Showing posts with label Holiday Greetings. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Holiday Greetings. Show all posts
Thursday, 23 July 2020
Summer Break 2020
Souped-up Garden will return the earliest mid-August, the latest the first week in September!
Wednesday, 13 December 2017
Winter Break!
Winter Solstice is coming around the bend which means it is that time of the year when Souped-up Garden takes a break. Our seasonal book ordering is going at a great clip with a book arriving almost every day.
Those comfy cushions are waiting for Dirac The Cat to vacate my reading chair.
The Calm One and I wish you and yours wonderful holidays. See you next year!
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| A well-cushioned stack with the kitchen timer close by so there will be no meal burning while I am immersed in reading a book |
Those comfy cushions are waiting for Dirac The Cat to vacate my reading chair.
The Calm One and I wish you and yours wonderful holidays. See you next year!
Wednesday, 22 November 2017
Happy Thanksgiving to our American Readers!
Once Dirac the Cat was informed that La Grand Fête Americaine (the Great American Party) is approaching, he promptly exclaimed, bon appétit, tout le monde!
The Calm One says, gobble, gobble, gobble. And I say, yeah baby, cook up a storm.
For all the harried and hurried cooks out there, the team at Food 52 is here for you:
À la prochaine!
The Calm One says, gobble, gobble, gobble. And I say, yeah baby, cook up a storm.
For all the harried and hurried cooks out there, the team at Food 52 is here for you:
And if anything goes awry in the countdown from now until Thanksgiving dinner, the Food52 Hotline will be humming, and we’re making sure you get answers in 10 minutes or less. You’ll get a response from either the cooks in the Food52 community or from me, Amanda, Merrill, or another Food52 editor or recipe tester. We’re all on call—come one, come all, even if your turkey is purple. It’ll be okay!
Wednesday, 16 December 2015
Holiday Greetings 2015/16 . . . and a litany of festive recipe links
The Calm One, Dirac the Young Cat, and I, all wish you and yours a very happy holiday! Souped-up Garden will return in the New Year. Light a few candles, throw some red bows/tinsel about, and fill a vase with fragrant herbs which will also fill your home with a bracing scent especially if you remember to crush a few leaves and stems when passing.
Since Dirac has been too busy shopping for our presents to pose, here's a photo of him as a kitten.
I'll be trying out some new menu ideas during my break from blogging, but until weekly posting resumes the following links to recipes suitable for winter festivities hopefully will add some cheer. Cuban Hot Chocolate, made by melting bittersweet chocolate, adding cream, and sloshing in some salted caramel sauce, is potent. In fact, it's amazing, sensual, and unctuous beyond belief. A demitasse cup is an elegant way of offering it to your guests as an after-dinner treat.
Date Walnut Bread is a nice addition to the holiday bread basket. A bit of salted caramel spread on a slice works very well.
Crespelle en Brodo is a gorgeous Italian recipe. A stack of crepes are layered with Parmesan/freshly ground black pepper and steeped in strong chicken broth. As a first course, it is splendid.
Polish-style Borscht with Beef Dumplings (this old post has some corrupted photos but the instructions remain correct) boasts of a clear, ruby-coloured broth. This recipe which was given to me by my mum-in-law may be labour intensive, but it does make a delicious Christmas Eve supper.
Burek, i.e., Balkan Spinach Cheese Pie, is made with dough first soaked in clarified butter and then stretched by hand until it resembles the thinest silk. Its finished texture is closer to strudel than filo.
Stirring in some halved radishes while briefly sauteing the aromatics when making Lettuce, Capers, and Garlic Braised in Olive oil would add flavour, but also colour befitting the season.
Lemon Curd Almond Shortbread is halfway between a cookie and a tartlet. Having a nice supply of homemade lemon curd better known as sunshine in a jar comes in handy...
. . . for instance, to fill a Quick Coffee Cake.
Joyeuses fêtes!
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| Bay leaf branches & their flower buds, rosemary, ivy & their dark blue berries |
Since Dirac has been too busy shopping for our presents to pose, here's a photo of him as a kitten.
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| Wonderful kitten grew up to be a wonderful cat |
I'll be trying out some new menu ideas during my break from blogging, but until weekly posting resumes the following links to recipes suitable for winter festivities hopefully will add some cheer. Cuban Hot Chocolate, made by melting bittersweet chocolate, adding cream, and sloshing in some salted caramel sauce, is potent. In fact, it's amazing, sensual, and unctuous beyond belief. A demitasse cup is an elegant way of offering it to your guests as an after-dinner treat.
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| Not a demitasse serving; this amount sufficed for lunch! |
Date Walnut Bread is a nice addition to the holiday bread basket. A bit of salted caramel spread on a slice works very well.
 |
| It also makes a great cream cheese sandwich |
Crespelle en Brodo is a gorgeous Italian recipe. A stack of crepes are layered with Parmesan/freshly ground black pepper and steeped in strong chicken broth. As a first course, it is splendid.
 |
| A truly elegant version of chicken noodle soup |
Polish-style Borscht with Beef Dumplings (this old post has some corrupted photos but the instructions remain correct) boasts of a clear, ruby-coloured broth. This recipe which was given to me by my mum-in-law may be labour intensive, but it does make a delicious Christmas Eve supper.
 |
| The family tradition chez nous embraces HUGE dumplings |
Burek, i.e., Balkan Spinach Cheese Pie, is made with dough first soaked in clarified butter and then stretched by hand until it resembles the thinest silk. Its finished texture is closer to strudel than filo.
 |
| Dusting with paprika complements the green nicely |
Stirring in some halved radishes while briefly sauteing the aromatics when making Lettuce, Capers, and Garlic Braised in Olive oil would add flavour, but also colour befitting the season.
 |
| What? You don't keep a jar or two of capers in your cupboard chez vous? |
Lemon Curd Almond Shortbread is halfway between a cookie and a tartlet. Having a nice supply of homemade lemon curd better known as sunshine in a jar comes in handy...
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| Baking them in muffin tins gives them a tapered contour |
. . . for instance, to fill a Quick Coffee Cake.
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| Dusting with cinnamon sugar before baking gives a toffee crust that locks in moisture |
Joyeuses fêtes!
Tuesday, 16 December 2014
Season's Greetings!
Dirac the kitten, The Calm One, and I all wish you the happiest of holidays! Laugh, eat up a storm, pet the furry one(s) you love, and don't forget to do something especially nice just for yourself.
Dirac already told us what he will be doing. Catching up on his reading!
See you in the new year!
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| My apple pie recipe is here (sans cheddar in the crust) |
Dirac already told us what he will be doing. Catching up on his reading!
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| He has many catalogs to browse... |
See you in the new year!
Tuesday, 17 December 2013
Season's Greetings...and a Cuban hot chocolate recipe
The Calm One and I wish you all a very merry holiday. Be with loved ones, take care, and have fun!
I hope I will finally get around to making Vanessa's fantastic caramelo hot chocolate during the holidays. Her recipe is here.
Regular posting will resume in the new year. Bonnes fêtes!
I hope I will finally get around to making Vanessa's fantastic caramelo hot chocolate during the holidays. Her recipe is here.
Regular posting will resume in the new year. Bonnes fêtes!
Sunday, 23 December 2012
Joyeuses Fêtes!
For about two weeks, I, The Calm One, and Dayo all will be taking it easy--resting, enjoying good food, and being at home together.
We wish you all the most Joyeuses Fêtes!
(Regular weekly posting will resume January 8, 2013.)
We wish you all the most Joyeuses Fêtes!
(Regular weekly posting will resume January 8, 2013.)
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