A Feast of Salmon!

My brother-in-law, Chip, recently went up North to meet a friend and go on a fishing trip to catch salmon. He brought back quite a catch and blessed my husband and I with a sizeable amount of fresh salmon, too. Other than some fish my husband has caught in the Gulf of Mexico, I have never had fish so fresh! And I can tell you I have never had salmon so fresh!! He gave us several fillets. I'm talking BIG fillets, large enough that each one could easily feed two people. I set out to cook at least a couple of them immediately, while they were at their freshest...but with it just being the two of us, I didn't want to cook up all the fish at once. (That's not to say I was distressed at all at the amount he gave us, I couldn't have been more pleased! And more chances for me to try out different things with the freshest of fish!)...it turns out I was pleasantly suprised at how well the fish kept over a few days in the fridge.....I guess I am accustomed to buying fish from the store that is already past its 'peak' and you have to rush it to the freezer the day of purchase if you don't cook it right then. But the salmon he gave us was so amazingly fresh!

The first portions we ate immediately were grilled over a charcoal fire....yum! Just rubbed with some olive oil and lightly seasoned, then grilled, they were simply scrumptious with just a squeeze of fresh lemon! There is something about grilled fish, and especially fish this fresh that is truly rewarding. I served the grilled salmon alongside some lemon-herb risotto, green beans and some Chardonnay.
The same night that I fired up the grill for our grilled salmon, I thought I should make good use of the coals....so I decided to try my hand at making some Hot-Smoked Salmon. Why not? Now was as good a time as any. I'd never tried doing this before, but I carefully tended the coals and added some Mesquite wood, keeping an eye on the temperature inside the grill. The salmon turned out simply lovely! It had an appealing, mild-smoky taste. John loved it! To him it was along the lines of smoked mullet, which he likes. I knew this was a compliment, because John isn't a big fan of smoked foods (except BBQ)....so for him to like it, I knew I'd successfully pulled it off! And it helps to have a quality piece of fish to work with. We ate some of the smoked salmon different ways....I even added some to my scrambled eggs. I also intend to transform some into a yummy Smoked Salmon dip to serve with crackers for a party tomorrow night. And the remaining bit (if there is any) just might be mixed with cheeses for its debut in some fresh-homemade,delectable Smoked Salmon Ravioli with Tomato-Cream sauce. Yum!!!!

I also utilized some of the catch in my most favorite recipe of all for salmon: Panfried Salmon with Pinot Noir Sauce, served with garlic mashed potatoes and green beans. Simply scrumptious!!! The yummy, buttery Pinot-Noir sauce over the sautee'd salmon is fantastic, even better mixed in with the delicious garlic mashed potatoes. One of my most favorite salmon preparations, I simply knew I had to do this with the fresh salmon, a very rare treat, indeed.. and it was worth it!!

Even better? How about trying some lightly-toasted homemade-rosemary sourdough, with a small side of garlic butter? Delicious! And, of course, a nice, smooth Pinot Noir (preferably the same one used to deglaze the pan the salmon was sautee'd in) would be the perfect complement!

It was tough to decide what to do with the last fillet.....after all, how often do you get a treat like this? I know that what I decided to do may not seem extraordinary enough given the rare opportunity at fresh-caught salmon like this.....but just the same, I have to say that a really good, grilled fish sandwich is always something we like! It may seem lackluster, but a good fish sandwich can be a mouth-watering event....and I thought this was the perfect way to utilize our last fillet. So my husband and I each enjoyed a luscious, grilled piece of salmon on a toasted, garlic-buttered roll, with a nice, homemade "tartar" sauce with dijon mustard in it....and, of course, a squeeze of fresh lemon, some shredded lettuce and a slice of fresh tomato. And while John isn't much for cheese on his sandwiches, I enjoyed mine with a nice slice of melting muenster.....YUM!! Paired with some steak fries, no one could convince us this was a waste of our last, precious fillet!

We're so appreciative of John's brother, Chip, for blessing us with some of the fish he caught. It was a thoughtful, hard-earned (I'm sure! I've never fished for salmon, but I'm sure it's not easy!) and much-appreciated gift.....especially for a FOODIE like me, and my husband who appreciates trying all the myriad of things I set out to cook. It was a real treat to be able to cook with and eat the wonderful, fresh salmon! Here's to Chip!! :)

The Liebster Blog Awards!

I was recently honored with the 'Liebster Blog' award, given to me by Jenn Duffy-Pearson of http://www.wine-n-chat.com/ . So now I have the pleasure of awarding this same award to five other blogs of my choosing!

It is my understanding that this award means "favorite blog", so I have tried to narrow my list down to five. It was not easy, because I like so many blogs, and the two writing groups I belong to are filled with talented writers. But since I can only award five, these are the 5 that I have chosen (some of you may have already received the Liebster award from someone else; nevertheless, I have chosen five of my top favorites):

1) Laura Rogers of http://stoopinitinthesuburbs.blogspot.com/
2) Paula Martin of http://heroineswithhearts.blogspot.com/
3) Jenn Duffy-Pearson of http://theshortstorygal.blogspot.com/
4) Daphne Steinberg of http://musementsandamusements.blogspot.com/
5) Ralph Rolon of http://trunklocker.blogspot.com/

Congratulations to all of you, and keep up the good work!

Good Morning, Sunshine!

I love breakfast! My husband and I especially like to go out for breakfast. One of our most favorite things is to take the motorcycle out for a morning ride to one of our favorite spots: Emily's in Crystal River. It is a nice ride up to "Emily's", where we have a nice, full breakfast....I love to get 2 eggs, sunny-side up, with corned beef hash.

One morning awhile back, we rode down to "Sam's Beach Club" at Hudson Beach to eat breakfast right on the Gulf. Even though breakfast was served with plasticware, that still could not detract from the sheer beauty of spending the morning in the fresh air, right on the Gulf! We also laughed as we watched mallard ducks paddle on by. The omelet that I ordered was quite tasty, too! I think just about everything tastes better in fresh air, anyway.

One omelet that I tried at a nice, little, seasonal "Key West"- style eatery in Brooksville was the Key West Omelette. I loved it! I have since tweaked it even more to my own tastes: complete with shrimp, avocado, brie, tomato and muenster, it is truly a luxurious treat for breakfast! I like to serve mine with home fries, a couple wedges of fresh orange (to cut the richness) & rye toast ...it simply must be rye, the type with the caraway seeds.....lightly buttered...and the toast should still be flexible, so as to easily "mop up" all the delicious remnants from the omelet!.... YUM!!!!

I'd always wanted to try the fancy 'Soft-Boiled' Egg with toast points.....I figured I should like it since I like sunny-side-up eggs. And I'd acquired a few of those old-fashioned "egg cups". I decided to givit a shot and boiled a room-temp egg for 3 minutes, then promptly removed it from the boiling water. The egg was perfect!! I was able to easily scoop the liquid yolk and the semi-firm white on the little toasts...and it was so yummy! No wonder soft-boiled eggs are considered comfort food. I also served it with potato croquettes topped with a little 'sunshine' orange mayonnaise, and some fresh fruit (raspberries, grapes & orange slices). It was truly a memorable breakfast....startlingly so for just being a weekday.

The final breakfast I'm featuring is a special creativity all my own: Banana Sourdough French Toast with fresh orange slices and raspberries. I have my own, homegrown sourdough starter that I learned from "The Bread Bible" by Rose Levy Beranbaum. Of course, if you don't want to go through the process of establishing your own sourdough, by all means you can purchase a sourdough starter, such as Lalvain starter.....or try King Arthur sourdough starter.

I love to try different things with my sourdough, it can be so versatile. This time I thought that a banana sourdough would be very nice...I thought it'd go well with the eggy liquid and that the tangy nature of the bread would work well with the sweetness of the powdered sugar and syrup. So I just used the regular sourdough recipe, added 1 very ripe banana & a couple pats of melted butter, decreasing the water slightly to compensate for the moisture in the banana. (*Of course, you can always use regular bread, and slice up bananas if you like).

Fried sausages would be a nice, fatty-salty diversion, too....unfortunately I was out of breakfast sausage this morning...DOH! But the fresh orange slices do a fine job at cutting the richness & sweetness. I have to say that I was very pleased, my hunch turned out to be correct, the non-sweet, tangy banana sourdough was a terrific counterpoint to the sweetness of the other ingredients.

Breakfast can be a true joy! If you no longer think of it that way, try to rekindle it....serve it on the patio with fresh fruit or get out and go out to eat. I have to admit that a ride on the motorcycle is especially invigorating with the fresh air; but just getting out altogether is nice..... why not pack breakfast to have on the beach or in a park? There is nothing like campstove coffee in the fresh, morning air. So next chance you have, slow down and enjoy a nice breakfast....and don't forget to wish your loved one(s), "Good Morning, Sunshine!"

Floribbean Fare

Ahhh, September. That month between truly blistering summer heat and the promise of cooler days. I always liked September (despite all of us collectively holding our breath during this typically most active month of hurricane season).... because now and then it gives us a "hint" of those refreshing days to come. In between the lingering humidity there are occasional wisps of dry air that make you want to hang outside a while longer to confirm your fleeting suspicions that you just felt a touch of Fall. And as occasionally occurs, even in September, there was a light, cool breeze when we stepped outside this morning, and I was compelled to stand out on the porch awhile and enjoy it. I noticed that even the wood porch beam I wrapped my arm around felt cool. Hooray for September!
Despite the slight nuances of September and our intense eagerness for cool weather, we know that it is still a tropical, summery month. A perfect time to enjoy some tropical fare for dinner! The nice thing about warm-weather dinners, besides their freshness, colors and festive flavors, is that they are often quick to make it to the table. So not long after you slip in that calypso CD, tonight's dinner will be done! Think fish tacos with crisp lettuce and juicy tomato, sour cream and fresh, homemade guacamole....yum! Served with hot crinkle-cut french fries, the meal is nearly complete.....unless you also have Jamaica Tea in mind! Made with the calyces of a hibiscus known as Roselle, the hibiscus tea can be enjoyed hot or iced. It has a nice, citrusy flavor and is sometimes referred to as the 'Florida Cranberry'. In Jamaica, they serve it cold with ice, and often will add fresh ginger, a squeeze of lemon or lime juice and a splash of rum. What a fruity, refreshing tropical drink!

We actually grew a couple Roselle hisbiscus plants this summer. It was so exciting to see the buds/calyces! Since I only collected a few "buds" I really didn't have enough calyces and I miscalculated the amount of water to boil/steep them in. Normally roselle is a dark red color, like that of cranberry or grape juice. While the calyces certainly gave up all their color (the deep red steeped right out into the water, leaving behind white calyces), they were still more diluted than they should have been....so instead I ended up with a lovely, light pink color! It was still very nice, and next year I plan to grow more plants so we can harvest more calyces. (*By the way, this is the same tea you buy in the store known as hibiscus tea or "Red Zinger").

I urge everyone to enjoy the last bits of summer even as you anticipate the exciting and cooler days of autumn. And on that note, I'd like to say thank you to Jenn, who awarded me the "Liebster Blog" award for Sunshine Food and Wine! I am so very happy for this recognition and have posted the award under a new, special tab at the top. (The award is given in special recognition by other fellow bloggers for those who have a less than 200 members). Thanks again, and I just want to also thank everyone who follows my blog...there would be no point to it without all of you!

**Don't forget to check my "Recipes" tab if you're interested in trying the above recipes.

Gifts of Love

I was just thinking today about gifts of love from family and friends. The little things you do for someone during a difficult time, or even just a token of love and cheer when things are going great! I dedicate this blog to all the special, giving people in my life who demonstrate their love not only in words, but in deeds and thoughtful gestures.

For a few days now, I have been sick with the flu. That's nothing unusual, moreso than any other person has to deal with. But for me, sometimes it can have serious implications because I have asthma. I have to be extra cautious in case my condition suddenly worsens. Fortunately this time, with bed rest and some antibiotics (to deal with bronchitis), I am successfully fending the illness off. And you know what really made me feel even better? When my Dad dropped off 2 big jars of my Mom's homemade vegetable soup this morning, along with some of her coveted skillet cornbread. YUM!! I ate a bunch of the soup for lunch and it filled my belly with warmth, and her cornbread....now that is the BEST!! Not only did the soup & cornbread do my body good, but it did my spirit good as well, because it was a gift given out of love.

That got me to thinking about another recent time where I received a gift of love. My Mom dropped by with 2 of my nieces, Sarah and Rebecca....they'd worked really hard making a bunch of super-delicious, utterly scrumptious mini cupcakes....a whopping 268 of them!!!! And not only were they very beautifully and artistically decorated, but many of them were filled, too!! They really did a wonderful job. And we were so happy when they all stopped by to drop off a nice, big bundle of them for us. We chowed them down...I enjoyed several with my morning coffee...some to wake me up during the afternoon 'doldrums' at work (LOL)...and my husband, John, well he pretty much just ate them at all hours of the day (LOL). Those beautiful cupcakes were so cheery, and such a delightful gift of love. Think of all the effort and care it took to make each one of them.

This is the kind of thing that inspires me even more to want to give gifts of love of my own to others...sort of a "pay it forward" mentality, if you will. And while I often like to express love through cooking or baking, that by no means is the only way....there are so many ways to express love to another....how about changing someone's spark plugs or mowing someone's lawn for them in a time of need- just because- like my thoughtful husband has done on more than one occasion. It can be as simple as walking a dog, giving fresh flowers, taking someone out for lunch for a much-needed break...or simply giving someone a call out of the blue to ask how they have been or even an email (or snail-mail card!) to say.."Just thinking of You".... I encourage you to appreciate the gestures, big and small, given by others in your life...and to reach out to others with your own expressions of love.