Monte Cristo Sandwiches:Recipe

Brunch. Such a problematic concept. Don't get me wrong, it's great. Would I have chosen it as the meal for my wedding if I didn't love it so much? But it's the heading out of the house on a Sunday morning, and invariably standing in line waiting for a table that ruins it. Then there's the whole sweet or savory thing. The eggs benedict or the blueberry pancakes? Bagel cream cheese and lox or French toast and maple syrup? This may be how smoky meats like sausage and bacon became such popular brunch side dishes, born from the difficulty of deciding what to order in the first place.

Today the solution was simple. Homemade Monte Cristo sandwiches. I wish I could tell you some fabulous story about the Monte Cristo, but I can't. In doing the research even the esteemed James Beard Organization concedes the origins are unclear. Where did it come from? Why dip a sandwich in egg? Why is it named Monte Cristo? The name seems to date back to as early as 1941, when it starts showing up on menus in Southern California, coincidentally the same year as the movie, The Son of Monte Cristo was released. Beyond that, there's not much to tell. There are very few stories about it and they aren't very compelling. Not nearly as compelling as an odd sandwich with several different variations--sometimes made with turkey, other times with chicken or ham, sometimes served with jam other times sprinkled with powdered sugar, sometimes triple decker, sometimes not. The best thing about it is it's like several different dishes in one, a ham and cheese sandwich, French toast, and bread and jam. Sweet and savory, solved in one fell swoop.

Here's how I make it, I make no claims of authenticity only of tastiness:

Monte Cristo Sandwiches

4 slices sourdough French bread
4 slices Fontina cheese
4 thin slices of black forest ham
1 egg
splash of milk
Dijon mustard
fruity jam of your choice, strawberry or blackberry recommended

Spread one slice of bread for each sandwich with mustard, leave the other slice plain. Place the cheese and ham on the bread, then carefully dip the sandwich in a combination of beaten egg and milk. Fry in a pan with oil or butter until cheese melts, about five minutes. Serve with a spoonful of jam spread on top. Eat with a fork and knife.

Enjoy!

Spinning Spider Creamery

www.flickr.com

You hear about small family farms all the time, but when was the last time you visited one? Today I visited with Chris Owen and her son Cullen at the Spinning Spider Creamery. They showed me around and I learned what it's like to raise goats. This is seriously a family farm, because all of the family members including three school age sons work hard to feed, milk and care for the goats and make and sell cheese. This is often a 24 hour a day responsibility.

The Owen's have a herd of 55 of the sweetest most affectionate Saanen and Alpine goats. Each one has a name and distinct personality. They even have "show goats". Just spending a little bit of time with the goats, you can easily see why the family loves them so much.

They also love goat cheese and create many different styles from fresh chevre to aged cheddar, feta, blue and more. My favorite was the tangy crottin but I understand why the chevre with fig, honey, pepper and rosemary is the most popular of all the cheeses they make. It was sweet, spicy and decadent. Chris explained that this is the best time of the year for goat cheese because the milk is so rich and creamy. The milk changes seasonally which is good to remember when shopping for goat cheese. Fresh produce isn't the only thing on a farm that has peak seasons. Click on any of the photos above to see the whole set (or click on this link).

FOOD + ASHEVILLE

La Fête du Fromage, With Wine

We're here in this little piece of heaven on earth, perched high on a hill above the bay of Cannes. Photo ops have been numerous but since I forgot the cable to upload pictures I won't be sharing any until we get home.

Tonight is our last here in the villa.
We are not ready to leave! And my sister has to go back to the States on Thursday. I'm really not ready for her to leave!

We've decided a cheese and wine fête (she's calling it an orgy) is the best way to celebrate our last night in this amazing place.

Bonne Fête du Fromage!

Photo du Jour

Those of you who know me know that I'm a bit of a frustrated entomologist.
When I see interesting looking insects, I grab my camera and try to get a shot. I did get a great photo of a dragonfly last summer.
This beauty was on our house the other day. Wish I could have captured the bright orange and vivid red underside of its wings.


I didn't take a photo of the tick I pulled out of my leg the other day. *shudder* It didn't deserve the recognition.

Photo du Jour - The Cheese Guy

He happily gave samples and arranged the cheese so I could take a photo.
We ended up buying a small sliver of rather strong, salty, delicious fromage de brebis that had been matured for 18 months.
It was also covered with a powdery layer of cheese mites.
Bon Appetit!

Peanut Butter & Jelly Cookies: Recipe

No one likes airplane food. The best solution is clearly to bring your own eats. So what snacks do you bring on the plane? That's the question that was posed by Epicurious editor/blogger Tanya Steel a few weeks back, prior to her travels. Suggestions were made for granola, chili coated dried mango, cereal bars, deli sandwiches, beef jerky and more. But it was this comment "I will be staying in hotels, so I can't even pack a PB&J!" by Tanya that got me thinking. How about a cookie that tastes like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich?

The first batch I tried was too sweet but the second one was just right. These cookies aren't very sweet, so you get a hit of sweetness from the jelly or in this case, strawberry preserves. They are fairly healthy and great with a glass of milk, of course. The basic recipe is an adaptation of the peanut butter cookie in Jane Brody's fabulous Good Food Book. Just a couple of these really satisfy, but bring more for your seat neighbors.

My favorite airplane food of all is sushi, which I usually try to take on flights to and from Hawaii, but for something that stays fresh and travels well, these cookies are a better choice. I'll be getting on a plane Monday morning and these little goodies will be in my carry on luggage...

PB&J Cookies
makes about 3 dozen

1/3 Cup unsalted butter
1/2 Cup peanut butter, creamy or chunky
1/2 Cup light brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 Cups flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
Strawberry preserves or jam

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl beat the butter, peanut butter, sugar and egg with an electric mixer until creamy. Sprinkle in the flour and baking soda, mixing well to combine. Roll into one inch balls and place 2 inches apart. Use your thumb to make a well in the center of each cookie, flattening each ball as you go. Fill the well in each cookie with strawberry preserves. Bake on a greased or parchment lined baking sheet for 10 minutes. Let cook on a rack.

Enjoy!

FOOD

Out of Touch

Sitting at a friends house, having a glass of wine and enjoying the comforts of modern life. Like electricity. And the Internet.

We've been without power since 9:30 AM Saturday due to rather impressive storms down here in the south of France. No word about when it will come back on again but we're hoping things will get back to normal by Monday.

Until then...