Magenta Margaritas

One look at a prickly pear margarita and Southwestern seasonal heat seems to melt away. Often a swirl of pale pink and deep magenta, this margarita has become a staple throughout San Antonio and many other Southwestern cities since its introduction in Morrison, Colorado, according to the CocktailAtlas.com.

Made with syrup created from prickly pear juice, this margarita takes a 500-year-old food staple of Native Americans and turns it into a frozen treat that simultaneously packs a punch and beautifully complements enchiladas, guacamole and chips or steak fajitas. The next time you visit the Southwest, try a new twist on an old cocktail favorite.

Cherry Berry Fudge

After this chocolate lover visited Door County, Wisconsin during the height of cherry season, and saw a plethora of gorgeous berries too, I decided to combine chocolate with a few of these beauties in dried form. I started with a 1996 recipe from Borden, reduced the nuts by half, and then added cherries and berries. It's all about indulging your sweet tooth and tasting a bit of summer in every bite.

Cherry Berry Fudge
Makes about 2 pounds

24 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
14 ounces (one can) sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
dash of salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup dried cherries
1/2 cup dried blueberries (may substitute other small berries)

Line an 8- or 9-inch pan with foil. In a heavy saucepan, over low heat, melt chips with condensed milk and salt.* Remove from heat and stir in nuts, vanilla, cherries and blueberries. Spread evenly into foil-lined pan and chill for two hours or until firm. Turn fudge onto cutting board, peel off foil and cut into squares. Store loosely covered at room temperature.

*Microwave instructions: In a one-quart microwave-safe bowl, combine chips with condensed milk and salt, cooking on high for three minutes or until chips melt, stirring after each 1 1/2 minutes. Stir in remaining ingredients. Proceed as above.

*Do not use a double boiler as the chocolate and milk will not merge correctly.

Washington Island Wake

There's only one way to reach Washington Island, Wisconsin with your vehicle in tow. The Washington Island Ferry, Inc. crosses a six-mile waterway between the Door County peninsula and the island, a watery expanse known as 'Death's Door,' a dozen times each day.

I put on and removed my jacket three times during our half hour ferry ride, as rain clouds and wind currents ebbed and flowed. Dozens of passengers craned their necks for views of the calm blue waterway while gulls soared high above. SUVs, motorcycles, and other passenger vehicles, many decorated with kayaks and bicycles, crowded the lower deck.

After several hours spent exploring the island we returned to 'the Door,' as evening sun rays lengthened and the water's surface glittered like a million stars. Storm clouds receded and a frothy wake foamed and churned behind us.

Baking in Healdsburg

It has been 85 years since Costeaux French Bakery opened in the sleepy Sonoma, California village of Healdsburg, and nearly 30 years since the Seppi family made it their own. Today, the bakery is renowned for its sourdough and specialty breads that have won numerous gold medals and sweepstakes, as well as irresistible desserts and pastries.

But there's more to Costeaux Bakery than baked goods. Stop by for a bowl of French Onion Soup, a thick brown broth with plenty of pepper and three small medallions of sourdough floating near the top, large onion chunks and mozzarella gratings. Or try their grilled turkey sandwich, with tangy cranberry, pungent aioli, creamy Brie, crisp microgreens, and ultra-fresh avocado, on multigrain bread.

Residents also turn to Costeaux for great-grandmother's anise-flavored biscotti, decadent pastries and amazing custom wedding cakes. It could take several luscious weeks to try all of their 1,000+ products.

Luscious Lemon II

Many people know the tiramisu in Italian restaurants as a dessert that incorporates ladyfingers, mascarpone cheese, chocolate, coffee, and perhaps marsala wine. But I recently tried a recipe from Whole Foods for Lemon Tiramisu, which gets its creaminess from part-skim ricotta cheese, and its lemony zing from Limoncello as well as lemon juice.

There's no baking involved and, after a few hours of refrigeration, this lemony treat easily 'falls' from its upended serving dish onto a plate, ready for serving. Check out this recipe for a summery version of an old favorite.


Lemon Tiramisu
Serves 6-8

2 pounds part-skim ricotta cheese
1/2 cup sugar
pinch of salt
zest of 3 lemons
juice of 3 lemons
1/3 cup Italian lemon liqueur
2 teaspoons cold water
6 ounces ladyfinger cookies (about 40 small cookies)

Special equipment = 1 3/4 quarts capacity bowl or mold

In a large mixing bowl, use a spatula to mix the cheese, sugar, pinch of salt and lemon zest together well. Taste cheese mix and add more sugar if needed, according to taste. Set aside.

Strain lemon juice and mix in a small bowl with the lemon liqueur and the water. To start assembling tiramisu, dip the ladyfinger cookies (one by one) in the liqueur lemon juice mix briefly, and then arrange the cookies in the bottom of the serving bowl. After covering the bottom, place the soaked cookies up the sides of the bowl, overlapping slightly if necessary to cover all around the bottom and sides of the bowl.

Add all the cheese mix to the bowl and press slightly with spatula. Cover the top of the bowl with the remaining soaked cookies. Cover with wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill for about 2 hours. Once firm, the tiramisu may be turned over onto a plate to unmold or have the servings scooped from the bowl directly onto plates.

Al Johnson's Goats

At Al Johnson's Swedish Restaurant in Sister Bay/Door County Wisconsin, the goats that graze on the roof are almost as famous as the Johnson family's authentic Scandinavian cuisine. Soon after the Johnsons transformed their restaurant operation by importing log buildings from Norway to Door County, in 1973, one of Al's friends put the first goat on the roof.

Today a short lawn - complete with clover flowers - grows across the entire roof of the main building. Approximately half a dozen goats, from young kids to older adults, graze and play there, snooze, and bask in the sun on each temperate day, between May and October. But throughout their work days, the goats are seemingly oblivious to their celebrity status and the hundreds of photos taken by amazed onlookers.

Champagne and Pasta

This summer I took an online food writing course from a colleague, for which one of our exercises was to create a recipe and then write it up to fit the style of three different magazines. After doing some research to find ingredients that seem to pair well with champagne, I created this recipe which we enjoyed again with friends, last evening.

The earthy taste of portobellos merges beautifully with champagne in a rich, seductive sauce. But if you're not a champagne fan or don't want champagne 'leftovers,' you can substitute chardonnay.

Champagne Parmesan Pasta Sauce with Portobellos
Makes eight, 1/4 cup servings

2 cups portobello mushrooms, chopped in about 1/4" pieces
2 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons dry champagne

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup low-fat milk
1/4 cup dry champagne
1 3/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 3/4 - 2 cups grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons sherry

grated Parmesan

For the mushrooms: Using paper towel, remove excess dirt from surface of mushrooms and dice. Melt the butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Saute garlic until soft and lightly browned. Add mushrooms and saute over medium heat until soft and glossy, about 2-3 minutes. Add champagne and reduce to simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.

For the sauce: Melt butter in a large saucepan. Over medium heat, add flour and stir continuously until smooth. Add milk and continue stirring until sauce begins to thicken and bubble slightly. Add champagne, nutmeg and sherry and reduce heat to low. Slowly add Parmesan, stirring to create a smooth, creamy consistency. Stir in mushrooms, and then add salt and pepper as needed.

Serve over pasta with additional Parmesan.