THE VILLAGE VOICE

"I am the Rose of Sharon, and the Lily of the Valleys." - Song of Solomon 2. 1-17 ~ Rose of Sharon

" White...is not a mere absence of colour; it is a shining and affirmative thing, as fierce as red, as definite as black...God paints in many colours; but He never paints so gorgeously, I had almost said so gaudily, as when He paints in white. " - G. K. Chesterton ~ Gaudy white hibiscus ______________ WHITE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE ~ Beloved 1982 prized recipe, an Italian meringue with finely chopped white chocolate and whipped cream, from (no-longer in Northville) ELIZABETH'S * 1 lb. white chocolate 6 oz. sugar 1/2 cup water 1/2 cup egg whites pinch cream of tartar 1 tsp. sugar 2 cups heavy cream 1 quart strawberries Shave chocolate and put shavings into food processor bowl. Process in 2 batches until very fine. Set aside. Combine sugar and water in small saucepan. Bring to boil. Simmer sugar syrup until it reaches 238-degrees. If edges turn gold, you have cooked it too long. In the meantime, beat egg whites, cream of tartar, and sugar with electric mixer until stiff peaks for...

"How could such sweet and wholesome hours Be reckoned but with herbs and flowers?" ~ Andrew Marvel (English Poet) ~ Enjoying God's beautiful day _____________ HERBAL ICED TEA ~ Perfect for a hot summer day * 8 bags herbal tea (Celestial Seasonings Orange, Red or Lemon Zinger Tea) 1 quart boiling water 1 quart fresh orange juice or lemonade fresh lemon and/or orange slices crushed ice sprigs of fresh mint Steep the tea bags in boiling water for ten minutes. Discard tea bags. Pour juice over tea. Add lemon and/or orange slices and fresh mint sprigs. Refrigerate until well chilled . Remove lemon and/or orange slices and mint before serving. Pour over crushed ice adding additional fresh fruit slices and sprig of fresh mint. ( 2 quarts) __________________ DILLY CUCUMBER SANDWICHES ~ What memories are made of * Favorite loaf of soft sandwich bread (white or wheat) 1-2 peeled and thinly sliced English cucumbers thinly sliced sweet onion (optional) 1/4 cup unsalted butter 1/2 c...

"Rain is grace; rain is the sky condescending to the earth; without rain, there would be no life. " ~ John Updike ~ Garden Angel _________________

~ Early August garden ______________ GRILLED SKIRT STEAK with ANCHOVY-OLIVE BUTTER ~ Delicious bistro-style steak known as ' onglet ' adapted from PEDALING THROUGH PROVENCE COOKBOOK * 2 lbs. skirt steak (or flank steak) 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil 2 Tbsp. herbs de Provence 1 Tbsp. finely chopped rosemary sea salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste Anchovy-Olive Butter 8 Tbsp. room temperature unsalted butter 8 drained and coarsely chopped anchovy fillets 1/4 cup pitted and coarsely chopped imported black olives 1 1/2 tsp. fresh thyme blossoms (in bloom) or finely chopped leaves Prepare grill. Place steak on platter and rub on both sides with olive oil. Sprinkle evenly on both sides with herbes of Provence, rosemary, salt & pepper. Let stand 10-15 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare anchovy-olive butter. Place butter in small bowl. Add anchovies and mash with fork. Blend in olives and thyme. Grill steak roughly 3-4 minutes per side for fare to medium-rare. Divide steak into f...

~ Geranium collage _______________ STRAWBERRY and CUCUMBER BISQUE ~ Delightful and refreshing cold soup * Creme Fraiche : 1 cup heavy cream 1 cup sour cream Whisk both creams in bowl and cover. Let stand in kitchen overnight until thickened. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours. 1 quart hulled strawberries 3 cups unsweetened apple juice 1 large peeled and seeded English cucumber 3 Tbsp. Crème de Cassis ( blackcurrant -flavored liqueur ) fresh mint dusted with powdered sugar Combine strawberries, apple juice, and cucumber in saucepan. Cook 5 minutes to blend. Transfer to blender and puree. Add 2 cups creme fraiche and Cassis . Blend until smooth. Refrigerate. Serve in large stemmed glasses with powdered sugar dusted mint. (6 servings). ____________________ LEMONY TOSSED CHICKEN SALAD ~ Summer flavors blend for a light brunch. * juice and zest of 2 fresh lemons 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil 1/2 cup minced fresh mint 3 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley 2 minced garlic cloves 1/2 tsp. fr...

~ Drew's Smallmouth Bass 5 lbs.-21 inches (Hubbard Lake) __________________ PAN FRIED SMALLMOUTH BASS FILLETS ~ A feisty warrior, challenging to catch, and sweet to eat. * 2 1/2 lbs. bass fillets 1/4-1/2 cup buttermilk 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter 1 cup Drake's Crispy Frymix * sprinkle garlic powder 1 tsp. sea salt freshly ground pepper 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice 1/4 cup fresh chopped herbs (basil, oregano & parsley) Rinse cleaned fillets well and pat dry. Place in glass dish. Combine buttermilk and cayenne. Pour over fish. Let rest for 10 minutes. Combine Drake's crispy fry mix, garlic powder, sea salt and pepper. Heat oil and butter in large skillet, preferably cast iron. Lift bass from buttermilk and dredge in fry mix , shaking off excess. Drop into hot oil and butter and fry on each side until golden brown. Remove and keep warm. Add lemon juice and herbs to skillet, adding more butter if needed. Heat and serve over...

~ Garden Clock (Mother's Day Gift) ______________ LEMONADE CHICKEN ~ A 'tart' very old standby, perfect for a hot summer evening. _______ 3 lbs. assorted favorite chicken pieces 1 6 oz. can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed juice and zest of 1 fresh lemon 1/3 cup soy sauce 2 tsp. celery seed 2 cloves minced garlic (1/4 tsp. garlic powder) freshly ground cracked pepper to taste Combine lemonade concentrate, fresh lemon juice, zest, soy sauce, celery seed, garlic and fresh pepper. Marinate chicken in large plastic bag or large container for several hours in refrigerator, turning often. Let rest at room temperature while grill fires up. Remove chicken and grill over medium coals for 30 minutes, basting with sauce the final 30 minutes. _____________________ HONEY MUSTARD SLAW with FRESH BASIL ~ Easy and delicious. ______ 8 cups shredded red and green cabbage 2 medium shredded carrots (or 2 bags prepared cabbage with carrots) 1 large julienne sliced red pepper 1 ch...

~ Queen Anne's Lace ____________ Queen Anne's Lace HER body is not so white as anemone petals nor so smooth--nor so remote a thing. It is a field of the wild carrot taking the field by force; the grass does not raise above it. Here is no question of whiteness, white as can be, with a purple mole at the center of each flower. Each flower is a hand's span of her whiteness. Wherever his hand has lain there is a tiny purple blossom under his touch to which the fibres of her being stem one by one, each to its end, until the whole field is a white desire, empty, a single stem, a cluster, flower by flower, a pious wish to whiteness gone over-- or nothing. ~ William Carlos Williams (1883 - 1963) (POET'S CORNER) http://www.theotherpages.org/poems/index.html