Roger's View of the World, Love and Seafood Gumbo!
Seize the Day! Put no trust in the morrow! — Horace
Once you learn how to prepare grape leaves for the many dishes utilizing this relatively obscure ingredient, you will never go back to buying the bottled kind found in most stores! …. That is to say, IF you have your own grape vines.
There are many ways to prepare but they all involve soaking them in some sort of brine solution first… but if you don’t have your own vines, this may convince you to plant some!
How to prepare Grape leaves for Dolmades and other great dishes.
Pastitsio (Pah-stoo-chio) is a popular Greek dish designed to feed an entire village! However, this s not to distract from the fact that it is a culinary delight! Using the traditional Greek noodles and cheese (Kefalotiri), you are transferred back in time.
There are some Greek Pastitsio that you will find drowned in a tomato sauce, but in deference to the meat eating Spartans and men everywhere, I make mine with a lot more meat… a lot more meat!
“Malon Labe!” or ‘Come and get them!
I understand the saying that ‘we only borrow our children’ better now that they are living their lives. However, when they swing by to say hello to the ol folks, it’s nice to throw them a little party. With Kristin home this weekend , we’ll be able to fix her all the things she enjoys: barbecued ribs, hamburgers, baked beans, chips and salsa, brownies, pies… and a few Greek alternatives at the party as well: baklava, moussaka, tiropetes, a Greek salad and dolmades. Have I missed anything? Probably!
Oh yes, the right beverages will be here too!
One of my favorite meals is to dine on Moussaka! It is a meat and vegetable dish that has a lot of appeal in certain parts of the world, but it is virtually unknown in others. However, not everyone enjoys Moussaka and I think it is not so much because of how it is prepared but because of some , or one , of its ingredients. How one prepares the eggplant either makes or breaks this marvelous dish!
I am finally getting down to making Moussaka today …and I am reminded that slicing and frying the eggplant very thin is key! Personally, I love the addition of zucchini and potatoes also sliced and fried thin. In the sauce, I use a mixture of lamb and pork which produces a soft and delicious meat filling.
When my daughters returned from their conference in Rio de Janeiro they met Laura in another conference in Boston. Kindly, they had brought with them some cookbooks for me… in Portuguese. Now translating cookbooks is relative easy regardless of the language, but Portuguese is a language that English speaking people find possible. Thanks , ladies!
Now, I am busy!
BTW. Greek Festival in San Luis Obispo if you are looking for something fun this weekend!
A special congratulations to my daughter Karen Freberg for jumping another hurdle and passing her oral exams and becoming ABD ( this stands for ‘all but dissertation’). Karen is a hard working and creative soul, so I am sure her dissertation will be something interesting, indeed. In the meantime, all your hard work is paying off!
love, Dad