Vanilla Ebook

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Vanilla Enchantment using the magic of vanilla beans in romantic recipes This book is dedicated to the ART of communicating Love, Romance Just having good times with your special partner with the Magic of real Vanilla Copyright 2005 Stephen Block Cover picture by Mickey Schick Shtamer The sketch is of Xanat the goddess of vanilla Table of Contents Introduction 1. Sensual Flavors, Aromas and Textures 2. Presentations that Seduce 3. Taking your Romantic Meal to “Atmospheric” Heights (and keeping the memories) 4. Romantic Recipes using Vanilla Beans (That have worked for me in the past) Desserts, Appetizers, Main dishes, Breakfast and Drinks 5. The Legend of The Vanilla Goddess 6. Where to buy Vanilla Beans What I want for You ( Introduction ) The purpose of this book is to help you discover and also record all the different aspects that make a satisfying romantic meal and every meal really. I believe you should always be writing your own cookbook. I use 3 ring binders and write notes when I am cooking . Little techniques , observations that I find when doing the dish. This helps me remember for the next time what worked when I am doing the dish, because you will forget little things easy. All the time I get requests for people who are trying to remember a recipe that their mother or grandmother use to cook. Recipes use to be handed down by word of mouth so they got lost easy. You also learn so much more when you record your thoughts and feelings about something. It has been said of authors that they write to learn more about their subject. It crystallizes a lot of little thoughts and ideas that you have. So let this book help you in your journey of writing your own Romantic Meals Cookbook. You can print out these recipes or other recipes and then take notes on them, adjust them to your own liking and they will become your recipes. This book will give you guides in what to look for. In this book I am dealing primarily with the using the flavor and aroma of vanilla to create romantic meals, but I also want you to think of other foods as well. Here are the different elements to Consider, Sensual Flavors , Textures and Aromas These are the different aspects of how we taste. It is not just flavor. Presentation of the Meal Placement of the foods on the plate, using foods with color and shape to create beauty. Atmosphere This is more than just candlelight and music. What surroundings produce romantic feelings in you and your sweetheart. Creating Memories How are lasting memories made anyway and how are they preserved? Recipes A recipe is not just a recipe. They are also a guideline of what works and a springboard for new ideas. Sensual Flavors, Textures and Aromas When you look into your lover’s eyes in the candlelight, with soft music, you smell the rich aroma coming from the dinner table of a crispy parmesan bread crumb topping that just got down browning to perfection in the oven. Then taste the wonderful lingering flavors of a creamy stuffed Halibut that just melts in your mouth then the flavors of a crisp chardonnay to cleanse the palate. When your emotions of love mingle with the flavors together you have experienced the marriage of food and romance. One heightens the experience of the other and can become a fond memory and a bond with that special someone. Consider what you call sensual in the physical aspect of romantic love. Then think about the correlation to tasting, smelling and the textures of foods. That is one reason a fresh oyster on the half-shell is considered aphrodisiac. Most likely because they resemble certain shall we say, anatomical parts that we touch in the act of love. They do contain lots of zinc which aids in testosterone production, but so do many foods. More likely it is their textures, flavors and aromas that provoke aphrodisiac qualities on a more psychological level. There are so many foods that down through the ages have been thought of as love –foods or aphrodisiacs. They are even doing tests on foods now to see what increases love responses in people, such as those done by Dr. Alan Hirsch at the Smell and Taste Treatment and taste Research foundation in Chicago. One of the aromas and flavors that have been shown to increase a love response is vanilla. When preparing a romantic meal I don’t think that the focus needs to be on fancy or exotic. As you look through recipe books you find something with a fun twist to it, but maybe you haven’t worked with capers before, or put raspberry sauce over salmon. This can make for a less than desirable result unless you have experience at balancing all these flavors. A great romantic meal can be some very simple foods or a dish that you really love, add some romantic ideas to the presentation and atmosphere and I guarantee it will be a winner. I have learned over the years cooking thousands of meals and designing hundreds of menus that simple foods area almost always the best. Examples of flavors that can accent sensuality Flavors these are hard to describe, like you would the color blue. Delicate flavor of vanilla Lusty flavor of chocolate Tangy fresh Lemon Earthy mushroom The Rich flavor of a beef reduction with red wine or demi-glace Textures Silky smooth Textures , such as a light cream sauce, Hollandaise sauce, chocolate mousse, crème brulee Creamy textures like mashed potatoes, whipped light as a feather. Fresh Oysters bbqed on the half shell Seafood Gumbo with a dark roux, Biting into a crisp –tender asparagus spear that has been dipped in butter Chocolate that melts as soon as it hits your tongue and covers it Aromas The smell of fresh bread baking The smell of Pumpkin Pie right out of the oven. The smell of prawns sautéing in butter and garlic The smell of meat smoking over hickory Fresh Bacon cooking on a campfire Coffee brewing first thing in the morning Famous Love Foods Artichokes...Asparagus...Avocado...Basil...Black Beans...Chocolate...Chilies...Coffee...Figs...Grapes...Honey...Oys ters Pine nuts...Rosemary...Strawberries... But what historical significance that certify some of these foods as true aphrodisiacs or “ Love Foods”? Chocolate; The potency of chocolate was first discovered by the Mayan and Aztec Indians in their celebration of the harvest of the cocoa bean with festivals of orgies. Montezuma, the Aztec ruler supposedly drank 50 cups of chocolate each day to satisfy his harem of 600 women. Casanova adored chocolate, and so do we. Sales in the 1990¹s average 600,000 tons of cocoa consumed each year. Chocolate has sparked the attention of scientists as well. This decadent candy contains phenyl ethylamine (PEA) which is the very same chemical that flows through the vein of someone who is in love. Why tamper with this ancient love potion? Figs: A small, pear-shaped delicacy, a ripe fig tastes sweeter than any dried one, a fresh plump fig smells better than any syrupy canned version. A knife slices through it like butter, the edible seeds are endless through eachlayer filed with succulent flavor. Figs date back to Cleopatra, Dionysian orgies, and the Roman Saturnalia. This innocent natural sensuality can work wonders prepared various ways. Oysters: The greatest of all aphrodisiacs, oysters symbolize vitality and passion forall those who indulge. Since the time of the Roman Empire oysters have enjoyed a randy reputation, which has only increased over time. What is it about oysters? Casanova is said to have been a firm believer in oysters, eating 50 raw ones every morning in the bath with the lady he fancied at that moment. Oysters have unleashed their powers of seduction on unwitting prey and restores life to lagging libidos. Why do oysters have such an effect on people? Oysters are loaded with zinc, a key ingredient to testosterone production, and therefore sexual performance for both genders. Or is it the texture that resembles parts of the anatomy that are touched in the act of love. Pine Nuts: Pine nuts, also called Pignolis, come from the inside the cones of the pine trees. Galen, a 2nd century doctor, prescribed them to his patients for their reported powers. Today, people hail the pine nut as the kernel of love. Rosemary: The scent of rosemary fills a room, and entices the sense of smell. Medieval women scented bath water with rosemary to allure men. Apparently, rosemary plays on humans scent memory the strongest tie to emotional experiences. If executed properly, a Pavlovian call to love might occur from simply a whiff of this potent herb. Honey: From the Kama Sutra to the Perfumed Garden to the Bible, honey has been connected with love, sex and sensuality since the beginning of time. Hippocrates prescribed honey for sexual vigor. In India, tradition states that an offering of honey be presented to the bridegroom and hide out in seclusion drinking the honey potion until the first new moon of their marriage. Attila the Hun drank himself to death with honey on his honeymoon. The very word conjures up images of the dripping, sticky substance, of honeybees, and all things sweet. Presentations That Seduce There are 6 simple things to remember when creating a nice presentation for food. 1. FRESH INGREDIENTS 2. SIMPLICITY 3. CONTRAST 4. DEFINITION 5. SPACING 6. TIMING What I would like you to get from this is to have something to refer to when thinking how you are going to present, not only a romantic meal but any meal, and make it very pleasing to the eye. My hope also is that this will help you be able to keep in a creative mode, yet have a structure to work within. So Lets go to the first step…… Step 1 1. FRESH INGREDIENTS This is the most basic rule of all good cooking. Choose a really nice piece of salmon and not something that has maybe been frozen for a year , not that all frozen fish is bad. A good piece of chicken or fish needs very little to make it complete. Something just to just enhance it is fine, but never to mask it or complicate it. It is the same with other elements you may want to put with the salmon ….crisp cooked vegetables. A nice tangy sauce to compliment it maybe, so which should you choose? This brings us to our next point……… Step 2 SIMPLICITY You have all heard of the kiss principle but here is a better way to remember it when working with food. I was in the Red Lion Inn In Boise Idaho 20 years ago doing a 100 dollar a plate dinner, back then it was a lot of money. I was so nervous being a young chef. I was trying to make to make a mona lisa out of a stuffed trout for the appetizer. I remember the chef came by when we were working on the presentation and I was asking him all kinds of questions about this and that and he commented saying , “Remember simplicity is elegance” . I never forgot that so I wanted to share that with you. So lets say you are doing a salmon filet on the BBQ Place it on the center of the plate ….that is the simplest. Almost too simple Lets add a few more things to the plate, some other foods that will give a flavor, color, texture and shape …….. Step 3 CONTRAST … so lets use asparagus….and say mashed Yukon gold potatoes, Maybe some roasted red bell peppers and say a vanilla - Lemon burre blanc sauce , and some pine nuts. We then have a pink rectangular salmon delicate, moist. …..on a white creamy sauce that is light ..coats the tongue well the vanilla mellows all the flavor and the lemon provides a nice tart contrast . …the green crunchy asparagus spears … , nice long circular shape.. and the yellow mashed potatoes. Smooth and nice mooshy texture…a neutral flavor to contrast the strong salmon and asparagus flavor…..then the tangy …red bell pepper that gives a nice bright red color …and the toasted pine nuts…to add a crunchy texture to this. We now have contrast in flavor, color , texture and shapes. So before you start to chop and cook these foods think about this …. Step 4 DEFINITION Food is so beautiful in its own right ….the shapes …and the colors, textures and the flavors. In some ways it is more important what you DON’T do to food than what you do to it. Cut foods in nice size shapes tha display the natural beauty of food. Foods that are chopped fine and mixed often look like a jumble of un-recognizable stuff. If your eye doesn’t immediately say ..umm asparagus ..ummm salmon …..and roasted red pepper… then your palate thinks it might be engaging into the unknown. Also if you cover up the salmon with other foods or a sauce then you don’t know what you’re eating. So the Salmon should needs to be cut in a nice size uniform shapes…..like a nice rectangular filet cut on the bias slightly is nice. The mashed potatoes creamy and natural looking so they need to be cooked completely, mashed well, and not too far ahead of time. The asparagus should be cut into spears or in half spears, cooked just till just tender then shocked with cold water to keep the color and keep its nice texture. The red pepper looks good in strips ….the natural pepper shape makes pretty strips. It can be cut into small bits and sprinkled also. It could also be skinned, cut in strips and wrapped around the bundle of asparagus. Sauces should almost always be thin and they should flow, also creamy .and delicate looking, never lumpy. SO…..now to arrange these items you always want to remember ….. Step 5 SPACING Empty Space ….It is not the bowl that is important; it is the empty space in the bowl that is important. It has been said that without the space in-between the notes in music you wouldn’t have any music….. It is the small spaces in-between the bars that keep the lion in yet he can still breathe and see. Get the picture? So leave a good share of white space in-between the items and the rim of the plate clean. This will show off the beauty of all your ingredients, and the contrast of all the colors. When something has a nice look to it you notice it in an instant. You don’t have to decide if it has the look to it, it just does. Practice on one sample plate before doing the rest. You can arrange items and see if it works. If it doesn’t, don’t try to force it. Try this and that without trying to hard and you may come up with something really cool that you didn’t think about. So with our salmon we could use the traditional trinity style ….with the salmon on a third of the plate, then the asparagus, then the mashed potato…maybe wrap the red bell pepper strips around the asparagus….and put a little sauce and pine nuts over the salmon. We could do another traditional thing and put the salmon in the center and give it a little elevation. Start with the sauce on the plate. Then put some mashed potatoes in the center. Then we can put the salmon on top. The asparagus could be leaned against the salmon and the strips of red bell pepper could criss-cross on the salmon … the pine nuts could be just sprinkled on top in just the center. NOT all over the plate. Things look good in bunches. They don’t look good placed all around the plate symmetrically. Pretty soon your plate looks busy. So how do you get this presentation accomplished without having to spend all your time in the kitchen……. Step 6 TIMING In cooking this is among the most important things of all to get down. So much of this dish can be pre done ahead of time, and figuring out a method that takes the least amount of pans and steps. The Salmon can be cooked ¾ of the way done and then heated in the oven at for a few minutes before serving. . The potatoes peeled and cooked, and held in the pan warm …until you can just take a masher and mash them in the same pan with some sour cream and butter. The asparagus can be cooked until it is just crisp – tender, then use the shock- technique, drenching it in cold water . This will heighten the bright green color and stop it from over cooking. When you are ready to assemble the plates you can just dunk the asparagus in hot water for 15 seconds and it will be hot and you can remove it with tongs, shake the water off and place it on the plate where you want it. The Bell peppers can be done in the same fashion a day ahead even The nuts can be pre toasted …a day ahead even. The sauce can be made ahead a few hours and just sit on the stove in the pot., and then heat it back up when you are ready. I know this may seem basic to some of you who are already accomplished cooks, but I want to reinforce in your mind the simplicity in these 6 step by steps that covers the bases so you guide your creativity and make stunning food presentations without confusion. I hope this will be a good tool to whip out and follow until it becomes second nature to you. Taking a Memorable Romantic Meal To “Atmospheric” Heights (Creating Atmosphere) There is nothing more memorable than creating a special moment or event for someone you want to share your caring feelings with. It can be so exciting to plan a romantic meal that you can expect will stay in both you and your partners mind forever. I would like to share some of the thoughts that I like to consider when I am planning my most special times. Visual Settings Create a visual setting that will appeal to the eye. You might want to consider using a soft table cloth, and cloth napkins. Now would be the time to pull out the “stops” and use some of those special dishes, crystal, and serving ware that you don’t tend to use everyday. Use your best dishes and have the table set and wine glasses ready or poured. A water glass with ice and a lemon slice will add a visual delight. Centerpieces Create a centerpiece that adds a special touch to this special meal. Flowers are always romantic, or choose something that will be special and memorable between you and your partner. Candles are an added touch here that will set the centerpiece, “aglow” and the flame will “warm” up the setting. If the season is right, the warmth of flames in the fireplace with add even more to the mood. Background Mood Create a background mood with visual tidiness, and soft gentle music. Select something that will be easy to talk over and help to add a flow to your conversation. Dim the lighting if you are indoors. This will add a relaxing feel. Sensual Smells Create a sensual smell that will be discreet, and comfortable. The smell from the preparation of the meal can be a wonderful delight, or consider a soft vanilla-scented potpourri or a candle nestled in a glass container in a bed of broken up vanilla beans and other aromatic spices appropriate for the season. The warmth of the burning candle with help radiate the sweet smells throughout the room. Smells blend with the tastes of the meal. Choose natural scented potpourri or candles, these are usually more subtle. Vanilla is a scent that has been proven to promote. The pleasurable tastes of the meal that you will serve, can be exciting, sensual, and memorable as well. A Beautiful You Create a beautiful you, wear something that will enhance your caring smile, and allow you to be comfortable in the setting that you have created. Add a splash of perfume or cologne, that will certainly be noticed. Wear a smile and use your eyes to help you to express to your feelings of having created this special meal and treasured moments. Elements of Surprise You might want to add the element of “surprise” – by inviting your partner, to this special meal with a creative invitation that expresses the love and caring that you have put into this meal. You might consider hiding a heartfelt message in a bottle inviting their presence, and leaving the bottle where they will easily find it. Or you may want to actually make it a surprise, and have the entire setting and meal waiting for your partner to walk in and find. You could meet them at the door with a tempting beverage in hand to welcome them to your surprise. If you are feeling like a “tease”… create several messages that leads your partner to a final message of invitation through a “treasure-hunt”-like game…. Hide the first in a place where your partner will easily find it, like on the medicine cabinet mirror, or near their toothbrush, etc that leads them onto the next… I assure you, this can be a memory maker all by itself. Recipes That have worked for me Desserts Chantilly Cream For Topping And Other Delights ******** Floating Vanilla Clouds Poached Pears In Kahlua Custard Sauce In Honey – Vanilla Syrup Monkey Banana Chocolate Mud Cake ********* Vanilla Ice Cream for getting serious Dipped in With Fresh Strawberries ********* Vanilla Bean Fondue Peach Ice Cream With Chocolate Swirl ********* Chocolate Silk Sorbet in Vanilla Sugar Meltingly Good Anywhere ********* Vanilla Fudge Hearts ********* The Best Ice Cream With Macadamia Nuts ********* ********* ********* ********* Appetizers Vanilla Fruit Salad in a Pineapple Stuffed Artichoke Vanilla Bay Scallops ShellWith fresh flowers with Wild Mushroom Dressing Served on Belgian Endive leaves ********* vanilla béarnaise dipping sauce ********* ******** Main Dishes Caribbean Cruise Prawns Halibutts Under the Covers with Coconut Dipping sauce Crab and Shrimp Stuffing in Vanilla Cream sauce Butterfly Heart Pork Tenderloin Chicken Skewers for Spring Romance with Cinnamon-Vanilla apples with BBQed fresh Peaches with Vanilla glaze Parmesan /Bread crumb topping Breakfast Stuffed French Toast Jamaican Banana Crepes with Vanilla Syrup and Toasted Hazelnuts with Chantilly Whipped Cream Drinks Mexican Hot Chocolate Chocolate or Cream Soda Vanilla Milkshake Vanilla Martini Desserts Chantilly Cream For Topping And Other Delights ******** Vanilla Ice Cream for getting serious ********* Chocolate Silk Sorbet Meltingly Good Anywhere ********* Vanilla Fudge Hearts With Macadamia Nuts ********* Floating Vanilla Clouds In Kahlua Custard Sauce ********* Monkey Banana Banana Dipped in in Vanilla Sugar ********* Peach Ice Cream The Best Ice Cream ********* Poached Pears In Honey – Vanilla Syrup ********* Chocolate Mud Cake With Fresh Strawberries ********* Vanilla Bean Fondue With Chocolate Swirl ********* CHANTILLY CREAM This topping was invented by the great Chef Vatel after the famous Chantilly castle he cooked in for the Prince of Condé. He cooked from his heart for kings and commoners alike. What a great passionate lover who died a tragic death. What a great movie to watch with your special mate, and whatever dessert you chose will be that much better with a dollop or two or three of this delicious whipped cream. Stuff You Need; 1 small carton …of whipped cream 1 vanilla bean , split lengthwise 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 2 tablespoons powdered sugar 1 t Kahlúa (optional) Let’s Make It; Scrape the vanilla seeds from the vanilla bean and put into the cream. Whip the cream until it starts to thicken. Add the sugar and extract. Whisk until the cream stands in soft peaks. ICE CREAM For Getting Serious This is seriously potent stuff! Make it with caution. It can help seduce you into doing something you may regret later on. Stuff You Need 2 cups half-and-half 1 cup whipping cream 1 cup minus 2 tablespoons sugar 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped Let’s Make It; Combine all ingredients (including the bean and the seeds in a large saucepan and place over medium heat. Attach a frying or candy thermometer to inside of pan. If you don’t have a candy thermometer, cook it till it just starts to simmer. DON’T let it boil. Stir occasionally, bring the mixture to 170 degrees F. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Remove the vanilla bean, pour mixture into a container and cover. Refrigerate mixture overnight to mellow flavors and texture. Freeze mixture in ice cream freezer according to unit's instructions. The mixture will not freeze hard in the machine. Once the volume has increased by 1/2 to 3/4 times, and reached a soft serve consistency, spoon the mixture back into a lidded container and harden in the freezer at least 1 hour before serving. NOTE: If you do not have a thermometer, bring the mixture just barely to a simmer. As soon as you see a bubble hit the surface, remove it from the heat. Do not let it boil. Yield: 1 quart Chocolate Silk Sorbet Meltingly Good Anywhere You would never guess that this dense and creamy dessert is non-dairy. Since the recipe contains egg yolks, this is not a sorbet in the strict sense, but the yolks do provide a rich texture. Stuff You Need; 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise 2 cups water 1 cup sugar 1/8 teaspoon coarse salt 12 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped 3 large egg yolks 2 tablespoons brandy Let’s Cook It; 1. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean into heavy medium saucepan; add bean. 2. Add water, sugar and salt. Whisk over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Add chocolate. Whisk until it’s completely melted and smooth. 3. Whisk yolks in medium bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in hot chocolate mixture; return to same saucepan. 4. Stir over medium heat until custard thickens slightly and leaves path on back on spoon when finger is drawn across, about 3 minutes (do not boil). 5. Chill uncovered until cold, about 2 hours. Mix in brandy. Process the sorbet mixture in ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. (Sorbet will be very soft.) Spoon the sorbet into container. Cover and freeze until firm, at least 8 hours. (Can be made 4 days ahead, Keep frozen) Makes about 3 cups Vanilla Fudge Hearts With Macadamia Nuts This has a delicate melt-in-your-mouth flavor that is like a soft kiss. What You Need; 2 c Sugar 1 Can (5-oz) evaporated milk 1/3 c Milk 1/8 ts Salt 1/4 c Butter 1 tsp. Fresh Vanilla extract 1 cup Chopped Macadamia nuts Let’s Cook It; Line an 8x4x2-inch loaf pan with foil, extending foil over edges of pan. Butter foil; set aside. Butter the sides of a heavy 2-quart saucepan. In saucepan combine sugar, evaporated milk, milk, and salt. Cook and stir over medium-high heat to boiling. Carefully clip a candy thermometer to the side of the saucepan. Cook and stir over mediumlow-heat to 238F, soft-ball stage (this should take 25 to 35 minutes). Immediately remove saucepan from heat. Add butter and vanilla, but do not stir. Cool mixture, without stirring, to 110F, lukewarm (about 55 minutes). Remove candy thermometer from saucepan. Beat vigorously with a wooden spoon till fudge becomes very thick and just starts to lose its gloss (about 10 minutes total). Do not over-beat. Immediately spread fudge into the prepared pan. Score into 1-inch squares while warm. Top each square with a piece of nut, if desired. When the candy is firm, use the foil to lift the fudge out of the pan. Cut into squares. Store tightly covered, in the refrigerator. Makes about 1 lb (32 servings) Floating Vanilla Clouds in Kahlua Custard Sauce Kahlua is good over ice cream, or cake, or in this custard that I think is always light and satisfying after a meal. ….the dark rich flavor helps bring out the exotic feelings of love deep and dark within us. The vanilla as it does so many times hides in the background , ties together and mellows all the flavors. You can thank Xanat for that. MERINGUE “CLOUDS” (Oven 300o) Stuff You Need; 3 egg whites 1/8 teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon Cream of Tartar 3 tablespoons sugar 1/2 Vanilla bean split lengthwise Let’s Cook It; 1. Scrap seeds from ½ vanilla into the egg whites 2. Whip egg whites with salt and Cream of Tartar until stiff. Add sugar gradually, whipping constantly. 3. Make 4 mounds of the meringue on a non-stick baking sheet. 4. Bake in a slow oven for 10-15 minutes, or until meringues are set and slightly browned. Let them cool while you make the custard. KAHLUA CUSTARD SAUCE FOR “FLOATING CLOUDS” (Microwave Version) Stuff you need; 2 large eggs 2 large egg yolks 1/4 cup sugar 1/tsp. Kosher salt (1/4 tsp table salt) 1 Tbsp. cornstarch 1/2 cup milk 1 cup cream (1 carton) 1 vanilla bean ( split lengthwise) 2 Tbsp. kahlua Let’s Cook it; Make the “Islands” as first. 1. Beat 2 eggs and 2 egg yolks together until light, in a microwavesafe bowl. 2. Beat in sugar, cornstarch, milk and cream. 3. Microwave at high for 2 minutes. Whip with wire whisk. Continue cooking at short intervals, stirring often with wire whisk, until mixture is thickened enough to coat a spoon. Don’t overcook. Add vanilla and Kahlua. This may also be made in a saucepan or double-boiler on the stove. (If you use a saucepan, keep the burner on low heat, stir constantly, and be careful not to let the sauce boil!) Stir it often, and strain out any lumps. When serving; Place the warm Kahlua custard on 2 dessert plates or bowls. Float the islands on the custard. Top with a little sauce and toasted almonds if you wish. You can also Put this all on one large plate and serve with just 2 spoons . Light and fun as a surprise kiss with a little squeeze. Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies A wonderful way to say I love you is to make some fresh cookies. These are so light and wonderful they warm you are like sweet lingering kiss. Stuff you need; 2 sticks (½ lb.) butter, softened 1 cup light brown sugar ¾ cup granulated sugar ¼ cup chopped Angel Flake Coconut 1 extra-large egg 1 Tbs. water 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, un-sifted ½ tsp. baking soda 12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips 1 ½ cups pecan pieces (walnuts may be substituted) 1 Tbs. real vanilla extract Let’s Cook it; Preheat oven to 350º. 1. Cream butter, sugars, vanilla, coconut, and egg for 5 minutes. 2. Add flour and soda and mix for 3 to 4 minutes. 3. Gently fold in chips and pecans. Chill dough for 1 hour for easier handling. 4. Divide dough into 8 pieces and roll into strips. Pinch 13 cookies from each strip. 5. Place on lightly greased cookie pans and bake about 9 to 11 minutes. Makes about 100 small cookies Monkey Banana Banana Dipped in in Vanilla Sugar This is a wonderful thing to share together, feed each other, monkey around or go a little ape! Stuff You Need; Vanilla Sugar 2 cups sugar, white or brown 1 vanilla bean cut up with a scissors into 4 pieces Grind up in a food processor or blender with the sugar. Store in a jar or storage bag Fruit Bananas cut into chunks, also you can use strawberries, peaches or any moist fruit. Just put a plate of vanilla sugar out And two small wine glasses of Grand Marnier or rum Get two skewers or fondue forks When ready just take Banana cut it into chunks and dip it in Grand Mariner or rum and then in roll it well in the vanilla sugar. If you don’t roll it well I find there is too much alcohol taste. Also when well rolled in the vanilla sugar it is totally decadent and wonderful and so much fun to let your partner bite it off your skewer. Pretty as a Peach Ice Cream When you really want to impress, then take out the big weapons. Peach ice cream has been for many people including my dad, the best ice cream they have ever had. Stuff You Need; 1 1/2 pounds peaches, peeled, pitted, sliced; peels and pits reserved 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 2 cups whipping cream 1 cup milk (do not use low-fat or nonfat) 1 1-inch piece vanilla bean, split lengthwise 4 large egg yolks 3/4 cup sugar 1/2 cup light corn syrup Let’s Cook It; For ice cream: Place peach slices in large bowl; add lemon juice and toss gently. Set aside. Combine peach peels, pits, cream, milk and vanilla bean in heavy large saucepan and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to very low and barely simmer 20 minutes. Strain cream mixture into heavy medium saucepan. Whisk yolks and sugar in medium bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in hot cream. Return mixture to same saucepan; stir over medium-low heat until custard thickens and leaves path on back of spoon when finger is drawn across, about 7 minutes (do not boil). Strain into bowl. Mix in corn syrup. Chill custard until cold. Puree peach slices in processor. Add 1 cup custard; blend until smooth. Whisk into remaining custard. Transfer to ice cream maker; process according to manufacturer's instructions. Transfer to covered container and freeze. (Can be made 2 days ahead.) For fresh Vanilla Peaches: Stuff You Need; 1 2-inch piece vanilla bean, split lengthwise 1/4 cup dry white wine 3 tablespoons sugar 4 peaches, peeled, pitted, sliced Let’s Cook It; 1. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean into heavy small saucepan; add bean. 2. Add wine and sugar and stir over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and bring to boil 3. Pour syrup into medium bowl. Refrigerate until cold. Add peaches to syrup and toss to coat. Top ice cream with Peaches and serve with shortbread type cookies. Poached Pears In Honey – Vanilla Syrup It is not just the flavor and texture of a ripe pear that is so erotic. It is the delicate. Honey has been from Cleopatra’s, noted for it’s abilities to enhance love making. Stuff You Need; Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less 1 cup water 3 tablespoons honey 3 tablespoons sugar 1/2 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise 2 pears peeled and cored Let’s Cook It; In a 1 1/2-quart saucepan simmer water, honey, sugar, and vanilla bean, covered, 5 minutes. Add pears and simmer, covered, until just tender but not falling apart, 2 to 5 minutes, depending on ripeness of fruit. Transfer pears with a slotted spoon to a bowl and boil syrup until reduced to about 1/2 cup. Pour syrup over pears and chill 25 minutes. Serves 2 Chocolate Mud Cake With Fresh Strawberries If you are looking for a dessert when you want to get down and dirty consider the mud cake. There is a time and place for everything, including getting messy. Washing up can be fun as well! Stuff You Need; 1 ½ cups strong coffee 1 cup butter 2 cups brown sugar 8 oz. Dark Cooking Chocolate, chopped 2 eggs 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 2 tsp. baking powder ¼ cup cocoa powder 1 pint fresh Strawberries 1 teasp pure vanilla extract ¼ cup sugar 1 recipe Chantilly Cream (see recipe) Preheat oven to 300 ° 1. Place coffee, butter, brown sugar, and chocolate in a saucepan. 2. Stir over low heat until the sugar dissolves and the chocolate melts. Cool to room temperature. 3. Add eggs and beat well. Sift the dry ingredients and add to chocolate mixture. Mix well. 4. Pour batter into 8 inch round tin. Cook for 1 ¼ hours or until toothpick that is inserted comes out clean Slice fresh strawberries and toss with the pure vanilla extract and the sugar Assembly Get a nice big serving plate Put the cake on the plate. Top with the Strawberries Then top with Cream Chantilly Dig in with abandon! Vanilla Bean Fondue With Chocolate Swirl Always a wonderful choice as a romantic dish Here is one that is light, silky and heavenly vanilla. Stuff You Need; 1 pint heavy cream 1 cup vanilla sugar 1 Tbs. corn starch 1 vanilla bean (split lengthwise and scrape the seeds out into the cream) 3 Tbs. grand mariner or other liqueur 4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, cut in small chunks Fresh Fruit, pears, strawberries, bananas, apples, Kiwi star fruit. grapes. Let’s Make It 1. Mix all ingredients in the fondue pot and heat till thickened. 2. Add the chocolate chunks and swirl it in , leave it a bit swirly and not fully mixed in. 2. Cut up fresh fruit in chunks that you can skewer. Vanilla Cheese Cake with real vanilla beans This cheesecake, a delicious contrast of sweet vanilla and tart cranberry, is a scrumptious conclusion to any dinner. Whipped cream rosettes are a pretty finish if you feel so inclined. Crust 12 vanilla sandwich cookies (such as Vienna Fingers; 6 1/2 ounces), broken into pieces 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces, room temperature 1/4 cup sugar Filling 2 vanilla beans, split lengthwise 1/2 cup whipping cream 1 1/2 pounds cream cheese, room temperature 1 cup sugar Pinch of salt 4 large eggs For Crust 1. Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350° F. 2. Wrap outside of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inchhigh sides with foil. 3. Blend cookies, butter and sugar in processor until crumbs stick together. Press crumbs on bottom and halfway up sides of prepared pan. Bake crust 10 minutes. Set aside. Maintain oven temperature. For Filling 1. Using tip of small sharp knife, scrape seeds from vanilla beans into small saucepan; add beans. 2. Add cream. Bring to simmer over medium heat. Set aside uncovered, and cool to room temperature. Take out vanilla beans pod. 3. Blend cheese, sugar and salt in processor until very smooth, stopping often to scrape down sides of work bowl. 4. Add vanilla cream and blend. Add eggs; process 5 seconds. 5. Scrape down sides of work bowl; process just until blended, about 5 seconds. Transfer filling to crust 6. Bake cake until sides puff slightly and center is just set, about 50 minutes. 7. Place uncovered hot cheesecake directly into refrigerator and chill thoroughly. Serves 10. Recipes that have worked for me Appetizers Vanilla Fruit Salad in a Pineapple Shell With fresh flowers Stuffed Artichoke with Wild Mushroom Dressing vanilla béarnaise dipping sauce Vanilla Bay Scallops Served on Belgian Endive leaves Fresh Fruit in a Pineapple Shell With fresh Flowers A beautiful presentation of fruit Fresh fruit is light and full of flavor and energy for Cut a pineapple in half and hollow out the fruit from the shell carefully so you can still make nice chunks out of the fruit. 1. Cut your favorite Sensual fruit along with the pineapple such as ; Kiwi, strawberries, melons, ( watermelon, honeydew or cantaloupe) Grapes, strawberries, pears , oranges , bananas, and place in a large mixing bowl. 2. Put two Tblsp of fresh vanilla extract in a saucepan and 2 Tblsp of brown sugar. Heat slightly just to evaporate the alcohol. This will just take under a minute usually. It doesn’t have to flame. 3. Pour the syrup over the fruit salad in a bowl. It will heighten the flavor of the fruit salad immensely. 4. Put the salad in the pineapple shell on a nice serving platter. Shave some Fresh coconut slices with a knife on a sheet pan and toast them in the oven till lightly browned. Surround with nice lettuce leaves and fresh edible flowers, that are available in some supermarkets. If not any flowers will do…just don’t eat them , let them be for garnish. Serve with fruit dipping sauce Fruit Dipping Sauces Here are a few fruit dressings to go with the fruit for additional sensual pleasure. Simple Fruit Dip Blend in small bowl: 2 spoonfuls brown sugar 1 cup (8 oz. carton) sour cream 1 Tblsp. Real vanilla extract or seeds from one vanilla bean To make it more exotic add 1/8 tsp cinnamon 1/8 tsp nutmeg 1/8 tsp allspice To reduce calories or make it a bit more tart use ½ cup yogurt and ½ cup sour cream. Grand Fruit Dip 1 cup sour cream ¼ cup brown sugar 1 Tblsp. Real vanilla extract or seeds from one vanilla bean 2 tablespoons dark rum 4 teaspoons Grand Marnier Mix all ingredients and let sit for 1 hour Honey Fruit Dip 1 8 oz pkg cream cheese 1 teaspoon lemon or lime juice 4 tablespoons honey -- or to taste 1 Tblsp. Real vanilla extract or seeds from one vanilla bean Whip cream cheese with juice. Sweeten to taste with honey. Chill. Amaretto Fruit Dip 1 small carton of whipping cream 1 Tblsp. Vanilla extract, or seeds from one vanilla bean 1 small package Lemon Jello Instant Pudding/Pie Filling 8 ounces sour cream 1/4 cup amaretto Whip cream to fluffy peaks with vanilla extract Gently whisk together sour cream and amaretto in a medium sized bowl. Stir in instant pudding mix. Gently but thoroughly stir in whipped cream. Cover and refrigerate several hours or overnight to combine flavors. Serve with sliced fresh fruit. Caramel Dip 1 package (8 oz) cream cheese -- softened 3/4 cup packed brown sugar 1 cup (8 oz) sour cream 1 Tblsp. Real vanilla extract or seeds from one vanilla bean. 2 teaspoons lemon juice In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and brown sugar until smooth. Add the sour cream, vanilla, lemon juice, Coconut Fruit dip 1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese 2 Tblsp. Honey 1/2 c. lemon yogurt 1 Tblsp. Real vanilla extract or seeds from one vanilla bean. 1/2 c. coconut, toasted 3 tbl. milk In a small mixer bowl beat together the cream cheese, lemon yogurt, honey, and vanilla till smooth. Stir in the coconut and milk. Turn into serving bowl. Cover and chill in the refrigerator till cold. Serve with slices of fresh fruit or crackers. Pacific Island Marshmellow Fruit dip 8 oz. package of cream cheese 3 Tblsp marshmallow cream 1 tblsp fresh vanilla extract or seeds from one vanilla bean Teaspoon ginger ¼ tsp nutmeg ¼ Tsp Cinnamon , Crushed up pineapple or 1 Tblsp orange juice concentrate Vanilla Cookie Dip 7 vanilla wafers 2 Tblsp brown sugar 1 cup sour cream 1 tblsp vanilla exract or seeds from one vanilla bean. Crush vanilla wafers and in a plastic bag with rolling pin or in a food processor. Mix with brown sugar and sour cream. Artichoke with wild mushroom stuffing The experience of eating an artichoke can be a joint-physical pleasure. Umm Peeling off the leaves one by one together and scraping the leaves and sucking off the butter. Mushrooms are an earthy- foresty flavor that makes a luscious , steamy dressing to find deep in the heart of the choke as you peel the leaves off. The Portabella and oyster mushrooms have a nice meaty texture to them that I think is a sexy texture. The vanilla rounds out the flavor of the mushrooms . The vanilla burre blanc on the plate with the mushroom chunks makes a beautiful presentation. Stuff you’ll need, 2 nice artichokes 1 ½ lb (approx) mushrooms altogether ( some portabella, oyster, white, Chantrelles. ) Shallots garlic tarragon vanilla bean (seeds from ½ vanilla bean) butter smoked sausage (fine dice) 1 slice of bread (chopped fine) 1 egg 1/2 cup cream Salt , pepper For Vanilla Burre Blanc Sauce ½ cup cream 1 Tblsp chopped shallots 1 Tblsp fresh chopped tarragon or 1 teasp dried seeds from ½ vanilla bean 1/3 stick butter 1 Tsp. red wine vinegar Chop all the mushrooms except 6 nice ones, into a fine dice. You can pulse them in the food processor as well. Saute the mushrooms, shallots, sausage and tarragon in the butter with the vanilla till they are tender. Pull off of the heat. Add the bread, cream …and when it has cooled a bit add the egg and mix well. If your pan is big enough you can mix it right in the pan. If not transfer to a bowl and then put in the bread, cream and eggs in. Saute the 6 whole mushrooms till tender and reserve. Next Trim and cook the artichoke till done. Pull the center out. Stuff the centers of the artichoke with the stuffing. Bake at 350 degrees , covered for 30 minutes or until the stuffing is set . For the Vanilla Béarnaise dipping sauce 1. Saute the shallots in 1 tblsp butter on MED. heat till tender , about 2 minutes. ( they burn easy) 2. Add the tarragon and simmer about half a minute just to open up the flavors in the tarragon. ( when you are able to smell the tarragon cooking) 3.Add the cream and simmer for 5 minutes with the seeds of the vanilla bean and the vinegar for about 3 minutes, it will reduce in volume . Pull from the heat. 4. Whisk in the butter one clump at a time. Presentation.; Pour some vanilla Bearnaise on the plate and place the baked artichoke in the center. Surround it with the 6 mushrooms. If you want more melted butter for dipping then put it in some small cups. Vanilla Bay Scallops Served on Belgian Endive leaves This is just a nice presentation for a dinner/movie or something where you can move around and graze. The Belgian endive leaves make a good cup for any filling, they are light and pretty, crispy and mild flavored. If your darling loves seafood then this will be a nice choice. The Vanilla cream sauce is just a nice delicate romantic touch. Stuff you’ll need, 1lb. bay scallops ¼ lb mushrooms 2 Tblsp butter ¼ cup chopped shallots or onions 1 vanilla bean sliced lengthwise ½ cup white wine ( Chardonnay or Riesling or whatever your drinking) ½ Cup Cream ½ Tblsp. Lemon juice 1 teasp. Salt ( Kosher salt preferred) 1/8 to ¼ tesp. Cayenne pepper 2 heads of Belgian Endive Fresh Dill (or other fresh herb for garnish) cherry tomato Lets Cook It; 1. Melt butter in a non-stick frying pan 2. Add the shallots and cook till tender stiring with a wooden or plastic cooking spoon. 3. Add the scallops and cook until they are firm and turn white colored. 4. add the mushrooms and cook for 1 minute or till tender. 5. Add the white wine and vanilla bean and simmer for a minute. 6. Add the cream and simmer for 2 minutes to reduce and combine flavors. Remove the vanilla pod and scrape the seeds into the pan and stir in. 7. Taste and add the salt and Cayenne pepper. 8. Add the Lemon juice and taste. If it needs more salt add it. Let’s Dish It; Get a nice serving plate or platter. Pull off the individual Belgian endive leaves and rinse. Place in a nice pattern on the plate Place a scallop or two on each leaf , with a little sauce. Place the leaves in a nice pattern on the serving plate or platter. To add a little color put a slice of cherry tomato on the leaf and a sprig of dill or fresh herb. Dishes that have Worked for Me Main Dishes Coconut Shrimp Carribean Cruise with Coconut Dipping sauce Butterfly Heart Pork Tenderloin with Cinnamon-Vanilla apples Halibutts Under the Covers Crab and Shrimp Stuffing in Vanilla Cream sauce Parmesan /Bread crumb topping Chicken Skewers for Spring Romance with BBQed fresh Peaches with Vanilla glaze Carribbean Cruise Prawns with Coconut dipping sauce Shrimp are wonderfully sexy, the heady seafood flavor plus the texture that is tender and fleshy, and just a little bite to it. The cool thing about this dish is the aroma that fills the room when you sauté the prawns. The vanilla oil with the prawns and shallots make a lovely combination. Stuff you need; 1 lb of jumbo prawns ( peeled and de-veined) ½ cup Vanilla oil (recipe follows) 2 Tblsp chopped shallots 8 quartered mushrooms (crimini are my first choice but the white ones are good too ) Coconut Dipping Sauce ½ Cup Cream ½ Cup coconut milk Vanilla bean ¼ Cup Dark Rum Let’s Cook it ; 1. Prepare the vanilla oil by heating ½ cup of oil in a pan or microwave container. Add the vanilla bean and let it steep for an hour 2. Bring the cream and coconut milk to a simmer in a small pan. Add the vanilla seeds and reduce the mixture by half , about 5- 10 minutes. 15 Minutes before Dinner ; Now your ready to sauté the prawns. This is nice to do while your Sweetie is there, they are fresher this way and the smells are so gooood. 1. Heat the vanilla oil in the sauté pan and add the prawns. Sauté till the prawns are almost done. They will be white and bright red lines in them. Add the shallots and sauté continue to cook for a minute. The shallots will be tender and you can smell them well. Now add the mushrooms and cook till they are tender. Every thing should smell wonderful now, add the cream and let it simmer for another minute. Let’s Dish It; There are lots of ways to present this dish to make it fun. One way is to greet your sweetie with a flower lay, and put a grass skirt around the serving table. You can put the Vanilla-coconut dipping sauce in a little bowl in the center of the platter and put the prawns around them. Some little tooth picks for the mushrooms Butterfly-Heart Pork Loin with Vanilla –Cinnamon apples This is a lovely dish as the pork loin has the appearance of a heart shape, even though it is a bit difficult to distinguish in this picture. I used 3 little sweet potato pancakes to put the pork on. Stuff You Need; For Pork Steaks ½ lb of Pork Loin Roast for breading ; Flour Eggs Panko Oil for Saute (Olive or good quality oil) For Apple Topping , 1 large Granny Smith Apple ( or tart ) 2 Tablsp. Butter 1 Tblsp. Brown sugar 1 Vanilla bean slit lengthwise 1 teasp. Cinnamon ¼ cup rum or brandy 2 teaspoons lemon juice Pecans Dried cranberries (craisins) Sweet Potato Pancakes 1 sweet potato large sized 1 egg chopped onion Salt oil for frying Vegetables 6 strips-Yellow squash 6 strips- Carrot , cut into strips 6 Green beans Lets Cook It; 1. Slice the pork tenderloin ¼ down but not all the way through. Make another slice ¼ inch but this time go all the way through. Now you can open up the slices like a book and lay it flat. It should look a bit like a heart. Make 2 of these steaks. 2. Set up the Breading items; On 3 little plates separate the flour , the Panko (or bread crumbs) and the beaten egg. 3. Dredge one of the Pork steaks in the flour, then the egg and then the panko pressing in the crumbs to give it a good coating. Place it on a Plate. Repeat the process with the other steak. Let the steaks rest for a minute or chill if you are going to cook them in a couple hours. 4. Get the topping ingredients together. Slice the apples and place in a bowl, toss with a bit of lemon juice to keep them from browning. Gather and pre-measure the brown sugar, lemon juice, nuts, vanilla bean, rum or brandy, and the butter for sautéing. 5. Scrap the seeds of vanilla bean into the ¼ cup brandy. ( they will stick to the knife but just push the clump off the knife with the bean pod into the brandy. Sweet Potato Pancakes these of course are optional 1. Microwave or bake the Sweet Potato till half way cooked approximately. The time will vary but you do not need to be exact. This can be done a day ahead. 2. When the potato cools, shred on the larger holes of a grater into a bowl. 3. Add the egg and salt and mix. Set the bowl aside till ready to cook 4. Heat a 12 or so inch skillet, add the oil and divide the mixture into 6 pancakes , fry till brown on one side flip and fry for a few extra minutes. Place 3 pancakes in a triangle on the center of two serving plates , and place in a warm oven. Vegetables Simmer the vegetables in water for 10 minutes and drain, and let sit in the pot to keep warm. Cooking the Pork Steaks 5. Cook the Pork steaks in a skillet. And place on two plates keeping them warm in the oven. Clean out the skillet and add the butter, let it start to melt and then add the apples and the cinnamon. 6. Cook until the apples are almost tender then add the brown sugar and nuts, toss and cook till the sugar mixes well. 7. Add the rum or brandy and cook a few minutes until you can smell the aromas well. 8. Pour the apple mixture over the Pork steaks, top with the dried cranberries and a mint sprig if you want, place the vegetables on the plate and serve. Let your darling smell that apple-vanilla-cinnamon aroma and watch the senses start to awaken! Halibutts Under the Covers Crab and Shrimp Stuffing blanketed with Vanilla Mornay sauce Parmesan-Bread crumb Crust. Of all the dishes that I have done in the last 30 years for special events this is the most requested. (I rename it for most events) It just has a melt in your mouth experience that is incredible, memorable, always get asked for the recipe and please do it again. Stuff You Need; ¾ lb. Halibut cut into filets ½ inch thick For Stuffing 2 Tblsp butter 8 oz. Crab, ( imitation works well also) 8 oz. bay shrimp 2 shallots finely chopped 1 Tblsp. Tarragon 2 Tblsp. Shredded parmesan ½ Cup Vanilla Mornay sauce (see below) Sauce 3 cups milk 8 oz. cream cheese ( soften in the microwave and mix smooth ) 1 Vanilla Bean (split lengthwise) 2-3 teasp Kosher salt 3 Tblsp. Butter 4 Tblsp flour ¼ teasp cayenne pepper Topping ¼ Cup Grated Parmesan ½ Cup Bread crumbs 1 teaspoon paprika 2 Tablespoons melted butter Lets Cook It; Vanilla Mornay Sauce 1. Heat the milk in a sauce pan with the split vanilla bean till just a simmer. 2. In another pan melt the butter and add the flour, and cook 1 minute stirring constantly with a whisk. 3. Remove the vanilla bean pod and add the flour /butter mixture to the hot milk and stir till the sauce thickens. Scrape the seeds of the vanilla pod out and put into the sauce and whisk till smooth. 4. Add the softened cream cheese. Mix till smooth, Filling 1. Saute shallots in a sauté pan till translucent 2. Add the tarragon and sauté for a little while to open the flavors 3. Add the Crab and shrimp to heat and mix flavors 4. Add the mornay sauce, parmesan cheese and mix. Topping 1. Melt butter and Mix with bread crumbs, parmesan and seasonings. Assembley 1. Put half of the filling in a single serving oven proof baking dish or put all the filling in a larger casserole dish. 2. Cut the halibut in half if it is thick. This will give you more surface area of halibut to cover the casserole dish. Form the filets around monunds of the crab mixture. They will resemble little butts . 2. Top with remaining mornay sauce and smooth it out over the casserole. 3. Then top with the bread crumb mixture. Bake for 350 degrees for 30 to 45 till well browned and bubbly on the sides. You won’t dry out the halibut …the sauce keeps a moisture barrier. Chicken Skewers for Spring Romance with BBQed fresh Peaches with Vanilla glaze BBQ peaches are such and easy thing to do that I couldn’t let you get away with not knowing how easy and wonderful they are. There is nothing like a Spring Romance and so if you want something that is a simple main dish or appetizer this is it. The vanilla will dazzle when it mixes with the scents of fresh peaches, cinnamon , and of course spring air, laughs and love. Stuff You Need; Chicken Skewers 1 lb. of Chicken Thigh meat cut into strips (breast may be substituted) Bamboo skewers Marinade 1 Cup soy sauce ½ Cup White wine ¼ cup distilled, rice or cider vinegar 6 Crushed garlic cloves ¼ cup crushed ginger root ( 2 tsp. powdered ginger) Peaches 2 Peaches ½ cup water 1 cup sugar 1 vanilla bean , split length wise and in half 1 Cinnamon stick broken in 4 pieces Lets Cook It; Chicken 1. Put together the marinade in a glass or stainless bowl . 2. Cut chicken into 2 inch or so strips parallel with the width of the thigh or breast 3. Marinate chicken for 1 hour , or overnight 4. Thread chicken on about 8 skewers and keep in a pan chilled until ready to BBQ Peaches Cut peaches in half and remove Pit Vanilla Syrup Simmer sugar, water cinnamon stick and vanilla pieces in syrup for 10 minutes ( time starts after it comes to a simmer ) then remove from heat. Chicken Skewers for Spring Romance with BBQed fresh Peaches with Vanilla glaze Let’s Cook It ; Bbq the chicken until it is done and the peaches go on towards the last. They will take only about 5 minutes. Try to get some pretty grill marks on them. When serving put a little of the syrup and a piece of vanilla bean and a piece of cinnamon stick on each peach. Top with a mint sprig , pull one out of your garden if you can. Serve with rice or cous cous and a nice garden salad. Breakfast Recipes using Vanilla Stuffed French Toast With Vanilla Syrup Jamaican Banana Crepes Stuffed French Toast With Vanilla Syrup and Toasted Hazelnuts Sometimes people enjoy good romantic meals in the morning. This is a nice recipe because it can be prepped up the day before and then just popped in the oven in the morning. The scent of the vanilla syrup is delicate and feminine along with the spicy cinnamon. ……Delicate… feminine but Spicy ….ummmm now that is well rounded. Stuff You’ll Need; French Toast 1/2 Loaf of nice French bread Baking Dish a 8 x 8 6 eggs 1/2 cup milk 1 teasp. Cinnamon 1 teasp. vanilla extract 8 oz Cream Cheese ( 1store package) 2 Cups approx. of Peaches, Pears, Blueberries, or Bananas Vanilla Syrup 1 cup water 1 cup sugar 1 cinnamon stick 1 vanilla bean 2 tsp. Lemon juice 1 Tblsp vanilla extract 1 Cup Karo syrup Topping 1/3 cup Hazelnuts (chopped in small chunks, not powdered) Let’s Cook It; 1. Slice French Bread in half, Then cut slices, making a layer to fit a in the bottom of a glass baking dish. 2. Spread the cream cheese over the bread. 3. Slice fruit and put over the cream cheese 4. Make another layer of bread slices and put over the top of the fruit 5. Whip the eggs with the milk, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and pour over the top layer of bread so the whole strata gets soaked. Cover and chill overnight if possible, if not its ok. 6. Bake covered with foil for 40 minutes at 350 ° 7. Bake uncovered for another 2o minutes or until risen and brown. The Syrup Bring the water, sugar, vanilla bean, vanilla extract and cinnamon stick to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes. Then pull it off and let it sit. If it simmers too long it will get too hard. This is good if you can do the day before as the syrup with pick up more of the vanilla bean flavor. The Hazelnut Topping The Hazelnut chunks can be toasted on a pie pan in the oven for 5 minutes or in a non-stick skillet on Very Low..for 5 minutes turning ever so often. The nuts burn easy so keep an eye on them. Let’s Eat It; Let the French toast sit for a few minutes after you take it out of the oven. Cut a nice square and put it on the heated plate. Top with the vanilla syrup and then the toasted hazelnuts. Garnish with some fresh fruit slices and mint sprig if you want a little extra color. A couple slices of thick bacon go well with this also. This I guarantee you will please your lover. Jamaican Banana Crepes with Chantilly Cream I was overwhelmed with how good these were the first time I had them. If you want to hit your sweetheart first thing in the morning or kick off a nice brunch together this will get attention. It also makes a good dessert. Stuff You Need; Crepe 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1 eggs 1/4 cup low-fat milk 1/4 cup water 1 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoons melted butter Filling 1 banana 2 Tblsp butter 1/3 cup brown sugar 1/2 teasp cinnamon Shot of Jamaican rum 1/4 cups chopped walnuts ( hand chopped preferably) Let’s Cook It; Crepe Whisk the flour and the eggs together in a large mixing bowl. Slowly stir in the milk and the water. Add the salt and butter, and beat the mixture until smooth. If you have a crepe maker, you probably know what to do next. If you're not so lucky... Heat a griddle or frying pan to medium. Give it a very light spray of cooking oil. Drop the crepe mixture onto the heated surface. Using about a 1/4 cup of batter for each crepe. Tilt the pan with a circular motion so that the batter coats the surface evenly. "Thin is in" when it comes to the layer of batter. Cook each side until the golden brown brown (about 2 minutes for side one -batter will bubble; and 1 minute for side 2). Gently remove and place on a plate. Place waxed paper between cooked crepes to prevent sticking. This will make 4 crepes. 2 crepes make a serving. Filling 1. Slice and sauté the banana in the butter till heated. 2. Add the brown sugar and melt and combine. 3. Add the rum and flame to evaporate the alcohol. 4. Add the walnuts and heat. Assembley 1. Place a crepe on a each plate and put some filling in the crepes. Remember you want to divide between 4 crepes and then have a bit to put on top for garnish. Roll the crepe around the filling and place seam down 2. Put another crepe on the plate and roll . 3. Top with a bit of the filling and any remaining syrup left on the bottom of the pan. Top with Chantilly whipped cream. (see recipe in dessert section) Drinks With Vanilla The Best Vanilla Milkshake The Ice Cream Soda Mexican Hot Chocolate Vanilla Martini Vanilla Milkshake How many romances have a milkshake and two straws been a part of ? Ice cream is good, but the flavor rush that hits when your mouth is hit with it’s creamy smooth flow ….it is a mouthful that goes well with the excitement of love. .. in fact milk shake is such a sensual word it used to refer to the way a women uses her “stuff” to get a man’s attention. This was said best in the milkshake song by Kelis. 1 Cup Homogenized milk 1 pint of quality Ice cream 1 Tblsp pure vanilla extract or seeds of 1 vanilla bean Cracked Ice cubes ( optional) Blend ingredients with a blender and pour into tall glass or glasses. Serve with 2 straws . Add some Love food to the milkshake , Add 2/3 cup good quality chocolate syrup Add a ripe banana Add a peeled and seeded mango 1 Tblsp crystals Handful of strawberries 1 ripe peach Old- Fashioned Cream Soda The ice cream soda use to be a drug store gateway experience for many past romances. Its so much fun and we can pretend we are innocent …and then we can become corrupted …..together. Stuff You Need; 1 cup cream 3 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract 1 liter soda water (use as much as needed) Vanilla Ice cream (good quality ) Let’s Make It; Mix the cream with the vanilla extract, and put it in the glasses. Add a little less than a cup of soda water to the glasses, leaving room for ice cream. Add two scoops to the glass and stir lightly with a spoon. For a chocolate soda add 3/4 cup chocolate syrup Mexican Hot Chocolate This is rich and frothy, made with eggs, vanilla, and cinnamon. The making of it is as fun as the drinking. It is celebration with all that is soo sensual in the world of food. Cream, Chocolate, Vanilla, and Cinnamon. What a nice fantasy to drink a bit of Mexico and then meandering into the bedroom . .. Stuff You Need; 6 cups milk 1/2 cup granulated sugar 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, cut into pieces 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla Stick cinnamon (for optional garnish) Let’s Make It ; In a large saucepan, combine milk, sugar, chocolate, ground cinnamon, and salt. Heat, stirring constantly, until the chocolate has melted and the milk is very hot. (Do not let the milk come to a boil.) Beat 2 eggs in a mixing bowl. Stir in one cup of the hot mixture into the eggs, then return this mixture to the saucepan. Cook 2 to 3 minutes more over low heat, still stirring. Remove from heat. Add vanilla. Beat with a molinillo or a rotary beater until it is very frothy. Pour into mugs, garnish with cinnamon sticks, and serve. Makes about 6 (8-ounce) servings. The mollinillo is a carved wooden beater, resembling a sort of giant wooden spool carved with a wooden handle. It is the traditional tool, twirled between the hands, that is used to make the chocolate frothy. If you don't have one, use a rotary beater or electric beater to create a frothy topping on the hot chocolate. Vanilla Martini ‘s Crisp martini’s with the Aromatic perfume of Vanilla , and there are so many ways to make them special. Since the way you make vanilla extract is to use vodka, what a better way to extract the pure flavor of vanilla for a drink. To make Vanilla Vodka use 5 vanilla beans and put them in fifth of vodka. Let it sit for a month or two. It also makes a nice gift. Here are some nice libations you can make with the Vanilla Vodka Vanilla Martini 1 shot of Vanilla Vodka 1 shot of Triple Sec 1 shot of cream de cacao mixing instructions; Pour Liquers into a chilled glass, Pour in Cold milk and serve immediately Roll the glass rim in vanilla sugar for a nice presentation Death by Martini 1 oz Raspberry stoli 1/2 oz Vanilla Vodka 1/2 oz. Cream d cocoa dash raspberry syrup chocolate syrup to rim the glass Shaved chocolate fresh raspberries Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice ....shake and pour into a martini glass that has chocolate syrup around the rim .Drizzle a bit of raspberry syrup on the drink. Dress it up with some chocolate shavings ....and fresh raspberries on a skewer Chocolate Martini 1 1/2 oz vanilla vodka 1/2 oz Chocolate Liquor Dash of Cream or Half & Half Cocoa Rim & Orange Twist ( optional) Combine all ingredients in cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake well. Strain into cocoa rimmed cocktail glass. Garnish with orange twist. Vanilla Creamcicle 1 shot of Vanilla Vodka 1 shot of Triple Sec 1 shot of cream de cacao mixing instructions; Pour Liqueurs into a chilled glass, Pour in Cold milk and serve immediately The Romantic Legend of the Vanilla Goddess The Totonaca Indians of the Gulf coast of Mexico were probably the first people to cultivate vanilla. The Aztecs took their knowledge of growing vanilla and used to flavor their drink that was similar to our chocolate. Old Totonac lore has it that Xanat, the young daughter of the Mexican fertility goddess, loved a Totonac youth. Unable to marry him due to her divine nature. They both paid the price for being seen together and were both killed. From her burial ground she transformed herself into a plant in that would provide pleasure and happiness. She became the Vanilla orchid so that she could forever belong to her human love and his people. The local people still celebrate the Vanilla Festival at the end of the harvest with dances and feasts Vanilla Festival (Festival de Vainilla) Papantla, Veracruz, , Built on a hill overlooking the bright green plains of northern Veracruz, Papantla is the center of the Totonac culture and one of the world's largest vanilla producing zones. The festival hosts indigenous dancers from all over the area performing the dances of the Quetzales, Negritos, and Voladores, the last one being done from a 50-foot pole in the church atrium. There are booths with regional food and beverages, small animal figures and baskets woven from vanilla bean pods, sachets and vanilla essence. Only 6 miles from the prehispanic ruin site of El Tajin, with its famous pyramid of 365 windows, Papantla is an ideal place to stay if visiting the site and museum. Cover Artist Mickey Schick Shtamer Cover Page of Xanat the Vanilla Goddess , and Still life portrait of fruit, vanilla beans and Vanilla Orchid (title page) Mickey Schick Shtamer Born in 1955 in the city of Haifa, Israel Graduated from high school in 1973, majored in Graphic Design and art. Joined the IDF in 1973 and served during the October war. Run my own Graphic Design studio till 1991. In 1991 I attended the school of technical professions and majored in Fashion Design. Worked as a free-lancer fashion designer until 1998. During this time i also graduated from "Mula Center" school of professional makeup, and majored in Television, fashion and bridal makeup. In December 2000 i graduated the "Dvir hotel" professional cooking school and became a chef. In my free time i paint portraits, illustrate and raise 2 sons. Acknowledgements To Mom and Dad Patricia Rain Judy Douglas Isaac Freirichs Alton Brown Pat Roberts Ted Roberts Carol Hughes Cheryl Hull All my Cooking friends and others that give me constant inspiration Stephen Block [email protected] About the Author Stephen Block lives in Corvallis, Oregon where he works as a Chef, consultant, caterer, along with owning the Kitchen Project. http://www.kitchenproject.com In the picture above Stephen is shown with a culinary team from Redmond High School in Redmond , Oregon. He enjoys helping young students learn the culinary arts. The Kitchen Project was designed for people to take a culinary idea and develop it as a project which can be a business or hobby. Stephen’s projects include Vanilla Enchantment, Recipes from a German Grandma Food History Romantic Meal Ideas. He is also a Web business coach and consultant. You can reach him at 503.970.6504 Stephen Block [email protected] Vanilla Enchantment Vanilla Bean Products http://www.kitchenproject.com/vanilla [email protected] Click Here to View Online Catalog Things to look for when ordering ; The ones on the left are some of the beans on the net that are being sold. only 4-5 inches The ones on the right are the Madagascar vanilla beans that you will get here. 7-8 inches You should ask for; 1) premium beans 2) The length, 6 to 8 inches 3) Plump, supple, moist, and glossy, and a rich aroma.Avoid dry, woody, beans , short , almost no scent Madagascar Vanilla Beans Package of 6 16.80 + 1.00 shipping Package of 12 31.20 +1.25 shipping Package of 25 62.50 + 2.00 shipping Order Here The first authoritative book on vanilla in over a decade, filled with tips and suggestions for choosing and using vanilla beans and extracts, plus more than 130 recipes. The Vanilla Queen — Patricia Rain — is pleased to announce the publication of The Vanilla Chef The Vanilla Chef by Patricia Rain Learn all about vanilla; The first authoritative book on vanilla in over a decade The Vanilla Chef is the ideal book for everyone who loves vanilla. The Vanilla Chef offers an abundance of tips and suggestions for choosing and using vanilla beans and extracts in everything from daily fare to sumptuous celebrations.More than 130 recipes entice readers with delicious and unique ways to incorporate vanilla in traditional favorites as well as specialties not normally associated with vanilla's sweet flavor and fragrance. Whether your preference is to sip a Vanilla Mojito, feast on Salmon in a Rum Curry Vanilla Sauce, spice up a barbeque with Vanilla Honey Chipotle Salsa or satisfy your sweet tooth with delicate homemade marshmallows, it's all history, facts, and over 100 recipes here to enjoy. You can place an order now at the discounted price of $13.95--a $2.00 savings off the list price. Bottles for your Vanilla Extract Package of 6 bottles Package of 12 bottles These bottles are really nice. they hold 2 oz. of vanilla extract with a nice white plastic seal cap on the inside. Vanilla Powder .....more info 1/2 oz. bag .....12.95 Very potent , goes along way Package of 24 bottles 12.00 plus 5.95 shipping 20.00 plus 9.95 shipping 35.00 plus 12.95 shipping Made from just pure ground premium Madagascar bourbon vanilla beans. Ground vanilla is the essence of vanilla flavor reduced to a powder. This fragrant product can be used instead of vanilla seeds for color and texture in foods, and paired with vanilla extract for layers of vanilla flavor. A little goes a long way and saves time and waste. 1/4 teaspoon of ground vanilla beans is approximately the equivalent of 1 teaspoon extract, and tastes best when folded into butter or a cream so that a fat can encapsulate the powder and release the full flavor. Vanilla Sugar My Blend of vanilla beans ground with sugar. Great for baking , sprinkling on fruit or in coffee. An ingredient used in a great deal of European baking Vanilla Sugar 4 oz . approx. 1 cup 3.95 Kaluha, Bailey’s and Vanilla Vodka Kit, Make Kahlua, Bailey’s Irish crème or Vanilla Vodka with this Kit. Makes a great gift! 5 Bourbon vanilla beans, Vanilla sugar, ribbon, how to make labels, with a sample of what to use, and a recipe page download of different drinks to tie on as a little booklet, if you give this as a gift. ...........................................................19.95 NEW!!!!! Vanilla Enchantment By Chef Stephen Block Learning to use vanilla beans in romantic recipes. Comes with a three ring binder, Information about sensual flavors, textures, aromas, presentation and creating memories. As well as appetizer, main dish, dessert, breakfast and drink recipes. Also templates for you to learn how to put together the elements of romantic meals with your own expression. ……………………………………19.95 Electronic download ……………... 9.95 Vanilla Enchantment Order sheet www.kitchenproject.com/vanilla [email protected] Order by Check or Credit Card by Phone 503.970.6504 Product Price Amount 6 vanilla beans 12 vanilla beans 25 vanilla beans Vanilla powder Vanilla Sugar Vanilla Chef 6 bottles for vanilla 12 bottles for vanilla 24 bottles for vanilla Kahlua, Baileys, Vanilla Vodka Kit Vanilla Enchantment Romantic Recipes Book Romantic Recipes Electronic download Total 16.80 31.20 62.50 12.95 3.95 13.95 12.00 20.00 35.00 19.95 Approx Ship 1.00 1.25 2.00 1.00 1.95 2.95 5.95 9.95 12.95 2.95 19.95 3.95 9.95 0.00 Total XXXX Shipping is calculated by weight and bundled orders will cost a lot less. I really try to keep the shipping down as low as possible, you won’t feel cheated. Name ________________________________________ Address_____________________________________________________ City ________________ State __________________ Zip______________ Phone _______________________________________________________ Make check payable and send to; Stephen Block 1114 NW Beca Ave. Corvallis, OR 97330 503.970.6504