Thoughts on the South and cooking

I loved my time in Tennessee.

It was really my time out from real life and that does a person  a lot of good. Particularly if she is sewing.

While I was sewing away I watched the food channel in the background. As there was no risk of dogs barking or yelling or babies crying on the TV it was good white noise for Mr. Rascal who was under orders not to start barking in the hotel.

I should give you some background on this. Before I met my husband who is an amazing and obsessed cook I was your good basic get-three-meals-on-the-table-for-three-kids-cook. No one starved, but  I wouldn't say anyone was particularly inspired. 

So since I have been married my husband has done nearly all of the day-to-day cooking and I have enjoyed baking and things that caught my attention. But with the new schedule he has of one month here and one month in the States, but he has promised to freeze me a few meals before he goes. Last night he made and froze about eight meal sized lobster thermadors.

Nice.

Tonight we are having a mega family dinner with the husband's famous BBQ every kind of meat, (what my son-in-law calls the meat sweat special) roast vegetables, my lemon squares and jelly rolls (I love old school desserts and have the jelly roll pretty perfected).

Back to the food network. If you are a sewer I recommend their recipes, once you figure out who you like and who you hate. These are my reasons:

1. The recipes are reviewed. So you know before hand what substitutions, results ordinary people had. 

2. These folks have to cook really fast because they are on air, so a lot of the recipes are fairly simple which means your cooking doesn't cut too much into your sewing time. Which is important.

I was particularly taken with the shows on Southern cooking and anything practical and homestyle.

My absolute favourite is Sunny Anderson who uses simple ingredients in smart ways and has great tips. Also she is real and not pretentious (Barefoot Contessa are you hearing me?). I also like Paula Deen for desserts in particular (anything of hers I have ever made has everyone groaning in appreciation - but these are artery specials so not really for daily use), and the Neelys who do a lot of BBQ meat of course but really interesting sides, and I love the Southern sides, and they have a nice presence on TV. (Oh my god I never, ever watch the tube unless you count the news and HBO and here I am going on about my favourite shows - who cares this is my kind of reality TV.)

Last night I made the Neely's apple crisp which was excellent with pecans and maple syrup (one of my local ingredients) and so much better than the oatmeal heavy versions I have done all my life.

Here's the link.

Oh and we have discovered that my husband can bring up to 5 kilos of Andouille sausage across the border every time he comes home.

We are in business.