I love writing my weekly posts. It is something that gives me great pleasure and fulfills my need to be creative. Pretty much, that kind of fulfillment is all I need.
Well, having said that, I do like knowing that you are reading what I write, and I really appreciate getting your comments. In the beginning, when Cocoa and Lavender was in its infancy, I was discouraged that it got so few comments and thought no one was reading. I had to ask… If I were in a forest all alone and wrote a post, would anyone read it?
I think every blogger out there loves knowing that s/he is adding something to the world (even if it is just a recipe on how to hard boil and egg), and that it is being read and appreciated.
Today, I had a great morning! Someone “paid it forward” and did something for me that made my day! Paula, of Vintage Kitchen Notes, who was nominated for a Food Stories Award for Excellence in Storytelling, nominated me for Cocoa and Lavender! I am so grateful to her for this – how thoughtful that she thinks I deserve to be recognized for doing something that brings me such pleasure! Thank you, Paula!
When Cocoa and Lavender first premiered in February of 2010, I had never really written anything for pleasure. I wrote essays in college, bad poetry when I was in [unrequited] love, and grants for worthy nonprofits… It wasn’t until I started writing posts for C&L that I discovered how much fun writing was, especially when it is fueled by passion. (Thinking back to my pad poetry… perhaps, if it was real love, the poems would have been better. … I blame the objects of my affection…)
Happily, my passion for food is unending. So much so, that I think I annoy people by bringing the subject around to food in every conversation. (“It was such a lovely funeral, wasn’t it?” “Yes! Did you try the prosciutto-wrapped asparagus?”)
Why am I so passionate about food? I love how food brings people together. I love nothing more than gathering friends and family around the table to share a meal. Stories, happiness, sadness, successes and failures all spill out over the fork and knife and, by the time the dessert spoon has been set to rest, problems have been solved, new ventures planned and friendships strengthened. How can this not bring great joy to a host?
Food blogs are another perfect example. Since the inception of C&L, I have made friends all over the globe. Literally, in dozens of countries, I now have friends who I have never met. Some of them are bloggers themselves while others are readers. We e-mail back and forth, share recipes, support one another’s efforts, laugh and cry together, and learn from the communal creative genius. I feel part of a wonderful virtual community.
I know that I am not alone in this; I am not alone in my passion for food, my love of friends and the joy of storytelling. I can’t wait to open my email and find posts from The Netherlands, Singapore, Buenos Aires, Sydney or Texas. The stories are terrific – glimpses into their lives, small windows into other worlds. For their stories, passion, friendship and the enjoyment hey give me, I nominate these five friends… and I invite you to check out their blogs as I do. Each of them deserves a Food Stories Award for Excellence in Storytelling. (click the link to find out more!)
From them, I get so much – creative recipes, insightful food photography tips, history lessons and humor. But mostly, I get friendship… over food. (Pun intended…)
~ David
Hard Boiled Eggs
When I was growing up, I remember hard-cooked egg yolks always having a coating of icky grayish green around them. When I was in Morocco and was served goat testicles, they bore a strong resemblance to the green-gray egg yolk. (Yes, I ate them and, yes, they were tasty!)
But Mark taught me a great way to make them – a method that produces a tender and moist (not mealy) center that is golden through and through – all the way to the white. Try it, you’ll like it!
Put room-temperature eggs in a saucepan filled with cold water and a teaspoon of salt; the water should cover the eggs by 1 inch. Place pan with eggs on the stove and, over medium heat, bring to a roiling boil. Let it boil for 30 seconds and then remove from the heat, cover, and let sit for 12-14 minutes. While they eggs are “steeping,” prepare an ice water bath. After the 12-14 minutes are up, drain eggs and place in ice water to cool. Eat immediately or refrigerate until ready to use. They are perfect for the Salade Niçoise below. (you didn’t really think this was all about hard boiled eggs, did you?) If your shells are sticking and hard to peel, week-old eggs are easier. If problems persist, place egg in the microwave for 15-20 seconds, then peel. The heating process separates the membrane from the egg.
Salade Niçoise
What is an authentic Salade Niçoise? I have found many versions that claim that moniker – yet all are different! Here is my version, for better or worse!
1 head leaf lettuce, leaves separated, washed and patted dry
2 6.5-ounce cans tuna packed in olive oil
1/2 pound haricots verts (French green beans),
blanched in salted water, then chilled
12 new potatoes, cooked whole and chilled
24 grape tomatoes
4 hard boiled eggs, quartered
24 kalamata olives, pitted (we can never find Niçoise olives!)
4 teaspoons non-pareil capers
4 basil leaves, cut in chiffonade (very thin strips)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 8 anchovy filets
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
salt and pepper
Arrange lettuce leaves on 4 dinner plates.
Divide the tuna into 4 portions and place on one side of each plate. Arrange the green beans, potatoes (halved or quartered), grape tomatoes (halved, if desired), hard-boiled eggs and olives around the tuna, then sprinkle with capers, basil and parsley.Top with 2 anchovy filets per salad.
Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, salt and pepper. Drizzle over the salad and serve.
Serves 4.
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Jill
June 10, 2012 at 12:36 amlooks delicious!!
Cocoa & Lavender
June 10, 2012 at 12:48 amThanks, Jill! It tasted really great on this summery day!
Patrician McCarthy
June 10, 2012 at 2:13 amDo we, the public, get to vote for you on this award? Or do we just get to cheer you on? I always vote for you, no matter what! You're the best.
Cocoa & Lavender
June 10, 2012 at 2:28 amThanks, Patrician! Alas, no public voting on this one – there is a team of judges. (Pick me! Pick me!) I really appreciate that I even got nominated!
Paula @ Vintage Kitchen
June 10, 2012 at 12:11 pmThis is a very inspired post David. Beautiful. I believe you summed up the thoughts of most food bloggers.
I hate badly boiled eggs. I cook them no more than 10 minutes since the water starts to boil, but you have me intrigued!
Susan Manfull
June 10, 2012 at 2:48 pmI feel so fortunate to know first hand that you are indeed passionate about food. I remember thinking, early on when we first became friends, that maybe it wasn't an equitable relationship in the food department–you always did more of the cooking than I did. Thankful though I was, I was concerned that Towny and I were not contributing enough. Gradually (and probably through conversations with Mark, too), I realized that you are your happiest–you are radiant–when in the kitchen creating wonderful meals or even just talking about what you might make. Accompanying you to a Farmer's Market (or Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, that huge Asian Store, even a Safeway's) is an adventure! Your writing about food whets our collective appetite every Sunday morning!
Thanks for your inspiration!
Such perfect timing for a Salad Nicoise!
Cocoa & Lavender
June 10, 2012 at 3:08 pmPaula, thanks so much for your kind words and, above all, for my nomination! I really am honored! Let me know if you have any other tricks for hard-boiling eggs!
Susan, I am so glad you understand this passion of mine. And, might I add for our readers' sakes, I have never had anything but the most amazing and wonderful food at your home! You and Towny are the best!
Edward Lazaron
June 10, 2012 at 4:18 pmHi David, I look forward to your posts. fun to read and a joy to view. Not to mention inspiring me to branch out more. In fact I have a beautiful hunk o'tuna, green beans and free range eggs I got yesterday. This is the perfect dish for tonight. You got my vote.
Karin
June 10, 2012 at 4:22 pmone of my favorites, and the reason that I allow myself, even in my current state of economic downturniness, to spend the BIG BUCKS on the GOOD tuna in olive oil!
Cocoa & Lavender
June 10, 2012 at 4:53 pmEdward – thanks so much for all your positive comments! I actually thought of you when composing the salads Niçoise – it is so architectural! Hope you enjoy yours this evening!
Karin – I love me my tuna in olive oil. Somewhere I bought it once in a jar and it was THE best. Now I can't remember where and NEED some more!
Kirsten Honeyman
June 11, 2012 at 4:44 amBeautiful photography and a delicious-looking recipe– per usual!!! I love salade Niçoise and will definitely make this soon. Merci!
Cocoa & Lavender
June 11, 2012 at 1:35 pmThanks, Kirsten! Hope you had a great trip and maybe had at least on salade Niçoise while you were there!
Anna @ The Littlest Anchovy
June 11, 2012 at 11:38 pmThank you so much for my nomination! I am so glad to count you as one of my friends. Your blog is so wonderful and I love your weekly posts. What a lovely fresh salad. Everything looks just perfect.
Cocoa & Lavender
June 12, 2012 at 1:47 pmAnna – you are welcome! I love yours, too, and I find it fun that we are in opposite seasons! And I learn from your photos about setting things and preparing the shot. You are so creative and talented!
Magda
June 14, 2012 at 9:49 pmDavid, THANK YOU for the nomination! It is such an honor!
I hope you know that the feeling is mutual 🙂
Everything you wrote about food blogging applies to me too. There are numerous times when I think that there's absolutely no one reading my words, and before starting my blog I had never felt the need to write anything.
Salade Nicoise is one of my favorite salads, one I used to have very often as a kid. Now, I forget to make it. Thanks for the reminder.
ps Your photos are beautiful!!
xoxo
Cocoa & Lavender
June 15, 2012 at 1:38 pmYou deserve the nomination, Magda! You have inspired me so much – your recipes, stories, food styling and photos!
Glad I reminded you of the Salade Niçoise! It is a summer favorite of ours, and we will often use tuna steaks or salmon filets, too.
As for the photos – I never realized how much I enjoy photographing eggs! 🙂
Anonymous
June 17, 2012 at 4:23 pmExactly how I feel about writing a blog! And inspiring!
Cocoa & Lavender
June 17, 2012 at 4:39 pmThanks! Glad to know I might inspire someone! Thanks so much for stopping by and reading. And now, I am off to visit Cafe Diaries!
Mandy
September 19, 2012 at 12:11 amDo you think this would be a good meal that one could prepare ahead of time or do certain components need to be served warm? Also, where do you typically buy your tuna in olive oil? Trader Joe's? Thanks!
Cocoa & Lavender
September 19, 2012 at 1:47 amHi Mandy – yes, this is the perfect do-ahead meal! I often do all parts the night before or the morning of and chill them, bringing them to room temp as soon as I get home. I buy the tuna at an Italian import store if I can, but mostly I get Genova brand from supermarkets or Trader Joe's brand, which is quite good. Let me know how it goes!
Mandy
September 21, 2012 at 7:39 pmHi David!
You were right; it was a great meal to prepare ahead of time, essentially just a matter of assembling of ingredients the day of. It was delicious. This would be a great meal to teach people that say they "can't cook!" Also, your instructions for making hard boiled eggs are priceless! I ended up finding tuna in oil at Berkeley Bowl, Tonnino, very tasty. Thanks for the ideas!
Cocoa & Lavender
September 22, 2012 at 3:02 pmMandy – THANK YOU! I had Tonnino tuna once and loved it – and promptly forgot the name and have never been able to find it again. I think you stumbled onto the best! Glad you like the egg instructions! 🙂 and the salad…