Comments on: Chantarelles, and Dianna’s chanterelle vodka recipe http://leslieland.com/blog/chantarelles-and-diannas-chantarelle-vodka-recipe/ Cooking • Gardening • Home Style Wed, 07 Jan 2009 11:16:38 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: leslie http://leslieland.com/blog/chantarelles-and-diannas-chantarelle-vodka-recipe/comment-page-1/#comment-19296 leslie Wed, 20 Aug 2008 15:45:25 +0000 http://leslieland.com/blog/?p=530#comment-19296 update, 9/27: Finally found the original -- 1978! -- and have posted a (slightly) revised version of the <a href="http://leslieland.com/blog/choosing-good-eggplants-and-making-them-into-caponata-the-ultimate-vegetable-preserve/" rel="nofollow">caponata recipe</a>. Hope you enjoy it! Hi Lennie I'm so glad to hear you've kept up with the blog -- and that you're still a fan! Don't know if I'm glad you reminded me about the caponata, because a) I have to find the recipe, which I haven't used for years, buried somewhere deep in the hard copy (by which I date myself) files, and b) I have to make it, to be sure I don't want to add tweaking commentary. B is basically the reason for a: you're right about frying the eggplant. You also fry the onions, AND the celery, each one separately, all in substantial quantities of olive oil - before you get to the part about the tomatoes and other things... but you're also right ( in my opinion) about its singular goodness, so those around me will be thanking you even if I'm ambivalent. As for the agricultural pleasures of west central Florida... I'm totally ignorant, but but presumably you have things I can only enjoy vicariously. Mangoes, for instance. Buddha's hand, and oh how I wish I could grow THAT. Southern jasmine. Plus you get to leave the brugmansias and cannas and aolocasias in the ground instead of digging the damn things up and storing them every winter. It would be fun to hear what you plant; there must be all kinds of nifty things, exotic to us, growing in your garden. update, 9/27: Finally found the original — 1978! — and have posted a (slightly) revised version of the caponata recipe. Hope you enjoy it!

Hi Lennie
I’m so glad to hear you’ve kept up with the blog — and that you’re still a fan!

Don’t know if I’m glad you reminded me about the caponata, because
a) I have to find the recipe, which I haven’t used for years, buried somewhere deep in the hard copy (by which I date myself) files, and

b) I have to make it, to be sure I don’t want to add tweaking commentary.

B is basically the reason for a: you’re right about frying the eggplant. You also fry the onions, AND the celery, each one separately, all in substantial quantities of olive oil -
before you get to the part about the tomatoes and other things…

but you’re also right ( in my opinion) about its singular goodness, so those around me will be thanking you even if I’m ambivalent.

As for the agricultural pleasures of west central Florida… I’m totally ignorant, but but presumably you have things I can only enjoy vicariously. Mangoes, for instance. Buddha’s hand, and oh how I wish I could grow THAT. Southern jasmine. Plus you get to leave the brugmansias and cannas and aolocasias in the ground instead of digging the damn things up and storing them every winter.

It would be fun to hear what you plant; there must be all kinds of nifty things, exotic to us, growing in your garden.

]]> By: lennie bennett http://leslieland.com/blog/chantarelles-and-diannas-chantarelle-vodka-recipe/comment-page-1/#comment-19292 lennie bennett Wed, 20 Aug 2008 13:30:17 +0000 http://leslieland.com/blog/?p=530#comment-19292 Hi, Leslie, I was a huge fan of yours decades ago when you wrote a syndicated food column. I'm so glad to have rediscoered you and the charmed life you continue to lead. I know it's a lot of work but you make it seem utterly delightful. And certainly gratifying. I wrote to you a while back about a long-lost recipe for caponata you printed once. I have never happened on another as good. As I recall, the eggplant was fried. You asked that I write you when tomato season was in full swing. So cheers and cheerio. P.S. I live in west central Florida and many of the agrarian pleasures of which you write are impossible in my climate so the vicarious enjoyment of them is especially sweet. Hi, Leslie,
I was a huge fan of yours decades ago when you wrote a syndicated food column. I’m so glad to have rediscoered you and the charmed life you continue to lead. I know it’s a lot of work but you make it seem utterly delightful. And certainly gratifying.
I wrote to you a while back about a long-lost recipe for caponata you printed once. I have never happened on another as good. As I recall, the eggplant was fried. You asked that I write you when tomato season was in full swing. So cheers and cheerio.

P.S. I live in west central Florida and many of the agrarian pleasures of which you write are impossible in my climate so the vicarious enjoyment of them is especially sweet.

]]> By: Nancy Marshall http://leslieland.com/blog/chantarelles-and-diannas-chantarelle-vodka-recipe/comment-page-1/#comment-19288 Nancy Marshall Wed, 20 Aug 2008 04:50:40 +0000 http://leslieland.com/blog/?p=530#comment-19288 You should check out the website for Cold River Vodka. There's a wonderful story behind the original idea and creation of this magical drink. I was involved with the initial PR launch for Cold River and it's made by people who are as wonderful as their vodka is delicious! Go to www.coldrivervodka.com. You should check out the website for Cold River Vodka. There’s a wonderful story behind the original idea and creation of this magical drink. I was involved with the initial PR launch for Cold River and it’s made by people who are as wonderful as their vodka is delicious! Go to http://www.coldrivervodka.com.

]]> By: leslie http://leslieland.com/blog/chantarelles-and-diannas-chantarelle-vodka-recipe/comment-page-1/#comment-19278 leslie Tue, 19 Aug 2008 12:04:57 +0000 http://leslieland.com/blog/?p=530#comment-19278 Hi Robin always a pleasure to hear from you. I'm in awe of 15 quarts of canned chantarelles; your sister must live in Catharellus heaven. I never think of canning them because of needing a pressure canner (note to neophytes: pressure canning and careful attention to safe procedures is essential; mushrooms are not a food with which you can slide around the rules). Powdering dried ones sounds excellent. That would take care of the leathery quality and they'd be perfect in cream sauces and other pale applications where black trumpets - our favorite for mushroom powder - are a visual problem. We'll put some of those ignicolors in the drier right away! Your story of abundance reminds me we're not alone and is a goad to putting up my other favorite recipe: potted chantarelles with Maine shrimp. Please stay tuned for same and I hope you have good hunting. Hi Robin

always a pleasure to hear from you. I’m in awe of 15 quarts of canned chantarelles; your sister must live in Catharellus heaven.

I never think of canning them because of needing a pressure canner (note to neophytes: pressure canning and careful attention to safe procedures is essential; mushrooms are not a food with which you can slide around the rules).

Powdering dried ones sounds excellent. That would take care of the leathery quality and they’d be perfect in cream sauces and other pale applications where black trumpets - our favorite for mushroom powder - are a visual problem. We’ll put some of those ignicolors in the drier right away!

Your story of abundance reminds me we’re not alone and is a goad to putting up my other favorite recipe: potted chantarelles with Maine shrimp. Please stay tuned for same and I hope you have good hunting.

]]> By: Robin @ Seasons Eatings Farm http://leslieland.com/blog/chantarelles-and-diannas-chantarelle-vodka-recipe/comment-page-1/#comment-19277 Robin @ Seasons Eatings Farm Tue, 19 Aug 2008 11:14:13 +0000 http://leslieland.com/blog/?p=530#comment-19277 This looks wonderful. I'll be sending the link to my mushroom-fanatic sister. She has put up 15 or so quarts so far this year. My 15 year old daughter can spot a chantarelle at 500 yards ( or so it seems). We're hoping to get out to pick Sunday afternoon. Thanks for sharing this recipe. I'm eager to give it a try. I dry chantarelles, powder them and then add a little to winter soups. It adds a nice flavor when the soup "needs something." Enjoy the week! We couldn't as for a better forecast. This looks wonderful. I’ll be sending the link to my mushroom-fanatic sister. She has put up 15 or so quarts so far this year. My 15 year old daughter can spot a chantarelle at 500 yards ( or so it seems). We’re hoping to get out to pick Sunday afternoon. Thanks for sharing this recipe. I’m eager to give it a try.

I dry chantarelles, powder them and then add a little to winter soups. It adds a nice flavor when the soup “needs something.”

Enjoy the week! We couldn’t as for a better forecast.

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