The Taste of Royalty

My friend Frank L. mentioned on one of my recent posts "food weighs heavily in your memories" and he is absolutely, 100% accurate. 

I love to cook and more so I love to eat. 

Therefore, if there is a recipe out there that needs my attention, it will get my attention and I will make it.

Some recipes, after having tried them once, end up in the trash...recipe and food included. Other recipes are ones that reappear over and over again because they are sooooooo good!

Paul Prudhomme's Veal with Czarina Sauce  is one of those recipes.

Many years ago my sister introduced us to this deliciouness and it has become a staple in our house ever since.

Sometimes I cook the entire dish, other times the sous chef does. Either way, it is always made to perfection.

Admitedly, it does take some prep work, but I Garontee® (as Justin Wilson used to say) it is worth the effort.

Veal With Czarina Sauce

2 1/4 teaspoons salt

1 1/4 teaspoons sweet paprika

3/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon red pepper

1/4 teaspoon white pepper

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon dry mustard

6- 4 ounce slices of baby white veal, pounded flat and even

3/4 cup flour

6 tablespoons butter

4 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 cup  onion, julienned

1 cup zucchini, julienned

1 cup yellow squash, julienned

1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice

2 cups heavy cream

1/4 pound peeled shrimp

1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated

1. Combine seasonings in a small bowl and set aside. Sprinkle 1/4 tsp of seasoning mix on each slice of veal. Mix 1 tbls. of seasoning mix with flour. Dredge each piece of veal in flour mixture and shake off excess.

2. In large skillet melt 2 tbls. butter with 2 tbls. oil over high heat. Fry 3 pieces of veal at a time at about 1 min. per side. Gently shake pan back and forth to keep butter from burning. Remove meat to platter and set aside keeping warm.

3. Drain and wipe skillet with paper towel. Add 2 more tbls of oil and butter and fry remaining veal slices. Remove to platter.

4. Turn skillet to high heat, add julienned vegetables to butter mixture left in skillet about 2 min. stirring and scraping constantly. Add lemon juice, remaining 2 tbls. butter, remaining seasoning mix, and cream. Bring to simmer stir occasionally. Add shrimp and cook 1 min. stirring twice. Add parmesan cheese and stir till melted about 2 min.. Remove from heat. Serve over veal.

 

Of course in our house it is served on top of Persian rice and the lucious Tahdig.😉

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A Traveler's Diary- Final Port: Barcelona, Spain (part 5)

This post is going to be devoted two different/separate areas of the city. The first is located in the Ciutat Vella District of Barcelona, while the other is in the district of Gracia. Which to us, meant ridding the metro once again. 

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A Traveler's Diary- Final Port: Barcelona, Spain (part 4)

Getting around this city is one of the simplese things to do. The buses and metro are so easy to figure out and they run constantly.

In order to go to one of the biggest and one of the most awe inspiring structures in this country we chose the metro.

Ten minutes later we were in 'Eixample Barrio'. Eixample, which translates as "extension" in recognition of its status as the newer part of the city has several highlights of which three belong to Gaudi.

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A Traveler's Diary- Final Port: Barcelona, Spain (part 3)

 As mentioned in part 1 of my Barcelona posts, Las Ramblas, while not a very long pedestrainized road, has tons of "arteries" leading in and out. Hence, it's never a straight through shot of walking down the .8 mile street. According to my smart watch we walked approximately 8 miles the first time we stepped onto this iconic street. 

Our origianl goal was to walk a straight line from Plaça de Catalunya all the way to Port Vell. But if you have been following the posts, you know that did not happen.

Naturally you can understand why I have so many photos.

The first sign indicating that we were close to Port Vell was this tall statue.  

Column of Columbus, also known as the Barcelona Column was built in 1888 to honor the renowned explorer and discoverer of America. The monument is placed at the site where Christopher Columbus arrived in 1493 on his return from his discovery of America the year before. 

The monument is a single column that is 197 ft. (60 meters) tall with a statue of Christopher Columbus on top. The monument is located in the center of a traffic circle that is known as Placa de la Porta de Pau which means “Square of the Gate of Peace”.

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A Traveler's Diary- Final Port: Barcelona, Spain (part 2)

If you know me, you know that I love food!

I am not a picky eater although there are a couple of things I would rather not eat.

I love to experiment with food and try something new.

On top of that I love cooking food and trying out new recipes.

You could say I am a food enthusiast.

And because of that I enjoy, VERY MUCH, spending time in kitchen gadget stores as well as food markets.

That being said, when I saw the entrance to La Boqueria ........

..........while walking around Las Ramblas; You know I HAD to go in.

WARNING!!!! 

If you are not a foodie this post is not for you 😉

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A Traveler's Diary- Final Port: Barcelona, Spain (part 1)

 You know you have arrived in Barcelona when from your room balcony you see the Montjuic Lighthouse.

The Montjuic Lighthouse (Far de Montjuic) is located part way up the Montjuic mountain which overlooks the harbour at Barcelona, Spain. This lighthouse, was built in 1925.

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A Traveler's Diary- Sixth Port Stop: Valletta, Malta

 

Step backwards into 1964 and now you have the smallest independent country in the world, Malta.

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A Traveler's Diary- Fifth Port Stop: Santorini, Greece

 

Five hundred and eighty eight steps!

Yes, count them 588!

Actually, you don't need to count them ......

because there is a sign telling you so.

Not only is it a long way up, but you have to share these steps with donkeys. And you know how donkeys are, they leave a gift for you almost on every step. Then, you not only have to huff and puff  while you climb, you have to also watch your steps so that you don't accidently slip on "something" 😉

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A Traveler's Diary- Forth Port Stop: Rhodes, Greece

 Welcome to the Medieval times.

Gone are the white washed buildings.

Gone are the  Cycladic architecture.

Gone are the churches at every corner.

Gone are the blue and white windmills. 

Instead, you are faced with old stone structures, castles, and huge forts.

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A Traveler's Diary- Third Port Stop: Mykonos, Greece (part 2)

The primary religion in Mykonos is Greek Orthodox, with over 80% of the population identifying as a member of the church and anyone coming to Mykonos will certainly stumble upon many of these buildings devoted to religious contemplation. 

If you recall from previous post, there are approximately 1200 churches and places of worship around the island. However we chose to visit only a couple of them. 

The first one was located in the small town of Agios Ioannis. This small church is built on the hill overlooking the beach. It is one of the most privileged places of Mykonos Island because of the stunning view to the sacred island of Delos.

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A Traveler's Diary- Third Port Stop: Mykonos, Greece (part 1)

 "Once upon a time in an island not so far away, there was a god by the name of Apollo who ruled over light and music. As gods do, Apollo had some offspring which eventually led to the birth of Mykonos. Being a descendant of Apollo, Mykonos was destined for greatness — which he successfully fulfilled as he was the one who hosted the great battle between Zeus and the Titans!"

 According to Greek mythology, Zeus annihilated the Titans and imprisoned them under the island’s terrain in a region called Choulakia. If you ever walk near that region, you’re kind of treading on the prison cells of some of the strongest beings in Greek mythology."

Mykonos is Technically a Mythological Graveyard!

Yes! as you can tell, we have arrived at the Island of Mykonos and hopefully our footsteps won't awaken the dead.

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A Traveler's Diary- Second Port Stop: Pireaus, Greece (part 2)

Honestly, there is so much to see in Athens, Greece.  And like a good "student" I looked up, looked down, looked behind me, and looked ahead. 

Prompting me to 📸📸📸.

Solar water tanks

The beauty queen of Athens 😁

We no longer can live without our phones.

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A Traveler's Diary- Second Port Stop: Pireaus, Greece (part 1)

 

It's eight a.m. in the morning and we are already docked in the port of Pireaus. 

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A Traveler's Diary- First Port Stop: Katakolon, Greece (part 2)

 No traveling is complete for me without having a few drive by shots.

Therefore, between our drive from Olympia to Klio's Honey Farm I tried to capture some of the scenery passing in front of my eyes.

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A Traveler's Diary- First Port Stop: Katakolon, Greece (part 1)

 After saying goodbye to Civitavecchia....

And sailing for a full day. We arrived at the pretty port of Katakolon, Greece.

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A Traveler's Diary- Begining Venture: Civitavecchia, Italy

 This post and the next few that follow are just as the title indicates, a diary of the the places we visited while abroad.

Needless to say when you have been away for several weeks and when you are addicted to hearing the camera's shutter button going "click", inevitably there will be thousands of photos.

Most of the captures are basically snapshots. 

My eyes saw something.

My eyes liked what they saw.

My brain said: "You need to click".

And "click" it went.

I decided to post the photos as is...very minor editing, if any, and then transfering them from raw to jpeg. Some of the photos, in my view have great potential for making them more artistic, and probably in due time I will play with them. But for the time being and for the sake of keeping the memory of all the places visited alive and fresh, I am just going to add all the photos as is.

Flight from Chicago to Rome took us approximately nine hours with a short stop in Amsterdam.

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Triangular Composition! Week 36

 "This week we're training ourselves to look for triangles with Triangular Composition. This is a powerful and versatile technique used by photographers to create visually appealing and balanced images."

"Simply put, think of converging leading lines."

 

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