the rituals of the easter meal......

tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7408874920351031218.post-130023282805392762008-03-24T08:44:00.008-04:002008-04-13T06:42:22.565-04:002008-04-13T06:42:22.565-04:00the rituals of the easter meal......<a href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_eyVoW8GPxmg/R-eiaZJ5ymI/AAAAAAAAAwQ/5isXKWZ74tU/s1600-h/eggs+benedict_portrait.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_eyVoW8GPxmg/R-eiaZJ5ymI/AAAAAAAAAwQ/5isXKWZ74tU/s400/eggs+benedict_portrait.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181288470625765986" /></a>the makings of eggs benedict: perfectly creamy poached eggs await.....a whole wheat english muffin (so American this dish....), Canadienne bacon (across the border we ran), spinach (health factor for moi), drizzled with hollandaise sauce (or for special occasions aka holiday sauce at my house) with blueberry ice tea on standby mode..... Easter Sunday is always a good excuse for eggs benedict. It is an avid ritual that I have picked up from my *luv's* family. There's a slight adjustment here and there with the addition of fresh spinach leaves slightly sauntered in boiling water with a dash of sea salt. I doused it with cool running water with a slight conditioning of red wine vinegar to whisk away the slight aftertaste of cooked spinach. Straight off the griddle, I have placed the delicate slices of Canadienne bacon on top of toasted whole wheat english muffins. Another *must do* on my list of things to do is to make sure to use good n' healthy eggs. Organic, cage free, eggs from chickens roaming about their property able to do this and chitter chatter about in the sunshine make tasty eggs ~ I had fun poaching these in simmering water....let the water simmer but not dance to that threatening boil. Always at a high sustained simmer. Then crack an egg in a bowl. Lovingly slide in that swallow of an egg into the simmering water and watch it poach to creamy perfection. <a href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_eyVoW8GPxmg/R-e9aJJ5ypI/AAAAAAAAAwo/EgyG0Q1fXmo/s1600-h/eggs+benedict_crop.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_eyVoW8GPxmg/R-e9aJJ5ypI/AAAAAAAAAwo/EgyG0Q1fXmo/s400/eggs+benedict_crop.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181318153144748690" /></a>the first bite is the deepest.... I am a bread freak. When I was growing up in San Francisco, my family ran a deli in the Mission District. I remember the mornings when the baker would arrive with <a href="http://www.tastememory.com/search/label/San%20Francisco%20food%20thoughts">freshly baked french bread </a>snugged tightly in brown paper bags. With that said.....wheat bread.....and WHOLE wheat bread has always been a slight issue for me. Until I relented to think outside of things and try things outside of that safe house of my thinking. Yes, I know it's just wheat.....in all it's plain glory. Long story short ~ I like wheat bread now. I actually love WHOLE wheat bread and whole wheat anything now. Now about dinner...... <a href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_eyVoW8GPxmg/R-fCw5J5ytI/AAAAAAAAAxI/PkWDXLrArio/s1600-h/lamb+raw.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_eyVoW8GPxmg/R-fCw5J5ytI/AAAAAAAAAxI/PkWDXLrArio/s400/lamb+raw.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181324041544911570" /></a>baby baby lamb chops from Australia......I am not a vegetarian in case you were wondering what was up. Here they are all in the raw with my marinade of minced garlic, fresh rosemary + basil + thyme + parsley w. sea salt + freshly ground black pepper and of course a good douse of very good olive oil <a href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_eyVoW8GPxmg/R-fCopJ5ysI/AAAAAAAAAxA/gN8FB_J0n54/s1600-h/lamb+grilled.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_eyVoW8GPxmg/R-fCopJ5ysI/AAAAAAAAAxA/gN8FB_J0n54/s400/lamb+grilled.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181323899810990786" /></a>hot off the grill and ready for the taking <a href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_eyVoW8GPxmg/R-fCg5J5yrI/AAAAAAAAAw4/lTTxS5vCWoM/s1600-h/lamp+crop.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_eyVoW8GPxmg/R-fCg5J5yrI/AAAAAAAAAw4/lTTxS5vCWoM/s400/lamp+crop.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181323766667004594" /></a>lamp chops marinated with fresh herbs, sea salt and olive oil <a href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_eyVoW8GPxmg/R-fCbJJ5yqI/AAAAAAAAAww/0rcUrgM2qUU/s1600-h/lamb+slice.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_eyVoW8GPxmg/R-fCbJJ5yqI/AAAAAAAAAww/0rcUrgM2qUU/s400/lamb+slice.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181323667882756770" /></a>you know they actually tasted like filet mignon with a juicier meat content....it was a very nice way to celebrate a feast day 'now....I am back to eating good & green ~ so let's be good.....well at least for awhile.taste memoryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10788472489091750224noreply@blogger.com