Foodie Language

chiffonade - [shihf-uh-NAHD] literally translated, this French phrase means "made of rags." Culinarily, it refers to the technique of cutting thin strips or shreds of vegetables, which are used to garnish soups, salads, and other dishes.

Recipe for You - Olallieberry Peach Crisp

Olallieberry Peach Crisp

Ingredients:
1-1/2 pounds peaches (about 3), pitted and cut into 1/2-inch thick wedges
2 cups olallieberries, picked over and rinsed
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into bits
3/4 cup coarsely chopped lightly toasted pecans

Directions:
1. In a large bowl toss the peaches and the olallieberries gently with the cornstarch, the lemon juice, and the granulated sugar until the mixture is combined well.
2. In a small bowl stir together the flour, the brown sugar, the oats, the salt, the cinnamon, and the nutmeg, add the butter, blending the mixture until it resembles coarse meal, and stir in the pecans.
3. Spread the peach mixture in a 13- by 9-inch (3 quart) baking dish, sprinkle the pecan mixture evenly over it, and bake the crisp in the middle of a preheated 350°F oven for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the top is golden. Serve the crisp with the ice cream.

Produce Lesson - Olallieberries

The olallieberry is a cross between a youngberry and a loganberry, each of which itself is a cross between a blackberry and another berry! A bit confusing, but it's best to know that olallieberries have a distinctive, sweet flavor and look like an elongated blackberry. They are primarily grown in California and have a very short window of harvesting time from mid-May until mid-July. This means they are in season right now! Olallieberries are delicious both fresh and cooked and are excellent in jams, jellies, and pies.

Recipe for You - Pink Peppercorn Chicken

Pink Peppercorn Chicken

Ingredients:
4 boneless chicken breasts
2 cups dry white wine
5 medium leeks, rinsed and julienne in 1-inch strips
2 tablespoons rosemary
2 tablespoons pink peppercorns
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions
1. Trim chicken breasts of any excess fat, place between 2 sheets of waxed paper and pound to an even thickness. Place flattened breasts into a shallow pan and cover with white wine. Marinate for 1 hour.
2. Place the leeks beneath the chicken breasts in a shallow pan. Sprinkle each with 1/2 tablespoon of rosemary and 1/2 tablespoon peppercorns.
3. Bake at 350 degrees until done.

Pepper Cooking Tips

Here are some great tips to follow the next time you're cooking with pepper:

• Pepper should be added to cooked dishes towards the end of cooking to prevent creating a bitter flavor, which can occur when pepper is cooked to long.
• Cooking pepper for more than two hours can cause it to loose its flavor and aroma completely!
• Wrap whole peppercorns in a "cheese cloth bag" for simmering in soups or stews.
• Pepper will have a amplified flavor after food it is in has been frozen.
• Freshly ground pepper goes surprisingly well on fresh fruit. This is especially true for pink peppercorns, they are a common ingredient in fruit sauces and as a garnish for fruit dishes.
• Try Lightly toasting peppercorns before use.

What is...A Pink Peppercorn?

Pink peppercorns aren't real peppercorns, but actually are the dried berries from the Baies rose plant. They're cultivated in Madagascar and imported through France, which is the reason for their high price. The berries are rose in color, pungent, and slightly sweet. When dried, the pink peppercorns are used as a spice and add a pepper-like taste to foods. This special ingredient can be found in specialty gourmet stores and are usually sold freeze-dried or packed in brine. They are most commonly used to flavor sauces and in meat and fish dishes.

Recipe for You - Lentil & Red Pepper Soup

Lentil & Red Pepper Soup

Ingredients:
1 cup lentils
1 fresh flat-leaf parsley sprig, finely chopped (including stem)
1 Turkish bay leaf or 1/2 California bay leaf
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
24 whole black peppercorns
1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup finely diced red bell pepper
1/4 cup finely diced carrot
1/4 cup finely diced celery
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, chopped

Directions:
1. Simmer lentils with parsley, bay leaf, broth, and water in a 4-quart saucepan, uncovered, until tender, 30 to 40 minutes.

2. While lentils are cooking, coarsely grind peppercorns with cumin using a mortar and pestle or an electric coffee/spice grinder. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 4-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then cook bell pepper, stirring, until golden, about 5 minutes. Add spices and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add carrot, celery, onion, garlic, and remaining 3 tablespoons oil and cook, stirring, until carrot is tender, about 8 minutes. Stir in lentil mixture and discard bay leaf.

3. Purée 1 cup soup in a blender until smooth. Stir purée into remaining soup and reheat over moderate heat, stirring. Season soup with salt and pepper. If soup seems too thick, thin with water to desired consistency.

Yield: 5 cups

Pepper Varitey & Storage

Black and white peppercorns are available whole, cracked, and coarsely or finely ground. Whole peppercorns freshly ground with a pepper mill deliver more flavor than pre-ground pepper. White pepper is commonly used for its appearance, usually in light-colored sauces or foods such as mashed potatoes, where dark specks of black pepper would stand out. Whole, dried peppercorns can be stored in a cool, dark place for up to a year and ground pepper usually keeps for about four months. Green peppercorns packed in brine are available in jars and cans. They should be refrigerated once opened and can be stored for one month. Freeze-dried green peppercorns are also available and can be stored in a cool, dry place for up to six months.

Pepper

Pepper is the world's most popular spice, yet many cooks today don't appreciate its plentiful and inexpensive supply. Pepper was once so valuable and rare, that it was even used as currency! Peppercorns are berries that grow in grape-like clusters on a pepper plant and are processed to produce the three basic types of peppercorns: black, white, and green. Black peppercorns are the strongest in flavor of the three, being slightly hot, but with a hint of sweetness. White peppercorns are ripened and their skin is removed, making them more mild than the black variety. Green peppercorns are under ripe berries that are usually preserved in brine.

Struggles...

It's in the struggle itself that you define yourself.

~Pat Buchanan

Fear...

The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.

~Franklin D. Roosevelt, 32nd President of the United States

Did You Know...Olive Oils

Olive oil has now become a staple in most people's kitchens, probably because of its great cooking and health benefits. But do you know the difference between all the types of olive oils? All olive oils are pressed from tree-ripened olives, however the difference in types are based upon taste, aroma, and nutrient contents. Here is a simple break down to help you choose your next bottle:

Extra-Virgin: Comes from the first pressing of olives and is the least refined and has the highest level of antioxidants. It is also the highest quality and is the most flavorful.

Virgin: Comes from the second pressing and is slightly more acidic than extra-virgin oil.

Light: A less flavorful, more acidic type of oil. It is lighter in color and fragrance, not lighter in calories. All olive oils have the same amount of fat and calories. Because light olive oil is more refined, there are less antioxidants.

The next time you're at the grocery store, I would recommend extra virgin olive oil to get the best flavor, aroma, and most antioxidants!

Happy Donut Day!

Happy National Donut Day!
Yep, that's right, even donuts have their own day.

Maxine!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Consistency...

Continuous effort — not strength or intelligence —
is the key to unlocking our potential.

~Winston Churchill

Thought for the Day...

Discover that the most powerful way to help those you love is to lead by example —
and realize you're leading by example all of the time.

~Joe Caruso