Beating the Summer Heat

So when it comes to warm weather, I'm a coward in the kitchen. Last week we had record-breaking heat, and I didn't make anything more elaborate than iced tea. A pity, I know, but when the apartment is registering 100 degrees, it's hard to motivate oneself to do much of anything.

This week the weather is back to normal and to celebrate I tried something new: chorizo and barley. Hmmm, a strange combination, I know. Summer to me cries out for salads, pilafs and grilling. Anything beyond that is rather exotic for hot weather. This dish falls under the "pilaf" category. My intention was to make sausage and peppers over barley, but the majority of my peppers seemed not to survive the heat wave. Left with only one orange bell, I had to improvise. So, I combined onions, garlic, the bell pepper and broccoli with the chorizo, then tossed it with the barley.

A note concerning the chorizo. This was purchased at Whole Foods Market, and is really a nice chorizo. I discovered the magic of Whole Foods Maket meat last month and cannot be happier with it. Even "inferior" cuts of meat are amazing when purchased there. The price always makes me cringe, but when I bite into it, it all seems worth it. I don't usually have good things to say about non-stick pans, but when I combined the two, no oil was needed and the excess fat was easily discarded. The chorizo definitely made this dish. The only seasoning I added was salt to the veggies.

In retrospect, this was a good idea but needs some consideration. Item one: read directions before cooking barley in a rice cooker. It's not the same as cooking rice, even though they are the same shape. I did manage to get the barley to a toasted consistency (I'll not say it was burnt because I rescued it before it got to that point). I also failed to season the barley, which is a carnal rule (SEASON EVERYTHING!) and I'm ashamed that I forgot. Also, this would have been better with more peppers and fresh broccoli. I give this spontaneous dish a "B".

On my way home from work today I stopped by the local farmer's market and had a look around. What a dismal experience! I used to love farmers' markets in the summer, but now I think I probably won't go back until the fall. Everywhere I looked, it was tomatoes and corn and lettuce. Two of my lost loves and one hated. True, I can enjoy a tomato from time to time, but I'm wary about paying $$$$ for a tomato and then find out that I'm too sensitive to enjoy it that day. Case and point: the half of a tomato that's been sitting in the refrigerator for the past 10 days. Staring at the mounds of corn made me think of last summer, when I was still able to live in ignorance and enjoy corn salad. Corn, black beans, mango and grape tomatoes: lovely combination. Add some grilled chicken and lime sauce and my meal is complete.

Well, c'est la vie. No use dwelling on the past. Now that I can return to the kitchen, I need to use up the rest of the produce that's salvageable and come up with some good dishes for the week. Enough with take-out! I will make them forget my voice, if not my phone number. Though I do thank them for staying open through such a horrible period.

And my apologies that there are no photos this time around; the battery on my camera died at the last minute. Oh technology...

Sweet Treat

Even though it's summer, I still think longingly of baked goodies, especially cakes and cookies. Sometimes a good slice of cake is in order to help wipe out all the problems of the day. I'm not talking about emotional eating, here, I'm just saying that there are time when I can get lost in a good dessert. When it comes to repertoire, I don't have that many desserts under my belt. Christmastime I bake Clove Cookies, Snickerdoodles or Candy Cane Cookies. Thanksgiving and Easter I bake Carrot Cake, other times I bake Chocolate Cake. I made an Upside Down Pineapple Cake for my sister once - it came out beautifully but I've never attempted it again. I've even dabbled in the poached fruit department, but that's been ages ago. Perhaps it's because I simply don't eat dessert that often, at least not as the last note of a meal. I'm always too full, and I don't like the thought of leaving the table with my mouth tasting of sugar.

For me, the British have it right when it comes to sweets. Take them in the afternoon with a cup of strong tea. Savor the combination of sweet and bitter. How delicious. A treat like the one pictured above, Hazelnut Carrot Cake, goes perfectly with a cup of Earl Grey. Instead of a traditional cream cheese frosting, I topped this cake with Nutella, granola and lemon-soaked apples. The richness of the Nutella gives a deep, earthly note to the cake, and the crispness/tartness of the apples cuts through the sugar. I love playing with texture, and the granola adds just the right amount to this piece. I made this last spring for Palm Sunday and it was a big hit. I love Carrot Cake, but with my dairy allergies, I had to give up the frosting. I think I prefer this version, anyway. It's not as shockingly sweet, and the flavors of the cake are allowed to be more of the focus.

I picked up Gourmet Magazine's cookbook and have been flipping through it. I can't believe how many amazing recipes are in there! I'm very excited for the weather to cool down so that I can try out some of the cakes, especially the Shortbread. I love shortbread; it's great in summer topped with fruit and yogurt. And again, it makes a great tea-time dessert. I'd also like to try making some more traditional tea-time treats, like scones. I've never made them from scratch, and I'd love to actually have some scones that aren't as dense.