FOOD, FUN & ALL THAT JAZZ - A Virtual Dinner Invitation

To escape the record breaking temperatures of Los Angeles this past week (and my non-air-conditioned home), YOU are cordially invited to (virtually) attend a 1920's Lawn Dinner Party.

(Challenge #3 in the FoodBuzz Next Food Blogger Star Challenge: Luxury Dinner Party to be interpreted and posted by 200 chosen bloggers and voted on by YOU - Oct. 4-8, 2010)

Luxury, like beauty, is in the eyes of the beholder.

Behold... a luxurious spread of culinary adventures including Lemonade, spiked (with thyme & mint), homemade pickles, jams and Farmer's Market "last of the season" vegetation slathered in herbs and oils. Haricots Verts and Roasted Cherry Tomatoes w/Herbal Vinaigrette (recipe below)

Tea Smoked Chicken Scrap Salad in Cheddar Lace Cups (salad recipe here)

Chipotle Corn and Bacon (recipe below)

And foreign inspired desserts (don't tell the Feds.)

Gatsby Chilled Orange Bowls w/ Mixed Berry Mousse, & Coffee w/Raspberry Ganache French Macarons

Here's the "whole deck o' cards"

Lay back on our blankets, protected from the 5PM sun by a gauzy white sky, and let our musically talented friends tickle your auditory canals with vintage tunes and sinful JAZZ.
Everyone will get a basket of their own utensils, plates and napkins. And, please remember that Prohibition is in affect, so bring a flask at your own risk.
It's always fun with a lawn full of Joe Palookas and Skirts, enjoying a little jorum of skee, just so nobody gets zozzled. Ya know what I mean?

If you've virtually enjoyed this afternoon and would like to RSVP (read that: VOTE for ShowFoodChef) - why, I'd be literally thrilled and grateful. You may do so starting Monday morning Oct. 4th til Friday, Oct. 8th, 2010 by clicking on my FoodBuzz profile pic, and I thank you.

Also, if you would like to throw your own themed fun and food event, I've included a few recipes below and a couple helpful hints. I'd love to be invited (virtually or otherwise) to your soiree.
RECIPE: Chipotle Corn and Bacon
(serves 4)

3 ears of fresh corn, (remove kernels from the cobs for recipe)
3 stripes of bacon (cut into about 1 inch pieces)
1 chipotle pepper (dried, reconstituted in a cup of boiling water, chopped)
1 tsp. ground chipotle chili pepper
2 oz. (1/4 cup) of heavy cream
2 oz. (1/4 cup) of water (if needed)
salt/pepper for extra seasoning

1) In a large skillet, cook bacon pieces until crisp. Carefully pour-off extra bacon fat (reserve for buttermilk dressing on cole slaw).
2) Pour corn into the skillet with the bacon and cook while stirring for 2 minutes.
3) Add the chipotle pepper and stir, again, to incorporate.
4) Add the cream and stir until thickened. Season to taste. Pour into a serving dish.

*Can be served warm or chilled
RECIPE: Haricot Verts and Roasted Cherry Tomatoes with Herbal Vinaigrette
(serves 4)

1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 lb. Haricot Verts (can use french or traditional green beans)
Several stems of fresh thyme or tarragon
1/4 - 1/2 cup olive oil
3 Tbls. Balsamic Vinegar
2 Tbls. Brown sugar
salt/pepper

Slice Cherry tomatoes in half and spread on a parchment covered sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and toss in a few sprigs of thyme or tarragon. Roast in 350F oven for 10 mins. Remove and let cool. Tomatoes can be prepared ahead and held in refrigerator. Blanche Green beans in boiling water for 3 minutes, Shock in Cold ice water, and drain. Blanched beans can be held covered in refrigerator for 2 days before using in the recipe. For the Vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, Balsamic Vinegar, a handful of chopped herbs (I love tarragon), and a pinch of salt and pepper. Gradually whisk in Olive oil until mixture thickens. In a large serving bowl, toss together the greens, tomatoes and vinaigrette - serve room temp. or chilled.

Thanks for reading!

ShowFood Chef - it's a calling

You can call me Cathy, you can call me ShowFood Chef, you can call me the next Food Blog Star, just so you CALL me (insert rim shot here.)

If you're one of my blogger friends and followers, you will not be too surprised to hear that I have joined a new challenge. Go ahead, smile and nod (and insert your vote, here.)

This challenge is called Project Food Blog by Foodbuzz.com. During the challenges, there will be stories to tell, food challenges to prepare, photos to take and videos to make. All of them are designed to stretch and enlighten me [the food blogger] and hopefully inspire you [the reader.]


The judges are some of my sincerely favorite food stars themselves: Dana Cowin, Editor-in-Chief of Food and Wine Magazine, Pim Techamuanvivit of Chez Pim and author of The Foodie Handbook, and Nancy Silverton of the amazing Osteria and Pizzeria Mozza, among other culinary successes, and YOU. They will also be reading this post by ShowFoodChef (insert scratch-n-sniff smelling salts to avoid fainting, here.)

Challenge #1 - Write a personal post about what defines me, my blog and why I should be the Next Food Blog Star.

I have been in Show Business for years as an actress, writer, teacher and director (insert picture of emotional scars here). I still do that sometimes (hyperlink to fable of dog chasing it's own tail, here). But, my newest artistic expression has gone from Show Folk to Show Food.

A few years ago, I started writing non-fiction, personal essays and reading them in my own stage show with others at the famed Groundlings Theatre in Los Angeles. I self catered each show, combining story, food and wine. As those things go, it was very successful. Along the way, I made a giant self-discovery. The stories the audience loved most were about my quirky southern upbringing. I got great laughs and sometimes tears from tales about my mom, my grandparents' survival farm on a dirt road, hiding bread dough in a corn field for good luck, eatin' mud-pies so my cousins would think I was brave, spitting watermelon seeds at each other and trying to smoke a stem because they called it rabbit tobacco. It was the very truth I had thought I needed to disguise all these years.

I wrote about being surrounded by live [for a while] chickens, cattle, pigs, guinea, rabbits, many dogs, cats, and geese. There were gardens, fields to plow, woods and creeks, lard biscuits twice a day and loud preaching in Revival tents. The thread that ran through all of it was food, jamming, preserving, smoking meat, plucking chickens and baking (insert church choir singing "God Bless America" here.)

Country Ham and Red-Eye Gravy

I spoke about my parents divorcing, and my dad dying a few years later, and my mom moving my brother and me to the city (insert map to prove that the tiny town of Durham is indeed called a city.) My mom worked as many jobs as possible to keep our little family close, fed and healthy. There was not much money and the food took on a lot of "wonder what's under the gravy tonight" titles. Ultimately, that gave me a great appreciation for the "time and energy" concern that so many working parents feel when it comes to cooking and serving meals.

My stage show proved to be a training ground for my blog. I had already been cooking and developing recipes before I knew they were called recipes. In fact, as kids my brother and I spent many Saturdays mixing up bits of every thing we could find in the kitchen. Then we'd experiment to see what it looked like if we froze it, or toasted it, or if the dog would still eat it (insert my husband's face in sudden realization of his role in life now.)

A few years ago, I graduated (insert diploma with honors) from Le Cordon Bleu of California as a way of adding credentials to my yammering and a chance to practice the classics. It was an arduous and awesome experience.

After working in a restaurant kitchen, I knew I had enough respect for line cooks to last a lifetime, and would serve the food world better by teaching, writing, developing and being the one to show food (insert sound of Ahhhs, here.)
My hope is that my readers (insert huge virtual hug of appreciation, here) will see all the challenges that I leap into and feel inspired. I hope they will try the recipes I create, learn a new technique and return for more.
I hope my travels, love of Italian food and the desire to show that every culture has a version of home-cooking will educate and inform others.

Blood Orange Macarons

I have always believed there was nothing I couldn't do if I researched, practiced, studied with the best and didn't let failure stop me (re-insert pic of emotional scars, here.) I've been following that idea as my photography improves and I grow into the technical world of blog and design.

Rosemary Tuna Sliders

My favorite comments are when someone says, "You make me think I could do that, too."

If you agree with so many others (insert picture of my immediate family, here) that I could be the FoodBuzz Blogger Star of the year - take a moment, sign up and vote for me at FoodBuzz.com. As always - Thank you for stopping by and let me know what you're cooking.