with a removable button or  8 individual 4-inch tart pans. I think this tart would also look good in a rectangular tart pan. The dough is easy to work with. I think frozen blueberries would be fine in this recipe.
Print Recipe
Ingredients:

The Páte Sucrée
¼ pound (113 grams) unsalted butter at room temperature 
​½ cup ( 100g) sugar 
¼ tsp salt 
¼ tsp vanilla extract
1 egg yolk 
1 ¼ cup unbleached all-purpose flour 


The Lemon Curd

grated zest of two lemons
juice of two lemons (about 6 TBS ) 
3 TBS water
½ cup (100 g ) sugar
¼ pound (1 stick ) (113 g) butter
¼ tsp salt
3 whole eggs
3 yolks


The  Blueberry Topping

3 cups blueberries (500g) 
¼ cup sugar 
2 TBS water
Directions:

The Pâte Sucrée:
With a mixer, beat the butter and sugar until creamy, about two to three minutes. Add the salt, vanilla and egg yolk and mix until combined. Add the flour and mix for a short time. Put the dough on a dry surface, and with the palm of your hand, push the dough away from you until you get a ball that holds together. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and flatten it into a disk. Chill the dough for several hours or overnight. Take the dough out of he refrigerator and let it stand for a a few minutes to soften a little. Roll out a 13-inch disc of dough between two square pieces of floured parchment paper or two sheets of plastic wrap (which I prefer). Loosen the sheets while rolling it out, so it won’t stick to the paper. Flip the dough around while rolling it out and keep loosening the plastic wrap to prevent sticking. Roll out the 13-inch circle of dough that is 1/8 inch thick. Chill the dough with the wrap for a few minutes. Remove the plastic wrap and roll the dough around a pin to put it in the tart shell. Alice Waters gives instructions to only remove one sheet and flip the dough into the tart pan and then remove the second sheet. I think both methods will work. Use any dough scraps to patch any cracks. Chill the tart in the freezer for ten minutes before baking. Put the tart directly from the freezer into a preheated 350˙F oven and bake for about 15 minutes until slightly golden. 

Lemon Curd
Slowly over a low heat, heat the lemon juice, water, sugar, and salt in a heavy bottomed saucepan until the butter is melted and the sugar is dissolved. Whisk the whole eggs and egg yolks in a bowl and very slowly drizzle the lemon mixture into the egg mixture stirring constantly. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and cook over a low heat while stirring all the time, scraping the bottom of the pot until the curd thickens, about 5 minutes. Be careful with your heat so the mixture doesn’t curdle. Strain the curd through a fine sieve and pour it into the baked tart shell while still warm. Spread evenly.

Blueberry Topping
​Divide the blueberries into 1½ cups each and put half of the three cups into a saucepan. Add the water and sugar and cook over a medium heat for about five minutes, smashing the blueberries with a wooden until they turn into a thick jam. Fold the remaining cup and a half of blueberries into the jam, and heat for about a minute to warm them. Spoon the blueberry topping evenly over the lemon curd. Cool until the curd has set. My tart tasted the best the following day.

Guten Appetit!
recipe by Alice Waters
posted by ©Sunnycovechef.com
2 Comments

Zucchini Cakes with Feta

8/12/2020

2 Comments

 
Here we are in August, and summer is in full swing. Our kitchen remodeling project is almost over, with maybe another week to go. Who knows? We have been escaping to the mountains while my floors are being redone. I feel so fortunate that we are able to do that. The mountain keeps me sane during these troubled times.
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Pinecrest Lake
One of my first COVID projects was to revitalize my little vegetable garden that had been suffering from severe neglect. Two new planter boxes with fresh soil (and high enough for me to sit on) have turned it into a flourishing garden. For the first time, my zucchini plants are producing a fair amount of fruit. Yes, botanically speaking, zucchinis are fruits, bearing a type of botanical berry called a “pepo.” The zucchini itself is the swollen ovary of the zucchini flower. Thanks, Wikipedia!  Courgettes as they are called in other countries are the most versatile of squashes. You can fry them, roast them, bake them into bread, and substitute them for pasta. The possibilities are endless.
I would love to get some of your favorite recipes. I remember bringing the zucchini seeds to my mom decades ago. She loved them and turned her zucchinis into soup. For every zucchini lover there is a zucchini loather. I am a lover, my husband is a hater, so he won’t touch anything made with zucchini. But he will grill them for me, brushed with a little bit of olive oil and garlic salt. Maybe some day I will find a recipe he will like. In the meantime, I will enjoy my bounty and share my zucchinis with my friends and neighbors.
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In this post, I will share a recipe for zucchini patties (or fritters as some people call them) with you. I decided on a recipe from the New York Times that uses feta cheese in them. It also reminded me of the Turkish-inspired Moosewood recipe. There is always some extra feta in my fridge, because I buy it at Costco. They give a lot, but it is oh so delicious. I wanted some protein in the cakes because I love to eat them as a snack throughout the day. Once they become leftovers, they are no longer crispy but still very good and filling. I like them cold or at room temperature. For a topping, I mixed yogurt with some grated garlic and salt. I ate them with lox, a low-carb lunch or dinner. I had some extra romesco sauce which was delicious with the zucchini cakes. They were perfect with some grilled chicken thighs.
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Zucchini Cakes with lox and yoghurt and romesco sauce
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Zucchini cakes with grilled chicken thighs
If you are one of the zucchini loathers, then try my potato, salmon or crab cakes. Click on the photo for the link.
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Salmon Cakes
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Spicy Dungeoness Crab Cakes
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German Potato Pancakes ( Kartoffel Puffer)
You can grate the zucchini in the food processor, but I choose to do it with a grater. The zucchini has to be drained in a colander and then squeezed out on a dish towel to get out all the excess water (do not skip this step). I had quite a bit of excess water when I drained the zucchini (more than a cup). Smitten Kitchen recommends that you always use a cast iron frying pan to make “crispy fritters” as she calls them. Mine were not especially crispy, except for the outer ends. I assume that Smitten Kitchen used more oil than I did and her recipe uses only one egg. I also used more than a pound of zucchini (two fat ones). The original recipe only uses one pound. The original recipe also calls for dill, but I used chives instead. If you choose to use dill, put in some scallions to get the onion flavor. I could also see some mint in this recipe. If you make these cakes for a crowd, keep them warm in a preheated oven (250 degrees). But I like to eat them when they come right out of the pan. The leftovers make a great snack.
Print Recipe
Ingredients :
​

(makes 10-12 pancakes) 

1-1 ½ pound zucchinis (2 or 3 zucchinis depending on size)
a generous amount of salt
​freshly ground pepper
a smidge of ground nutmeg 
3 smallish eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
½ cup flour
½ tsp baking powder 
1/3 cup chopped chives or dill 
2-4 TBS vegetable oil for frying, more if needed











​The Yogurt Sauce


1 cup Greek yogurt
2-3 cloves garlic, grated 
salt and lemon juice to taste
Directions:
​

Trim the ends (but do not peel the zucchini) and grate them on the large holes in a grater. Put the grated zucchini in a colander over a bowl and generously sprinkle with salt. Let it drain for about 20-30 minutes and then squeeze out as much juice a possible with a kitchen towel. 
In the meantime, mix the flour with the baking powder. Put the drained zucchini in a bowl and add more salt to taste. Stir in the eggs, dill, nutmeg, pepper, and mix well. Add the feta and flour mixture. 
In a large skillet, heat the pan and the oil until it shimmers. Drop a heaping tablespoon of zucchini batter in frying pan several inches apart. Flatten them a little bit with a spatula and fry until golden brown on both sides, about 3-4 minutes each side. If they brown too quickly, turn your heat down to medium. Put them on a plate lined with a paper towel and keep them warm in a preheated oven (250 degrees) while you fry the rest. Add additional oil if needed. 


The Yogurt Sauce:
Combine all the ingredients and serve with the pancakes. 


Guten Appetit!
Recipe from NYT
​adapted by©Sunnycovechef.com
2 Comments

Rote Grütze and celebrating seven Years of blogging

7/14/2020

2 Comments

 
My dear blogging friends from around the world, I want to thank you for connecting with me through my blog for the last seven years. It has been so much fun getting to know you and I appreciate how you motivate me to keep on going. While I sit at my computer, I think of you in your own individual spaces. These are lonely times, especially for older people like me. Because of COVID, we have to distance ourselves and can’t socialize the way we used to. That’s why this blog is so important to me, as it keeps me connected. Thank you!
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Rote Grütze with red currents
This last month has been a very busy one for me, as my husband and I finally found a contractor whom we like and appreciates our unique home. After I broke my ankle in Budapest (and made it home safely), I realized that my bathroom situation needed a change. As I was unable to take a shower in my upstairs bathroom, I had to slide downstairs on my butt using my arms to push me up and down.
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The old bathtub-shower
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my old countertop
Upstairs, I had a beautiful tub-shower combination but I had to step over a  20-inch ledge to get in and out. Right now, the workers are building a shower that will enable us to stay in our home of 35 years a little longer. I also decided to give my well-used kitchen a facelift by putting in a new countertop and backsplash, as well as some other improvements like pull-out shelves in my lower cabinets. During this construction project, my husband and I have moved into our downstairs living quarters. ​
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My living quarters during our construction
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It is comfortable and cozy, but we only have a hot plate and a microwave to cook with. Sometimes in the evening, I can sneak upstairs and use my oven. Because of that, my cooking has been simple and there has been quite a bit of takeout food. My friends have also cooked for me, but we are at the age where we have to be careful not to catch this nasty virus. So, almost all of our get-togethers occur outside.
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This is the way I like Rote Grütze, like a compote with a lot of my homemade vanilla sauce.
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In this photo I made the Rote Grütze with a little more cornstarch. I served it with vanilla sauce and a sad looking meringue that I made from some leftover egg whites.
Let's talk about my beloved Rote Grütze, a typical German dessert from northern Germany. There you can buy it in jars in almost every grocery store. You cannot buy it here in the US, but that’s OK because it is super easy to make. It’s healthy and a perfect way to use all the fruit you have in your garden or the refrigerator. Traditionally, it is made with red currants and other berries. Here in California, red currants are seldom available, so I made mine with cherries, blackberries, blueberries and a few raspberries. Since the fruit is only heated and not cooked, it is crunchy and fresh. Rote Grütze translates into “red porridge.” It was traditionally made with semolina, but today potato or corn starch is being used to achieve a creamy to pudding-like consistence.  Think of a jelly with fruit. Or a compote. I personally like it with my homemade vanilla sauce, because the sauce adds richness and flavor. However, some people eat it with yogurt or ice cream. There are cakes made with Rote Grütze in Germany and sometimes it is served over warm waffles. Why not serve it with pancakes? If you make this, I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. ​
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red currents
Last week at the farmer’s market I scored 2 baskets of red currents and I just had to make Rote Grütze again. It was divine. With the leftover red currents and other fruit I made my Rumtopf.  The one I made last year was delicious with ice cream or just by itself , a potent little treat.  ​
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review recipe for Rumtopf
Vanilla Sauce
The consistency is up to you depending on how much cornstarch you use to thicken this dish. The first time, I used 3 tablespoons of cornstarch and it came out soft and saucy. The second time, I increased the amount of cornstarch to 3 ½ tablespoons and it turned into a jelly with fruit. I definitely prefer the softer version and that’s how it is prepared in Germany. I used pitted cherries, blackberries, a few raspberries and some blueberries. When I scored red currents at the farmers market I made it a third time.  I used the red currents, raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, and cherries and three tablespoons of cornstarch. It was excellent. Rote Grütze  will keep in the refrigerator several days .
Print Recipe
Ingredients:
​

This recipe makes approximately 4 cups (enough for 6 servings) 

​1 ½  Ib (680 g) mixed berries 
2 cups (½ liter) cherry juice 
3 TBS Creme Cassis
1 vanilla pod
4 TBS sugar
3 TBS cornstarch
Directions: 

Clean and wash all the fruit, take the pits out of the cherries. I have a cherry pitter that works well. Half the vanilla pod lengthwise and scrap out the beans. Add the sugar, vanilla beans and pod to the juice and bring to a boil.  Mix the cornstarch in 3-4 tablespoons of cold water add to the boiling juice and cook for about two minutes, stirring constantly until the juice thickens and gets shiny. Add the fruit and Creme de Cassis and simmer for another 2 minutes. At this point you can add more sugar to sweetened the dish. I don’t add additional sugar but I have to have my homemade vanilla sauce with Rote Grütze.

Guten Appetit!
Translated from a German recipe
by  © Sunnycovechef.com
​
2 Comments

Flammkuchen (Flatbread) with Asparagus and Prosciutto

5/19/2020

0 Comments

 
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Here we are a little over two months of being confined to our homes trying to adjust to a new life. No, I can’t complain, I haven’t lost a loved one, I am retired, I can pay my bills, and I live in a beautiful area. I am trying to be positive and some days I am, but other days are difficult and depressing. It makes me sad to think of all the hardship that this pandemic has created and  yes I miss my old life with all its privileges and perks. There is no running away from it, we are all affected. Enough of whining, I know there are people who are much worse off than I am.
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So, how am I coping. I cook and cook and cook and when I don’t cook I watch youtube  videos on cooking . My screen time is up exponentially. I read and I watch TV,  although I am watching much less TV than in the beginning. My little garden gives me some pleasure. Sunshine makes me happy, but today it is raining. Every morning I make a plan but on the blah days I procrastinate and nothing gets done.
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The other day I was fantasizing about sitting in a little German restaurant somewhere in the countryside enjoying a glass or two of wine and eating Flammkuchen (flame cake) with my friends. So, instead of looking at cheap flights or redeeming my miles I started to research Flammkuchen recipes. Flammmkuchen is a specialty from Alsace where it is called tart flambé. It is a crispy somewhat blackened very thin (1mm) and blistered crust that is traditionally topped with Crême Fraîche, Speck (smoked pork belly,) and thinly sliced onions, sprinkled with arugula. Today it is topped with anything imaginable . It is a favorite treat for the young crowd and often is the cheapest prized item on the menu.
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Flammkuchen was used as a trial bake for bakers to test the communal wood-fired ovens to see if they were ready to bake bread and cakes. Every village (including mine) had a Backhaus (baking house) where once or twice a week the village women would bake their bread and cake. Think of this Flammmkuchen as a tart baked in flames, burned on the outside and crispy as a cracker
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This Flammkuchen was made with bacon, asparagus and some cheese
Researching Flammkuchen gave me a purpose and I dived right into it. It took away the edges of uncertainty and fear. I made several and my husband liked them. Once I made it for lunch on a sunny day, we sat on our deck with a glass of chardonnay and the living was good.  I see this as a perfect cooking project for young teens, making the dough and choosing their toppings.
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The dough is a mixture of flour, salt, water, and oil that needs to be mixed together and kneaded for at least 5 minutes or more until it becomes a smooth and shiny and can be rolled out to a very thin crust. Some recipes call for yeast but I choose one without it from a German YouTube channel called Thomas kocht . I tried several of his recipes and they are all good. Because there is no yeast in the dough it has to be be baked in a very hot oven preferable on a pizza stone that has been heated for an hour or a sheet pan that has been heated for 30 minutes . You are in Flammkuchen heaven if you have a pizza oven.
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This is Manu Koenig, running for county supervisor in District 1,Santa Cruz County. He's got my vote and he liked my Flammkuchen.
While sheltering in place I got adventurous  in my cooking and geared into the realm of the unknown for me. I prepared some Asian dishes , some of them not so good but some of them ok. Once this is over I will probably go back to my favorite restaurants. I go shopping at my local farmer’s market and buy seasonal fruits and vegetables. I love asparagus and we have the freshest green asparagus available. Unfortunately we don’t have white asparagus like they have in Europe. My husband and I both love asparagus soup. It’s easy to make and so delicious . We have had it several times.  
Here are some more asparagus recipes, click on the photo for the recipe
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Creamy and easy to make asparagus soup
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I make this frittata when asparagus is in season
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A delicious Chinese noodle salad rom the Greens cookbook.
It is essential that you let the dough rest for at least 30 minutes. I leave my dough divided into four parts and covered with plastic wrap for days in the refrigerator. I used some of the dough four days later and it was easier to work with when I rolled it out.  After making the dough by hand the first time I decided to use my KitchenAid , I knead the dough for five minutes with the hook attachment . I then knead it a little bit by hand , divide it into 4 parts , cover each with plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator. I made one FLammkuchen the traditional way using bacon instead of Speck. It was a little too greasy for us. I fried the bacon and then sprinkled it over the Creme Fraîche with some Gruyere cheese. I prefer a mixture of leftover cheddar and some other cheeses I used on my first Flammkuchen. Thomas also made one Flammkuchen with goat cheese and pears and added some arugula before serving it. It looked delicious but I didn’t try it.
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Mixing the ingredients
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Pulling and kneading the dough
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Rolling out the dough
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The rolled out dough 1mm thick
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Covering the dough with the Crème Fraîche mixture
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Cutting the Asparagus at an angle
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When grating cheese or anything else wear a glove that protects your fingers.
Print Recipe
Ingredients:
​

The dough makes four large ( the size of a cookie sheet) pizzas. I made one at a time and that was plenty for my husband and me.​ 
The topping is enough for one Flammkuchen


The dough:

3 3/4  cup (17oz ) (500g) all purpose flour
1 cup plus 6 TBS lukewarm water (250g)
4 TBS olive oil
1 TBS salt
extra flour for rolling out the dough.

The toppings:

½ lb. green asparagus
1 TBS olive oil
3/4 cup Crême Fraîche
salt 
​pepper
a pinch of nutmeg
A handful of grated cheese
some slices of prosciutto torn apart
Directions:
​

The Topping:

Smooth the Crème Fraîche with salt pepper and a little nutmeg.
Wash the asparagus and peel the lower ends. Cut off the woody ends and discard. Cut the asparagus on an angle into ½  inch slices leaving the tops intact.  Slice the tops in half. Heat a frying pan, add the oil and then the asparagus, season with salt and pepper. Fry the asparagus for about two minutes until it turns dark green. 
Grate the cheese.

The dough:
Preheat the oven at 500 degree Fahrenheit for 30 minutes before baking the Flammkuchen with the cookie sheet at the the lowest shelf in the oven. If you are using a pizza stone preheat the oven and the stone one hour before. I used my convection-bake setting in my oven. 

Add the water, olive oil and water and then the flour to a large bowl. I used my KitchenAid to mix the ingredients until they came together, then I kneaded the dough for about 10 minutes by hand  until is was shiny. While kneading I pulled the dough with one hand holding with the other hand. It takes some work and effort . Cover the dough in plastic wrap and rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. I found the dough better to work with after a couple of days.

Roll out the dough on a flat surface sprinkled with flour. Every time you turn the dough brush off the extra flour on the upside of the dough and add more flour to the surface. Rolling out the dough takes awhile because you want the dough as thin as possible, about a millimeter thick. Turn the dough often and take your time.
​ 
Cut parchment paper the size of your baking sheet, 12-16 inches. Put the parchment paper on a board from where you can transfer the Flammkuchen to the hot cookie sheet. Add the rolled out dough, spread the Créme Fraîche mixture evenly over the dough. Add the asparagus evenly over the crust. Sprinkle the cheese over the asparagus. Slide the Flammkuchen with the parchment paper onto the hot cookie sheet and bake in the lower half  of the oven for 5-7 minutes. Turn the sheet around half way through. Its ok for the edges to burn, you want that crispy flamed taste . Make sure that the buttom has some brown spots. My last Flammkuchen turned out perfect. 
Remove the Flammkuchen from the oven by sliding it onto a board, cut it into serving portions and enjoy it as soon as possible.
​ 
Watch the video even if you don't speak German. Click on the link below.

Guten Appetit!
Recipe and video by ThomasKocht 
translated by ©Sunnycovechef.com
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La Pitchoune , Julia Child's house in Provence

4/29/2020

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“Cooking and eating in a foreign country may be the surest, truest way to its soul.”
  by Luke Barr from his book Provence 1970
La Pitchoune , Julia Child's home in Provence
Julia and Paul Child built their Provence home on the Beck and Fischbaker estate called Le Mas Veiux outside the little town of Plascassier, a half hour drive from Cannes. The five acre  property has an eighteenth century farmhouse called Bramafan that Simon Beck and her husband remodeled  and lived in. Simone Beck was Julia’s close friend (they called each other sisters) and co-author of Mastering the Art of French Cooking. In 1965 the Child's leased the land and built their modest house in an old potato batch of the estate. They called it La Pitchoune, the little thing. The deal between the Becks and the Childs was made with a handshake, a house built on friendship. La Pitchoune would revert back to the estate once Julia and Paul Child were done with it and that is exactly what happened. The house was returned to the estate in 1992 and later sold. La Pitchoune is now available for rent to the public by the new owner.
La Pitchoune , Julia Child's home in Provence
Julia Child's bedroom
The Child's spent many happy years (three decades) at La Peetch, as they nicknamed La Pitchoune. They entertained legends like James Beard and M.F.K. Fischer. Julia Child and Simone Beck worked on the second volume of the Art of French Cooking. The Child's spent many happy years (three decades) at La Peetch, as they nicknamed La Pitchoune. They entertained legends like James Beard and M.F.K. Fischer. Julia Child and Simone Beck worked on the second volume of the Art of French Cooking. 
La Pitchoune , Julia Child's home in Provence
The kitchen at La Pitchoune
After arriving at La Pichoune I met our group of 9 women, three of them professional cooks. Our tour guide Barbie Aknin and her friend Deb greeted us with hors d’oeuvres and a glass of rosé, the first of many to come. 
La Pitchoune , Julia Child's home in Provence
Hors d'oeuvres at La Pitchoune
We took a tour of La Pitchoune and the adjacent house Mas Bramafam. The current owner has turned it into a modern house with a large kitchen and dining area. Both houses were to be our home for the next week.
La Pitchoune , Julia Child's home in Provence
Mas Bramafan, our other home
La Pitchoune , Julia Child's home in Provence
Our first dinner, Daube de Boeuf with Polenta
La Pitchoune , Julia Child's home in Provence
Mas Braham
La Pitchoune , Julia Child's home in Provence
Dining at Mas Braham
Before we go on let me tell you a little bit about our tour guide Barbie Aknin owner of Community Cuisine. She was the best tour guide I have ever had. When we arrived there was a folder on our bed with all the information we needed, including recipes. Barbie has the perfect personality for a tour guide. She is calm, organized, and nonjudgemental and a talented cook. I felt well taken care of the entire time I was with her. I hope that in the future I can take another trip with her. Another very important person on this trip was our driver Fouad. He took special care of me because of my ankle . Whenever I needed a hand he was there without asking, a true gentleman with a kind soul. His knowledge of the area is vast . He and Barbie made the perfect team. Like I said before, my goal is to go back and have him as a tour guide. As you know my blog is for my personal enjoyment and I don’t monetize it. All opinions are my own. ​
La Pitchoune , Julia Child's home in Provence
Barbie Aknin , click on the photo for her website
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Fouad Zarrou, click on the photo for his website
Barbie had prepared Daube de Boeuf with polenta for our first dinner served with vegetables and a salad.
La Pitchoune , Julia Child's home in Provence
The dining room at Mas Bramafan
La Pitchoune , Julia Child's home in Provence
Daube de Boeuf
Under the guidance of Barbie, we prepared a delicious picnic called Pan Bagnet for our Sunday lunch. For the rest of the week we were encouraged to help and ask questions or just sit by the fire and have a glass of wine. She hired a young woman to help with the dishes. Throughout the week Barbie invited us to participate in formal cooking lessons. I learned a great deal and hope to post some of her wonderful recipes.
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Preparing our lunch for the coming day
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One of the many cooking lessons
The following day, Sunday, we went to the Cannes farmer’s market which was amazing. Julia and her friends had come here often. I bought a jar of truffles and Barbie bought produce for the week. All the vendors were very friendly and we got to taste everything.
After the market we took a boat to the island of Saint-Honorat, a mile off shore from Cannnes. Since the fifth century the island has been home to a community of monks. The 21 monks still living there are cultivating eight hectares of grapes from which they make wine. It was a day filled with beautiful things to explore, good food, and making new friends.
La Pitchoune , Julia Child's home in Provence
La Pitchoune , Julia Child's home in Provence
Monday was spent sightseeing and shopping in Nice. Barbie wanted us to explore the Cours Saleya, a market in the old town of Nice. It is a beautiful flower and fruit market from Tuesday to Sunday and an antique/flea market on Monday. We were free to choose to do whatever we wanted to do.
La Pitchoune , Julia Child's home in Provence
Three of us went with Fouad, who gave us a fascinating tour of the old narrow cobblestone  streets. The four of us had a wonderful lunch and afterwards admired the antiques at the market before we went home for another delightful dinner with our group.
La Pitchoune , Julia Child's home in Provence
La Pitchoune , Julia Child's home in Provence
On Tuesday we visited Grasse to tour the Fragonard Perfumery . We had a nice tour of the facility learning how perfume was made now and in the past.  People that mix the perfumes have a job which is called the nose. What a job!  Perfume is made by extracting substances from plants . There are different methods of extractions. ​
La Pitchoune , Julia Child's home in Provence
After the visit to  Grasse we visited Frederik and Isabelle. Frederik raises heritage pigs in a wild nature setting. It was a wonderful visit for a farm girl like me. Frederik and Isabellle treated us to a lunch in their home.
La Pitchoune , Julia Child's home in Provence
There are so many beautiful villages in Provence to visit. We saw several  of them during our week's stay.  On Wednesday  we went to Saint-Paul de Vence, a walled medieval scenic  town set on top of a hill with magnificent views and hilly cobblestone streets. Marc Chagall has his final resting place here. From St-Paul de Vence Fouad drove us to Touretttes-sur-Loup, a hilltop medieval authentic village with spectacular views. ​
La Pitchoune , Julia Child's home in Provence
St.Paul de Vence
La Pitchoune , Julia Child's home in Provence
Touretttes-sur-Loup
La Pitchoune , Julia Child's home in Provence
We had a tour of the Confiseries Florian in Touretttes-sur-Loup. They manufacture some fantastic candied fruit, crystallized flowers, and different sorts of candy. It's wonderful to watch them produce these delicacies. I wonder, did Julia and Paul ever come in to buy some of their goodies.
La Pitchoune , Julia Child's home in Provence
To all my foodie friends, how many times have you dreamed of helping a famous chef  prepare a meal in his kitchen. My dream finely materialized when our group prepared lunch with Chef Alain Llorca at his Michelin starred restaurant. This beautiful restaurant and hotel sit on a mountain overlooking Saint-Paul de Vence. We had a fabulous lunch on their terrace. Alain and his wife Virginia and brother Jean-Micheal created an establishment that offers the best of the region. In the morning we watched and helped Alain cook a mediterranean fish terrine that was served later for lunch. I was in culinary heaven and couldn't have been happier even though I received a troubling text telling me that my flights home had been canceled. . ​
La Pitchoune , Julia Child's home in Provence
In the kitchen
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Making the Mediterranean fish terrine
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The panoramic terrace
La Pitchoune , Julia Child's home in Provence
Beetroot with apples / avocado/haddock chips and mustard sorbet
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Alain Llorca's brother Jean-Micheal is the pastry chef.
On Friday, we visited the farmer’s market at Valbonne. That night we had our last dinner at Julia’s house, what a treat, what a beautiful vacation.
La Pitchoune , Julia Child's home in Provence
Cooking in Julia's kitchen
La Pitchoune , Julia Child's home in Provence
Our last dinner together
We all said “good bye” on Saturday and Faoud picked four of us up to give us his special tour, called “The best of the French Riviera Tour “. What a great last day. I can highly recommend this tour for anybody visiting the area. I just hope that I can come back one of these days. Two days later everything was shut down because of the Corona virus.
La Pitchoune , Julia Child's home in Provence
Monacco
La Pitchoune , Julia Child's home in Provence
The view from the Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild oil Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat
La Pitchoune , Julia Child's home in Provence
I made it home, even though my flights were changed three times, one of them on Sunday morning, two hours before I was supposed to leave.  I caught one the last flights to Frankfurt and then on to San Francisco. After getting home I quarantined myself for two weeks. There are so many more memories and photos I would like to share about this wonderful trip but I need to publish this post. I will post more photos on Instagram. I hope you are all safe and healthy coping and getting used to our new way of life. Virtual hugs to all of you. ​
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Two Days in Nice

4/16/2020

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This will be a two part post about my trip to France.  Part one will be about my stay in Nice and part two about staying at La Pitchoune, Julia Child’s vacation home in Provence.
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The Promenade des Anglais
I signed up for this cooking class sometime in January dealing with the aftermath of my broken ankle. By then I knew I could do it. It was the perfect motivation to push myself with exercise and physical therapy. On March 3rd my husband dropped me off at the San Francisco airport and I was on my way. Flying comes naturally to me, I have done it so many times in the past. I changed planes in Frankfurt and landed in Nice as the sun was setting over the Alps.  I fell in love with the city and area before I even landed.  I was picked up by the most wonderful driver and tour guide ever. I hope to come back to this beautiful area and Fouad  from France Azur Excursion will be my guide.
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I spent two days by myself in Nice . There are times when I like solo traveling . This was one of them. As a woman of a certain age I was treated kindly by the staff in my hotel, the Le Meridian. There was a cook in the morning that made a perfect omelet, the receptionist  recommended some great restaurants and her sense of humor was delightful. The server in the rooftop restaurant entertained me since I was the only customer.
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Nice is the capital of the Côte d’Azur and is located on the French Rivera with a seaside promenade called the Promenade des Anglais. This promenade stretches for miles and defines the city. My hotel was on the promenade and near the old town with its open air markets, tiny boutiques, and incredible restaurants . I loved exploring this part of the city and had an opportunity to do it again a week later with my group.
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Maison Auer, an old fashion artisanal shop that sells delicious chocolate and candied fruit
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My first day was a rainy day and I decided to go the Matisse Museum. The Matisse museum documents the various stages of the artist’s development. I especially enjoyed the sculptures. Unfortunately, I couldn’t explore the surrounding gardens and the park. I took the bus back to Nice and had lunch at Armand Crespo’s latest restaurant called Peixes. This restaurant specializes in fresh local fish turned into mouth-watering ceviches, tartare and Japanese-style takakis. It has a no nonsense young vibe, my kind of place. I had the fish of the day with coconut foam , tom yum, and vegetable spaghetti. It was divine.
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The second day I bought a ticket for the ‘hop on hop off’ bus. This is a great way to see any city. After touring the city I visited the Chagall Museum. Many artists including Chagall were enchanted by Nice’s beauty and lived there for years. In the Chagall Museum you will find the largest public collection of his work. This museum was designed with the the cooperation of the artist himself. The museum’s core is a series of large paintings illustrating the first two chapters of the bible. I very much enjoyed looking at these colorful paintings.
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On  my walk home  I had made reservation at La Meranda , a tiny small restaurant that serves only 20 people is run by Dominique Le Stanc, formerly the chef at Negresso, a two-star Michelin restaurant. This unusual restaurant doesn’t have a phone. You have to drop in to make reservations and sit close together on small uncomfortable stools. The menu is on the blackboard and reflects local rustic dishes. I had a delicious salad and the daube of beef was very good. Don’t expect elegance or a charming restaurant but the food is outstanding and the price its right. A real experience, it reminded me of of sitting in my grandmother’s kitchen on a bench being served a tasty soup that filled my tummy and soul.
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When I returned to Nice the following week with my group Foud took some of us on a walk through the tiny cobblestone streets where I hadn’t been before. He also took us to a restaurant where I had the most delicious duck confit  ( that and onion soup is a must when I am in France.)
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I enjoyed exploring Nice and hope that one day I can return and explore more of this gorgeous town on the Mediterranean .
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The Promenade des Anglais
Stay tuned for part two where I had the best week ever at Julia Child’s summer house La Pitchoune.
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Kitchen Sink Bolognese Sauce

3/30/2020

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Kitchen Sink Bolognese Sauce
Here is a little secret, I never made bolognese sauce before, I never looked at a recipe for bolognese sauce but here I am, in the middle of the corona crisis. I am quarantined and trips to the store to get necessary ingredients are not an option.
Kitchen Sink Bolognese Sauce
However, I am well stocked and as I enjoy my morning coffee I think of the ingredients that are available to me to make bolognese sauce. I pull the vegetables out of the fridge and select some that need to be used pretty soon. I find a handful of shiitake mushrooms, a beautiful looking fennel bulb and some garlic. Beside the onion, carrots, celery, zucchini I find some very tired mini peppers in the back of my refrigerator. There are a few leftover shiitake mushrooms from last weeks barley soup. Then I remember my Italian friend telling me that she uses two different kinds of meat when making her bolognese. I use some pieces of prosciutto and the leftover meat from last night’s short ribs. I have some overripe tomatoes that are not good for anything else and pull out a can of tomato sauce. That should do it.
Kitchen Sink Bolognese Sauce
But let’s not forget the pasta. I was given several boxes of dried pasta from an on-line store in Virginia. The pasta was outstanding and I will order some more. We had two delicious dinners, slurping the pasta being coated by the rich sauce. I served my lemon caesar salad with it and a nice glass of wine.  ​
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These days I have only one tester, my husband . He can be a picky eater, he doesn’t like vegetables and could live on steak and potatoes for the rest of his life. I love sneaking in some vegetables and this is a good way. Of course you could substitute different vegetables and use different meat like leftover pot roast or beef stew. Or, leave out the meat entirely and make a vegan sauce. The possibilities are endless.
click here for the lemon caesar salad
This recipe made four generous meals with about 2 cups of leftover sauce that I put in the freezer. I added 2 TBS of my frozen pesto to the sauce. You could substitute different vegetables and use different meat like leftover pot roast or beef stew. Or, leave out the meat entirely and make a vegan sauce. The possibilities are endless.
Print Recipe
Ingredients:

1- 1 ½  cup finely chopped white onions
2 finely chopped carrots 
​2 zucchinis, peeled and chopped

½ fennel bulb, finely chopped 
1 piece of celery , finely chopped
4 mini peppers , thinly sliced 
3 TBS finely chopped garlic
a handful of shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
1-2 cups chopped tomatoes 
4 slices of of chopped prosciutto 
1½ -2 cups of leftover cooked beef 
1 can ( 15 oz or 425 g ) tomato sauce
3 TBS olive oil
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. and more salt
1 tsp. and more pepper

​​
Directions:
​

Heat the olive oil and sauté the onions, carrots, celery, zucchini, and mini peppers for 10-15 minutes at low heat. You want the vegetables to be soft but not overly browned. Add the mushrooms  and garlic and sauté another couple of minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes and prosciutto and continue to sauté for several minutes. Stir occasionally during this entire cooking time. Add the can of tomato sauce, rinse the can with water and add that to the sauce. Add the Italian seasoning, sugar, salt and pepper. Add the meat and and stir. Cook for about  20 minutes , make sure the sauce doesn’t stick to the bottom. Cook your pasta as directed on the package. Remember, always salt your pasta water. On my last trip I was told by a wonderful Italian chef that you want the pasta water to taste like the ocean. I like that! Make sure you save some of the pasta water to add to your sauce.​

Guten Appetit!
Recipe by© Sunnycovechef.com
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Lemon Love

3/2/2020

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My lemon trees in my tiny little yard are my treasures. I love their aroma and love their flavor. Every year I try to write a new post on my blog with a new lemon recipe. I remember the year all my lemons were stolen . It  was so sad. This year I had a bumper crop that I shared with friends near and far. I sent off some boxes to friends on the east coast. I don’t mind sharing as long as they are a few left for me.
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preserved lemons
I asked for new lemon recipes on a Facebook site I belong to and the response was amazing. I got over three hundred responses with a lot of wonderful new recipes. Thank you to all of you. I will share two new recipes here and save the Facebook post so I can try  some amazing looking recipes later. I am a little pressed for time because I am leaving for a trip to France in two days where I will cook my heart out in a very special kitchen. If all goes well I will tell you about it later.
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lemon curd
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limocello and lemon curd
I made Limoncello and lemon curd. The curd is delicious and easy to make if you have a Vitamix. This is the first time I made limoncello and after reading more about it I don’t think that it is authentic, but again it was easy to make and I had a little taste today. Not Bad! I also made 6 jars of preserved lemons. I must say I had a production going and loved it because I was in my element. 
Recipe for lemon curd made in the Vitamix
It makes about three cups

Ingredients:


6 small eggs at room temperature
½ cup fresh lemon juice
1 TBS lemon zest
1 cup sugar
a pinch of salt
½ cup unsalted butter at room temperature cut into pieces


Recipe for Limocello:

I used  Giada De Laurentil’s  recipe for limoncello . I liked it but I don’t really have any comparison since I never have had limoncello before. I will make  it again when I have more lemons and return from my trip. Any help for this recipe is greatly appreciated. 
When making the recipe make sure you remove as much of the pith from the  lemon peel as possible.

​Click here for Giada's recipe

Click here for Holly Baker's lemon curd recipe
Directions for the lemon curd:
​

Put the first five ingredients in the Vitamix. Begin at Variable 1 and gradually increase to 10. Blend for about three minutes. When the mixture gets hot keep checking  with a thermometer  and continue to blend for another few minutes until the thermometer reads 160 degrees. Now your eggs are safe. Add the butter and blend until smooth for about 10 seconds.
Pour the curd into some jars and cool overnight in the fridge. 
​

Recipe by Holly Baker from A Baker's House
​adapted by© Sunnycovechef.com
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preserved lemons on avocado toast




​Preserved lemons capture the heavenly perfume of the lemon and excite your palate. It brings out the best in my avocado toast and many other dishes.
​ Click here for the recipe.



This is a nutty, chewy , nor-too-sweet cake which is made with whole lemons and ground almonds.
​ 
Click here for the recipe
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lemon cake

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Zitronenspeise (lemon mousse)



​You want a melt in your mouth lemony dessert, try my German lemon mousse or Zitronenspeise as we call it in Germany.
​ Click here for the recipe



This tart lemon sorbet made with buttermilk has been an old friend of mine for years.
​Click here for the recipe.
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lemon sorbet

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lemon bread


​Perfect for an afternoon snack, this simple lemon tea bread is compact and infused with lemon juice. 
​Click here for the recipe


A delicious lemon pudding cake that is light and makes a great ending to any meal. The recipe comes from the Greens Restaurant in Fort Mason in San Fransisco.
​ Click here for the recipe
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lemon pudding cake
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Black  Forest Chocolate Mousse

2/7/2020

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You have all heard of the famous German cake called Black Forest Cake​, a chocolate cake filled with cherries and whipped cream. In Germany it is called Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte. I had my share of it when I lived in Germany. My godmother, who was an excellent baker, made an awesome one. Somewhere I have her recipe, I think! But in the meantime and with Valentine’s Day just around the corner, I found a much easier German recipe for chocolate mousse with cherries. How good is that? You can whip this up in no time and end up with a memorable delight.
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This is not a sweet dessert, it has no added sugar and it is made with a few ingredients that I got at Trader Joe’s. It needs some good chocolate, heavy cream, frozen cherries, cherry marmalade  and Kirsch liquor or Kirschwasser as we call it in Germany.
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I upped the ante by adding some fruit from my Rumtopf, which turned it into an adult dessert for my book club meeting. Remember my Rumptopf I made last summer by preserving fresh fruit in rum. I was a great success, we enjoyed it over the holidays and I gave some jars to my friends. Next year I am making it again when cherries are in season. Cherries were my favorite fruit in the Rumtopf.
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Let’s get back to my mousse that I am leisurely nibbling on while writing this post. Like I said before, it is not sweet but it is rich and chocolatey. The cherries with their sauce add a fruity crunch to the mousse. A little bit of this dessert will go a long way. If you make this I hope you enjoy it as much I did.
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For my book club dinner I made my Italian crespelle (crepes)  stuffed with fennel and salmon in a white lemony sauce. Life is good when I am in the kitchen.
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Rumtopf
Crepes filled with Salmon and Fennel
​This mousse is made in no time, yet it is perfect for any dinner party with its rich chocolate flavor being complimented by the cherries  and the sauce.  Depending on the portion it will serve 6-8 people, maybe more. It is rich, so a little bit goes a long way. This is a great dessert to make ahead. My husband and I enjoyed it for several days.
Print Recipe
Ingredients:
​

7 oz. ( 200g) good quality bittersweet chocolate 
1 lb. ( 500g ) frozen dark sweet cherries
½ ( 100g) cup cherry marmelade
2 TBS Kirschwasser  (optional) substitute water 
​2 ¼ cups ( 600g) heavy cream
​Directions:

Put the frozen cherries with the Kirschwasser into a pot, cover and simmer until the cherries reach the consistency you like. I like mine crunchy and just heated up the cherries until they where defrosted. Stir in the cherry marmalade and let it cool. 

Grind about a ¼ cup of the chocolate to sprinkle over the mousse when serving it. Set aside for later, chop the rest of the chocolate coarsely. Heat ½ cup of cream, take off the heat and stir in the chocolate. Whisk until all the chocolate is melted making it into a soft ganache.

Whip the remaining cream to medium peaks. When you whip the cream you see the beaters leaving a trail, slow down the beating and watch. You do not want to over-whip the cream or you and up with a grainy mousse.  Put some of the cream aside for decorating the mousse . Gently, with a big spatula, fold the cream into the chocolate in thirds. 

Divide the mousse into individual bowls or cocktail glasses. Add about four cherries with the sauce . Dollop with the reserved whip cream and sprinkle with the grated chocolate. 
You can make this ahead and chill in the refrigerator for several hours. 
​
Guten Appetit!
Recipe from the German Magazine Lecker 
adapted by © Sunnycovechef.com
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Celeriac and Apple Soup with Dungeons  Crab

1/30/2020

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It’s the end of January 2020—a new year and a new decade. I never thought I would make it this far. But here I am, thankful for being able to walk again and living in this beautiful area called Monterey Bay. There are so many wonderful things to do and to see, the endless Pacific Ocean, the mountains with their valleys and so much more. I have lived here for over 30 years and I haven’t seen everything—even though I have tried. I always look for new inspiration and new things to do and eat. A free magazine called edible Monterey helps me find new ventures in food. That’s where I found a new soup recipe using celeriac root, one of  my favorite winter vegetable.
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​This soup is very similar to my creamy vegetable soup, called Krabbensuppe from the city of Hamburg, Germany. While my German version has different vegetables in the soup to complement the tiny shrimp from that part of the world. The celeriac soup in edible Monterey has apples, onions and celeriac root, seasoned with a hint of masala.
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The soup by itself is delicious. I had some leftover for breakfast. But to bring it to the next level, add fresh Dungeness crab meat sautéed in browned butter. It makes it an elegant and special dish for any occasion. When I made it, I served it with crab cakes on a salad with citrus dressing. It was one of the first meals I cooked for my husband after I recovered. To all my friends who don’t have Dungeness crab available, I think lobster or shrimp would be great, maybe even scallops. It would make a special Valentine’s Day dinner. ​
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Here are some other celeriac root recipes. ​
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​This  ginger shrimp celeriac root salad makes makes a great lunch or light dinner


​A creamy vegetable soup made with carrots, celeriac root, leeks and potatoes and topped with bay shrimp. In Germany this soup is called Krabbensuppe . Krabben are tiny shrimp from the Nordsee.  I make this soup all the time and everybody loves it.
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review the recipe for crab cakes
review the recipe for ginger shrimp salad with celeriac
recipe for creamy vegetable soup with bay shrimp
I would not omit the marsala , it adds a great flavor. I bought a small box at Whole Foods called Tandoori Marsala. The original recipe used garam masala. I don’t know the difference. I used different variety of apples that I bought at the Farmer’s Market . The original recipe called for granny smith apples. Peeling the celeriac root can be tricky. I use a pairing knife and try not to cut myself. As soon as you peel and cut the celeriac into slices put them in cold water with a splash of lemon juice to prevent them from discoloring
Print Recipe
Ingredients:
serves 4 

2 TBS olive oil
2 TBS butter
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped 
5 + cups chicken broth
1 large celeriac root , peeled and sliced
​3 medium sized apples, peeled and sliced 
1 tsp. salt
¼  tsp. graham masala 
¼ tsp. freshly ground pepper


Crab Topping:
4 TBS butter 
½-1 cup crab meat
2 tsp. chives, chopped
Directions:

Heat the oil and the butter over medium heat in a large pot, add the onions and sauté them for about 5 minutes until they get soft. Add the garlic and masala and sauté for an additional minute. Add the chicken broth, the celery and the apples and the rest of the spices. 
Bring to a boil  over high heat , then reduce the heat and simmer covered for about 20 minutes or until the celeriac root is soft. Put the pot in your kitchen sink and puree with an immersion stick until has a smooth and silky consistency . You can also puree in a blender if you don’t have an immersion stick.
Keep the soup warm while you heat the butter in a frying pan over medium stirring it frequently until the butter turns into a warm brown, do not burn it. This process takes about 4-6 minutes. Add the crab to the butter to warm. 
Pour the hot soup into into serving bowls, spoon the crab and butter over the soup. Sprinkle with chives.

Guten Appetit !
Recipe by Caroline Chambers in the winter addition of “edible Monterey”
​adapted by ©Sunnycovechef.com
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Monika's Kartoffelklösse-German Potato Dumplings

1/12/2020

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Its been a while since I posted and I do apologize. After breaking my ankle in Budapest, my spunk and motivation left me. During my recovery, I was entertained by your blogs and reading them helped me a great deal. Speaking of recovery, I am walking again and I am thankful for every tiny step I take. The last part of my recovery seems to be the hardest, as I am impatient by nature and eager to move on. But I can’t. I have to take it easy, because if I don’t, I am back in bed with my foot elevated, watching Netflix or YouTube. I also had some emotional issues to deal with, like a post-dramatic depression, upon realizing the danger I had been in and its possible consequences. ​
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Goose and dumplings, a lunch I had in Potsdam a couple of years ago
But it is a new year, a new decade, and with it comes new beginnings. I am ready to move on. I am starting to cook again and I am enjoying it. I had planned to make a goose for the holidays, but instead my dear friend and neighbor, Susanne, invited me for Christmas dinner. She made her famous Rouladen (stuffed rolled beef), a German tradition for the holidays. I was in culinary heaven.
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I have wanted to make homemade potato dumplings for years, but have always opted for the pre-made packaged ones. The one time I tried, when I prepared a goose years ago, it turned into an inedible potato soup. So this year, it was a project I wanted to tackle, so I started to watch German YouTube videos and tried one recipe. I didn’t like them—honestly the pre-packed ones made by Pfanni were better. But I didn’t give up. My girlfriend, Monika, from Germany makes them every year with her goose for Christmas. She uses a recipe from an old German cookbook from Schlesien (or Silesia) that is now in southwestern Poland. Both she and her husband came from this region. I love the quote in the cookbook saying that a Sunday dinner without dumplings is like a sky without stars. They were served with every roast, cooked cabbage or any other vegetable. In the cookbook, they are described as an easy-to-make recipe, but there are tricks to follow to avoid the dumplings falling apart or being hard as a rock.
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I made them twice now and both times they got the approval from my friend, Susanne. Each region in Europe has their own version of potato dumplings. The Bavarian ones are made with half-raw and half-cooked potatoes. Leftover dumplings are perfect sliced and then fried in butter, the ultimate German comfort food. When making the dumplings, you can stuff them with small croutons. I think they need some kind of sauce to be truly enjoyed—like a mushroom sauce or gravy from a roast. I don’t have any photos of our Christmas dinner, but a week later, I served my second batch of potato dumplings with some of my friend’s leftover beef brisket from Hanukkah.
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My friend Monika sent me this photo from her Christmas dinner
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Leftover dumplings, fried and sliced
recipe for Susannne's Rouladen
recipe for red cabbage
I recommend that you follow the recipe and make no modifications. Or you will end up with potato soup. I used two russets and two yellow fin potatoes. It is also important to make a test dumpling before cooking the rest. I made a small one and tasted it, and both times it was okay. To avoid bland-tasting dumplings, don’t reduce the salt. If the dough is sticky, add some more flour. Don’t over mix the potatoes. If you don’t have a potato press, you can use a potato masher. Don’t skimp on the salt because you are flavoring the water—first to boil the potatoes and then to cook the dumplings.
Print Recipe
Ingredients:

(makes approximately 10-12 dumplings , depending on the size)

1 lb. (2) russet potatoes 
1 lb. (2) yellow fin potatoes
2 scant cups of all purpose white flour (250g or a little less than 8 3/4 ounces) 
plus extra flour to roll in the dumplings before cooking
1 egg
1 tsp. salt to boil the potatoes 
1 3/4 tsp. salt for the dough
2  tsp. salt for the water to boil the dumplings.

Croutons: (optional) 

a cup of day-old bread cut into ½ inch pieces
2 TB olive oil 
garlic salt

Parsley butter sauce:
​

4 TB butter
3 TB of finely chopped parsley
Directions:

Peel the potatoes in halves or quarters (according to size). Cover them with cold water and add 1 tsp. salt, bring them to a boil and cook for 15-20 minutes. They are done when you poke them with a small paring knife and they are soft. It is better to undercook them, so you don’t turn them into a potato mush by overcooking them. When the potatoes are done, pour off the water and return the pot to the stove, shake the potatoes in the pot over low heat until all the moisture has evaporated. Cool the potatoes.

While the potatoes are cooling, fill your largest pot with water and bring it to a boil. Add 1½ tsp. salt. When the potatoes are cool, press them through a potato press or use a potato masher. I used my potato press. Add the egg, 2 tsp. salt, and the flour. Mix with a fork and then with your hands, until you have a dough that isn’t sticky. According to the German recipe, you are supposed to add more flour when it is sticky. (I didn’t have to do it the two times I made the dumplings.) Do not over mix the dough. Form a small test dumpling and simmer it in the water for several minutes. If it doesn’t fall apart, you are in business. Otherwise, according to the book you are supposed to add more flour.  Mine came out perfect both times, I did increase the amount of salt in my second batch. Form the dough into a 2-inch thick logs and cut into 10-12 pieces. Roll the pieces into round balls. If you add croutons, put the dough in your hand, then put the crouton in the middle and form it into a dumpling.

Put a couple of tablespoons of flour onto a plate. Roll each dumplings in the flour and add them to the boiling water. Reduce the heat to a low simmer and cook the dumplings for about 18 minutes, uncovered. Make sure your dumplings don’t stick to the pot and make sure the water stays at a low simmer. Eventually, the dumplings will float to the top. The dumplings are at their best right after they are cooked. I talked to my girlfriend and she told me that she reheats the dumplings the next day by putting them back in simmering water for 10 minutes. She also told me that she freezes them. The only thing I have done with leftover dumplings is to slice and sauté them in butter. It is a special treat.

Each time I made dumplings this year, I made a parsley butter sauce for them. I melted the butter in a frying pan and added the finely chopped parsley. Then I poured the sauce over the dumplings. 
​

Guten Appetit!
recipe © Sunnycovechef
​
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Chicken or Turkey Stock made from Leftover  Food Scraps

12/10/2019

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It has been almost eight weeks since my accident, and I am not allowed to walk without my boot and crutches. One of my ankle bones has not healed yet. My doctor told me to write the alphabet with my foot as many times as I can to regain mobility. I can now do it in cursive and in block print. I have learned a lot during these last eight weeks, especially to be patient and resourceful. I also learned to be very careful and take care of my body. Being so physically dependent, I am thankful for my husband’s and son’s loving care. Most of all, it has been a humbling experience, and a lesson about how fragile life can be.
I have been cooking very little these days. I have eaten a lot of salads, rotisserie chicken and food brought by friends and neighbors. Once I am allowed to walk, I will start cooking again. I can’t wait.
A couple days ago, I was looking at a chicken carcass. I hate to waste good food. For years, I’ve made my own chicken and vegetable stock, and never make it the same way. Sometimes I buy chicken legs or a whole chicken, but most of the time I just use the chicken or turkey carcass, leftover vegetable scraps from the freezer or veggies that have seen better days.  Whenever I use leeks, I freeze the part that I don’t use which are the dark green leaves. I wash the leaves and put them in a bag. Mushrooms stems give the stock a great Unami flavor. Ginger and garlic add more flavor. I add a couple of carrots, a couple of celery stalks with the leaves, and a whole onion cut into half (leaving the skin on). Some cooks blacken the cut side of the onions in a frying pan to add color, but I don’t. I put all these ingredients in a large cast iron pot and cover them with cold water. When the water boils, I add 1 teaspoon of salt, some pepper, and garlic salt. I always add a couple of bay leaves. So, you see I really don’t have a specific recipe. 
Recipe for Wonton Soup
Recipe for German Vegetable Shrimp Soup
Print Recipe
Ingredients:
​

A chicken/turkey carcass or

chicken or turkey parts (legs, necks or wings) 
1-2 carrots 
2 -3 celery stalks with leaves 
1 onion (with peel)
1 leek (or clean dark leek leaves)
A handful of parsley (with stems)
A couple of dried mushrooms (or frozen mushroom stems)
several garlic cloves 
2 bay leaves 
a few pieces of ginger
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic salt
1-2 tsp pepper
Directions:
​

Put everything in a cast iron pot and cover with water. Bring it all to a boil, spooning of the scum that rises to the top. When the stock boils, turn down the heat and simmer it covered for 2-3 hours, occasionally spooning off the scum. At the end, pour the stock through a fine sieve into a large bowl, discarding the solids. If there is some fat floating around  put the bowl in the fridge and remove the fat layer when the stock is cold. I usually freeze my stock or use it within a couple of days. 
​

Guten Appetit !
recipe by©Sunnycovechef.com
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Budapest

11/14/2019

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Budapest is the capitol of Hungary and Hungary's most populous city. It is a city that has been influenced by many cultures throughout history, most prevalent is the Austrian influence from the 19th century when Hungary was part of the Austrian Habsburg Empire. ​
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Budapest consists of two parts—Buda and Pest. The Danube River divides the medieval streets  and Roman ruins of Buda from the 19th century boulevards of Pest. Many bridges connect the hilly Buda with the flat Pest. The most famous and first bridge ever built was  the 19th century Chain Bridge. It was the first bridge to link Buda with Pest.
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In 1987, Budapest was added to the Unesco World Heritage list for the cultural and architectural significance of the banks of the Danube—the Buda Castle Quarter and Andrássy Avenue. ​
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You will find some great architecture in Budapest, especially the Art Nouveau style. Unfortunately, we  only had two days to explore the city before I fell and broke my ankle. ​
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We arrived by train from Vienna on a Friday, a pleasant 2 ½ hour train ride. That night, we attended a concert in the St. Stephan's Basilica, the largest church in Hungary. It was a wonderful introduction to Budapest. This church was dedicated to the first King of Hungary.
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​The next day, we took the Castle Hill funicular up to the castle. It offers a great view while riding up. The funicular links the Adam Clark Square and the Chain Bridge. 
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The castle built on Castle Hill was meant to protect the city from the Tartars and Mongols. It was destroyed many times. Today, the Castle Hill area houses the Hungarian National Gallery and the Budapest City Museum.
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On Saturday, after exploring Budapest on a warm and sunny day, we had a wonderful lunch on an outside patio at Dunacorso, a restaurant that has been in existence for over one hundred years. We  enjoyed the food and the ambiance with a view of the Danube. ​
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After being released from the hospital, I was well taken care of and nurtured by the Ritz Charlton of Budapest. The concierge was wonderful and so was the rest of the staff. I could not have survived this ordeal without them. The Ritz has a great spa with a swimming pool. The restaurant had a wonderful goulash soup that I had two times. It was the staff of the Ritz who saved us when I broke my ankle. I cannot thank them enough. ​
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Our room at the Ritz Charlton.
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Broken Bones, Budapest, and Fit to Fly

11/13/2019

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Traveling is a wonderful way to enrich your life but there are inherent dangers that we all hope won’t happen to us. After half a century of traveling, I  had an accident. My husband and I planned a 10-day trip to Europe, visiting Vienna and a long weekend in Budapest. Vienna was gorgeous, and hopefully I will write a blog post about it. We took the train to Budapest for a long weekend, planning to return to Vienna Monday and fly home Tuesday.
On Sunday afternoon, after spending some delightful hours in a large thermal bath, we were looking for a taxi in the park. I saw a taxi and turned around on a small incline—and the next thing I knew I was on the ground and heard a loud crack in my left ankle. My left foot was turned the wrong way and I knew something bad had happened. A kind soul called an ambulance and a woman who spoke English called our hotel. The ambulance picked me up, the EMT didn’t speak English and I was transported to the Budapest Trauma Center.
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The entrance to the Trauma Center
In the admission room, some guys took me and grabbed my foot to set it. I screamed bloody murder, then somebody stuck me with a needle to take some blood and insert an IV in my hand. Nobody asked my permission, because nobody spoke English. It was like a pre-war movie.  I was in shock, my husband and the most wonderful concierge from the Ritz Carlton spent four hours doing all the paperwork.
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X-rays from before the operation
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My new hardware after the operation
While lying on a gurney for four hours, I made calls to Germany, the US, and Switzerland. I didn’t think I had an option because I had a complicated break that needed an operation immediately. I was rolled into a room with five female patients who lay undressed, covered only with a sheet. (The hospital does not provide gowns.) I was snarled at by the staff, and my husband was not allowed in the room. The surgeon came in saying that he would perform the surgery the same night or the next day. When I asked him how many of these operations he had done, he told me that I had insulted him by asking the question. The anesthesiologist was a kind and gentle woman who stayed with me throughout the operation late Sunday night. She looked so tired. After my operation in a very antiquated operating room, I was rolled to what I thought was a private room, because I spent  the night by myself with a kind nurse who gave me an extra pillow and asked if I wanted a blanket. The next morning, two other patients were rolled in, when I realized it was not a private room. My husband came as soon as possible, bringing water, juice and something to eat that the hotel had packed for me. In Hungary, the family of the patients provide the towels, cups and everything else you need. The staff is totally overworked and earns very little money. Most of them are unfriendly and don’t speak English or German. The surgeon told me that I was going to be released on Wednesday and I could fly home that day. He never checked my wound and disappeared and I never saw him again. But I am thankful for his skills, because my doctor here in Santa Cruz told me he did a pretty good job. Most important, he had written a sentence in my report that allowed my return flight home. ​
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There was no wifi in the hospital, I called all my friends in Europe who offered to pick me up and drive me to Switzerland, Austria or Germany, but I thought it was best for me to go straight home. My husband went back to the hotel and booked a new flight, canceling all the old reservations. The hotel staff helped him. I was on the phone all day, calling my doctors, friends and anybody else who I thought could help. I spent another horrible night at the hospital, and checked myself out the next morning after my bandages were changed and the drainage taken out.
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I can tell you I was so happy when I reached the Ritz and the entire staff, including the manager, greeted me. The hotel extended our room for an additional three nights and provided me with a wheelchair. It was like I had entered heaven after being in hell. I will never forget the kindness and the generosity that the Ritz-Carlton in Budapest gave us. It was phenomenal. They provided us with food, drinks, comfort and taxis anytime my husband needed one.  One of their employees took us to the airport counter, where the airline personnel asked for a document from my doctor saying I was "fit to fly." And here is one of the reasons why I am writing this post, my dear readers. If you ever intend to board a plane with some obvious handicap, you need to have a doctor’s note saying you are FIT TO FLY.
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Being pampered at the Ritz
The 2 flights lasting 14 hours were fine. My husband booked a business class seat that enabled me to raise my legs. The flight attendant brought ice for my ankle. Thank you, United Airlines. I was transported by a special wheelchair that fit the aisle of the airplane and a regular wheelchair for the airport. 

I arrived on Thursday and ended up going to the Stanford emergency room where I waited for five hours before somebody changed my bandages. It was a total waste of time and we were totally exhausted, especially my poor husband. The next morning, we saw a wonderful  doctor here in town who is now taking care of me. He said my operation was good, so now I am in a cast hopping around on one leg.

I haven’t cooked. Friends are bringing dinner and my husband is barbecuing. So sorry, there's no new recipe, but I am sharing some photos from Budapest on my Wanderlust blog.
​ Click here.
​Since Thanksgiving is right around the corner click here for recipes that are helpful to you for the upcoming feast.
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Plum Tart or Zwetschgenkuchen

9/27/2019

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When I see plums I always think of the Italian prune plum tree we had at our farm in Germany where these plums are called Zwetschgen. When the fruit ripened in mid September we would make Zwetschgenmus (plum jam) and everybody baked Zwetschgenkuchen on large trays. They dough was usually a yeast dough with different toppings for the plums. My favorite was a custard topping which is called Schmandkuchen. One day I would like to bake it in my village and get advice from all those old cooks and bakery friends. In the meantime I found this wonderful recipe on YouTube that is easy to make and all my American friends liked it. The shortbread dough is used for the crust and the streusel.
German  plum cake
The Zwetsche , a European plum ( Prunus domestica) has many different names, in France it is called quetsche, here in the US they are called Italian Prune Plums and sometime Empress Plums. These plums are small and dense with purple skin, easy to pit (freestone pits) and have yellow flesh. There is something magical that happens to this egg shaped, somewhat bland tasting Italian plum when you bake it, it becomes a sweet gooey delight, in cakes, in jams, and dumplings. As was the case with my cake.
German Plum cake
I am writing this while eating small slivers of this tasty treat. My doctor tells me to stay away from sweets and I do most of the time but there are times when these rules don’t apply. This cake brings back memories from my childhood in Germany, where Zwetschgenkuchen was a seasonal treat . My mother liked the simple version, adding plums with a little bit of sugar to a sheet yeast cake. Sometimes she splurged and put a custard on top of the cake. I remember stuffing myself and being told to share. My friend, aunt Frieda, that lived on the next farm made the best sheet cakes ever in a wooden pizza oven where she also baked her bread. I would sit on her wood box watching her cook. Oh, those childhood memories.
German plum cake
Some more  of my recipes using plums. The plum jam is tart but full of flavor. It's baked in the oven so you don't have to sweat over a hot stove and there is no stirring.  Click on the photos below for the recipe.
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Spiced Plum Jam
Marian Burros Plum Torte
Marian Burros Plum Torte
Here is the link to the YouTube video where I found this recipe. It's in German but Thomas  speaks very slowly and it is fun to watch him make the tart. I think this would be a great project for young cooks. ​
When buying Italian Prune Plums get the hard ones, some of the soft ones will be rotten inside and always buy more, just in case. These plums don’t have a long shelf life, that’s why a lot of stores don’t carry them.You can use another variety of plums if you are unable to get Italian plums.
Print Recipe
Ingredients:
A  12 inch cake or tart pan with removable bottom
This tart makes 10 generous slices, 12 small ones. 


14 oz. (3 cups) (400g) white flour
8 oz. (2 sticks) (230g) cold butter
4.5 oz. ( a generous ½ cup) (130g) sugar
1 ½ tsp baking powder (7g)
​1 egg and 1 egg yolk  

1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 TBS. lemon zest
a pinch of salt
2 Ib. of Italian prune  plums or other plums.
3 TBS. Turbinado raw cane sugar
Directions:
Generously butter a 12 inch tart or cake pan with a removable bottom.  
Sift the flour with the baking powder. Cut the cold butter into smallish cubes. Put the sugar and lemon zest in the food processor, pulse for 30 seconds to mix the lemon zest into the sugar. Add the flour, butter, eggs, and a pinch of salt. Pulse until  the butter is broken into small pieces . Pour the dough onto a surface and put a little less than 1/3  aside for the streusel. Kneed the the dough with your palms until it comes together. Start pressing pieces of the dough into the tart pan and flatten them with your hands. Build the dough up to the sides and chill the tart for at least 30 minutes. 
In the meantime wash the plums and remove the pits from the plums by cutting them half open but leaving them in one piece. Sprinkle them with the cane sugar and let them stand for a few minutes. Take the tart out of the fridge and arrange the plums in a circular fashion starting on the outside. Sprinkle the tart with the streusel. Both times I baked the tart I had some leftover streusel that I froze for later use. 
Bake the tart on a baking sheet to prevent the juices from spilling into the oven. Bake at 350 degree Fahrenheit (180 Celsius) in a preheated oven for 50-60 minutes. You want the dough to slightly brown and some of the plum juices being released and bubbling. 
Cool the tart for about an hour on a cooling rack. If you want you can sprinkle some powdered sugar over the tart. The tart tasted great a day later. 


Guten Appetit! 
recipe by Pour Le Plaisir - Thomas kocht
​translated  and adapted by ©Sunnycovechef.com

​
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Sugarless Blackberry, Raspberry and Cherry Jam

8/29/2019

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One of the reasons I write my blog is to share my love of cooking and experimenting with different foods. There are so many recipes hidden away in my folders, magazines and books. And there is so much food I buy because it looks so good, as was the case when I ended up with an abundance of fresh berries and cherries. I used the freshest fruits for my Rumtopf and the rest of the berries to make a quick jar of jam, using only one tablespoon of honey as a sweetener. It is good and I have been eating it for the last three weeks. My favorite is to put it on a cracker with peanut butter for a quick snack.
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It’s also great on my morning yogurt. This is the perfect recipe for making your first jam. I realize cherry season is over but with this recipe you can use other seasonal fruit. It’s easy and doesn’t take much time and effort. I found the recipe in a magazine called Real Simple that I enjoy reading. A little warning that this is not a sweet jam; it is more of a spread on the tart side. The original recipe called for chia seeds and I added them, but I made my second batch without them and I like that better. I like the crunchiness of the chia seeds, but one could easily mistake them for blackberry or raspberry seeds.
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A delicious breakfast using my sugarless jam in a crepe with a German cheese called Quark
Here are some recipes for some of the marmalades and jams I have made in previous years. Plums are in season right now and my Zwetschgenmus (spiced plum jam) is a real treat, as are my other jams.
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Whenever I come across Italian prune plums I make this spiced plum jam called Zwetschgenmus in Germany
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A no fuss plum and blackberry jam that is baked in the oven.
Zwetschgenmus or Spiced Plum Jam
Plum Jam Baked in the Oven
You only need three ingredients for this jam. The consistency is more of a topping or spread than a jam. It is tart and has to be kept in the fridge. ​
Print Recipe
Ingredients:
​

1 lb. fresh fruit
¼ tsp salt
4 tsp. chia seeds (optional)
​1TBS. honey
1-2 tsp fresh lemon juice
Directions:
Carefully rinse the fruit. Pit and halve the cherries. If you want the cherries to be smaller, roughly chop them. Put the fruit and the salt in a heavy saucepan with ¼ cup of water. Cover and bring it to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the raspberries begin to fall apart. Uncover the pot and continue to cook it for about 5-8 minutes, stirring often and mashing the mixture gently. Remove from heat and stir in the honey, lemon juice and chia seeds if you use them. Fill the cooled mixture into a jar and store in the fridge.

Guten Appetit! 
​recipe by
Ananda Eidelstein in Real Simple magazine
adapted by Sunnycovechef.com
​
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Rumtopf  or Rum Pot/ How to Preserve Fresh Fruit in Rum

8/14/2019

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​Yum, yum, it’s soaked in rum! If you are looking for an easy way to preserve the taste of summer for a cold winter night, look no further. Make an old-fashioned rum pot with the tastiest strawberries, cherries, raspberries (or any other fruit), add sugar and rum, then let it sit for at least two months. You will end up with a boozy delicacy, which is perfect on pudding, ice cream, flan, cheesecake, almond cake and in drinks. You only need three ingredients and a non-corrosive container with a lid for this classic German condiment.
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This German tradition of making a rum pot goes back to 18th century, when rum was imported from the Caribbean to the northern Hanseatic towns. Legend has it that some tropical fruit accidentally ended up in a rum barrel. Whether it’s true or not, it’s a good story.  My story goes back to my gentle, caring and loving father who wasn’t a cook. How could he be when he worked from dawn to dusk on the farm seven days a week? But he managed somehow to make a rum pot, which he loved to pour over ice cream.
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A traditional Rumtopf is done in a special crock pot ( see the photo below) . My father just used a regular crock pot, but a mason jar will do. The fruit is added when it is ripe—strawberries in June, followed by raspberries, apricots, blueberries, cherries, plums (or any other fruit) in July and August. Sugar and rum is added for each addition. The  beauty of the Rumtopf is that you can use almost any fruit you have available as long as you top it with rum that is 54% or higher (108 proof). It will put hair on your chest, so be careful and eat responsibly.
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I live in California and only harvest a handful of berries from my garden, but fresh delicious fruit is everywhere else, especially at the farmers markets. I am found of cherries and love to eat them. I ended up with a refrigerator full of fresh fruit and had to do something with it, so the idea of a Rumtopf was born. All I had to do was find was a bottle of rum that was more than 54% alcohol. I am thinking of starting another Rumtopf the traditional way, by adding fruit and sugar and topping it with rum. Layering my Rumptopf with different fruits as time goes by, which keeps the pot going indefinitely.
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This is a photo of a Rumtopf that is for sale at ETSY.
Before you click on the recipe, please understand that this is an experiment , I usually taste my recipes before I post them, so please keep in mind that this is not one of them. If it turns out (and I don’t see why not), I will fill some small mason jars with my Rumtopf and give them to my friends for Christmas. We’ll see!
Your container can be a crockpot or a mason jar that has been cleaned thoroughly.
I mixed the stronger rum with regular 40% (80 proof) rum. But make sure to use 54% (108 proof ), otherwise your Rumtopf will get moldy. Be careful, because the rum is flammable. It is important that the fruit is covered with rum. You might have to top it off while you are aging it. I loosely put some plastic wrap on top of my pot and and then add a saucer on top of that to make sure that the fruit is immersed in the rum. After I put the lid on, I wrap the top again in plastic wrap. According to all recipes I found, the Rumtopf needs to age at least two months so that the special flavors can develop. Some Rumtopf have been nurtured for years. The Rumtopf is like a perpetual jar, much like sourdough starter that can be kept alive for years
Print Recipe
Ingredients:

This is what I did, but anybody who is interested in creating a Rumtopf can be creative.

2 lb. fruit
For my two pounds of fruit, I used: ​
cherries
blackberries
strawberries
raspberries
10 oz. sugar
750 ml (151-proof) dark unflavored  rum
375 ml  (80-proof) dark unflavored rum
Directions:

All the fruit has to be as fresh as possible and without any rotten spots.
Wash the fruit, mix it with the sugar and let it sit for 20 minutes.
Add the fruit to the jar and cover with rum.
Add a large piece of plastic wrap on top of the mixture and wrap up the sides of the jar to create a seal. Then add a small plate on top to make sure all the fruit is immersed in the rum.  Add the cover, reseal with the plastic wrap again and put the rum pot a dark in a cool place, away from children. Mine is curing in my colder downstairs bathroom. 
​

Prost!
recipe by©Sunnycovechef.com
Do you want a fruity drink  tonight, try out my recipe for a light Strawberry Punch.  Click on the photo for the recipe.
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A personal note to followers of my blog:
For those of you who been wondering about me, life has had its challenges this year for my family. But we survived and I had to become stronger because of it. It’s been difficult, but the outcome is good for better days ahead. Thank you to all my friends and family for your support and love. I am respecting my husband’s request for privacy to not share more on the worldwide web.
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Fresh Apricot Salsa with Poached Halibut

7/8/2019

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Apricots are in season and it’s time to make my favorite recipes and discover some new ones and that is exactly what I have done for the last couple of weeks. On our way home from the Sierras I bought several pounds of apricots from a fruit stand in the Central Valley of California. They were not quite ripe so I put them on a cookie sheet in my cool downstairs bedroom. They ripened quite nicely and I ended up with some juicy apricots. ​
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I had dreams of making my delicious apricot jam or my apricot dumplings but I didn’t. Instead I was searching for new recipes. I found  some but wasn’t real happy with them. In my opinion one cake was too sweet and the other was not as good as my German apricot cake or my  apricot blueberry cobbler.  Click on the photo  below for the recipes.
After looking through some of my cookbooks and folders I came upon a recipe that caught my attention, poached halibut with apricot salsa. Sunset magazine published this recipe in 2007. I was a little hesitant to poach the halibut, but it was perfect and had an amazing texture and the apricot salsa was a perfect condiment for the halibut. This meal makes an elegant lunch or dinner, especially on a hot summer day.  I served it on lettuce with some avocados. I can also imagine making this salsa with peaches or plums.
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I am disappointed that I didn't get to make my roasted apricot sorbet, my apricot dumplings, or my apricot jam. Hopefully I will catch up next year.  Click on the photos for the different posts and recipes. Have  a happy and healthy summer, my  friends.
​Chilled Poached  Halibut with Apricot Salsa The  secret in the salsa are toasted brown mustard seeds that add a nice crunch. Usually you can find  mustard seeds in your grocery store. Be careful when roasting the seeds as they burn easily.  I thought that the texture of the halibut improved after it was chilled for a day.
Print Recipe
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Ingredients:

Makes 4-6 servings

2 tsp canola oil 
2 tsp brown mustard seeds 
1 ½ lb. apricots
4 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 cup diced red onions 
1 cup chopped cilantro, chopped
1-½ jalapeńo pepper
about 1 Tbs. coarse salt , divided
1 lemon, cut into thin slices 
2 ¼  lb. of halibut filet cut into 4-6 pieces
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Directions:
​

Heat the oil in a skillet, add the mustard seeds, cover and cook them over medium heat until they begin to pop. After a minute remove the skillet from the heat and let it cool down. Be careful I burned my first batch.
Cut the jalapeño in half, remove the seeds and slice thinly. You can control the heat by adding less jalapeño. 
Cut the apricots into small slices ( about ½ inch ). Put the apricots in a large bowl and toss gently with lemon juice, onion,  cilantro, and the mustard seeds with the oil. Season with 1 ½ tsp of salt and chill for ½ hour. 
Wipe skillet clean and fill half-full with water, add 1 tsp of salt and the lemon slices.  Heat water over medium  heat until gently simmering. Add the fish and cook, covered, for 5-8 minutes until opaque in the center (cut to check). Don’t overcook because the halibut will get tough. Move the fish with a spatula to a plate and chill for at least an hour. Season with salt and pepper and serve cold with a salad and the apricot salsa.  My halibut tasted better the next day while the apricot salsa is better the first day.​

Guten Appetit!
Recipe from Sunset Magazine
adapted by©Sunnycovechef.com
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How to navigate the German Railroad System

6/21/2019

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I returned from Germany and Switzerland two months ago. I was planning on writing several posts about my wonderful trip but didn't. My April-May trip was wonderful. I savored every minute and criss-crossed Germany on the train by myself visiting places and friends. I decided to write a post on how to navigate the German trains because some people have ask me to do so . Hopefully this post will unravel some the mysteries of German Railroad travel. ​
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ICE means Intercity Express. It is the  fastest train of the GermanRail system and provides high-speed connections between metropolitan areas. They usually run every hour and have a dining car and a bistro  for food and drinks. However, I would recommend taking your own food and drinks. Ok, maybe the lentil soup is fine and so is the potato salad with a hot dog.  Most of the trains have WiFi.
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The dining car in the ICE train divides first class from second class.  It is called Bordrestaurant. Some people stay in the dining car for the duration of their trip and order a drink or something to eat. ​
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You can order food and drinks in first class. Of course it's expensive  and  that is  why I  often bring my own lunch which is totally ok. Larger rail stations have several food courts , a book and magazine store, and an information center where most of the agents speak English and  can help you with your ticket and other questions you have. ​
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​Most of the time I take the ICE but sometimes I take the IC/EC ( InterCity/EuroCity). They are slightly slower than the ICE and  are usually older trains. I have never taken an overnight train with sleeping accommodations. I often take the Regional Express (RE) or RB (ReginalBahn) that connect smaller towns. ​
Each railway station is different and it takes some time to navigate your way to the train. Most rail stations have escalators and elevators but occassinally you have to carry your own suitcases down some stairs. I always have to negotiate stairs in Hamburg which is my least favorite railway station. 
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Once you arrive in the station look for an electronic display for the departure of trains. This display will tell you from which track your train is leaving and if it is on time. You will also find the information posted on boards in the railway station. These boards will show you the cities at which the train stops. White boards show the arrivals and yellow boards show the departures. Each train is numbered . Compare the number on your ticket with the number on the board to get the right one. ​
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You made it to the right track, called a Gleis in German. This was my train leaving at 12:14 pm to Interlaken Ost  (East).  I was getting out in Göttingen which is not on the board . You see the A B C D E F G and the knife and the fork.  The knife and fork indicate the dining car. The 1 and 2 indicate first and second class. The next train following my train was an IC going to Amsterdam and the one after that was a regional train going to a small town nearby.
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At the track where your train is leaving you will find a board like the one below. It has your train number and the location of your car if you made seat reservations. Even if you didn't  make seat reservations I recommend deciding where you want to enter the train. The last thing you want to do is to slog your luggage through a train. Not good, believe me. On the blue board an announcement was made indicating the train cars were in a different order than on the yellow board. If you ever are not sure don't hesitate to ask other train passagers or a conductor. ​
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Here you can see how long some of the trains are and why you want to be in the right section. In this case it is G. The trains will only stop for a few minutes and the doors close automatically. I know of an American family that lost their father because he wanted to get something outside the train. They eventually reunited but it ended up to be a stressful day. ​
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The ICE has a little booklet called "Ihr Reiseplan" a travel itinerary that shows when your train arrives at your destination and connecting trains at the different stations. ​
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​Whenever I plan my trip to Germany I decide on what to buy for a train ticket. If I know exactly what I am doing and where I am going I buy tickets ahead a time with the Deutsche Bahn. This is the least expensive way. The Deutsche Bahn has a good English website. I also have the app on my phone. When you buy tickets you have to use the train you buy the ticket for, changing times and trains can be expensive. 
These days I prefer to buy a German Rail Pass for a set number of days. You can buy this pass before you travel or at some stations like the one at the Frankfurt Airport. I always bought mine ahead of time. When you arrive in Germany you have to validate it at the station with your passport. The pass is good for four weeks and you choose which days you want to travel. For each day you travel you can go anywhere in Germany. I buy a first class pass because there are usually more seats available, second class is fine but it can be very crowded and if you don’t have a seat reservation you are liable to stand for hours. I seldom buy a seat reservation in first class, although I recommend it for long trips. There have been times over the years where I have had to stand .
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​My favorite train ride was in an old Hungarian train going from Berlin to Prague , the train continued to Budapest. It was in the winter and the countryside was beautiful and remote .
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I hope I didn't bore you with this post, but I have helped so many American travelers that I hope this will be helpful to some. Let me know if you have any more questions that I can answer for you.  Gute Reise my friends. ​
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Creamy Asparagus Soup and other Recipes with Asparagus

5/9/2019

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Asparagus was considered a beneficial herb among the Romans and later in the 12th century was given aphrodisiacal power by Indian sex gurus. It was cultivated by French monks circa 1469, and a century later in Germany.
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Here in the United States we eat green asparagus, while in Germany white asparagus is popular. Although green asparagus is becoming more popular. In Germany, Spargelzeit (asparagus season) is from April to June. During that time in Germany, you will find an abundance of asparagus at the local farmer’s markets and on the menus in most restaurants. Traditionally, it is served with boiled potatoes and hollandaise sauce. You can have it with cooked or smoked ham, or Schnitzel (pork chops). ​
Asparagus is low in calories and rich in fiber and vitamins. It has chromium, a trace mineral that helps insulin-transporting glucose from the bloodstream into the cells. This is a big plus for the millions of people who are diagnosed with pre-diabetes or are diabetic. Click here  for a recipe for asparagus frittata  that I posted a couple of years ago..
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I love asparagus. Once the season starts, I buy it all the time. My husband prefers steamed asparagus, but I prefer mine roasted with hazelnut oil and sprinkled with some sea salt. When I steam the asparagus, I break off the woody ends. When I roast the asparagus, I prefer the thicker stems. I break off the woody ends and peel the rest of the stalk using a vegetable peeler, leaving the tips intact. However I cook my asparagus, I like it al dente. Click here for a delicious Chinese noodle salad that is perfect for spring and summer parties.
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I have been playing with the recipe for this asparagus soup for a few years. Last year, I made one using leeks that was good, but not as good as the one I am posting here. This is a very simple but deliciously creamy soup with the flavor of asparagus. It is cooked in no time and you will enjoy every spoonful. I usually serve it with some fresh bread and salad. It would also make a great first course for a fancy dinner.
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Print Recipe
Ingredients: 
This recipe makes about 4 cups of soup.

1 lb. green asparagus
1 cup chopped white onions 
2 TBS butter
2 TBS white flour
2 cups chicken stock
½ cup milk 
½ cup half and half
​½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg 
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
Instructions:

Break off the woody ends from each asparagus spear, discard them and cut the rest into 1 inch pieces, leaving the tips intact. Keep the tips separate from the rest of the stems. 
Melt the butter in a medium-size heavy saucepan, add the onions and sauté them for about 3 minutes. Do not brown them. Add the asparagus pieces and cook them for a couple of minutes. Add the flour and sauté for another couple of minutes. Whisk in the chicken broth one cup at a time. Add the milk, salt, pepper and nutmeg, bringing it to a boil, then simmer covered for about 10 or more minutes. You want the asparagus to be very soft. Puree the soup with an immersion stick or in a mixer. Reheat and add the half and half,  season with additional salt and pepper and  lemon juice. In the  meantime cook the asparagus tips in boiling water for about 2 minutes. When you serve the soup add the asparagus tips to the individual serving bowls. I served my soup with parmesan crackers. 

Guten Appetit!
recipe by@Sunnycovechef
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Avocado Toast , Preserved Lemons and Easter in Germany

3/26/2019

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Quickly, let me give you my recipe for avocado toast. Take a slice of your favorite bread (toasted or not) and spread a ripe avocado on it. Or just put slices of avocado on your bread. The choice is yours and anyone can do it. If you want to, add a fried egg and call it breakfast or lunch. Or add anything else you like. I see coffee shops and restaurants that sell these toasts for a lot of money. There is a way to elevate this simple toast into a culinary delight by adding finely chopped, preserved lemon rind. Anytime you bite into one of these crunchy little lemon cubes, your palate will experience an explosion of flavors from the floral notes of the released lemon oils to the salty fermented umami crunch.
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Preserved lemons are more than just lemons, as they capture the glorious perfume of the lemon and excite your palate. They will enhance almost any dish. Sprinkle them on a salad, a chicken dish or anything else you can think of. Preserved lemons add a fermented quality that regular lemons don’t have with their tart, salty and slightly bitter taste.
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Preserved lemons have been a staple in North African cuisine since the 11th century. It is a way to preserve lemons for use long after their season is over. Paula Wolfert introduced them to the American audience in 1970 with her award-winning cookbook Couscous and Other Good Food from Morocco. If you want a true Moroccan preserved lemon, add the spices.
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Those who have followed me, know about my lemon trees and my ongoing love for lemons. My blog has many recipes using my Meyer lemons, which I treasure. For years, I have made preserved lemons with some of them, but I have never blogged about them. So, I thought it is time to do so. I have given many jars to my friends and wish I could share them with you too. My niece and her husband took a jar with them back to Germany. I have added whole cloves, dried bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, coriander seeds and black peppercorns. In my last batch, I used just kosher salt, and I think that’s what I prefer. Usually, I use the rind and peel only, removing the pulp and rinsing the peel thoroughly to remove most of the salt. Then, I cut them into into tiny cubes, the smaller the better. I read somewhere that the pulp is great in cocktails, but I haven’t tried that. Lately, I have been adding some preserved  lemon when making my chicken stock.
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Making preserved lemons at home is easy; it just takes time. Mine have lasted a year or longer in the fridge.
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I am leaving for Germany in a few days and I am not sure that I will post again before Easter.    Easter is one of my favorite time to visit my family and friends. The arrival of spring is a happy occasion after the long winter. Everybody is happy and ready to embrace the warmer  weather and longer days. The restaurants and cafes move their tables outside, as every ray of sunshine is greeted with a smile and spring is celebrated with holidays and festivities.
This year is especially nice because the Easter holiday is later in April. I am going to be able to not only to celebrate Easter but also the first of May. In my village, this day is celebrated with a walk through the forest into the next village. Along the route, there are stands with drinks, some of them being little shots of Schnaps (a gin-like drink). The word Schnaps (according to wikipedia) refers to the fact that the drink is a consumed with a quick slug from a shot glass. In the evening, the celebration continues with a gathering around the May tree in the center of the village where Maibowle (May punch) is being served. This punch is wine steeped in an herb called sweet woodruff. I'll post more about my trip when I return, but in the meantime, I will add  some photos from my trip on Facebook and Instagram. ​I can't wait to be with my German family again. Read about one of my previous trips and deviled eggs here.
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In this  nutty, chewy, not-too-sweet almond lemon cake, whole cooked lemons are being used. It  is not your average lemon cake.  Click here for the recipe.
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Here is an easy-to-make pound cake that is infused with lemon juice. A great combination and perfect any time of the day. Click here for the recipe. 
I wish you all a Happy Easter or Fröhliche Ostern as we say in German.
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It is important to scrub the lemons very clean with a brush in a tub of water and dry them with a clean towel. Sterilize the jars in boiling water for 15 minutes and then dry them.
Print Recipe
Ingredients:

1 or 2 wide-mouth quart jars
(or one larger wide-mouth large jar)
​

8 or more Meyer (or other) lemons 
½ cup kosher salt 
lemon juice

Spices (optional)
​

1 cinnamon stick
3 cloves
5-6 coriander seeds 
3-4 black peppercorns 
1 bay leaf
Directions:
​

Quarter the very clean lemons almost all the way leaving the quarters still attached at one end. Rub the inside of the lemons with salt (about 2 TBS) and pack them inside the very clean jar. Add the spices as desired. Repeat with the remaining lemons, squishing them into the jars. Press the lemons down to release their juices, making room for the remaining lemons. When you can’t fit any more lemons into the jar, add enough fresh lemon juice to cover them completely. Put the cover on the jar and leave it out on the counter for a week, shaking it twice a day to redistribute the salt. If necessary, add additional lemon juice to fill the jar to the brim. After a week, put the jars in the fridge with an occasional turn or shake for a month. Now you are ready to use them and they will last in the fridge for a year or more. ​

Guten Appetit!
loosely adapted from different recipes 
by © Sunnycovechef.com
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Spicy Dungeness Crab Cakes

3/19/2019

4 Comments

 
These crab cakes have a little spice with a kick and are a delicacy, especially when they are made with our local Dungeness crab. I usually buy one or two freshly cooked crabs and my husband cleans them meticulously, pulling out every little tidbit of crabmeat he can find. What a nice guy. Normally, we have crab with a salad and some fresh crusty bread. It is the perfect meal with a glass of Chardonnay. Life during crab season is good.
Crab cakes
Then I came across an old page from my beloved Gourmet magazine that had a recipe for Louisiana-style crab cakes. Of course, I had to make it. Crab cakes are a real treat for me and I often order them in restaurants. There are many varieties, as each region has its own way of making crab cakes and using their own local crab. I am still dreaming of Maryland crab cakes made with Maryland blue crab. The secret to any good crab cake is using big lumps of crabmeat that retain its form through the cooking process. That way, you will bite into mostly crabmeat with some added flavor.
Crab cakes
There are all kind of sauces that are served with crab cakes. I like a good tartar sauce or a remoulade. This time, I choose to make crab cakes for dinner with creamed leeks, so I didn't need any extra sauce. There is nothing wrong with a citrusy green salad and a crab cake.  I can envision making mini-crab cakes, served on lettuce with a dollop of tartar sauce. What is your favorite way to eat crab cakes?
Crab cakes
If you are looking for another special dish to prepare, try my crepes with salmon and fennel filling. In Italy, this dish is called Cannelloni Ripieni di Salmone and the crepes are called crespelle. This could be an elegant dish to celebrate the arrival of spring especially when served with fresh asparagus.
salmon with Fennel in Crepes
How about something sweet that is easy to make and tastes good? Try this Italian shortbread tart called Fregolotta. Pretend you are eating a slice in a little cafe somewhere in Italy.
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recipe for salmon and fennel stuffed crepes
recipe for fregolotta tart
This recipe makes 4 crab cakes and it doesn’t take more than 30 minutes to make if you buy the fresh crabmeat. Make sure your crabmeat has large pieces in it. Carefully pick over the crabmeat to remove any small pieces of shells. I finely grind the saltine crackers in my blender
Print Recipe
Ingredients:

1/4 cup finely chopped red onions
1/3 cup finely chopped red and yellow mini peppers
​3 TBS finely chopped celery 

3 TBS butter 
1 egg
1 TBS crème fraîche or sour cream
½ tsp dry mustard 
½ tsp Worcestershire sauce 
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
¼ tsp salt 
2 TBS thinly sliced green onions
16 saltine crackers
½ Ib crabmeat
1 TBS canola oil
Directions:

Heat one  tablespoon of butter in a frying pan and sauté the onions, peppers, and celery over low heat, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are softened.

Whisk the egg, créme fraîche, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, cayenne and salt in a bowl. Now stir in the green onions and ¼ cup of the ground crackers. Carefully fold in the crabmeat.
 

Form into 4 cakes and coat with ground saltine crackers. There will be some leftover ground crackers.

Heat the oil and 2 tablespoon of butter in a frying pan. Fry the crab cakes until golden brown for about 8 minutes, turning them over once.  
​  


Guten Appetit!
recipe by Gourmet Magazine
by©Sunnycovechef.com
4 Comments

Wonton Soup

3/1/2019

4 Comments

 
This wonton soup is full of flavor, easy to make, and you end up with a light soup which is flavored with ginger, enriched with bok choy and tasty wontons. It has been my go to soup for years and I think of it as Chinese penicillin when I have a cold.. The term wonton comes from a Chinese phrase meaning swallowing clouds.
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Wonton soup with homemade wontons and pork-shrimp balls
Lately I have been needing wonton soup in my house. On a cold and rainy evening this soup will warm your belly. It will do the same on a foggy summer night. I have been playing with the recipe for years . The secret is in the tasty light broth that you want to slurp with delight. Of course a homemade broth is tastier but there is nothing wrong with using commercial chicken broth.
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Wonton soup with store-bought wontons
Normally I have been making this soup with store-bought wontons that I keep in the freezer. It is an easy and light dinner that is ready in 20 minutes. But when I decided to post this recipe I had to make my own wontons. I found a recipe I liked  at  (click here for the video on how to make wontons). I modified the original recipe to make less wontons. I didn’t like the flavor of my wonton wrappers so I made mostly pork-shrimp balls. For all purposes you can make this soup with pork-shrimp balls  only. Whatever you do, I hope you enjoy it as much as my family has.
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In about a month I will be in Hamburg, a city in Northern Germany. I can’t wait, but in the meantime here is a recipe for Krabbensuppe, a  delicate pureed vegetable soup , topped with bay shrimp. This soup is a staple in that region served with a tasty local little shrimp called Krabben. (click here for the recipe)
Make the wontons first if you make your own and keep them covered so they don’t dry out. The pork should be finely ground. If you don't have Mirin cooking wine try using sherry. Get all the ingredients for the broth ready before you begin cooking. Use both the stems and the leaves from the  bok choy. There is enough soup for 3-4 servings .
Print Recipe
Ingredients :
Wontons:​
This recipe will make 30 meat-shrimp balls or wontons

6 ounces (170g) minced ground  pork 
5 ounces  (140g) bay shrimp
1 TBS grated ginger
2 green onions, finely chopped ( 3TBS) 
1 TBS soy sauce
2 TBS cooking wine (I used Mirin) 

2 tsp toasted sesame oil 
1 tsp salt 
Square Wonton Wrappers

 The Broth:

2 TBS regular sesame oil
2 TBS garlic, minced 
1½ TBS grated ginger
4 cups chicken broth
1 cups of water
2 tsp soy sauce 
½ tsp salt
½ -1 cup shiitake mushrooms
1 medium bok choy ( about 2 cups chopped)
½ cup frozen peas
2 Tbs chopped parsley
Directions: 
Wontons:

Put all the ingredients except the wrappers in a food processor and pulse a few times. Be careful not to over mix.
Lay wontons wrappers on a board. Put about 1½ tsp of filling in the center of the wonton. Have a glass of water to wet the wontons. With your fingers put some water on half of the edges of the wonton. Fold the square wonton in half creating a triangle. Make sure the edges of the wonton are sealed and all the air bubbles have been removed. Roll up the spine and bring the corners together . Cover the wontons with a wet towel so they don’t try out or put them in a covered container.

The Broth:
​
Clean the shiitake mushrooms, remove the stems and slice the mushroom caps. Slice and wash the bok choy, including the stems. Chop the parsley.  Mince the garlic and grate or mince the ginger collecting all the juices. 
Heat the sesame oil and sauté the garlic and the ginger for about a minute at medium heat. Don’t let the garlic get brown. Add the chicken stock and the water and bring to a boil. Add the soy sauce, shiitake mushrooms and salt. Cook for a couple of minutes. At this point add the frozen or homemade wontons. The homemade wontons need to cook for about 4-5 minutes or until they float on the top. If you are using store-bought wontons cook them according to the directions on the package. Add the frozen peas and bok choy during the last minute of cooking.  Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately . 

Guten Appetit!
Recipe for homemade wontons adapted from recipetineats
recipe for broth by© Sunnycovechef
​
4 Comments

A week in Maui

2/11/2019

1 Comment

 
​This was a particularly special trip to Maui because my niece and her husband from Germany came with us. It was a wonderful week long vacation. Hawaii has always been my favorite tropical destination. The warm trade winds greet you as soon a you exit the airplane.
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Continue to read about my Maui trip on my Wanderlust blog . Click here!
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Cioppino
After all this traveling, I am ready to cook some food at home. Since it is crab season here in Northern California, it’s time to make my cioppino. Click here for the recipe.
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If you need a more substantial meal that is absolutely delicious try my Jägerschnitzel. I just made this breaded pork cutlet with a creamy mushroom sauce and I enjoyed every bite of it.  It's the perfect meal for a rainy evening. Click here for the recipe.
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For dessert, let’s have something with chocolate. It’s February after all.
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​This is a German chocolate walnut tart with a shortbread crust. It is a chocolate lover's delight.  Click here for the recipe. 


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​These chocolate walnut delight bars are great for a crowd. The office will love you for these tasty morsels. Click here for the recipe. ​

1 Comment

A Week in Maui

2/11/2019

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The aloha spirit can still be found on the busy yet beautiful island of Maui in the Pacific Ocean. The light, the sun, and turquoise color of the ocean all add to the beauty of this island. It was a pleasure to share this trip with my niece and her husband.
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On this trip we rented a condo located near Kaanapali, which we had booked last August. It has a nice beach, which is important to me because I love splashing in the water, although I’m a lousy swimmer. I love to snorkel and look at the colorful fish and turtles. To me, snorkeling is a moving mediation in water.
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On the first day, we gave our kids (as we refer to them) a feel for the island with its fabulous scenery on different parts of the Island. Our first quick stop was Paia, a historic plantation town near the beach. We had a good cup of coffee while checking out all the cute little stores.
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Then we went along the coast to look at places to go kite surfing, a hobby of my niece’s husband.
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We continued upcountry to Makawao, where we had lunch at the Hali’imalie General Store, a must-do for me when I am in Maui. Our guests were not disappointed with their meal either. My niece and I had the fish tacos, which we decided were the best fish tacos on the Island. The fresh fish of the day was served on grilled taro tortillas with mole sauce and tropical salsa. My niece’s husband had the Kalua pork enchilada pie, which I highly recommend.
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I always enjoy my visit to the town of Makawao, with its mix of eclectic stores and buildings dating back from the cowboy era. Makawao has a feel of the past and old Hawaii that I enjoy. 
On the way back, we visited the Iao Valley State Park with Iao Needle. It had been years since my last visit and it wasn’t too crowded with buses or visitors.
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Food was more of an afterthought on this trip, as we prepared several dinners in our condo. I seared some fresh tuna and served it with an Asian salad. The kids made us pizza. 
We did have a nice meal during happy hour at the Monkey Pod Kitchen in Kaanapali. We were lucky to be seated outside with a great view of the sunset. The Mai Tais were the best.
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Another day we drove through Kihei and Wailea, showing them our favorite beaches at Makena and the Kanahena Natural Area Reserve, which is an amazing peaceful spot on this busy Island. It’s where you can see the where lava flowed from the Haleakala volcano.
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The kids had a lot of fun driving around the island, hiking and going kite surfing. My husband, an ardent football fan, had to watch the playoffs while I enjoyed the beach and a good book. Life was very good. The highlight of the trip was hiking the Kapalua Coastal Trail on West Maui on a day with a high surf.
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The time went by fast and before we knew it, we were back on the crowded airplane returning to San Fransisco. Read about my previous trip to Maui here. Note however, that Chef Sheldon Simeon of the former Migrant restaurant at the Marriott’s in Wailea has moved to Wailuku. He opened a new restaurant called the Tin Roof in Kahului, but I have not eaten there yet. The Marriott Hotel now has a new restaurant called The Humble Market Kitchen by Roy Yamaguchi, who became famous with Roy’s restaurants. I can't wait to return to this beautiful Island. ​
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    WELCOME TO SUNNY COVE CHEF

    Thank you for visiting my blog.  My two passions are cooking and traveling. Traveling exposes me to a wide variety of food and experiences. I walk around cities looking for markets, restaurants, bakeries, shops, you name it, and if it is related to food you will find me there, tasting, smelling, talking to vendors, and having a great time.

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    If you  have tried any of my recipes, snap a photo and tag me @sunnycovechef I'd love to see your creations!​


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