Recipe Testers,
Laurie just sent her recipe for the Chilled Beef Tenderloin and said she will send the artichoke recipe later.
Also, while I'm e-mailing all of you I wanted to share this inspirational commercial from Japan that Carol Sawyer sent to me. My dyslexic/asperger's creative genius daughter, Melissa, watched it with me and LOVED it! (I had to read the subtitles to her of course!) I'm going to show it to Katherine in a few minutes. (Keep in mind that it is a commercial and it may be too sappy for some of you. But I tend to like sappy stuff!)
http://pop.6park.com/life2/messages/86399.html
Secondly, I posted Jill's response to the Halloumi sources on Facebook, but didn't want to bombard the recipe testers with another e-mail separate e-mail. So I'll tag that in here now so you will all know which brand Jill prefers.
Halloumi sources just in from Jill: "Cypriot Brand and you can get it on line from The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills...the web is www.cheesestorebh.com. Gelson's and Whole Foods also carry it." For those of you who are local, C'est Cheese in Santa Barbara can order it for you and I think Metropolis also carries it. Maili Halme Brocke
The third random unrelated attachment I will send is the link to the Story Corps project again. About a year ago (or longer) my sister-in-law, Jennifer Burman, gave me the book Listening is an Act of Love: A Celebration of American Life from the StoryCorps Project. I thought it was a self-help book. The title and cover were somehow unappealing to me. It didn't realize that inside were the stories I love the most. Stories of everyday people from all over the US. There are stories about work, family, a significant moment. They edited down thousands and thousands of hours to get these few. I always say that true stories are better than any fiction that you could write. I love history and I love personal simple stories that carry so much in them. Half of the stories will make you cry, but most of them will leave you with the feeling that there is such goodness in the world. Sometimes it was a little struggle, othertimes a major sacrifice, but it was that effort that changed a life forever and it is incredible that this program is capturing forever those significant moments. Meanwhile, make your own by either video or just voice recording. Interview a beloved friend or relative or mentor. From the book you can see that it wasn't always a grandparent or parent. It is anyone who was important in your life and who you admire. "The stories of regular everyday people are the most interesting and important stories of all." Our lives matter and there is "wisdom, wonder and poetry in the lives and stories around us." "Never assume from how people look that you understand who they really are. Many [facilitators] also say they've come to recognize a simple truth: that people are basically good. A number of you have listened to it on NPR. Whether you listen or read it I highly recommend it: http://www.storycorps.org/book
Finally, thanks to Joe and Wendy for hosting the campout last night. Joe made the best chili! I ate two bowls!. He said he didn't have a recipe and just went to the store and started thinking about what would be good together. He said his secret was molasses, beer and wine. Delicious!
Enjoy your Sunday!
Maili
PS In a few days I will send an e-mail about a fabulous cake my mother made and a heartwarming story about my assistant, Karen. I just had to get permission to share the pictures first and now that I have permission I will write the e-mail. I love that this business of cooking makes both the guests and employees as equally happy. Everyone can feel like they are part of something memorable when they share a special meal.
CHILLED FILET OF BEEF WITH SOUR CREAM DRESSING
Salt and pepper
1 3-pound fillet of beef
4 tablespoons butter
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 leek, white part only, finely chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1 tablespoon oil
1 pound bacon, cut in 1-inch pieces
1/4 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 1/2 cups sour cream
2 teaspoons prepared horseradish (or fresh grated, which I used)
1 tablespoon grated onion
2 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
SERVES 8-10
Salt and pepper the beef and dot with 2 table spoons butter. In a small roasting pan melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and saute the carrot, leek, and celery over low heat for 8 minutes. Add the beef and place the pan in a preheated
500 degree oven for 20 minutes. Remove the beef from the oven and cool for 1 hour in the pan juices.
In the meantime make the dressing. In a heavy medium-sized skillet, sauté the bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon and drain it on paper towels. Pour off all but 3 tablespoons of the fat and saute the mush rooms in the remaining fat over moderate heat for 3-5 minutes. Drain the mushrooms and set aside.
After the meat has cooled, remove it to a cutting board. Pour the pan juices into a medium-sized mixing bowl and add the sour cream, horseradish, onion, parsley, and thyme blending well.
Add the bacon bits and mushrooms.
Sea Salt/Kosher Salt/Finishing Salt or freshly ground salt and pepper on beef to taste before serving.
To serve, slice cooled meat and put dressing on the side. -- Laurie Tilson
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