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Don’t tell handsome Hubbo that I completely destroyed the bathroom, but I forgot how much fun it is to dye. Working with raw silk is especially fun because it really soaks up the dye and the colors are so deep. I am using fiber reactive dye from Dharma and procion. Unfortunately, I haven’t achieved the brown I am after, so this is my first batch. Check back next week for batch two.

From the top down:

mink, dark brown, chocolate, truffle brown, rust orange, burgundy, deep purple, forest green.

I just received a pkg from my mother overflowing with chocolate candies and a stack of exquisitely hand embroidered linen heirlooms from our longtime friends Judy and Michelle. This cross stitch is so tiny, and so expertly rendered. I think I love the back even more.

Two street not-performers-but-stand-stillers stop for a cigarette by the Thames River in London.

This is great on fresh bread, put it in a little bowl next to big hunky slices of something fresh and crusty delicious. This spread is at it’s most delicious when it has had a chance for the flavors to blend and play together overnight, but you can also make it and serve it right away. You can change the spread easily by changing the ingredients, you can also make it a bit lighter by using low-fat cream cheese and yogurt*.
Combine:

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened (do not use softened or whipped cream cheese)
• 6 tablespoons plain yogurt
• 1 clove of garlic, finely minced
• 6 Tablespoons of fresh herbs (I like a combo of basil and chives)

* Robin does not condone this sort of activity, so don’t tell her I told you this is acceptable.

Go Italian style and combine oregano and basil; go Greek with oregano, basil and a hint of mint; try cilantro, green onion and thyme for a bit of texmexicali, or use whatever is growing in your kitchen window!

If I squint, it might feel like fall a little. I almost thought about wearing something with sleeves, but for the most part, but it still feels like summer down here in Savannah. The calendar says autumn, and that means soup. YAY soup, my favorite food. This soup uses fresh corn, which we still have down here: a perfect verging into fall soup.

This is a creamy soup, but has no dairy. The richness comes from silken tofu. You can put cream in if you want, but you don’t really notice, and your fat bum will thank you if you leave it out.

Makes enough for 4-6 for lunch.

Peel and cut the kernels off of

• 6 ears of corn

Hold the kernels in a bowl, and add the cobs to

• 6 cups of water or veggie stock (chicken is too overpowering)

Bring to a boil and then reduce heat. Keep at a simmer for about 30 minutes. Remove cobs and discard.

Blanch the corn kernels in boiling corn broth for about 4 mins. Remove and set aside 1 cup of corn kernels.
You should have about 4 cups of corn broth left. In a blender, food processor, or, if you are wise enough to have an immersion blender, process the broth with the remaining corn and the following:

• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 2 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 Tablespoon of pureed chili’s in adobo*
• 16 pkg of silken tofu, drained

Return to heat, add reserved corn and stir until bubbling. If too thick, allow it to simmer some liquid off. Just before serving add

• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro

This goes nicely with cheese quesidillas or fresh bread.

As always, soup is better on the second day.

*chilis in adobo can be found in the Mexican section of your local grocer. Open the can and pureed the contents for a quick, strong and spicy sauce. If you don’t want to work that hard, use 1 chili, minced, and about 1/2 teaspoon sauce, depending on how hot you like it.

Karen Hanrahan, also known as Mother Earth, is a wellness/nutritional consultant and writer. She has just posted pics of her 12 year old hamburger on her website.The burger on the left is 12 years old, the one on the right is fresh.

This seems a fitting time to update you on Patty and Pammy, my art version, albeit, not so old. To refresh, Patty is the McCheeseburger, purchased on July 29, 2008 and Pammy is the creme-filled golden spongecake opened on August 1, 2008. I glued the date on in crystal rhinestones so we might mark the passage of time. Please note I photographed them on today’s front page.

For your viewing pleasure, here are two more versions, from early 2007. These photos were taken about 3 months into their existence, which was cut short by a trip to the garbage against my knowledge. (sniff) Yes, it is very difficult to sew lace, beads or sequins onto a cheeseburger. Especially if they have been sitting around for a day or so.

These are actual statement on the packaging of actual food products.

 
Embroidery on cotton and ultrasuede

This is sooooooooooooo easy, and cukes are in season.

In a small saucepan bring to a simmer for 5 minutes:

• 1/4 cup vinegar (white)
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup sugar (you can use a wee bit less, please no substitutions)

Remove from heat and let it cool to room temp. Meanwhile combine in a bowl:

• 3-5 cucumbers, sliced about 3/8 -1/4 inch thick*
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion (only if you like it)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Toss with cooled dressing. When ready to serve add:

• 1 cup chopped roasted peanuts

* If you are using small organic cukes, just wash and slice. If you are using larger cukes, please peel them, as the flesh will be bitter and waxy. Make a judgement call, if the seeds are large and prolific, scrape them out with a spoon.

If you are feeling adventurous:Feel free to add red pepper flakes or chopped fresh mint as well.  This salad makes a nice relish simply by chopping the cucumber in a small fine dice.

Yay tomato season!

I am a tomato purist and would rather eat no tomato than a crappy pink tomato that will rot before it ripens. I am trying to grow tomatoes on my back deck, but they are not so fond of the Savannah summers. In my CSA* box last week I found some big beautiful swollen ripe tomatoes.

There are a million things to do with summer tomatoes, beyond eating them sliced with salt and pepper. My friend Jim Duhamel invented what I call a “Duhamwich.” Toasted bread, mayo, sliced tomato, crunchy peanut butter, toasted bread. I know this may sound weird, but it is good, very good. I suppose you could substitute creamy peanut butter.

Tonnato Sauce

This is so easy to make, especially if you have an immersion blender with mini processor. If you don’t, you should get one, it will make you a very good cook. I like this sauce slathered over sliced meaty tomato** on fresh bakery bread. It is also delicious on blanched/steamed green beans.

Process together the following:

• 1/4 cup x.v. olive oil
• 2 Tablespoon fresh parsley or rosemary
• 6 oz ITALIAN TUNA IN OLIVE OIL***
• 1/4 cup mayo
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 1/2 teaspoon capers
• 2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 4 anchovy filets
• 1 clove garlic
• salt and pepper to taste after you’ve processed

*CSA is Community Supported Agriculture. A way for produce consumers (all of us) to connect directly to the producer, for fresher, organic fruits and veggies, to find one near you, please visit Local Harvest.

** NEVER EVER EVER EVER put your tomatoes in the refrigerator. Temperatures below 55F will destroy the starches, and you will lose valuable flavor and texture in your tomatoes. This is why most tomatoes are crappy, they are picked while still green, sent halfway around the world and refrigerated until they get to you. Yuck!

*** Please do not confuse this with regular canned tuna. This tuna does come in a can, but is generally imported from Italy and a wee bit more expensive, but well worth it. You will find it in the tuna section of your local grocery store.

I even heart green beans from a can, ( a recipe I will share with you in the deep heart of winter when there aren’t any lovely fresh ones flying or sailing in).

Recipe backstory: last Friday night, in an attempt to  circumvent the traditional “where should we eat?” debate that surely follows a few beers out, I decided we should just head back to my house, which I would feverishly clean by sweeping up drywall dust and moving paintbrushes. I grated carrots and tossed them with sesame ginger dressing, made a quick curried lentil salad and threw chicken in a marinade. Prep time: about an hour, would have been less but pantry cabinet is currently behind a 12 drawer tool chest.

I have been accused of being prescient, but was shocked to find all of downtown Savannah under emergency lockdown after a transformer explosion/fire. No power, no bars open, nowhere to go, but back to my house (without the aforementioned beers).

My friend had brought some green beans to have with our dinner, we topped and tailed them over a glass of wine while the grill heated up and a pot of salted water came to boil. I dropped the green beans in the water for about 3 minutes, rinsed them under cool water. I let them cool for a few minutes, tossed with balsamic viniagrette, toasted pecans and bleu cheese.

Yes, i know this is like the recipe I  gave you last week, the toasted nuts and sharp cheese combo. It doesn’t just work on salads, it works on everything.

Now, go forth with toasted nuts and sharpened cheese and make a large flavor!