QUICK PIZZA

This is a "Quick Pizza" I made last weekend in a rush...

This kind of "Pizza" is very interesting as it tastes nearly like the real thing, but it takes a lot less time to prepare and it's made from scratch. You don't need to stay very long in the kitchen, yet the result is fantastic and tasty!

It is ideal if you have to make a last minute meal and you don't have much to offer. Just simply take what you find in your cupboards and use your imagination. I call it "culinary free jazz", a jam session in the kitchen...

Have fun and eat well!!!

I didn't have enough time to make a real pizza dough, so I made the following pastry...

Serves 2-3 people.

Ingredients:
300g Plain white flour
4 Tsps Baking Powder
1 1/2 Tsps Salt
40g Unsalted butter
Water (~80ml)

Method:
1. In a bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder and salt.
2. Add butter and rub between the fingers until the mixture is flaky.
3. Pour in water, gradually, while continuously cutting and stirring with a knife.
4. Very lightly knead (10 seconds) and gather up into a soft ball.
5. Wrap in plastic foil and leave in the refrigerator for about 1/2 to 1 hour.
6. Dust your working area and rolling pin with flour and shape the pastry by rolling away from you and always turning the pastry around in order to achieve a round shape.
7. Add whatever you want on top (see remarks).
8. Bake at 200°C (400° F) for about 20-35 minutes.
9. Eat warm.

Remarks:
Always lift the flour out of the bowl while rubbing; it makes the butter/flour mixture airy.
Stop adding water when the dough is stiff. It should not be sticky or wet.
For the topping, I added some tomato sauce (see recipe), anchovies, green olives, capers, finely cut onion rings, oregano and grated cheese (Parmesan).

Serving suggestions:
Accompany your "Pizza" with a "Arugula Salad" or any other salad of your choice.

If you are interested to know more about my "Mammoth Pizza" made with real bread dough, here is the link (click here).

By the way, you can also use this low-fat pastry to make your sweet or savory tarts...

SEARCH MACHINE

Here's a new French search machine that might interest you:

WEEKEND CAT BLOGGING #88

This weekend's WCB event is being kindly hosted by Amar and Luna at "Cat.Synth.Com" (USA)...

To submit your kitty picture, you can either leave a message in their comment section (with your permalink) or contact them without forgetting to give all the informations needed.

With my new camera, I can now take great close-ups of the kitties and that really makes me happy!

Both cats love to pose for me and it is quite easy to capture their portrait/cute little faces...
Fridolin is very good at looking straight into the objective with his piercing eyes.
He is really photogenic with his sweet mug and honest looks.

FOODIE POTLUCK - DINNER PARTY

The good side to being a foodblogger (apart from having to do more sport!) is that you get to meet new people and it’s exactly what happened to me lately…

It all started a few weeks ago when the sweet Rai of “Ugly Fruit” contacted me in order to share a talk around a cup of hot chocolate. Although I was very nervous and stressed about meeting a total stranger, her request enchanted me. I really don’t regret my decision to kick myself in the butt, jump over my shadow and do something I had never done before!

Rai’s warmth and openeness enlightened me. We spoke and spoke and spoke for four hours about food-related subject and more!!! Being in the company of an interesting foodie like her really made me happy.

So, as Rai organizes “Themed Dinner Parties” at her home, she naturally invited me to the next potluck that was going to take place on January the 21st 2007 with other food-obsessed fanatics that she knows…

This “Theme Dinner” was under the sign of booze (alcohol). Well, don’t get me wrong, we didn’t get drunken as it was not meant to be a binge party! The alcohol was supposed to be in the food we ate (although we did drink some fine sangria, champaign and wine)… Regarding that theme, it was open to interpretation and everybody was free to prepare the drink or food of their choice. There was no limitation.

Although our group of foodaholics was smallish, it was composed of a good mix of different cultures (American, Swiss, English, Malaysian, Norwegian), ages and horizons. What we all had in common was our love for food, eating, experimenting in the kitchen and at the table! I must say that I’ve had a very good time there, I met great and interesting people and ate as if there would be no tomorrow. We had a gargantuesque feast and sat at the table from 4pm till 9.30pm!!! We swallowed so much fine food that we were nearly exploding, could not move anymore and had to roll back home!....

Here's how it went:

We started with Alison and Halvor’s “alien” starter, “Gin And Tonic Jello” which surprised us all with it’s interesting combination of sweet, strong, sour and bitter flavors as well as it’s fizziness. Every bite was like “woaw, that’s amazing and rather bizarre!!!”. I had never tasted anything like this before…

~ My "Beer Bread". ~

As a starter, I brought some homemade “Guinness And Rosemary Cheese Bread Buns” that were accompanied by a “Middle East Meets Italy Bean Spread” made with pureed cranberry beans, roasted garlic, cumin powder, paprika (smoked and normal), tahina paste, olive oil, ground black pepper and sea salt.

Rachel made a delicious “Sangria” which we gulped down greedily.

~ Rachel's "Sangria" and my "Bean Spread". ~

Then, we all sat down at the table and things got dead serious! Claudia from Alabama treated us with a delicate and fresh salad in order to open our appetite and add a healthy and vitamined touch to the highly nourishing and calorific supper that was going to follow!

Next came Rai’s trademark dish, an “Onion And Croutons Soup”. It had a very pleasant homely taste and was remarkably flavorful.

After having eaten that soup, we were very lucky to savor Mike’s uplifting “Fusion Duck” marinated in red wine and spiced with 5 spice powder and malt sugar. Delicious and very harmonious! We ate that dish with Rai’s two wonderful creations: “ Indian Spice Rice” which had a round taste, was perfectly balanced spice-wise and was awesomely perfumed, as well as a fresh and heavenly “Madagascar Salad” made with fresh pineapple, mango, green peppercorns, rum and orange juice. Yummy!

~ Mike's "Fusion Duck". ~

The dinner already started to weigh in our stomachs, but after a very short break, we continued with yet another duck dish made by Claudia. Her “Red Wine And Honey Glazed Duck” was wonderful. The meat was still tender and pink. It tasted so fine and was comparable to what one can find on a French table (“Cuisine Bourgeoise”). Rai’s rice was once again solicited…

By then, we were getting extremely full, but we still had space for dessert and the sugar tooths that we are craved for a sweet treat. A real foodie would NEVER leave without having eaten dessert!!!

Alison and Halvor baked a superb “Stout Cake” which’s ingredients were better kept secret lest you'd have a heart attack, since the quantities used were astonishing (1 kilo sugar, 500g double cream, 500g chocolate and so on… The list was long.)!!! It was rich, evil and "dirty" to please, moist, fudgy and hyper scrumptuous. Of course, this cake had to be paired with vanilla ice cream, for added pleasure!

~ Alison and Halvor's "Stout Cake". ~

To close our feast, we ended this supper in beauty with a very last course made by myself, a “White Wine Tart” (a speciality from Vaud) …

~ My "Wine Tart". ~

In conclusion, this “Dinner Party” was astonishing! The people were all very friendly, interesting and good cooks/bakers. We had a jolly good time blabbering, eating and drinking (not so much, though) 'till we were not able to move anymore. I think that I never ate so much in my whole life!!!!!!I am now already looking forwards to our next dinner which sounds very promising! I’m glad that such people exist and made/make me discover new specialities as well as new horizons…

A special thanks goes to you Rai for having created such a great event and making things possible!!!

(Party -Pic by www.realsimple.com)

NATURE

I'm ever so happy to announce you that I have finally been able to get a "real" camera (with zoom, etc...)!!!

Now, I will be able to offer you better quality pictures with lots of cool food close-ups as well as high definition landscapes. It is a little jewel that will be my faithful and cherished companion that will assist me in the process of making this blog better and more interesting.

I received it a few days ago and since then, I can't stop playing/fiddling with it. I'm like a little child with a new toy! Compared to my other camera, it's like night and day...

See for yourselves (click on the pictures to enlarge)!

Some pretty red fruits on a decorative bush...
A magnificent, but damaged green beetle on my balcony table...
Cute little flowers that decorate my village...
A lonely (horse) chestnut...

PEANUT ADDICTION

Let me tell you people, I am a mad peanut freak!!! Although my blog contains very few recipes with peanuts (I don't really know why...), I am totally nuts about them.

Some people can't live without chocolate. Well, I can't survive a week (a day more exactly, he, he) without eating either roasted peanuts (with or without the shells) or peanut butter. I am totally addicted!!!

My favorite treat on Sunday mornings is homemade bread smothered in peanut butter and honey. Evil!

At least, this wonderful legume is a healthy nutrient:

"Peanuts are also a good way to consume many other beneficial micronutrients in the diet. In addition to containing over 75 percent good unsaturated fat, peanuts are a good source of fiber, as well as vitamin E, folate, potassium, magnesium, and zinc, all which are thought to be important to health. For example, a recent study done at Purdue University showed that subjects with low levels of magnesium in their blood were brought up into normal ranges when they ate peanuts every day."

~ Source: The Peanut Institute. ~

Read more here:

• BBC News (see link)
• Science Daily (see link)
• The Peanut Van (see link)
• Women's Health (see link)

As a peanut addict, that's very good news, don't you think?...

"I hate television.
I hate it as much as peanuts.
But I can't stop eating peanuts."

~ Orson Wells ~

BRAZILIAN FAROFA AMARELA

Finally, here is the long-awaited answer to the "Quiz III" I launched a few days ago...

Most of you didn't know what this strange looking brown powder was and I can't blame you for that, because it wasn't at all easy to guess what it was/is (unless you are a person hailing from South America)!

Unfortunately, Rosa, Katie, Auntie Jo, Nathalie and Burekaboy didn't get it right, but gave some very interesting answers (Rice Bubbles, oatmeal, peanut sauce). The only one who got very close to finding out was Aurely. She wondered if it was not "Manioc Flour"...

Yes, indeed, this mysterious speciality is made with "Manioc Flour" which has been processed!!!

The powder in question is "Farofa Amarela" ("Yellow Farofa"), a typical and very popular Brazilian dish (also found in other South American countries) dating back to the colonial period and which is made with toasted "Cassava Flour" (or "Manioc Flour", "Yuca Flour", "Tapioca Flour") better known under the name of "Farinha De Mandioca" in Portuguese. This special flour is a product made from the "Cassava Root" (see link) which cannot be consumed raw as it contains cyanogenic glucosides, a toxic substance...


"Farofa" looks like coarsely grated Parmesan cheese or coarse flour; dry and gritty. It is used to accentuate the flavor of grilled meat or stews and is often eaten with "Feijoada", a bean dish. It can be sprinkled over the meal or eaten as accompaniment, just like rice (on the side). Although "Farofa" is generally made with "Manioc Flour", it can to make this condiment with corn flour.

Many variations of this dish exist and are possible, depending on the region where it is prepared and the people's taste. For example, you can add onions, dried shrimps, garlic, beaten eggs, olives, sausages, bacon, prunes, apples, bananas, nuts (especially cashew nuts), etc... At South American markets, it is not rare to find industrial ready-made "Farofa", but generally, most people prefer to prepare it at home according to family recipes.

Taste-wise, "Farofa" is very interesting. It has a nutty as well as round, buttery flavor. Although, it is delicious, it is an acquired taste as the dendê oil adds a strong perfume to the mix. "Farofa" is delicious when it is soaked in the juices in your plate or sprinkled over rice. It really brings up the flavors in a very unique and pleasant way! An enriching experience and discovery of one of Brazil's most loved seasoning.

~ Farofa Amarela. ~

This recipe was taken from Michael Bateman's "Café Brazil" and slightly adapted. It is a small cookbook that contains many great recipes and superb pictures. A gourmet's favorite!

Brigitte of "Café Créole", I wish to dedicate this post entirely to you in order to warmly thank you for the immense generosity you showed when you offered me this magnificent book!

You beautiful gift has opened up new culinary horizons and rejoiced my palate. Now, I can't stop dreaming about this distant country and it's 1000 flavors exotic cuisine! You could not have made me more happy...

Merci, danke, taak, grazie, thank you, xie xi, arrigato, gracias, obrigado, etc...!!!

~ Campos Gerais, Parana, Brazil. ~

Serves 6

Ingredients:
225g Tapioca/cassava flour
2/3 Tsp Sea salt
3/4 Tsp Garlic powder (optional)
1/3 Tsp Onion powder (optional)
3 Tbs Dendê/palm oil (see info)

Method:
1. Place a frying pan over medium heat.
2. Add the tapioca/cassava flour with the salt.
3. Add the dendê oil and let the flour fry for a few minutes, stirring continuously.
4. As soon as the flour becomes golden brown, add the garlic and onion powder. Continue frying for about 1 minute over low heat while stirring.
5. Transfer the mixture to a cold plate and let cool.

Remarks:
Instead of using "Dênde Oil", you can take unsalted butter, but the final taste will be different as palm oil has it's own character...

~ Woman making manioc flour, Amazonia, Brazil. ~

Serving suggestions:
Serve with the Brazilian stew (see recipe 1 & recipe 2) or rice dish of your choice.

You want to learn more? Then, here's a short video for you (see link)! It shows you how to make "Yellow Farofa". Have fun watching it!

(Cassava -Pic by www.ewerman.se)
(Campos Gerais -Pic by Jose Augusto Hauer www.trekearth.com)
(Manioc -Pic by http://irdal.ird.fr)

WEEKEND CAT BLOGGING #87 ROUND-UP

Hello and welcome to my humble little blog!!!

I am very happy to announce that this weekend's WCB round-up is hosted here on "Rosa's Yummy Yums"!

To join the party, you just need to leave a message in the comment section without forgetting to give your permalink. You can also e-mail me (grandchamp@gmx.ch) the needed informations. I will then feature the link to your kitty picture on my blog.

I'm looking forwards to seeing your cute kitties!!!

Have a nice weekend,

Maruschka, Fridolin & Rosa

Every time I lie on the bed to read or watch TV, Maruschka has to be by my side.
She follows me everywhere...
Once she's on the bed, she generally stays calm and sleeps.
As both Fridolin and Maruschka like the bed, I had to arrange a spot for them with a towel (to protect the bed from their hairs).
Believe it or not, the two little angels have learned not to lie anywhere else than on this place!
They even go there alone, without any kind of encouragement from us...

The WCB Round-Up:

Iasca at "Jo Tourtit" (France) is a beautiful and independent 7 years old gray cat who is not afraid to fight for his territory or go after all kinds of critters. Do visit Johane's blog, it is full of beautiful pictures (animals, places, nature, etc...)!

After having squatted the "Tequila Lime Wings" box, the little Taboo at "Jelly Pizza" (USA) is happy to return to a more familiar and comfortable old standby ...


Othello and Kashim at "Paulchen's Foodblog?!" (Austria) are looking very cute on their cat tree and when they are sleeping. They even accept to share with us one of their favorite kitty recipes: "Fish Potty"! Yummy...


Black Kitty at "Kitikata-San" is a cute outdoor kitty who refuses to live in a house and prefers a hard life outside. Kitikata-San loves to watch her as long as her territory is not endangered...


Boo_licious of "Masak-Masak" (Malaysia) regularly gets the visit of an adorable ginger cat who comes for food. Of course, with the sweet Fluff Puff around, small fights and power plays occur...


Mr. Mao at "Kross-Eyed Kitty" (Canada) is feeling very poorly. He is in the cat hospital since Tuesday and is under heavy medication. Poor little darling. He needs your support, so don't forget to send him hugs. Do get better Mister!


Harmon and Bustopher at "Kate In The Kitchen" (USA) love to play with each other. Sometimes their games turn into brotherly fights, but that doesn't stop them from being very sweet kitties...


Mini at "House Of The (Mostly) Black Cats" (USA) is Sanjee's sister. She is a very nice kitty with everyone, but Sanjee who would like to see her go! At least, Mini's mom doesn't want to sell her...


Mysri and Coca at "Café Créole" (Guyana) are two very adorable kitties who were lucky enough to have been adopted by a sweet woman named Brigitte! The two family dogs have accepted them immediately. A happy tale...


Puddy, a majestuous black kitty, at "A beautiful Life" (Australia) is going back to basics this weekend and is enjoying her first ever bed, a laundry basket with a pillow and towel in it...


Boots aka Bootstrap Bill at "The Hidden Paw" (USA) is an extremely sweet and fluffy kitty. In a short movie starring directed by D, you'll learn how he hot into a pirate...


Kako at "Xenogere" (USA) is a real poser. It is very understanble since she is such a beautiful black kitty. But, as it is the case with all famous people, she is not always in the mood to pose, so she'll get figity and just go away...


Mina, Maya and Oliver at "Cuisine Guylaine" (France) are three magnificent kitties that like to lie around in the garden. All cohabit harmoniously, although it was a bit difficult for Oliver to accept other kitties at home! A thought goes for Poussy wo was poisoned by an mean idiot...

Upsie and Sundance at "What Did You Eat?" are two really sweet kitties that are getting to know one another, week after week. Upsie finds that Sundance is a pain in the neck because he's too juvenile, but she is nonetheless starting to feel for him ...

Lizzie at "It's All Good" (USA) is a very special kitty with a sweet face and nice color patterns!...



Miquette and Daisy at "Gastronomades" (France) are very important to Lilizen who adopted them both. She could never live without her cute kitties! It's not very difficult to understand why...

Tiggy at "Tiggy The Tiny Tiger" (USA) has moved into a new home and also has two new kitties to live with! This gray cutie has now to learn to share her mom with the two newcomers...

The lovely Sergei at "Music And Cats" (USA) doesn't want to be annoyed while he is washing! So, he asks us to "talk to the paw"...


Luna at "Catsynth.com" (USA) is a sweet cat who loves to take in the sights, smells and sounds of a warm Californian Spring-like day through an open window...


The adorable Kamikaze at "I Got Two Shoes" (South Korea) is a real food enthusiast with a stubborn and extremely attaching character... So when Jelly wants to give him food, she literally has to fight with him in order to get room in order to pour his dry cat food into his dish!

The sweet Mamina at "Et Si C'Était Bon..." (France) is being a little cheeky and very sarcastic! She proposes to offer a white mouse to all of the WCB participants...



2007 Weekend Cat Blogging Schedule:

• #88 February 10-11: Amar and Luna at CatSynth
• #89 February 17-18: — Two Volunteers, Sorting It out now! hehehe
• #90 February 24-25: Kate, Bustopher and Harmon at Kate in the Kitchen
• #91 March 3-4: Lisa of Champaign Taste
• #92 March 10-11: Sher at What Did You Eat
• #93 March 17-18 - St Patrick’s Day Weekend: ??? You ???
• #94 March 24-25: ??? You ???
• #95 March 31-April 1: D, Boots and Tess at The Hidden Paw

To volunteer to host WCB one weekend, just e-mail Sanjee at "Cat Blogosphere" and let them know...

CHANDELEUR - CANDLEMAS - IMBOLC

Today, February the 2nd, it is "Candlemas/Chandeleur/St Bride's Day", the Christian festival that commemorates the purification of the Virgin Mary and the presentation of the infant Jesus in the Temple. This feast originates from the Celts or Pagans who celebrate(d) "Imbolc" (see link) on the 1st of February, thus marking the beginningss of Spring and the coming back of light...

For many people, religious or non-religious alike, this day is also the feast of "Pancakes" (see link) and it is a good excuse to eat "French Pancakes" 'till your literally explode!!!

Of course, it is not the only time of the year during which you can have a "Pancake" party, but it is nonetheless the best way to honor this delicious treat...

For those who want to celebrate "Candlemas", I thought that it would be a good idea to give you "Pancake" recipes and links that will rejoice your gourmet palate.

My recipes:

• "French Pancakes" (see link)
• "American Pancakes" (see link)

Other recipes:

• Bed & Breakfasts Online (see link)
• Cooks.com (see link)
• Love To Know (see link)
• Razzle Dazzle Recipes (see link)
• That's My Home (see link)

Have fun and eat well!!!

(Imbolc -Pic by www.unicorngarden.com)
(Crêpes -Pic by www.alhsidras.com)

ICY DAYS

Although it hasn't snowed again since more than a week, a coat of white still covers the landscape and everything still looks dreamlike...

Of course, it has melted a little and since it's freezing cold outside, there is ,in reality, more ice than snow. Nonetheless, it is very beautiful!

In my kitchen. Looking out of the window.
I am lucky to be able to enjoy the remarkable view that is offered to me.
Both Salèves are a real treat for the eye...
Icicles hang from the water pipes and the (horse) chestnut tree has a glamorous silhouette.
The Salève looks very cold and frosty, almost surreal...