My Mom is in her late eighties.  She is a breast and lung cancer survivor.  She has outlived every member of her immediate family and my Daddy by thirteen years.  She loved to cook for her family and still loves to watch the Food Network even though her meals now revolve around poached eggs and ordering in. 

More than anything my Mom loves to eat but she loves to eat and tell stories and listen to stories at the same time.  It is because of this that we three sisters have honoured her with an elaborate dinner party to celebrate her birthday over the last number of years. Here are some courses from her dinner in 2009: 

 Her actual birthday is in January but because it is often difficult for her friends to get together in the middle of winter, we usually wait until spring. 

This year many of her friends are too infirm to attend so we are changing things up a bit.  We are having her best friend from across the street and a couple who once lived two doors down.  In addition to my brothers, their wives and the two husbands of the three sisters.  We’re serving a selection of small plates -stay tuned for what the three sisters are cooking up.

Kath’s Quote: I know how the nuts taken in conjunction with winter apples, cider, and doughnuts, make old people’s tales and old jokes sound fresh  and crisp and enchanting.”-Mark Twain

I have posted about my friend Laura before.  She is a very adventurous cook and whenever there is a special event to host, she uses it as an opportunity to try new dishes.  She put together an amazing Easter dinner and sent me all of her recipes but I have been so busy since then, I have not had a chance to look at them until just now.  Check out this amazing salad recipe:

Pea Salad with Radishes and Feta Cheese
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons honey
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

4 cups fresh shelled peas (from about 4 pounds peas in pods) or 1 pound frozen petite peas
1 bunch radishes, trimmed, halved, thinly sliced
1 cup crumbled feta cheese (about 4 ounces)
3 cups fresh pea tendrils, coarsely chopped, or pea sprouts* (optional)

*Available at natural foods stores and Asian markets.

Heat small skillet over medium heat. Add cumin seeds and toast until aromatic and slightly darker, about 2 minutes. Cool; grind finely in spice mill. Whisk lime juice, honey, and cumin in small bowl. Gradually whisk in oil; stir in dill. Season dressing with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature.

Cook peas in pot of boiling salted water until almost tender, about 5 minutes for fresh (or about 2 minutes for frozen). Drain; rinse under cold water, then drain well. Transfer to large bowl. Add radishes, feta, and dressing; toss. Season with salt and pepper. If using pea tendrils or sprouts, divide among bowls. Divide salad among bowls. Serve.

Kath’s quote: “I feel a recipe is only a theme, which an intelligent cook can play each time with a variation.”-Madame Benoit

Some people predict that they are going to have a good day but how their hair looks in the morning.  I know that I am going to have a good day when I have both a lunch appointment and a supper date.  Don’t get me wrong-I love to cook, but what I like the most is to eat!

This week, I met a new friend at The Dandelion Eatery.  I feel healthy just walking into this place!  As I waited for my friend I saw lunches being delivered to the next table and decided “I want what he’s having” which turned out to be their Baked Ravioli.  I added meat ragu to the dish and was pleased with my choice.  The “meat” tasted like ground turkey or chicken and it was both light and packed with flavour.  My friend had a chicken wrap which she seemed pleased with.

 That evening I returned to the same corner and met a gang of female friends at Confusion Corner Bar and Grill.  Once everybody departed for other obligations, I sat with a wonderful glass of Shiraz (Red Knot) and got caught up with an equally wonderful old friend.  When I realised that the time was past to share supper at home with my husband, I ordered their Chicken Pesto Pizza –one of my favourite versions because it includes artichokes.   We each had a couple of pieces, I took the leftovers home and my husband and I shared it for lunch.  Two nutritious and scrumptious meals for two people is sure great value at $16.50

Kath’s quote: “Laughter is brightest where food is best.”-Irish Proverb

Sister # 3: “While the traditional regional cuisine on Isla Mujeres is amazing, there is also a huge variety of fare available because people from around the world have discovered this little Island and now call it home.

March 2010

Olivia’s Israeli owner/operators offer a nice variety of good Mediterranean food including moussaka and kebab.” 

Added by Kathryne: We were so excited to try Olivia’s in March 2008, that we accepted a table right in front of the restaurant’s open kitchen.  The result was that we were engulfed by the smoke from the open fire.  This did not dampen our appreciation of their well made mojitos or carefully prepared food.  We tried their spanakopita, moussaka and Moroccan fish on couscous.

Moroccan Fish

In February 2009 we were fortunate to make a reservation for the best table in the house.  There is a beautiful, large square table at the rear of the restaurant which is under a thatched canopy where enjoyed another  lovely dinner .

Sisters 1-3 Under the Palapa

On my next visit, I intend to try their Shawarma.  This was one of my favourite meals when I travelled to Israel a decade ago.  I still recall the glistening juices as the meat portion was shaved off of the rotating spit.  We had stopped at a roadside diner outside of Jerusalem.  Their version was served with crunchy veggies and a variety of sauces-the memory of the taste is still very vivid.

Kath’s Quote: “Don’t take a butcher’s advice on how to cook meat.   If he knew, he’d be a chef.” -Andy Rooney

Last evening on my husband’s favourite food show-Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives was the demonstration and recipe for Arancinis.  The literal tanslation from Italian is “little orange” as that is what they resemble in appearance.  These delectable food balls are said to have originated in Sicily in the 10th century (if its not broke-don’t fix it). The version we saw demonstrated last night, was from Di Pasquale’s in Baltimore (you can find the recipe on this link to their site) and were stuffed with cheese, ragu and meat along with the mandatory peas.  Of the two versions we tasted-one was filled with a ragu meat sauce and the other with ham and mozarella. 

We were in Calatafimi, Sicily the morning we purchased them for a later meal.  They would make the perfect “to go” lunch, but I understand that they are commonly eaten as a snack.  We enjoyed them later in the day with a a taditional Sicilan soup of Pasta Fagioli.

In Calatafimi the roads are steep and the view of the surrounding mountains, exquisite.  We climbed to the highest point near the main church and found the ruins of another ancient church. 

If Jesus had not been born in Bethlehem, I think that it would have been here

We had gone to the village not far from where we were staying in Castellammare del Golfo, to “market” shop.  The outdoor market travels the area so that if you miss market day in one village, you can catch up to it in another. 

By happy accident, on the way out of town,  we came upon the Guido Brothers who ran the community grape press and the mule who actually still “motorizes” the job.

If you are ever considering a visit to Italy-go to Sicily:  full of ancient history, fascinating modern history, beautiful vistas and hard-working people who love their land and celebrate living with food. 

Kath’s quote: “The trouble with eating Italian food is that 5 or 6 days later you’re hungry again.”-George Miller