Good old Julius Caesar gave us the first leap day in his Julian Calendar way back in 45 BCE. Back then Leap day was February 24th and February was the last month of the year.
Julius had the right idea but adding a leap day every four years was just a bit too often and, eventually, in 1582 our buddy Pope Gregory XIII introduced the Gregorian Calendar which we still use today. It has a much more precise way of calculating leap years. Leap Day is also known as Bachelor’s Day. It seems St. Bridget was complaining to St. Patrick that women were not allowed to propose marriage. The ever-accommodating Saint Patrick designated the only day that doesn’t happen every year to be the day on which women would be allowed to propose to men. In England, if a man rejected a woman’s proposal on Leap Day, he owed her several pairs of fine gloves to help hide that she did not have an engagement ring. So happy birthday Leaplings. You may only get to celebrate your actual birthday once every four years, but you are a very elite group. Happy Leap Day from the #supercoololdpeople in the Carondelet Kitchen.
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Big Guy was craving snickerdoodle cookies and, I admit, it sounded good to me too. As I checked my pantry for the ingredients, I pulled out the cream of tartar and innocently asked the question, “What is it?” Big Guy, who normally knows alot about everything, was even flummoxed by the question.
Thanks to the internet, the answer was readily available. I loved the definition started with “cream of tartar is one of those mystery ingredients you might have seen in your grandma’s pantry without knowing what it is used for.” Whew, I am not alone! As I read further, it stated, “It is a dry, powdery, acidic byproduct of fermenting grapes into wine. Its science name is potassium bitartrate.” Well, ok! The bottom line is this mystery ingredient gives my snickerdoodles their tang by preventing the sugar from crystalizing. It also gives rise to egg whites by creating foam and stabilizing the structure. Now you know what I know and THAT is not too much! I realize our weather is crazy, but I still love a shortbread cookie with my tea. It is easy to buy them, but I was determined to find a good recipe and make my own version.
Big Guy got me started by buying an adorable pan. Our next challenge was finding the recipe. Paul Hollywood, shiver me timbers, lost me in the first paragraph and I became concerned I was in over my head. Thank goodness Nordic Ware included a simple recipe of four ingredients. I only needed butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and flour. I can manage the simplicity of that recipe. Sorry, Paul, perhaps next time! Big Guy and I have been taking advantage of this beautiful weather by getting out and exploring the greater St. Louis area. We were on a mission, thanks to @vickinorthrop and her husband. They gave us a lovely gift card to @diolivas so we were off to St. Charles to select our olive oil.
Upon arrival, we opted to wander in and out of shops on our way to diOlivas. Our first stop was @provenancesoaps to pick up soap. I love their small batch soaps made with simple ingredients. We next stopped by @grandmascookiesonmain for a pick me up of water and a cookie followed by a quick stop at the Irish Shop for tea. We finally arrived at diOlivas with our arms already full of packages. I do love the friendliness of the staff and the variety and quality of olive oils and vinegars. I admit I find the idea of sipping on olive oil to decide if I like the flavor is uncommon, but knowing I am getting a high-end oil to use in my cooking makes it worth every taste. It is also the perfect excuse to hit the shops on Main Street in St. Charles! Big Guy and I enjoy finding new things at markets and food stands at the places we visit around the state. On a recent trip, I walked by the Thompson Farm Soups & More stand and decided it was time to buy a package of soup mix.
I have been reluctant in the past since I preferred to make my soups with fresh ingredients. Could this package, with dehydrated vegetables, be good? I am happy to say it was delicious! The simplicity of heating up liquid, in my case I used chicken stock, followed by adding the entire package to the boiling stock was excellent. I stirred the pot quite a bit to be sure the vegetables were not sticking to the bottom on the pot, then turned down the heat to let it simmer for an hour. The final addition was adding milk, and I was ready to serve the soup. I plan to continue trying the other soups in their inventory. It was a wonderful way to make delicious soup quickly on a busy day. Do you ever drive by a restaurant with the intention of going there? I am sorry to say that I have been driving past @pandolive1 for years, always saying I want to try it.
Thanks to my good friend, Juli, I finally made it. We decided to meet for lunch, and she suggested this excellent restaurant. I was immediately greeted at the door and shown to a quasi-private booth which was perfect for quiet conversation. I loved the vibe of the place and was then surprised by their lunch special which included a starter, an entrée, and a beverage along with warm olive bread. What a wonderful way to have a sample of the various foods on the menu. The highlight of the day was ending our meal with dessert and coffee. I opted for the turtle cheesecake with a cappuccino. Juli ordered the gelato with an espresso. It was the perfect way to end our time together! I cannot wait to go back again! Big Guy and I decided to check out the reimagined gift shop @mohistorymuseum aptly named Sold on St. Louis after stopping by the soccer exhibit. As we walked into the shop, we were instantly taking stock of our favorite makers prominently on display in the shop. @stlstylehouse, @urbancandlestl, @seriessixcompnay, @supportpluslocal, and @herbariasoap. As we looked to the other side of the shop, we noticed an entire book display from @reedy_press that focuses on St. Louis and its history.
The shop hit its mark by giving a distinct vibe that says St. Louis is great! We found out later that the store is already selling items from over one hundred local small businesses. Wow! I realize one store devoted to St. Louis will not change everything, but it is certainly a fantastic way to inspire all of us to do a better job every day saying positive things about our city. Just take a moment to notice and thank the makers and entrepreneurs working hard and making a difference in our community. As the sign on the wall said, “I’m from the Lou, and I’m Proud! We should all make this our daily mantra! Big Guy gets a craving for deviled eggs a couple times a year. He asked for them again this past week, but surprisingly, there were still six leftovers in the refrigerator.
I was shocked by this discovery because he usually inhales them within a day. I assume my goal to recreate new meals from leftovers inspired him because he suggested we make egg salad sandwiches. I am sure this was not a true mix of ingredients, but we toasted the bread, diced up the remaining eggs, and added slices of bacon to the sandwich. It was mighty tasty and a great way to continue serving the redux of ingredients into another wonderful meal. I love to celebrate everything right about Saint Louis and our @mobotgarden is certainly on my top ten list. We are so fortunate to be able to enjoy this world class garden in our fair city.
Big Guy and I tend to walk around the garden during all the seasons to see the changes that take place. You may not think of visiting the garden in wintertime, but it can be the best time to see the garden, especially during the orchid show. Once again, the show is lovely with orchids at every corner beaconing you to take a closer look at their beauty. There are so many varieties to view, and we were not the only ones taking picture after picture of these exotic blooms. It was a lovely place to linger a while on a chilly day. I may have to author an instructional book on the use of leftovers, but right now I am enjoying the challenge of creating new dishes out of first run meals.
My latest creation was chicken pasta in white sauce. What was my leftover ingredient? Chicken from a chicken club sandwich from our local watering hole, The Haven. I sauteed onions, peppers and snap peas and then threw in the now chopped chicken. I made a simple white sauce of half and half, parmesan cheese, a pat of butter, and a pinch of garlic sauce. Once the sauce melded, I added the chicken and vegetables along with a simple pasta letting them all come together into one delicious dish. The final addition was heating up a lovely focaccia from @keycakesandco and opening a bottle of rose of pinot noir from @seanminorwines which is always welcome at our table. Just a normal day in the Carondelet Kitchen for a couple of super cool old people! Lucky us! |
AuthorJust a super cool old couple who love to cook and eat and drink in their Carondelet Kitchen in South Saint Louis, Missouri! Archives
November 2024
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