An American’s Observations of Some Charming Cafes in Australia and New Zealand

February 2, 2017February 4, 2017 | Julie Yates

cafe-pic

As an American “mum” visiting two of my daughters in Australia and then traveling on to New Zealand, I was prepared to see lots of beauty. However, I couldn’t help but be awed by the cafe culture. What I expected was an abundance of places that served tea to middle aged ladies wearing hats. Those existed too, but what actually seemed to be more plentiful were establishments that not only served coffee (and tea) but also innovative food. I shouldn’t have been so surprised since my daughter Allison had written an article about Navigating Australian Coffee Culture as well as posted some fabulous photos featuring Melbourne cafe culture on her entertaining blog Naptime with Yasmine. There is no substitute for real experience though, and I came away with a few observations as well as a craving for a bliss (protein) balls. Those little morsels were seen nestled among the sweet offerings in several cafes. A recipe for Almond Butter Bliss Balls is given below; they are not too sweet but still delicious, and ingredient proportions can be played around with to suit individual tastes.

First of all, I was blown away but the sheer number of cafes.

street-cafes

Each of the smaller bergs we passed through in our rented car had a least one really cute cafe. In bigger cities, there seemed to be multiple coffee shops literally side by side. In contrast to the U.S., each tiny shop had its own unique individuality and style. Some major themes seemed to emerge – “shabby chic”. “retro ’50’s” or “Euro new age”. Turquoise seemed to be a favored color, but another prominent decor scheme was white paired with gleaming stainless steel adorned with potted succulents.

coffee-cups

I LOVED the coffee cups. Probably the correct term for them is cappuccino cups. What ever they are called, I ordered a set of colorful ones from Amazon when I got home. Of course, I had to have one in turquoise.

They serve lattes in a glass. Does anyone know why?

At one point I just ordered a regular coffee. The waitress looked confused.

“Mom, you can’t do that here”, my daughter Jennifer explained.

What? It turns out that each coffee is built from espresso. An “American” cup of coffee would have to be made by adding a lot of hot water to an espresso shot. In addition to that, since each order is individually made, be prepared for a long wait in line if the cafe has only one barista working one machine.

So, what goes with a cup of coffee? If it was ten in the morning or mid afternoon, I’d go for a sweet. Bar cookies or sheet cakes are called “slices”. Often seen with fruit filling and crumble topping, they were absolutely over the top tasty! But so was everything else, even the “biscuits” (cookies to Americans).

savory-cafe

If it was breakfast or lunchtime, the savory food served in the cafes was scrumptious. Even a small town cafe could be counted on to offer fresh, high quality dishes. No bagels or fried food were in sight. Always on hand were carafes of water and a supply of small glasses that patrons could help themselves to.

The following photos show just a few of the cafes we encountered.

Sonido! South American Cafe 69 Gertrude St, Fitzro, Melbourne

Very close to the Melbourne Museum. Make sure to get there before the kitchen closes at 3 pm.

Porcelain 149 Elgin St, Carlton, Melbourne

Alright, this is really a tea parlor – but it has a special place in Allison’s heart, so I wanted to include it!

cafe-cubano

Coco Cubano 191 Oxford Street, Darlinghurst, Sydney

Wide glass doors open up to the street and patio seating. Inside, leather and wood provide a cozy atmosphere.

26 on Ross 26 Ross Place, Lawrence, New Zealand

Delicious, high quality food in a tiny small town.

Uncommon 60 Chapel St, Windsor, Melbourne

Very close to some interesting back alley street art. The bliss balls were out of this world and the inspiration for the recipe below.

Chop House Arrow Ln, Arrowtown 9302, New Zealand

Just a wee bit hard to find, but the locals will tell you where it is! The food was first rate.

Recipe for Almond Butter Bliss Balls

fotorcreated

Ingredients for six bliss balls:

1/4 cup store bought almond butter

1/4 cup whole almonds

6 dates

2 heaping tablespoons cacao powder

1 tablespoon coconut oil

1/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Use a food processor to pulse the almonds until they are like coarse sand. Don’t allow the ground almonds to become a paste. Place in a small bowl and set aside.

Remove the seeds from the dates and roughly chop them. Place the chopped dates, almond butter, cacao powder, coconut oil, salt, cinnamon and 2 tablespoons of the ground almonds in the food processor. Pulse until all ingredients are combined. Form resulting mass into six walnut sized balls. Roll each ball in the remaining ground almonds. They can be eaten immediately but they are even better after being refrigerated for a couple of hours.

Enjoy with a good cup of coffee!

bliss-balls

Delicious Dukkah Roasted Cauliflower Salad

January 3, 2017May 20, 2018 | Julie Yates

Is this a salad? Or is it a side? It doesn’t matter because it is delicious! In fact, it could be a main dish and I would be happy. What makes it so good is that the cauliflower is roasted with an addictive seasoning from Egypt called Dukkah. I had been seeing it mentioned in foodie magazines and then I stumbled on it in a spice blend shop in Melbourne, Australia.

Of course I had to try it. We all loved it with crusty bread dipped in olive oil, and then the Dukkah. It was even good sprinkled on our breakfast of hard boiled eggs in our Airbnb. Earlier in the trip we had eaten roasted cauliflower atop a salad with yogurt sauce; I wondered how cauliflower would taste if it was sprinkled with Dukkah before it was roasted… It turned out to be a winner! Below is a recipe for basic Dukkah. As you can see, there are options listed to make variations. Following that is the cauliflower salad recipe. The lemon & oil salad dressing and yogurt sauce take the whole thing over the top – enjoy!

Basic Dukkah Recipe

1 cup chopped nuts (Australian tend to use hazelnuts, others use pistachios and/or almonds)

1/2 cup sesame seeds

2 teaspoons cumin seeds

2 teaspoons coriander seeds

2 teaspoons pepper

1 teaspoon coarse sea salt

Other possible additions:

1 teaspoons turmeric powder

1 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

dukkah-collage

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the nuts out on it. Bake the nuts for five minutes, watching them carefully so they get brown around the edges but don’t burn. Set them aside and let them cool.

Place the seeds in a skillet and over medium heat, stir them until they start to brown. They may pop! Set them aside and let them cool.

Place the nuts in a food processor and pulse a few times until crumbly. Do not let it become a paste. Place in a mixing bowl. Process the coriander and cumin seeds until ground. Add them to the mixing bowl, along with the sesame seeds, salt, pepper and any additional spices and stir to combine.

Serve with olive oil and crusty bread. Use as a breading for chicken or fish. Or make the tasty cauliflower dish below:

Dukkah Roasted Cauliflower Salad – Serves Four

Ingredients:

For the roasted cauliflower:

1 head cauliflower

3 tablespoons Dukkah – recipe above

2 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Wash and cut the cauliflower into florets. Place them in a single layer on the parchment paper. Sprinkle the florets with the olive oil and Dukkah. Bake for 30 minutes. Cauliflower should be tender, easily pierced with a fork, and browned on the edges.

For the yogurt sauce:

1/2 Greek yogurt

1/4 cup olive oil

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

Whisk all ingredients together.

For the salad:

6 cups arugula

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Place the arugula in a large bowl. Whisk the rest of the ingredients together. Pour enough dressing over the arugula to coat it, but not drench it. Reserve the rest of the dressing. (It’s great drizzled over vegetables or as a dressing on any kind of salad.)

For Garnish:

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

To assemble the dish, place the dressed arugula salad on a serving platter. Place the roasted cauliflower on top. Drizzle some of the yogurt sauce on top. Scatter the chopped cilantro and cherry tomatoes over the top. Serve immediately and pass the remaining yogurt sauce at the table.

Beautiful Off-season Ibiza and Some Traditional Dishes

June 30, 2016September 29, 2016 | Julie Yates

DSCN9090

This is the final post in a series about our trip to Spain to visit Allison. The other two, “Manneqins, Markets, and Tortilla Espanola” & “Reminiscing about Coffee in Spain” gave me a chance to use some of the photos I snapped, but also to remember how much I enjoyed that vacation. At the end of our trip, we wound up in Ibiza, one of the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Valencia. Allison was based there at a school that participated in the English Language and Culture Auxiliary Program. She was also working as a nanny for the only child of a very privileged family. Both experiences made for some interesting and outrageous stories. Her blog, Naptime With Yasmine, recounts some hilarious tales about her time there. One thing that she immediately noticed about Ibiza was the curious fact that it has two different personalities…

FotorCreated 5

The photos above are indications of what most people come to Ibiza looking for. During the “Clubbing Season” it grows from a population of a 180 thousand to 1.2 million people. Clubs with names like Cream, Cocoon, Privilege, Amnesia, and Space open up from at the end of May through the beginning of October. People from Europe, especially the UK, flock to party and soak up the sun on the beaches. AOL and other sites have reported on tourists’ shenanigans that take place there. However, since we were visiting in April, our experience was very different.

DSCN9070

We didn’t find too many sun worshipers on the beach in Ibiza Town. In fact, it was easy to get around and sometimes the city almost had a deserted feel to it.

FotorCreated 2

We were able to amble around Dalt Vila, Ibiza Old Town without fighting any crowds. The walls surrounding it date back to the 1500’s and it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Roman’s, and Moors each had a period of occupation on the Island. In 1715 King Philip V absorbed it into Spain. In more modern times it became a place of peace, love, and living off the land when Hippies descended on it in the 60’s. These days it has morphed into a tourist destination for those who like to party. I wonder if some of the offspring from the Hippies grew up and became club owners? Just speculating!

FotorCreated 3

Santa Maria Cathedral in Old Town is worth seeing and there are lots of interesting shops as well.

FotorCreated 6

But what I really enjoyed is the alter ego of Ibiza; the raw unspoiled beauty of the island is in complete juxtaposition with the glamorous material lifestyle of clubbing. Allison is an avid hiker, and she guided us to some breathtaking views. The huge rock in the lower right of the photo collage above is Es Vedra. Reported to be one of the most magnetic places on earth, some say below it lays the lost city of Atlantis.

DSCN9051

Further highlighting the Island’s dual personalities was our experience of eating at two very different restaurants that basically had the same menu. The first one, extremely expensive Es Nautic in San Antonio, was suggested by the mother of the girl Allison au paired. It was located next to the harbor in which the family kept their sailboat. Typical to what Allison had relayed to us about the mom’s behavior, she packed her daughter in the car with us, and sent us on to the restaurant even though it wasn’t a scheduled babysitting time. Of course, she did not send the little one with any money, so we footed her portion of the bill. We rationalized that observing the girl’s behavior was worth it as she plowed through eating more than her share of the family style servings. Es Nautic had a beautifully appointed dining room. The table setting was lovely and the presentation of the food was fabulous. The second restaurant, El Bigote in Cala Mastella, was quite a different venue. It is shown in the photo above. This outside eatery with the most remarkable view has two servings everyday and all patrons are served the same dishes cooked right in plain sight on an open fire. The girl was with us for this meal also; this time she ate a bit more modestly. Apparently she suffered some stomach problems after the first experience! We ordered just about the exact same tradition Ibicenco dishes from both restaurants. The food photos were taken by me but the photos of the recipes are all from www.Ibiza.Travel .

DSCN9059

Both restaurants brought bread, olives and aioli to the table. The bread alone was very bland, but it was fantastic with aioli spread on it! The olives were the perfect complement to that bread combo.

Allioli

FotorCreated

On the left above is Es Nautic’s rendition of the fish stew, Bullit de Peix. On the right above is El Bigote’s version and right below shows how it was cooked. The dish gets its orange hue from saffron. Delicious rice served after diners eat this main dish and is prepared in the cooking broth left behind from the fish. Notice how Es Nautic’s is served with aioli poured over it. In both restaurants the fish still had tails, tentacles, and all still attached!

DSCN8829

The dessert above is Greixonera from Es Nautic. It was pretty good, but not as good as Allison’s favorite Ibizan sweet, Flao. Flao is a goat cheese tart laced with mint; the recipe for it is in the Spanish coffee post mentioned above.

So which restaurant did we like better? It’s hard to say! Both are very authentic to Ibiza; one reflects the pampered life and one showcases the natural beauty of that part of the world. The fact is – I would go back to either one of them in a heartbeat!

He Popped the Question; We Had a Party!

June 15, 2016June 16, 2016 | Julie Yates

We celebrated inside as well as outside.

.Last weekend we had the privilege of hosting an engagement party for Caroline and her fiance, Adam. I had a lot of fun planning the menu and decorating the house. Pinterest was a huge help and I was able to strike a good balance between homemade treats and store bought ones. While buying Ball jars, I was presently surprised that Walmart has a whole section dedicated to wedding decor. Adam’s parents and siblings spent the weekend with us and we all had fun mingling with future wedding guests and getting to know each other.

FotorCreated

We had lots of “Party Food” and …

FotorCreated 2

Lots of sweets to celebrate the sweethearts!

Pulled Pork with BBQ Sauce on Slider Buns

Tater Tots with Toppings

Chipotle-Cilantro Coleslaw

Macaroni and Cheese

Barbecue Baked Beans

Chicken & Waffles Appetizer

Raspberry Sherbet Party Punch

Cake, “Save the Date” Cookies, Mexican Wedding Cakes, Mini Red Velvet Cupcakes

The pulled pork and bottled sauce came from a local BBQ joint. I put out slider buns rather than regular ones. They looked cute in a napkin lined basket and the smaller size stretched the amount of meat that much further.

Bowls of crumbled bacon, shredded cheddar, sliced green onion, and blue cheese along with Franks brand buffalo sauce were great accompaniments to the tater tots.

To get the recipe for Adam’s favorite Chipotle-Cilantro Coleslaw, click HERE . For a classic Coleslaw recipe click HERE .

For the Macaroni and Cheese: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 by 13 inch pan. Cook a 16 ounce package of elbow macaroni over medium low heat and set aside. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a sauce pan and whisk in 3 tablespoons of flour. Let the mixture cook for 60 seconds, then whisk in 3 1/4 cup whole milk – just a little at a time. Cook over medium heat, stirring with a spoon until the milk mixture is noticeably thickening. Take the pan off the heat and stir in 8 ounces of cubed Velveeta, 8 ounces shredded white cheddar cheese, and 8 ounces shredded taco cheese blend. Add 1/4 teaspoon pepper and continue to stir until the cheese is melted. Add to the cooked macaroni and put in a greased 9 by 13 inch baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

To get the recipe for the Barbecue Baked Beans, click HERE

To get the recipe for the Chicken and Waffles Appetizer, click HERE

To get the recipe for the Raspberry Sherbet Party Punch from the blog Natasha’s Kitchen, click HERE

I ordered the cake, “Save the Date” Cookies and Mexican Wedding Cakes from the local bakery.

To get the Mini Red Velvet Cupcake Recipe, click HERE – just use mini chocolate chips instead of regular ones and reduce the baking time for 10 to 12 minutes. (An inserted tooth pick should come out clean and the cupcake tops should feel springy.) For Cream Cheese Frosting, click HERE

Reminiscing about Coffee in Spain

March 20, 2016June 24, 2016 | Julie Yates

FotorCreated (82)

On the left above, is one of the several cups of coffee I had the first day I was in Spain; the photo on the right was taken just before heading to the airport to return home.

Just about a year ago, we had a great time visiting Allison in Spain. She was employed by a program that places native English speakers as teachers in secondary schools. During her week of spring vacation, Roy, Jennifer, and I met her in Madrid. We spent a couple days there, drove a rental car to Portugal, and then returned to Spain where we explored Seville, Barcelona, and finally Ibiza. A few weeks ago I woke up to the fact that I hadn’t done much sharing of our trip, so I blogged about Mannequins, Markets, and Tortilla Espanola. Here is my documentation of how I fell in love with Cafe con Leche and some of the delicious things I ate while sipping it.

FotorCreated (79)

Roy and I flew into Madrid within minutes of when Allison landed there from Ibiza. We had agreed on where to meet ahead of time by using the map on the airport website. I was excited to see her, but also so impressed at her ability to figure out the subway system and guide us to our Airbnb apartment. After dropping off our suitcases, we explored our neighborhood and discovered a little cafe just down the street. It was there that I had my very first Spanish breakfast and cup of coffee. I followed Allison’s lead and ordered Pan Con Tomate ( bread with tomato) and a side of jamon iberico (Spain’s famous ham) just for the fun of it. Basically a DIY deal, it was up to me to slather the grated tomato onto toasted bread which had been rubbed with a little garlic. Then I sprinkled it with coarse salt and drizzled it with olive oil. If that wasn’t delicious enough, I added some of the ham on top and thought it was about the best breakfast I ever had. The cafe con leche was just the thing I needed for my jet lag. It’s made by pouring a shot of espresso into a cup and then filling the rest of it up with warm milk. The designs seen on top are achieved by pouring the milk in second with an experienced steady hand and using a toothpick to coax it into shapes such as hearts. I found coffee made this way so yummy, that I wanted to stop and have a cup of it every chance we got.

Pan con Tomate:

Toasted slices of baguette

1 clove garlic

1 tomato

Olive oil to drizzle

Coarse salt to sprinkle

Optional: Spanish ham or sausage, manchengo cheese

Slice and toast pieces of baguette. Lightly run the garlic clove over the top. Grate the tomato into a bowl, discarding the skin. Slather the tomato pulp on the toast. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with coarse salt. Nice additions are the Spanish ham or sausage and manchengo cheese; either can be found in a specialty store or Whole Foods.

FotorCreated (81)

The next day Jennifer joined us and it was her turn to deal with jet lag. A friend of Allison’s had told her about a bar in one of the Madrid neighborhoods that had great food. We took the subway over to it and found it was just a “hole in the wall”, but the food really was delicious. We munched on crusty bread, triangles of manchego cheese, and an impossibly tender meat dish that must have cooked in its perfectly spiced sauce for several hours. I attempted a similar dish in a post written soon after we returned, Tapas Inspired Braised Meat in Port Wine Sauce . While we were eating lunch, Jennifer ordered a coffee. It was delivered to her as a shot of espresso in a glass. I was surprised, but found out later that serving coffee that way was not uncommon.

FotorCreated (80)

At the tail end of our trip, we ended up in Ibiza. It’s a legendary place for Europe’s rich and famous to frolic, but Allison worked their during the off season and never was fully exposed to how riotous it is reported to be! It seemed pretty tame while we were there, but there was no denying how absolutely breathtaking the raw beauty of the island was. For a sample of Ibiza photos, visit this post on Allison’s entertaining blog Naptime with Yasmine. One afternoon after wandering about, we stopped to watch the sunset and grabbed (of course!) a cup of coffee. We also ordered a slice of Allison’s favorite dessert, Flao. It is sort of like a cheese cake in a pie crust. The version Allison liked best was made from goat cheese and flecked with minced spearmint. Click here for a recipe I found on the web . I’m also going to post a photo of recipe I downloaded from http://www.Ibiza.Travel because I think it might be more authentic to what we sampled. Full disclosure: I have not tried making this yet, but hope to make it for Allison some day!

Flao

Now, a year after our trip, I still drink my coffee with half a cup of warm milk in it. The other half is rarely actual espresso; the majority of the time it’s just regular American coffee. Thank goodness for microwaves – right?

I’d love to hear about anyone else’s coffee traveling experiences – please feel free to comment!

Mannequins, Markets, and Tortilla Espanola

February 12, 2016March 20, 2016 | Julie Yates

tortilla with water mark

Ever feel like life is a roller coaster and every time is starts to slow down, it takes off again? In my case, perhaps a speeding train would be more like it. For the last year or so, I just seem to be headed to one experience after another. Throughout it all, I have enjoyed taking photos, but I haven’t taken the time to pause and do anything with them. Currently, my husband and I are living the dream (O.K. – maybe his dream!) of traveling around the United States in a motor home. Check out our travel blog at Yates RV Adventures. A couple of weeks ago, we were staying at a RV “resort” in Naples, Florida. These parks typically are a mix of prefab homes and recreational vehicles. As I was passing one of the homes, I was startled to see a mannequin guarding the door. My memory was jolted back to another mannequin I had seen when we were in Spain visiting my daughter Allison just several months ago. All of a sudden I realized I had tons of photos and lots of experiences from that trip that I had never shared or done anything with because the train I was on never slowed down. The Spanish mannequin I remembered was looking out onto the Mercado de San Miguel in Madrid. It was the first of the many fabulous markets we encountered on that trip. It had booth after booth of beautiful produce, meat, and seafood. Best of all, it had delicious ready made food that could be eaten right there or taken away for a meal at home. One dish every market in Spain had was Tortilla Espanola. This Spanish tortilla is basically a very yummy potato torte and is a common every day food in Spain. A wedge of it could be an entre, or cut in squares and served with aioli, it is often part of a tapas spread. The lady of the house where Allison was staying made it for us one night for supper and I saw how simple and easy it was to make. In this post are photos of some markets we saw on our travels. Below them is a recipe for Tortilla Espanola.

FotorCreated mannequin

The classy senorita on the left overlooks the Mercado de San Miguel. The American mannequin on the right surveys the trailer park.

DSCN2738

Above is the beautiful Mercado de San Miguel, a wonderful market in San Miguel Plaza in Madrid.

DSCN2833

This is a shot of my daughter Jennifer walking into a market in Porto, Portugal. Whether they were big or small, these places of commerce offered fresh meat and produce and we thought they were all charming.

DSCN8412

The Mercado de Ribeira in Lisbon, Portugal had the largest food court we had ever seen. The market area was in one side of the building, and the Time Out Food Hall was in the other half.

DSCN8743

Beautiful greens in the famous La Boqueria on La Rambla in Barcelona.

DSCN9086

The Mercat Nou in Ibiza, Spain sold every thing from tea and liquor made from local herbs to their famous salt and honey.

FotorCreated Ibiza Market

Of course the market in Ibiza had an offering of take away foods, including a Spanish Tortilla.

Ingredients and Procedure for Tortilla Espanola:

Tortilla

Ingredients for Spanish Tortilla:

4 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch slices

1 medium sized onion, peeled and sliced

4 eggs

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 teaspoon Spanish paprika

1/4 teaspoon salt

pinch pepper

pinch saffron (optional)

Ingredients for Garlic Lemon Sauce:

1/2 cup good quality mayonnaise

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 clove garlic, put through press or finely minced

pinch Spanish paprika

pinch saffron (optional)

Procedure for Spanish tortilla:

In a skillet, saute the onion in 2 tablespoons olive oil until tender. Remove with a slotted spoon and set the onions aside in a mixing bowl. Add 1/4 of olive oil and the sliced potatoes to the pan. Cook, covered, over fairly low heat for 20 to 25 minutes – gently turning over once at 10 minutes. Potatoes will be done when they are easily pierced with a fork but still retain their shape. Carefully remove the potatoes from the pan with a slotted spoon and add to the onions in the bowl. Discard all but 2 tablespoons of oil from the pan. Whisk the eggs, salt, paprika, pepper, and saffron together. Pour the egg mixture over the potatoes and onions. Gently mix the to coat the potatoes and onions. Add the potato mixture to the pan and cook over low heat. As the tortilla slowly sets up, run a rubber spatula along the sides to create a rounded edge. When the tortilla is almost completely firm, remove the pan from the heat. Place a plate on top of the skillet and using pot holders or a kitchen towel to prevent being burned, flip the pan over so that the tortilla is on the plate. Then slide the tortilla off the plate and onto the skillet. Place back on low heat and cook another 3 to 5 minutes. Invert onto a serving plate and either cut into slices as a main dish or small squares as part of a tapas spread.

Procedure for Garlic Lemon Sauce

Whisk together mayonnaise, lemon juice, garlic, paprika, and saffron.

I’d love to hear anyone else’s experiences with the markets in Spain or Portugal!

Williamsburg Peanut Soup

November 23, 2015December 7, 2019 | Julie Yates

A few weeks ago, we spent a day at Colonial Williamsburg. Once the capitol of Virginia, it was one of the places where the forefathers of our nation discussed the idea of independence from Great Britain. I loved seeing it all and I was fascinated by the period’s methods of using fire and hot embers to do all the baking and cooking.

When Roy was in grade school, his family went on vacation to Williamsburg. While they were there, they ate at King’s Arms Tavern . He wanted to revisit it, so we went for dinner. He remembered eating on pewter plates and having the peanut soup – so of course we had to order it. I was doubtful about trying it, but found it was delicious! Since I was cold and hungry, it hit the spot. However, I shared a cup of it with Roy and since it’s such rich stuff, that was plenty. I detected a sort of bacon flavor in it and I asked the waiter about it. He said, “Oh – that’s the ham broth in it.”

Later in the trip we saw Roy’s brother Bruce and his wife Betsy. We were telling them about our visit to Williamsburg and she whipped out her copy of The Williamsburg Cookbook. She told us she used to make their peanut soup at Thanksgiving and showed us the recipe. It called for chicken broth which I’m sure is fine, but I was still remembering that ham flavor in the soup we had. So, I took the recipe in the cookbook and modified it just a bit by making ham broth and using it to make the soup. It’s not something to have everyday, but it is fun for something different and children might find it interesting if they are studying US history. The cookbook said it is also good served cold.

Williamsburg Peanut Soup

Ingredients for Six Servings:

2 tablespoons butter

1 small onion, diced

1 stalk celery, diced

2 tablespoons flour

1 quart ham broth (4 cups), ingredients listed below

1 cup smooth peanut butter

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cream

Chopped peanuts, crushed peppercorns, or sliced green onions for garnish

Ingredients for the Ham Broth:

1 ham hock

4 quarts water

2 or 3 small carrots

2 or 3 celery stalks with leaves if possible

1 bay leaf

2 or 3 pepper corns

Directions:

Make the ham broth by placing the ham hock, onion, celery, carrot, bay leaf, pepper corns, and water in a large pot. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to medium and allow the mixture to simmer for an hour. Discard the vegetables. Skim off any frothy stuff that might raise to the top. Let it cool slightly, then use a fine mesh strainer or cheese cloth to get rid of any remaining pieces of the vegetables as you pour it into a container. Refrigerate for several hours or over night. The fat will rise to the top and it will be easy to get rid of it before adding the broth to the soup.

To then make the soup…

FotorCreated (48)

Melt the butter in large soup pot. Saute the diced onion and celery over medium low heat until they are very soft and tender, but not brown. Add the flour and combine well. Over high heat, whisk in the broth a bit at a time. Bring to a boil. Transfer to a blender, food processor, or use an immersion blender to puree the vegetables into the broth. Add the peanut butter and cream. Stir or blend again to completely combine all the ingredients. If needed, heat before serving, but don’t let the soup come to a boil. Ladle into serving bowls. Garnish with chopped peanuts and pepper corns or sliced green onions if desired.

The Kings Arms Inn served the soup with a sampling of corn relish, ham relish, and pickled watermelon. Just for fun, we bought a jar of corn relish to take home.

“Almost” Autumn Ingredient Salad from True Food Kitchen

September 20, 2015 | Julie Yates

Being from the Midwest, I’ve only gotten the chance to eat at a True Food Kitchen twice. The southwestern area restaurant chain was started by Dr. Andrew Weil, who thought the super healthy food he cooked at home was tasty enough that others would love it too. He was right because anyone I’ve ever talked to that has visited one of his restaurants has raved about it. Since my post on a copy cat version of True Food Kitchen’s Inside Out Quinoa Burger is the most visited post on this blog, I decided it was time to share my “Almost” Autumn Ingredient Salad. The real one includes dried mulberries and dried pomegranate seeds, but they are pricey and hard to find. I just used dried cranberries and they make a good substitute. At any rate, this salad is a great side dish and the dressing works well any kind of veggie or salad.

Ingredients for the Salad and Dressing

1 medium butternut squash

1 medium head cauliflower

1 pound Brussels sprouts

1 (15 oz.) can white beans such as Great Northern or Cannelloni

2 tablespoons olive oil (For roasting veggies)

1/2 cup olive oil

3 tablespoons champagne vinegar

2 tablespoons sliced green onions

2 tablespoons dried cranberries

1 tablespoon prepared horseradish

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with foil. Cut off the cap and base of the squash, cut it lengthwise down the middle, and scoop out the seeds. Remove the skin by using a vegetable peeler. Lay both pieces of the squash on a cutting board and cut each in half, separating the neck from the rounded bottom. Then cut each of the four large pieces into two inch wide strips. Finally, cut each strip into squares. Spread the pieces on one of the baking sheets. Wash the cauliflower, cut into florets, and put them on one side of the second baking sheet. Wash the Brussels Sprouts, cut off the tough woody part of the base, and if they are large, cut them in half down the middle. Place them next to the cauliflower on the baking sheet. Drizzle the vegetables on both baking sheets with about a tablespoon of olive oil. Toss them around to make sure they are evenly coated and season with salt & pepper. Put both baking sheets in the oven for about an hour or until the vegetables pierce easily with a fork and are slightly browned.

Meanwhile whisk together the 1/2 cup of olive oil, vinegar, green onions, dried cranberries, horseradish, salt, red pepper flakes. Set aside. Rinse, drain, and put the beans in a microwave safe bowl.

When the vegetables are done, take them out of the oven. Warm up the beans for about a minute in the microwave. Then, place the beans, squash, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower in a large bowl. Pour the dressing over the top and gently toss.

I’d love to hear about other people’s experiences at True Food Kitchen!

Cherry Cobbler Pie

August 11, 2015August 11, 2015 | Julie Yates

One of the best times we had this summer was picking our own cherries at Rennie Orchards. It’s about 15 minutes from our family lake cottage and 15 minutes away from Traverse City, Michigan. Caroline and Adam were spending the week with us and it was the perfect thing to do on a day that started out rainy, but ended up clear and sunny. Everyone got a little bucket that would hold four cups of cherries – just the right amount for a cherry pie. The first one I made was so runny that it ended up being cherry sauce for ice cream. My mistake was not letting the cherry filling get thick enough, and then not waiting long enough for the pie to cool before cutting it. With the rest of the cherries we picked that day, I managed to master the thickness of the filling. But instead of pie, I made cobbler. I brought it to a pitch-in and got a thumbs up from our lake cottage neighbors. At the end of our stay, I talked Roy into going cherry picking with me again. We brought the cherries home and I got the great idea of combining a pie and a cobbler. The recipe posted here makes a very decadent dessert! It’s especially good with a scoop of ice cream!

Cherry Cobbler Pie

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Ingredients for pie crust:

1 cup flour

pinch salt

1/3 cup butter

1/4 cup water

Procedure:

Cut the butter into slices and place in a large bowl. Add the flour and salt. Use an electric mixer to combine all the ingredients so they look like crumbs. Then add the water a little at a time while using a fork to mix it it. When it forms a cohesive ball, it’s ready to be rolled out. Honestly, this takes patience. I place the dough on a floured surface such as a pastry cloth or board. Then I roll it out in all directions to make a circle large enough to cover the bottom and sides of my pie pan. When the dough cracks, I patch it up and keep going. I have even balled it up again and started over. The experts say that’s a no-no, but because this crust is so buttery, it’s never affected the flakiness or taste. The main focus of this pie is the cherries and topping – not the crust. However, this crust really compliments the other two parts of the pie. When the crust is rolled out large enough, place it in the pie pan. Crimp the edges or cut off the excess if you are lucky enough to have that much extra dough. Set aside while you make the filling.

Ingredients for cherry filling:

4 cups pitted cherries, frozen or fresh- a combination of tart and sweet

1 cup sugar – if using mostly tart cherries add another 1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

dash of almond extract

1 to 2 teaspoons lemon juice only if using mostly sweet cherries

Procedure:

Place the cherries in a medium sized pan, cover, and cook over medium low heat for 15 minutes. This releases the juice. Then add sugar and cornstarch. Also add the extract and lemon juice if using. Bring the mixture up to a boil, then turn the heat down to medium low. Stir often until the mixture thickens enough to cling to the spoon. This takes about 10 minutes but don’t walk away – the bottom can burn if not watched closely. When it’s nice and thick, spoon it into the pie shell and set aside while you make the cobbler topping.

Ingredients for cobbler topping:

1 1/4 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon baking powder

Pinch salt

1 stick butter

Procedure:

Mix flour, sugar, and vanilla together. Spread the dry mixture evenly over the surface of the filling. Cut the butter into slices. Arrange the butter slices on top of the dry mixture.

Bake the pie in a preheated 375 degree for 1 hour. The topping should get nice and brown, but will be uneven in coloration in some spots.

Allow the pie to cool before slicing.