the harvest to come .....

So here is my little garden helper, trying her hardest to reach the top of the monster cucumber plant . This year my husband built me a raised garden bed for Mothers Day , and over the memorial weekend we both worked feverishly to complete the task and plant all these wonderful goodies. So the photos you will now view may shock some readers , because all these plants were planted the Monday of Memorial weekend ..... and by the 4th of July, were and are, completely out of control. We have had a casualty , my most favourite tomato plant in the world, the green zebra tomato ... sad to say had to me removed due to tomato wilt ..... but happy to report that the rest of the crop has escaped unscathed.

Please enjoy the following photos , showcasing my husbands handiwork , the pride of my little garden helper ( she actually ate the little tomato for dinner tonight ) and please allow the Chief Gardener a moment ....... to take it all in .

Happy summer and happy harvesting to all vegetable gardeners !!!!!

my favourite herbs ....... guess who is making some pesto tomorrow

as you can see , this is not a huge plant
and it already has at least 8 eggplants

graffiti eggplant .... and there are so many of them

Cucumbers that go from a baby dill pickle size to a delectable sweet cucumber in a matter of days ... we harvested 7 yesterday  and the second photo will be harvested in a couple of days 

 

 

The first tomato of the season , a sweet one hundred cherry tomato - and my little garden helper actually enjoyed it with her dinner .... without too many long faces .

 

The pepper plant on the left is a cubanelo pepper , and we enjoyed the first one it was crisp and delicious and sweet . The one on the right is a red bell pepper , which I am patiently checking on daily hoping it will turn red soon .... I see a tinge .



My four tomato plants , please meet ms san marzano pomodoro, ms sweet 100, my black russian and my german friend ..... I can only imagine what a caprese salad will taste when I harvest from these beauties....

My beloved herbs ....... basil, oregano ( buried next to the basil) rosemary, sage , parsley and mint .... and their cousin thyme sitting underneath a tomato plant above.

Here is my zucchini plant , ..... imagine these lightly steamed with a squeeze of fresh lemon and a splash of olive oil !!!!

 

 

and finally my pride and joy ..... meet the broccoli family, patient and stoic , surviving the two heatwaves we just experienced , and I am about to harvest my first head of broccoli ..... can you see it just near the center of the photo ..... I was not expecting anything until late summer early fall . 

 

 



Good-bye Summer ...... it is time to go

Dear Summer ,


You have hung around long enough. As we woke up this morning to a shivering below freezing temperature , I think you finally realised it was time to move on . Yesterday you tempted us with temperatures that defy the month of November , temperatures that made us think it was still ok to wear stylish flip flops and squeeze in one more pedicure , and question whether it is really Thanksgiving on thursday.


As I nostalgically looked through my photos I came across photos of my purple bell pepper harvest , and the most delicious tasting basil pesto I have ever made ...... Can you taste food through a photo ??

I realise am not the greatest photograher , I really have to get to know my camera a lot better , however I just stared at this basil pesto for days ..... it was that good . When we finally enjoyed it a few days later in a simple dish of fettucine and pesto - I died and went to heaven .


Tomorrow is Wednesday , the day before Thanksgiving and the day my girls have dedicated to baking . I do not cook for Thanksgiving , I am only just coming to terms with pumpkin pie ( will it be as good as last years attempt ? ) I will let you know . The recipes have been resourced, the ingredients cross checked - there is always a last minute run to the store ..... and the energy is palpable .


Happy Thanksgiving everyone ..... and hello Old Man Winter ..... we are more than ready for you !!!


regards
GG

**** For some great ideas go to my November 2009 archive for something a little different.****  

Road Trip

It was road trip time in our household , plans had been hatched many a time over the last ten years , and we finally made good our promise and descended upon the beautiful city of Toronto Canada.

As usual, in keeping with the frenetic pace of my life at times , we departed our hometown of Chicago at a moments notice and within 48 hours we were on the road to Toronto. The car was packed , mapquest directions printed, Penelope (our cat) was left in charge of the household with a list of last minute instructions. The drive was uneventful , at times picturesque, filled with naps, songs and times of silence that needed no explanation . We took in the dulcid tones of Shirley Bassey, Elvis Presley and Santana ..... along with obligatory snippets of baseball scores.

While in Toronto we were expertly guided by  Andrew T-Tours a personally handpicked tour guide providing us with all the ins and outs the city had to offer . Several of the photos included in the post are courtesy of Andrew T-Tours  ........ highly recommend his services .

We enjoyed a tour of the island directly opposite the downtown area of Toronto , as a member of the garden club I was completely enamoured with the stunning garden beds and beautiful parkway . There was a beach and a lagoon within the park which was enjoyed. 

entering the waters of lake Ontario

getting ready to tackle the lagoon ....

taking it easy with dad at the helm !!

one day my garden might look like this.

what to they feed the plants ??

We also took a drive to Niagara Falls , enjoying a beautiful drive through vineyards, a quick stop at Niagara on the Lake , a beautiful picturesque town with adorable gift stores and places to eat . Again the garden beds were stunning :

We then took a walk down to the Niagara river and were met by two mermaids sitting on the rocks :

As we drove to the falls we stopped and admired ...... I use that word loosely - because my heart was in my mouth and I was dizzy just watching-  the boat tackle the whirlpool caused by the water from the falls.

Once we got to the falls all I can say is - they are loud and the water moves quickly and they are a sight to behold. I do not think any photo I could take would ever do them justice - it was overcast and rainy by the time we arrived there - so I will spare you the photo of us looking like drowned rats . Take time to listen to the video and hopefully this will give a feeling of what the falls are like.

We enjoyed a trip to the Science Museum , highlight of the trip was the Harry Potter exhibition. We enjoyed eating in some great restaurants - a "glowing" review to follow in a future post . We enjoyed getting to know long lost family members, we enjoyed quality family time and above all it was great to get away for a few days .

Needless to say we were hounded relentlessly by papparazzi and along the way brushed shoulders with some famous people ..... also  had some funny moments.

could this be Jackie O ???

air dried our hair at the CN tower .... who needs hairdyers ??

I specifically asked for a personal shopper, limo to the hotel and fresh cut flowers upon my arrival...and all I got was this hoodie!

Happy travels everyone ....... summer is fleeting make the most of the days to come !!!

The heat is on .....

Summer has arrived with a vengenance this year . We are recording 90+ degree days like sand through the hour glass. My vegetable garden is growing in abundance, the basil is out of control - considering last year it refused to grow , turned a sad colour of yellow then curled up and died. My cucumber plants are seeking gold medals by outgrowing their cages and my tomato plants are growing in leaps and bounds.

A few weeks ago my eldest daughter had a few of her bff's over for a summer party - they all enjoyed these delicious fruit slushies . I cannot tell you how refreshing they were and perfect for an afternoon of summer fun .

Watermelons and strawberries starred in these delicious drinks , a little simple syrup and plenty of icecubes. Of course you can tailor these to your specific favourite fruits. I like to keep things seasonal - because nothing tastes better than watermelon and strawberries in the peak of summer.

Of course these can be made more enticing for adults by adding your favourite vodka or tequila ..... we have now elevated them to happy hour drinks - because it is always 5 o'clock somewhere .

Enjoy these drinks in the spirit of summer fun the perfect cooling beverage for the whole family .


Fruit Slushies
inspired my many a recipe


watermelon , cubed
strawberries - hulled and halved
simple syrup **
cold water
ice cubes

decorative drink umbrellas and fruit of choice

My preference is for seeded watermelon as they have more flavour , take the time to take out all the seeds , cube to about the same size as your icecubes . Wash and hull the strawberries them cut them in half . Place the fruit in the freezer for about an hour - to make them very cold - that way they will not melt the icecubes.

Place 2 handfuls of icecubes in your blender along with some water , the partially frozen fruit and blend. Add a little simple syrup and cold water to adjust the thickness of the drink - you want to be able to drink it through a straw - basically they need to be margarita consistency. You can adjust the ratios of fruit to your personal taste . If the fruit is sweet enough you can omit the simple syrup .

Place in a cold glass and decorate with whatever you have on hand.

** Simple syrup recipe.

In a saucepan place equal parts sugar and water , bring to boil then simmer for 5 minutes. allow to cool them store in a glass jar in the fridge until you use it all up .

Red Eggs ........

This week for the first time in quite a few years we have a confluence of events.

Firstly, it is spring break for our district , secondly, it is also Orthodox Easter coming up this sunday  therefore making this week Holy Week . Add to this we hit 83F in Chicago yesterday ( this is not a typo !) ......... and it was also April Fools Day ..... aahhh mother nature how you tease us !!!!! . Before I forget it is also Passover ... which for reason I cannot explain at this point in time is always around Orthodox Easter.

Easter is filled with many traditions , for the devout it is the highest point in the religious calendar . Far outstripping Christmas as a religious event , not completely lost in the mire if present shopping and decorations for house and anything that breathes , Easter is for many a time of reflection and introspection.

Another time I will sit down and explain to one and all what Orthodox Christians do in preparation for Easter Sunday , for the sake of this post I would like to share and show off the fruits of the labours of my girls in preparing the eggs.

As I mentioned , 83F in chicago yesterday - however in true tradition we had a small window of opportunity to prepare the eggs ( which signify "new life") , they can only be done on Easter Thursday or Easter Saturday . So , to the store we went and purchased 3 dozen Amish free range eggs , came home and boiled them . Allowed them to cool , then gave free range to my little gourmets and their friend Caroline , to decorate the eggs.

The idea was given to me by my sister in Greece, who has started this tradition with her son and a few of his friends . It is fun , artistic and a great tradition to uphold.

For the purists of egg dyeing - please look the other way , for mothers looking for a way to get their children involoved in a great tradition , please read on .


Boil as many eggs as you will need . Remove from water and allow to cool .

Meanwhile , prepare the red food dye in COLD format - this is only available form the international supermakets.

Assemble the following wax crayon colours - white, dark blue, lime green and a regular green colour and a nice golden yellow colour.

Now the fun begins , let the children draw different designs on the eggs , then place them carefully in the cold red dye and gently swirl around . Allow to sit for 20 minutes. Remove from the dye with a mesh spatula and place back in the egg carton to dry off completely.

If you wish, once they have dried completely you can gently rub then with a soft cloth and some olive oil - I personally think they look just fine as is .

I hope this has inspired you to begin a fun tradition , to the purists, the eggs still taste the same - but we have involved children in a tradition which has a lot of meaning .

Happy Easter ..... Kalo Pasha .........

Where have I been ?

It has been a while . I had to think really hard to remember my sign on for the blog .

Well , I have not given up on blogging , rather- I have re-arranged certain aspects of my life .  The call to work was sent out , by hubby , and hard choices had to be made . The time came to hang up my apron and put away my chopping knives - only in relation to my catering business . I will now be Office Manager at the gulag, I have worked for hubby twice before this time and been fired twice before this as well - but we will leave those details to be explained in another blog !!!

So next week , 23rd February is the last week for Soup Package customer pick-up . When I put together the February package there was no intention to end it so soon - however I am happy with the selection for that week , Black- Bean Chowder Soup with Youghurt Cilantro Relish and Three Mushroom and Barley Soup , all of this is to be enjoyed with Feta Cheese Toasts - my own creation !!!

When the first email went out saying that Gourmet Goddess was coming to an end - emails and telephone messages of support poured in - I was truly humbled , immediately followed by " this culinary hiatus is temporary - right ??? ".  

As I start making inroads with my new title - Office Manager , as I start to decipher the needs and wants of a Mazek, a Brother and a Hyd-Mech machine, understand the different types of stainless steel ( I thought there was only one type) , when we heat treat parts - can I throw in a tray of  muffins at the same time ? I will not be totally removed from my food adventures . I will still have opportunities to read through the food blogs I follow , I will still bookmark interesting recipes I come across - because that aspect of my life is not on a culinary hiatus.

What does the future holds for Gourmet Goddess? - I do not know at this point in time . I have ideas I want to develop further and hope to start writing a cookbook soon . That in its self is a huge commitment . When I started GG it was at the start of the ecomomic downtown . This has reshaped and forced us to rethink a lot about life in general and what matters to us most . No-one was more surprised than me as to how popular my cooking endeavour turned out , I would have been happy just cooking for a handful of families - I ended up cooking for several handfuls of families . When I started the Soup Package, Tasty Tuesdays, and Pantry Staples - I was overwhelmed by how my customers embraced my new spin on GG.

Many people who never placed orders would read my website or blog - just because !! They liked the way I wrote about food and life in general .  To me they were still customers - of the literary kind .

The great thing about this whole adventure is that I connected with a lot of different people within my community. I  hope I do not lose that connection , because my community is small and whether you like it or not we are all related by six degrees of separation .

So a blogging I will go , new post coming up in the next few days and as always .... happy eating . !!

GG

T'is the Season

It has been an interesting year .

I started my catering from home business in October of 2008, had a wonderful year ....... my sister visited during the summer , we enjoyed a wonderful time together . School started and before I knew it , my little gourmet just turned 10 years of age and my little little gourmet will be turning 7 years of age in a couple of weeks .

Then all of a sudden Christmas was staring me in the face .

I love Christmas , I love the fresh Christmas tree we put up every year , I love the collection of ornaments we have amassed over the years and above all I enjoy the anticipation of "what will Santa bring?" on the faces and minds of children . This year we were so busy that I did not even manage one Christmas dinner at home with friends and family ...... I always have a couple of get togethers - it is always an excuse to stop what we are doing , take some time out of our busy lives and have an enjoyable time.

This year the tree had been decorated with angels , tin ornaments and some very rustic looking ornaments - which I just love . As I started to put them on the tree - ably assisted by my little gourmets . I always stop and think about the year that has been , whenever I place the ornament above. This year it is in my kitchen , just above the sink and as I look into its face and the messages it holds - I say and truly believe the following :

"....... we must never lose hope "  AND  " ....... love always abounds" .

So Merry Christmas to my friendly readers and I wish everyone a wonderful New Year filled with "love and hope" .

............. and in closing I leave you with the Snowman my little little gourmet made at school , which she talked about for weeks , and which brought tears to my eyes when she he came home 

 

............... this is what Christmas is all about .

The Countdown is on ......

We started a tradition several years ago , the Christmas tree is purchased the day after Thanksgiving . While people rush out to the stores for Black Friday shopping , myself and the girls are cooling our heels for Daddy to finish work and make our important purchase for the day . Once we get home , it is usually soup and then the decorations are hauled up from the basement ( ... thanks Deno ) and the countdown begins .

Unfortunately there is no time for the romantic trip to a Christmas tree farm , scouring the fields for the perfect tree, but rather a rendevous with Daddy  , at a big box hardware store ...... and the search begins .It is inevitably a cold night , several years it snowed as we searched for our tree. The girls now have input is the tree is the right shape , is it full enough in the body .... does it fit in our living room ? Is it going to be noble fir or balsam fir ... will the needles drop before Christmas day ? - flashback to  Christmas 4 years ago !!!

But the the most poignant event in the countdown to Christmas is the countdown itself . I purchased a blackboard  about 5 years ago , I did not think much of it , I indeed questioned if it would even be used . It has turned out to be the most anticipated "daily" event in the countdown.

Every morning as the girls come down for breakfast , I hear a pause in the hallway , the erasing of data from the blackboard and the scratchy noise of the chalk. Then the proud announcement ".... it is XX days until Christmas" .

The Christmas stockings will be hung over the coming weekend . The Santa lists have already been typed up - in very cute font - just incase Santa cannot read the writing of a 6 year old ...... I think all that is missing are the item numbers. They have upped the ante on what is to be prepared for Santa and the Reindeers come Christmas Eve .... mum is going to be busy cooking .

So create a tradition , be it ever so small ........I guarantee you it will be something they will remember for a long long time !!!

Halloween .......... and the great pumpkin adventure

Well we just survived another halloween , it was colder than usual - so bundling up was essential . The whole process begins the night before with the carving of the pumpkins . A lot of thought goes into this . Strategies are plotted , designs are sketched out ad nauseum ............ and most years we come up with some good pumpkins .

Now , getting to this point is all the fun . For the first time , the girls were brave enough to deal with pumpkin goop ............ yes! the hands dived in and scooped out all that fun stuff ( albeit with a little help from the master pumpkin carver - Dad) ....... Mum was spared the hard work ..... I think they had fun !!

So, as you can see from the sequence of events , things were moving along nicely, even Penelope gave her look of approval - before she disappeared for a while .

.

The next important strategy is the carving process ........... Number 1 daughter picked a "ghastly face " to carve ........ Engineer Dad plotted out the drawing with exacting precision and then set about carving the "ghastly face " ...... under the watchful eye of Number 2 daughter.

So, in the final stretch the girls were very proud of their efforts , Mum helped Number 2 daughter with her carving - hence all photographing ceased - because you cannot carve and photogragh at the same time .

Here is the final product - note how life imitates art ............ Number 2 daughter's toothless grin is also reflected in the pumpkin !!!! and Number 1 daughters devil ears are reflected in the"ghastly face" .....

The next day ........... Halloween preparations were in order and my two little pumpkins set off to trick or treat  as the "good little witch" and "the little devil" ............ but they hammed it for a photo.