Taste With The Eyes

A Cheeseburger Bloody Mary? Yep, That’s Right!

Cheeseburger Bloody Mary
with sweet cherry peppers and bread & butter pickle chips

What beverage do you most associate with vacation? Margarita, Piña Colada, Champagne, Chilled Dry Rosé, Sangria? The Bloody Mary is definitely on that list. Because it is a cocktail that one imbibes in the daytime. Have you ever ordered a Bloody Mary at night? No, that just doesn’t sound copacetic. It’s summer vacation time – and we are drinking Bloody Marys, outside, in the sunshine. Cheers!

But I simply cannot serve any ordinary Bloody Mary to my guests. Their vacation here must be special so these daytime drinks are served with a unique garnish. A cheeseburger, yep, that’s right, a cheeseburger. Bartenders, feel free to steal this idea.

Cheeseburger Bloody Mary Recipe

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Celebrating Julia Child – Part III

“Simca, Paul, Patricia, and I… penetrated into this beautiful courtyard and were seated at a little white table beneath a leafy trellis.

It was a splendid lunch, moving from apéritifs to pâté of fresh duck livers and truffles, thick slices of pain brioche, a timbale, tomatoes and a green salad. But the real reason we were there was for the loup de mer.

If you’ve been cooking for a long time, you can usually guess how a dish is made. Simca and I studied every detail of this remarkable loup, and tried to deduce its secrets.

The waiter appeared, and I asked him a few questions, which he was only too happy to answer. It’s delicious, we agreed, as we polished off our lunch. And it really shouldn’t be too difficult to make.” -Julia Child, My Life in France

Loup de Mer à la Provençale Recipe

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healthy & light: zucchini “pappardelle” with avocado “cream”

healthy & light: zucchini “pappardelle” with avocado “cream”

In preparation for my kitchen remodel next month, I was speaking with one of the designers at the kitchen showroom …I wanted to show her the remodel of my bar area from last summer so I pulled up my blog post titled “Construction Dinner.” In addition to photos of my bar remodel, the post also contains a recipe for Orecchiette with Warm Avocado Cream. While interested in the bar, she was also intrigued by the avocado cream. She loved avocado but was trying to keep carbs to a minimum. So I suggested to try it with zucchini instead of pasta. If I was suggesting she try my recipe, I thought that I had better test it myself first!

Stephanie – definitely try it with the zucchini!

zucchini “pappardelle” with avocado “cream” recipe

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Celebrating Julia Child – Part II

original caesar salad — The Original Caesar – Meant to be Eaten by Hand

To commemorate Julia Child’s 101st birthday on Taste With The Eyes I am updating a few of my favorite JC posts this week. In addition to the re-creation of Julia Child’s First Meal in France posted on Sunday, today we are sneaking into Julia’s kitchen to watch her make the authentic Caesar Salad and Salmon in Papillote in her usual charming and un-fussy manner.

This story is an adaptation from Julia and Jacques Cooking At Home By Julia Child and Jacques Pépin, published by Alfred A. Knopf, New York 1999. It’s one of my favorite books, Julia and Jacques are adorable together! The book is unique as it gives the perspective from two legendary chefs, who don’t always agree on technique. “Again and again, they demonstrate that cooking is endlessly fascinating and challenging and, while ultimately personal, it is a joy to be shared.”

So, come with me, let’s have a peek into Julia’s kitchen…

In Julia Child’s Kitchen

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Celebrating Julia Child – Part I

Julia Child Birthday — Rouen, France – Novembre 1948

Please join me as I re-create Julia Child’s very first meal in France, one that she experienced with her husband Paul Child. The story takes place in Rouen, France in November of 1948. I originally wrote this post back in 2007. I resurrect it every year in August, with some minor changes, to celebrate Julia Child’s birthday. She would have been 101 on Thursday.

The text is as she describes her meal to us in My Life in France by Julia Child with Alex Prud’homme, published by Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 2006. The re-creation photographs are ones that I have taken on my travels; some are from France, others from California, a couple are shot in my own home. I use the sepia tone to give the images the feel of a single place some 65 years ago.

Come, let’s travel back in time and enjoy French food and revel in its perfection via Julia…

Julia Child’s First Meal in France

Continue reading “Celebrating Julia Child – Part I”