Blue Cayenne

I lost my  admittedly limited self-control at the local farmers’ market the other day and bought a flat of strawberries. Whoa! That’s a lot of strawberries for one cook and a sweet pup who enjoys a fresh strawberry treat now and then. 

What to make? The California Strawberry Commission recommends a lot of great recipes: Strawberry Tamales with Strawberry Jam, Strawberry Hibiscus Margaritas, Chile Mango Paletas. You can find their recipes here. 

I’ve been experimenting with a lot of interesting recipes as I work my way through that flat. Inevitably, though, I ended up with a few overripe and aging strawberries as my cooking week wound down. What to do this those?

I decided to roast my remaining strawberries. Roasted strawberries? Who woulda thunk it? 

I’m delighted to report that they are delicious. What a great way to enjoy strawberries that are just past their prime! 

This recipe is from Ixta Belgrage’s cookbook, Mezcla. You can order the cookbook through your local bookstore or on Amazon here.

Here is the recipe as I prepared it in my kitchen. 

This recipe brings back fond memories of parties in my home. On my buffet table, a three bean salad was always a reliable dish–easy to put together, flexible, and interesting.

Recently, my local Farmer’s Market has been offering beautiful yellow was beans that reminded me of that long-ago canned bean dish. And, my good friend and neighbor Sarah has shared some fresh green beans with me from her garden. So, I revisited the Good Housekeeping Cookbook recipe .

Here is the recipe as I prepared it in my kitchen. The amounts are approximate. This is one of those recipes where you use what you have in your pantry. This recipe is inspired by one that appears in my first cookbook, the 1963 edition of The Good Housekeeping Cookbook, and the Three Bean Salad With Coriander Viniagrette recipe that appears in The Williams Sonoma Salad of the Day Cookbook. Both books are available through used book stores. 

Here is the recipe as I made it in my kitchen. 

My beautiful friend Michelle had the good fortune to visit San Francisco’s  Buena Vista Cafe recently and enjoyed a glass of their legendary Irish Coffee. 

As she described the coffee’s deliciousness, I knew I needed to try this. And, of course, it was wonderful. 

Here is a link to a YouTube video that shows a bartender at the cafe preparing the coffee…with considerable flare, I might add. Feel free to make your own drama when you make the delicious drink. (Buena Vista Irish Coffee).

Here is the recipe as I prepared it in my kitchen. I enjoyed my Irish Coffee to the tune of Glen Yarborough’s “So Long San Francisco.” Join me: Glen Yarborough Sings So Long San Francisco.