Crawfish and harvest fest

The crawfish boil went well. I think everyone had a great time. Friends, food and beer, Here is a pic of me eating a crawfish. I gave a brief demo on how to suck heads and pinch tails when the first batch came out of the pot. The red beans (receipe in prior post) were a big hit also, as was the gator tail.

LUGHNASADH 2007-first fruits harvest festival and Crawfish boil

The big crawfish boil is this Sunday in in the Garden Avalon (AKA my back yard). I am very excited. The mudbugs will arrive tommorow from Natchitoches, Louisiana and the menu is set.
I thought as a preview to the boil, I would post my recipe for Red Beans.
The menu is as follows:
Crawfish, Corn on the Cob & red skin taters and onions, Andouille sausage, Red Beans & Rice, and a Three Cheese Lasagna for those who just can't do crawfish, etc...I also have a limited quantity of gator bites coming from Natchitoches for those who would like to give it a try,and some watermelon to cool it all down. Of course there will also be plenty of beer and other beverages.

My Red bean recipe is as follows:

2 pound red kidney beans, dry 1 large onion, chopped 1 bell pepper, chopped 3 ribs celery, chopped garlic minced (4 o4 5 cloves)
2-3 bay leaves
1 TBL spoon fresh or dry thyme
1-2 Tbl spoons Tabasco or Louisiana hot sauce
1-2 Tbl spoons Louisiana Cajun Seasoning or Tony Chachere's Seasoning or Zatarain’s Creole Seasoning
A few dashes of Worcestershire sauce
For extra flavor:
An Andouille sausage or two
4 oz of smoked ham hock or bacon
Vegetarian alternative:
A few slices of Morningstar farms bacon strips for the smoky flavor

Soak the beans overnight. Drain and use fresh water. Bring the beans to a rolling boil. Make sure the beans are always covered by water. Boil the beans for about 45 - 60 minutes, until the beans are tender but not falling apart. Drain. (My alternative is to cook them in a presser cooker for 35 minutes after it begins to jiggle.)

While the beans are boiling, finely chop and sauté the Trinity (onions, celery, bell pepper) in a small amount of olive oil until the onions turn clear. Add the garlic and sauté for 2 or 3 minutes more stirring occasionally. After the beans are boiled, add the sautéed mixture to the beans, then add the meats or meat alternatives and other spices listed (to taste)

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a low simmer. Cook for 2-3 hours until it gets creamy. Adjust seasonings as it cooks. Stir occasionally to prevent burning or sticking to the bottom of the pot. If you have the option to cook the beans a day or two ahead of time, then refrigerate and heat up later, the flavor will be better. You may need to add a little water when you reheat. Some people like a little vinegar in there beans. You can use pepper vinegar, pickled onions, or just plain white vinegar to taste.

---- Serve over rice-----

Mayday and Gooey brownies.

Those of you that joined us in the cookout and dance around the Maypole on Sunday, May 6th had the oportunity to try Cindy's Gooey Brownies. If you did not, you missed a lot of fun and some really good food. By popular request and with Cindy's consent, I am posting the recipe for the brownies. Enjoy!

Gooey Brownie Recipe

3.9 oz pkg. of Jell-O Instant Chocolate Pudding
1 box chocolate cake mix
1 12 oz bag Nestle Toll House Morsels

Make pudding according to box. Mix in cake mix and morsels. Pour into 12x9 baking dish. Bake for 30-40 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

Wine Tasting to benift EN Hope Exchange

St. Ann's Episcopal Church will hold a Wine tasting fundraiser on Friday, April 13th from 6-9pm to benefit their inner city summer program for the kids in the neighborhood The East Nashville Hope Exchange I am not sure what the selections will be this year other than the theme is "Wines From Around the World" , but in years past, the distributors have been very generous providing good selections for this event. The cost is $25 per person / $45 per couple.

Amazing Grace - Amazing Movie

Amazing Grace tells the story of William Wilberforce, a member of the House of Commons in England in the late 1700’s. He was one of the greatest leaders of the Abolitionist movement at that time, spending much of his life fighting to make the slave trade illegal in England. The movie takes its name from the song Amazing Grace, by John Newton, a former slave ship Captain, who was converted to Christianity and eventually became an Anglican priest. Newton had a deep regret of his personal involvement in the slave trade and was a strong supporter of Wilberforce’s fight. He was a strong influence on Wilberforce and encouraged Wilberforce to stay in Parliament and “serve God where he was.”

Ioan Gruffudd’s striking portrayal of Wilberforce brings to the screen the conviction Wilberforce had to have to accomplish such an overwhelming battle in the 18th century political climate in England. He is able to simultaneously depict the drive, conviction, strength and frailty of his character. The rest of the cast is just as convincing, but it is Albert Finney’s portrayal of Wilberforce’s spiritual councilor John Newton that really stands out in my mind. The viewer can almost feel Newton’s pain as he is ravaged by his 20 thousand ghosts. The souls of those who died in the cargo hold of Newton’s ships.

This movie is one you feel in your heart and soul as much as see. This is a first rate move, a needed history lesson and a challenge even to our society today. It is not a “feel good” movie, but it is definitely a must see.

Greek Islands - Best Greek in town : A Restaurant Review

I have listed recipes, drink mixes and even an event on here. Now it is time to try my hand at a restaurant review. For my first, I will start with one of my favorite local spots, Greek Islands.

When you walk in to Greek Islands, the atmosphere is charming with quaint stucco walls scattered with murals, tapestries and Greek and Turkish decorations. The belly dancer costume they recently hung on the wall is really interesting, although it seems a little out of place. I usually go for lunch, but I am sure it would be an excellent spot for a romantic dinner. They are open until about 10pm most evenings except Sunday. They are open Sunday's until about 2:30 for lunch.

The menu includes such basic Greek lunch fare as gyro sandwiches, kabobs, Greek and Turkish salads, and various Turkish stews. They also have such traditional dishes as moussaka and pastitsio as well as various lamb and chicken dishes. Also available are an assortment of house-made desserts such as baklava. I have tried several of their dishes and liked everything I have eaten there, but my favorite is the Turkish Lamb stew served with rice, pita bread and Cacık Sauce (yogurt-cucumber sauce very similar to Greek Tzadziki).

The service is always excellent there. Toni, my regular wait person, is one of the nicest, most personable, yet professional wait person I have met in Nashville. She always greets me with a smile when I come in and is prompt in her service. If you are a regular, she quickly learns your likes and dislikes and makes appropriate dinning suggestions. She has never steered me wrong.

Greek Islands is located at the east end of the strip of bars and restaurants near the Demonbreun St roundabout (near the Musica statue, I often refer to as “Naked People Dancing). The address and phone number are shown below. Try them. You will not be disappointed.

Greek Islands
1516A Demonbreun St
Nashville, TN 37203
(615) 259-7772

Ireland meets Kentucky

This is my first mixology post. On one of my trips to Ireland, I discovered a liqueur I really liked called Irish Mist. The combination of Irish Whisky and honey was a flavor I truly enjoyed. This mix has some similar elements of this with a bit of American flair.
The drink is very simple:

1 part Irish Whisky ( I prefer Red Breast by the makers of Jameson, but Jameson will do)
1 part Wild Turkey Liqueur with Honey

This can be served chilled neat or on the rocks. The Liqueur mentioned above is bottled by Austin Nichols distilling company of Lawrenceburg KY, the makers of Wild Turkey Kentucky Bourbon. I hope you enjoy it. If you try it, let me know what you think.