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The meal
accommodated these food sensitivities: gluten, dairy, soy, iodine, and
low-sugar. We feasted on appetizers of Spiced Almonds and also Warm Olives in
Citrus and Herbs. For cocktails, I served my version of a Mojito, a Cuban drink
made of rum, mint, and lime juice.
The next
course was a refreshing Chilled Double Melon Soup. The dish is actually
two soups; one is made from pureed cantaloupe and the other from pureed honeydew
melon. Each soup is poured into the serving bowl at the same time to
create a lovely, dual-colored soup, garnished with fresh mint.
My
husband, Larry, was the chief barbecue guy. He grilled Pork Tenderloins that had
been dusted with a Southwestern spice rub. I sliced the pork into
medallions and topped them with a Mango Salsa. To pay homage to the whole grain
gods, the pork and salsa were served on a bed of quinoa that had been simmered
in lemon-grass-flavored water. Since this entree was fairly "busy", I served a
simple vegetable of green peas.
Of
course, no gluten-free meal is complete without bread. I made my standard French
Bread that starts out in a cold oven and timed it come out of the oven just
before we sat down to dinner. The wonderful aroma of the bread was intoxicating
and the Expandex that I added to the bread made it look just like the real
thing. You can see the bread in the lower left-hand corner of the photo.
Dessert
was an array of choices: Fresh Berries, Flourless Chocolate Cake topped with
fudge sauce, and Fresh Apricot Cobbler with vanilla ice cream (since fresh
apricots are so abundant at this time of year).
Everyone
went home with a gift of homemade Banana Bread to enjoy the next morning. It was
truly a really fun evening and proves that you can entertain despite food
sensitivities.
Don't
Miss the 2nd Annual Gluten-Free Summit in Denver
Chefs
from all across the nation, as well as some celebrity chefs right here in
Denver, will come together at the Doubletree hotel near the old Stapleton
Airport on August 17 to 19 for what is sure to be a wonderful experience for all
the attendees. There will be gluten-free food everywhere and it will be your
chance to learn all the new tips and tricks of these experts. I'll open the
event with Lori Sobelson of Bob's Red Mill on Friday morning, August 17 and then
demonstrate my Multi-Grain Sandwich Bread on Saturday afternoon, August 18. You
can get more information or register at
www.theglutenfreelifestyle.com.
Hope to see you there.
Fried
Zucchini Blossoms
If you
read last month's issue, you know that I planted loads of zucchini so I could
fry my own zucchini blossoms. I had LOTS of zucchini blossoms, so I ate
many little feasts. I used the recipe for the coating in a recent Sunset
magazine and simply used cornstarch instead of the flour, adding only enough
liquid to make a thin paste. Use plenty of oil so the blossoms don't sit on the
bottom of the pan.
Food
for Thought
“Good bread is the most fundamentally
satisfying of all foods; and good bread with
fresh butter, the greatest of feasts.”---James
Beard (1903-1985)
What
Is Carol Reading?
No
business travel in July, but I did offer a class at Whole Foods Market on making
pie crust. The recipe is in all of my books published after 2005 and features a
crust that is so pliant and supple that it's a dream to roll out. I use it for
traditional pies as well as pressing it into tart pans.
I read a
wonderful book by one of my favorite authors. The Lady in the Palazzo
by Marlene de Blasi is a continuation of her experiences as a newly-wed to a
native Italian. They leave his home of Venice, Italy, and spend time in Tuscany
before finding a "permanent" home in the hill town of Orvieto, Italy. The book
describes how they adjusted to their new lives in Orvieto, while waiting for 2
years for the renovation of their home (which is actually the ballroom of
a palace in Orvieto). Of course, there is a lot of discussion about the foods of
Italy and the book concludes with a memorable feast in their new home. If you
love Italy, as I do, you'll enjoy this book.
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My
mention of any particular company or product in this newsletter does not
constitute an endorsement by Savory Palate, Inc. Please do not regard the
information in this newsletter as medical advice. Seek the counsel of a
qualified health professional.
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