Cherry Pie and Cold Brewed Coffee

Rainier Cherries backlit by the Sun

Shade in the afternoon is a summer treat

This is the easiest and best way to make a pie crust. Put a cup of water in the freezer to chill. Blend two cups room temperature butter with three cups flour, folding, not over working the dough. Slowly add the very cold water, and roll your dough in a circle on a floured bread board. Use a lovely rolling pin, a cotton cover over it helps.
Stem, and pit 4 cups cherries, mix with two cups sugar. You can go less on the sugar. Add a bit of kirschwasser if you want, to you or the mix.
Bake at 350 degrees for forty minutes.
Lay the crust in a deep pie pan, and crimp the top crust on, or sprinkle the dough like a cobbler.
Serve with cold press coffee. Put coffee grounds in French Press, let sit for ten hours, et voila, less acidic coffee, perfect for summer. This really has a smoother taste.
Now, the sun beckons.....breeze, ahhhh

Fresh Tomato Pasta with Blush Wine



Hanging Around Near Vantage, Washington in late June



Of course summer is the time to drink a rose, also called a blush wine, and Grocery Outlet has a great selection.
Have friends over, always preferable to dining out. To set the mood to cook, it is essential to watch this video from Vogue Paris, marking Emmanuelle Alt's ascension to Editor. It is supermodels covering Wham's Wake Me Up Before You Go Go.  It will give you all the energy you need to cook for loved ones, and you will know exactly what to wear. Watch the film here.
If you still feel like cooking, it must be something light and chic. And seasonal, as seasonal as white Levi's. Locavare is common sense, and common sense is comme il faut. Washington State can be full of surprises if you know where to look.
Wham! Here we go go!
Tomato Angel Hair Pasta
A classic favorite, it is simple and better without cheese. A great pasta sauce can be a light toss of fresh flavors from your garden or local market.
Seafood in a separate dish sauteed in garlic, oil, parlsey, and red pepper flakes goes well with this supper.
1 tbsp olive oil
4 plum tomatoes, finely diced
2 sliced garlic cloves
2 cups white wine
8 ounces angel hair pasta broken in half
pinch of sea salt
1/2 cup fresh chopped oregano
In saute pan, heat oil on medium/high heat.
Add tomatoes and saute, stirring oftem, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and saute another minute.
Add wine, pasta and oregano and stir to coat. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to meium. Simmer until pasta is done and liquid is absorbed. Season with salt and pepper, garnish with a bit of the fresh oregano. And white sneakers, no laces

Cherries and White Wine

Cherries are wonderful alone or with a sweeter white wine such as Reisling.
A graceful way to serve fresh cherries is to heap them whole, stems intact, on pretty dessert plates. Serve finger bowls of ice water with the cherries so the fruit can be dipped as it is eaten.
At mother's knee I learned her favorite way to prepare cherries. Destem the cherries, put in a large glass bowl or jug with a pound of sugar and two quarts vodka. Let it set, covered for a month or so, and voila, slivovitz, cherry brandy from Yugoslavia.
Or, for Cherries Jubilee pit and stem two pounds of cherries, poach them 1/2 sugar and 1 cup water. If that seems like a lot of water, decrease the amount and add kirschwasser or Grand Marnier.
Then heap the hot berries in a flame proof dish, add 1/2 cup kirsch or Grand Marnier and ignite, away from table. These taste great spooned over vanilla ice cream. No ice cream- then it's vegan! Either way, practice this dish before guests arrive. Coup de Foudre!
Here is an easy sorbet recipe - poach the fruit in booze, then puree and freeze. I did this today, and added fresh grated ginger and wild ginger- a lovely afternoon treat. Or a meal!

Breakfast at Timberline

This much snow in June!

Remains of the Bacon Sampler at Breakfast

Jason Stoller Smith's James Beard preview dinner was divine, from the sublte gelee appetizers to the sophisticated pear dessert left even the most gregarious guests speechless. So much fun, with more guests than ever, and going from the awkward standing around at the beginning of any evening, to a warm, well fed and slightly tipsy room full of dear freinds a few short hours later. I like it just for that aspect, men jingling the change in their pockets ending up telling racy travel stories with laughter filling Silcox Hut, as the wind blew its cheeks outside! Inisde the fire blazed and I discovered a new rose- Bergstrom. I also loved the Sigrid Chardonnay from Bergstrom.
Breakfast is hearty at Timberline. Where else can one get a bacon sampler?
It was a great success. The James Beard House is lucky to have Jason and his team coming to visit!

Walt Whitman

Keep your face always towards the sun, shadows will fall behind you.

You Don't Need a Wine Rating System to Enjoy Wine

You don't need a wine rating system or self appointed expert  - often a middle aged man in Mom jeans and a shag haircut- to tell you about wine. Learn foryour self, pair wine with a poem, a friend, a breeze, s sonnet, a cello concerto, a nicely set table, and tanned legs. Books and Paker and ratings are silly. Read some Emerson and be your own judge.

Sauvignon Blanc is a green-skinned grape variety which originates from the  Bordeaux region of France. The grape most likely gets its name from the French word sauvage ("wild") and blanc ("white") due to its early origins as an indigenous grape in  Southwest France a possible descendant of savignon, or Wild thing, you make my heart sing.

Sauvignon blanc is planted in many of the world's wine regions, producing a crisp, dry, and refreshing white varietal wine. Oregon, Washington, and California produce some very nice Sauvignon Blanc blends that can be found a plenty at Grocery Outlet.
Sauvignon Blanc's crisp acidity, bright citrus, and green herbs call for a sauce or dressing laced with lemon and herbs. This salad is a natural match for Sauv Blanc heavy blends.
Seafod Salad with Creamy Tarragon Dressing
Serve this salad on a bed of butter lettuce or a sandwich on crusty bread.
1 lb peeled shrimp
1/2 lb bay scallops
1/2 lb cleaned calamari
1/2 cup mayonnaise, best when you make your own
1 tsp grated lemon peel
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp Dijon
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup chopped butter lettuce leaves
1/4 cup drained capers
1 avocado pitted peeled and diced
Boil large pot of water over high heat. Add shrimp, scallops,a and calamari. Take a sip of wine.
Cover, remove from heat, and let steep until the shrimp are pink on the outside and and opaque but still moist inside. Drain the seafood, immerse in cold water and drain again.
Meanwhile, combining mayonnaise, lemon peel and juice, tarragon, mustard, whisk until smooth, or use a blender.
Combine seafood, lettuce, and capers in a large bowl, Gently stir in avocado, toast yourself with a nice glass of wine.

Beer, Wine and Grilled Chicken Salad



 We are on the brink of summer and outdoor living, so use your grill. GroceryOutlet has grilling supplies and tools, and I bet you can find one of those funny aprons in a drawer somewhere!
Grocery Outlet has a huge variety of beers  - imports, microbrews, IPAs....and of course the wine. For this menu I bought a nice Oregon Chardonnay for me to sip and enjoy while cooking. I love to sip while cooking with the radio on, it is a nice time to focus. When your brain is calm and focused it is happier. For the men in attendance this weekend I bought Snoqulamie Brewing Company beer for my pals.
Taking time to cut and dice, instead of buying prepared sauces and mixes can be an enjoyable way to spend the afternoon.
Grocery Outlet had a great meat selection - I like chicken, steaks, or the turkey sausage on sale this week!
GRILLED CHICKEN SALAD
Here, smokey charred chicken combines with bright peas and herbs in a salad that's fresh and hearty. Grilling the chicken ahead of time makes it even easier to put together.
1/4 cup olive oil
3/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
4 clovees garlic, minced
one chicken, grilled outdoors, creating grill envy on your street
2 cups peas, fresh or frozen
1 minced shallot or small onion
3 tablesppons dijon mustard
1 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
1 or 2 head of butter or bibb lettuce. Grocery Outlet has had this lettuce with the roots still on, a very fresh treat.
Whisk together oil, half the lemon juice and half the garlic, pour over chicken.
Boil pot of water, and when roiling boil toss in peas for two minutes, you don't want to overcook peas. Drain and put in cool water to stop the cookiung process, it is called s'arrette in French. This also helps retain the color.
Grill the chicken for 25 minutes or so.
Whisk together the remaining ingredients in a medium bowl. Arrange the lettuce minute and peas on a large serving platter. Dice the chicken and toss in the dressing mixture, and pour remaining mixture over salad. Et voila, a perfect outdoor meal!

Chenin Blanc and Ceviche Tostadas

The weather is perfect this weekend so of course the best course of action is to spend as much time outside enjoying the weather. This morning taking my coffee outside I heard  neighbor Gabriella singing "It's Raining on Prom" from Grease - no worries, I happen to know all is well with her dress and her date, and her mom said she was a hit at assembly.
I heard three lawn mowers from various houses singing in perfect harmony, and at dawn the sprinklers in the front and back performed a pastoral ballet worthy of Gershwin or Copeland, complete with rainbows in the sprays.
The first course of action is to open the Hamilton Cellars 2011 Chenin Blanc, and think of a leisurely supper that welcomes the sunny season. This fruity wine is lightly sweet, much like a song from Grease on the piano. This supper is spicy, a delicious contrast.
Ceviche Tostadas
1 glass Chenin Blanc - for you, a tiens!
1 lb. cooked large shrimp
1 medium tomato, chopped
1 avocado, chopped
1 jalapeno, halved seeded and sliced
1/2  English cucumber, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup chopped white onion
1 cup chopped cilantro - such a wonderful scent!
juice of 2 limes
8 tostada shells
1/2 cup crumbled queso or feta
Mix together everything except the tostado shells and cheese, let mixture marinate for ten minutes.
Spoon the mixture onto the shells, sprinkle with cheese.
For dessert, destem strawberries at the time you serve them in parfait glasses, sprinkled with sugar and creme fraiche. Easter chocolates may be stretching it, so After Eights, small dark chocolates are always good.

Hamilton Cellars 2010 Rose of Malbec

Along with flowers I found another great Rose wine to enjoy with spring! It is the Hamilton Cellars 2010 Rose of Malbec. It is deeper in color than many roses, with a light and rich fruity flavor. Hamilton Cellars is a Columbia Valley Winery, and the Winemaker is Charlie Hoppes. Hamilton Cellars tasting room is in the Queensgate area of Richland, off Keene Road, a lovely area, worth the visit!

With spring, you must eat lunch in your garden as often as possible - and never lack wine or poetry. This poem pairs so well with Rose wines. I really msut figure out the accent vergule.
Hildegard von Bingen was a tenth century poet, musician, and abbess. She lived from 109-1197, and wrote this lovely poem:
I am the breeze that nurtures all things
I encourage blossoms to flourish with the ripening fruits
I am the rain coming from the dew
that causes the grasses to laugh
with the joy of life
Set the table with a tulips in an old Celery Vase, Rose Chintz china by Johnson Brothers, and listen to new Norah Jones, The Marriage of Figaro, or Paul McCartney.
This supper will  welcome spring!
ONION AND ROMAINE SALAD
1 head Romaine
Try planting some in pots, it really is easy to grow
1 large Walla Walla Sweet onion
chopped Tarragon
Toss with a basic vinaigrette
2 tbl high quality olive oil
2 tbl wine vinegar
generous grinds of pepper mill, and blend pink, white and black peppercorns.

OMELETTE A LA DUXELLES

Duxelles is a basic preparation of chopped mushrooms, onions, and shallots sauteed in butter. Some think the word came from Uzel, a small town in the Cotes du Nord, and others attribute it to La Varenne, chef of the Marquis d'Uxelles. La Varenne seems be credited for a great many recipes!

Clean and trim 2 cups mushrooms, and chop them finely, together with 1 onion and 1 large shallot, melt some butter in a skillet, and add the vegetables, pepper, and a little grated nutmeg. Cook over a brisk heat until brown and the water from the mushrooms has evaporated.

Beat 8 eggs lightly and season with freshly ground pepper, and add 1 tablespoon cream. Heat 3 tbl butter in a very clean clean non stick pan.

Raise the heat and pour in the beaten eggs. Stir them with a fork, drawing the edges to the center as soon as they begin to set.

Pour in the duxelles. Stud the omelette with small fried croutons, and garnish with duxelles.

Serve with Pave D'auge, a Normandy Cows Milk Cheese, or a goat cheese, and dried figs.

GRAPEFRUIT WITH SHERRY
Peel 6 grapefruit, removing all the white film. Slice in dessert cups, sprinkle with sugar.
Right before serving, add sherry to taste, or pass the sherry and let the guests serve themselves. Sherries are a nice excuse to use a pretty decanter.