Don't Cry For Me Sardo

Having a good stock of cheese in my fridge is one of those things that's very important to me. It goes hand in hand with having good bread and wine at the ready. Today - I have a good cheese find for you, I found it at my local Citarella Market and it's of Argentine origin, called Sardo. Sardo is similar to the familiar Pecorino Romano, but milder, a bit salty and made from cow's milk rather than sheep's milk. It is wonderful to see cheeses imported from Argentina gaining in popularity; I have been a long time fan of Argentine wines such as Malbec. 

Sardo is delicious grated on pastas or risotto. To get you inspired for a quick weekday dinner, with or without the Malbec - enjoy my recipe.

Eggplant And Rigatoni 
Makes 4 servings

From George Hirsch Living it UP! TV series
chefgeorgehirsch.com

1 pound rigatoni pasta, cooked
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cups eggplant, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup onion, chopped
8 cloves garlic, chopped
6 plum tomatoes, deseeded and chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup pitted calamata olives, chopped
1/2 cup white whine
1 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon each: dried basil, oregano, thyme, hot pepper flakes
2 Tablespoons pine nuts, toasted in a sauté pan or oven
2 Tablespoons fresh basil
Parmesan or Sardo cheese to taste and fresh black pepper

Preheat a large nonstick saucepan.  

Add half the olive oil; then eggplant, onion, garlic, tomatoes, and bell pepper. Cook 5-10 minutes or until light brown.  

Add the wine, chicken broth, olives, dried basil, oregano, thyme and hot sauce. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes; mix in the cooked rigatoni. Top with remaining olive oil.

Top with fresh basil, toasted pine nuts and grated cheese.

Better, One Quart at a Time

There's something good to be said for putting on your robe (a long one please) and stepping outside your front door in the morning to fetch a fresh glass bottle of milk. And the convenience of fresh yogurt, sour cream, and farm eggs, would be extra good. I admit, the convenience would be very, very nice, but I am more excited about the quality of the product that would be delivered. Here, fresh means better.

I live out in farm country and yet the dairy farmers of yore are-no-more. There is definitely a want for these types of quality products. A good indication is the surging sustainable movement and more farm cooperatives gaining notoriety. Locally, boutique farm products are becoming more widely available. But, I am still hoping for the milkman to come back to town.

I stumbled upon Hornstra's Dairy Farm, a family owned operation suppling Grade A quality milk, and dairy products to South Shore Massachusetts, and They DELIVER! The operation is done old-school; with Vat Pasteurization and glass bottles; ensuring every product is the freshest and purest available.

Doing things the old-fashioned way means that their herd is not injected with synthetic hormones. 100% of Hornstra Farms' milk comes from their own cows, and is free of synthetic growth hormones. Just call them happy and healthy cows. Vat pasteurization method means they heat their milk to 145° F for 30 minutes. This gives the milk the smooth sweet taste of yesteryear. 

FYI, pasteurization involves heating milk to kill bacteria. Nearly all milk sold in industrialized countries is pasteurized. Most milk is pasteurized using the Flash Pasteurization Method, which is accomplished by heating the milk to 161° F for 15 seconds and then quickly cooling it.

Now wouldn’t a glass of Hornstra's Farm milk delivered go well with a Banana Muffin? Wherever you live, I hope you have a Hornstra's close by. I'm thinking of buying a house in MA., just for the milk, delivered in a glass bottle.

Get Your Haggis On

For 21 years, an estimated 6 million Americans of Scottish descent have had to celebrate Burns Night (I'll get to Burns in a moment) without an authentic haggis. Haggis was banned by US authorities in 1989 because they feared its main ingredient - minced sheep offal - could prove lethal, according to The Guardian. Update, good news for Scottish Americans, the haggis ban has been lifted. So now, get your haggis on.

Each year during the week of January 25th, Burns fans gather for suppers to celebrate the birth of Scottish bard Robert Burns, who was born Jan. 25, 1759. At what are referred to as Burns Suppers, like the one at St. Andrews, there are poetry readings, kilt wearing and Scotch whisky drinking. And of course, main course haggis consumption. 

painting of Robert BurnsRobert Burns (1759-1796) was a Scottish poet and a lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland, and is celebrated worldwide. He is the best known of the poets who have written in the Scots language, although much of his writing is also in English and a "light" Scots dialect, accessible to an audience beyond Scotland. He also wrote in standard English, and in these pieces, his political or civil commentary is often at its most blunt. Also, Burns most notably penned the poem/song Auld Lang Syne. To create your own Burns Supper. 

Visit Macsween of Edinburgh

Have fork in hand? Well- not so fast. You should know that haggis is a dish containing sheep’s stomach stuffed with ‘pluck’ (heart liver and lungs) chopped with onion, oatmeal, suet or fat, salt and just the perfect seasoning blend of secret seasonings that Colonel Sanders might envy, simmered in broth or water for 3-4 hours like a chitterling, savoury pudding or blood sausage.

Haggis is traditionally served with mashed rutabaga and potatoes and during a Burns Supper with glasses of Scotch whiskey. According to the Larousse Gastronomique, "Although its description is not immediately appealing, haggis has an excellent nutty texture and delicious savoury flavour".

Down in the Galley

Everyone has an idea of what is the perfect vacation. But just getting to your vacation destination involves a lot of steps. The packing, planning, driving, flying, driving and unpacking, can be an exhausting ordeal and we have only arrived at one destination. To get to our next destination we must repeat the same steps all over again.

Corp. Exec Chef Alfredo Marzi and George Hirsch

Solution. Cruising offers so many options for rest, relaxation and pampering. And let’s not forget an endless amount of dining options, all within walking distance. From room service, buffets, formal nights and wine tasting programs; there are more possible dining options than you will ever fit into any vacation. It’s OK having all those dining options because the gym is only a short walk to burn off the filet mignon and chocolate soufflé you ate right after the cheeseburger and fries.

So just how does all that food actually get on your plate? Come with me on a behind the scenes tour of the Princess's Cruises ship's galley with Corp. Exec Chef Alfredo Marzi and see just how. I was amazed and I know you will be too.

TV Segment: © Hirsch Productions, George Hirsch Living It UP! TV series

George Hirsch Lifestyle TV Segment: Princess Cruises

Wild Thymes

Unlike a family member of mine, (whose name I shall not mention) I rarely buy premade sauces, dips, or marinades. But when I do, it has to be the best. Define best - You say? First, I am very attracted to any mom-n-pop crafted goods that have been created out of love and respect for food and the ingredients in their product. 

A good sauce or dressing can make a dish. There are many mediocre products on the market, so when I taste a good one, I like highlighting it.

Wild Thymes Farm products had me at hello. I was asked sometime back to guest on the Today Show, with a complete meal made out of premade sauces. At first, I was a little reluctant because if you read most the labels, well- where's the food? But, to my delight, with the first taste of Wild’s Chili Ginger Honey Marinade I was sold.

Check out the ingredient list on the label yourself: Sugar, apple cider vinegar, ginger, whole oranges, red bell peppers, lime juice, garlic honey, whole lemons, red chili peppers, spices, sea salt.

Besides the products being great, so is the Wild Thymes story. Ladies, keep doing what you are doing - you are rock stars of the Hudson Valley.