There is no more dramatic a condition than that of war. War is the antithesis to love which makes war the most extreme backdrop for a love story. We are in awe of the struggle for the very thing that keeps us human and sane during a time that pushes humans to their breaking point. Sometimes love prevails and cushions the harsh realities of war and at other times it succumbs. In either instance, when we read a book or watch a movie, we will cry. We cry when love succeeds through the strength of the individuals and we cry when it cannot endure, when the price of love is too high.

After a small survey of coworkers and friends we found that some of the most popular love stories set during wartime are: Atonement, From Hear to Eternity, Gone with the Wind, Dr. Zhivago, The English Patient, Pearl Harbor, South Pacific and, of course, Casablanca, which must be one of the most popular romantic movies of all time.

Set in Morocco, during World War ll, Casablanca is not only the name of the movie but of the city in which it was set. Casablanca was an important and pivotal port during World War II. The movie brings us to an exotic location, teaming with peoples from many nations, many waiting to find passage to another country, away from war-torn Europe. The stage is set for the story of love and war.

Casablanca is one of those movies that you can watch over and over again, silently “saying” the dialog with the characters. And, we found out, it is a movie that men, out of earshot of other men, will admit to enjoying.

With many couples looking forward to dinner and a movie on Valentine’s Day why suffer the crowded restaurants and movie theaters when you can create a romantic evening without leaving your home.

Bring the exotic flavors of Morocco into your kitchen. Seek table linens that echo the colors of the Moroccan bazaar and create a romantic mood with lanterns and candles. Serve a delicious meal easily prepared in a tajine and perhaps even served in decorative tajines to enhance the mood. Turn on Casablanca, curl up next to your loved one and relax into a romantic evening.

Set up the Shot:

1. Moroccan Tea Glasses and Tea Cups
2. Moroccan Tea Pot and Glasses
3. Moroccan Tea

Beef and Carrot Tajine (Australian Good Food Magazine)

Ingredients

1 tbsp ground cumin
2 tsp sweet paprika
1 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground chili
1 lbs beef chuck steak, trimmed, cut into chunks
4 tbsp butter
2 white onions, finely sliced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 large carrots, cut into large chunks
14 oz can chopped tomatoes
2/3 cup pitted dates, halved
2 tbsp honey
1 cup beef stock
1 cinnamon stick
2 cups couscous
2 cups boiling water

Directions

1. Combine cumin, paprika, ginger and chili in a bowl. Add beef and toss to coat. Set aside.

2. Melt butter in a flameproof casserole pan or tagine on high heat. Cook onion and garlic for 4-5 minutes, until golden. Add carrot and beef and cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes, until beef starts to brown. Add tomato, date, honey, stock and cinnamon. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 1 ¾ hrs, until beef is tender.

3. Meanwhile, place couscous in a heatproof bowl. Stir in boiling water, cover with plastic wrap and stand for 5 minutes. Fluff up couscous with a fork.

Moroccan Mint Tea

Ingredients

10 fresh mint sprigs, plus 4 for garnish
3 teaspoons green tea
3 tablespoons sugar
4 cups water

Directions

Boil water. Pour a small amount in teapot and swish around to warm the pot. Combine the mint and green tea and sugar in the teapot, and then fill it with the rest of the hot water. Let tea brew, stirring the leaves once or twice, for 3 minutes. Pour tea through a tea strainer into glass teacups to serve. Garnish with remaining 4 sprigs of mint.

Photo Information
Mint Tea
Marco Mayer
ApertureFNumber: f/5.6
Make: NIKON CORPORATION
Model: NIKON D3S
ExposureTime: 1/160
FNumber: 56/10
ExposureProgram: 1
ISOSpeedRatings: 100
MaxApertureValue: 1/1
MeteringMode: 5
LightSource: 0
Flash: 0
FocalLength: 50/1

Tajine
Margouillat
ApertureFNumber: f/4.5
Make: Canon
Model: Canon EOS 7D
ExposureTime: 1/125
FNumber: 45/10
ExposureProgram: 1
ISOSpeedRatings: 100
MeteringMode: 2
Flash: 16
FocalLength: 50/1

Casting Call: Guest Bloggers for Oscar Week Wanted

MyFudo™ Presentations is casting for immediate guest bloggers for Oscar Week.

Do you see yourself tripping the light fantastic up the myFudo red carpet? If you do then submit your post (see requirements below).

Contact us at info (AT) myfudo (dot) (com) to submit your photos and recipes, to inquire more information about this contest, please by contact us through our contact us page.

At the end of Oscar Week, February 26, 2012, myFudo will select winners in the following categories:

1. Creative Writing
2. Photography
3. Recipe
4. Best Post (Combined superiority in writing, photography and recipe)

The Prizes: Essential Pepin Jacque Pepin’s latest cookbook will go to Best Photo, Best Creative Writing, and Best Recipe. For Best post, the contest winner gets a $50 Gift Card to Crate and Barrel. The winners will be featured on our site.

Shoot for the stars and submit your post now!

Rules for Submission:

1. The Subject for guest bloggers: Favorite movie and favorite food that would be eaten while watching favorite movie. No other topics are eligible. Please be specific regarding movie choice, no generalizations. A specific movie title must be in the post. The recipe should be relevant to the movie whether it corresponds to movie topic, movie location (regional food), a meal served in the movie, etc.
2. Entry must include a written text of 400-600 words, no more, no less.
3. Entry must include at least one photograph and no more than three (300 dpi, 600 pixels on the widest side). You must be the owner of the photograph/s and are giving permission to have them displayed as part of your post.
4. Entry must include a recipe. Recipe does not have to be original. If the recipe is not original proper credit must be given. Recipe is not included in total word count for text.
5. Please include your blog name (if you have one) and your email.
6. Submit entry no later than February 17, 2012, 12am (midnight) Eastern Standard Time (New York City time zone.)
7. Guest bloggers will be posted during Oscar Week (February 19, 2012-February 26, 2012)
8. MyFudo™  will announce winners on February 26, 2012.

We at MyFudo™ may at times showcase recipes, photographs, and other content created by external parties. These sources are given proper attribution when required. There may be times when the source information itself is lacking or incomplete, in which case we credit the source based on available information provided.

We truly appreciate our guest foodie bloggers who are generous with their expertise and experience. When submitting a guest post, all photographs included in your post should be owned by you, either these were taken by yourself or you have the rights to their use. Please make sure you will not be violating any copyright laws.

Submit to info (at) myfudo (dot) (com)

Contest Cancelation:

We are truly sorry to have to inform our contestants about our contest cancellation. We were hoping to extend the cut-off date in hopes that we still might get last minute interest in the “Oscar Contest” however, it was determined by sheer lack of interest we should cancel the contest. We did attempt to come up with an alternative date, idea or contest but we were afraid this would be too impractical at such short notice.

We would like to apologise for the cancellation, especially to those of you who have already took out time and put forth the effort to submit their posts.

Unfortunately, these were circumstances which were beyond our control but we intend to make our next contest or giveaway even more spectacular so I hope you can join us then.

Yours sincerely,
The MyFudo Team

The Recipe…

Add caviar to any hors d’oeuvre and you will instantly add glamour to your party. And, what do most of us love about the Academy Awards? Well, yes, the movies…but it is the glamour of course! When hosting your Oscar Night party take it to another level with simple, yet classy finger foods. Your guests will give you a standing ovation.

Smoked Salmon with Caviar and Whipped Crème Fraîche Hors d’oeuvre Spoons

Ingredients

4 oz. (1/2 cup) crème fraîche
1 cup cold heavy cream
3 oz. of black caviar or salmon roe
1 lb of smoked salmon, cut in slivers
Fresh dill or chives for garnish

Directions

1. Place crème fraîche in a large bowl and set aside. In another large bowl, whip the cream with an electric hand-held or stand mixer until the cream just barely reaches the firm-peak stage. With a rubber spatula, gently fold half of the whipped cream into the crème fraîche and then gently fold in the remaining half. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

2. When ready to serve place a dollop of whipped crème fraîche in each hors d’oeuvre spoon. Top with a folded sliver of smoked salmon and hint of caviar. Garnish with a sprig of dill and serve immediately.

Note: To add additional flavor finely dice fresh dill (do not used dried!) and add ½ teaspoon to the whipped crème fraîche. Do not use more than ½ teaspoon as it will overpower.

Photography Tips: Softbox Lighting and an ISO 100

Guest Artist: Debra Hughes
Guest Photographer: Margouillat

ApertureFNumber: f/25.0
Make: Canon
Model: Canon EOS 7D
ExposureTime: 1/250
FNumber: 25/1
ExposureProgram: 1
ISOSpeedRatings: 100
MeteringMode: 6
Flash: 9
FocalLength: 50/1

Over the holidays I received a few gift cards. I tend to stash these gift cards away until mid February, when I’ve got the winter blues. The best cure for the winter blues is a trip to a lush tropical paradise. If I am unable to lounge under a palm tree on the sandy beach of a tropical island while sipping on a delightful frozen beverage that is accessorized with little umbrellas and sculpted fruit then the next best thing is shopping therapy. Amen.

I usually adhere to my rule about waiting until February for good reason, other than curing the winter blues. I have found that when I’ve used my gift cards sooner rather than later I am more inclined to make impulse purchases. Today, a day that is sunny and 60 degrees, I broke my rule. I used one of my gift cards.

My brother gave me a gift card for Chefs. I need to replace three items in my kitchen that are important, but I’m just been putting off. My toaster died. My mandolin slicer is on its last leg and my potato ricer disappeared somewhere between Twenty-Nine Palms, California and Cape Cod Massachusetts. I don’t really eat toast. My brother is going to give me his mandolin slicer that was a gift, brand new and never used. That leaves the potato ricer and so that is exactly what I bought. I wanted to buy something that sounded a little more fun and glamorous, but I have teenage boys who love mashed potatoes. It is not fun mashing them without a ricer, therefore the ricer is fun.

A potato ricer is a kitchen gadget that falls into question: “Do I make enough mashed potatoes to justify buying it?” I could answer that question with a firm “yes”. However, if you cannot then consider this: You can use a potato ricer for more than making mashed potatoes. This gadget allows potatoes to be pushed through what looks like an oversized garlic press. And, if a potato can go through so can other foods.

A potato ricer can be used for many things other than potatoes. Use it to rice sweet potatoes or pumpkin the next time you make a pie. If your sweet potatoes are fibrous, the stringy parts will stay in the ricer leaving fluffy goodness for the pie. Baked squash can be passed through the ricer before you butter it and serve.

The potato ricer is a boon when making tomato sauce because most of the seeds stay in the ricer as well as the skins. If you don’t want to take out your food processor use the ricer to make applesauce easily by pressing baked apples through the potato ricer, which removes the skins, stems and seeds. If you don’t make a lot of apples sauce at one time this is priceless. You don’t need to waste time peeling and coring the apples.

I will be excited when my ricer arrives and I know a couple teenagers who will be glad for it as well. The novelty of lumpy mashed potatoes is beginning to wear off.

Left over NO boil Mashed Potatoes: Baked Potato Salad

6-8 Baron Potatoes
1 cup of mayonoise
1/2 cup of butter (salted)
1/2 cup of cooked pancetta
1 cup of fresh corn (or canned)
1 splash of cream
pepper and salt to taste

Directions:

Having to settle for “May Queen” potatoes, and have yet to find a good Russet Potato in Japan, but the May Queen is the closest. I used Baron Potatoes AKA Danshaku. They all, seem to discinigrate during the boiling process, so, doing a NO boil was more out of need.

I use my Pryex glass bowl or plate, placing a small amount of water in the bottom to allow the potatoes to steam in the microwave. Place the peeled potatoes into the bowl/plate, cover with Saran Wrap, depending on your microwave maker, it might have a pre-programed button for this, which mine does, if not, cook them on high, for about 10 minutes or until soft enough to mash.

Place the cooked potatoes into a mixing bowl, hand mix with all the ingredients, then place into ramekins and heat in a toaster oven until warm and golden brown.

Over the holidays I received a few gift cards. I tend to stash these gift cards away until mid February, when I’ve got the winter blues. The best cure for the winter blues is a trip to a lush tropical paradise. If I am unable to lounge under a palm tree on the sandy beach of a tropical island while sipping on a delightful frozen beverage that is accessorized with little umbrellas and sculpted fruit then the next best thing is shopping therapy. Amen.

I usually adhere to my rule about waiting until February for good reason, other than curing the winter blues. I have found that when I’ve used my gift cards sooner rather than later I am more inclined to make impulse purchases. Today, a day that is sunny and 60 degrees, I broke my rule. I used one of my gift cards.

My brother gave me a gift card for Chefs. I need to replace three items in my kitchen that are important, but I’m just been putting off. My toaster died. My mandolin slicer is on its last leg and my potato ricer disappeared somewhere between Twenty-Nine Palms, California and Cape Cod Massachusetts. I don’t really eat toast. My brother is going to give me his mandolin slicer that was a gift, brand new and never used. That leaves the potato ricer and so that is exactly what I bought. I wanted to buy something that sounded a little more fun and glamorous, but I have teenage boys who love mashed potatoes. It is not fun mashing them without a ricer, therefore the ricer is fun.

A potato ricer is a kitchen gadget that falls into question: “Do I make enough mashed potatoes to justify buying it?” I could answer that question with a firm “yes”. However, if you cannot then consider this: You can use a potato ricer for more than making mashed potatoes. This gadget allows potatoes to be pushed through what looks like an oversized garlic press. And, if a potato can go through so can other foods.

A potato ricer can be used for many things other than potatoes. Use it to rice sweet potatoes or pumpkin the next time you make a pie. If your sweet potatoes are fibrous, the stringy parts will stay in the ricer leaving fluffy goodness for the pie. Baked squash can be passed through the ricer before you butter it and serve.

The potato ricer is a boon when making tomato sauce because most of the seeds stay in the ricer as well as the skins. If you don’t want to take out your food processor use the ricer to make applesauce easily by pressing baked apples through the potato ricer, which removes the skins, stems and seeds. If you don’t make a lot of apples sauce at one time this is priceless. You don’t need to waste time peeling and coring the apples.

I will be excited when my ricer arrives and I know a couple teenagers who will be glad for it as well. The novelty of lumpy mashed potatoes is beginning to wear off.

Left over NO boil Mashed Potatoes: Baked Potato Salad

6-8 Baron Potatoes
1 cup of mayonoise
1/2 cup of butter (salted)
1/2 cup of cooked pancetta
1 cup of fresh corn (or canned)
1 splash of cream
pepper and salt to taste

Directions:

Having to settle for “May Queen” potatoes, and have yet to find a good Russet Potato in Japan, but the May Queen is the closest. I used Baron Potatoes AKA Danshaku. They all, seem to discinigrate during the boiling process, so, doing a NO boil was more out of need.

I use my Pryex glass bowl or plate, placing a small amount of water in the bottom to allow the potatoes to steam in the microwave. Place the peeled potatoes into the bowl/plate, cover with Saran Wrap, depending on your microwave maker, it might have a pre-programed button for this, which mine does, if not, cook them on high, for about 10 minutes or until soft enough to mash.

Place the cooked potatoes into a mixing bowl, hand mix with all the ingredients, then place into ramekins and heat in a toaster oven until warm and golden brown.

Last week, while in Manhattan, we had the opportunity to visit the JWT office on Lexington Avenue. It was an amazing opportunity to have a peek at the world’s most well known marketing agency. JWT has more than 200 offices worldwide. The Lexington Avenue office in Manhattan was five floors of open, creative workspace designed by Clive Wilkinson Architects.

The workspace is unique, fun and bright. It is designed as a sign of homage to story-telling. This would be such a foreign concept to the 1864 founders of Carlton and Smith, the original name of the advertising brokerage firm that specialized in selling space in religious journals. In 1878 Carlton and Smith was sold and renamed James Walter Thompson.

James Walter Thompson built a strong marketing agency by not only placing advertisements in woman’s magazines and expanding operations to Boston, Chicago and London, but by creating the actual advertisements and developing trademarks.

J. Walter Thompson was a company on the cutting edge of advertisement by the early twentieth century. By using testimonial advertising, end dish marketing, photography and attaching a famous name and face to a product, J. Walter Thompson became, one could argue, the leading marketing agency, that continues to evolve along with its name.

In 2004 J. Walter Thompson wanted a fresh look and an up-to-date name to remain cutting edge. J. Walter Thompson became JWT. With the new name came a new concept and this idea was that JWT would be the tellers of a story, not an advertiser. This became the inspiration for Clive Wilkinson Architect and how the design of the New York office came to be.

The once stuffy, conservative office space became a five floor open space with a story-telling theme complete with a central “tree trunk” that links the work areas, which often resemble modern living room so that work can be done in a relaxed, home-like environment. Sound proof rooms and meeting rooms are airy and cleverly named. But, what we found most welcoming was that throughout all five floors artwork created by JWT employees was hung with pride. The artwork was stimulating, but most importantly it gave a sense of ownership, of being home.

The people we met at JWT were clearly happy in their work environment, friendly and welcoming. Our visit ended with a cocktail hour complete with a variety of beverages and hors d’oeuvres. We learned a good deal about JWT and are thankful that time was taken out to give us a look into their world.

With that said, I half expected hors d’oeuvres sized grilled cheese sandwich at the reception. JWT, in 1930, used ‘end-dish’ marketing to promote Kraft cheese. It is said that JWT created the grilled cheese sandwich to market Kraft cheese. There is speculation, of course. People have been pairing cheese and bread, well, since there was cheese and bread. But, it takes a marketing genius to give cheese and bread a new name then market it. That is exactly what JWT did for Kraft cheese. The end result: An iconic sandwich that made Kraft cheese sales skyrocket.

We couldn’t just present a grilled cheese sandwich. What we made is a meal to warm you up from the inside out. Enjoy this warming combination of chili and grilled cheese on the cool autumn nights to come.

Grilled Cheese

We won’t bore you with a tutorial about grilled cheese since it is right there with boiling water…doesn’t everyone know how to do it? Two slices of your favorite bread, a little butter on the outside of the slices, your favorite cheese (and other fillings such as bacon or tomatoes) on the inside and a hot pan. That’s all it takes!

For our sandwich we used a cayenne pepper jack and Wegman’s cheese bread (You can never have enough cheese!)

Chili

This recipe is from the Mayo Clinic-Williams Sonoma Cookbook. We’ve taken the liberty of adding meat to the recipe. The original recipe is vegetarian.

Ingredients

1 onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 celery stalks, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon paprika
2 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped or 2 teaspoons dried oregano
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more if you can take the heat)
3 tomatoes, chopped
3 cups cooked black beans
3 cups cooked kidney beans
1½ cups water
1 ½ pound lean ground beef

Directions

1. Place the beef in an already warmed crockpot.

2. While you chop the vegetables keep breaking up the beef with a fork as it warms.

3. When you have finished chopping all the vegetables add them to the crock pot, mix in with the beef.

4. Add the seasoning, tomatoes, beans and water.

5. Let cook for at least 6 hours.

The original recipe called for 6 cups black beans. We like black beans, but not that much so we used 3 cups black beans and 3 cups kidney beans to balance out the chili.

Last week, while in Manhattan, we had the opportunity to visit the JWT office on Lexington Avenue. It was an amazing opportunity to have a peek at the world’s most well known marketing agency. JWT has more than 200 offices worldwide. The Lexington Avenue office in Manhattan was five floors of open, creative workspace designed by Clive Wilkinson Architects.

The workspace is unique, fun and bright. It is designed as a sign of homage to story-telling. This would be such a foreign concept to the 1864 founders of Carlton and Smith, the original name of the advertising brokerage firm that specialized in selling space in religious journals. In 1878 Carlton and Smith was sold and renamed James Walter Thompson.

James Walter Thompson built a strong marketing agency by not only placing advertisements in woman’s magazines and expanding operations to Boston, Chicago and London, but by creating the actual advertisements and developing trademarks.

J. Walter Thompson was a company on the cutting edge of advertisement by the early twentieth century. By using testimonial advertising, end dish marketing, photography and attaching a famous name and face to a product, J. Walter Thompson became, one could argue, the leading marketing agency, that continues to evolve along with its name.

In 2004 J. Walter Thompson wanted a fresh look and an up-to-date name to remain cutting edge. J. Walter Thompson became JWT. With the new name came a new concept and this idea was that JWT would be the tellers of a story, not an advertiser. This became the inspiration for Clive Wilkinson Architect and how the design of the New York office came to be.

The once stuffy, conservative office space became a five floor open space with a story-telling theme complete with a central “tree trunk” that links the work areas, which often resemble modern living room so that work can be done in a relaxed, home-like environment. Sound proof rooms and meeting rooms are airy and cleverly named. But, what we found most welcoming was that throughout all five floors artwork created by JWT employees was hung with pride. The artwork was stimulating, but most importantly it gave a sense of ownership, of being home.

The people we met at JWT were clearly happy in their work environment, friendly and welcoming. Our visit ended with a cocktail hour complete with a variety of beverages and hors d’oeuvres. We learned a good deal about JWT and are thankful that time was taken out to give us a look into their world.

With that said, I half expected hors d’oeuvres sized grilled cheese sandwich at the reception. JWT, in 1930, used ‘end-dish’ marketing to promote Kraft cheese. It is said that JWT created the grilled cheese sandwich to market Kraft cheese. There is speculation, of course. People have been pairing cheese and bread, well, since there was cheese and bread. But, it takes a marketing genius to give cheese and bread a new name then market it. That is exactly what JWT did for Kraft cheese. The end result: An iconic sandwich that made Kraft cheese sales skyrocket.

We couldn’t just present a grilled cheese sandwich. What we made is a meal to warm you up from the inside out. Enjoy this warming combination of chili and grilled cheese on the cool autumn nights to come.

Grilled Cheese

We won’t bore you with a tutorial about grilled cheese since it is right there with boiling water…doesn’t everyone know how to do it? Two slices of your favorite bread, a little butter on the outside of the slices, your favorite cheese (and other fillings such as bacon or tomatoes) on the inside and a hot pan. That’s all it takes!

For our sandwich we used a cayenne pepper jack and Wegman’s cheese bread (You can never have enough cheese!)

Chili

This recipe is from the Mayo Clinic-Williams Sonoma Cookbook. We’ve taken the liberty of adding meat to the recipe. The original recipe is vegetarian.

Ingredients

1 onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 celery stalks, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon paprika
2 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped or 2 teaspoons dried oregano
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more if you can take the heat)
3 tomatoes, chopped
3 cups cooked black beans
3 cups cooked kidney beans
1½ cups water
1 ½ pound lean ground beef

Directions

1. Place the beef in an already warmed crockpot.

2. While you chop the vegetables keep breaking up the beef with a fork as it warms.

3. When you have finished chopping all the vegetables add them to the crock pot, mix in with the beef.

4. Add the seasoning, tomatoes, beans and water.

5. Let cook for at least 6 hours.

The original recipe called for 6 cups black beans. We like black beans, but not that much so we used 3 cups black beans and 3 cups kidney beans to balance out the chili.

This gorgeous tart is an essential. It makes a flavorful main dish at breakfast, lunch or dinner. It can be served as an appetizer or a side. It is visually pleasing and looks particularly handsome on a Thanksgiving Day table. The recipe comes from Martha Stewart’s Baking Handbook. We made two minor adjustments to the tart. First, the original tart is a corn and shitake tart. However, we felt that a mushroom mix tastes superb, adding more depth to the tart. Secondly, the amount of corn was adjusted from two cups to one and a half. There was just too much corn in the original recipe.

The dough for this tart is a cornmeal pâte brisée . This dough is a flavorful complement to this and many other savory tarts. One of the fun aspects of this dough is using the trimmed scraps after the tart pan is fitted with the dough round. See below for how we use the trimmings.

Corn and Mixed Mushroom Tart

Ingredients

3 tbspn extra-virgin olive oil
6 ounces mixed mushrooms (shitake, Portobello, button)
1 medium onion finely diced
1 ½ cups corn kernels
¼ cup chopped (fresh) chives
½ cup milk
½ cup heavy cream
3 large eggs

Directions

On a lightly floured surface roll out ½ cornmeal pâte brisée (see recipe below) to a 13 inch round that is ¼ inch thick. Fit dough into a 10 inch round tart pan with a removable bottom. Trim any excess dough. Chill in refrigerator until firm. Save the excess dough. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Line chilled shell with parchment, fill pie with weights (or large dry beans. such as kidney beans) Bake for 30-40 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and cool while preparing the filling.

Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and cook until they give off moisture. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened. Stir in the corn and the chives and cook. Remove the filling from heat.

In a bowl mix together milk, cream and eggs. Season with salt and pepper. Pour mushroom filling into the tart shell. Place tart on a rimmed baking sheet. Pour in the egg mixture. Bake until custard is set in the center. Remove from oven and cool slightly before serving.

Cornmeal Pâte Brisée

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold, cut into small pieces
1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water

Directions

Place the flour, cornmeal, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor, and pulse several times to combine. Add the butter, and process, until the mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 seconds. With the machine running, pour the ice water through the feed tube in a slow, steady stream, until the dough just holds together (do not process for more than 30 seconds). Turn out dough onto a clean work surface. Divide in half, and place each half on a piece of plastic wrap. Flatten each to form a disk. Wrap, and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 1 day before using.

The cornmeal pâte brisée is a delicious dough that should not go to waste. Take the trimmings left from fitting the dough into the tart pan and reroll to about ¼ inch thick. Cut into fun shapes and sizes. Brush with an egg/milk glaze. Line a baking sheet with parchment and bake the trimmings until golden. Serve with your favorite jam, jelly or marmalade. It is a tasty way to use the trimmings.

This gorgeous tart is an essential. It makes a flavorful main dish at breakfast, lunch or dinner. It can be served as an appetizer or a side. It is visually pleasing and looks particularly handsome on a Thanksgiving Day table. The recipe comes from Martha Stewart’s Baking Handbook. We made two minor adjustments to the tart. First, the original tart is a corn and shitake tart. However, we felt that a mushroom mix tastes superb, adding more depth to the tart. Secondly, the amount of corn was adjusted from two cups to one and a half. There was just too much corn in the original recipe.

The dough for this tart is a cornmeal pâte brisée . This dough is a flavorful complement to this and many other savory tarts. One of the fun aspects of this dough is using the trimmed scraps after the tart pan is fitted with the dough round. See below for how we use the trimmings.

Corn and Mixed Mushroom Tart

Ingredients

3 tbspn extra-virgin olive oil
6 ounces mixed mushrooms (shitake, Portobello, button)
1 medium onion finely diced
1 ½ cups corn kernels
¼ cup chopped (fresh) chives
½ cup milk
½ cup heavy cream
3 large eggs

Directions

On a lightly floured surface roll out ½ cornmeal pâte brisée (see recipe below) to a 13 inch round that is ¼ inch thick. Fit dough into a 10 inch round tart pan with a removable bottom. Trim any excess dough. Chill in refrigerator until firm. Save the excess dough. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Line chilled shell with parchment, fill pie with weights (or large dry beans. such as kidney beans) Bake for 30-40 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and cool while preparing the filling.

Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and cook until they give off moisture. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened. Stir in the corn and the chives and cook. Remove the filling from heat.

In a bowl mix together milk, cream and eggs. Season with salt and pepper. Pour mushroom filling into the tart shell. Place tart on a rimmed baking sheet. Pour in the egg mixture. Bake until custard is set in the center. Remove from oven and cool slightly before serving.

Cornmeal Pâte Brisée

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold, cut into small pieces
1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water

Directions

Place the flour, cornmeal, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor, and pulse several times to combine. Add the butter, and process, until the mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 seconds. With the machine running, pour the ice water through the feed tube in a slow, steady stream, until the dough just holds together (do not process for more than 30 seconds). Turn out dough onto a clean work surface. Divide in half, and place each half on a piece of plastic wrap. Flatten each to form a disk. Wrap, and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 1 day before using.

The cornmeal pâte brisée is a delicious dough that should not go to waste. Take the trimmings left from fitting the dough into the tart pan and reroll to about ¼ inch thick. Cut into fun shapes and sizes. Brush with an egg/milk glaze. Line a baking sheet with parchment and bake the trimmings until golden. Serve with your favorite jam, jelly or marmalade. It is a tasty way to use the trimmings.

Bordered by Montenegro, Kosovo, Macedonia and Greece the Republic of Albania enjoys a rich food history with Mediterranean and Balkan influences. The foods of Albania are pleasantly spiced comfort foods. How could it not be with the many influences of the Ancient Greeks, Romans, Byzantine Empire and Ottoman Empire?

When searching for a recipe we stumbled upon a site called Retro Housewife. A recipe spoke out to us that might not be a reflection of the above paragraph. What we found was a dish that whispered of grandmothers in kitchens that may not have had the fortune to use expensive spices and ingredients. An image of older women, simple kitchens, vegetable gardens, pens with goats and a coop with egg laying hens played in our heads. All that these Albanian women needed were the wonderfully fresh ingredients that they had at their fingertips.

Perpeq. It is considered a dessert, but for us Americans, with our collective sweet tooth, it would be more likely to find a place at Sunday brunch. It was tempting to modify the recipe with a sweeter cheese, a little orange rind and a bit of sugar. But, it is the aim of Worldly Wednesdays to give you a glimpse into another culture’s cuisine.

We can picture Albanian women whipping perpeq as easy as 1, 2, and 3 for large families, eagerly awaiting this dessert. The recipe is simple. Rolling the silky dough is easy and satisfying to touch. And, the bright yellow color of the dish that comes from using farm fresh eggs will brighten any table. A unique texture appeared on the top due to the use of diced goat cheese. As there were no pictures available and Albanian grandmothers are rare in certain areas we hope that this looks and tastes as if it was rush shipped to us from an Albanian kitchen.

Perpeq
A recipe found on Retro Housewife and noted on that site as being a contribution by Mrs. Isold Gera, 1950.

Ingredients
15 tbspn. Flour
Water
Melted butter
10 eggs
7 tbspn butter
½ pint milk
½ pound goat or sheep cheese
Salt

Instructions

1. Mix flour with water and make dough a med-firm consistency. Work it with your hands until the dough feels silky. Roll out like a sausage and cut in about 25 small sections.
2. Roll out each section to the size of a saucer. Pile one sheet on top of the other, putting melted butter on each so they don’t stick. Don’t butter the bottom and top sheets.
3. When all dough is used, roll the whole pile, giving it the shape of the dish you are going to bake it in.
4. Butter the dish and put in the dough.
5. In a mixing bowl, beat ten eggs (whites and yolks), add 7 tbsp. of butter, ½ pint of milk, 1.2 lb. of cheese, mix well and add salt, if desired. Pour the mixture over the dough and bake very slowly.

Not sure how the goat cheese was prepped, for our purposes it was diced into pieces similar to that of crumbled feta. The cheese did leave an interesting texture. This dish was baked very slowly at 300 degrees.

I have often loved side dishes more than the meal itself, this Japanese inspired potato salad is no exception. Potato salad is one of those sides which are so versatile, every family has their own version. What’s not to love more than a cool, refreshing, and filling side dish during the summer months.

What I love the most is that Japanese potato salad doesn’t have any acidic overtones. Potato salad for me is synonymous with cookouts, picnics, and lounging around on the beach with your coleman cooler snuggled between the sandwiches and beer. While living abroad, I had the opportunity to try Japanese potato salad, and while each family’s version differs, this is the one I love the best.

Japanese Potato Salad with Crab

Fresh, caned or frozen corn
Thinly sliced cucumbers
Thinly sliced onions (they should be soaked in water, and drained so they are less potent.
A few eggs, boiled, peeled and diced
imitation crab meat or real crab
Japanese kewpie mayonnaise