note: Tim's Daughter Courtney is the apron Artist.
Don't feel bad Bobby Flay, Emeril Lagasse and all you other Food TV Network stars whose contracts have just been renewed for another year.
There, there now ... don't cry ... it really wasn't a fair contest for the postions of Chef de Cuisine & Suisse Chef at this 5 day food extravaganza.
When two (two, mind you) Chef de Cuisine the caliber of Steve "The Don" Guerrero and Tim ~ Red Meat ~ Smith, come along to prepare one's banquet, it simply is not fair to anyone else who would dare try to cook, grill, or prepare food, in any manner, whilst in their presence.
First Up ... Ribs:
Tender, doesn't even begin to describe the delicious~iosity factor of these ribs you see below; the meat fell off the bone & melted in our mouths. Later in the weekend we had the left overs as pulled pork sandwiches. mmmm, mmmm goooooood.... how many syllables is that?
We were also blessed to have Garde Maze: Rick Rogers & Patisserie: Karla Van Kull.
Rick made his mom's famous Potato Salad. Its made...with bacon... then marinates for one day before you eat it....oh my stars! or ~ 5 stars is more like it!
Had a bit of a challenge getting a good picture of Rick's potato salad.
Wafting a wonderful aroma through the house, by the time it was served, was so yummy it moved too quickly out of the serving bowl, then onto & off people's plates for me to snap!
Don't they know I'm staging a photo here?! ;-))
Not, a mere Trifle
During the pre-Extravaganza Party prep & planning (don't you love alliteration?) there were early & repeat requests for Karla's Trifle. Am
so thankful as,
Wow, it was beyond fabulous; key ingredients: la crème et les framboises fouettees fraîche
* & fresh
local strawberries, etc!
*gotta have a tad of French thrown into this description :D
Karla also made two different salads; both simply scrumptious!
Will try to get ahold of the recipes & publish here; although there's nothing like having them prepared by the original artist! ;D
Grilled sweet corn: look at these other fabulous contributors & contributions...
Right to Left: Steve, Linda, Tim, Lori & Karla.
More local Fresh Strawberries, yummy.....humm & here's another
fresh cute Guy - Chuck - too!
We had real Bratwurst as part of one evening's dinner menu; boiled in beer, then grilled to perfection; served with Vidalia onions grilled with fresh local creamery butter, etc. yummy!
Update: 7/16/08 ....additions of recipes:
Karla's TRIFLE:
This LOOKS long and involved, but actually is quite easy, and definitely worth it!
Makes 6-8 servings.
One 3 1/4 oz package (or closest size to that) vanilla pudding mix, NOT INSTANT
2 cups half & half
2 Tablespoons rum
2 1/4 Cups whipping cream, not already whipped - it's in the milk section
3 Tablespoons Sugar
2 Tablespoons raspberry preserves
One Angel food cake
1/4 cup brandy
1/4 cup sherry
1 package fresh or frozen strawberries or raspberries
1: Combine pudding mix and half & half in sauce pan. Cook over low heat until mixture comes to a boil and partially thickens. I had to raise heat to medium to get it to boil and to avoid standing there all day. Stir in rum, cover with saran wrap touching top of pudding. Then chill pudding thoroughly, at least four hours, or overnight.
2: Combine 1 1/4 Cup whipping cream and 1 tablespoon sugar and whip until stiff. Fold into pudding mixture. 3: Using brush coat a deep 10 inch glass bowl with preserves to within one inch of top of bowl. Slice cake horizontally into fourths. Place top slice, crust side up in bottom of coated bowl. Cut remaining cake into fingers about two inches wide and stand against sides of bowl pressing so fingers adhere to coating.
4: Combine brandy and sherry and sprinkle over cake in bottom and sides.
5: Spoon custard into bowl.
6: Beat remaining whipping cream with remaining sugar until VERY stiff. Pipe whipped cream around rim of bowl and in mounds in center. If you don't have a piping bag, just spread whip cream around rim and dollop mounds in center.
7: Refrigerate for at least two hours.
8: Right before serving, decorate with berries. Enjoy!
~> Karla also made a fabulous salad, twice, called:
INDEPENDENCE DAY SALAD
Serves 2 (just increase amounts to suit your company's appetite)
2 cups spinach leaves, prepackaged, washed and dried
1 cup European-style mixed greens
1/4 cup candied pecans (see instructions below)
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1/2 cup fresh blueberries
1/4 cup dried cranberries (Craisins)
2 ounces Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup Vidalia onion salad dressing in a jar
Wash and dry spinach and mixed greens. Place in a salad bowl, and toss with dressing. Meanwhile, in a small nonstick skillet, toast pecans under medium heat. Add the 1 tablespoon maple syrup until candied appearance occurs. Watch carefully to prevent burning. When done, put pecans, blueberries, cranberries, Gorgonzola cheese in bowl with salad greens. Toss again gently, so they don't all fall to bottom of bowl. Serve.
~>Here, the ultra-fantastical Tim Smith is serving a delightfully refreshing Sangria - pool side - none the less! Fresh local fruit were among the Sangria's key contributing ingredients.
We girls were spoiled rotten over our 5 days together....yea!
Thank you Guys!!!
Should any fair reader doubt the veracity of these food characterizations, here is a picture of the pool taken just moments after the words "dinner is ready" were spoken.
Moses should have had such speedy results moving along the children of Israel!
Please feel free to post your "food feedback" comments here.
