Dessert Time

Ok here is a perfect dessert to finish any dinner. Easy yet elegant.

Chocolate Ricotta with Strawberries and Marscarpone Whip Cream

1 - Cup of chocolate sauce (homemade or store bought)
2 - Cups Ricotta Cheese
1 - pint of strawberries (cleaned and cut)
8 - Whole strawberries
1/2 - cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 - cup marscarpone cheese
3 - tbsp sugar
1 - tsp good vanilla


Mix chocolate and ricotta together and cover, place in refrigerator for an hour or until you are ready to serve dessert.

Once you are ready to serve make the whip cream by adding heavy cream, marscarpone, vanilla and sugar and whisking until soft peaks. Do not over mix. Now dish the ricotta into 8 equal portions and then top with cut strawberries and whip cream. Cut a slit in the whole strawberries and place them on the sides of the serving dishes as garnish.

Enjoy....

Lets take a trip to New Orleans

Shrimp and Andouille Sausage GUMBO

1 - Stick of butter or a cup of oil (vegetable)
1 - cup of flour
1 - bell pepper(rough chop)
1 - sweet onion (rough chop)
3 - stalks of celery (rough chop)
2 - cloves of garlic (finely minced)
6 - cups of chicken stock (or seafood stock)
1/2 - pound andouille sausage or kelbasa (cut in bite size increments)
3 - pounds large shrimp (peeled and de- veined)
2 - tbsp fresh ground black pepper
2 - tbsp sea salt
1 - tbsp Ancho chili powder
1 - teaspoon gumbo file
2 - Bay leaves

Make a roux by melting the butter or heating the oil and adding the flour. Cook the flour taste off but do not burn if you burn then start over. It should look like wet sand and small like toasted nuts. Whisk in the stock and add everything but the shrimp.

Remove the bay leaves and add shrimp 6 minutes prior to serving.
Ensure you make a large pot of rice and serve the rice on top of the gumbo.

Enjoy......

Upcoming NY Food Events for 2009

Here are some events from the elite to the down right outdoorsy type... These are from March - Aug and I will update the blog with whats new and going on through out the year. You will have the most information here your soon to be one stop source for almost everything FOOD. So lets start with this month..

March 21-22, 2009 New York Maple Weekend
Statewide, New York
Two weekends, March 21-22 and 28-29. The goal of Maple Weekend is to share the real taste of the mouth-watering maple syrup with the public while also demonstrating the various ways to make it.
http://www.mapleweekend.com/

March 25, 2009 Wine & Wishes 2009
New York, New York (no website)
One of New York’s premier wine events and a major source of fundraising for The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Metro New York. Serving signature dishes will be some of New York City's most famous and well-known restaurants and caterers. VIP Ticket gains access to “Coveted Corks” a private tasting of rare and collectible wines. FOR Tickets: 212-957-WISH

Sip, Savor, Stay.
Adirondack Festival of Food & Wine Itinerary
March 26-29, 2009

Join Master Chefs and vintners for a celebration of food and wine.
Enjoy wine tastings, culinary demonstrations, a cooking competition and more. Package price is $1395 per couple or $699 per person. Includes a 3-night stay, entry to all events and breakfast daily (taxes and gratuity are additional).
http://mirrorlakeinn.com/dining-Adirondack-Festival-Food-Wine.cfm

May 20, 2009 Share Our Strength's Taste of the Nation
New York, New York
Savor the finest dishes and drinks prepared by the nation's hottest chefs and mixologists, enjoy the best wines and bid in exciting live and silent auctions. All this to catch the more than 12 million children at risk of hunger and surround them with the nutritious foods where they live, learn and play! 100% of ticket sales help ensure no kid in America grows up hungry.
http://taste.strength.org/site/PageServer?pagename=TOTN_homepage

June 13-14, 2009 Strawberry Festival
Forestville, New York
A celebration of the area’s strawberry harvest. Fresh strawberry shortcake, chocolate dipped strawberries & Festival wine. Food, wine, draft beer and Merritt’s Sangria Wine Slush. Free wine tours & tastings. Class car cruise, live music, craft vendors, dancing; live and silent auction proceeds to benefit the Ruben Brown Foundation.
http://www.merrittestatewinery.com/page/53/calendar.aspx

June 19-20, 2009 Owego Strawberry Festival
Owego, New York
The festival celebrates this popular red fruit, notable to the area's growers. Food, entertainment, contests, wine tent, and 20,000 people enjoy the day. Friday night includes entertainment, food and fireworks. Held on the closed streets of downtown Owego, NY. (Also: http://visittioga.com/ )


June 28-30, 2009 NASFT Summer Fancy Food Show
New York, New York
More than 2,100 exhibitors from around the world, presenting more than 100,000 specialty foods to discover and sample.
http://www.specialtyfood.com/do/fancyFoodShow/LocationsAndDates

August 15-16, 2009 2nd Annual America’s Grape Country Wine Festival
Dunkirk, New York
Dozens of wineries from across New York State come together for a weekend full of wine, food, educational seminars, tastings, sales by the bottle and live music. A true farmer’s market with fruit and vegetable sales, artisans and crafters and wine industry professionals.
http://www.agcwinefestival.com/index.html

September 12-13, 2009 Septemberfest
Forestville, New York
Weekend after Labor Day. Septemberfest annual grape harvest festival. Grape stomping, Chiavetta’s famous BBQ chicken. Food, wine and beverages; free wine tours and tastings. Class car cruise, live music, craft vendors, dancing, live and silent auction proceeds to benefit a non-profit charity.
http://www.merrittestatewinery.com/

If the event had a link I listed them... Look for more updates on changes to these or any new events going on this year... You need new ideas I will keep up with the latest things in the food world for you.