DREARY SUMMER, GREAT SKIES

Although we are experiencing the most tortured and boring summer with it's non-stop changing weather, continuous rains and low temperatures, the clouds that we get are nonetheless fabulous. at least, most of the time (that's when it's not like "mushy peas"...)!

The continual fit of hiccups that the weather is going through result in temperature contrasts that have a great influence on the clouds. In the morning, it can be very grey, raining and extremely unpleasant, in the afternoon the sky can open a little and in the evening the sun can come blasting through the thick layer of clouds and reveal beautiful cumuluses as well as blue horizons (not always though)...

RICOTTA WITH ZA'ATAR

When I visited my new friend Corinne (foodblog reader and foodie), she gave me a pot that contained a quantity of fragrant "Za'atar", a speciality I love very much. I have already made my own before from recipes I found on the net, but I must say that this one is one of the best I have tasted so far as it's extremely well-balanced and delicate...

"Za'atar" is a popular spice mixture that originates from the Middle East (Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Palestine and Israel). It can also be found in Turkey or amongst the Middle Eastern Armenians and the Bedouins of North Africa. It is composed of dried thyme, roasted sesame seeds, sumac and salt. Different versions exist and certain "Za'atar" may contain additional spices such as savory, hyssop, oregano, cumin and fennel seeds. Each country has it's own recipe. "Za'atar" is used to season meat or vegetables, it can be sprinkled on "Hummus" (see my recipe), on "Labneh" (strained yoghurt/cheese), spread on a dough base in order to make a flat bread called "Manikish Bil Za'atar" and mixed with olive oil to create a spread/dip.

A little like the Lebanese, I decided serve it in association with ricotta cheese, thus recreating a dish that is quite similar to the original "Labneh Bil Za'atar". This way of seasoning that mild cheese is absolutely wonderful. The spice mixture goes very well with the roundness of ricotta and gives it a great uplift. A magical association that doesn't lack freshness nor originality!

~ Ricotta With Za'atar ~
Recipe by Rosa @ Rosa's Yummy Yums

Serves 2-3 people.

Ingredients:
250g Fresh ricotta cheese
2 Tsps Za'atar (see recipe)
3-4 Tbs Olive oil

Method:
1. Unmold the ricotta onto a dish.
2. Sprinkle the za'atar on top of the cheese.
3. Pour the olive oil over the cheese.
4. Serve.

Remarks:
Always use good quality olive oil.
You could replace the olive oil by pumpkin seed oil if you wish.
You may want to add a bit of salt if you find it too mild.

Serving suggestions:
Eat this cheese with bread ("Ekmek", "Bagels", "Challah", "German Partybrot", "Plain White Bread", "Baguette Parisienne" or "Tex Mex Cornbread").
You can also mix it to pastas, spread it on cucumber slices, use it as a filling for brick/phyllo rolls, etc...

Once again, Corinne, thanks ever so much for your generosity!

GREEK LEMON ROASTED POTATOES

In 1996, I visited Greece with my college class. We travelled all the way from Geneva to the Peloponnese by bus (with an 18 hours ferry trip across the Adriatic, from Ancona in Italy to Patras). During ten gorgeous days we went through parts of Boeotia, most of the Peloponnese and the Attica. The trip was fabulous and I will always remember that wonderful country for it's beautiful landscapes, welcoming as well as generous inhabitants and delicious food!

Since that very day, I have been very keen on testing Greece's various recipes and informing myself on it's antique, humble yet rich and unique cuisine/culinary traditions. In that place, there's areal philosophy behind eating as it's considered a big pleasure...

Although I discovered many different dishes, there's one speciality (along with "Moussaka") I ate a lot when i was still at home and loved long before going to Greece: "Lemon Roasted Potatoes". As it is a recipe that is very dear to my heart, I thought that I must share it with you as it would be a "crime" to keep it all for myself...

Those "Greek lemon Roasted Potatoes (Ellinikos Lemoni Patatas)" are maybe simple and basic, but they are nonetheless succulent, mind-blowing, very summery and tasty! They are so deliciously lemony, delicately herby, perfectly aromatised with olive oil and scrumptiously garlicky that it's hard to resist them...

If you want to invite the sun at your table, then that's the right dish to prepare!

~ Greek Lemon Roasted Potatoes ~
Recipe by Rosa @ Rosa's Yummy Yums

Serves 4 people.

Mani, Peloponnese.

Ingredients:
1kg (2 pounds) waxy potatoes, peeled and cut into 6 or 8 wedges
1/3 Cup Olive oil
The juice of 1 or 2 lemons (or more to taste)
3-4 Cloves garlic, crushed
Dried oregano, to taste
A hint of paprika (optional)
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 200° C (400° F).
2. In an ovenproof dish, add all ingredients and stir well.
3. Bake the potatoes for 1 to 1 1/4 hours and stir every now and then during cooking to coat with the herby oil/sauce.
4. Serve when the potatoes are cooked through.

Remarks:
You can add more lemon or olive oil. It all depends you, therefore I recommend you to taste the sauce first and then, correct the seasonings if needed.
The potatoes are ready when cooked through (test with a knife), golden and crispy.

Serving suggestions:
Eat this as a main course with a salad or use it as a side dish to accompany roasted/grilled meat like lamb, chicken or pork.
You can also serve with feta cheese...

(Lemeni Village/Mani - Pic by Nikolaos Sotirios Koumaris www.trekearth.com)

WEEKEND CAT BLOGGING #114

This week, Sher and Upsie at "What Did You Eat?" (USA) are hosting Weekend Cat Blogging #114 although they are crying the loss of theit beloved Sundance (see link) who was ill (FIP)...

To submit your kitty picture(s), you can either leave a message in their blog's comment section (with your permalinks) or contact them via e-mail without forgetting to give all the needed informations.

Fridolin, the "jumping pea", could be compared to a battery that never gets flat...

Day and night, he is full of energy and tires us out with his endless yammering, need for affection, attention and action as well as his impulsiveness. Although he is 12 years old and a cyborg (handicaped by his accident), he has enough power to run up and down the apartment and go on our nerves because of his "idiotic" pastimes (scratching the settee, being nasty to Maruschka, going in forbidden places, sticking his nose everywhere, etc...)!

Sher, please accept my deepest sympathy.
Sundance was a cute little kitty that we will never forget.
May he rest in peace and have fun in cat's paradise.
In thoughts with you all...

LOOKING BACK AT THE SUMMER?

Is it possible that the summer has already gone away after having been so mean with us? I really don't hope that it's true, but regarding the way it looks outside, I really have doubts that it will come back...

The most horrible thing this year is that there was NO summer at all! Apart from a few sunny and warm days, most weeks were terrible with only rain, grey/covered skies and low temperatures. How depressing, especially when you know that you get this kind of stuff most of the year!

Now, it is not even 15° C (11° C this morning) and looking like one of those boring uniform days we are so used to have. There's been many floodings in (central) Switzerland and I hope that it'll switch to something a little more enjoyable (beautiful autumn, please!) before the winter starts, otherwise I'll go mad... I need light!!!

Enjoy the following pictures (click to enlarge). Such nice days have become rare...

TWO YEAR BLOGANNIVERSARY

On the 8th of August 2005, I started my blog, wrote and launched my very first post without knowing where it was going to lead me or how it was going to develop. It was a totally new concept and unknown territory for me...

Now, two years later, I am a hooked and assiduous blogger who can't imagine living without feeding this little baby or stay away from the blogging world for too long (not more than half a day!), because I would miss it all so much!

One could say that I am addicted to the internet and have no life whatsoever, but the fact is that behind it's virtual appearance the blogging sphere has roots in reality. I am a virtual world junkie, just a person who wants to share my interest with others, meet interesting characters and socialize, thus using my blog as a platform that is the link between both worlds...

Thanks to my blog and the community that evolves around it, I have discovered new horizons, I got to know friendly, like-minded and generous people, I have physically met certain bloggers with whom I have become acquainted, I have increased an ever growing taste for cooking/baking and experimenting with food as well as I developped a real passion for photography and writing "articles".

If I had not started a blog by accident (on the spur of the moment and without deliberating beforehand), I would never have got to know that "hidden" world behind the act of blogging. A dimension which makes the real world all the more bearable and enjoyable, where the individuals (most of them at least) are more enclined to be open and ready to share things with you. If I had not clicked on the "start" button of my dashboard on that late summer day in 2005, I would still be living in my one-dimensional reality and would have missed a lot as those two years have made me learn much about, generosity, kindness, communication, openness, sharing and friendliness.

That's why I wish to thanks you all (bloggers, friends and visitors) for having brought me so much pleasure, happiness and joy, for having surprised me on a daily basis, for having commented on my blog, for having written me kind words that always uplift my soul and for your endless as well as faithful support!

Without you, "Rosa's Yummy Yums" would not exist. You are the energy that feeds this site, that makes it live and grow every day...

I AM A HAPPY AND FULFILLED BLOGGER!!!
THANKS, MERCI, GRAZIE, DANKE...

ALMOND CAKE FROM REIMS (FRANCE)

A few weeks ago, the sweet Claire at "Le Sens Du Goût" (France) sent me two packets of the famous twice baked "Biscuits Roses De Reims" ("Pink Biscuits Of Reims"), a gourmet speciality from her hometown of Reims (see infos) in the Champagne-Ardenne region of Northern France. Those confections date back to the 17th century and are often dipped in liquor, sweet wine, red wine or Champagne...

It all started one day in July when I commented on one of her recipes (see link). She had made a beautiful cake with those biscuits and I wrote that it was a pity we didn't find them here, because I really wanted to test her recipe. She then proposed to send me some as she thought that I deserved a taste of that regional speciality. So, some days later, the postman left her parcel in my letter box. It was with big pleasure that I discovered it waiting for me in it's compartment. Her present made me really very happy as it meant that I was going to be able to test all those gorgeous recipes for sweet treats made with those cute little pink ladyfingers!

For my first use of the "Biscuits De Reims", I decided upon making the cake I saw on her blog: an "Almond Cake". Let me tell you that I was not deceived at all by it as it is delicious, soft, smooth, delicate and light like sponge cake. Somehow, it reminds me of "Carrot Cake" texture- and taste-wise (that's maybe because of the ground almond and lemon zest)... Those pink biscuits add an interesting nutty flavor as well as an uncomparable fluffy texture to this cake. A real delicacy!

Thanks for your generosity, Claire!
If you had not made this kind gift, I would never have known that gorgeous speciality!

~ Almond Cake From Reims ~
Recipe by Fossier and slightly adapted by Rosa @ Rosa's Yummy Yums

Ingredients:
20g Ground almonds
70g Unsalted butter, melted
165g Castor sugar
3 Eggs (~53g), separated
12 Biscuits Roses De Reims
The zest of 1 lemon
1 1/2 Tsps Vanilla extract

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 180° C (350° F) and grease a 20cm (7.8 inches) round cake pan.
2. Put the "Biscuits Roses De Reims" in the bowl of your mixer and grind until powder-like.
3. In a big bowl, beat together the egg yolks with the sugar until fluffy and light colored.
4. Add the lemon zest, vanilla extract, the biscuit powder, the ground almonds and the butter.
5. Mix well for about 5 minutes until smooth.

6. Beat the egg whites until fluffy and stiff.
7. Incorporate them delicately to the biscuit mixture in order to get a homogenous batter.
8. Pour this batter into the cake pan.
9. Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
10. Cool on a wire rack.

Remarks:
If you don't have any "Biscuits De Reims", then use ladyfingers and add a few drops of red food coloring to the batter.
The ground biscuits should resemble fine semolina flour. It should not look like coarse meal.
I guess that you could replace the castor sugar by light brown sugar and the lemon zest by orange zest.

Serving suggestions:
Eat at any time of the day and serve with "Crème Anglaise" (see infos) or red fruits (salad or coulis).

WEEKEND CAT BLOGGING #113

This week, Boo_licious at "Masak-Masak" (Malaysia) is happy to announce that she is hosting Weekend Cat Blogging #113...

To submit your kitty picture(s), you can either leave a message in her blog's comment section (with your permalinks) or contact her via e-mail without forgetting to give all the needed informations.

Our gremlin Maruschka could be mistaken for a little pig (Miss Piggy more exactly) as she loves to lie on her back in such an "indecent" way!
She usually takes this original pose when she's totally relaxed and want some cuddling.
In fact, she wants us to rub her soft and sikly tummy...
She can stay in this position for hours, looking like if she has reached unknown higher levels of consciousness.

KIKI VEUT JOUER - SUMMER FLOWERS

VérO at the great "DelimOOn" from Switzerland is organizing an event around flowers, more specially summer flowers and/or plants. The participants have to show uswhat's in their gardens (or elsewhere). The round-up will take place in September and the closing date is the 2nd of September 2007 at midnight (see all infos in French)...

I've just realized that I don't really have any flower pots on my balcony, although I love such plants and would love to have colorful surroundings. I guess that I never really thought about having any... Maybe next year, who knows?! But as I have a "balcony garden" and a beautiful lavender plant, I thought that you might like to see how it looks!

SUMMER AND IT'S BEAUTIES

Although the weather and temperatures remind me more of the beginning of autumn, it is nonetheless still summer!

As it is also the season of plenty, certain fruits and vegetables are again available (yippee!!!): one of my favorite vegetables, the almighty (bell) pepper as well as my queen of fruits (along with berries) the plum which has arrived three weeks in advance. Now, I can bake and cook like a madwoman in my kitchen!

What I love about respecting the seasons is that when you are capable of waiting for those precious gifts of nature instead of buying them all year long, your pleasure is then multiplied and it feels like Christmas! The long months of waiting and longing will make you appreciate those seasonal goods all the more as you can't possibly be listless in front of the objects of your desire. All the contrary...

Hungarian red pepper (sweet)...
Chicory "Pain De Sucre"...
A peach from France...