Son-in-law Brendan’s father, Karl, is here for a few days to frame in a new refrigerator at the kid’s house. I thought a Kansas City-style steak dinner was in order, especially since I heard through the family grapevine that Brendan and his New Jersey dad consider New York strip steaks to be better tasting than Kansas City strips. (The butcher at McGonigle’s Market said they’re the same cut, so it must be a geographic loyalty thing.)

So, what to serve with obviously superior Kansas City steaks?  (Who is kidding whom?)

During the summer I make caprese salad with garden-ripe tomatoes from the farmer’s market, but they won’t be available until at least July. Ina Garten has a fix for that–she suggests substituting Roma tomatoes, available all year round, and slow roasting them in the oven until they’re almost caramelized.

Her recipe calls for sprinkling the tomatoes with minced garlic before putting them in the oven. Next time I make this I’m going to eliminate that step–although I love garlic, two hours in the oven rendered it a bit overpowering for my tastes. Besides, the tomatoes stand on their own without embellishment.

I use the Arbequina for drizzling and the larger bottle for cooking.

Quantities are adjustable according to the number of people you’re serving.

Heat the oven to 275 degrees. Slice the tomatoes in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Place them on a baking sheet and sprinkle them with kosher salt* and pepper and a splash of good extra virgin olive oil. ** Roast for about two hours or until they look almost like sun-dried tomatoes.

Allow them to cool to room temperature and then layer them on a platter with same-sized slices of mozzarella. Top with slivers of fresh basil and a drizzle of olive oil.

* I prefer Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt, which I get at Penzey’s Spices. Many professional chefs use Diamond Crystal because it has no additives and it has a coarse, flaky texture that’s easy to control when seasoning.

**Cooks Illustrated gives their highest rating to California Olive Ranch Arbequina Extra Virgin Olive Oil, which I buy online directly from the source. There has been some reporting lately about European manufacturers fraudulently labeling their oils as extra virgin when they are not. I say, why not get the best and buy American?

Several weeks ago I flew from Kansas City to San Francisco to visit our son Corbett at Stanford, where he’s in his third year of a five-year PhD program in neuroscience.  I got to meet some of his friends, all neuroscience students and all capable of thinking me under the table.

Stanford is located in California’s Silicon Valley, home to some of the world’s largest technology companies such as Apple, Google, Facebook and Yahoo. This means you cannot walk anywhere in Silicon Valley without bumping into a really smart person.

My best friend Michael’s nephew, John, happens to work at Google. (He’s a research psychologist, one of thousands of brilliant minds inhabiting the Google world.) John gave us a tour of the vast campus, which included a free lunch in one of Google’s 24 restaurants. (Yes, Virginia, there is such a thing as a free lunch. Meals are provided to all Google employees and their guests at no cost. And you read correctly: Google has 24 restaurants.)

As we embarked on our Google adventure, I made one request of John. Having spent two days with my ascetic son, I was Diet Coke deprived. I had to have a Diet Coke.

John led me straight to a small enclosed area where there was a glass-doored refrigerator filled with drinks and yogurt. Nearby were big bowls of fresh fruit, an espresso machine and shelves of snacks. I marveled at Google’s providing what literally amounted to a free snack shop right on the premises and John replied, “Google’s philosophy is that, in order to foster an uninterrupted creative atmosphere, no employee should have to go more than  50 yards to get a snack or a drink.”

I noticed that the drinks and snacks sat on shelves that were lined with green, yellow or red tape. John said that in an effort to steer people toward a more healthy lifestyle, Google labeled foods according to their healthfulness. The green shelves contained good-for-you snacks, the yellow shelves were borderline and the red shelves were for junk food junkies. Harrumph! Clearly not me!

I casually glanced at the refrigerator where I had gotten my Diet Coke and to my horror–it was on a red-lined shelf. “There must be some mistake,” I said to John. “The Diet Coke is on a red shelf.”

“Perhaps someone put it in the wrong place,” John said, with the sly grin of someone who knows better.

Every 50 yards we came upon another snack area and I hastened to see where the Diet Coke was. Sure enough, it sat on the red shelf right next to regular Coke. To give you an indication of how bad Google considers Diet Coke, the red-lined snack shelves contain Twinkies and potato chips, two leading contenders for America’s obesity crisis.

I was crestfallen. I’d spent the last 45 years on a diet and during that entire time I considered diet soda to be my benign cohort. Here was my favorite Internet search engine telling me in bold red tape that I was fooling myself.

Later, as we said our goodbyes and were leaving the building, Michael stopped at the last snack area and grabbed a bag of organic baked chips from the green shelf.

Smug bastard, I thought, as we walked to our car.

Nuts, citrus, grapes (you know what grapes are good for!), and a full assortment of vegetables are grown there and made available to lucky Californians much of the year. When it  comes to the types of food I like to eat, California trumps the Midwest in terms of fresh, healthful, Mediterranean-type food.

What’s a Kansas Citian to do? Give up and order another round of Gates barbecue?

Hardly.

We’re not as bad off as I’ve led you to believe. Although harsh winters preclude one from finding locally grown lettuce in January, there are many other excellent locally produced foods.

And that is essentially what the Mediterranean style of eating epitomizes: locally sourced, real food.

Lately I’ve been buying Shatto Milk in glass bottles, which comes from a family farm located about 60 miles from Kansas City. Shatto milk has no growth hormones and the glass bottles are recyclable.

Take that, California.

Today I made homemade ricotta cheese with Shatto Milk. Lest you think that sounds difficult, allow me to explain the entire process: boil milk, add vinegar, allow to drain and refrigerate. That’s it.

In the meantime, wherever you are, seek out local sources for your food. You’ll be killing two birds with one stone–the food you eat will taste much better and you’ll have begun to eat not like a typical American, but a Greek!

And that is exactly what it is: a lifestyle. It is not a weight loss diet (although if you follow the recommendations below closely you will lose weight). It is how one of the longest lived people in the world eat every day.

To understand what the Mediterranean diet consists of, read on. You may already be following some of their suggestions, and you may need to work on others.

I’ve recently begun posting more Mediterranean-type recipes, such as the Mediterranean Vegetable Salad. If you haven’t tried it yet, there’s no time like the present! Another recipe that makes a great Meatless Monday entree (See No. 5 below) is One Pot Kale and Quinoa Pilaf.

The Mediterranean people have long known that the foods they grow and eat are some of the most enjoyable, and healthful, on earth.

That’s enough for me! I’m grabbing a bottle of wine, some feta cheese and Greek olives and jumping on the bandwagon.

I eyeballed ingredients as they went into the bowl, stopping when there was just enough tomatoes, cucumber, parsley, etc. Let your eyes be your guide.

Really great tomatoes are still awhile off. July perhaps. In the meantime, this recipe adapted from Ina Garten is ideal for when you want a cool, tomatoey salad without having to endure the wrong kind of crunch (from unripe hothouse tomatoes. What could be worse?).

I'd follow that smile right into the kitchen!

First, a few words about Ina. She is quickly becoming the queen of easy. To date she has published a raft of best-selling cookbooks, two of which concentrate on the basics, “Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics: Fabulous Flavor from Simple Ingredients,” and “Barefoot Contessa How Easy is That? Fabulous Recipes and Easy Tips.”

And if those two aren’t simple enough, in October she’s releasing another sure hit, “Barefoot Contessa Foolproof: Recipes You Can Trust.”

What? We couldn’t trust the recipes in her other books?

Ina’s editors are brilliant: they had the foresight to understand that today’s young adults were weaned on the microwave and thus lack basic cooking skills. In her TV shows Ina is presented as the perfect, non-threatening, motherly type with an endless, comforting smile that appeals to culinary fearfuls. Add to that the fact that her cookbooks are regularly stocked at Costco and you’ve got the new, improved Betty Crocker for the 21st century.

Ina and I are from the same generation (she’s two years older than I) and yet even I am swept away by her “you-can-do-it-too” attitude. Host a dinner party for eight with no stress? Easy-peasy. She goes about party preparation with the blasé confidence that I could only accomplish by first downing a half bottle of wine.

Look, I’m not making fun here. Ina’s recipes work. For the most part they really are simple and many of them are actually inspired as well. If you are less-than-confident in the kitchen, I highly recommend any one or all of her books. It’s high praise when I say that I have never had one of her recipes fail.

I adapted the following recipe. Ina calls for ripe tomatoes, which as I said are unavailable now. I also amended the quantities of ingredients to suit my tastes. She calls for a whole cucumber, but I stopped when I had about 2/3 of one chopped into the serving bowl. Use your judgement.

Mediterranean Vegetable Salad
(titled Middle Eastern Vegetable Salad in “How Easy is That?”)

1 bunch of scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 to 1 seedless cucumber, quartered lengthwise and diced into 1/2″ pieces
1 (15-oz.) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
1/4 cup fresh basil, julienned
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup olive oil
4-to-8 oz. diced feta cheese
salt and pepper

Place scallions, tomatoes, cucumber, chickpeas, parsley, basil and mint into a large serving bowl.

Whisk together lemon juice, garlic, 1 t. salt and pepper. Slowly whisk in olive oil (or do what I do and just shake it all up in a jar). Lightly dress the salad and taste for seasoning. Add the feta cheese and toss gently.

Serve with toasted pita bread.

print recipe only

What caption would you put here?

I was thinking this morning:  what one word best describes the current mental state of most of the people I know, myself included? The first word that came to mind was…angst.

I Googled the word angst and clicked on the first entry, which was its Wikipedia link. Lo and behold, accompanying the definition of angst was the Edvard Munch painting, “The Scream,”  which just happened to have sold this week at Sothebys for a record $120 million dollars.

What a coincidence, I thought. Or perhaps it wasn’t a coincidence. Perhaps “The Scream” has become the world’s most valuable painting for a reason.

You following me?

Van Gogh’s Sunflowers, a vivid depiction of brilliant yellow flowers, used to be the world’s most valuable picture, but that must have been when we were feeling, pardon the pun, sunnier.

By the way, the word angst does not connote fear of something concrete, per say. Rather, according to Wikipedia, it means, “an intense feeling of apprehension, anxiety or inner turmoil.”

This reminds me of one night long ago when I was putting Corbett to bed. He was four years old. I kissed him good night and he turned to me and said, “Mom, I’m worried.”

I asked him what he was worried about.

“I don’t know,” he replied, his brow furrowed. “I’m just worried.”

Out of the mouths of babes.

Lacinato kale has longer, milder tasting leaves than the more common curly kale. Even Whitman likes it!

One of my favorite food blogs is the brainchild of New York Times food columnist Amanda Hesser, author of the James Beard award winning “The Essential New York Times Cookbook,” and co-author Merrill Stubbs.

In the course of writing the cookbook, Amanda and Merrill realized that there was no venue online where inventive cooks could share their own recipes.

Food 52.com is just such a place. Cooks from all over the world can contribute ideas and recipes, and even compete for best recipes in different food categories.

The following recipe won the contest for, “Your Best New Year’s Resolution Dish”.

I initially hesitated to try this for obvious reasons. Come on, you’re thinking the same thing: kale? Quinoa? New Year’s resolution? Sounds like a recipe for low-cal tasteless disaster.

Alas, I was so wrong. This is not a diet dish; it is not a vegetarian dish, per say. What it is, is a delicious, not-very-traditional main course (or side dish if you must have animal protein. I’m thinking grilled shrimp alongside.) that literally bursts with the fresh flavors of lemon and feta cheese. And it takes less than a half hour from start to finish.

Be sure to check out Food 52. Amanda and Merrill believe that cooking your own food is essential to a good life. Their credo:

If you cook, your family will eat dinner together.
If you cook, you will naturally have a more sustainable household.
If you cook, you’ll set a lifelong example for your children.
If you cook, you’ll understand what goes into food and will eat more healthily.
If you cook, you’ll make your home an important place in your life.
If you cook, you’ll make others happy.
If you cook, people will remember you.

I couldn’t have said it better.

One note about quinoa: it has a natural, bitter tasting coating that must be rinsed off before cooking. I buy my quinoa at Costco, which is pre-washed and thus needs no rinsing. Be sure to read the label to see if your quinoa is already rinsed.

One Pot Kale and Quinoa Pilaf

2 cups salted water
1 cup quinoa
1 bunch kale, preferably lacinato kale*, washed and cut into 1″ lengths
1 lemon, zested and juiced
2 scallions, minced
1 T. toasted walnut oil, or olive oil
3 T. toasted pine nuts**
1/4 cup crumbled feta or goat cheese
salt and pepper

*also known as black kale, Tuscan kale or dinosaur kale

**To toast pine nuts, place them in a heated skillet and watch them carefully, shaking the pan often. Pine nuts cook, and burn, quickly, so don’t leave them untended.

Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Add quinoa, cover and simmer at a very low heat for 10 minutes. Top with the kale, recover and simmer another 5 minutes, then turn off the heat and allow to steam for 5 more minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large serving bowl combine the walnut oil with the lemon zest, half of the lemon juice and all of the scallions.

Check the quinoa and kale–the water should be absorbed and the quinoa should be tender but firm. If it is not, steam it a bit longer. When the quinoa and kale are done, add them to the serving bowl and toss to mix the ingredients. Add the toasted pine nuts and cheese, salt and pepper to taste and gently toss again. Add the remaining lemon juice if needed.

Serves 4

print recipe only

"Honey, I said to put the strudel in the refrigerator!"

I’ve been taking a much needed respite from life in general and hungry poodle in particular of late, but I’ll be back in the saddle soon with stories to tell (I’ve visited son Corbett at Stanford and taken a tour of the Google headquarters) and recipes to share.

In the meantime, I have not forgotten that, when it comes to the zaniest of antics, poodles reign supreme. (Love that hair do, don’t you?)

See you soon!

They go together like a horse and carriage!

I am at a loss to explain what has come over me in the last few months. First it was a return after some years to bread-baking, then sourdough starter came on the scene, which required me to take on a whole new understanding of and care for sourdough starter.

Turns out it isn’t as difficult or mysterious as I had thought. Sourdough is a very hardy commodity. If it wasn’t, all those pioneers who traveled West in their wagons wouldn’t have had bread to eat, either on the trail or when they got to their destination. The starter I got from King Arthur Flour has been passed down for over 200 years. As I said, hardy stuff.

Now, in an apparent channeling of the Little House of the Prairie mom, I’ve taken to making jam. This no-brainer recipe from the current issue of Bon Appetit literally caught my eye earlier today while waiting for the above-pictured loaf of bread to come out of the oven.

It’s easy and lasts in the fridge for up to two weeks. No water bath necessary. The pectin in the apple provides a natural thickening agent as well as a nice hint of tartness.

1 lb. strawberries, hulls removed and quartered*
2/3 cup sugar
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and grated
1 T. lemon juice

Place the strawberries, sugar and grated apple in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes, until the strawberries begin to break down and the mixture thickens. Remove from heat and add lemon juice. Allow to cool and store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

*Costco has lovely, large containers of strawberries!

Lulu likes to coordinate her toys with the landscape. She is, after all, a poodle.

This is the first official day of Spring, 2012.  Although it’s raining today in the Great American Midwest, Julia and Lulu have already begun their favorite outdoor game, ball-fetching, on the weekend just after the magnolia blossoms came out.

On Sunday I baked my second loaf of sourdough bread, this one an all-white loaf. It had an appropriately chewy crust with a soft, creamy interior that was delightful with Appenzeller* cheese. The next morning it made a great piece of toast with Swiss Black Cherry jam**.

The most valuable lesson learned thus far in this adventure into the world of flour and yeast is that real bread–the quintessential staff of life–is totally worth the effort, in the time it takes to make, the moderation it requires when eating and the amount of exercise needed to keep from becoming larger than, well, my pre-bread days.

What’s Whitman doing lurking behind that loaf of sourdough bread? I think he’s just waiting for an opportunity to grab it and run when nobody is looking! You can’t trust poodles around food, that’s a lesson I’ve learned the hard way.

It's raining Poodles chez Bennett.

*Appenzeller Cheese is my favorite cheese. It comes from the canton of Appenzell in Switzerland, where both of my mother’s parents were born. We used to have to bring it home from Switzerland, but now you can find it in some cheese stores. If you can’t find Appenzeller,  a cave-aged gruyere is a pretty close substitute.

**Swiss Black Cherry jam–the brand is Hero; it’s made in Switzerland but it’s sold here in many supermarkets. Another favorite.