Susan Walters: NOW WHAT...?

Sunday, June 15, 2008

NOW WHAT...?

Sorry it's taken me awhile to post this but well, to be honest, I just needed to be still for a bit.

The past 2 months have been quite a ride. I don't have the words to express my thanks to everyone who participated and contributed to his celebration party, donated to his scholarship fund, and just held me up for the past several weeks. The love and support has been overwhelming. Bern had a good life, with great friends, and an amazing family. We are both very lucky.

I know I want to learn from this, I want to grow from this, I want everything good for everyone.

I want to live better, do more, laugh all the time. I want for all of us to keep hugging each other. Forever.

I loved Bern and I want to remember everyone we've lost and imagine they're all having cocktails together on a golf course. (with strippers) I want this to stay and I want it to go away.

Life has changed.

Now I can't even watch Meet the Press.

WHAT A FRIGGIN' AWESOME DAY!!!

The celebration was a smashing success! Over the course of the day & evening a couple hundred friends came to celebrate Bern's fun lovin' life. Although there is a dispute whether the ominous rainstorm was either a sign from Bern saying he was pissed that

we were having a party without him or whether he was being his usual considerate self and just cooling us off, the tantrum didn't stop the festivities! As soon as the rain stopped, the sun came out, grills restoked, music cranked and the party went on 'til way after dark. The love and energy was spiritual !!

Bern would have been very, very pleased!

Special thanks to everyone who donated food and drink, including The Flying Fig, Old Angle, Lolita, Market Ave Wine Bar, Great Lakes, Parallax, Momocho & Premier Produce, Megan for EVERYTHING, all those who brought tasty side dishes and desserts, grill masters Jen & Mac, Erica for getting Wendy here, Damian & Karin for bringing that lovely little gift of new life, Sebastien, all the residents of the Bath House for opening your homes, special kisses to Patty for working your ass off, the "K's" and Steve & Jeannie for being great friends and neighbors to Bern and always treating me like it was my home, too.

And to Bern's family, thanks for the vacations, the years of laughter, letting Zoe sit in with the band, and allowing me to stay with him til the end. He was a member of my family and will always be in my heart, as will you. I love ya Bern. I miss you.

If you took pics send them my way!! To donate to his Scholarship fund contact kerrycapwell@yahoo.com

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KeKA EGGPLANT ROLL-UPS

Makes 24
Preheat oven to 350

Tomato Artichoke Sauce
2 cans artichoke hearts
1 small can tomato sauce
3 lbs plum tomatoes
3 tbsp fresh chopped flat leaf parsley
1/4 cup chopped celery with leaves ( the inside tender stalks)
1/2 cup yellow onion
1 tbsp fresh chopped garlic
3 tbsp olive oil

In a large sauce pan heat olive oil. Add garlic, onions, celery, artichokes. Cook til slightly tender. Add tomatoes. Cook over medium heat til fresh tomatoes break down. Salt & pepper to taste. Pulse in food processor to make a small chunk sauce.

Roll-ups
2-3 lb Fryer Chicken
2 Large Eggplants
3 Leeks
1/2 lb Morbier or Smoked Mozzarella
( these are so yummy with Morbier but its really stinky when it melts and it gives you really bad breath! Because of this, for parties I use smoked mozz)

Wash chicken well and rub with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt & pepper. Bake in oven about 35-40 minutes or until meat thermometer shows 165 degrees. Set aside to cool.

Thinly slice eggplant longway. Lightly brush with oil, salt, & pepper. Don't over oil or eggplant will fall apart when cooked.
Place side by side on cookie sheet (DO NOT STACK!) and cook until just transparent and flexible. Let cool.

Clean leeks well and slice in thin strips. Heat a dry saute pan
and lightly brown leeks. Let cool. Grate cheese.

Pull both dark and white meat off chicken into small stringy pieces.

Assemble the rollups by placing chicken, leeks, and cheese at the wide end of the egglant rolling to the narrow end. Place on cookie sheet seam side down.

To serve, warm in 300 oven til cheese is melted. Sauce can be served warm or cold. Garnish with rough cut parsley.

SUSTAINABLE SCRAPS!

I never throw anything away and use all the scraps. I keep a bucket in my fridge for all the ends and nubs and heels I don't use during the week and make stock. This is great cuz there's no preservatives or sodium and I freeze it in small labeled containers and use them as I need them!

For Veg Stock, take leeks, tomatoes, onion, garlic cloves, parsley stalks, celery, carrot, bay leaves, & whole peppercorns. Add all your scraps, put all in 10 qt pan, cover with cold water and reduce at a low boil for 6-12 hours til it makes a rich stock. Do not add salt! Salt when you use it! Strain and freeze.

For Chicken stock, all the above plus the carcass
For Beef or Lamb stock, all of the above add bones and any leftover meat.

TINA'S ARTICHOKES

YUMMMM
BRAISED ARTICHOKES serves 4
1 lemon
1.25 lbs baby artichokes
.5 cup chicken stock
.25 cup dry white wine
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil salt and pepper to taste

Fill large bowl with water & juice lemon (reserve lemon halves) remove tough outer leaves of artichokes, trim pointy tops and stems, rub artichokes with lemon halves transfer them to lemon water as you work

Cut large artichokes in half lengthwise. drain artichokes & place in large skillet over med-high heat with stock, wine and oil. Cover, stirring occassionally until artichokes are tender and golden and liquid has evaporated, (about 15 minutes) season with salt and pepper, serve

SPECIAL KISSES

Although my 50th birthday was amazing and wonderful, there was one thing missing. And that was my confidant, my travelin'man, my old fogey rockstar, my sommolier, my sous chef, my pal, Bern. There are not enough thanks or kisses for throwing me such a beautiful party, even tho you did it flat on your back from another room. I'm sure I've said it before, but I love you man! Can't wait til you're up and about. I miss ya! More kisses go to the hostess who almost died for my pure pleasure. I told ya Jen, if you were a dude...

NEW SPACES NEW ART

Stone Mad on W. 65th Street has finally opened. There's not much I can say about it in the way of food since I've yet to eat there, but I can say it's pretty impressive. Pete Lannihan has done it again supporting local artists and craftsmen. Besides the amazing woodwork and handcrafted metalwork, treat yourself to a cold beer and some remarkable artwork, including the ceiling fresco by Mike McNamara, cityscape by Cleveland legend Marvin Stevens, and the always clever glassworks by the boys at the Glass Bubble Project. See more of their work at http://www.glassbubbleproject.com/

Susan Walters

Sunday, June 15, 2008

NOW WHAT...?

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THE PARTY

My Favorite Art & Places

IT'S CREAMY....

More famous than EVER!!!

NEWSWORTHY

slideshow

COMING SOON!

KeKA EGGPLANT ROLL-UPS

TINA'S ARTICHOKES

SPECIAL KISSES

NEW SPACES NEW ART

NEW PROJECTS