Veronica's Kitchen Day 25: Gifts of Christmas

 

 

 

 

 Merry Christmas to all!

 

Hope you have enjoyed in sharing these mini tributes to Veronica's kitchen over the last 25 days!

Christmas was always a joyful celebration for her. Having family around, making and partaking in food was what she truly lived for.

 So, I wrap up this series of articles on a semi-sweet, (rather than bitter sweet) note. Semi-sweet, because that's how she baked her cheuregs, and how she liked her chocolate. And, of course, that is how she enjoyed her morning cup of Armenian coffee!

 

Below are the last batches of cheuregs she made, along with olive bread, and a jar of olives, just 2 days before falling ill. Had she been around this holiday season, surely she would be serving these

to you, our fine guests.

 

So..."Hrametzek", as we say in Armenian.....or "Please, help yourself"....

 

ENJOY THE HOLIDAYS!

Blessings, and love from Veronica's Kitchen

 

 

 

And, please, stay tuned for more from MY kitchen, in 2014!

Thank you for tuning in....

 

 

Veronica's olive bread- made from scratch

Veronica's Kitchen Day 24: Anoush Abour

We are just a day away from wrapping up in Veronica's Kitchen. And since 2014 is just around the corner, it is only appropriate to share this Armenian inspired dessert recipe with you.

Quite literally translated as, "Sweet Soup",  Anoush Abour is an Armenian pudding traditionally prepared for the new year. We'd enjoy this treat with family as each of us would share something we were thankful for in the past year, and one thing we'd like to change in the new year.

So, here is Veronica's version of Anoush Abour.
Note: This recipe requires an overnight prep.

Anoush Abour

• 1 1/2 cup whole grain wheat (wheat berries)
• 3 quarts water
• 1 cup dried apricot, coarsely chopped or sliced
• 1 cup golden raisins
• 1 1/4 cup caster sugar(may also use granulated sugar)
• 2 cups of mixed raw nuts (e.g. walnuts, blanched whole or sliced almonds, pignolis)
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Rinse wheat with cold water.
In a 6-quart pot, combine wheat and water. Bring to a boil.
After 5 minute boil, remove from heat, cover, and rest overnight.
Remove cover,  and bring to simmer. (This will help thicken the water and create the pudding-like consistency), After about 1 hour of simmering, add sugar, stir, and continue to simmer for another 1/2 hour. Add the apricots, raisins, cinnamon, and simmer for another 1/2 hour.

Pour pudding into a large, casserole-type shallow dish, or into individual serving dishes. Decorate with nuts, and cinnamon. Serve warm, or at room temperature.

Veronica's Kitchen Day 23: Carrot Cake

The other day, I went to get my morning caffeine fix at the local Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. As I glanced over their baked goods, it caught my eye: "Grandma's banana nut bread".  I shook my head with a silent chuckle, thinking, these can't be quite as good as the stuff she used to make. Just like every mom thinks hers is the most beautiful child, well, I always thought my grandma's are the tastiest cakes!  Yah, I know, sort of corny, but isn't that what every grandchild thinks?

We loved to frequent coffee shops together, and on some days, we'd enjoy a store-bought cookie, or slice of cake. But most days, she'd tote along some of her homemade pastries, cookies, or cakes, to make sure we'd eat the best quality ingredients.  At first I was quite embarrassed.  I'd say "Veronmama, you can't do that." Looking back, it was totally fine. After all, customers were entranced by their laptops, some brought in lunch from outside, but mostly, nobody really cared either way. So, why couldn't we enjoy some of our own cakes and cookies once in a while.  And THAT, was a very Armenian grandma, old-world, thing she'd do...

But of all the portable, homemade goods she baked, carrot cake was my favorite.


Here's what I call a no-fuss, old-world, carrot cake recipe.  Note, there is no frosting for this cake. It is more like a carrot "loaf bread", than a cake. Easy to make. Enjoy.


Veronica's Old-World Carrot Cake
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups corn oil
4 eggs (beaten)
2 cups all-purpose flour (sifted)
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 cups grated, raw carrots
1/2 cup chopped walnuts




Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees. Grease two 1-lb loaf pans. Mix sugar, oil, and eggs.  In a separate bowl, combine flour, soda, salt, and cinnamon. Then, add the dry ingredients to the wet, and mix until all are combined. Fold in the carrots, and add chopped nuts.  Pour into pans, and bake for 50-60 minutes, until edges begin to crisp, and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Veronica's Kitchen Day 22: Spicing Things Up

When we talk about Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cooking, we travel farther and farther East, and South, deep into the regions of aromatic spices. Beyond the paprika and coriander horizon, there exists a world of sumac, cumin, ginger, and handfuls of other exotic spices. Theirs is a fascinating history, dating back to about 2000 B.C. Entire cookbooks have been devoted to herbs and spices, and an entirely new blog could be born out of this. But before I digress here, I want to share briefly, how spices were central to Veronica's kitchen, as well as her culinary adventures.

I like to think that her dishes were only as good as the spices she used.  Too much, and it would be overpowering. Too little, and you'd need to 'kick it up a notch', (as a certain famous celebrity chef once said).  Either way, we were unafraid to give her proper feedback. She would actually ask for it; Did it have enough salt? Would you like more sumac added to yours?  Funny, one thing she'd never ask was: "Is it too peppery?". Perhaps, because more than any other spice, she was a HUGE fan of crushed red hot chili pepper, or more commonly, "Aleppo Pepper".  She loved to use this one liberally.



Sumac

Growing up, there were moments my brother and I would, frankly, get upset over her generous use of hot chili pepper.  We knew she cooked according to her own taste buds, while our taste was still budding and needed time to acquire these crazy flavors. So, we'd tell her, "Veronmama, you added too much-  again!".  Yeah, well, it took many years till she finally got the idea.  I think by then, we actually got used to eating a hotter version of whatever she lovingly prepared. And, as we know, tastes change, the palate becomes more sophisticated, and soon, you too, come to find that you're becoming more and more like your own grandmother...





Spices from Veronica's kitchen that inspired us:

• Sumac, as most often used on 'tavah mante', and the popular Lebanese salad, 'fattoush'.
• Cumin, which is used in many chicken and stew recipes, and also on top of hummus.
• Ginger, which she used in her later years, and subsequently, (and creatively),  used by my mom in dishes like, white bean fasoulia.
• Cinnamon/cloves/nutmeg, used in teas, breakfasts, cookies and cakes.

Below are the two side doors of the kitchen pantry my grandfather constructed.  You may not be able to see all the spices, but the left one was designated for sweet spices and ingredients used for baking. The right door contains a lot of the savory spices she used for fish, lamb, and meat stews.

Finally, the link below takes you to a really cool map that shows spices and herbs according to country of origin:
http://www.schwartz.co.uk/cooks-guide/herbs-and-spice-map.aspx

Veronica's Kitchen Day 21: Adventures in Dining Out

Some days we simply had to pry her away from the kitchen and embark on other food adventures. We'd have to remind Veronmama- nicely-  that there was life outside the confines of her little Cordon Bleu world. We loved taking her to new places, and introducing her to different culinary traditions.  And she was pretty easy to take along (as long as she could get the window seat, that is). As a septuagenarian, she discovered Thai food, and would ask for it by name. When she turned 80, she had her first encounters with raw fish (sushi). Spicy tuna on crispy rice became a favorite of hers. Soon, we'd make regular outings to Kushiyu, her favorite sushi place in Tarzana. One night, I remember the restaurant being so packed, that the only seats available were up at the counter, with the sushi chef. I thought, this lady, so elegantly dressed, will never want to sit on a high bar chair. But when she quickly determined that the waiting would be worst, she said, "Let's do this". And the young couples all around the bar smiled, and found this quite charming.

As all humans have their idiosyncrasies, so did Veronica. On one hand, she definitely was a picky eater. On the other, if it looked like it was fun to eat, had an interesting texture (like crispy noodles), or some spicy element, such as jalapenos, she was game.  She was a curious cat like that. She'd forego a traditional dinner entree to enjoy an appetizer of fried calamari. When we'd take her to a fine seafood restaurant, she'd opt for battered fish and chips. These were fun, indulgent foods for her. Oh yes, and she was not afraid of being a little "un-ladylike", either. One of her favorite places for ribs was Mr. Cecil's, in Sherman Oaks, where we'd roll up our sleeves and sink our teeth into pork ribs, corn, and coleslaw, before giggling about the mess we made.  This was one of her ways to show us that the child inside is always alive, no matter how old you are.

Enjoying dessert at The Lobster in Santa Monica, California

Veronica's Kitchen Day 20: Setting The Table

 

 

Back, before I was even born, during the glorious era of 1960's Beirut, it was said that hers were some of the most elegantly arranged tables in town. That artistic eye for details is something her daughter, Madeleine, as well as her granddaughter, Mariette, would later inherit. An elegantly set table was meant to invite the guest and make him feel warm and welcome. How one enjoyed the feast was as important as the feast they enjoyed.






A brunch setting at grandma's house a few years back

 

Below: Where all the right elements converged-Grandma's china on the table, brother's courtyard location, and our friend's elegant touches made for a beautiful al-fresco dinner.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Veronica's Kitchen Day 19: Good Fats

She never, ever used margarine. Olive oil was her best friend. And unlike Chef Paula Deen, if it called for butter, (and as much as she liked it), she used it moderately.

Veronica stayed as authentic as possible in her cooking, never sacrificing taste for calorie.  'Artificial', 'substitute', 'low-fat', 'non-fat', were rarely part of her language. And even when she did modify fat intake (for her own health), she did not let the "unglamorous" side of cooking obscure the exciting colors, textures, and palates she wanted to impart on those she fed. 

Fats and carbs were often topics of debate in our grandmother's kitchen. We'd argue about what is good, and how much is too much.  She'd consult the media on the latest trends, but mostly she'd take the advice of close friends. One year it was the wonders of canola oil. The next, grapeseed was all the rage. And then, of course, butter....well, there was nothing quite like the taste of butter.

In her later years, she shared her kitchen space more frequently with my mom.  Together they'd come up with new, healthy alternatives. One example was clarified butter(or ghee). This is butter fat that has been separated from its milk solids and water, making it much safer to cook at high levels of heat. Simple to make on your own. Just melt butter, and skim off all milk solids(white foamy layer that rises to the surface). Its properties are said to be healthier, and its fragrance just as delicious as regular butter.

At a cooking class I took in Paris, we were taught to use clarified butter for sautéing vegetables and cooking fish, because of its generally healthier properties. The results are lovely. But as grandma might have said, just use it in moderation!

Veronica's Kitchen Day 18: The Tuning Fork

Anybody who knows how humming and singing is good for the soul, knows what I'm talking about. In the shower, in the car, and especially, in the kitchen, singing not only keeps you company, but it's also an instant mood-lifter. It is said that the vibrations from singing or humming a tune actually raise serotonin levels in the brain. "Veron-mama" knew this little secret quite well. She'd break out in a song when she got deeply introspective or needed an extra push, especially when preparing something extra special in the kitchen.

Though we appreciated her gifts and talents beyond the walls of the kitchen, our little, undiscovered soprano sang mostly for her orchestra of pots and pans, infusing vibrations of her voice into her artful dishes. One of those tunes she sang was called Summertime, a jazz standard immortalized by Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, and other greats. She would hum this tune often, and could sing at least the first few verses. My mom, brother and I would not believe what we were hearing. It was just so unlike her. It was a rare glimpse into the world she once must have shared with my grandfather.

Just like food can seduce a man, I could also see how Grandma must have 'woed' Grandpa back in the day with her singing. Even more than the cooking itself, it may have been these little coquettish moments with her cute little apron on, breaking out of her restrained self, to reveal her real womanly, sensual, playful side. Well, we too got to witness a few of those rare moments in the last few years. And if we were really lucky, she'd even throw in a little dance move while at the stove!

If she could have heard the version below, she might have been in awe, rolling her eyes back, especially at hearing the voice of Louis Armstrong, to which she'd simply shake her head and marvel with, "Akhhhh....as inch avor tzayneh", (wow, what an amazing voice).

Check it out: Summertime, by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong:

 

Veronica's Kitchen Day 17: Pomegranate Power

Welcome, reader! We are more than half way to December 25, Christmas, and I'm enjoying sharing a piece of Veronica's joyful life with you each day. Hope you  are liking what you read. And thanks for tuning in.

The Powerful Pomegranate

Native to Armenia and a fertility symbol of our mother country, the pomegranate is known as a "super food" with wonderful antioxidant properties as well as an ingredient in many dishes, from the Persian Khoresh Fesenjoon, to the Lebanese Muhammarah.  Even more curious are the seeds of the pomegranate fruit, so delicate and sweet, yet hearty and tough to extract. While this food gained popularity here in the states in recent years, our ancestors were growing it back home for centuries. When Grandma Veronica and Grandpa Artin moved to the states some 30 years ago, they made sure to plant a pomegranate tree in their backyard, which to this day still bears viable, vibrant fruit.

Pomegranates from grandma's tree

So much energy and nutrients reside inside this super food

Its many seeds a metaphor for fertility, the pomegranate is a symbol of our native Armenia's fertile land.
You can read more about this fruit at the following sites:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pomegranate
http://peopleofar.wordpress.com/2012/10/22/pommegranade-symbol-of-armenia/

Thanks for reading, and stay tuned as I dig up and translate more of grandma's recipes from Armenian to English,  featuring ingredients like the glorious pomegranate!

Veronica's Kitchen Day 16: Tray Chic!

It's one thing to prepare food in a beautiful way.  It's another to present your dishes with a statement tray.

While trays were mostly used for decorative and functional purposes (like Armenian coffee service in our 'salon'), for my grandmother they were also necessary for basic kitchen organization. Her domain was one of neatness and cleanliness, in addition to aesthetics. When trays were not used to impress guests, they made excellent vehicles to take food back and forth from the kitchen.

On a rare occasion, we were allowed to take our dinner to the living room. But only on the condition that we'd place our food on a tray. Grandma was insistent since trays could catch any spills and help keep food neatly arranged and organized. These things seemed so basic, but were also sometimes overlooked or ignored.  Looking back, I can now appreciate her simple, but functional concepts. So much so, that I recently started a little tray collection in my own kitchen.

Trays used in Veronica's kitchen: 

Even this juicer gets its own tray!

Double decker: Tray on top and below the toaster



Keeping condiments organized on a simple round tray


 

And a few in my home:

 

Herbs kept on small trays on the kitchen windowsill

 

Getting ready to juice



Tea for two



Late night snack



Veronica's Kitchen Day 15: The Comforts of (Chai) Tea

Some of the more cozy moments we'd share together were  over tea. Coffee may have been our favorite ritual in the morning. But evenings belonged to tea.

Three types of tea come to mind when I think of grandma's comforting presence:

1) First, and most vibrant memory I have is of a dried, herbal tea she called, "Okhlamour". It is the Turkish name for what I am now learning is linden tea.  This tea comes from the flowers of the linden or tilia tree (tilleul in French). Linden tea is both medicinal and beautifully aromatic. To this day, I associate this tea with the love and comfort grandma provided, especially when one of us was sick with a bad cold or flu.

2) Mint tea: Although more of a Moroccan tradition, this was a popular tea to help with digestion. A handful of fresh mint leaves were placed in a cup of herbal tea. We'd then sweeten it with heaps of white sugar.

3) Black tea with cinnamon and cloves. This one was my grandma's favorite, but it was my mom who'd actually prepare it during her later years, when she grew tired in the evenings. In a two-step process, mom boiled some water with couple cinnamon sticks and cloves in one kettle. In another, she'd prepare some concentrated black tea. She'd then mix both to a perfect dilution to give off just the right aroma and intensity.  We loved using a good, orange clove honey to sweeten. I also liked adding milk to mine, while grandma liked hers with no milk, and only slightly sweetened.

Here's one of the last pictures I have with Grandma Veronica. While she looks cute in her pink bathrobe, I like the composition of this picture because of our positioning. She's enjoying her cup and I am just across from her with my tea (the cookie is my mom's clever idea).

Veronica's Kitchen Day 14: Zaatar, Menaeesh, and a Piece of Beirut

For you Lebanese, and Lebanese-Armenian readers, a little piece of nostalgia from Beirut!

Zaatar bread, or what we would commonly call menaeesh , or 'manakish', is one the most popular flatbreads that hails from the Middle Eastern kitchen traditions. This simple yet satisfying pizza-like doughy bread is enjoyed any time of day. But mostly, in the mornings, with a hot cup of tea.

Zaatar is a spice mix comprised of dried thyme, oregano, toasted sesame seeds, sumac, and salt. The mix is then added to olive oil to form a nice runny paste, spread on top of the dough, then baked to a bubbly perfection!  This is something we could easily make at home. But even better was when we'd pick it up from the neighborhood bakery, where they'd bake it fresh in a large brick oven (just like old-fashioned brick oven pizza).

Here is an artful, sensual video showing how to prepare zaatar spice mix:

And, here is the mouth-watering zaatar bread actually being prepared, at The Wooden Bakery. This bakery is a famous franchise operation, with one of its larger shops located just next to our home that grandma and grandpa built in the neighborhood called Zalkah, Beirut. If grandma could see this now, she'd be very amused and perhaps reminisce about the peaceful, golden era of Beirut, the Beirut she remembered from the 1960's.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cF5zyFgGhA&list=UUrv42roAWkq4Uq99_1qnGww

Veronica's Kitchen Day 13: Farms and Farmer's Markets

 

 

In the old world, farms and farmer's markets were not the exotic finds that we have come to rediscover here, in the U.S.  In fact, they were the norm. There was nothing terribly glamorous or "unique", about food that came straight from the farm, unaltered. After all, the food that was sold in open air markets was usually harvested from natural, organic sources. Organic in the original sense. No pesticides or waxy residue were found on apples and pears. Chickens laid eggs with a bright orange-yellow yolk, and goats were used for the very nutritious milk they provide. It was expected that vegetables have a few dents and holes here and there, and that carrots and eggplants be irregularly shaped, and imperfect-looking tomatoes be cohorted with gorgeous, artsy-looking ones. Most importantly, one could tell the real thing by the earthy fragrance it emitted. It was indeed, a different world, as Veronica would recall. It was a more "natural" way of living. 

But this world still exists today.

Farmer's markets are everywhere. With a little thought, some coordination, and planning, it is entirely possible to shop week to week at the local Sunday farmer's market. Finding the beautiful bounty is the best part. Like a Picasso or Modigliani, fruits and vegetables too, must have their imperfect beauty. That is the only way you know that they made their best effort to stay true to themselves!