therealdesign

This morning I am headed to The United Kingdom and next week to Brussels Belgium to dine on both sides of the English Channel.

Stay tuned while I check out and write about real English bangers and mash, boiled beef (there has to be a better name) and classic pommes frites (french fries).

See you across the pond.

B

Earl Mindell could be considered the pope of the holistic healing culture. His book,  The Herb Bible is interesting and  informative. Whether you believe in holistic healing or not, the book is packed with folklore, facts and theories about a new approach to healing the old fashioned way; through herbs. Earl wrote an entire chapter just on herbal teas. Every tea that is called out in the book is available in health food and specialty stores. The teas can be consumed hot or cold, but are not all pleasant tasting, Most importantly, according to Mindell, these teas will cure what ails you. Alfalfa tea for example, aids in digestion, perfect after a hearty fall meal. If you not feeling well and don’t have an appetite, or if you have a cold and cant taste a darn thing, a sip of black currant tea will help. This popular flavor is also said to stimulate your taste buds. Ginger tea supposedly restores a lost appetite, not a problem for this chef. Most of us have seen what catnip can do to a little kitty. The author does not suggest that you will react similarly to a cat sniffing catnip, but he does write that catnip tea is a relaxant and mild depressant. If your kids are driving you wild and you are one-step away from lacing their spaghetti sauce with Demerol, let them sip on iced chamomile tea. Believe it or not, it calms hyperactive children and is perfect before bedtime. If you're planning on tailgating this weekend and ylooking to chow down on some good old fashioned baked beans, sip on some peppermint or spearmint tea, both are good when you are trying to avoid having your dinner talk behind-your-back. You can find The Herb Bible at Amazon.com 

Pasta is always a favorite in my home A simple three-ingredient sauce such as a classic Alfedo made with cream, butter and cheese can be as delicious as a more complicated hearty Bolognese. I’m a big fan of gnocchi. This pasta is typically made from potatoes and when prepared properly, they can be as light as fa eather but more often than not, they are dense and as heavy as a potato dumpling. I make my gnocchi from scratch a day before I plan on serving them. I start by baking 10 lbs. of russet potatoes; these are heavier in starch and often referred to as bakers. I sheet them up single layer and bake them in an oven set at 400 degrees for about an hour or until they are tender inside. I remove them from the oven and immediately cut off the tops in order to scoop every ounce of that delicious starchy pulp. I always have a pot of ice water nearby where I dip the hand that will be holding the potato to keep from burning myself. Once I have the potatoes scooped out, I gradually add about 2 cups of all-purpose flour and a few teaspoons of sea or kosher salt. I end up kneading this on a stainless table for about 10 minutes and add enough flour so the dough stands up and holds it shape, so it is similar to bread dough. Once the dough is firm, I roll it into thin uniform logs about as thick as my thumbs. Using a knife, held at a slight angle, I cut the log every ? inch or so, depending upon how big I want my gnocchi to be. I then gently drag each gnocchi onto a floured fork allowing the tines to make indents in the pasta. The indents will allow my sauce to collect and stick to the pasta at service. I then store the gnocchi on a floured sheet pan and refrigerate overnight. The next day, I cook the gnocchi in simmering, not boiling, 190-degree water, until they float to the top of the pot. This makes enough gnocchi for about 12 people, or 4 Avernas. Any sauce will compliment these potato babies but my favorites are Basil Pesto Genovese, Bolognese meat sauce or just a simple quick made fresh tomato sauce.