"Fried Green Tomatoes...Yum!"
By Kathi Dameron (From the October 8, 2008 Entertaining with Kathi newspaper column
“Oh, what I wouldn't give for a plate of fried green tomatoes like we used to have at the café,” Ninny Threadgoode said in the 1991 block buster movie, Fried Green Tomatoes.
A spotlight of national hoopla shined bright on this fabulous Southern delicacy.
Beyond the Fried Green Tomato Girdle of the Deep South, from coast to coast, the fame of green tomatoes skyrocketed following the release of the movie.
In sophisticated and cosmopolitan cities like Manhattan, Chicago and LA the humble Fried Green Tomato became a hip, hot and honorable hors d’ oeuvre.
Just about everyone fell in love with these smile-poppers.
Mention ”a plate of fried green matos” to someone and you can almost guarantee that the corner of their mouth will raise heaven ward in anticipation.
But then “a plate of em’ is sort of a misnomer isn’t it? In many homes, Fried Green Tomatoes never seem to get to the table.
How many of you remember hovering around your momma and the old cast iron frying pan while ‘matoes sizzled away in bacon grease? Did you eat ‘em just about as fast as your momma could fry ‘em?
For today’s column, I’m sharing the Fried Green Tomato recipe that I’ve been using in my tallahassee catering business since the mid 1990’s.
One of the novel things that we get to do from time to time at Canopy Rose is to set up a Fried Green Tomato Station at a wedding, tailgate party or other special event.
If you have never experienced a Fried Green Tomato themed station at a party - you really should have this experience at least once.
Guests go wild!
Now granted, setting up a LIVE Fried Green Tomato Station for a couple hundred friends will create a lot of wow…keep in mind it will also create a whole lot of hands-on work, but then that is why there are caterers.
Fried Green Tomatoes
Firm green tomatoes
Milk
All Purpose Flour
Eggs, Beaten
Breadcrumbs, panko or cornmeal (I like to season my crumbs for extra flavor)
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Seasoning Salt
Wash & Dry Green Tomatoes
Slice tomatoes in one half inch or less slices.
Sprinkle tomato slices with salt, pepper and seasoning salt. Allow to stand for 15 minutes.
Line up 4 pie pans on the counter in a row. Put milk, flour, eggs and breadcrumbs into their own pie pan.
Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat.
Dip green tomatoes in milk, then flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs.
Fry about 5 minutes per side or until nice and golden brown.
Kathi Dameron is a caterer, special event designer and creator of innovative food stations for weddings, parties and other soirees. She owns Canopy Rose Culinary Arts Studio and Catering Company. Visit her on the web at http://www.canopyrose.com/ She can also be reached at canopyrose@aol.com or at 850-539-7750.
Monday, October 13, 2008
My Next Column
Pumpkin Bread- A Delicious Way To Make New Friends
By Kathi Dameron
The aromas of autumn swirl through the old Havana Bank building as I write today’s column. So enticing are these fragrant old-fashioned scents, I wonder how I will be able to stick to my diet.
I try to tell myself that nothing tastes as good as thin feels…but all too often the desire for immediate gratification prevails. After all someone needs to be the taste tester and make certain that the flavoring is simply perfect before a hundred or more batches are stirred up.
This week, I’m going totally against my grain by baking a cornucopia of pumpkin-filled confections that are not yet sold. For a sugar addict, such as myself, this is very dangerous.
My inspiration for this pumpkin-palooza baking frenzy is the Annual Havana Pumpkin Festival on Saturday, October 18, when masses of festivalgoers descend on the quaint, historic old tobacco town, a pumpkin seed toss away from Tallahassee.
Several years ago, long before my days as a Tallahassee caterer, I discovered a delicious recipe for chocolate chip pumpkin bread in Southern Living magazine. The recipe became one of my all time favorite autumn breads. I would often devote leisurely Sunday afternoons during the season of harvest to baking dozens and dozens of loaves that I would share with neighbors, friends and colleagues.
Back in those days, I found great joy in cooking up these surprise food gifts for old friends and new. And believe me…when one comes bearing the gift of food, they can make a lot of friends pretty quick. Another great advantage of giving away home baked sweets is that sugary temptations are removed from your own kitchen, which is a very good thing especially for all us fluffy, kindred souls who love to bake, but are constantly challenged by the act of moderation when it comes to sweet indulgences.
If you are looking for a delicious and old-fashioned way to connect with people this season… there is not a sweeter gesture than sharing the delicious bounty from one’s kitchen.
Simply bake, cool, then wrap for freezing and/ or gifting. Pumpkin breads are a perfect treat for October and November noshing. Tuck a festively wrapped and beribboned loaf in a rustic basket with a jar of homemade preserves, perhaps some spiced cider mix and you will have the makings of a great autumn flavored food gift.
Easy As Pie –Pumpkin Bread (The Canopy Rose version of a tried and true favorite)
One batch of your favorite pumpkin bread batter
8 oz. chocolate chips
8 oz. chopped pecans
Streusel topping
Glaze (optional)
Mix pumpkin batter, chocolate chips and pecans together. Spoon mixture into greased and floured loaf pans. Top with streusel. Bake at 350 for about 1 hour.
Drizzle with a glaze, if desired. Glazes are the easiest thing in the world to whip up and are best when you express your own creativity in the concocting of them! Right now I’m thinking of doing a spirited glaze with a shot of Kahlua and Cream, a bit of butter, powdered sugar and a dusting of autumn spices.
Kathi Dameron is a Tallahassee area caterer and food writer. She owns Canopy Rose Culinary Arts Studio and Catering Company. Visit her online at www.canopyrose.com.
She can be reached at 850-539-7750 or at canopyrose@aol.com .
By Kathi Dameron
The aromas of autumn swirl through the old Havana Bank building as I write today’s column. So enticing are these fragrant old-fashioned scents, I wonder how I will be able to stick to my diet.
I try to tell myself that nothing tastes as good as thin feels…but all too often the desire for immediate gratification prevails. After all someone needs to be the taste tester and make certain that the flavoring is simply perfect before a hundred or more batches are stirred up.
This week, I’m going totally against my grain by baking a cornucopia of pumpkin-filled confections that are not yet sold. For a sugar addict, such as myself, this is very dangerous.
My inspiration for this pumpkin-palooza baking frenzy is the Annual Havana Pumpkin Festival on Saturday, October 18, when masses of festivalgoers descend on the quaint, historic old tobacco town, a pumpkin seed toss away from Tallahassee.
Several years ago, long before my days as a Tallahassee caterer, I discovered a delicious recipe for chocolate chip pumpkin bread in Southern Living magazine. The recipe became one of my all time favorite autumn breads. I would often devote leisurely Sunday afternoons during the season of harvest to baking dozens and dozens of loaves that I would share with neighbors, friends and colleagues.
Back in those days, I found great joy in cooking up these surprise food gifts for old friends and new. And believe me…when one comes bearing the gift of food, they can make a lot of friends pretty quick. Another great advantage of giving away home baked sweets is that sugary temptations are removed from your own kitchen, which is a very good thing especially for all us fluffy, kindred souls who love to bake, but are constantly challenged by the act of moderation when it comes to sweet indulgences.
If you are looking for a delicious and old-fashioned way to connect with people this season… there is not a sweeter gesture than sharing the delicious bounty from one’s kitchen.
Simply bake, cool, then wrap for freezing and/ or gifting. Pumpkin breads are a perfect treat for October and November noshing. Tuck a festively wrapped and beribboned loaf in a rustic basket with a jar of homemade preserves, perhaps some spiced cider mix and you will have the makings of a great autumn flavored food gift.
Easy As Pie –Pumpkin Bread (The Canopy Rose version of a tried and true favorite)
One batch of your favorite pumpkin bread batter
8 oz. chocolate chips
8 oz. chopped pecans
Streusel topping
Glaze (optional)
Mix pumpkin batter, chocolate chips and pecans together. Spoon mixture into greased and floured loaf pans. Top with streusel. Bake at 350 for about 1 hour.
Drizzle with a glaze, if desired. Glazes are the easiest thing in the world to whip up and are best when you express your own creativity in the concocting of them! Right now I’m thinking of doing a spirited glaze with a shot of Kahlua and Cream, a bit of butter, powdered sugar and a dusting of autumn spices.
Kathi Dameron is a Tallahassee area caterer and food writer. She owns Canopy Rose Culinary Arts Studio and Catering Company. Visit her online at www.canopyrose.com.
She can be reached at 850-539-7750 or at canopyrose@aol.com .
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