Wednesday, August 15, 2007

"Entertaining with Kathi" Newspaper Food Column ~ August 15. 2007


The dog (and sausage) days of summer are here
By Kathi Dameron

It was a “fun, fun, fun till daddy takes the T-bird away” sort of August weekend. Riding dune buggies, hang-gliding, and sipping Strawberry Hill watermelon shooters at the Michigan Dunes was the sort of thing that Chicago-area teenagers with automobiles did to entertain themselves in the lazy summer days of the early 1970s.

“You're grounded until you are 35, young lady!” the words shot across the room.

“But daddy, what about the concert? You said I could go to it.”

Flashing me a thunderous look, I knew I was hang gliding over a watershed and heading into the eye of a twister.

“Daddy. I'm sorry,” I said with a signature roll of my eyes.

"Katherine Anne, if you were sorry, you wouldn't have done it in the first place. You can forget going to that concert.”

The telephone rang and, like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, my angry dad morphed into the gregarious BJ: “Rearing Katherine is a real challenge,” he chuckled with whomever was on the other end.

“Rearing Father is a real challenge,” I mumbled under my breath as I stormed out of the kitchen and retreated to the safe harbor of my diary.

Like driftwood washed ashore on the beach, so lay the visions of the previous night's dune dance and dinner, where spiked watermelon, grilled bratwurst and forbidden Strawberry Hill was on the menu. When we stashed the empty bottles of Boone's Farm, I didn't realize that they would end up in my picnic basket as incriminating evidence.

“So what are your plans tonight?” he asked.

“What?" I said, scrunching my face at the absurdity of the question. In 30 minutes' time, my dad had forgotten that he had just grounded me for life. Maybe he was going to let me go to the concert after all.

“No more Boone's Farm, OK?” he said with a look of deep concern on his face.

“Sure dad. It didn't taste all that good anyway. I'd rather have a chocolate milkshake any day.”

The taste that was actually the most memorable was the mixed grill, skewered on big shish-kebab rods and roasted over a sizzling bonfire, then eaten inside a chewy Sheboygan bun slathered with German mustard.

The region I grew up in was well-known for the best sausage dogs in the world. From June through September, bratwurst and its culinary cousins were the popular stars of outdoor cookery.

Whether prepared individually or in mixed grills that combine the tastes of bratwurst, thurman, Vienna, Polish and all-beef kosher hot dogs - this simple menu is perfect for casual summer shindigs that are sure to please the inner teenager.

To the menu add some garlic smashed-potato salad or the simplicity of bagged chips, a crisp salad, ice-cold watermelon boats and other favorites for a "Fun, Fun, Fun Till Daddy Takes The T-Bird Away Feast."

If you want to create the drama of letting your guests cook their bratwurst over an open blaze, I would recommend that you par boil the sausages first. This way you can be assured that the sausages will be completely cooked throughout. The last thing you want is for someone to bite into a raw center. Then, proceed as follows.

1. Fill a pot with plenty of beer or water, add some coarsely chopped onions, drop in the sausages and simmer over a low heat. Whatever you do, don't boil them! Boiling will cause the casings to burst and the delicious flavor within to be lost.

2. At the appointed hour, grill the the brats over the fire. When cooked to perfection, slide the sausage into a big fire-toasted Bavarian-style semmel roll and add Dijon or German mustard and your favorite condiments.

Kathi Dameron is a food and entertaining memoirist, culinary arts professional, food stylist, freelance writer, corporate blogger, newspaper columnist, and former caterer and special event designer. She is the CEO of Kathi Dameron and Associates, a consulting company that specializes in culinary collaborations. Her "Entertaining with Kathi" column runs in the Northeast Chronicle, a bi-weekly publication of the Tallahassee Democrat newspaper (Gannett) in Tallahassee, Florida.

Need ideas for cooking shows, a television series or a food scene in a motion picture? Need entertaining ideas for advertising, public relations, marketing, television or radio commercials? Need ideas for a corporate blog? Looking for a great new column for your newspaper, magazine or newsletter that your readers will love?

For information on syndicating this column or to learn about contracting for other unique writings and creative works by Kathi Dameron ... contact Kathi at askkathidameron@aol.com or at 850-422-3599.
Photo Credit: Hilde Vanstraeden & SXC

Wednesday, August 1, 2007

'"Entertaining with Kathi" Food Column ~ August 2, 2007


Here is the original, unedited version of the "Entertaining with Kathi" column for August 2, 2007 by Tallahassee Florida food writer, Kathi Dameron. As is often the case, the newspaper has trimmed bits and pieces of the article. For example they cut the sentence, "For extra pizzazz, flambé the caramelized sauce or simply add a few sparklers."

You can read the article exactly as I wrote it right here at this blog. The newspaper slugged the article with the title, "Dessert that's perfect for a lazy sundae afternoon." While this is not my idea of a great title, it works and at the moment I can't think of anything any better. So I'll just go with that title here, too. If you want to read the edited version, you can find it at the website for the Tallahassee Democrat. Simply click on the Northeast Chronicle link and scroll down. It will only stay active there until it is replaced by the next issue in two weeks. However, it will remain active on the Internet a bit longer. I like to post the articles on this blog, so that they will remain available on the Internet for indefinite viewing. Please feel free to comment. I love hearing from readers with questions, comments and kudos!

Dessert That's Perfect For A Lazy Sundae Afternoon
By Kathi Dameron

“Pack your beach skivvies and sarongs in your skiff and join us on the high seas for a Bound For Ithaka Treasure Hunt / Boating Regatta Party. What could be more fun than a full day of sparkling seaside spontaneity from sunshine to starlight?” The burnished treasure map invitation read.

This rocking revelry on the waves of the Florida Intercoastal Waterway was a party that brought together sailboats, speedboats, a treasure hunt, good friends, fabulous food and million dollar moments.

Part of the inspiration came from the enchanting poem “Ithaka,” written in 1911 by the Greek poet C.P. Cavafy. The other part came from the “just another day in paradise” lifestyle that defined living on Florida’s Hutchinson Island back in the 1980’s – during a time when Mel Fisher’s Treasure Hunt Adventures filled the news and stirred the imagination.

Hidden behind a jumble of prickly purple bougainvillea that separated the vaulted screened-in swimming pool from the sun-bleached arbor-topped dock, sat my Chris Craft speedboat perched high on the hydraulic lift ready to be lowered into the water for fun boating adventures on a moment’s whim.

During carefree days, those whims were many. Picnic baskets, coolers and hidden caches of blue ice with special frozen treats were prepared and packed for nautical noshing. Entertaining on the boat was a favorite year-round tradition- from the big, loud splashy sun-kissed parties with fun-loving friends to romantic evenings for two, toasting and sipping Perrier Jouett Champagne from crystal flutes under a starry sky.

Eclectic Island Cuisine infused with far-away spice and joined with local bounty was standard boat picnic fare during those years. In planning the menu for the Bound For Ithaka Party, my culinary exploration led me to the magical ancient isles of Greece for inspiration and to my memory gardens filled with exquisite reminiscences of vacationing near the Aegean Sea. But the menu didn’t stop there. Creative license took the menu to other exotic ports of call for intriguing flavors.

Planning a perfectly delicious menu, designing treasure maps and coordinating all the details for this fun-filled adventure rocked my boat!

The grand finale of the evening menu was a scrumptious Flaming / Sparkling Brazilian Banana Sunday. This dessert sensation can be grilled right on a Hibachi, for a show-stopping salute to smooth sailing for whatever journey lies ahead.

Whether you are going island hopping in nearby or faraway waters or simply chilling out at home, a Bound For Ithaka Treasure Hunt Party is a grand way to encourage one another in the journey of life- sailboat or speedboat optional.

Flaming or Sparkling Brazilian Banana Sunday

Serves 2



1 or 2 Bananas

1 Teaspoon Butter *

1 Florida Orange, freshly squeezed *

about one quarter stick Butter *

about one quarter Brown Sugar *

a splash of Cachaca (Cachaca is a Brazilian liquor that is infused with the scent of sugar cane and rum.)

Cinnamon

Vanilla Ice Cream

Toasted Coconut

Brazil Nut Brittle

Blue Ice (If you are cooking on location, Blue Ice will keep your Ice Cream at the right temperature until dessert.)



Slice bananas lengthwise and crosswise. You will get 4 slices per banana. Brush bananas with melted butter and orange juice. Grill each side of the banana slices on a hibachi grill over medium-hot coals.

In a small skillet melt butter, brown sugar and Cachaca till caramelized.

To serve, scoop ice cream into Sunday boats. Add grilled bananas, caramelized sauce, toasted coconut, a dusting of cinnamon, and the crunch of Brazil Nut Brittle.

For extra pizzazz, flambé the caramelized sauce or simply add a few sparklers.

Special Note: I’m a culinary artist not a mathematician! Intuitive sprinkling, splashing and pouring is my standard method of measurement. So by all means use your own discerning common sense when exact measurements are needed. My culinary philosophy about sharing recipes is not that far different from a poster that was on the door of the assistant principal’s office when I taught school in South Florida. That poster read, “Give a man a fish, he eats for a day, teach a man to fish, he eats for a lifetime.” In my opinion, this same wisdom applies to the art of culinary exploration. Recipes can be so much more fun, when the cook allows the recipe to become a treasure map of sorts, leading them onto a delicious and educational journey as a proactive partner, not necessarily following the recipe verbatim, but tweaking it to one’s own unique interpretation and taste sensibilities.

Kathi Dameron cooks up culinary collaborations. She is a Culinary Arts professional, food writer and former caterer.

Photo Credit: Greg Griffin & SXC