Tag Archives: delicious

Black Bean Soup With Avocado Salsa

One of our organic farmers, Manuel, had some beautiful black beans available for sale at the market on Saturday and I couldn’t resist buying them. I soaked the whole bag and cooked them the next day with a chopped onion and a generous amount of epazote (to eliminate gas – or at least we always hope so!).

With some of the soaked beans, I made a slightly modified version of a recipe from the New York Times by Mark Bittman, for Black Bean Soup With Avocado Salsa. I made the soup on the stovetop (not in a pressure cooker), added chopped celery, and did not put the Spanish chorizo in as the recipe called for.

Black Bean Soup With Avocado Salsa

This is a delicious soup and what makes it really special is the generous dollop of Avocado Salsa to garnish. I added a dollop of thick sour cream as well – really nice complement to both the soup and the salsa.

Fresh Organic Strawberries and Blueberries

Our dessert tonight were the beautiful fresh organic strawberries and blueberries that were fresh-picked in nearby Pescadero – unbelievably sweet and delicious!

Ungava – A Uniquely Canadian Product

Linda in Newsletter, Travel Blog

My Mom and I were shopping for wine the other week and we were checking out what tequilas the store had in stock (my Mom LOVES tequila and together we toast every full moon with it, in person or by phone). The person in the store asked if we had tried Ungava Canadian Premium Gin (I know – how did we get from wine to tequila to GIN!). I love a gin and tonic when it’s really hot outside and had not yet tried this brand.

The simple and clean-cut Ungava bottle evokes the purity and chill of Arctic ice

The clerk at the liquor store was obviously very convincing as we ended up walking out with a bottle. We sat down to play a long awaited game or two of dominos that afternoon and poured ourselves a gin and tonic. I have to say that this gin, which I had put in the freezer so was ice cold when we made our drinks, was absolutely delicious. Ungava’s unusual bright yellow color and distinctive aroma are derived from six rare botanicals that are native to the Arctic region: Nordic juniper, wild rose hips, cloudberry, crowberry, Arctic blend and Labrador tea. These botanicals are handpicked and steeped in the traditional Inuit way and the result is a deliciously well-balanced, fragrant and delicious product.

The unique script and characters on the bottle is Inuktitut, the language of the Inuit

Ungava gin recommends serving with a wedge of grapefruit on ice, but do be careful as it has a surprising alcoholic strength of 43.1%. We tried it with chilled tonic, with and without a squeeze of fresh lime, and preferred it without citrus as the flavours are so unique and balanced. Perfect for an ice-cold martini, this unique handcrafted gin is definitely worth searching out – even if you have to come to Canada to find it!

Tutto Il Giorno – Always Delightful!

Linda in Newsletter

We bellied up to the bar at Tutto Il Giorno in Southampton just over a week ago to share small plates of appetizers and some wine with our dear friend, Sue. We sampled the Burrata (with sweet grape tomatoes and fresh basil), Britto (crispy calamari with zucchini and served with a basil dip), Arancini (local mushroom risotto cakes with a chive crème fraîche and truffle oil), Gamberi (grilled prawns, local asparagus, puttanesca sauce and toasted almonds) and Paccheri (slow cooked beef ragù served Neapolitan style). A beautiful bottle of Italian red wine to accompany and we had an amazing evening of great food and superb service (thanks Christopher and Mark!).

Belly up to the bar!

This past Friday night, we met up with Sue and another dear friend, Monte, again at the bar for a casual drink, bite and conversation. Sue and I shared the Branzino (fire-roasted whole fish served over an herb salad with a broiled cheese-crusted tomato), Ron enjoyed their featured pasta dish (delicious!), and Monte ordered their Cartoccio (local fish baked in parchment paper with mixed vegetables and seasoned with a roasted tomato vinaigrette).

Cartoccio!

This trendy Neopolitan-inspired restaurant opened in 2009 and reflects a chic dining atmosphere and experience. The Tutto legacy began in 2006 in Sag Harbor (now owned by chef Maurizio Marfoglia) when Gianpaolo de Felice and his close friend, David Mayer, imagined having the food of Southern Italy available in the Hamptons. That original restaurant was designed by Gabby Karan de Felice, married to de Felice, partner in the restaurants, and daughter of famous clothing designer, Donna Karan, and reflects the “urban zen” atmosphere (like her mother’s lifestyle store next door). That same comfortable atmosphere was replicated in the Southampton location where you’re always assured delicious cuisine made with local, fresh ingredients under the creative control of Corsican Executive Chef Alex Apparu. In 2014, the Tutto group opened a third location in Tribeca, which we’re looking forward to trying one day.

Whether you go to Tutto for lunch or dinner, you’ll always enjoy the atmosphere, food that is consistently creative and delicious, an extensive wine list, and friendly and professional service. Before you’re done your meal, you’ll already be looking forward to your next visit. Buon appetito!

Super Energy Kale Soup

Linda in Newsletter

I was reading a health newsletter this morning that I get from Dr. Mercola and he had included a recipe for his “Super Energy Kale Soup”: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2015/02/01/superenergykalesoup.aspxe_cid=20150201Z1_SNL_RTL_NB_art_2&utm_source=snl&utm_medium=email&utm_content=art2&utm_campaign=20150201Z1_RTL_NB&et_cid=DM68189&et_rid=826594599. I happened to have all the organic ingredients, except that I used fresh sage and thyme from the garden instead of the dried that the recipe called for and I added some pre-cooked garbanzo beans for protein. This is a delicious and VERY nutritious recipe and it went beautifully with a smoked cabrilla (sea bass) fish sandwich (chopped leftover grilled fish with chopped celery, minced serrano, black pepper to season and mayonnaise) on toasted sourdough bread with butter lettuce. Muy sabroso y muy rico! A great and very healthy lunch!