Change of Address for This Blog

I've moved my blog over to http://ginahyams.com/blog/, so that it can live within my website. Please join me there. Thanks, blogspot, for everything.

In Honor of Father's Day

Spring Radish Spread

Radishes, radishes, radishes. I've been enjoying them the French way lately, sprinkled with sea salt on a sweet-buttered baguette. Today I'm going to try this recipe that I picked up at the local farmers' market.

Grammar note: I spell farmers' market with an apostrophe at the end, but the below is how the referenced cookbook and this particular market seem to spell it. Any copy editors care to weigh in?

Spring Radish Spread

from The Farmer's Market Cookbook 

(via Indian Line Farm at the Great Barrington Farmers Market)

1 8-ounce package of cream cheese, softened

1 - 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish, drained

4 cleaned radish leaves

1 teaspoon dill

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 - 2 bunches red radishes

crackers, tortilla chips, or French bread

Mix all ingredients except crackers in medium bowl or food processor to desired consistency. Cover and refigerate 1/2 hour. Serve with crackers, chips, or crusty French bread. Makes 2 - 3 cups.

P.S. We don't have a food processor, so I'm going to shred the radishes.

Frida Kahlo's Meatballs

For his birthday dinner last month, Dave requested that I make Frida's meatballs from Frida's Fiestas: Recipes and Reminiscences of Life with Frida Kahlo by Guadalupe Rivera and Marie-Pierre Colle. It's a lovely book in the tradition of Monet's Table. Does anybody remember that book? Somebody gave it to us as a wedding present in 1991 and I've been obsessed with yellow and blue kitchens ever since. Our kitchen in New England is pale straw and sky blue and the one in Mexico has a lemon yellow polished-cement floor and a cobalt tile pattern of sort-of daises on the countertops.

Anyway, we discovered the Frida cookbook in 1997 while living in Pátzcuaro, where going to the butcher to buy the pork and beef for these meatballs was a knee-buckling thrill. Shopping for meat at Guido's isn't so exciting, except for when I find myself in line with this guy. 

When I tweeted that I was making this dish, many people requested the recipe. I apologize for taking so long to post it. Here you go:

Meatballs in Chipotle Sauce

(8 servings)

1 lb. ground pork

1 lb. ground beef

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

2 garlic cloves, chopped

3 eggs

1/4 cup bread crumbs

Salt and pepper

Chipotle Sauce

6 chipotle chiles, pickled or in marinade

6 medium tomatoes, roasted and peeled

1 cup chicken broth

2 garlic cloves

3 cumin seeds

1 tablespoon drived oregano

2 tablespoons lard (the butcher at Guido's looked at me like I had lost my mind when I asked if she had any)

Salt and pepper

Combine the pork, beef, ground cumin, garlic, eggs, bread crumbs, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well. Shape the mixture into medium-sized meatballs. Cook the meatballs in the Chipotle Sauce for about 25 minutes. 

To make the Chipotle Sauce, puree the chiles, tomatoes, broth, garlic, cumin seeds, and oregano. Strain. Sauté the puree in hot lard (or oil, as the case may be) and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil.

¡Buen provecho!

Twitter 101 in San Miguel de Allende: August 20

Hello! Lucky's custom letterpress Twitter icon.

I'm heading down to San Miguel de Allende to visit my mom and will offer a "Twitter 101: They Don't Call It Social Media for Nothing" how-to/why-to/what-to workshop on Thursday, August 20, 10am to noon, at our house in Colonia Guadalupe. I will cut through the Twitter hype with clarity, a rockin' tutorial handout, and excellent snacks.

US$25 or peso equivalent. To reserve a spot, please send me an email at ginahyams@gmail.com.

My New Aspirational Motto

From Accidental Mysteries: the Beauty of Bottle Caps

Berkshire International Film Festival Party Photo

Me and Goose's friend Loki's mom, Hope Sullivan, who runs IS183 and who walks/runs/chats-about-writing with me at dawn now and then, and her artist friend, Dan Mahoney, at the Berkshire International Film Festival opening night party at Pearl's in Great Barrington. Photo by Seth Rogovoy.

My head is still spinning from the incredible weekend of films. I don't have time for a full report just now, but hope to debrief soon.