canihaveabite?

Meet me at.....?

"Hey what are you doing?  Are you hungry?'

"Maybe. Let me guess, are you at Chai Shai?"

He laughed, "Of course!" 

"Meet you there in 10 minutes"

"Okay, love you, see ya"

It had become a running joke ever since they had first discovered the corner cafe.  He discovered it first, and after that harped on her constantly to eat there, until finally one day she stopped in and became hooked on it as well.  The two of them had been friends for years and it was through food that they had first met.  They had each had restaurants of their own, at different times in their past.  That experience made them both picky and forgiving of the different places they ate.  They could bicker like siblings, disagreeing on nuances, but in the end relenting to the other's opinion.  The meals were just a backdrop for their enjoyment of lengthy discussions on life.

She walked into the cafe and saw him sitting at the counter conversing with the owner. Laughing, she snuck up behind and tapped him on the shoulder.  

He stood up and gave her a quick kiss and hug  "I'm starving! Let's eat!"  A brief scan of the menu and orders were placed for spicy mango slices, chicken boti wrap, pakora chaat, moong soup with paratha and masala chai.  "We always order too much.  We'll never eat all this, well maybe we will..." he said

"I can't seem to resist," she sighed putting the menu back, "and, if we can't eat it all, it does make such good leftovers."  They grabbed their chai's and headed outside to the patio.  This was a true neighborhood cafe.  Nestled in an older neighborhood, this corner had seen many businesses arrive and close, the difficulty of sustaining customers at an offbeat location proving to be too challenging.  But this cafe had sprung up because of a family coming together during unexpected financial hardship, and the ambiance created from that was as addictive as the food.

The food arrived and they settled in for a long lunch.  It didn't matter how many times they ate together, the conversation always promised to be endless and it was always with reluctance that the meal came to an end.  Until the next time one of them called the other and said, "Are you hungry?"

 

INSPIRED BY WHAT I TASTE CURRIED VEGETABLE SOUP

2 onions, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 T olive oil

3 pieces ginger, minced

2 T curry

1 T gram marshal

1/4 c sherry or white wine

4 large  carrots, peeled and cubed

3 zucchini, cubed

1/2 cauliflower, broken apart

1 apple, peeled and sliced

vegetable stock, enough to cover vegetables

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped

1/ 2 can coconut milk

 

      Sauté onions in oil.  Add garlic, ginger and seasonings. Sauté.  Add sherry and stir through  Add vegetables, apple and stock.  Let cook until vegetables are tender.  Puree in small batches in food processor till very smooth.  Stir coconut milk and garnish with cilantro.  Adjust seasonings.  Serve hot or cold

 

 

 

 

 

boy meets girl.....

 

Your lipstick stains on the front lobe of my left side brains
I knew I wouldn't forget you, and so I went and let you blow my mind

"What are we having for dinner?'  he asked as he slid up behind her and gave her a kiss on the neck.

"Well that depends, what would you like?" She turned to kiss him.  Facing each other they smiled.  She ran her fingers through his hair, still thick although the years had turned it grey, but when she looked at him she saw it dark and sensous as it had been in his youth.  The texture of his hair, the scent of his skin, were so familiar as if it hadn't been almost 4 decades since they first met. Fate seemed to have more of a understanding of their relationship then they ever did.  They had met at a school dance when she was Sophmore and he was Junior.  She was coquettish giggles and he played off her teasing with humorous responses. High school lasts an eternity and life lay in wait, in the end they went their separate ways, until fate intervened the second time. 

Your sweet moon beam, the smell of you in every single dream I dream
I knew when we collided, you're the one I have decided who's one of my kind

Life's twists and turns pulled at them and fifteen years later she was working as a caterer, her days an endless cycle of food planning, prep, and orchestrating parties.  Failed relationships had left her wary and cynical.  The catering put her at the center of social events and when men approached they felt the bite of her ascerbic tongue.  She could dice them up into little pieces and move quickly on.  Her business demanded focus and a clear head, no time for exhausting games of love, until fate reminded her of her heart. 

It was just another job until that moment when she stopped scanning the food on the buffet, stopped checking to see that everything was in its place, stopped for one moment to see what was right in front of her.  There he was. His eyes, his hair, his smile.  Sixteen years melted into a day, and after a single chance encounter, yesterday moved into tomorrow and they were together again.  For a while.  The innocence of youth had melded into broken hearted apprehension and two demanding careers allowed them to avoid facing that.

You see, I can be myself now finally, in fact there's nothing I can't be
I want the world to see you be with me

Fate has a way of waking us up even when we are convinced of our superior wisdom.  A personal tragedy can open your eyes to the person who has been beside you in spirit from the beginning.  A chance encounter, a renewed friendship and you realize you have always been together in one way or another. 

I don't want to miss a single thing you do tonight

BETTER WITH AGE LENTIL SOUP

1 white onion, diced

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 - 2 Tablespoon of olive oil

1-2 teaspoons of green chili sauce or hot sauce (my fave is Mama Trujillo's Green Chili Sauce)

    Saute the onion and garlic in oil until transparent.  Stir in green chili sauce.  Let cook one more minute.  Take out of pan and puree until it becomes a paste.

1 - 2 sweet potatoes (depending on size), peeled and cut into cubes

1 cup vegetable stock

    Put cubed sweet potatoes and stock into pan.  Cook until sweet potatoes are tender.  Separate potatoes from stock and save the stock for later.  Puree potatoes and add to onion/garlic mixture.

1 cup red lentils

2 cups or more vegetable stock (Add enough to fully cover lentils.  Add leftover stock to pan first, then add the additional stock or water)

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

1/2 teaspoon cumin

    Mix together and cook until lentils are tender.  Adding additional stock or water if necessary.  Stir in sweet potato/onion mix.  Let simmer a little longer.  Soup should have a smooth consistency with a slight texture from the lentils. Check seasonings.

2 sorrel leaves, chiffonade

    Serve hot soup in bowls and garnish with sorrel

ITS COMPLICATED TURNIP & YUMMY PEPPER SALAD (for 2)

small bag of micro greens (found at Farmer's Markets)

4 yummy peppers (bite size orange sweet peppers), sliced into thin rings

2 scallions, diced

2 medium turnips, peeled and sliced into circles about 1/8 in thick

1 Tablespoon butter

Fig & Walnut Savory Balsamic Vinaigrette by Lucini (this makes it fast and easy and I love their vinaigrettes!)

    Take 2 salad plates and put a handful of micro greens on each.  Scatter the yummy peppers & scallions over the greens.

    Melt the butter in a skillet and lightly saute the turnips on both sides.  Let cool slightly and lay a few slices on each salad (you may have a few slices left over).  Drizzle vinaigrette over and enjoy.

FOLLY OF YOUTH CAPELLINI & SPAGHETTI SQUASH

1 lb capellini (thin spaghetti pasta)

1 spaghetti squash, baked in the oven till tender, then prepped and seeded

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 c white wine

4 - 6 leaves basil, chopped

2 ripe tomatoes, cubed

1/2 c pecans, lightly toasted in olive oil and salted

small piece of semi-soft truffle cheese, crumbled

    Prepare the spaghetti squash first and while the spaghetti squash is cooking saute the garlic in oil till golden.  Save till later. Bake the spaghetti squash in a 400 degree oven for 30 -45 minutes or until the shell begins to collapse and the squash is tender.  Take it out and let it cool enough to handle.  Pull the hard skin off and clean it of seeds.  While you are doing this set a large pot with salted water on the stove and bring to a boil.  The pasta takes about 10 minutes to cook and you want to prepare these items as simultaneously as possible so they can be blended at the end while hot. 

    Before you begin cooking the pasta, chopped the tomatoes and set aside for later.  Crumble the cheese into a bowl and set aside.

     While the water is coming to a boil take the prepped squash and put into the skillet with garlic. Stir the garlic through the squash.  Turn off heat. 

    Lightly toast pecans in olive or sunflower oil till golden. Grind a little sea salt over and stir through.  Set aside.

   When water is ready add pasta and cook til al dente.  While the pasta is cooking add the white wine to the spaghetti squash mix and let it cook for a few minutes to heat through.  Stir in basil and reduce heat.  Drain the pasta and then return to pot and toss with spaghetti squash mixture.  Serve immediately and top with fresh tomatoes, toasted pecans and cheese.

Bon Appetit!

 

 

 

 

 

 

fear of falling

"Muldahara - the earth chakra related to our survival instincts and

our grounding to the physical plane and our bodies"

Six loops of colorful fabric hung from the rafters with thick wide mats beneath.  The instructor opened her arms wide to embrace the fabric then slipped her hands through and twisted her wrists into each side of a loop.  The students followed her lead and the class began.  They started by kneeling on the mat with their bodies reaching long against their thighs.  They lifted, then lowered their bodies forward flowing from the child's pose into a down dog back extension, their spines and out-stretched arms paralleled the lengthening reach of the fabric.  Inhaling on the arcing and exhaling with the extensions the students centered themselves and warmed up, preparing for the workout. 

"Svadhisthana - the water chakra related to emotions and the ability to accept change"

The novice to the group tried to connect into the breathing and not focus on the tension she could feel in her shoulders.  She had had a tumultuous year, every aspect of her life had changed and the "rug being pulled out from underneath her" seemed to translate into physical falls.  She had suffered a couple of minor fractures over the course of the year and one major fall had put her in a cast for 8 weeks.  Maybe it was the newness of every situation that had created the unexpected clumsiness, regardless, it had left her frightened and uncertain.  So on the recommendation of a friend she was now going to find herself swinging unfettered while hanging upside down.  What had she gotten herself into?

"Manipura - the fire chakra related to power, our identity and energy"

The students moved the fabric behind them, as though preparing to sit in a swing.  With the wrists twisted around the fabric they secured the it against their low back and pulled their legs into the air.  Dropping their heads towards the floor while they simultaneously opened their legs into an inverted straddle stretch.   The impetuous of the movement created a gentle swinging motion, so for a moment it appeared as though the room was filled with very large bats.  The students reached their arms towards the floor and stabilized the movement with their hands on the mats.  Momentarily releasing their hands, they gripped the fabric again, swaying a bit in the return to the bat-like position.  Crossing their right leg to catch the fabric tightly with the right knee, they extended the left leg out to the opposite wall then down towards the floor.   On settling into the pose, they reached their hands back towards the floor moving the inversion into a vulnerable back dive.  

"Anahata - the air chakra related to our self-acceptance and our ability to love

The novice was sweating.  She wasn't sure if it was the difficulty of the exercises or the fear of falling on her head that was gripping her.  She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.  They moved onto some standing warrior stretches, one leg in the fabric, one foot on the floor.  The fabric seemed to reveal every weakness in her body.  She kept pulling to the right, as if she had had enough of this challenge and it was time to escape.  Next tree pose or, in her mind, the pose of acceptance.  The class put a foot into the loop and pulled themselves off the floor, one leg trusting the fabric, the other finding the air.  They brought the free leg through and rested it against the opposite knee.  No earthly security to ground her, nothing but the imbalances of her body pulling her this way and that.  They moved from tree pose into eagle and changing into a crossed knee position, then slowly slid down into a deep seated pose.  The novice tried not to think about the fact that she was hovering three feet off the ground, she tried to go deep inside and find her breath, but all she could think about was, "What is next? What if I can't do it?  What if I get my wrist or foot gets caught in the fabric and I fall?"  She took another breath and quieted the restlessness of her mind. 

"Vishuddha - the sound chakra related to communication and creativity"

She didn't want to live in fear.  That was why she was here, a physical challenge that could take her back to who she was before all the upheavals began.  Back even further, back to the person she was before that moment in time, when what had happened this past year had been set in motion.  Back further still, to the place where she was, that place she had nearly forgotten, that place where she had been true to herself.

"Ajna - the light chakra related to the act of seeing both physically and intuitively"

They moved from the eagle pose into a flying eagle.  The leg in the strap pushed out into the air, the crossed leg lifted into a dancers passe' and the upper body arched back embracing the air.  The novice kept her eyes closed, moving obediently but afraid of the sight of the floor swimming beneath her.  They closed back up into the seated eagle and returned to the floor and prepared to repeat the movements on the other side.  "What do I have to lose?"  she thought, "I am doing everything right and I am still afraid to look at what is in front of me?"  She centered her thoughts on the lessons learned and breathed deeply as she moved into the positions, but this time on reaching backwards, she opened her eyes.

"Sahasrara - the thought chakra related to consciousness and spiritual connection"

The time for work was done and the moment of rest was upon them.  The students reached their legs into the fabric, and pulled it up and around them until it engulfed them, leaving them floating in silk cocoons.  The novice quieted her mind and let her body relax into the silk.  Her muscles released, tired from the exertion, yet pleased with what they had accomplished.  Soft music played as she rested into savasana, she knew she still had much to face, but she had taken the first step.  It was true what her friend had told her, "If you surrendered to the air, you could ride it."*

*quote by Toni Morrison

FOOD FOR DOSHAS

COOLING CUCUMBER SOUP FOR PITTAS

3 cups plain yogurt

3 medium cucumbers, peeled, seeded and pureed

1- 2 T olive oil

2 garlic cloves minced and sauted

1 white onion, minced and sauted

basil, 1 small bunch finely chopped

sorrel, several leaves finely chopped

1 t salt

1/4 t ground white pepper

Saute garlic and onion in oil till caramelized.  Puree in food processor.  Remove and place in separate dish.    Puree herbs in food processor or very finely chop by hand.  Remove and place in dish with onions and garlic.  Puree cucumbers in food processor.  Add yogurt to cucumbers and pulse to incorporate.  Add onion mix and herbs.  Pulse together.  Add salt and pepper.  Pulse, taste and adjust seasonings.  Serve chilled.

EARTHY INDIAN RICE FOR VATAS

2 T olive oil

2 t mustard seeds

1/2 t turmeric

dash of Tabasco or 1/2 t crushed red peppers

1 c basmati rice

2 c water

1/4 t salt

Saute' mustard seeds in oil till lightly toasted.  Stir in turmeric and tabasco.  Add rice and stir to incorporate the seasonings into rice.  Add water and salt.  Stir through and cover.  Let cook until water is absorbed.  When rice is cooked through, stir in additional ingredients

1 poblano pepper, roasted, peeled seeded and diced

3 scallions, diced

1/2 c roasted and salted sliced almonds

1/3 c currants

Stir all ingredients to incorporate.  Taste and add additional salt and pepper if desired.

SMOKEY SPICY BURRITOS FOR KAPHAS

8 oz mushrooms, sliced

2 red peppers, chopped

1/2 onion, sliced

1 zucchini, sliced into half moons

1 chipotle pepper, minced

2 T sunflower oil

4 oz smoked gouda

nonfat yogurt

cilantro, minced

flour tortillas

In skillet saute' the onions till tender.  Add mushrooms and saute' till tender.  Add remaining vegetables and chilpotle pepper.  Saute' till vegetables are just tender.  The chilpotle pepper will add a hot, smoky flavor to the vegetables.  Remove vegetables from skillet and place in a bowl.  Add cheese and stir through.  fill a flour tortilla over the vegetables and briefly sear in the hot skillet to melt the cheese and seal the edges of the burrito around the filling. (If the burrito sticks to the skillet you may need to add a bit of butter or oil to the skillet.  Using a well seasoned cast iron skillet may prevent this from happening).

Feel free to alternate the vegetables in this dish to suit the season or add some beans.  Eggplant has a similar chewy texture as the mushrooms and is a nice combination with soft/crisp vegetables as squash or peppers.  Summer tomatoes, spinach or avocados are all good seasonal choices.  Remember the flavor comes from the cheese and the chilpotle.

 

 

Today Is A New Day

When I look around, I see blue skies, I see butterflies for us. Listen to the sound and lose it, Its sweet music and dance with me

“So what do you want to do?” he asked her,  “Have you looked at the schedule?

She laughed and shook the paper in his direction, “This schedule is crazy!  How do we choose?”

Side by side they looked over the calendar of events trying to sort through and absorb everything the festival had to offer. In a city of artist and musicians, dancers and actors, storytellers and comedians, this festival was a platform for all of them. 

“Let’s get something to eat and then decide.” 

“Good idea, food before art, or would it be," she smiled, "let’s start with the art of food?”

The restaurant was one of many that a local artist had opened. Artists must create but any real income from their work can take years and starving artists have to eat, thus restaurants are born.  Good food and a colorful atmosphere made for a successful place.  The tables were each uniquely designed by different artist.  One was a patchwork of cigarette lighters, another an interpretation of arcade and video games,  a flower garden made of Splenda packets another, and a large rendition of a rat sat in the middle of another.

“Well I know where I don’t want to sit”  he said, “I can’t eat with a rat staring me in the face.” 

You say yes, I say no, You say stop and I say Go go go!

The first show was an improv group. Six comedians divided into three groups, threw a group of verbal balls into the air and batted spontaneous humor back and forth as if they were juggling while playing a quick witted volleyball game.   The humor is thrown up in the air and game on, the comments and physical humor fly quickly back and forth, then spike!  A  new series of jokes built upon the last set of circumstances start flying, each player supporting and outplaying the last .  For nearly an hour they played hard to never let any ball hit the ground. The last joke hits and game over. The winner?  The audience. 

“Well that was fun!” she said, “What next?”

"Ladies choice?"

"Maybe the cabaret?"

Trust in me. Close you eyes and trust in me.  Bring some peace to your mind for today is a new day.  Don't give into that sinking feeling

Black lace, fedoras, chairs, sultry music, fabric and ropes were the makings of a cabaret style aerial ballet.  Music is the first player in the seduction, next a dancer strolls onto the stage and slowly begins her effortless ascent up the length of fabric hanging from the rafters.  More dancers enter, drawn to the silk by an unheard whisper that entices them to play.  Several strategically placed video screens multiply their dance into a series of black and white films.  As one dance unwinds into a finish, fabrics fall quietly into stillness, enthusiastic clapping ensues until the seductive pulse begins again and the audience is at its mercy.  

The couple steps out of the steamy cabaret and into the cool summer night. There was an air of promise to the rest of the evening, the two shows left them hungering for more. A full moon shone brightly in the clear night sky as though the heavens were in on the festival and had placed it there for theatrical effect.  The night was young and art was everywhere, in fabric, in voice, in movement, on paper, on people, in buildings, even in the night sky.  They walked to the next venue.  Who could ask for more?

Change is going to come like the weather, so stop and smell the flowers and lose it in sweet music an dance with me.

 

THAT IS SO TOMATO BASIL! Soup

 2 1/2 lbs. tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and cut up (about 6 c.) or 2 (16 oz.) cans tomatoes
1/4 c. lightly packed basil (fresh) leaves or 1 tbsp. dried, crushed basil
1 c. chicken broth or canned low salt chicken broth
1 tbsp. sugar
Dash to 1/4 tsp. salt
Dash ground red pepper
Dash ground black pepper
Dash bottled hot pepper sauce
Desired fresh herb (optional) for garnish

In blender or food processor container place about half of the tomatoes or undrained canned tomatoes and all of the basil. Cover and blend or process until smooth. Transfer pureed tomato mixture to a medium saucepan. Repeat blending or processing with remaining tomatoes.

Stir chicken broth, sugar, salt, red and black pepper, and hot pepper sauce into the tomato mixture. Bring to boiling, then reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Serve immediately or, transfer to a covered container and refrigerate.

To serve, ladle warm or chilled soup into small bowls. If desired, garnish each serving with a fresh herb.

Makes 6 (3/4 cup) serving.

STEAMY SALTY SPINACH SALAD for a  HOT CABARET 

1 lb fresh spinach

1/3 lb pancetta, crumbled

2 – 3 organic pears, peeled and cut into chunks

½ dried tart cherries

½ red onion, cut into thin slices

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 T honey

1 T apple vinegar

dash of Tabasco

freshly ground pepper

 

Cook pancetta till crisp.  Remove pancetta and add garlic and onion to bacon fat.  Saute till tender and add Tabasco and honey and let the honey liquefy.  Add vinegar and let it foam up quickly then pour the hot dressing over the spinach leaves.  Toss quickly and place on plates.  Top with pear, cherries and pancetta.

 

MAKE EM LAUGH CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

3 oz. unsweetened chocolate, melted

1 lb ricotta cheese

1 t vanilla extract

1/3 c honey

            Combine the melted chocolate, ricotta, vanilla, and honey in food processor.  Whirl until very smooth.  Pour into dessert cups and chill.

 

Whipped topping (optional)

1 c heavy cream

½ t vanilla

1 T maple syrup

            whip together till stiff

 

Top mouse cups with whipped cram and fresh raspberries.

inch by inch

"I go to nature to be soothed and healed and to have my senses put in order." 

It was quiet, only a gently breeze and the sound of the birds.  Too early for insects and a little warm for early spring, but all in all it was a beautiful day.  Perfect for gardening. There was something so enticing about plunging her hands into the loose dark soil and finding it full of earth worms, squirming to find their way back to the shadows of the deep.   The yard was like a blank canvas awaiting her creation, a visual arrangement of color and texture, but also a symphonic composition performing in its own time and space.  The lyrical music of thyme lacing its flowers across the soil inviting the gentle whisper of the bees, contrasted by the crescendos of the tomato vines searing to the heavens with squirrels and chipmunks arguing over who got the first drink.  And like a true symphony the garden performed its year long piece in distinct sections; the joyful opening, the leisurely second movement, the energetic third, followed by a strong finale

The vegetable and herb gardens were finished; tender plants peaked out of the mulch and invisible seeds comfortable in their earthy bed.  She had decided this would be the year she planted asparagus, a three year commitment of care before there was any reward for her efforts, but wasn't that true of most artistic endeavors?  Asparagus needed to be trenched.  A 6-inch deep furrow was dug then a layer of rich compost is placed at the bottom.  The asparagus crowns are tossed on top of the compost and as the summer progresses the furrow is slowly filled in with soil until the empty bed is finally level with the ground.  The ferns that sprout from the stalks send food back into the plant.   So it is with patience that you let the plant grow and feed, grow and feed until the long awaited day comes and you are able to harvest the tender spears that are full of last summers growth. 

The garden had always been her teacher, her spiritual advisor.  Any confusion seemed to find its answer in nature.  A seed must be treated properly if you wanted it to grow, and with that nurture came abundance beyond any imagining.  And not all seeds needed the same care; if it was treated without understanding though to survive it needs to grow the results would be difficult and unfortunate.   And you were never really sure if the plant was all it could be. 

"Look deep, deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better." Albert Einstein

Spicy Shredded Carrots with Lime & Cilantro

8 medium carrots (about 1-1/2 lb.)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 Tbs. fresh lime juice
1 T hot salsa
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
Whole cilantro leaves for garnish (optional)

---

Peel and then grate the carrots using either the large holes on a box grater or a food processor fitted with a medium grating attachment. Put the grated carrots in a large bowl.

In a small bowl, whisk the oil and lime juice. Add the jalapeño and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Add the dressing and chopped cilantro to the carrots and toss. Season to taste with salt and pepper, garnish with the cilantro leaves (if using), and serve.

Snow Pea, Scallion, and Radish Salad

2 cups (8 oz.) snow peas, trimmed
2 scallions (white and green parts), thinly sliced
4 radishes, trimmed and cut into thin strips (about 1/2 cup)
1/4 cup rice vinegar

juice of 1 lime
1 Tbs. sesame oil

---

Put the snow peas in a microwave-safe bowl with 1 Tbs. water. Cover tightly and microwave for 1 minute. Drain and let cool. Cut the snow peas on the diagonal into 1/2-inch diamond shapes, discarding the end pieces.

In a medium serving bowl, combine the snow peas, scallions, and radishes. In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, sugar, and oil until the sugar dissolves. Pour over the salad and serve.

Orange, Avocado & Mâche Salad

4 medium navel or Valencia oranges
3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbs. minced red onion
1 Tbs. red-wine vinegar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 medium ripe avocado, thinly sliced
5 oz. mâche (about 6 loosely packed cups)

---

Finely grate 1 tsp. zest from one of the oranges and put in a large bowl. Using a sharp knife, trim off the peel and white pith from the oranges and cut crosswise 1/4 inch thick.

Squeeze two or three orange slices over a small bowl to yield 1 Tbs. juice; add the juice to the zest along with the olive oil, onion, and vinegar. Whisk to blend and season to taste with salt and pepper.  Arrange the remaining orange slices and the avocado slices to one side of 6 salad plates.

Toss the mâche with the dressing, season to taste with salt and pepper, and mound next to the oranges and avocados.

 

bless me father for I have sinned...

 
 
A quick hand dip into the holy water followed by the sign of the cross - forehead, chest, shoulder, shoulder.  The ritual was automatic and meaningless.  She reached up to check her chapel veil to make sure it had not slipped to the side in her rush to get to church, walked to a pew and genuflected before entering and sitting down.  When the chords to "Loving Shepherd of the Sheep" began to ring through the church the congregation stood in reverence to the altar.  The priest and altar boys made a holy processional as they walked toward the altar.  An altar boy swung the thurible with the pungent incense from side to side, its heavy fragrance wafting into the pews symbolically sending the prayers of the congregation heavenward. 

"The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all." The priest intoned.

"And also with you" the congregation responded and sat back in the pews.  Mass had begun.

Ritual had been a part of her life for as long as she could remember.  The Jesuits say "Give me the child for the first seven years and I will show you the man."  She had certainly been immersed in the rituals of the church from her infancy, but now as she was entering her sixteenth year she was bored with the confines of the church.   She hungered for culture without restrictions.  As long as she was in school she would have to follow the dictates of the church, but the church could not wall in her dreams.  Any casual observer would see her going through the motions of the mass, but inside she was escaping into her fantasies of what her life could be.   She was an artist and as a youth the nuns had taught her to tow the line without question, so much so that she now wondered if she even knew what her own voice was.  As a child, she had been an annoyance of questions that saw through the absurdity of the rules.  "Why did Sister pin a tissue on my head when I forgot my chapel veil?",  "Why did I get in trouble for peeking behind the curtain in the confessional?", "How will I know if I have committed a mortal sin?"  Her questions became tiresome to the nuns, to her family and were answered with scripted responses that left her unsatisfied.      

"Let us proclaim the mystery of faith." the priest entreated the congregation.  Obediently they acclaimed, "Dying you destroyed our death, rising you restored our life. Lord Jesus, come in glory."

Years later she would discover a beauty in these rituals, but now, at this time, it felt suffocating.  There was no room for expression, for art, for music, for dance, for anything that moved outside the confines of "what was right and good".  Two more years she thought, and I can be free. 

"This is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Happy are those who are called to his supper."

The congregation responded, "Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and I shall be healed". They sat down in unison and systematically the pews began to empty row following row to receive communion.  She had thought many times of not taking communion, especially if one were sitting in the middle of the pew.  It could be such a glaring abstinence as fellow parishioners would solemnly pass being careful not to knock against her.  But in the end she always conceded. When the time came her rebellion would be unobserved; a slow folding of the veil, packing of her missal, a quiet closing of the church doors.

"The Mass is ended, go in peace."

"Thanks be to God" she whispered.

The following recipes are all by Suzanne Goin a true artist when it comes to food.  A talented chef innately understands the chemistry of food and how to balance complex flavors.  Once there is an appreciation of that structure freedom follows and that allows for creative abandonment. Salute!

ARUGULA AND MINT SALAD WITH OIL-CURED OLIVES, ORANGES AND RICOTTA SALATA

1/4 cup fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons minced shallots
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon finely grated orange peel
1 teaspoon orange-flower water*
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup thinly sliced red onion (about 1/2 medium)
4 large oranges
1 5-ounce package arugula (about 10 cups packed)
1 cup fresh mint leaves (from about 2 bunches)
1/2 cup thinly sliced pitted oil-cured black olives
1 5-ounce piece ricotta salata (salted dry ricotta cheese),cut into 1 1/2-inch-long, 1/4-inch-thick slices

Whisk first 6 ingredients in small bowl. Gradually whisk in oil. Season with salt and pepper. Do ahead Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill. Bring to room temperature and rewhisk before using.

Place onion in large bowl. Add 1/3 of dressing; toss. Let marinate 20 minutes.

Cut off peel and pith from oranges. Cut each orange crosswise into 8 slices.

Add arugula, mint, and olives to bowl with onion; sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss. Add remaining dressing; toss. Divide salad among 6 plates. Tuck orange slices and ricotta salata slices into salads.

ROASTED WHOLE FISH AND FENNEL WITH CRUSHED POTATOES, PRESERVED LEMON AND CHARMOULA

1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt (preferably Greek-style)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1 (3- to 4-pound) whole black bass with head and tail, gutted, scaled, rinsed
1/2 bunch fresh Italian parsley sprigs plus 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
1/2 bunch fresh thyme sprigs plus 3 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, divided
1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh fennel fronds
1 lemon, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
2 medium fresh fennel bulbs, trimmed, cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges
7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 1/2 pounds small fingerling potatoes
2 tablespoons chopped preserved lemon

Charmoula (recipe follows)

Fresh cilantro sprigs

CHARMOULA

1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 garlic clove, minced
1 1/4 cups finely chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Stir cumin in small skillet over medium heat until lightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Transfer to mortar. Add garlic; pound with pestle until paste forms. Transfer to bowl. Mix in cilantro and next 4 ingredients. Stir in olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Do ahead Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover; chill. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving.

Mix yogurt, chopped cilantro, and lime juice in small bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and chill.

Cut 2-inch-long, 1/2-inch-deep slits into outside of both sides of fish, spacing 2 inches apart. Sprinkle fish inside and out with salt and pepper. Place parsley sprigs, thyme sprigs, fennel fronds, and lemon slices in fish cavity. Sprinkle top side of fish with chopped parsley and 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped thyme. Cover and chill at least 1 hour. Do ahead Lime yogurt and fish can be made 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Stir fennel seeds in small dry skillet over medium heat until lightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Mix fennel wedges, 2 tablespoons olive oil, toasted fennel seeds, and 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped thyme on rimmed baking sheet; toss. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast until fennel is tender and beginning to brown, stirring often, about 30 minutes. Do ahead Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Rewarm in 400°F oven until heated through, about 10 minutes.

Place potatoes in large saucepan; fill with enough cold salted water to cover. Bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer just until potatoes are tender, about 12 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup cooking liquid. Transfer potatoes to baking sheet and cool slightly. Using heel of hand, smash potatoes coarsely. Return potatoes to same saucepan. Add 3 tablespoons olive oil and preserved lemon. Do ahead Can be made 1 hour ahead. Let stand at room temperature.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Drizzle 2 tablespoons olive oil over fish. Roast fish just until opaque in center, about 30 minutes. Let fish rest 5 minutes.

Add 1/4 cup reserved potato cooking liquid to potato mixture; stir gently over medium heat until heated through, adding more cooking liquid by tablespoonfuls if mixture is dry, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Using 2 large metal spatulas, transfer fish to platter. Arrange fennel and potato mixture around. Spoon some charmoula, then some lime yogurt atop fish. Garnish with cilantro sprigs. Serve with remaining Charmoula and lime yogurt. 

ITALIAN ALMOND TART

3/4 cup natural almonds (4 ounces)
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest
1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons fine cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
7 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/3 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons brown sugar

Preheat the oven to 350°. Butter a 9-inch springform pan. Spread the almonds on a baking sheet and toast for 10 minutes, until golden. Let cool slightly, then coarsely chop the almonds. Leave the oven on.

In a small bowl, mix the egg yolk with the orange zest and the extracts. In a medium bowl, mix the flour, cornmeal and salt. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender or rub it in with your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in the granulated sugar and brown sugar and the toasted almonds. Gently work in the egg yolk mixture with your hands; the dough should be crumbly.

Transfer the dough to the prepared pan and loosely press the crumbs; the surface should be uneven. Bake for 40 minutes, or until deep golden brown. Transfer to a rack and let cool completely before unmolding.

Break the tart into large pieces. Pile on a platter with the Roasted Red Grapes and serve with the Champagne Sabayon.

the night of the focaccio

"Shit"  She looked down at the list in front of her, already 9:00 in the evening and she had a litany of things to finish before she would be ready for the wedding tomorrow.  How did the time get away from her?  It was clear she would be lucky to be done before 2:00 am, really lucky.  She rubbed her eyes and ignored her exhaustion.  "Okay, okay, okay" she muttered to herself as she looked over her list.  She had promised this spread of focaccio, which had to be made from scratch.  This would not be difficult if it weren't so late in the evening.  She tried to calculate her rising time to see if she would get any sleep at all tonight.  "Shit" she thought again, her head was swimming, she needed to just dig in and not think about it.  

What was harder to ignore was why she was running so late.  It wasn't that she was just physically tired, she was emotionally drained.  The business was taking up more of her time than she had ever imagined and that was not sitting well with her partner.  There were the endless discussions about money.  But when it came to talking money, there was no discussion, only his superiority and her lack of finance.  A business could be outwardly successful and internally struggling.  The first few years had been an endless balancing act to just stay afloat.  It was very hard to turn a profit, and for every step forward there seemed to be two steps back.  Every extra dime went into building the business, a 24/7 juggling act of vendors, clients, and cooking.  She could not seem to make him understand this.  Last week she had bounced some checks because a payment hadn't come through when expected.  That had ended with him shaking the statement of the returned check fees in her face, his face growing redder and redder at what he saw as her flaws.  She was growing tired of it all.  She turned her attention to her dough.  The sponge had risen enough that she could add more flour and knead the dough.  There was something so gratifying about kneading dough, the rhythmic pushing and turning, a thousand sorrows could be pressed into the dough and it thanked you for it.  

She finished the kneading and put aside the dough, placing it in a warm spot of the kitchen.  The dough would fill with tiny air bubbles until it had grown to twice it's original size.  There was the satisfying swoosh when it was punched down only to be set aside to rise again.  Depending on her time she would sometimes allow two full rises before shaping the dough and letting it rise for a third time before baking.  It was always a question of timing, let the dough rise too much and it would end up depleted of the necessary gases and the final texture would be off.  By the same token if not allowed sufficient rising time it would not build up enough gases and would be heavy and too dense.  As she prepped the toppings for her focaccia she reflected that bread dough had a lot in common with both business and relationships, and figuring out how to push and turn the business, knowing when to let it breathe seemed a whole lot easier.

BASIC FOCACCIO

SPONGE

1 tsp. active dry yeast

1/2 c warm water

3/4 c unbleached white flour

 

DOUGH

1 tsp. active dry yeast

1 c warm water

3 Tbls extra virgin olive oil

Sponge, above

3 1/4 c unbleached flour

2 tsp. sea salt

 

TOPPING

2 Tbls extra virgin olive oil

1 1 1/4 tsp coarse sea salt

 

SPONGE:    Sprinkle yeast over the warm water in a large mixing bowl, whisk it in and let stand till creamy (about 10 minutes)  Stir in the flour .  Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until very bubbly and double (45 minutes)

 

DOUGH:    Sprinkle yeast over warm water, whisk in and let stand till creamy (about 10 minutes)  With a wooden spoon stir the yeast mixture and olive oil into sponge.  Mix well.  Stir in 1 c of flour ; stir in salt and remaining flour, 2 cups at a time.  Mix until the dough is well blended.  Knead on a lightly floured surface until soft and velvety (about 8 - 10 minutes) 

 

FIRST RISE:  Place the dough in a well oiled container.  Cover tightly with plastic and let rise till double, 1 1/4 hours. 

 

SHAPING AND SECOND RISE:   The dough will be soft and delicate and full of air bubbles.  Divide the dough into desired sizes and flatten on an oiled work area.  With well oiled hands press the dough into circular shapes.  Cover with a towel and let rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour.  Just before baking dimple the dough vigorously with your knuckles or fingertips, leaving visible indentations.  Drizzle olive oil over the dough leaving oil pools in the holes you have made. Sprinkle with coarse salt.

 

BAKING:   Preheat the oven to 425 degrees .  Bake until the crust is crisp and the top is golden, about 20 to 25 minutes.

Before baking top the focaccio dough with any of the following:

ROSEMARY, OIL, SALT

extra virgin olive oil -drizzle over the dough

course sea salt - lightly grate or sprinkle sea salt over the surface

sprigs of fresh rosemary - scatter sprigs over oiled and salted dough

GARLIC AND TOMATOES

extra virgin olive oil - drizzle over dough

2 cloves minced garlic - mix with chopped tomatoes

1 lb fresh tomatoes - chopped.  spread over dough

course sea salt - lightly grate or sprinkle sea salt over the surface

SWEET RED PEPPERS AND BASIL

extra virgin olive oil - drizzle over dough

1 -2 sweet red peppers - roasted, peeled and seeded, and cut into strips then laid on top of dough

fresh basil - chopped and sprinkled over dough

course sea salt - lightly grate or sprinkle sea salt over the surface

These doughs can also be used as a base for pizza.  Prepare any of the focaccia above and build it up as desired, adding olives, cheese, sundried tomatoes, fresh zucchini, oregano.  Have fun with it and play around with the flavors.

leave your yesterday behind

"No, it's not possible."  The fact that she kept denying it made her know it was true.  She was pregnant.   She stared in disbelief at the positive red mark on the tester.  She had been careful, and the father was someone she loved. But this?  Neither of them were ready for this.  She thought for a brief instant about terminating the pregnancy but she had been raised Catholic, and while she did not object to abortion, she knew that she was too internally conflicted to be able to choose that.  

She threw the tester into the trash, folded her arms and stared out the window.  Snow was falling, coating her yard with frozen tears.  She didn't even know where to begin.  Even though she knew her partner would support her, this would turn both of their lives upside down, and ultimately she would be the one most affected.  A hundred questions raced through her mind at the same time, colliding with each other, pushing to get answered first.  Could she even finish college?  or even finish this semester?  She had an intense workload and the unrelenting nausea of the last few days is what led her to take the pregnancy test.  And she had been so tired lately.  How could she complete her school assignments when she was having trouble just staying awake?  And her job?  Her head began to hurt with the weight of the questions.  

She turned away from the window, walked into the kitchen and picked up the tea kettle.  She filled it with water and put it on the burner. A cup of tea seemed to be one of the few things that calmed the nausea.  When the kettle began to sing, she realized she had not moved since turning on the burner.  She shook her head, turned off the flame and poured the hot water into a cup.  She looked out the window and watched the snow piling up.  She sipped her tea, feeling it warm and calm her body.  Slowly her awareness opened up, there was music playing in the background, she heard the lyrics of the Taj Mahal song and thought if she were still religious she would have thought God was speaking to her, "leave your yesterday behind and take a giant step outside your mind." 

NO WINE, NO BEER FOR ME, JUST A GUAVA COCONUT SPRITZER

8 oz coconut water

2 or more oz of guava juice

2 or more oz of sparkling water

Mix together and serve over ice.  

NUTRITIONAL TIPS: Coconut water is one of the highest electrolytes known, it has the same electrolytic balance that we have in our blood, but with less sodium, more potassium, more magnesium and added medicinal benefits.  Guava is beneficial for the skeletal and lymphatic systems.

WARMS MY HEART CAULIFLOWER TURNIP SOUP

1 white onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 T olive oil

1/2 t cumin

1/2 t white pepper

1 t sea salt

1 head cauliflower, broken into florets

2 turnips, peeled and cut into cubes

1 quart vegetable or chicken broth

dash of tabasco

5 fresh basil leaves, chiffonade

blanched sugar snap peas tossed with fresh lime juice

Saute the onions and garlic in oil till translucent.  Stir in seasonings.  Add the stock.  Add the cauliflower turnips, and dash of tabasco.  Cook over medium heat until cauliflower and turnips are tender (about 20 minutes).  With a hand blender (Cuisinart Smart Stick works very well) puree the soup till smooth and creamy.  Serve hot and garnish bowls with a few sugar snap peas and basil chiffonade.

NUTRITIONAL TIPS: Cauliflower and Turnips have sulfur which is a natural antibiotic and antiviral.  Cauliflower is also a good antioxidant and can help purify the blood.  Turnips are said to energize the stomach and intestines.  Raw turnips can serve as a digestive aid.

SOME CRAZY MIDNIGHT CRAVINGS SALAD

1 lb carrots

2T cherry balsamic vinegar

    toss with carrots

1 fire roasted pascilla pepper, peeled, seeded and diced

1/3 c chopped dried cherries

2 thin slices of red onion, finely diced

4 fresh basil leaves, chopped

    toss with balsamic carrots

1/2 c sliced almonds

1 T olive oil

salt & pepper to taste

    Coat a skillet with olive oil.  add almonds and stir through oil so they are lightly coated with oil.  Lightly brown over medium to low heat, then season with salt and pepper.  Toss through carrot salad.

organic arugula leaves

Meyer lemons

    make a bed of arugula leaves and squeeze a meyer lemon juice over the leaves.  Top with a serving of carrot salad.  Enjoy!

NUTRITIONAL TIPS:  Carrots  are rich in vitamins, minerals and enzymes and they are one of the best foods for the liver and digestive tract.  Carrot juice is one of the best detoxifiers, it cleanses, nourishes and stimulates almost every system in the body.  Peppers have capsaicin which aids in healing and cleansing.  Peppers also help normalize blood pressure, and can help make the body more resistant to colds.  Cherries are rich in antioxidants and help eliminate excess body acids. 

A Tale of Three Pianos

"The piano was here in the house when I bought it," the owner told me, "do you want it?"

"Yes, that would be lovely".  I replied.  "How ironic", I thought to myself.  This would be the third piano I owned, none of which I had ever purchased, and none of which I could play.  My last piano had belonged to my grandmother, who had been a beautiful singer in vaudeville days.  When my grandmother came to live with our family, her upright piano found a new home in our living room, becoming a fixture of my childhood. All my siblings pounded away on it, attempting chopsticks and the like.  We imagined ourselves as accomplished pianist.  Though none of us ever managed more than a basic finger dancing around middle C, we competed with each other trying to outshine the others rudimentary skills.  The piano bench also served as extra seating during holidays when we would have more mouths around the table then chairs.  Eventually, I inherited the piano and moved it from home to home, my own kids copying the practice of bad piano playing, until a new move forced me to realize this home had no corner for it and I had to pass it on to hopefully more skilled players.

Perhaps it is my love of music that brings that pianos into my life.   My first, an ancient upright, arrived from an unexpected source when I was just out of college.  It came from a musician boyfriend who thought it would fit well at my house.  The piano lasted longer than the relationship and one suffocatingly hot and humid August day that piano nearly met its end as well.  I had coaxed my male friends into helping me move by enticing them with offers of pizza and beer.  During the move, as they were turning a corner in the UHaul, the unsecured piano fell with a resounding thudl.  When we arrived at the house my sweaty, exhausted friends decided it was damaged beyond repair and not worth carrying up my steep drive into the house.  It was decided - it was staying by the curb.  That night the heavens opened up and what wasn't already damaged become soaked.  The next morning, sleepy from the move, I awoke in the early morning hours to the sound of someone playing a piano.   "What?'  I was in a confused morning fog, I looked out my window and saw that a pedestrian had stopped in front of my house to play the piano.    Three times that morning the drenched piano beckoned to passersby to take a moment to play a tune.   As the sun climbed the sky, turning the night's rain into another sauna-like day, I walked outside and looked again at the forsaken piano.  One of my new neighbors came out to greet me.  Within a matter of minutes he had decided it was worth saving and rallied a group of neighbors to carry the piano up my drive and into my new home.  

So now a new home, a new piano and an endless love of music.

A SYMPHONY OF VEGETARIAN DISHES

TO SATISFY EVEN THE MOST DETERMINED CARNIVORE

MUSHROOM SOUP

5 1/2 c vegetable stock

2 white onions, diced

2 T olive oil

6 garlic cloves, minced

16 oz mushrooms, sliced

8 oz shiitake mushrooms, sliced

1/2 c sherry

soy sauce

1 medium size potato, peeled and sliced

1 T fresh herbs, parsley, thyme, marjoram (or equivalent in dried herbs)

fresh lemon juice

     Sauté onions and garlic in olive oil until caramelized. Add sherry.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Add mushrooms and soy sauce and sauté for several minutes.  Add herbs and vegetable stock.  While soup is cooking boil potato in separate pot until tender.  When potato is tender puree with some of the stock.  Adjust seasonings and enjoy.  

 

FIG CARROT SALAD

2 c. grated carrots

3/4 c. roasted pistachios

4 diced scallions

1/4 to 1/3 c Fig Balsamic Vinegar

Toss all ingredients together and enjoy.

 

FRENCH GREEN BEANS

10 cloves of garlic

1 lb of green beans

1 lemon,  or meyer lemon if possible

Add garlic cloves to a pot of salted water and bring to a boil. Add green beans and cook till just tender. Remove to bowl. Squeeze fresh lemon just over and season with salt and pepper to taste. 

 

SPAGHETTI SQUASH FRITTATA

3 c spaghetti squash (pierced and baked for one hour)

I onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

4 T olive oil

salt and pepper (to taste)

1 t basil

I zucchini, cut into half moons

4 oz of crumbled feta

1/3 c parmesan

1/3 c ricotta

8 eggs

In cast iron skillet or omelet pan, sauté onions, garlic and seasonings in olive oil till onions are translucent.  Add zucchini, sauté just till tender.   Stir eggs and cheese and spaghetti squash together.  Add to vegetables in skillet.  Stir together and let cook on low till sides of frittata are just set.  Sprinkle top with additional parmesan

Bake in oven on 350 for 20 to 25 minutes until frittata is set.

 

 

 

 

a day like any other

 

He was going to Hawaii, that very morning, in just a matter of hours he would be on a plane heading to paradise.  His first trip had been when he was still in his twenties.  At the time he could hardly afford to make the trip and debated long and hard whether he should spend his hard earned money on something so seemingly frivolous.  But he had never been one to pass up an opportunity and this one had been staring him straight in the face.  The islands had changed him in ways that were hard to verbalize.  It was as if the richness of the natural beauty had traveled deep into his soul and it became necessary after that for him to make periodic trips to the islands.   

There were some last minute errands he needed to finish before the trip, so as soon as it was late enough for the businesses to be open he darted out of the house and jumped into his car.  He was dressed simply in a gray t-shirt, baggie shorts and running shoes.  30 minutes, 40 minutes at most, were all he needed to check off those nagging little items that always seemed to present themselves right before a trip, no matter how carefully he planned.  He was so focused on what he needed to do that at first he didn't see the red light flashing in the rear view mirror. "Dammit", he thought to himself as he pulled his car over to the side of the road.

The officer got out of the patrol car and walked up to his window, standing there for a moment giving more weight to his presence and letting his quiet stare sink in.   The officer then indicated with a hand gesture that he should roll his window down.   When the window was open the officer seemed to swell in size as he moved into position and folded his arms,  "What are you doing out this time of morning?"

"Excuse me?'  for a second he was confused, his mind had been so focused on the trip that he had foolishly thought that he had been pulled over for nuisance reasons like a bad tail light or some problem with his tags. 

"This doesn't look like your neighborhood, so what are you doing out at this time of day in this part of town?'

"I was heading to the dry cleaners, over there on 5th, I need to..."

"I need you to step out of the car."

"But what seems to be the problem?"

I just need to make sure there is no problem, if you get my meaning."

He got out of the car, trying to maintain a semblance of calm because inside he could feel his rage growing.  He took a deep breath and let out a long, slow exhale, then fell into a much practiced manner and hoped that this would not turn into anything more than an annoyance.

So Much More Than Pancakes 

1 c whole wheat flour

1/2 c masa harina (may substitute corn meal, masa harina is more finely groundso creates a smoother texture)

3 t baking powder

1 T raw sugar

1/2 t sea salt

1 free range egg, beaten

1/2 c organic vanilla yogurt

1/2 t vanilla

1 c milk

2 T sunflower oil

Stir all the dry ingredients together.  Combine the egg, yogurt, vanilla, milk and oil.  Add to the dry ingredients.  Stir together just until the liquid ingredients are incorporated into the dry ingredients (if the batter seems to thick add a bit more milk).  My father always said to treat pancake batter as gently as a baby, so stir just enough to break up the clumps.  Brush a griddle with oil.  Heat it until water droplets dance on the surface.  Pour the batter onto the griddle and cook until you see bubbles on the uncooked side (this doesn't always happen if the batter is very thick, so check the griddle side if no bubbles form to see if you need to flip them).  Flip and cook until done.  Serve warm with organic butter and warm maple syrup.