Yes, yes, yes! I still write the Entertaining with Kathi column. In May it will be 4 years since the first column was published in the Northeast Chronicle of the Tallahassee Democrat.
I know it has been a long time since I reprinted one of the columns here. Sorry. Hope you've been able to follow it in the newspaper.
What can I say? Well, I've been busy! I moved both business and home to a neighboring town, lived the old European way, "above the shop" for a few seasons, and then as if that wasn't enough, a wonderful miracle of miracles happened! I fell in love with the widower preacher down the street, got married, moved once again and built a new catering kitchen a few steps from our home. Life is certainly full of surprises!
Now I tap out the keyboard letters for my columns from a second story home office I share with my wonderful, and slightly eccentric husband, Bill.
Now without further ado, I present my most recent column that published in today's newspaper.
Enjoy!! Kathi
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Celebrate 'cabin-fever'
month with sunny French
dipping sauce
By Kathi Bess • Entertaining with Kathi •
February 10, 2010
In the memory banks of my imagination, I return to
an old stone cottage surrounded by fields of
sunflowers and lavender. A beautiful, sunny feast is
spread out on a rustic old picnic table.
Herein lies my inspiration for today's column.
I'm spinning the globe to the sunny Provencal
region of France and to the marvelous spirit of joie
de vivre!
Why? Because I can!
As I write this column, the sky outside is about as
inspiring as the collective lint on a dryer screen.
Without even a sliver of sunshine in the forecast, I
know one thing. I know that if I'm to have any
sunshine today at all, I better bring it with me.
If ever there was a "cabin-fever" month in the
Sunshine State, the month of February qualifies.
By this time of the year, regardless of where I've
been in the months preceding February, I'm
impatient for sun-washed skies and wild blooming
bursts. And while we can't control what happens in
the skies and plants outside, we always have the
option to set the stage within to suit whatever whim
or fancy we may entertain.
So why not throw a Cabin Fever House Party with a
French Flavor! Now, I'm not talking about a great big
gala, but rather something small and intimate,
something that can be enjoyed at a lovely leisurely
pace, with a wonderful wave of abandon to the more
expected social conventions.
Curling up with a great book, cheering on your
favorite sports team on TV, knitting an afghan,
playing board games, yada, yada, yada. You get the
idea; just fill in the blank with your favorite Saturday
or Sunday afternoon past time.
Whether yours is a solo activity, a partner pursuit or
a bigger get-together of family or visiting friends,
the party platter I am about to propose will serve as
perfect fare for indulging in those leisurely
afternoons.
The key here is one big fabulous platter that can be
prepped early in the day for the ultimate lingering
lunch / brunch / dinner spread. No need to
interrupt the day's serendipitous flow, to cook
dinner, if you plan ahead and make provisions for a
balanced blend of succulent bites.
In Provence, exquisitely poached fish or seafood,
artichokes, potatoes, chickpeas, hard boiled eggs,
and lots and lots of garden fresh goodies are
arranged in dainty quantities and elegantly
displayed on a large tray surrounding a rich
traditional sauce of crushed garlic, egg yolks, olive
oil and lemon.
This dipping sauce is known simply as Aioli. One
whiff, one bite, one glimpse and see for yourself if
you are not transported to the sunny fields of
Provence!
Aioli Dipping Sauce
10 garlic cloves, minced
2 egg yolks, at room temperature
Salt, pepper, favorite seasoning blend to taste
1 fresh squeezed lemon
Advertisement 1 tsp. Dijon Mustard
11/2 cups Olive Oil
(It's also delightful to add fresh herbs, capers, a
little splash of champagne.)
Whisk egg until light and smooth. Combine garlic,
egg, seasonings, lemon juice and Dijon mustard in
a food processor. Process to a smooth paste.
With machine running add olive oil in a small,
steady stream. Keep blending until you have a thick,
shiny sauce. Refrigerate until ready to use.
•Kathi Bess is a caterer, food writer and
teacher of cooking classes. Visit her online at
www.canopyrose.com
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