Mad Men Season 5!!!

Tonight is a pretty exciting night, as Mad Men comes back to television for it's fifth season. In a short time I have fallen in love with the Mad Men world and have enjoyed taking a journey through the food of the sixties. In honor of all things Mad Men, I thought it would be fun to take a food trip through the sixties and visit some of the trends that came from that decade.

Fondue
Fondue is a Swiss dish of melted cheese served bread. Over the years there have been many variations of fondue, like chocolate fondue served with fruit or fondue bourguignonne , where pieces of meat are cooked when dipped into hot oil. I wonder what kind of fondue Joan would make?

Ambrosia Salad
I have to admit, I kind of love ambrosia salad with the fluffy mini marshmallows, mandarin oranges, pineapple chunks and coconut. The combination of sour cream and shooed cream works well because it balance the sweetness of the fruits. Ambrosia salad is the perfect addition to your brunch buffet or a summer picnic.

Rumaki
The sixties brought Polynesian and faux Polynesian food to the table and rumaki was an hors d'ouevre enjoyed at many cocktail parties. They are made by wrapping water chestnuts and chicken liver in bacon. It is then marinated in soy sauce and baked. They are placed on cocktail picks and served to your guests. Betty included Rumaki on her dinner menu when trying to impress Don's colleagues.

Lastly, Chicken Kiev and since I'm talking about it I have to include a great quote by Roger Sterling " They have Chicken Kiev, butter squirts everywhere.". Chicken Kiev, has been considered Ukranian in origin. It consists of a boneless chicken breads that has been pounded and then rolled around garlic butter with herbs. The chicken is then breaded and either baked or fried. Mmmmmmm, sounds good.

I hope you enjoyed our short trip through some popular foods from the sixties. Mad Men starts in fifteen minutes, pour yourself a cold Heinekin or make the perfect Old Fashioned then kick back and enjoy the show. Enjoy!

Happy St Patrick's Day and Happy Birthday Uncle Frank

Today is not only St Patrick's Day, it is also my Uncle Frank's Day!!

I thought it would be fitting to post a recipe using cabbage since it is St Paddy's day. Instead of using green cabbage, my recipe uses red cabbage. It's funny, I didn't grow up eating red cabbage, we ate savoy cabbage, but for some reason I always wanted to try it. I think it had something to do with the movie A Christmas Story. There is a scene in the movie when Ralphie asks the mom what's for dinner and she replies "red cabbage". When I was young, I wanted to know what this "red cabbage" was and more importantly how it tasted. So, in my freshman year at JWU, I told mom for one of our side dishes at Christmas I wanted to make braised red cabbage and she gave me her usual skeptical look, but gave in. Well, I have to say I think it was a hit, at least to Uncle Frank! He loved it and every year, he asks "are making the red cabbage?". So, Uncle Frank I dedicate this recipe to you on your birthday. Here is my recipe for Braised Sweet and Sour Red Cabbage

Serves 6 as a side dish

1 full head of red cabbage, cleaned and chopped into quarters
2 Fuji apples, cored and sliced thin
2 tablespoons butter
2 cups of vegetable stock or you could use apple cider
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
11/2 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon allspice
Salt and pepper

In a Dutch oven, heat the butter. Put the red cabbage in the pan and sauté for ten minutes, until cabbage is coated and just beginning to break down. Add the apples and cook for five minutes. Deglaze the pan with the vegetable stock. Season with salt and pepper and add the allspice. Cover with the lid and cook on a medium heat for 45 minutes, until the cabbage is tender. Uncover and stir in the balsamic vinegar and honey. You are looking for the balance of sweet and sour with this recipe. Adjust seasonings and serve with a tender roast pork or balsamic glazed chicken, to name a couple.

Happy Birthday Uncle Frank! Thanks for always making me laugh and always being the one to swear first at a family get together! There's nothing wrong with that!!! Enjoy!