tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62443911788767566632024-02-19T03:08:18.814-08:00Monica Forrestall: Dining AroundLet me be your guide to some some amazing food experiences around the corner AND around the world.Monica Forrestallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11137929309160596097noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244391178876756663.post-26954731352646657642015-11-09T14:22:00.000-08:002015-11-09T14:33:30.515-08:00PASTA PERFECTED! <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">Pasta’s
popularity keeps on growing! </span><span style="color: #262626; font-family: "arial";">“In a study published
by the restaurant survey site </span><span style="font-family: "arial";"><a href="http://blog.zagat.com/2013/01/italian-food-survey-favorite-pastas-is.html"><i><span style="color: #262626;">Zagat</span></i></a><span style="color: #262626;"> it was
found that around 44% of the 1,468 people surveyed said they would eat pasta
two times a week, 23% said they enjoyed it 3-4 times a week, while 21% eat it
at least a few times every month.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">This delicious and satisfying
dish is popular for good reasons. As a quick, weeknight meal, being able to be put
a pasta dish on the table in under a half hour is both convenient <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">and </i>fits into our lifestyles. This quintessential
American meal is easy to prepare at any level of sophistication; from oil and Parmesan
cheese for the kids-like-it-plainer set to a dish replicating restaurant fare of
fusilli dressed with a cream sauce and wild mushrooms. And chefs all over America understand this dish's popularity and have innovative and sophisticated pasta dishes on menus. I happily enjoyed some elegant culinary pasta creations
at a Villeroy & Boch luncheon recently.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">The Villeroy & Boch team
hosted a luncheon for food bloggers and design editors in their showroom to
introduce the “Pasta Passion Plates” shown at the New York October Tabletop
Market, for those who simply adore pasta. These generously sized, porcelain plates are
both exquisite <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">and</i> very clever in
their design, making different varieties of pasta easier to enjoy. Each plate
design is fashioned so that certain styles of pasta, long spaghetti-style
noodles, as well as short varieties like penne and fusilli, can all be graciously
enjoyed in a style similar to an experience found in a high-end restaurant. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">The short pasta’s dish has a
lip edge where one can push pasta up onto, and get it into a spoon or onto a
fork easier. For anyone who’s spent time chasing a piece of pasta around a bowl
with a spoon, while someone's watching, it’s a silly experience
that’s about to change. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">Next up, the Spaghetti plate boasts
two innovative designs integrated into its sleek form. It features a spoon/fork
rest so your utensil won’t slide into the plate. No more dealing with a “saucy”
handle. And near the utensil holder, is an integrated, indented area that is the perfect
sized for twirling strands of pasta onto a fork. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">And finally, the noodle plate “M” was
designed for smaller portions of pasta. Think lunch or appetizer size. This
plate also has the lip edge and the utensil rest. An ideal design for holiday
gathering events. An elegant deep serving bowl rounds out this delightful new
pattern introduction. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: "arial";">Enjoying pasta at home doesn’t mean forgoing a fabulous stylish
experience. These beautiful, sculptural plates help to recreate a gracious restaurant-style
dining experience, all in the comfort of your own beautiful dining room. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: "arial";">Buon Appetito!</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg4Ah94Fy31qcKB-0PGTWP-IIAxpM-dG9YzZou4Nzv4xQWzwcokw69A366W9MMcdqc_VPngcMUhQ6ZiNc8xbrZKmMOscEzq58mujf3h_ntAKGCmMbs6MhHZhxvKF43R18r1Z8H1mockT8/s1600/Pasta+Passion+plates+CROP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg4Ah94Fy31qcKB-0PGTWP-IIAxpM-dG9YzZou4Nzv4xQWzwcokw69A366W9MMcdqc_VPngcMUhQ6ZiNc8xbrZKmMOscEzq58mujf3h_ntAKGCmMbs6MhHZhxvKF43R18r1Z8H1mockT8/s320/Pasta+Passion+plates+CROP.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nesting spoon finds its spot</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0uUlUAJRRLEktvcrzBbXRDxSOfj5rXjY9EIzeSzWe-wbhqweyy6uyQAxIpsYPI0SfJQ8WCY28j5fH_I7AZP9oDAyqvr32TVeHcj0m18F4AIAg9RvAMGeLx2RSm6siMDOoiJM02-MDiRQ/s1600/Spaghetti+plate+VuB_PastaPassion_2015+%252811%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0uUlUAJRRLEktvcrzBbXRDxSOfj5rXjY9EIzeSzWe-wbhqweyy6uyQAxIpsYPI0SfJQ8WCY28j5fH_I7AZP9oDAyqvr32TVeHcj0m18F4AIAg9RvAMGeLx2RSm6siMDOoiJM02-MDiRQ/s400/Spaghetti+plate+VuB_PastaPassion_2015+%252811%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Give it a twirl in a perfect indented spot</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSwWiltcWqIFh-zL7oH9gtIENLwRQJm9prGWTxStCe9TjKkqYBD3aRqaoy41TuYwkdf56ya-DHYAS-dB-MPagMIlrt2Wk-W75zAIDaAt_n38nHgaK18MHfUYPezi5xyBkDCSdUxQ9YlwI/s1600/Spaghetti+detail+VuB_PastaPassion_2015+%252810%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSwWiltcWqIFh-zL7oH9gtIENLwRQJm9prGWTxStCe9TjKkqYBD3aRqaoy41TuYwkdf56ya-DHYAS-dB-MPagMIlrt2Wk-W75zAIDaAt_n38nHgaK18MHfUYPezi5xyBkDCSdUxQ9YlwI/s320/Spaghetti+detail+VuB_PastaPassion_2015+%252810%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A tidy twirl!</td></tr>
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Monica Forrestallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11137929309160596097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244391178876756663.post-60750401606016374342012-05-27T05:38:00.001-07:002012-05-28T09:50:04.027-07:005 Boro PicNYC 2012 grilled cheese sandwich and other winning dishes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Wow! What an amazing day on Governor's Island yesterday, May 26th, for the opening day events for the 2012 season. The BIG (over 1500 attendees) foodie event was the 5 Boro PicNYC organized by chef/restauranteur Extraordinaire, Jimmy Carbone of the east village gastropub Jimmy's No. 43.<br />
I was asked to be one of five food judges of the event, including Amy Cortese, Kathy Blake, Matt Timms, Janet Zappala...) which put me in the enviable position of needing to taste as much as possible from all the different participating restaurants and organizations. I skipped dinner the night before and breakfast in preparation for this marathon.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmnsIKuCTf5PxxB1sdAIHdTyNYkRfPj5vqUx8gYdYceMFmzlklRXH4Gq59zqrZr2x6X9lsNmuJffd6V2gXONyzN7hcAMcmg0QZLLsffaxyYl8H92NZBtahOw4CExVFTH1TwPwLfznk0iU/s1600/Gov+isle+OMG+sandwich.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmnsIKuCTf5PxxB1sdAIHdTyNYkRfPj5vqUx8gYdYceMFmzlklRXH4Gq59zqrZr2x6X9lsNmuJffd6V2gXONyzN7hcAMcmg0QZLLsffaxyYl8H92NZBtahOw4CExVFTH1TwPwLfznk0iU/s400/Gov+isle+OMG+sandwich.JPG" width="400" /></a>The winner of the grilled cheese sandwich competition, sponsored by Jarlsberg, was Chrissy's Cooking Club creating the OMG Grilled Cheese put together by the students of the Bushwick Campus Farm. The Latino recipe was inspired by a "secret" family recipe of one of the Bushwick Farm group. The secret's out. As creative as this sandwich was, with layers of amazing flavors, using exceptional ingredients, many sourced from the local nyc farm, the story of the farm itself was wonderful to hear about.<br />
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For those lucky enough to have bought tickets ahead of time (the 2nd day of the event today Sunday is sold out, as was Saturday's) don't be daunted by the long lineup for OMG cheese sandwich...it's well worth the wait!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXJh89Srdp6l8DlRlTBZKKj7slLDSR3Do-xQXirUxTr2mZiwF9WWmygd_HF7Z0Vvj77OANxoazl-5QC3qS6cQLpFyzEMjyc6__q_rM6gyAYbfCN4rUleCRSHl_MK6cnB1xIdcn7A80_-w/s1600/Gov+isle+Bushwick+Farms+ladies+serving+OMG+sandwich.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXJh89Srdp6l8DlRlTBZKKj7slLDSR3Do-xQXirUxTr2mZiwF9WWmygd_HF7Z0Vvj77OANxoazl-5QC3qS6cQLpFyzEMjyc6__q_rM6gyAYbfCN4rUleCRSHl_MK6cnB1xIdcn7A80_-w/s320/Gov+isle+Bushwick+Farms+ladies+serving+OMG+sandwich.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ladies of the Bushwick Farms</td></tr>
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The best sausage went to Van Daag's Boudin Blanc, second place to Peet's Kielbasa and third place to Van Daag's Blood Sausage. Congrats winners!<br />
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The best taco was chosen by three judges from Slow Food organization headed up by Anthony Fassio, who chose The Left Bank, which was prepared by renowned chef, Lawrence Edelman. "The sweetness of the braised pulled rooster lend itself to the spiciness of the filling. Topped with a fresh "salsa" of tomatoes, white onions and green peppers--which was just enough acidity to round out the flavors. Pulled together by Tortilleria Nixtamal's freshly made corn tortilla, was an incredible eating experience. Perfect for the warm Governor's Island Day," commented Mr. Fassio.<br />
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The judges agreed on two honorable/outstanding mentions. First to Jimmy's No. 43 for his offering a grilled, sliced flank steak on a slice of bread with generous dollop of Chimichurri sauce. The second honorable mention goes to Canadian chef Ian Kapitan of Alobar in LIC, who not only produced wonderful food, but their booth was still cooking and going strong, long after several others had finished.<br />
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The Chrissy's Cooking Club crew, who won first prize in <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #373737; font-family: garamond, garamond, georgia, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 300; line-height: 26px;">the <a href="http://www.jarlsbergusa.com/" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #1982d1; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Jarlsberg</a> Grilled Cheese Cook-Off for their OMG Cheeses </span>takes home a<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #373737; font-family: garamond, garamond, georgia, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 300; line-height: 26px;"> <a href="http://www.lodgemfg.com/" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #1982d1; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Lodge</a> seasoned/cast iron skillet set + cookbook, a 22lb wheel of Jarlsberg and Sur La Table gift card (total value: $500.) </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #373737; font-family: garamond, garamond, georgia, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 300; line-height: 26px;">I smell more grilled cheese sandwiches on the horizon for the winners!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The lineups at No. 43 Jimmy's were constant, but Jimmy wisely set up three separate tented tables, <br />
so the grilled flank was continually being served up. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8KmwKBXEK_rlgROZFJNuMuNhO0cu85x_O_Lkcj7nBNlR1hmX0dLJ7fN9VgZ0yaFQw6DHdzspztNlQT9BjRe-3q7Cys3JQdP8QscayCJgMY-m0jX9uXmsOcSx4WEHZLsjYt_F-lxC4b3o/s1600/Gov+Isle+Jimmy+crispcropped+at+the+Jarlsberg+tent.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8KmwKBXEK_rlgROZFJNuMuNhO0cu85x_O_Lkcj7nBNlR1hmX0dLJ7fN9VgZ0yaFQw6DHdzspztNlQT9BjRe-3q7Cys3JQdP8QscayCJgMY-m0jX9uXmsOcSx4WEHZLsjYt_F-lxC4b3o/s320/Gov+Isle+Jimmy+crispcropped+at+the+Jarlsberg+tent.jpg" width="224" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jimmy Carbone checking in at the grilled cheese offerings at the Jarlesberg tent.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #373737; font-family: garamond, garamond, georgia, 'times new roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 26px;"><a href="http://5boropicnyc.com/">http://5boropicnyc.com/</a></span></span></div>Monica Forrestallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11137929309160596097noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244391178876756663.post-1540288327524514942012-02-11T20:40:00.000-08:002014-03-06T06:31:50.285-08:00"A Year Round Farmers Market for Wolfville" story for Coastal Life magazine<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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--Monica Forrestall</div>
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Monica Forrestallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11137929309160596097noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244391178876756663.post-29525227030544118612011-09-05T06:16:00.000-07:002011-09-05T06:16:21.816-07:00My New York Times story on Halifax Farmer's Market August 14th, 2011<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiznv4E5LhLnAk9eOSVVucvSbzBibve08JbgXHfq97EwGYfdgTzY9TF3rsuJspbl9cCL5nalQZwaGg1JOV6uVdbF0nWBeATcyBS88_oIJ2gIowRNVp_zxG2TBN2q07IiJbYeaXzKesvnqk/s1600/PHOTO+%25237+Halifax+Seaport+Farmer%2527s+Market+Overview+of+the+market+from+mezzanine+area+on+a+busy+Saturday+photo+by+Monica+Forrestall+low+res+.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiznv4E5LhLnAk9eOSVVucvSbzBibve08JbgXHfq97EwGYfdgTzY9TF3rsuJspbl9cCL5nalQZwaGg1JOV6uVdbF0nWBeATcyBS88_oIJ2gIowRNVp_zxG2TBN2q07IiJbYeaXzKesvnqk/s400/PHOTO+%25237+Halifax+Seaport+Farmer%2527s+Market+Overview+of+the+market+from+mezzanine+area+on+a+busy+Saturday+photo+by+Monica+Forrestall+low+res+.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A photo I took on a busy Saturday in mid-June at the Seaport Halifax Farmer's Market.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I wrote a story for the New York Times on the new Seaport Halifax Farmer's Market.<br />
Here's the link:<br />
<a href="http://travel.nytimes.com/2011/08/14/travel/in-halifax-an-old-market-gets-a-new-home.html?ref=localfood">http://travel.nytimes.com/2011/08/14/travel/in-halifax-an-old-market-gets-a-new-home.html?ref=localfood</a><br />
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--Monica Forrestall</div>Monica Forrestallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11137929309160596097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244391178876756663.post-57194516042727774872011-05-16T16:44:00.000-07:002011-05-16T18:53:27.487-07:00I've got a little whale caught in my teeth: From Tundra to Table<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ4hvFMoqQbNqGojiwl3RaLpVQ-VGXzgBDs5H2739NPxLSxLuK6yaot4ittGK4L7JamNPVP4llxtgscoJPu7q71FHM16qtGKuyWJVLAu7WjzVqs6G0rcBB04DEQM4sFZcht73eeYZErtk/s1600/Arctic+Cuisine+dinner+May+14.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ4hvFMoqQbNqGojiwl3RaLpVQ-VGXzgBDs5H2739NPxLSxLuK6yaot4ittGK4L7JamNPVP4llxtgscoJPu7q71FHM16qtGKuyWJVLAu7WjzVqs6G0rcBB04DEQM4sFZcht73eeYZErtk/s400/Arctic+Cuisine+dinner+May+14.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>Never thought I'd hear myself saying that---until the Arctic Foraging dinner I went to at the James Beard Foundation last Saturday night. And during the appetizer reception hour I was offered Duet of Whale an egg dish dish with a side of whale Bacon bits and fried whale blubber. In twenty years of some pretty esoteric dining where I sometimes feel I've tasted everything (twice), whale <i>was</i> a first. <br />
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Before anyone dashes off comments about endangered mammals, let me explain the complicated journey this proffered whale meat had taken to get here. Once every two years a lottery is held for Inuit hunters, who had a historical tradition of whale hunting, and one chosen hunter is allowed to hunt and kill a whale. The conditions are rules are lengthy, one of which is that the whale meat MUST be shared with the entire village that the hunter belongs to.<br />
A small portion of this meat was gifted to a man who is a self-described forager, Steven Cooper, who has lived in the far north since he was eight years old. He was invited to the Beard Foundation to help prepare Saturday's meal, and generously chose to share his gift of whale meat with the guests of the foundation. Considering the rarity of this ingredient, this generous gesture wasn't lost on me.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUa3K67TuilUK6TBCGmu81MMdJQZ4G8cdU00vkzilbWvfYjXrTJA-UBcuqF8UpUMb3BO56cZXoY5x2dL262t6DJ-AMjFkxxtBEAs8rpX4lVDLdTZwPmAGwx1Lri8i4pLXh_wxJ311LNxE/s1600/Arctic+Cuisine+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUa3K67TuilUK6TBCGmu81MMdJQZ4G8cdU00vkzilbWvfYjXrTJA-UBcuqF8UpUMb3BO56cZXoY5x2dL262t6DJ-AMjFkxxtBEAs8rpX4lVDLdTZwPmAGwx1Lri8i4pLXh_wxJ311LNxE/s400/Arctic+Cuisine+2.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Duet of Whale, served on porcelain hors d'oeuvres spoons.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The dish above, The Duet of Whale, Beluga and Bowhead whale with Davis Straight shrimp caviar, had an unusual texture, the whale was chewy and the caviar was semi-hard texture. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The other novelty ingredient for me, was Musk Ox, and having it served thinly sliced, </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">frozen and lollipop-style. It is the traditional way to eat it, and the Ninuyet find it peculiar </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">to eat it any other way.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIXuhn5J40SXrDzaw3eqyE0Jtb6s8a2vASnrubs8XIOv50S4t2jPuiwkcOlCUYTTGaWaH7-M1NKlTa9JsP3mzkzwcTRdGdxRwaBf392RbVptG8V8IpYHEJNlloiLlTOHNKLhZyqpk5UwI/s1600/Artic+Cuisine+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIXuhn5J40SXrDzaw3eqyE0Jtb6s8a2vASnrubs8XIOv50S4t2jPuiwkcOlCUYTTGaWaH7-M1NKlTa9JsP3mzkzwcTRdGdxRwaBf392RbVptG8V8IpYHEJNlloiLlTOHNKLhZyqpk5UwI/s320/Artic+Cuisine+4.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguQBu2D6CBotPoUJp8khaRNWRkABm2pPHUmu2G8cDpvMqcg8t-8uHDX66PSoLJ2U3Whgd2-gaTtC-dciqVPwMnfgULbFT0JHr9_nU08dYIWHbOqXvZ61ffOTfSae1qtlaQTtH-gkt5904/s1600/Arctic+Cuisine+10.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguQBu2D6CBotPoUJp8khaRNWRkABm2pPHUmu2G8cDpvMqcg8t-8uHDX66PSoLJ2U3Whgd2-gaTtC-dciqVPwMnfgULbFT0JHr9_nU08dYIWHbOqXvZ61ffOTfSae1qtlaQTtH-gkt5904/s400/Arctic+Cuisine+10.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Berber dusted musk ox cube with cilantro yoghurt and papaya paste.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Up in the dining room, my eyebrows went up a few more times, when we were served smoked musk ox tongues, then pickerel topped with whitefish caviar with Haida Gwaii herring roe </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">and finally dandelion te'j ice cream. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Everyone at the table couldn't get enough of the salty Baffin Island bread, a First Nations flatbread. The texture was a little like pound cake, moist and dense. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I was really touched to have seen some of the thirty high school students who came down from Ontario, where they are studying in a culinary mentoring program with Canada Food Network's chef Finkelstein. They were working so hard, side by side, in the tiny kitchen of the Beard Foundation.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2XwlO8TFAEbwo89GvrfK72tLZV3TSv9KayUhyphenhyphenHj2RzOinU0o2O-zdIZ7e2jJ1vBbDRwcWZzL8KwbJA75tk9lhPqwWTwjXK6qNAg8_BLaPdSoUngfNR6p4Oqhdpgq69JjLYpCWFCk7Sg8/s1600/Arctic+Cuisine+6+kids+in+kitchen.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2XwlO8TFAEbwo89GvrfK72tLZV3TSv9KayUhyphenhyphenHj2RzOinU0o2O-zdIZ7e2jJ1vBbDRwcWZzL8KwbJA75tk9lhPqwWTwjXK6qNAg8_BLaPdSoUngfNR6p4Oqhdpgq69JjLYpCWFCk7Sg8/s400/Arctic+Cuisine+6+kids+in+kitchen.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDSaOnyz63rOfT4yLtjU60YOLbbh9qaZoxHDn6PG_OmH_K91rCrdKK5lULI5fteimRNqj9rFGt6NxIpWstSPcYq6eT2H5o1vFm_ZiYKSfOoAtggaTgZw5LwG5tGJOYbbzAvtCMAFqOrLI/s1600/Arctic+Cuisine+7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDSaOnyz63rOfT4yLtjU60YOLbbh9qaZoxHDn6PG_OmH_K91rCrdKK5lULI5fteimRNqj9rFGt6NxIpWstSPcYq6eT2H5o1vFm_ZiYKSfOoAtggaTgZw5LwG5tGJOYbbzAvtCMAFqOrLI/s320/Arctic+Cuisine+7.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A recent graduate (right) and a current culinary student from Ontario work side by side on a tray of Sunny side up quail egg, fried crouton, smoked whale bits with cherry tomato.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiymjMqb4IibwW1i13AsQf9AXMXIb53TUNDGTehix5_mfj0SpumwONOq_NJOThz9lOVjxNRsA0PxGA35zIYUALCuJ4U1v4Vu8fs_zqZF6aEXLqFa7nptTO0Q90QbUrbg8RNRYhLlA5x-kA/s1600/Arctic+Cuisine+8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiymjMqb4IibwW1i13AsQf9AXMXIb53TUNDGTehix5_mfj0SpumwONOq_NJOThz9lOVjxNRsA0PxGA35zIYUALCuJ4U1v4Vu8fs_zqZF6aEXLqFa7nptTO0Q90QbUrbg8RNRYhLlA5x-kA/s400/Arctic+Cuisine+8.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chef Finklestein and some of the students from his culinary mentoring program. </td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It's a wonderful thing when you can come away from a local event having genuinely learnt something about a different culture that you may never have the opportunity to experience. This introduction to some First Nations culinary traditions was done in a most honoring way, motivated by a desire</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> to share information their fascinating culture. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">---Monica Forrestall</div><br />
</div>Monica Forrestallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11137929309160596097noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244391178876756663.post-28388374705233759202011-04-29T10:08:00.000-07:002011-04-30T07:59:50.864-07:00To Market, To Market in Annapolis Royal for Over Thirty Years: Feature story in April/May 2011 issue of Coastal Life Magazine<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">While I was in Nova Scotia last summer, I scouted out a lot of stories for the future. I did a roundup story on three new businesses in Bear River, but took a lot of photos of the Annapolis Royal Farmer's Market (where I am every Saturday). I got to write a feature on this remarkably successful market for the current April/May issue of Coastal Life magazine. (If you double click on each page, it magnifies the copy for easier reading.) Enjoy!<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">--Monica Forrestall</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>Monica Forrestallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11137929309160596097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244391178876756663.post-63029903317151697512011-03-26T09:50:00.000-07:002014-03-06T05:59:59.096-08:00A cupcake inspires trips to two amazing NYC shops this week: New York Cakes and Baking Supply and Economy Candy<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
A Panda cupcake. That's where it started. Inspired by my sons desire for cupcakes shaped and decorated to look like Panda bears, I made my list and headed out to two old-timey NYC shops that have the absolute best selection of baking and candy in the city.<br />
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First stop, New York Cakes & Baking Supply on 22nd Street at 6th Avenue. I've been coming here for years, it's my go to place for cake decorating supplies, ingredients, tools and obscure stuff you just can't find anywhere else, like "sugar eyes." The big, wooden carved double doors are the first hint that you're entering a real NY classic store, with merchandise <i>everywhere </i>you look. In the aisles, climbing the walls. Handwritten signs calling out lollipop sticks, cupcake liners, liquid frosting, etc...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvWga5EE03shgSmcHzczSs0GdxXxCL9YV6C_DXGzLJCkupeyC__YkDdpIWMkxDMvXcfEBQsn50BLYBAFIC-YXYemvIxntu0lbniqt6bJGQtm9WlQdxoeosswlPzP02wtV-oAa509aFdKA/s1600/New+York+Baking+signage.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvWga5EE03shgSmcHzczSs0GdxXxCL9YV6C_DXGzLJCkupeyC__YkDdpIWMkxDMvXcfEBQsn50BLYBAFIC-YXYemvIxntu0lbniqt6bJGQtm9WlQdxoeosswlPzP02wtV-oAa509aFdKA/s400/New+York+Baking+signage.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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I overhear the man behind the counter ringing up a customer saying, "Ever since those cake shows started on TV, it's been crazy here." I find the dark chocolate disks, the sugar eyes and the brown cupcake tin lines I came for, but they don't have the nonpareils! "We're out," I'm told. Never mind, I know where to go next for those. In the meantime I wander the narrow aisles getting an eyeful of all the fascinating tins, rolling pins, cake toppers and more.<br />
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To source the nonpareils and some chocolate covered peanuts, I had the perfect excuse to plan a visit to my favorite candy store in the city, Economy Candy on Rivington at Ludlow Street.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcyoZ12QB6PKHiY7slbd_5hH1It_NfYAynZnaCMNEEBLPQ3HmyRqOB9BvrT0rQn-xC01CLEIx5GUqjOoVNHBSw79S8W8pDhAsiKUEAUBqr96y1kndkH2Gh6A_veLf-tGKQcVl_riwOkfk/s1600/Economy+Candy+storefront.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcyoZ12QB6PKHiY7slbd_5hH1It_NfYAynZnaCMNEEBLPQ3HmyRqOB9BvrT0rQn-xC01CLEIx5GUqjOoVNHBSw79S8W8pDhAsiKUEAUBqr96y1kndkH2Gh6A_veLf-tGKQcVl_riwOkfk/s320/Economy+Candy+storefront.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Economy Candy storefront.</td></tr>
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Economy Candy is located in the newly hip gallery district of the lower east side of Manhattan, </div>
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a couple of blocks below Houston Street.</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">All photographs: Copyright of Monica Forrestall. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">May not be used without Monica Forrestall's written permission.</span></div>
Monica Forrestallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11137929309160596097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244391178876756663.post-65627190788733161162010-04-18T07:50:00.000-07:002010-04-18T07:50:26.872-07:00Freddie Brice Show at KS Art Gallery gets fantastic reviews in the New Yorker and the New York Times this week!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVy4MImXQvlRA9joL-MEsiW3U66roeeP-GmI-aMm0JXEBmEsEBpfdhfck7Uk0mad0d3z6TocsZTrLuThd_vOP0Zxyv-S5CoEAKA_Gm8IQ1tYrjBaW7fD8Ard7gh4NtCMnPj_3tO6loFto/s1600/Bear.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVy4MImXQvlRA9joL-MEsiW3U66roeeP-GmI-aMm0JXEBmEsEBpfdhfck7Uk0mad0d3z6TocsZTrLuThd_vOP0Zxyv-S5CoEAKA_Gm8IQ1tYrjBaW7fD8Ard7gh4NtCMnPj_3tO6loFto/s400/Bear.jpg" width="332" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Bear by Freddie Brice.</div> <br />
An extraordinary show of black and white paintings by a then 70-year old Outsider artist gets rave reviews in the New Yorker magazine and the New York Times this week.<br />
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The New York Times review by critic Ken Johnson:<br />
<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/16/arts/design/16galleries-004.html?ref=design">http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/16/arts/design/16galleries-004.html?ref=design</a><br />
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and the New Yorker review:<br />
<a href="http://www.newyorker.com/arts/events/art/freddie-brice-ks-art">http://www.newyorker.com/arts/events/art/freddie-brice-ks-art</a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0uFlKjKXKdw6YL_ycWjPZvvaTzUdaGg80-XT_cXSxNidT-EKKZgUcmtGZv95A_EHGw4BwmqMgKOxwXj0FA3P9xBD45_FgVtuDwuItoLVTyHdYF_kwRYcYCa4Nkd7A4x6qjjNhkGFZ-4Q/s1600/Freddie+Brice+Snake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0uFlKjKXKdw6YL_ycWjPZvvaTzUdaGg80-XT_cXSxNidT-EKKZgUcmtGZv95A_EHGw4BwmqMgKOxwXj0FA3P9xBD45_FgVtuDwuItoLVTyHdYF_kwRYcYCa4Nkd7A4x6qjjNhkGFZ-4Q/s320/Freddie+Brice+Snake.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><div style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold;">FREDDIE BRICE</span><b></b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;">paintings</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;">March 27 - May 1, 2010</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;">opening reception: Saturday, March 27, 6 - 8 pm</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;">including the re-mastered video:</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"><u>Freddie Brice Paints Two Paintings</u> 1990</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;">by Les LeVeque and Kerry Schuss</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica;"><b>KS ART</b></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;">73 Leonard Street</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;">New York, NY 10013</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;">212-219-9918</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="color: #0021e8; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"><a href="mailto:ksart@earthlink.net"><u>ksart@earthlink.net</u><u></u></a></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="color: #0021e8; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"><a href="http://www.kerryschuss.com/"><u>http://www.kerryschuss.com</u></a></span><span style="color: #2379e0; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"><u>/</u></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2379e0; text-decoration: underline;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2379e0; text-decoration: underline;">--Monica Forrestall</span></div></span>Monica Forrestallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11137929309160596097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244391178876756663.post-68922832553534398792010-04-03T18:14:00.000-07:002012-02-15T18:33:08.547-08:00Making organic swiss chocolate with a master candy maker at Durig Chocolatier in Lausanne<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPlma-3bAC5Dr63y_G_a2GYX9ZSFx2veJzHsoZRpfq4ww0buyYW8CzLKtfo11BguX5UUuu4JDWrOpjKFwtSjpOwDXHZF-x8KLlKq3V4COjQZ_VKW-rUxmsUlMEjgr0eyZ8q7PsH6CY8_0/s1600/P1090862.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPlma-3bAC5Dr63y_G_a2GYX9ZSFx2veJzHsoZRpfq4ww0buyYW8CzLKtfo11BguX5UUuu4JDWrOpjKFwtSjpOwDXHZF-x8KLlKq3V4COjQZ_VKW-rUxmsUlMEjgr0eyZ8q7PsH6CY8_0/s320/P1090862.JPG" /></a>Decadent, delicious, delightful! On a recent trip to Switzerland I got to live out a Willie Wonka fantasy and learnt how to make molded chocolate candy in the famous kitchens of Lausanne's Durig Chocolatier side by side with the world famous chocolatier, Daniel Durig. Daniel, an artisinal chocolate-maker makes certified organic fair-trade chocolates. In his mini-lab, I got to see some of the best ingredients he insists on using, like the Criollos cocoa beans from South America. Daniel's large chocolate kitchen is side by side with his exquisitely pretty shop in Lausanne.<br />
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Step one was to choose the mold to use. I thought Max would appreciate the smiling crocodile, since reptiles are his favorite section of the Museum of Natural History back home.<br />
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Then using some liquified white chocolate, with a fine paint brush, I painted the inside details (claws, eyes) of a cheerful crocodile mold with white chocolate.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2__PB5OFf9Se9lkN6BvZ1djJjSJ296uh2IwGAMbP5CuLLm3s1zpGfOhrOvvjqmHUipABuZYuYwfq5HJU6KTOhM8cOlUHLEEodFcKJsGCJUDlQJfRYd3dFV2tFEYrCOZlFXyrPvY6wS4Q/s1600/Monica+making+chocolates+FINAL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2__PB5OFf9Se9lkN6BvZ1djJjSJ296uh2IwGAMbP5CuLLm3s1zpGfOhrOvvjqmHUipABuZYuYwfq5HJU6KTOhM8cOlUHLEEodFcKJsGCJUDlQJfRYd3dFV2tFEYrCOZlFXyrPvY6wS4Q/s400/Monica+making+chocolates+FINAL.jpg" width="290" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The pot of melted white chocolate with brushes I used.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip7Tb_wZcijka2s0gtlE9utlkEQcr_SH7LN69vCOV61zHs_KvE4v2p8FZndcNwZlaoPVlqcV2LqUF-1NYD-CajLmtHWibdTWXO2Yk07Ft6qJr0os0xYJpTZijBsB2XhTCHTIioomtrp_o/s1600/P1090890.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip7Tb_wZcijka2s0gtlE9utlkEQcr_SH7LN69vCOV61zHs_KvE4v2p8FZndcNwZlaoPVlqcV2LqUF-1NYD-CajLmtHWibdTWXO2Yk07Ft6qJr0os0xYJpTZijBsB2XhTCHTIioomtrp_o/s320/P1090890.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Below: Criollos cocoa bean pods.</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNZA0y8Z2fDcaZQlJK-ubISi3bt_AsvaRCK2CliONBKNtGRpXWH7g8vAVKi3rN_crIJdUF5Hxqqh4J-iKCaWbDKeOn9AMH0-D2Obo5zCMC2WyhEsA1W3esFkDwghIUZvyhzj7nm1Pjqn4/s1600/Cocoa+shells.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNZA0y8Z2fDcaZQlJK-ubISi3bt_AsvaRCK2CliONBKNtGRpXWH7g8vAVKi3rN_crIJdUF5Hxqqh4J-iKCaWbDKeOn9AMH0-D2Obo5zCMC2WyhEsA1W3esFkDwghIUZvyhzj7nm1Pjqn4/s320/Cocoa+shells.JPG" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Next step, after we let the mold and white chocolate set in the fridge for a few minutes, was to fill the mold with chocolate. We had our choice of milk or dark. It was a heady extraordinary aroma of whirling warm chocolate coming from the two chocolate machines spinning side by side; milk on the left kept warmed to 27 degrees Celcius and dark chocolate on the right, which is maintained at 29 degrees.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiARoK3F7LpXbqAwUadHAeEImhJpnnc4mQrTmkN3vxiO9xo_nCX2AexmW-8cROHiH6Ez9uG47snpok51BiDDF0sqTgX5pJW0QFh4DT0hxSs8mFFAy6UnuHuEOLgsCH8V1lDYCpk8w2zUBk/s1600/P1090895.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiARoK3F7LpXbqAwUadHAeEImhJpnnc4mQrTmkN3vxiO9xo_nCX2AexmW-8cROHiH6Ez9uG47snpok51BiDDF0sqTgX5pJW0QFh4DT0hxSs8mFFAy6UnuHuEOLgsCH8V1lDYCpk8w2zUBk/s320/P1090895.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Then we held the molds over a vibrating machine which helped to move the chocolate around in the mold and settle covering all the areas. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiheXj9fYeathRjzMlM0vI7o8IGYOxusawed4UVEMk3ezPpGvxCEamRnhT7C3re65iNjJTHzdYgCQETjjs_NbJ8jTq5c9-mhp8PrGl8W5imSrF0bVIuEONhtVcp5xWkbGpaBPGK7zo0Gjw/s1600/P1090885.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiheXj9fYeathRjzMlM0vI7o8IGYOxusawed4UVEMk3ezPpGvxCEamRnhT7C3re65iNjJTHzdYgCQETjjs_NbJ8jTq5c9-mhp8PrGl8W5imSrF0bVIuEONhtVcp5xWkbGpaBPGK7zo0Gjw/s400/P1090885.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Close up of croc getting made.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivfBXMS5E7fmSRjtWsoUjsVjT5_L3USzki2Wz1dYHJxPuqAt2jeI8ww1QwseZScRkQ3Ha6sLYemv_tI_JiD3vQSuWTbjl5X797JNN41KOCJweGE1kAhpUzks77MsN-gfyUFiL_5R2k4do/s1600/P1090886.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivfBXMS5E7fmSRjtWsoUjsVjT5_L3USzki2Wz1dYHJxPuqAt2jeI8ww1QwseZScRkQ3Ha6sLYemv_tI_JiD3vQSuWTbjl5X797JNN41KOCJweGE1kAhpUzks77MsN-gfyUFiL_5R2k4do/s320/P1090886.JPG" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We did two "fill up" of the milk chocolate into the molds, with chilling time in the fridge between each filling. Then it was time to pop the molds open to see our handiwork.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDdjtHjXO62T5wRSZbsVvlGyWEAx6jzd9orRNCLRLfXmjW7ZRT_ADP2GTDuovqZZd7fKPXZNLQ237OkyhflfNi7BFzT88F1E-17evtmVALOnsQEjyWmmIDF2tcrDVaji9eAlUozpiMnVQ/s1600/Emptied+molds.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDdjtHjXO62T5wRSZbsVvlGyWEAx6jzd9orRNCLRLfXmjW7ZRT_ADP2GTDuovqZZd7fKPXZNLQ237OkyhflfNi7BFzT88F1E-17evtmVALOnsQEjyWmmIDF2tcrDVaji9eAlUozpiMnVQ/s320/Emptied+molds.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLN_h2S1OShK8Pi4ZK_Ty__TLdJiM3D0K30Ou3OHJJVNy9Rr8GQook9dLog2QfM_51kKmcCAT3z0hzWsgu0ZGEf1rDv-FKDFR9sOJ5wKT1FR_aIWbcGvh61QPBIUQjb1JZq6h_tZGiWgw/s1600/P1090906.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLN_h2S1OShK8Pi4ZK_Ty__TLdJiM3D0K30Ou3OHJJVNy9Rr8GQook9dLog2QfM_51kKmcCAT3z0hzWsgu0ZGEf1rDv-FKDFR9sOJ5wKT1FR_aIWbcGvh61QPBIUQjb1JZq6h_tZGiWgw/s320/P1090906.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Voila, a "delicieux crocodile cadeaux" for Max! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAcPf5a-NoUAg4sFPsutaWdQnPj2e55o3eO8yTSFoqcNlOE90n00fWCcqIvT8XYzLy4TnKReM8gHvOjZkkS9Nob0InodYxCQEP3si-unGliMy1f9f8ZEh7fvbm7C0iy6_qFIVesDe6gik/s1600/Chocolate+molds.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAcPf5a-NoUAg4sFPsutaWdQnPj2e55o3eO8yTSFoqcNlOE90n00fWCcqIvT8XYzLy4TnKReM8gHvOjZkkS9Nob0InodYxCQEP3si-unGliMy1f9f8ZEh7fvbm7C0iy6_qFIVesDe6gik/s320/Chocolate+molds.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Other chocolate molds of their best selling truffles in the chocolate factory, some empty, some with a coating of chocolate, waiting to be filled with delicious fillings of caramel or orange paste.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Below: some finished fish waiting to be packaged for the shop. They were so pretty, I bought one for my BF and another for BF hubby.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio37rbIXqEANiZG3KiR0uSgZZOQ8PORdnRvENnLEvCQfPucXE9Qrzt0iNWf8WNfEms4oDgD3OHA_6WZRCv25ayUogx3m7mE6w9DYPVBFvGrez5BQqkqi0SEDAEXUcBT67QJvwJq-CajaA/s1600/P1090902.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio37rbIXqEANiZG3KiR0uSgZZOQ8PORdnRvENnLEvCQfPucXE9Qrzt0iNWf8WNfEms4oDgD3OHA_6WZRCv25ayUogx3m7mE6w9DYPVBFvGrez5BQqkqi0SEDAEXUcBT67QJvwJq-CajaA/s320/P1090902.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9hMo1tNy9BnSmsrwMPLP43lJW8vC2hchdjjmeFWUx6cK5UWhoM5AmwMTEICwbPGGfrpWv6u-LBGHetSSB7Y8VXqt76OLWzUzOKwCawqCfgYaT__onnHkzPHBNCYL-nYWxu_l6trcDWTk/s1600/P1090910.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9hMo1tNy9BnSmsrwMPLP43lJW8vC2hchdjjmeFWUx6cK5UWhoM5AmwMTEICwbPGGfrpWv6u-LBGHetSSB7Y8VXqt76OLWzUzOKwCawqCfgYaT__onnHkzPHBNCYL-nYWxu_l6trcDWTk/s320/P1090910.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The pretty Durig Chocolatier shop, next to the candy making kitchens. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Here's a link to his website where anyone can order from! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.durig.ch/">http://www.durig.ch/</a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Finally, below, Max enjoying his croc...immensely.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuKaF6XyFffZKOuoEhMfeEOCYXZkMaueUJkxWVYJ5kjIbAzAugMnyTK12S2JZDpVQqQDdZRyotOxa8jqU9xTAt-4hRU3eyN8Zmo0kTsNH3t5shwMqgFGIVAUvyMKXm0y4hDdWAxDg4zwE/s1600/P1100197.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuKaF6XyFffZKOuoEhMfeEOCYXZkMaueUJkxWVYJ5kjIbAzAugMnyTK12S2JZDpVQqQDdZRyotOxa8jqU9xTAt-4hRU3eyN8Zmo0kTsNH3t5shwMqgFGIVAUvyMKXm0y4hDdWAxDg4zwE/s320/P1100197.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">--Monica Forrestall</div></div>Monica Forrestallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11137929309160596097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244391178876756663.post-28779881990720260232010-03-28T18:15:00.000-07:002014-03-06T06:31:04.397-08:00Switzerland--Way Beyond Fondue<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It is very possible to spend several days in Switzerland, and <i>not</i> eat any fondue. Here is a sampling of some of the extraordinary dishes I got to try, while visiting Switzerland. Food glorious food.<br />
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Yes, this is a cheese dish, and one of the cheeses is soft and runny. It was all divine. </div>
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Scallops.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlQHjCl4Hmq-NKURP2V3ScAVVadjDlGO-fH-r5I_NhgkzyhyphenhyphenZzt2USbZKJMfMPt0uHXYsHOHS4sZhckrPYcULki9XSESzBE4YmjsS0EzfNLdrOKS-7S7wtZe8hb2kQeJ1x_e9zkiZ1GH4/s1600/Swiss+Food+3+foie+gras.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlQHjCl4Hmq-NKURP2V3ScAVVadjDlGO-fH-r5I_NhgkzyhyphenhyphenZzt2USbZKJMfMPt0uHXYsHOHS4sZhckrPYcULki9XSESzBE4YmjsS0EzfNLdrOKS-7S7wtZe8hb2kQeJ1x_e9zkiZ1GH4/s320/Swiss+Food+3+foie+gras.JPG" /></a><br />
Gotta love it when the waiter finishes off the caramelizing of top crust of your creme brulee<br />
at the table, with a mini-flame torch.<br />
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Gazpacho and a cube of jellied beet atop puree of carrot.</div>
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In the Swiss wine region. </div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">All photography copyright: Monica Forrestall</span></div>
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Monica Forrestallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11137929309160596097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244391178876756663.post-85228343297033871912009-11-14T06:00:00.000-08:002012-05-27T05:20:04.858-07:00Brew Meister Monica<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I've drank my share of beer in my life. My first taste was when I was 7, and expressed curiosity when my uncle Mike Forrestall was drinking it, and he said "You want a taste?" I took a sip, wrinkled up my face in disgust, said "Ewwwwww" and didn't taste the stuff again...till high school. For teens in Nova Scotia, it was the drink of choice: Alexander Keiths beer was brewed in my old home town. (Canadian beer on average has a higher alcohol content than US beer: Keiths is 5%.) And it was amazing how slack pubs were, back then about asking for ID. Me and my girlfriends, all 16 years old, had regular Friday nights at a bar a mile or so from our neighborhood.<br />
But up till last week I'd never tried to make any. On my trip to Albuquerque, I visited <span style="color: #b45f06;">Kelly's Brew Pub</span> (an Albuquerque landmark) on Route 66 to make a batch myself and learnt a lot. Love that the brewery is located in an old garage (below) The Old Jones Motor Company built in 1939. Lots of character, with old gas pumps out front, surrounded by tables and chairs.<br />
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Beer making central is down the hallway in the back. Here guests can sign on to make their own kegs, and it's where the in-house brew master makes beer for the restaurant. Today, he helped us make one of my favorite beers, Oatmeal Stout.<br />
He pulled out the recipe, and we got started.<br />
First step was measuring out all the grains. They are stored in big plastic bins and you scoop it out with a big scoop and then weigh it on a scale to make sure it's correct. Its very much a science, and too much of one grain will drastically effect the flavor.<br />
(www.kellysbrewpub.com)<br />
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Scooping out some of the grains for Oatmeal Stout.<br />
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<span style="color: black;">After measuring out all the grains, we poured it into a grinder (that looked pretty homemade). This isn't to pulverize the grains, just to open up the husk, the beer master explained, so they can absorb water and ferment. </span></div>
Then the ground grains are poured into the copper tanks to begin the process. I stirred a bit, to speed up the soaking process with a big stainless paddle (below).<br />
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We added two large plastic pitchers of syrup (left) and then let it cook. The whole process in-house takes an hour and a half. Then there is a two-week aging in keg period, which are kept in a chilled room in another building behind the brewery.<br />
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Then, it's either put on tap at the brewery (like my batch will be) or it's bottled up, labelled with labels that are custom printed for visiting beer meisters, and picked up. It's a popular thing apparently to do for corporate events and weddings. That would make a fun take away gift for a bachelor, or bachelorette party!<br />
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Stirring the mash.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH1MKpnC2sKG7q2teOHeXQAerFfyEUuZS408GptNA9EhnUjUea-rQLSOjF4RCkmDxTQ_tB84WEibaFvC2F16j2ochRzBt6TsWnwS5DFWjomeCF4ygkrbPJ1Ho06WaRsta2YUo047t0AHc/s1600-h/Graingrinding.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH1MKpnC2sKG7q2teOHeXQAerFfyEUuZS408GptNA9EhnUjUea-rQLSOjF4RCkmDxTQ_tB84WEibaFvC2F16j2ochRzBt6TsWnwS5DFWjomeCF4ygkrbPJ1Ho06WaRsta2YUo047t0AHc/s200/Graingrinding.JPG" /> </a></div>Monica Forrestallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11137929309160596097noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244391178876756663.post-23085785537500426202009-11-06T05:22:00.000-08:002009-12-19T04:34:25.823-08:00SEE JANE (& Monica) COOK: New Mexico Cooking class<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsNeoSfYDEkNvUeB8SRm1OJ2CicJb8ZzjvvZVlu1_L5SyBQMAMCZ0paHjIDnB0n9a_fVxBLFhjgYMBbeFl8VQ_qaCrwY3NsoyRcqMXSDyN5o9sroN9FHu0iIVRNklZ5WQ57ci7PdGnRMc/s1600-h/Monica&JaneButel.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsNeoSfYDEkNvUeB8SRm1OJ2CicJb8ZzjvvZVlu1_L5SyBQMAMCZ0paHjIDnB0n9a_fVxBLFhjgYMBbeFl8VQ_qaCrwY3NsoyRcqMXSDyN5o9sroN9FHu0iIVRNklZ5WQ57ci7PdGnRMc/s400/Monica&JaneButel.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Monica (right) and cookbook author Jane Butel </span></span></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #38761d;">in Albuquerque, New Mexico.</span></span></span><br />
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</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Got to meet & cook with a very famous New Mexican chef, Jane Butel, while I was in Albuquerque. If the name's not ringing a bell, Jane is credited with starting the Tex-Mex trend, and she published her first book on New Mexican and American Mexican food in the 1960's. She taught me how to make Sopaipillas, a disturbingly delicious fried bread recipe that originated in Albuquerque, 300 years ago. (I admit when she first said fried bread, my mind was reeling...FRIED FOOD!?! But this was worth the calories. </span><span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; white-space: pre;"><span style="font-size: small;">Jane greeted me at the door of her beautiful adobe-style home, with her frantic 7-month old daschaund lapping<span style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"> our ankles. After giving me some of her fascinating history,</span><span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; font-family: Times; white-space: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"> I watched as Jane expertly mixed up a dough recipe all by hand (after removing some of her beautiful turquoise rings). I took copious notes, wanting to try this back home in New York. When Jane was rolling out the smaller amounts of dough on her granite counter, she used a small wooden</span></span><span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; white-space: pre;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"> mini roller, which was the perfect size for the amount of dough she was rolling out. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht-6MRk53btHMDPSGfldZ7BXAXD8TCjRnY-zsHQ4howeMUWfszkInK-aUXZ8x8WIJf97fbPMloT36Dgs38pGkhJxINI8gJZ6DwAqgh0f2OIt9Hk9WwmYWQTov52ov2wL9N0Xg92Esm-Vw/s1600-h/Jane's+roller.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: small;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht-6MRk53btHMDPSGfldZ7BXAXD8TCjRnY-zsHQ4howeMUWfszkInK-aUXZ8x8WIJf97fbPMloT36Dgs38pGkhJxINI8gJZ6DwAqgh0f2OIt9Hk9WwmYWQTov52ov2wL9N0Xg92Esm-Vw/s200/Jane's+roller.JPG" /></span></a><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; white-space: pre;"><span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; font-family: Times; white-space: normal;"><span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; white-space: pre;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">After cutting the dough into quarters, Jane slid the </span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; white-space: pre;"><span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; font-family: Times; white-space: normal;"><span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; white-space: pre;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">pieces straight down (so the oil wouldn't splash) into a pre-heated TeFal deep fryer.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; font-size: 16px; white-space: normal;"><span style="font-size: 13px;">Jane's kitchen, where she has been teaching cooking classes for many years, is a dream spot for any cook. It opens up onto a large casual dining area with large windows that face the jaw dropingly beautiful Sandia Peak (part of The Sangre De Cristo mountain range). Jane's kitchen has </span><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size: 13px;">everything</span></span><span style="font-size: 13px;">, from two red KitchenAid standmixers to a garland stove to massive cookbook storage shelves---and more specifically everything she needed to create the thousands of New mexican recipes that have gone into her 18 cookbooks. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ5GIpMk-kLeCu9jt_fPKasD90l0nqVwulReE0rGb6eM34alXlL07fOcrpbC5pptpTQl_-UqTD610hyphenhyphenT98EXQScUu6uDyfHsn8U0iUZSwwzsJupzJ4MdIF3ettwTsUs-3bPZUYJWYgHhM/s1600-h/Sopaipillas.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ5GIpMk-kLeCu9jt_fPKasD90l0nqVwulReE0rGb6eM34alXlL07fOcrpbC5pptpTQl_-UqTD610hyphenhyphenT98EXQScUu6uDyfHsn8U0iUZSwwzsJupzJ4MdIF3ettwTsUs-3bPZUYJWYgHhM/s200/Sopaipillas.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">As a New Yorker with a small kitchen/limited space and as someone obsessed with kitchen tools, I was having serious gadget envy. </span></span><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH0wrIbXnjEpFlHWQ-UJKmHzfofOD0Ye5RhshNOfLPwLATeCiv1ZfRVN6p9K-LKngZq_SY3D3zNzSbdrPHw3F7MScc1Pw2kj0GmP5jSEz223ngRnTHbvZCZVR88OWufspgNpZ7otUTvBA/s1600-h/Jane&Tefal.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: small;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH0wrIbXnjEpFlHWQ-UJKmHzfofOD0Ye5RhshNOfLPwLATeCiv1ZfRVN6p9K-LKngZq_SY3D3zNzSbdrPHw3F7MScc1Pw2kj0GmP5jSEz223ngRnTHbvZCZVR88OWufspgNpZ7otUTvBA/s320/Jane&Tefal.JPG" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Jane kindly arranged to have her publisher send me her latest book "Real Women eat Chiles". And of course I splurged and bought 4 bags of the amazing chili spices she makes: Chipotle Chile, Pequin Quebrado, Caribe Chile and New Mexico Red Chili. I can't wait to try some of these recipes out on my chili-loving husband Kerry. </span></span><br />
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</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">For more details on Jane's books, spices, cooking classes etc..check out her website below. She's living the spicy life www. janebutelcooking.com</span></span><br />
</div>Monica Forrestallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11137929309160596097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244391178876756663.post-2621425494874558412009-09-28T14:30:00.000-07:002009-11-15T20:06:22.761-08:00Princess for a day...or two...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXPHXhOXrAwM5K9x6xHTCFl2kiPqedV4xzQwhXQHdExgg92jptY7iJjVSrjxzV2pPPuRvN-TjwmwdHIGRxlHGc6n-y3P5s5UHgwwmavLHiYINutJFBhrfsFcwVRUvfnqPVQVvwUkUopmU/s1600-h/Ashford+backyard.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386635990977403202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXPHXhOXrAwM5K9x6xHTCFl2kiPqedV4xzQwhXQHdExgg92jptY7iJjVSrjxzV2pPPuRvN-TjwmwdHIGRxlHGc6n-y3P5s5UHgwwmavLHiYINutJFBhrfsFcwVRUvfnqPVQVvwUkUopmU/s400/Ashford+backyard.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 400px; margin: 0 0 10px 10px; width: 300px;" /></a><br />
Among my people! The Irish I mean, not royalty. A day at 12th century Ashford castle included a walk about the grounds, visiting the stables, a drive about past the road and house featured in the 1950's John Wayne movie The Quiet Man, tea with cucumber sandwiches (below) and riotously funny dinner in the dungeon with Paula, Gail, Mark and Nestro. <span style="color: #0000ee;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF9W4mZ5eUFX3j4zc2lL139v1XWWHj6KM9LX9AIKmfgtf5PSCG2hrwNsRkOVgRGnC9uZ6qluzl_Ayj9bkapzlu4OqzeJ3B7j3nGKzH_EIXtmwRYE70L_pUlcOnA2hlp2Ja9Tdk_xjuoAc/s1600/IREcucumber.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></span><br />
<span style="color: #0000ee;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF9W4mZ5eUFX3j4zc2lL139v1XWWHj6KM9LX9AIKmfgtf5PSCG2hrwNsRkOVgRGnC9uZ6qluzl_Ayj9bkapzlu4OqzeJ3B7j3nGKzH_EIXtmwRYE70L_pUlcOnA2hlp2Ja9Tdk_xjuoAc/s1600/IREcucumber.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF9W4mZ5eUFX3j4zc2lL139v1XWWHj6KM9LX9AIKmfgtf5PSCG2hrwNsRkOVgRGnC9uZ6qluzl_Ayj9bkapzlu4OqzeJ3B7j3nGKzH_EIXtmwRYE70L_pUlcOnA2hlp2Ja9Tdk_xjuoAc/s200/IREcucumber.JPG" /></a></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF9W4mZ5eUFX3j4zc2lL139v1XWWHj6KM9LX9AIKmfgtf5PSCG2hrwNsRkOVgRGnC9uZ6qluzl_Ayj9bkapzlu4OqzeJ3B7j3nGKzH_EIXtmwRYE70L_pUlcOnA2hlp2Ja9Tdk_xjuoAc/s1600/IREcucumber.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbZGcbgKOjMGiJRWS_1B0Fs861rKKujOv9wSmE6wcq2QHRF6VBmeFN5V-q3h_tSxZxjdJ2Q6hgnjqMqa0fNH4A5U3XtomVdz6KhBk0yMertfDEr2u05iA6WZ_DfAae0KZz9FL6HJYBskg/s1600/IREDungeonlambshank.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbZGcbgKOjMGiJRWS_1B0Fs861rKKujOv9wSmE6wcq2QHRF6VBmeFN5V-q3h_tSxZxjdJ2Q6hgnjqMqa0fNH4A5U3XtomVdz6KhBk0yMertfDEr2u05iA6WZ_DfAae0KZz9FL6HJYBskg/s200/IREDungeonlambshank.JPG" /></a>Lamb, scalloped potatoes and plum crumble on the menu (below). Now dreamily sitting in the formal drawing room with a roaring fire in the fireplace, all quiet and a half moon peeks out from behind a cloud over the lake Pinkham-Ryder style. To bed , to bed, very sleepy head. A full day tomorrow of 40-greens and falconery.<br />
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<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLeEbUVHB6hEHWa8Wjlak8VfDBOViM5ITJGhJsTLwO-FdYfyVk5kHBlvH-uzqlPHYnGUqlxi8nr49Rn6WIPLJSuoiVGc6YLh5i51YYQmzlQWZufFk4C5rpjV-jDTLfVlg1tQEjZrYt5ug/s1600/IREoysPacMitchells.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLeEbUVHB6hEHWa8Wjlak8VfDBOViM5ITJGhJsTLwO-FdYfyVk5kHBlvH-uzqlPHYnGUqlxi8nr49Rn6WIPLJSuoiVGc6YLh5i51YYQmzlQWZufFk4C5rpjV-jDTLfVlg1tQEjZrYt5ug/s200/IREoysPacMitchells.JPG" /></a><br />
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</div>Monica Forrestallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11137929309160596097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244391178876756663.post-645038760080642762009-05-21T12:44:00.000-07:002009-11-14T08:14:38.975-08:00A Sentimental Journey: Jerusalem<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy34J2U1DG6XwLUe7QG47dhG9nmx8Q2nuYX2f7BW2zdI5rPxYAFlSxbvq1_6zGGoQUjrH39fI_1jHPDd1MOWyoTRKs8osB3EX9PkVBeTi-vHNcX5UWuAxpO2vND-VVnEwa7861iP9KaO0/s1600-h/gangonmtofolives.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338366616945321250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy34J2U1DG6XwLUe7QG47dhG9nmx8Q2nuYX2f7BW2zdI5rPxYAFlSxbvq1_6zGGoQUjrH39fI_1jHPDd1MOWyoTRKs8osB3EX9PkVBeTi-vHNcX5UWuAxpO2vND-VVnEwa7861iP9KaO0/s320/gangonmtofolives.jpg" style="float: right; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" /></a><br />
<div><span style="color: #333333; font-family: LucidaGrande;"><span style="font-size: small;">A</span><span style="font-size: small;">fter a grueling overnight flight to Tel Aviv, and an hour drive, I began my visit</span></span><span style="font-family: ArialMT;"><span style="font-size: small;"> to Jerusalem the next morning at the top---the Mount of Olives. The stunning view is a panoramic sweep of historic churches, the Old City and its ancient filled-to-capacity Jewish cemetery with olive trees. This burial site had always been a hot ticket because according to the </span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">prophet Zechariah on the day of Judgement, God would stand here before entering Jerusalem. </span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: LucidaGrande;"><span style="font-size: small;">T</span></span><span style="font-family: ArialMT;"><span style="font-size: small;">he earliest tombs dating back 2000 years, are at the foot of the mount in the Kidron Valley. </span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: LucidaGrande;"><span style="font-size: small;">I scattered some of mom’s ashes down into this cemetery.</span></span><br />
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</div><div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: ArialMT;"><span style="font-size: small;">Coming down from the mount, and into the Old City, I immersed myself in its bustling sights and sounds. </span></span><span style="font-family: ArialMT;"><span style="font-size: small;">Built by King David in 1004 B.C.E., Jerusalem was considered the center of the world making it a desirable conquest for rulers and kings who tried to storm its four kilometer long walls and citadel. </span></span><span style="font-family: ArialMT;"><span style="font-size: small;">The city’s </span></span><span style="font-family: ArialMT;"><span style="font-size: small;">magical quality owes as much to this ancient architecture, as the sacred atmosphere that surrounds the holy sites. Its history is woven with war and peace, destruction and resurrection in this city where the Jews built the Temple, where Jesus was crucified, and where Mohammed rose to heaven. </span></span><span style="font-family: ArialMT;"><span style="font-size: small;">As I watched an Orthodox Jewish boy dragging his Razor scooter up ancient stone stairs and lnavigated around children playing soccer in a cobblestoned alleyway, the charm of the modern and ancient worlds living in harmony for the next generation was everywhere.</span></span><span style="font-family: ArialMT;"><span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: ArialMT;"><span style="font-size: small;">My first stop after entering the Jaffa Gate was the Tower of David, a restored citadel built 2000 years ago, which houses a museum of 4000 years of the history of Jerusalem.</span></span><span style="font-family: ArialMT;"><span style="font-size: small;"> The scope of history here that you can still reach out and touch never ceased to amaze. A climb to the ramparts rewards you with a view </span></span><span style="font-family: ArialMT;"><span style="font-size: small;">of the distinctly different quarters of the Old City.</span><span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: ArialMT;"><span style="font-size: small;">The most important visit in the </span><span style="font-size: small;">Christian Quarter</span></span><span style="font-family: ArialMT;"><span style="font-size: small;"> is to the holiest Christian site, the ancient Church of the Holy Sepulcher where the Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Armenian, Coptic, Ethiopian, and Syrian Orthodox orders have all carved out their own sections. The dusty church exterior offers no hints at the marvels of mosaics, altars, gilded chandeliers and famous religious artifacts inside. Legend says Jesus was buried here following his final walk, along the Via Dolorosa ( the Stations of the Cross). It was amazing to watch visitors come in and throw their bodies (and handbags) onto the Stone of the Annointment, where they say Jesus’ body was laid after he was taken down from the cross. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: ArialMT;"><span style="font-size: small;">In this quarter you’ll also find the famous market. Noisy, colorful and filled with souvenir shops selling everything from painted pottery and religious souvenirs, to ethnic costumes and rugs. Traditional haggling on prices is a must.</span></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: ArialMT;"><span style="font-size: small;">I made a beeline for </span></span><span style="font-family: ArialMT;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Jewish Quarter</span></span><span style="font-family: ArialMT;"><span style="font-size: small;"> and </span></span><span style="font-family: ArialMT;"><span style="font-size: small;">the Western Wall, a famous holy site since it was part of the Temple and close to its Holy of Holies, </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">believed to be the place the Divine Presence never departed. History buffs, who don’t suffer from claustrophobia, should </span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: small;">r</span></span></span><span style="font-family: ArialMT;"><span style="font-size: small;">eserve a tour of </span></span><span style="font-family: ArialMT;"><span style="font-size: small;">the Western Wall Tunnels at the Western Wall Heritage Foundation. There one </span></span><span style="font-family: ArialMT;"><span style="font-size: small;">discovers that the 180 feet long open-air section of the Western Wall is a small portion of the 1,700-foot original length beneath the city and </span></span><span style="font-family: ArialMT;"><span style="font-size: small;">one can </span></span><span style="font-family: ArialMT;"><span style="font-size: small;">touch the arches that supported Jerusalem’s streets over the millennia and the Western Wall itself.</span></span><br />
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</div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: ArialMT;"><span style="font-size: small;">Another historical pit stop, </span></span><span style="font-family: ArialMT;"><span style="font-size: small;">the Cardo (a 6</span><sup><span style="font-size: small;">th</span></sup><span style="font-size: small;"> century Roman street of stores situated between two rows of columns) where one can see the remains of the ancient columns, arches, stone floor and the day I visited, school kids enjoying a picnic.</span></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: ArialMT;"><span style="font-size: small;">Hungry? You can’t leave Israel without experiencing their famous street food; falafels. I stopped at My Burger next to the Cardo and dove into a delicious Middle Eastern fried chickpea ball sandwich. Here red cabbage, cucumbers and onions were stuffed with hand made French fries into the abundant creamy tahini sauce poured atop everything and oozing out of a thick and chewy pita-like pocket.</span></span><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 14.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: ArialMT;"><span style="font-size: small;">I took a quick walk through of</span><span style="font-size: small;"> The Armenian Quarter</span></span><span style="font-family: ArialMT;"><span style="font-size: small;"> settled in the 4</span></span><span style="font-family: ArialMT;"><sup><span style="font-size: small;">th</span></sup></span><span style="font-family: ArialMT;"><span style="font-size: small;"> century CE. to see St. James Cathedral, dating from the time of the Crusades, the12</span></span><span style="font-family: ArialMT;"><sup><span style="font-size: small;">th</span></sup></span><span style="font-family: ArialMT;"><span style="font-size: small;"> century. Considered one of the most beautiful churches in Israel, it is dimly lit by oil lanterns, and at its center is a dome through which the sun shines lighting the paintings on the walls. </span><span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 14.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: ArialMT;"><span style="font-size: small;">Finally, making my way to an area </span></span><span style="font-family: ArialMT;"><span style="font-size: small;">filled with churches, mosques and Yeshivas, the crown jewel of </span></span><span style="font-family: ArialMT;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Moslem Quarter</span></span><span style="font-family: ArialMT;"><span style="font-size: small;"> is the shrine, the Dome of the Rock (below). It was built in 691 AD over a sacred stone believed to be the spot from which the Prophet Muhammad ascended into heaven. The dramatic, gold leafed dome is the most beautiful and visible architectural projections of Jerusalem’s landscape.</span><span style="font-family: Times; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW6VJHT-1YByohtn-whmbyFjFZiXjoey3KHXIIXRayBJAfVKIbL2zXfoWI2bcikV2GpLyCAOGmHqTo5krrSBG0v0fKBpCsSfGFX9qN7ODW6nzDbgB7d_DGnCQTcU9WB0IvRw4dRyFVvxQ/s1600-h/Mount.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW6VJHT-1YByohtn-whmbyFjFZiXjoey3KHXIIXRayBJAfVKIbL2zXfoWI2bcikV2GpLyCAOGmHqTo5krrSBG0v0fKBpCsSfGFX9qN7ODW6nzDbgB7d_DGnCQTcU9WB0IvRw4dRyFVvxQ/s200/Mount.JPG" /> </a><span style="font-family: LucidaGrande;">My last stop before leaving Jerusalem was just outside of the Old City’s Damascus gate; The Garden Tomb. Believed by many to be the site where Jesus’ body was moved after his crucifixion and where he was resurrected, I arrived too early to get in, and my bus was leaving in a half hour, so I settled for a peek over the wall and a photo of the gate, this time. </span></span></span></span><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0000ee; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-size: small;">This story was published July 4th, 2009 in the provincial newspaper, The Chronicle Herald in Nova Scotia, Canada as the cover piece for the weekly travel section.</span><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span><br />
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</div></div>Monica Forrestallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11137929309160596097noreply@blogger.com0