If you have some of the above attributes but are not a geezer nor even approaching pre-geezerhood, thank God for that, press on regardless, and welcome.

Eggplant Stack
Yield:  about 2 servings per eggplant
See Abbreviations, if needed
2          large deep purple eggplants 
1          large Vidalia or white sweet onion 
1-2      bell peppers 
3T       Italian, Mexican or French seasoning, of choice 
1/4C    EVOO 
S/P      to taste, but don't over salt the eggplant 
2C       tomato sauce, of choice 
3/4C    freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano 
1.    Preheat oven to 400F 
2.    Slice the eggplant into rounds 1/2 inch thick (3 per serving); leave the skin on for now 
3.    Slice peeled onions into thin rounds and set aside 
4.    Slice the bell pepper into rings ¼ inch thick, clean out the center of the rings
5.    Place the eggplant rounds on a greased sheet pan (or Pam sprayed) 
6.    Dust generously with seasoning and drizzle generously with EVOO 
8.    Place a bell pepper ring of each eggplant 
9.    Place an onion round on top of each pepper ring pepper ring 
9.    Bake at 400F for about 22 minutes 
10.  Prepare the tomato sauce 
11.  Remove sheet pan from oven and let cool, leave the oven on 
12.  To assemble and serve: 
• Remove the pepper and onion from each eggplant round and set aside 
• Remove eggplant skins (optional—use a scissors)
• Drizzle tomato sauce over each eggplant round 
• Dust generously with the grated cheese.  Replace the pepper and onion and add 
              a little more sauce and cheese 
• Repeat with two more eggplant/pepper/onion combinations--creating a stack three high

• Add remaining sauce and top with remaining cheese 
• Return sheet pan to oven to reheat the stacks and melt the cheese, about 8 minutes 
• Serve immediately on heated plates as a vegetarian entree or with meat or poultry 

NOTE:  We're going to use what's called a breading station.  The trick is to move the shrimp from one pan to the next while keeping one hand dry and the other wet, otherwise it turns into a wretched mess and your fingers are stuck together indefinitely.

Yield:  2-3 servings 
See Abbreviations, if needed
·  3/4C      unbleached all purpose flour
·  1t           hot paprika
·  1/2t        salt
·  1/2t        freshly ground pepper
·  1/2t        sugar
·   2           eggs
·  1.5C      unsweetened shredded coconut 
·  3/4C      Panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
·  1 lb       large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined (about 6 [10-15 count] shrimp per person)
·  1.5 C     grapeseed, vegetable or peanut oil if using a wok, (about 3 cups if using a Dutch oven)

1. Set up a "breading station" to coat the shrimp: 
    (using three dishes and two hands--one "dry hand" and the other "wet hand"
     ·  Combine flour, paprika, S/P and sugar and place in a shallow dish, far left
     ·  Beat the eggs lightly with a little water and place in the second shallow dish, center
     ·  Combine the coconut and Panko and place in the third shallow dish, far right
2.  With the left hand, drop a few shrimp into the flour mixture, coat thoroughly and 
      then transfer the shrimp to the egg mixture
3.  With the right hand, swish the shrimp to thoroughly coat them with egg
4.  Again with the right hand, transfer the egged shrimp into the coconut/Panko mixture and coat thoroughly
5.  Again with the right hand place the coated shrimp on a rack to await frying
6.  Repeat with all the remaining shrimp
7.  Heat the cooking oil in a wok or Dutch oven to 375F. Use a thermometer!
8.  Carefully place a few shrimp in the oil and immediately increase heat to get the oil back 
     up to 350F to 375F
9.  Swish the shrimp in the hot oil until golden, about 2 minutes
10.  With a slotted spoon or tongs, transfer the deep fried shrimp to a rack and place in 
        warming drawer or oven 
11.  When all the shrimp are prepared, serve immediately
12.  Coconut shrimp can be accompanied with red onions, orange and lime slices 
       and/or chutney

Vichyssoise

We're in the season for cold soups.  Vichyssoise is very popular.  It is a cold, pureed and strained version of potato and leek soup, with special handling.  Note the following:

·   Cold soups should have a thinner consistency than hot soups.
·   Cold soups require more seasoning than hot soups because cold dulls the sense
    of taste.  It follows, that seasoning should be adjusted only after the soup has 
    been chilled.
·   Add the half and half at the last minute. 
·   If some of the soup is to be set-aside for tomorrow or to be frozen, do not add half 
    and half to that portion.
·   Always serve cold soups very cold. 

VICHYSSOISE (revised)
A cold leek and potato soup
Yield: 1 quart, about 6 servings 
See Abbreviations, if needed
•   1          onion, diced
•   5          leeks, white to very light green part only, sliced
•   2 T       butter
•   1          garlic clove, pureed
•   1          sachet of Herbes de Provence or of bay and thyme leaves, pepper 
                corns and parsley stems
•   1 qt      chicken stock or canned broth (watch the salt)
•   5          large red or white potatoes, peeled and diced
•   1/2 C   half and half
•   4 oz     creme fraiche
•   2 T      fresh chopped parsley
•              salt and white pepper (this soup needs quite a lot of salt)

1.  Sweat diced onion and leeks in butter to well done, but not browned (about 10 minutes)
2.  Add garlic, sachet of herbs and chicken stock.  BTB and then simmer
3.  Add potatoes and simmer until the potatoes are done
4.  Strain the hot soup through a food mill, not a food processor.  Then, if it is still way too thick 
     and not smooth, puree it with your stick blender or food processor. See note 
5.  Chill the soup 
6.  At the last minute, add half and half to thin the soup to desired consistency
7.  Adjust seasoning
8.  Serve cold, garnished with a piped dollop of creme fraiche and a spring of parsley
Note:  Step 4: A food processor will chop up all the tough fibrous leeks while a food mill will strain most 
of them out leaving a more refined soup. 

Summer Picnics,  Cook Outs and "The Danger Zone"

Time for the annual Food safety lecture:

What should be said about food safety to this audience of seasoned home cooks?  Got to say something since you will never get over making your guests sick--and it can happen and it can be avoided. 

The first two of three bottom lines are that bacteria need temperature and time to grow and give off toxins.  So, keep these numbers in mind:

· The “danger zone” wherein bacteria grow rapidly is 40ºF to 140ºF.
· In four hours of accumulated time, in the danger zone, rapid growth of bacteria may occur.

Apply these data to a potato salad scenario for a charity affair and we have the following:
 

Event	Time the mayo is in the Danger Zone
Mayo is taken out of the fridge, mixed with Dijon mustard, diced olives, pickles, onions, lardons of bacon and whatever and set aside.	20 minutes
Potatoes are then peeled, cubed, boiled and set aside to cool.	20 minutes
The eggs are hard boiled and set aside to cool and be sliced.	20 minutes
The potatoes and eggs are added to the mayo.
The salad—all ingredients are now at ambient temperature, say 70ºF—is placed in the fridge to await the trip to the charity event. It never cools to 40ºF.	60 minutes
The salad is loaded into the car and makes the trip to the charity event where it is placed on the serving table just in time for the buffet—a two-hour affair.	60 minutes
There is a good crowd, but plenty of potato salad for the late arrivals.	120 minutes

Add up the time in the danger zone and we get 5 hours.  The late diners are at risk from the potato salad!

The third bottom line is “cross contamination”—that is, the transfer of harmful microorganisms from one item of food to another by means of surface contact (knives, boards and hands) or storage and thawing in contact with other food items.  The villain here is the live pathogenic salmonella, which is the source of most frequently reported foodborne infections. The heroes are space, soap, water and cooking temperatures.  Prepare and store raw meat separate from other products, wash knives, steels, boards and hands with soap and hot water upon completion and cook meat products to temperatures recommended by the USDA—poultry and sausages for sure (165ºF).

Peanut Butter Cookie with Coconut Flakes and Heath Bits
Here is my peanut butter cookie with the addition of coconut flakes, which serve both as a binder and added texture surprise, and Hearth Bar bits in the cookie and on the top, along with one strategically placed peanut half.  The coconut flakes are unsweetened but sweetened would be OK. (Since I prefer unsweetened coconut for all savory recipes there is always some in the pantry.)  Whole Foods carries it.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Peanut Butter Cookies with Coconut Flakes and Heath Bits
See Abbreviations, if needed 
Yield:  36 cookies
½ lb         (2 sticks) butter
1C           firmly packed dark brown sugar
1C           sugar
1t             vanilla extract
2½.C       AP flour
½ t           baking soda
½ t           baking powder
1C           chunky peanut butter
2              eggs
1C           unsweetened coconut flakes
½ C       Heath Bar bits

1.  Preheat oven to 350F
2.  Cream together butter and sugars in the KA, add vanilla
3.  Sift together flour, baking soda and baking powder 
4.  Add peanut butter and eggs
5.  Add flour mixture
6.  Add coconut and Heath bits, mix briefly, remove KA bowl, finish by hand and fridge to hold
7.  Scoop dough with 2 TB scoop (#36) and place well apart on sheet pans or cookie sheets 
     lined with parchment paper or silicone mat
8.  Flatten balls with crisscrossed meat tenderizer mallet
9.  Top each cookie with a peanut half  and a couple pinches of Heath bits
10.  Bake 12-14 minutes, or 11 minutes if using a convection oven, until puffed and edges 
     are just starting to brown

Apricot, Coconut and Chocolate Chip Scones
I forgot how the subject of scones came up while at a beach house in Florida two weeks ago. but as soon as we got home I looked for recipes.  Clayton's
Complete Book of Breads, which is pretty old, had five of them but Yockelson had two nicer ones.  From one, I tossed out the banana, substituted dried apricots and then goosed the coconut a bit. So here we have:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Scones
See Abbreviations, if needed 
Yield:  about 16 small pie-shaped scones or 8 big ones
2.5 C      AP flour
2 3/4 t    baking powder
1/4 t       cream of tartar
1/2 t       salt
1/3 C     10X sugar
6 T         unsalted butter, cold and small cubed
2            large eggs
6 T         heavy cream
1 t          vanilla extract
1 C        finely diced dried apricots
3/4 C     semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 C     sweetened coconut flakes

1.  Preheat oven to 400F
2.  In a large SSB, whisk together flour, baking powder, cream of tartar, salt and 10X
3.  Add the cold cubed butter and cut it into the flour with a rounded dough blade or fork to 
     reduce the cubes into large pea-sized bits
4.  In a smaller SSB, whisk eggs, cream and vanilla together
5.  Empty the wet SSB into the dry SSB, add the diced apricots, chocolate chips and coconut 
6.  Fold and knead to form a dough (if too dry add a little more cream)
7.  Turn out on floured surface and knead briefly 
8.  Roll out dough into a 9-10 inch disk and cut eight wedges with a chef's knife
9.  Transfer scones to a sheet pan, lined with a silicone pad or parchment paper
10.  Refrigerate for about 15 minutes
11.  Remove from the fridge and (optional) remove each wedge to a cutting board and 
       cut each wedge in two to make 16 scones
12.  Return scones to sheet pan and bake at 400F for about 16 minutes (or about 12 minutes 
       convection). Scones are done when they start to brown and/or interior temp is +185F
Optional:  Prior to baking, top each scone with a few chocolate chips or sprinkles
Note:  Next time I make these, I will add the zest from one lemon.  I think it would help.

We currently are repainting and reshelving the pantries in the kitchen, so all the contents are spread out over the kitchen counter and the dining and living room floors. In the process of getting everything out, we came across an ancient bag of very short grain basmati rice, from my teaching days eight years ago.  So, to use it up, I made this dish with the rice instead of couscous.  I prefer using couscous but the rice worked nicely too. This is great side dish and easy to make.  Here's how:

Couscous or Rice Salad
See Abbreviations, if needed 
Yield:  about 10 servings as a side
• 10 oz      couscous
• 1 C         plain yogurt
• 2 T          red wine vinegar
• 1 T          Dijon mustard
• 3 T          EVOO, your best quality
• 2 C         diced yellow and red peppers
• 1 C         diced scallions or shallots
• 1/2 C      diced calamata olives
• 1 C         minced fresh parsley or cilantro
• S/P         to taste

1.  Prep couscous or rice and cool
2.  Combine yogurt, red wine vinegar, and mustard in large stainless steel bowl
3.  Whisk in EVOO
4.  Whisk in other ingredients and then add the grain
5.  Toss to coat
6.  Serve ambient

If you find these shaped potatoes on your plate in a restaurant, you will know that the chef appreciates traditional fine cooking and will pay to create it.  When doing a stagiaire at The George Town Club one afternoon, I prepared some pommes rissolee.  The chef placed two potatoes on each plate as an amuse-bouche to delight the eye. 

We joined a dinner party with old friends last night, where the host had earlier been thinning out her basement book racks.  She presented me with this aged and musty 1978 first edition of the paperback version of this 1976 classic.  It's still in print and for good reason.  Just short of a cooking course in one book, it covers over 150 basic techniques with 1500 black and white photos that define the preparation of fish, veggies, meat, desserts, carving and other knife work. 

I first used this book at school.  Paging through it now, I have renewed admiration for La Academie de Cuisine in that there is little presented by Jacques Pepin in La Technique that was not presented to us over the one year course of instruction. In fact, I cannot find an unfamiliar page! If you have grandchildren aspiring to things culinary, this classic would be a fine addition to their growing library.
 
 
 
 
 
 

It was 8 above Saturday morning, so I poked about in the pantry for some cocoa powder to make  hot cocoa for breakfast as fortification against the record low temperature.  I found a box of Dutch cocoa, by Droste, which proved to be high quality stuff.  On the back of the box was a recipe for Cracked Chocolate Cookies.  Since TLW ordered cookies for the inauguration, these looked promising.  Though the recipe called for vegetable oil, it otherwise made culinary sense. Dusted with 10X sugar, the cookies appear cracked as they expand in the oven.  The Droste cocoa and brown sugar combine to produce a cookie with an intense chocolate taste with low sugar notes.

So here it is, completely rewritten and with butter and some pecans:
Cracked Chocolate Cookies
See Abbreviations, if needed 
Yield:  about 30 cookies
1 1/2 C      AP flour, sifted once
1/2 t           salt
1/2 t           baking soda
6 T             (3/4 stick) butter, softened
1 1/4 C       light brown sugar
1/2t            vanilla extract
2                eggs
1/3 C         cocoa powder
1/2 C         pecans, chopped
1 C            10X sugar for dusting

1.    Preheat oven to 375F
2.    Add salt and baking soda to the AP flour, sift and set aside 
3.    Place butter in KA bowl and spin at high speed to aerate
4.    Slow paddle speed and add the brown sugar and mix well
5.    Add the vanilla extract, eggs and cocoa powder and mix slowly
6.    Add flour mixture slowly and mix until the dough is all brown again
7.    Add the pecans and mix briefly
8.    Remove KA bowl from machine, remove and clean paddle and then
       place bowl in fridge while prepping the next steps
9.    Place 10X sugar in a shallow flat tray
10.  Place baking mat(s) on cookie sheet(s)
11.  Remove cookie dough from the fridge
12.  Scoop out a one-ounce portion of dough with a #60 scoop or tablespoon,
       shape into a ball and drop into the 10X tray
13.  Roll to cover balls with sugar and then place them on cookie sheet
14.  Bake about 9 minutes until cookies are lightly firm to the touch (about 190F interior)
15.  Remove cookies to a rack to cool.

The Little Woman loves cuc's, especially farm fresh American Picklers, which are far superior to the tough skin American Slicers that come to us waxed and shrink wrapped -- no thank you.  (See Schneider's  "Veggies From A-Z" for the real scoop on cucumbers). This salad is a much more clean crunching and lighter tasting cucumber dish than our cucumber coulis.   Especially if made with a high quality soy sauce, such as the spoon-lickin-good  Ohara Hisakichi Shouten Soy Sauce, or something like it. 

The cucumbers for this salad may be peeled or partially peeled to look inviting, as shown above.  Then sliced in half lengthwise, scooped out and cut into slices 3/8" thick or less. (Use a mandoline if paper thin slices are preferred).

Asian Cucumber Salad
Yield:  10 or more servings, as a side dish 
See Abbreviations, if needed

3/4 C        "seasoned" rice vinegar (sugared)
1 C           water
1 T           sugar
1.5 T        soy sauce, high quality (use 1T if Kikkoman is all you have)
1 t             sesame oil (not more)
1/2 t          fresh ground pepper
4-5            cucumbers, of the short and thick variety 
2 T            sesame seeds, black or white, toasted

1.  Whisk together all the ingredients except the cucumbers and sesame seeds
2.  Peel or stripe the cucumbers
3.  Slice cucumbers in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds and then cut into 3/8-inch slices
     (use a mandoline to cut paper thin slices, if preferred)
4.  Toss the sesame seeds in a dry, very hot, pan until they smell toasty - a minute of less (watch it!)
     Immediately transfer them from the hot pan to a cool container and set aside
5.  Combine sliced cucumbers and the dressing
6.  Cover and chill
7.  Add the sesame seeds before serving

I just got a copy of this big glossy, Canadian published paperback and I am having a lot of fun paging through it.  So, first off: it's an attractive book with lots of whimsical color photos and reader friendly formatting.  At issue, however, is the publisher's claim that this book is the "ultimate reference of how cooking works."  That's a bit much since the bibliography cites McGee, Corriher, Wolke and others who, up to now, own the subject. (Of note to readers:  Of the fifty or so books referenced by Joachim and Schloss in their bibliography, I have ten of them and have previewed all but one on this Web site.)  Still, I guess, there's room for more.  I'm not yet sure that this book is a contribution to the literature...stay tuned. 

Well, it is!  This is a most reader-friendly food science book.  Three headings describe each of the 1600 entries: what it is, what it does and how it works.  "How it works" entries are science-based: chemical, molecular, biological, etc.. Cross referencing is so omnipresent that it invites the reader to flip back and forth through the book over and over again.  Tables abound, text size and shadings are used generously, photos appear on about every three pages--with the result that the book is a visual delight, front to back-- much more approachable that McGee and more thorough than Corriher or Wolke.  It's quite complete, too.  I looked for descriptions of a few arcane subjects--such as the Maillard Effect--and found them.  I noted too, with pleasure, that the authors avoided dating the book with foodie political views, du jour.

It's a winner and bound to be recognized as such by the IACP and/or the James Beard Foundation.  If you are looking for a reference book for an in-law or grand kid who shows promise in the kitchen, this tome will prove to be a valued selection.  You might like it too.  Or, lobby your librarian to get it.