I have hit the ground running with my expedition into the land of root vegetables.  This week I have eaten celery root, parsnips, jerusalem artichokes, and there are even carrots sitting in my fridge.   My first foray of the year into root vegetables was to try them simply – I wanted to taste their flavor, with mere accents to the palate rather than covering them up by drowning them in butter or cheese (as tempting and always tasty as that may be).

I believe in understanding the true flavor of an ingredient before getting too inventive with it – after all, what is the point of a food that cannot be tasted?  How do you ever really know if you will like it or not if you cannot identify its inherent flavor?  I think roasting vegetables is a great way to try new ones, because it’s an easy cooking process and yet still preserves the texture unlike boiling something forever. I grew up with enough over-boiled veggies (well, at least I consider them over-boiled) in my day to know that boiling is not my preferred method for cooking vegetables – well except maybe beans.  So when I have no idea what I am going to do with something, oven-roasting is usually the route I tend to go.

(...)
Read the rest of Herb Roasted Root Vegetables

© Jenn for Jenn Cuisine, 2008 - 2012, All Rights Reserved. | Permalink | Add to del.icio.us
Unfortunately we had to move to shortened feeds, but it's just one more click to see the rest of the post!!

Today marks another fantastic gluten free ratio rally day – this month, the theme is cookies hosted by the lovely Caroline of The G-Spot Revolution! Cookies, which have been my gluten free baking nemesis for years (along with puff pastry).  Be it complicated macarons or simple chocolate chip, I can never seem to get them right.  In fact, I have an entire category on this blog devoted to stories of my gluten free baking flops, and quite of few of them are taken up by cookie trials.

So when the theme was announced, a bit of anxiety overcame me – must I really face my long-standing baking foe?  What if I can’t figure out a working version in time?  Will cookies forever be my GF baking downfall?

But we all know where worry and negativity gets us in the kitchen.  Nowhere.  I think I need to come to terms with the fact that you are never going to see a chocolate chip cookie recipe on this blog, nor a beautiful macaron either.  If you are ok with that, then I am too.  Let’s just cut our losses and move on.

Thankfully, there is a whole wide world of cookies beyond macarons and “Tollhouse” style chocolate chip.  So I started looking to other cookie traditions to see what other types of options there were – afterall, if there were only macarons and chocolate chip cookies in the world, then we would all be sorely missing out on a number of delicious treats in life.  There are flourless cookies made from nut butters, bar cookies like these colorful seven layer venetians, and let us not forget the macaron’s totally unrelated but similarly named cousin, the macaroon, made with coconut and often dipped in chocolate, and much much easier to execute.

As it turns out, Switzerland loves cookies at Christmastime, and there are myriad lovely varieties that seem to turn up in stores and the markets about as soon as the roasted chestnut stands appear outside.  Basler brunsli, zimtsterne, mailänderli, chräbeli, spitzbuben, berner haselnusslebkuchen, berner honiglebkuchen, and tirggel to name a few (and I am sure I am missing others).

I was looking through the various Swiss cookies, and noticed that a few are actually mostly made of nut meals which seemed like they would be very amenable to making gluten free – and nothing complicated like the infamous macaronage!  So I decided this month, rather than continue to beat my head against the wall with failed cookie after another, I would try something completely new.  Different.  Let’s move on from chocolate chip cookies and macarons, shall we? :)

(...)
Read the rest of Basler Brunsli Cookies

© Jenn for Jenn Cuisine, 2008 - 2011, All Rights Reserved. | Permalink | Add to del.icio.us
Unfortunately we had to move to shortened feeds, but it's just one more click to see the rest of the post!!

It’s amazing how I can go visit my family for two weeks and come back to find that there has been an abrupt yet complete transformation into Winter.  No snow here yet, but that nip is in the air and the wind blows with a chill that makes anyone want to bundle themselves up in a hat and scarf, maybe thinking twice before venturing outside.

Most would consider this the official season for warm Wintery comfort foods – baked potatoes, fondue, stews, and the like.  However while it may not be so pleasant outside, inside our apartment is a sweltering sauna – we have yet to ever activate our heating, and most of the time often crack a window to help relieve us a bit – maybe our neighbors love the warmth too much and so their heat finds its way to our place? I don’t know – but when home, the last thing I want to eat is a thick hot meal.

So instead I have been stocking up our kitchen with my favorite fruits – mangoes, clementines, pomegranates, avocados, whatever looks refreshing when we go shopping.  Dinners have been salads – something light to enjoy the fun tropical flavors that come out in Winter, that aren’t going to heat up our apartment so much (well more than it already is).  On top of that, most salads that my husband and I make are naturally gluten free – that is, we don’t add in croutons or complicated dressings that require substitutions, we simply prepare fresh ingredients and dress with simple dressings for something easy that doesn’t require much thought.

This mango avocado salad is one such salad, and after making it more than a few times in the past month alone we have yet to tire of it:)

(...)
Read the rest of Mango Avocado Salad

© Jenn for Jenn Cuisine, 2008 - 2011, All Rights Reserved. | Permalink | Add to del.icio.us
Unfortunately we had to move to shortened feeds, but it's just one more click to see the rest of the post!!

The end of Summer is upon us – some people I’m sure will be reminiscing about times at the beach or picnics and bbqs in the sun with friends, fruits and vegetables from their gardens and holidays.    I am reminiscing about my travels to Germany, Spain, France, and great hikes in the Alps, along with some gorgeous produce in our local markets. This was for sure the year of apricots and berries en Suisse, and we enjoyed all of it that we could.  But I’m not thinking back on Summer with too much sadness, for there is so much to look forward to in the coming Fall – the produce is far from done yet, instead there is just a new set of gorgeous food to enjoy – pruneaux, grapes and mushrooms, chestnuts, squash – I love seeing how all the foods cycle throughout the seasons.  The markets provide endless fascination of inspiration and flavor.

(...)
Read the rest of Homemade Tomato Jam

© Jenn for Jenn Cuisine, 2008 - 2011, All Rights Reserved. | Permalink | Add to del.icio.us
Unfortunately we had to move to shortened feeds, but it's just one more click to see the rest of the post!!

I never knew what all the hype was about fresh apricots until I moved to Switzerland. My grandmother used to talk about apricots that she would eat when she was growing up in California, and I never quite understood her fascination with them because well, New England (where I grew up) just isn’t known for its stone fruit – so any time I had them I just wasn’t that thrilled – probably because whatever apricots we did have available were old, from far away, and beaten up from the long journey to the Northeast.  But now I live en Suisse-Romande, the French speaking side of Switzerland, and in the Summer apricots are all the rage, especially those from the canton of Valais.  To me it seems Valais is quite well-known for several specialties – les abricots, la raclette, la petite arvine, la brisolée, la viande sechée… so many culinary treasures that I had never really appreciated or known much about until our hop “across the pond”.

Valais also happens to be one of my favorite cantons for hiking around – because seriously what can top a place that has such gorgeous mountains and views like this?

But then, I didn’t know about a lot of features of Swiss life & culture (let alone of certain cantons!) until I moved here, and I’ve found so many great foods (and places) that I now love because of being en Suisse.

(...)
Read the rest of Summer Ginger Apricot Wine Coolers

© Jenn for Jenn Cuisine, 2008 - 2011, All Rights Reserved. | Permalink | Add to del.icio.us
Unfortunately we had to move to shortened feeds, but it's just one more click to see the rest of the post!!

Why do we need a special occasion to eat tasty food?

My husband and I don’t eat fancy food very often.  We hardly ever go out to eat, and most dinners at home are vegetarian, consisting of pasta, rice or bean dishes or salad, rather uncomplicated and reasonably affordable.  But from time to time, my husband and I come up with random occasions to celebrate just because we want a nice dinner.  A sudden craving, we both turn to each other one day and say, “Hmm do you want to cook something nice tonight?” And we go to the market, pick out a nice cut of meat and proceed to plan for ourselves a “fancy” dinner – we’ll get out the good wine glasses, actually set the table, and sit down like we’re celebrating a fancy anniversary.

This time, we decided it was “because it was finally a beautiful warm sunny day in Switzerland.”  The last time I had cooked lamb was for my birthday last year, and I don’t really know what prompted us to want lamb that day, but being a beautiful almost Summer-like day seemed as good a reason as any

Maybe making up a reason for a dinner with a pricey cut of meat (well, pricey for us who still have not fully accustomed ourselves to Swiss meat prices) is just a way of being spontaneous, because an impromptu “date” at home makes us feel young again after many days coming home from work tired and not wanting to do anything other than eat dinner, relax a little and then sleep.  Maybe we’ve just been feeling in a bit of a spontaneous mood lately, like yesterday when we decided to walk the famous vineyard trail through the Lavaux region along the coast of Lake Geneva, conveniently ending in the town of Cully, the location of our favorite gluten free chocolaterie/dessert shop.

After all, with such amazing weather, how could one resist being outside to soak up all that rare sunshine?

(...)
Read the rest of Garlic Mustard Pan Roasted Lamb

© Jenn for Jenn Cuisine, 2008 - 2011, All Rights Reserved. | Permalink | Add to del.icio.us
Unfortunately we had to move to shortened feeds, but it's just one more click to see the rest of the post!!

Are you a morning person??

I’m a reluctant morning person.  Usually doing my best not to throw my ipod across the room as the purposely annoying ring drags me out of the sweet nothingness that was sleep, leaving me to stumble out of bed and fumble for the buttons on the coffee maker, totally useless until taking a hot espresso down in one giant gulp – only now willing to make myself aware of the world.

But then there are some days that present themselves a bit more pleasantly – sunlight slowly streams into the room as the birds start up their chorus of hymns to greet the day – on these days I find myself full of energy, rushed with the sudden urge to go outside and say good morning to nature and her beauty, even if she decides to hide the sun for a bit once I actually make it outside – no matter, the mornings are still preciously awe-inspiring as soft light kisses the tops of all things green and flowering:

(...)
Read the rest of Early Morning Poached Eggs & Tomatoes

© Jenn for Jenn Cuisine, 2008 - 2011, All Rights Reserved. | Permalink | Add to del.icio.us
Unfortunately we had to move to shortened feeds, but it's just one more click to see the rest of the post!!

Today marks exactly two years since we Daring Cooks intrepidly revealed our first cooking challenge to the world, and every month since has been an eventful, educational (and sometimes stressful) trip across various techniques and cuisines.  I am sad to say this shrimp & sausage gumbo will be my 20th and last Daring Cooks challenge that I present to you – the past 24 months have been wonderful, but I have to move on – Daring Cooks was an amazing experience, and did wonders to help me grow with my skills in the kitchen, new techniques, and above all creativity (especially when it came to making some of the challenges gluten free!).

This month for my last challenge of Daring Cooks, I made gumbo. I made mine with shrimp and sausage, and about twice as many veggies as were called for. Our May hostess, Denise, of There’s a Newf in My Soup!, challenged The Daring Cooks to make Gumbo! She provided us with all the recipes we’d need, from creole spices, homemade stock, and Louisiana white rice, to Drew’s Chicken & Smoked Sausage Gumbo and Seafood Gumbo from My New Orleans: The Cookbook, by John Besh.

Out of 25 total challenges so far, today marks my 20th.  Twenty new experiences, trials, recipes, fails, photos and successes. Rather than reminisce about each one, I thought it might be more fun to show the dishes in picture form (each photo links to its post) – it’s funny to think about how scary making those gnocchi were that first time, and how far along I’ve come, even to host a challenge and help others.  Thanks Daring Kitchen, for some great memories and helping me to become an overall better cook.  So here they are, starting from the beginning:

(...)
Read the rest of Daring Cooks Make Gumbo

© Jenn for Jenn Cuisine, 2008 - 2011, All Rights Reserved. | Permalink | Add to del.icio.us
Unfortunately we had to move to shortened feeds, but it's just one more click to see the rest of the post!!

My baby sister is growing up!  It’s really hard not to think of her as a cute little kid, she’s always been my baby sister.  We’re five years apart you see, and while that isn’t such a difference now, it really was a lot when we were young.  She may have had her antics that drove me nuts from time to time (ha, because I was always the innocent one), but as we’ve grown up together our bond gets tighter and tighter.  Her bubbly personality is so infectious, she just lights up a room and everyone in it with her energy and fun spirit.

Honestly, the single hardest part of living abroad is not being able to see my sister or talk to her regularly.  Don’t get me wrong, living abroad is a ton of fun – we get to travel, enjoy new experiences, meet new people, all sorts of crazy awesomeness happens.  But at the end of the day, it’s the essentials of life that matter – family -and that’s what makes living overseas so difficult.   Life has been happening for each of us, and I feel stuck over 5000 miles away apart and isolated.  I really really miss just being able to call her up any time or go grab a coffee and chat, even if it’s about nothing at all.

And now my baby sister is growing up and getting married, to her high school sweetheart!

The shower is today, and it’s so much fun getting to display prom pictures from when they were first dating.  And now, nearly eight years later, they are tying the knot and saying “I do”, and I couldn’t be more thrilled.  My sister and her fiancé are the true definition of soul mates, they’ve been meant to be since the beginning of time.

So the chance to be “home” and hang out with my sister and share in such an awesome life moment is one I cannot turn down.  Coming home has been wonderful – oh how fantastic it is to have a real hug!  And chat without having to plan and schedule across time zones.  And to eat food and share together, and laugh, all in the same room.  All the preparations are coming together, and the big day is fast approaching.  It’s exhilarating, emotional, fun, crazy all at once, and I love every single minute of it.  Because when it comes down to it, all the mountains and fondue in the world can’t make up for family.

With my family, we’re usually pretty casual and relaxed about events.  We’re not really ones to fuss over putting on the fanciest affairs, and in general we try to keep things low key & just plain fun.  For Ashley’s shower, we’re enjoying a variety of hot & cold apps & dips, and then sweets including my dad’s famous oatmeal cake   I’m really a cold app lover, especially when it’s warm and sunny out, and I’m pretty sure my favorite cold app is guacamole.  We’re really all avocado lovers, and avocados are a near daily food in our lives.  Even going on family camping trips, I remember making guacamole (which mashes quite successfully in a plastic bag when you don’t have any bowls haha).

However, we all have our own different versions, every one of us   I’m slowly figuring out that my guac is a bit more unique than I originally thought.

I don’t use jalapeño peppers.

I don’t use tomatoes.

I don’t add onions. Sound odd yet? Let’s keep going.

I do use chipotles.

I do use a good quality extra virgin olive oil (the kind that comes in a little skinny jar and is pricey).

(...)
Read the rest of The Essentials of Guacamole

© Jenn for Jenn Cuisine, 2008 - 2011, All Rights Reserved. | Permalink | Add to del.icio.us
Unfortunately we had to move to shortened feeds, but it's just one more click to see the rest of the post!!

My husband Ryan is doing a guest post today! He made an awesome brunch a couple weeks ago and wanted to tell y’all about it, along with share a bit of his perspective as the member of this household who actually has to be gluten free.

Hi again!  Since I became gluten free, my restaurant experiences have been rather hit or miss.  Sometimes, I find myself in a conversation for 15 minutes with the waitress explaining that no, croutons are not OK because they are bread and bread is not ok.  In more than one instance, I’ve gotten rolled eyes from wait staff  at various restaurants who are “inconvenienced” by my limitations, or they have thought I’m just making it up because I don’t like something and then don’t take it seriously.  I find myself weighing if it’s worth being “glutened” because I am the hassle for wanting to eat out, or if I should just go hungry watching my friends around me eat, or stick up for myself to try to be accommodated.  And I only have one food issue. So many have multiple dietary restrictions.

Sometimes, following a gluten free diet can feel a little claustrophobic.  You feel like you are stuck in a cage and unable to break out and try new foods/places to eat.  A constant omnipresent fear is always in your head stopping you from trying that new restaurant or making your own bread or eating anything not made from scratch.  I had this fear for a long time (before I met Jenn, of course).  Rice, meat and potatoes were the staples in my diet and I dared not stray from this regime or I would react and feel awful for the next week or so (at least this is what I thought in my head).  This constant fear plagued me for a very long time, and as a result most of the time when I went out to eat with friends and family, I would only get a grilled steak with a plain baked potato.

Now I love a good steak, don’t get me wrong. But sometimes, it would be nice to feel comfortable eating something else.  And that is why I get so excited about enterprises that DO accommodate the gluten free crowd, and have options that are exciting.  Not just serving a hamburger without a bun, but a real entrée that I can enjoy to its full capacity.  Such places with their dedication to understanding what it is like with dietary restrictions have really helped change my perspective on eating gluten free, and have let me feel like a newly released convict from my food prison.

(...)
Read the rest of The Gluten Free Husband puts his Spin on Steak & Eggs

© Jenn for Jenn Cuisine, 2008 - 2011, All Rights Reserved. | Permalink | Add to del.icio.us
Unfortunately we had to move to shortened feeds, but it's just one more click to see the rest of the post!!