Food Flirt

Food, recipes, cooking, travel,

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Location: Petaluma, California, United States

Jacqueline is an international award winning journalist whose stories about food never fail to tantalize her reader's taste buds.

Friday, April 10, 2009

Tasting Morocco


I’m going to Morocco in June with Maureen Wheeler and the other Wild Writing Women. I’m really excited about the trip. I’ve never been to Africa before so this should be quite an adventure. I’ll be there to celebrate my birthday. I’m already preparing for it. I rooted through my dresser drawers and found my Zils (finger cymbals) and my golden belly dancer belt that has coins dangling all around. It makes the most delightful jingle when I shake my hips in rhythm of my belly dance record! This stuff dates back to the late 70’s when I studied belly dancing.

Naturally the foods of Morocco hold another fascination for me. I’ve been reading up on the cuisine and have tried several dishes myself. Here’s one that I made up that is easy to prepare and really delicious.



Moroccan Couscous with Zucchini

One box instant couscous (plain)
Follow instructions on the box using low fat chicken stock for the liquid.

Put 2 cups chopped dried apricots into pan with lid, pour in the chicken stock, salt, olive oil and a pat of butter. Bring to boil, pour in box of couscous, cover, take off heat and wait 5 minutes.

Heat a couple of squirts of olive oil (enough to cover bottom of pan) in a sauté pan, place a bunch of spring (green) onions (chopped). Stir around until soft, and then add 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped. Add salt and pepper and about 1 tablespoon on cumin. I also added a little bit of dried rosemary. Stir until soft and then add two large zucchini’s chopped. Stir the mixture until zucchini is cooked.

Take lid off couscous and fluff with a fork. Pour the couscous into a large bowl, add the zucchini mixture and toss lightly.

Yummmmmm! This can be served hot or cold.

Thursday, April 09, 2009

Woolie Weeders



3-10-09

I drove up to Cline Cellars this morning feeling very sad and sorrowful about the death of my dear daughter-in-law Heidi.

When I came around a bend in the road, the entire valley stretched out around me. Lush and green with patches of bright yellow mustard blooming. I passed a bunch of flowering plum trees waving their sweet smelling pink blossoms in the morning breeze. As I came up to make my left turn into Cline I was surprised to see the “Wooly Weeders” at work in the front vines.

The Wooly Weeders are a flock of sheep who hire out to eat the weeds that grow between the vines. I laughed out loud seeing them.

The Cline’s work at being as organic and “green” as they can be and using real animals for weed control is really the way to go.

Timing is everything with this process because if the grape buds have begun to form on the vines the sheep will eat them too!

Being out here in the vineyards with the cycles of the crops is grounding for me. I feel blessed that I have a safe haven that shields me and comforts me. To be with nature is very healing.