Taste Of Scandinavia

To go along with the theme of my Danish Pork Chops, is a lovely little gem of a restaurant, privately owned, that I came across while doing work in Home Care several years ago.  Actually located inside of a Festival Food-Market in Bloomington, MN - I hear they have distinctive breakfasts and pastries, although I used to frequent it for lunch.  My sincere favorite on the menu is the Norwegian Chicken Lefse Melt.  Delightfully made of grilled chicken, red pepper, spinach, mushroom, asiago, swiss and mozzarella wrapped and grilled in a large round of lefse.  Incredible really, it always left me convinced that I had ordered the right thing. 

Lefse,

                                                                                                                   on the righta

Made from scratch - shortbread, filled with the finest raspberry jam,

                                                                                         
and finished with their signature lemon icing ...

                                                   Raspberry Lemonade Cookies.

European Scones, served with butter and jams ...

A wonderfully traditional Vienna style bread, topped with a flavorful crunchy rise based topping

perfect for sandwiches or spreads ...

                                                                                                                  

                                                                                    

Traditional meatballs and mashed potatoes with creamy gravy,

 and lingonberries on the side ...

                                                

 On their catering menu is Baked Brie with fresh fruit and carmel sauce ...

                                                                 

                                                                                    

and ...

                                                                                           European bread baskets


TASTE OF SCANDINAVIAN BAKERY
401 WEST 98TH ST
BLOOMINGTON, MN
                                                                                  
                                                                                            Oh, and don't forget about
                                                                                          the Dutch Shoe Company, they
                                                                                        have biodegradable sneekers,
                                                                                                 seeded with life.
                                                                              

                                                                                                                                                          :o)                                                                                                    

Danish Pork Chops

It's from a cookbook with 794 pages.  Over 4400 recipes.  I attempted to use it 25 years ago, and kept finding mistake after mistake in the recipes.  "Tablespoons" were replaced with "cups" ; "2 servings", when they meant "12" ; "Cook at 525 degrees", when they must have meant "425".  It was the oddest thing really, and perhaps it was that darn cookbook that did my marriage in!  Nonetheless, in my attempts to please, I did find one recipe that was honorable, with a little tweaking, and to this day it brings moans - of pleasure.  I think it's the manliness of pork chops that do it, the sweetness of the unexpected apple, and the saltiness of the bacon ... they can tell - you mean business, and we're hoping, when they're finished, they will too.  :) 

                                                                                                                         

Ingredients


Two lbs. pork chops

One lb. lean bacon (if he's the sensitive type)           
One tsp. Curry
Three tart apples
Two yellow onions
One cup plain yogurt (or sour cream)
Paprika powder
One tsp. butter


The Efforts

1.  Cut bacon, onions, and apples in wide strips
2.  Saute' in butter over low heat
3.  Sprinkle chops with curry, and brown in butter
4.  Pour on the yogurt/sour cream, cover and fry the chops slowly       for 5 min., or until done
5.  Distribute the fried bacon, onions, and apples on the chops. Sprinkle with paprika powder. 


A Little Somethin' Somethin' on the side

Rice                                                                                                          
Green Salad









Pairing:

                          Sauvignon Blanc - A crisp, dry, refreshing white wine
                          Beaujolais - A light-bodied red wine

                                              Dessert:

 The cold draft bursts into the house,
It freezes, winter bangs on the doors,
A single tear hangs on the eyelash,
Like the yearning - of mine and yours…

If you are hopeful and trusting,
Your soul is full of passion…
But somewhere whines the dog,
Somewhere vanish constellations.

The hope never dies, the hope
Is our glamour and our sweetness,
Your tear resembles the yearning,
That seeks its nest in the heavens.

A hungry man darns his dreams,
He has to support his kids,
But his wife thinks of the guy,
Who’ll turn her grief into bliss…

But the kids – the heavenly gifts,
By their warbling put out the fire…
The cat grieves at the fireplace,
Reading the woman’s desires.

But no! She remains a faithful wife,
She must help her spouse. She must!
The cat resembles a tax collector,
Eyeing ashes with a hidden lust.

                           Janri Gogeshvili                                       



Chicken Cacciatore

Inspired by Filipo's Italian Restaurant, reviewed below, and the musings of Italian men, I have created a Chicken Cacciatore that will bring any worth-while man to his knees - begging you to stop before he cries out, "Mangia!"

                                                                                                                                   

Ingredients:

3- to 3 1/2-lbs of your favorite chicken parts (thighs are my favorite) 

1/2 cup flour

1/4 cup olive oil

1 medium green bell pepper

2 medium onions

1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained

1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce

1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms, or canned. 

1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh or 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves

1 teaspoon chopped fresh or 1/4 teaspoon dried basil leaves

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped                                                                                                

Grated Parmesan cheese, if desired

Preparation:

• Coat chicken with flour, heat oil over med-high heat, cook chicken 20 min to brown.  Drain.
• Stir chopped bell pepper and onions, and remaining ingredients except cheese into skillet with chicken.
• Heat to boiling, reduce heat, cover and simmer 40 min. or until thickest part of chicken is no longer pink.  Serve with cheese.

                                                                          

                                                                            

Easy:  Place all ingredients in crock pot and cook on low for 6 - 8 hrs., or on high for 4 hrs.

On the Side:  Italian bread, with Whipped butter

Wine Pairing:  Pinot Grigio, Merlot.

Spankings: Biscotti and a glass of Vin Santo.  Vin Santo is a mildly sweet dessert wine.

                                                                                                                                                      

 In this part of the story I am the one who
Dies, the only one, and I will die of love because I love you,
Because I love you, Love, in fire and blood.

Pablo Neruda

I haven't been to Filippo's for 20 years, but whenever I went in the past, I always ordered their Chicken Cacciatore.  It was just that good.  Not a fancy atmosphere by any means, just a simple, family-owned restaurant with incredible food for a reasonable price. 

Italian food means romance, soft lighting, soul-filling food, and wine that warms you from the bottom to the top.  It gets the synapse firing, the heart racing, and the charm gets wicked.

Italians have an edge up on us Americans when it comes to romance.  They seem to have the whole package...suaveness, delicious wines, tantalizing food, sizzling fashion, sexual confidence.  They seem to feel as though being the "world's greatest lovers" is part of their civic duty.  When it comes to the mating dance, the Italian woman is still following man's lead.  An Italian man sees himself as the hunter and the woman, the hunted. (I think the women are really the ones doing the hunting, but they let men think that it's the other way around.)  It's that aggression and confidence that coined the phrase, "Latin Lover."                                                                                                                                            

Men in Italy are much more free with admiration than those in other parts of the world. Men will compliment your appearance a great deal, and they can be very "touchy."  Above all, they are chivalrous - opening doors for you, pay for things, etc.  Males might even ask if it is okay for them to kiss you.

In Italy, they have an illness called, "I love loving." 

So get loving, with some delicious Italian cuisine.  

Tino's  makes a Cacciatore sandwich that is messy, but make that part of the fun.  :)

Filippo's Italian Restaurant    

414-321-4040

6915 W Lincoln Ave Milwaukee, WI 53219

 

Lovers above:  Tim and Lori Prosser.

Peppered California Pasta Salad

Inspired by the California Wine Tasting meetup I recently attended, I prepared an aesthetically pleasing pasta salad that was as delicious as it was beautiful.  The cayenne delivers the zing, while it also marriages a bold burst of citrus infusions.  Ultra healthy and light, it can be eaten warm or cold.  Americans should take a hint from European and Asian cultures and start eating more savory breakfast meals, so surprise your honey with this the morning after, and you may return to the night before.  <3

Ingredients:

1 bag whole wheat penne pasta
2 lemons

1 large orange

2 bay leaves

1.5 cup white button mushrooms                                                                                   

1 small red onion
1 large red or orange bell pepper
1 medium tomato
1 cup carrots

1 cup baby spinach
3 slices pepper-jack cheese

1 tsp. cayenne
1/4 cup olive oil
4 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar                                                                                   
2 tsp. sea salt
2 tsp. fresh black pepper  

Preparation:

Boil the pasta and drain. Toss with a tsp. of oil and pinch of salt. - set aside.
Chop carrots (I bought pre-julienned-cut)
Dice tomato.
Chop mushrooms.
Dice onion.
Chop bell pepper.
Chop spinach.
Peel and dice orange.
Thinly slice one of the lemons-skin on.
Juice other lemon.
Slice "cheese" into thin long strips.   

In a large mixing bowl:
Add oil, lemon juice, vinegar, chopped fruit and veggies.
Mix well -  I use a large serving fork, so everything retains it's shape.

In a sauce pan on stove:

Heat 1 Tbsp. of oil.

Add 2 bay leaves, and 1 cup of the chopped fresh ingredients from mixing bowl.
Saute for 5 minutes.

Add sauteed ingredients back to large mixing bowl. Remove bay leaves.

Add pasta, "cheese" strips, salt, pepper and cayenne.
Toss well.

Optional:

Peas, tofu or beans can be added to this dish for extra protein and fiber.

Like, I'm so sure. If you don't even know how to talk like a Californian wine connoisseur, you totally have to learn. Duh.  If you need to try it on for size, pop in some chewing gum, bleach your hair, grab some wine and chill.  I'm just, like, so there, you know.

Vegan

Serves 8-10

Pairings:  A nice meritage wine, like Hart's Desire, or a Chardonnay

What we sampled at the California Wine Tasting party.

Plenty of distinctive food, ambrosial wine, and compelling conversation.

                             A memorable evening.                     

                                                                                                     

Pairings Food & Wine Market

     "What is a Meritage wine?"  I asked at Pairings, in Eden Prairie, MN.  I was at Dave's mercy for choosing a bottle, but with his proper guidance I landed upon a wonderful wine that was enjoyed by many at the California Wine Tasting party I attended last evening.  A Meritage wine is "high-end", can not be a mass-marketed wine, a Me'nage a' Trois of certain grapes...Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot.  Chosen, was the Hart's Desire  , a meritage that seduced the senses!

At Pairings, they believe in putting the right things together.  The food is fresh, flavorful, and can be paired with a wine or beer of choice from the attatched wine market.  There are events, tastings, and classes.  Saturday nights offer live music on the patio.  6001 Shady Oak Road, Minnetonka, MN 

Calzone

Calzone...(Cal-zoe-Knee)...a moon - shaped pastry, that's really an inside out pizza...It's a real WOW dish when it comes out all golden and puffy. Let your lady stand by the window with a glass of Pino Noir in hand while gazing at the moon, and you can whip this up for her in minutes (because you made the filling earlier in the day), and she'll be so impressed she just may forget how many glasses of wine she's had, and have to stay the night. 

8 oz. ricotta cheese

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese                                                           

1/2 tsp. oregano

1/2 tsp. dried basil

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup finely chopped green pepper

1/2 garlic clove, minced

1/2 tsp. olive oil

1/2 lb. bulk Italian sausage, or any favorite

21/2 loaves (1 lb. ea) frozen bread dough, thawed

                            (or your homemade pizza dough)

8 oz. spaghetti/marinara sauce, heated.

1. Combine cheeses, oregano & basil (set aside).
2. Saute onion, pepper & garlic in oil until tender, then add to cheese mixture.
3. Brown sausage, drain, stir into cheese mixture.
4. Divide ea. loaf of dough into 4 portions; roll ea. into a 6 in. circle.
5. Spoon 2 Tbsp. of filling on half of one circle; fold dough over and seal edges - wetting with water.
6. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.  Brush with Olive Oil..

Place on greased baking sheets.  Bake at 350 for 25 min., or golden.

Serve with sauce on the side, or with garlic and parsley-infused olive oil.

Experiment with your creativity and use any of the following in your very own personalized calzone!

• Ham, salami, or peperoni
• Provolone cheese
• Tomato
• Olives
• Mushrooms
• Green peppers
• Chicken
• Jalapenos
• Feta cheese
• Eggplant
• Artichoke

If you really want to impress her, you can make your own dough, or better yet - let her help you, and if you're lucky you'll be sitting like Patrick and Demi in Ghost while working the dough together...

Easy To Please Dough:

1 c lukewarm water
2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast                                                          
1 tsp. salt
1/2 t sugar
3 c flour, plus extra for dusting
1 Tbsp. Olive Oil

In a bowl, combine the water, yeast, salt and sugar, and stir to dissolve. Set aside for 15 minutes, then add the flour, and mix until smooth.

Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface, and knead for 10 minutes (this is where Patrick places his hand on Demi's to guide her)...adding more flour if necessary. The dough should feel smooth and elastic. Lightly oil a bowl, and place dough inside. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour. This is when you have another glass of wine.  Quarter the dough, and shape each piece into a ball. Cover, and let rise another 15 minutes. Makes enough dough for 4 calzones.

Pairing:  Chenin Blanc, or Zinfandel

Sides:  Stuffed mushrooms, or Garden salad                                                                          

                                                                               

                                                                                         Mangia!

Stella's

Restaurant Review:

Inspiration for my Beastly Salmon was from Stella's Fish Cafe & Prestige Oyster Bar, in Minneapolis, MN.  A group of five of us gathered there last month to celebrate our friend, Tracey's, graduation from the Aveda Institute.  It was 90 plus degrees that day, but we were diligent and opted to sit on their spectacular rooftop dining area, and a great view of the Minneapolis skyline was had.  Looking down at the Uptown sidewalk gawkers is a hoot!  Glasses of Pinot Grigio were served by our very own Tom Cruise look-alike (and he knew it).  Intimate attention was given to each of us as he gazed into our eyes and drew us near (I'm not kidding you) and told each of us what we were ordering that night.

The appetizer of the evening was the Coconut Shrimp, which had a spicy pineapple coconut marmalade, a piquant beginning!  One gal allowed Romeo to order her oysters on the half shell-which she claimed was the best she'd ever had.  I tried my first oyster that evening, it was like tasting a bit of the Atlantic.  Tom ordered the salmon for me, and it was definitely memorable as the mango salsa entwined with the pecan crusted coating.  The freshness of the fish drifted me off to Martha's Vineyard at the Black Cat.  There, I had the lobster.  Overpriced for what we got, and Tom slipped in a few drinks we never had, but a warm memory with good friends was created anyhow.  I'll return for Happy Hour.

Beastly Salmon

Urban Dictionary says beastly means something that is totally friggin awesome.  Dude:  Way to be beastly by going up those stairs with your broken leg!  Trust me, this salmon is like a beast.  You'll have to fight your man off after serving this.

Marinade for 1 hr. with the following if you have the time - otherwise, go right to the Salsa

2 Tbsp. olive oil

2 Tbsp. butter, melted

1/4 cup honey

1 tsp spicy mustard

3 Tbsp. lemon juice

Dash of cayenne pepper

2 lbs. salmon fillet, abt. 1 in. thick                                                                                    

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

                                                                                                                                                                        

Salsa Topping

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 jalapeno, or serrano chile,  minced

2 Tbsp. fresh chopped cilantro

2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

1 tsp. olive oil

1 ripe mango, peeled, pitted, diced (abt. 1 cup)

salt and pepper to taste

4 6-oz. salmon filets

Preparation

Brush salmon with olive oil

Grill or broil for 5 min. per side

Spoon salsa over salmon, the heat from the fish will heat the salsa.

Wine Pairing Suggestion:  Pinot Gris, a medium bodied white wine, rich and fruity.

Sides:

I like to bake fresh asparagus for a side.  Simply drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt.  Bake 15 min. at 400 degrees.  Don't forget to offer some hot buns!

Care must be taken here.  If you choose to get rowdy and both marinade and top with salsa, he may be chasing you around the table afterwards, so make sure the kids are tucked away beforehand.  :)

 If you're in a real hurry, you can use Mango Salsa w/Red Pepper and Cilantro, by Italian Rose, from Sam's Club.  It's delish!

                                                                                                            -melinda