Our Celebration Dinner

I managed to pull off the house cleaning and a fabulous feast for eight wonderful friends.  We had all the traditional Seder dishes that included 2 types of haroseth.  A guest made a delicious version using a 15 year-old Late Bottled Vintage Port and golden raisins, it tasted like apple pie.  The chicken soup Sid made was great but my matzo balls were tasty sinkers.  I continued a new tradition for us that began years ago when I couldn't get out to get Matzo crackers.  I grew up in New Mexico, so I made tortillas on the fly that wintry night years ago and it was so popular that people now demand them.  The main meal consisted of brisket, noodle kugal (both delicious recipes from my mother-in-law), roast asparagus and stewed prunes.  Dessert was my deadly Chocolate Oblivion Torte and home-made macaroons.
I must take a moment here to complain about what is happening to the foods in this nation.  Okay, I searched the grocery store for prunes.  I finally found them and grabbed a bag real quick because the boy stocking the shelves was in the way.  I didn't bother to read beyond prunes.  Sid ate one late at night and didn't want to tell me anything was strange.  I mentioned that I needed to get orange juice to simmer the prunes in and Sid started laughing-really hard.  When he caught his breath, he informed that I purchased orange flavored prunes.  Now, what is up with that?  Why do we do that?  When did foods stop being what they are - simple, natural, one ingredient?  I'm sorry, but it just drives me crazy.  I'm not saying I don't love my Hickory Smoked Almonds or other flavored foods, but sometimes I think it gets taken too far. 
Now, it is on to quilting today while the boys blacksmith.  Last weekend, along with everything else, I did the emergency quilt and a Pineneedle Block of the month.  Today's quilt is a beautiful sampler for a client.  We have a salmon party to go to this afternoon.  I love spring in the mountains when we all burst out of hibernation and start catching up on fun.

Food with Intention

Several years ago, I had just watched the film Like Water for Chocolate and was very intrigued by the idea that our intentions and feelings can be transferred to food as we make it. I decided to make my husband a wonderful feast. It would look great, taste wonderful, and convey my love for him. It was mid-summer and the garden was bountiful. All day long, I went from garden to kitchen creating with joy and love.
The two things that stand out best in my memory were the appetizers and the cheesecake. It was to be a plain New York style cheesecake with fresh peach compote on top. It took all day long to set. I finally opened the oven thinking it had to be done by now and was moved to tears by what I saw. A perfect heart had cracked in the center of the cheesecake. I couldn't have done that on purpose if I had tried. As the cake had decorated itself, we had the peach compote on the side.
Now the appetizers I made really knocked my socks off. I don't even like eggplant or tomatoes. I tried to like tomatoes every year for 21 years. They always let me down until I grew some for my husband. There is nothing tastier than a fresh home-grown tomato. This simple recipe was one of my best spur of the moment, fresh from garden ideas ever. I hope you enjoy!

Eggplant Medallions

1) Take any eggplant (I grew small fuschia ones that year) and slice 1/2 inch thick. Arrange in a dish and sprinkle with salt all over. Use a good deal, you will wash it off. This leaches bitterness from the eggplant.
2) Slice tomatoes 1/4 inch thick. Tomatoes should be same or smaller in radius as eggplant.
3) Slice thinly as much smoked gouda cheese as you want to use.
4) Rinse eggplant and arrange single layer on greased baking tray.
5) Top each eggplant round with slice tomato then gouda cheese.
6) Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
7) Broil until done. Keep an eye on them 5-10 minutes depending on broil range.
Serve warm and eat up the compliments.