RAMPS Explained

I had no idea what they were talking about. I kept hearing the word "ramps," but I wasn't sure if my ears were playing tricks on me.

I finally had to fess up.
I looked at them and said, "I have no idea what you're talking about! What are ramps?"

They looked at me with a bit of mild shock around their eyes. It was one of those disconnects in cultural heritage: something they had grown up knowing about along with their mother's milk and something I had never known.

"Well now, ramps are like a wild onion that's got a bit of garlic mixed into the flavor. They grow all over the place in this area. You pick them and add them to whatever you're cooking. They're good in home fries."

Ramps as explained by Wikipedia

"You've got to be careful, though. Their flavor is so strong that if you eat a lot of them, you'll actually smell like them as you sweat. The "ramps" essence escapes through your pours."

Someone else chimed in: "Yea. It's actually best if you parboil them first. It helps release some of the pungency."

I kept nodding my head trying my best to keep up with the conversation. In my head, I was trying to figure out if parboiling was the same as blanching. I think I know so much about cooking; but the more I live, the more I learn. And that's probably why I love food and preparing it so much -- it's like a lifetime love affair that never gets dull, because there are always new things to learn. 

A look of amusing nostalgia swept over his face and he chuckled: "I remember being a kid waiting for the school bus. When the doors would open, this wave of stale, ramp-smelling air would rush out and bowl me over. You couldn't deny it was Spring and that all the families had been out picking and cooking with ramps. Ugh."

We all laughed at the obvious misery of the situation.

The next day, he took me to the other side of the fish pond, where the ramps grow on their land. He showed me how to pick them and we talked about how to cook them.

The adventures in "cooking with ramps" begins...

Tom Kha Smiles

Restaurant: Anna’s Thai Cafe in Burlington, NC

Oh, I hate mushrooms, but I love this soup! If you haven’t tried Tom Kha, I would high recommend it.

Tom Kha is a traditional Thai soup that uses coconut milk and lemongrass as predominate ingredients. There are others that come-and-go based on the specific flavor you’re going after. It’s spicy, but not uncomfortably so. In fact, it’s just about perfect if you’re congested from a cold or a killer case of allergies.

I had forgotten that Tom Kha at Anna’s was served with big fat mushroom chunks. The rich earthy flavor of mushrooms is a treasure and I accept that readily; but their texture still gets the better of me.
I looked at my friends, looked down at my soup and started fishing around.

“What are you doing?” one asked quizzically.

“You’ll see,” I answered with a playful gleam in my eye.

A few quick adjustments and I was done.

“Viola!” I said with flourish.

The two successful, thirty-something women across the table from me looked at me incredulously and then giggled. I had just successfully tackled their serious sense of decorum and propriety, and reminded them how much fun it was to play with their food.

Then I offered-up my now-famous mushrooms to my hungry friends (just because I don’t like to eat mushrooms doesn’t mean they should go to waste) and got down to business.

Tom Kha is smooth and creamy soup – a little bit of a paradox because it’s creamy and tart all at the same time (thanks to the lemongrass). As I mentioned before, expect the spices to hit your sinuses more than anything else.

By default, Anna’s serves the soup with cubed tofu, which I personally think is the perfect addition. You can order chicken and it would go along splendidly with the flavors, but the tofu supports the “lightness” of the soup.

If you’re hungry, get the chicken. It’s not going to hurt a thing.
And enjoy! Tell Anna I sent you.

Chicken Roll Ups

At least that’s what my friend calls it.


He mixes cooked chicken, a couple “cream of” soups, some shredded cheese and a some veggies in a bowl. Then he makes dumplings by wrapping the mixture in some crescent roll dough. He pops them in a casserole dish, pours the rest of the mixture over the dumplings and sticks the whole thing in the oven.

Low heat for a while. You don’t want the dough to stay tacky. You need it to dry out and cook through.

—-

He made this for me the first time around this same time last year.
We were learning how to be friends. We were eager to spend time together. We enjoyed cooking together.

I have a picture of what it looked like. I have another picture with our faces smushed up together, both of us with silly, happy grins on our faces…like life had all of the sudden opened up a surprise box and we got to pick whatever we wanted from the choices inside – and we chose each other.
Those were good days back then..before a lot of the growing pains crept into the relationship; the easy days. And I wouldn’t lie to you and say that I don’t miss them, but we’re in a good place now too…it’s just different, more complex.

Our most recent experience with Chicken Roll Ups was on the day before Valentine’s Day. He made dinner and I brought a gift. I finally put my money where my mouth is and handed him a love letter, instead of just posting it to a public blog. He received it warmly; he received me warmly. It was a small step in progress of moving beyond the growing pains…

I feel like we’ve been friends for life, instead of just the year.

Dutch Gouda Cheese Biscuits

Dutch Gouda Cheese Biscuits

In a bowl, mix Bisquick and a generous amount of shredded cheese (any is fine). Add milk until batter is a thick paste. Spoon onto nonstick surface. Bake at 400 for approximately 15mins.

You want to talk about EASY yummy-goodness. Do it, people. Super easy! 

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No, I don't particularly think this recipe is dependent on Gouda cheese. Any kind of cheese biscuit is a good thing...that is, of course, if you like cheese. If you don't, well then, this recipe isn't really for you then, huh? Sorry about that.

Me? I wouldn't normally have Gouda on hand.
I am normally a Cheddar kind of girl. But my dad, as a parting gift, packed me an $11 wedge of Gouda and some crackers...with a plastic knife. Not really the easiest thing to manage on a road trip from NJ to NC being the only driver, but it's the thought that counts, right?

Anyway, I used a decent chunk of the wedge on these biscuits - DELISH!! 

Eel (Unagi)

I am one of those people...let me go ahead and confess that: one of those people who had a bad experience with sushi, which has now put me off a bit.

I had come to a place in life where I was going to tackle sushi as a good type, and I did a really good job wading into the waters of experimentation and trial/error. But, then, there was this one time.

It could have been the prepackaged sushi.
It could have been the fact that I mixed it with German wine; with too much wine.
Let's just say that my friend's apartment probably never smelled the same ever again....I was mortified and completely closed to the idea of sushi...for a very long time. Just smelling it turned my belly to dark, ugly places. 

But, I am also one of those "if you fall off the horse, just get back on" kind of people (for most things; timing is always relative). So, I put myself in sushi-encountering moments. I had to get over smelling it first. Then, I would take bites and eat them slowly...carefully; just one slice of a roll. I did that for a long, long time.

And then recently, I tried Nigiri sushi. And LOVED it!
Its simplicity appeals to my still-nervous belly. 

My good friend, holding my hand and helping me wade back into the sushi waves, ordered Unagi; and I haven't been the same since. The eel is tender and lightly basted with a sweet sauce.

I tell my belly, "Hey, don't freak - it's only eel and rice and a tiny bit of seaweed. Nothing to get all "up in arms" over. Promise. High in nutrients that provide stamina; and what else is going to get you through the rest of the workday? You know that chocolate really doesn't; you just try to convince yourself of that one." And, miraculously, it seems to work.

Try it.
This is good stuff.
Definitely yummy-goodness.

as simple as whipped cream

And sometimes, instead of enjoying the yummy-goodness myself, I hear of instances where others have enjoyed themselves thoroughly; and I can image having joined in the taste bud celebration.

In this instance, it was as simple as hot chocolate from IHOP topped with whipped cream.

And, who doesn't like whipped cream?!
(Okay, I know that there are some of you out there and for whatever reason, you aren't fans of the aerated creamy delicacy. I may not agree, but I can respect your position; and, if you aren't going to eat it, can I have your dollop?)

----

"Can I please have a hot chocolate?"

The conscientious waitress, knowing that there are some people who don't like whipped cream, asked, "Would you like whipped cream?"

"Yes, please!"

They shared a moment; a brief moment of intense eye contact. Secrets and dedication levels (to the secret society of serious whipped cream lovers) were exchanged. The waitress offered a barely perceptible nod and responded with a polite (as if nothing happened, no tryst was shared), "Yes, ma'am."

----

It was clear when she returned with the order that the subtext had been clearly understood.

Fatayas

Meet Fatayas.

Seasoned beef encased in a flaky pastry shell with caramelized onions in a special sauce drizzled on top. You can order these delectable takes on the traditional meat pocket (think about it, just about every culture has their own version) at Mawa's Taste of Africa in Morrisville, NC.

I enjoy Mawa's for both the choice and quality of African cuisine, as well as the very pleasant service and attention from the staff. They are always willing to take a newcomer and walk them through the menu to try and suit tastes; it happened on my first time at the restaurant, and I saw it happen again tonight when the waitress offered suggestions to my friend regarding which Chicken-based dinner she should try.

Although the flavors can sometimes challenge my pallet, I've never had anything at Mawa's that I didn't like. If you are adventurous and close to Morrisville, get there and eat well!

Order the fatayas - you will not be disappointed!