Cooking | Gourmandistan

A little less inspiration, a little pork action

October 10, 2011 by Steve

Gourmandistan has returned again to its traditional Bluegrass boundaries, after spending a month in northern Italy. (Thanks for the assist during our absence, Susie T.!) We must say that, though we enjoyed our time in Italy, we did not feel the connection we’ve built with France over the years. While we liked our butcher, our fruit vendor and some nice nearby wine shops, we missed the sense of terroir that seems to spark our imaginations. (Venice, though… we absolutely love […]

Categories: Artichokes, Cooking, Food, Italy, Pork, Recipes

Sisyphus and the world’s simplest tomato sauce

September 8, 2011 by Steve

Gourmandistan may not harbor the world’s biggest tomato fans, but our borders can certainly hold a lot of tomato sauce. We rely on cup-size bags of frozen sauce for pasta, pizza and many other dishes that make the cold months bearable. In past years we’ve bought flats of San Marzano tomatoes from Hazelfield Farm to make one of our most-requested recipes, Roasted Tomato Sauce. This season, however, the weather wasn’t cooperating with the tomato plants—at least on our Padua-predisposed schedule. […]

Categories: Cooking, Food, Italy, Recipes, Tomatoes, Vegetarian

Basque in the afterglow: garlic, sausage & red pepper soup

August 29, 2011 by Steve

Possibly the saddest lie Michelle has ever told involves a pony, the Pyrenées and picture-taking. Steve had asked to stop on a narrow, guardrail-less road winding its way towards St.-Jean-Pied-de-Port so he could photograph a Basque pony, one of a small herd climbing the steep mountainside. Michelle, a raging acrophobic, suffered Steve only a few shots before declaring she was worried he would “fill up the card” on the digital camera. Steve, who has much experience with Michelle’s fear of […]

Categories: Cooking, Food, France, Peppers, Pork, Recipes, Soups & Stews

Honey-Rosemary-Ginger Ice Cream with Peaches

August 21, 2011 by Michelle

While we enjoy rosemary and ginger, we really never considered using them together—and especially not in ice cream. But while pining for something dessert-ish, Michelle found this recipe in Patricia Wells’ The Paris Cookbook and decided to give it a go. She was a little dubious even as she steeped the ginger and rosemary custard, but started to be convinced by its savory aroma. The recipe comes from Alain Dutournier’s Carré des Feuillants, a wonderful restaurant we visited with Michelle’s […]

Categories: Cooking, Food, France, Fruit Desserts, Ice cream, Peaches/Nectarines, Recipes, Vegetarian

Pork chop paragon.

August 13, 2011 by Steve

“Respect the product” is a somewhat shopworn phrase in cooking circles. But our recent gift from Bob Hancock of Blue Dog Bakery underscored the reality behind the banality. Blue Dog now transforms into Red Hog Tapas every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night, highlighting Bob’s charcuterie made with pork from his own Red Wattle hogs. Bob shows his pigs respect from farrowing to their final day, giving them plenty of room to roam and minimizing their stress on their way to […]

Categories: Cooking, Food, Pork, Recipes

The trouble with tomatoes.

August 10, 2011 by Michelle

Slime. Goo, guck, glop. Or whatever you want to call the viscous heart of just about every raw tomato. That (and lots of little tough seeds) is why Gourmandistan can be very, very wary of its fresh “love apples,” much to the dismay of many of our friends who eat tomatoes out of hand in their gardens. We certainly think bacon, lettuce (or avocado) and tomato sandwiches are delicious, but (at least in our world) only require very thin slices […]

Categories: Cooking, Food, Pasta, Recipes, Tomatoes, Vegetarian

Knights in white pizza.

August 5, 2011 by Michelle

Cold hearted orb, that rules the night. Its passage has removed almost all tomato sauce from Gourmandistan’s sight. And before the arrival of San Marzano season we need every bit of sauce for an eggplant parmigiana we plan to have on the next family visit. But alas, a block of mozzarella was in danger of reaching the end—so we breathed deep the gathering gloom, and decided to use the cheese in a white pizza. Actually, white pizza sauce often rivals […]

Categories: Cooking, Food, Pizza, Recipes, Vegetarian

Elevating a half-hour quesadilla into a half-day salbute.

July 28, 2011 by Michelle

A can of beans, another of tomatoes and some canned or jarred chipotles in adobo, cooked with some onion and garlic and maybe some frozen corn. A pack of store-bought tortillas, a little queso fresco or mild feta cheese and some chopped cilantro. Mix, heat, season. Spread, sprinkle, cover with second tortilla, grill. One slightly tricky turn in the pan, and your dinner is served. Quick, simple, and for a long time quite the Gourmandistan staple. We’re still open to […]

Categories: Beans, Cooking, Food, Mexico, Recipes, Vegetarian

Creamed carrots, a cookbook, and the customs of Gourmandistan.

July 23, 2011 by Michelle

“I don’t think these are all that good” said Pavel, our Foxhollow CSA farmer, as he handed us a fat bunch of carrots at a recent market. We accepted the ill-omened roots as part of our share graciously, as the laws and customs of Gourmandistan forbid the flinging of substandard produce back into a farmer’s face. (Beware, visitor: unless you are a farmer, you have no absolute guarantee this custom will hold for you.) We like Pavel and his products, […]

Categories: Carrots, Cooking, Food, Nuts, Recipes, Vegetarian