The Dinner Hour

Tuesday July 12 5:00 to 6:00pm:  Cooking with Chef John Lumbra of the 1824 House Inn

Special Guest:  John Lumbra - 1824 House Inn

What's Up in the Garden This Week with Sally Kendall

Parsley - Beyond decorating the plate.  Did you know that Today, magically speaking, parsley is associated with lust, good luck, communicating with other planes, protection, purification, reincarnation, health, strength, vitality, divination, passion, meditation rituals for the dead, and happiness.

Fun Fact!  Parsley on the plate is supposed to protect food from contamination, and eating it is said to increase fertility and lust.  A wreath of parsley worn on the head is supposed to delay inebriation. 

Parsley Recipes - Lots of recipes here from Alice Waters so they MUST be good! 

Some of the most interesting-sounding are:

Tabbouleh Salad, Salsa Verde and Salsa Rustica, Parsley and Toasted Almond Salsa, Gremolata

Tabbouleh Salad Recipe from Epicurious.com

New baby potatoes with parsley and butter

If you want, peel away a strip of skin from around each potato.  Boil the potatoes in salted water until just tender - 15 minutes or so.  Drain and return to the pot and put back on the hot burner and roll around in the pan to dry them completely.  Add 1/2 stick of butter and 1/2 cup of chopped parsley.  Serve immediately.

Cooking with Chef John Lumbra of the 1824 House Inn

Grilled Pound Cake with Vanilla Syrup and Blueberry Chowchow

For the Vanilla Syrup:

• 1/2 C sugar
• 3/4 C Water
• 1 Vanilla Bean (scrap out the seeds and save the pod)

Bring the sugar, water, and vanilla seeds and pod to a boil in a heavy pan and then lower the heat and simmer for 2 minutes.  Set aside and allow to cool to room temperature.

For the Blueberry Chowchow:

• 1 1/2 C Blueberries, halved
• 2T finely diced chives
• 2T finely diced strawberries
• 2T finely diced mint
• 2T seasoned rice vinegar

Combine all ingredients and allow to sit out at room temperature.

Use your own pound cake recipe or buy pound cake (obviously homemade is better :-).  Slide into 1" thick slices and toast in oven, grill under broiler. 

To serve, place the pound cake slice on the plate and spoon on the blueberry chowchow.  Spoon the vanilla syrup around the perimeter of the plate and serve.

Nothing Like Dreaming Vermont Festival of the Arts Event at the 1824 House Inn.  What is a fire organ???  Find out at the screening of Nothing But Dreaming on August 6, 7, and 8.

Other Stuff

Great Article in Vermont Magazine on the 25th Anniversary of NECI (New England Culinary Institute) and how it has helped elevate the quality of food in the state.