Sautéed Fiddleheads

"Crunchy, yet satisfying." This is what Peter said as he tasted these fiddleheads, attempting to quote the Lion King scene where Pumbaa slurps up a worm and says, "Slimy, yet satisfying." He was close. Lucky for you, these are not slimy, but boy are they satisfying.

There are many types of edible fiddleheads around the world. However, the fiddleheads in my area are the furled fronds of a young ostrich fern. Fiddleheads feel like such a Mainer thing, but as I read more about them, I realized we share the ostrich fronds find with Canada. The Maliseet, Mi'kmaq, and Penobscot peoples of Eastern Canada and Maine traditionally harvested fiddleheads, and they remain a traditional dish in these regions. I still say it's a Maine thing, meheheh. Just let me have this moment.

Fiddleheads have a short season—really only a few weeks in the spring—so when you see them at the Farmer's market or at your grocery store, GRAB 'EM!

I also just learned from good ol' Wikipedia that "when picking fiddleheads, it is recommended to take only half the tops per plant/cluster for sustainable harvest. Each plant produces several tops that turn into fronds; repeated over-picking will eventually kill the plant. Maintaining sustainable harvesting methods is important in the propagation of any non-farmed food species."

This is a great tip, as I still have yet to harvest my own (I feel like such a poser). When I finally do harvest my own fiddles, I picture Paul Bunyanesque lumberjacks surrounding me and knighting me as a true Mainer.

Until then, I will continue whipping up these "crunchy, yet satisfying" fiddles as if they were my own harvest, and enjoying this fleeting delicacy of spring!

Crema Mexicana

My life changed so much when I met Mexican crema. (Listen, it did, okay?) If you don't know what Mexican crema is, prepare your mind. 

When I first discovered this stuff, I was at one of my favorite local restaurants and I had ordered a side of black beans. It came out with cotija sprinkled on top, along with a drizzle of what appeared to just be cream. 

BUT...when I tasted the mysterious concoction, there were fireworks and tears, and I passed spoonfuls around the table, force-feeding bites to everyone I could because they NEEDED to know about this. 

Okay, maybe that was a bit dramatic, but that is what I felt happened when I tasted Mexican crema. Its flavors are a mixture of cream, sour cream, and the nice smooth saltiness of mozzarella. What’s also grand is that it’s used in place of sour cream so you aren't hiding the main dish under dollops of white, sometimes masking the flavors. This only enhances what you are enjoying. 

We now use Mexican crema in place of sour cream. Not ALWAYS, but almost. 

The long, and probably more authentic version involves pasteurized heavy cream and cultured buttermilk and sitting for 48 hours. I haven’t tried this yet but I am sure it is what the restaurant was serving the day my life changed. 

Lucky for you, I cheated and found a method with a similar result within three hours, which makes it more manageable, allowing you to enjoy crema more often :) 

Here's the wild thing...it needs to sit on the counter-top for those three hours. Yup, no refrigeration.

Don't be scared. Live a little. 

Just wait until you try this. Seriously, guys. You may never eat sour cream again. 

LaraThalice House Margaritas

Well, I've finally done it. I've decided to share my most prized recipe - my margarita. And the funny thing is, there's really no secret to the secret.

Maybe the trick is the pure, quality ingredients - no mixes, no bottled lime juice, no cheapies (I mean, I do have to mention that when I was young and a wild wildebeest, I used to throw large marg parties, and I would slip in a good ol' $7 bottle of triple sec, which produced the same, pleased, warm grins, so...) but, if you aren't throwin' a stavah, let's splurge a bit.

I think the real secret is in the song-sauce...yup, that's right. I have a Spotify playlist called "Sip Margaritas and Listen." When you pair this playlist with my margaritas, I believe something magical happens.

So there you have it, mis amigos. Homemade pasta in Italy is bound to taste better than homemade pasta anywhere else. A fresh piña colada in Puerto Rico on the beach doesn't quite compare to the SAME exact recipe made at home on a winter day...it's just fact. It's all about the ambiance! So, if you can't enjoy this recipe on a balcony overlooking the water in Mexico, you might as well whip it up to some tunes that put you there, mentally.

¡Now, go sip margaritas and listen!

P.S. - I have made this playlist public, if you are interested in following, as I like to add to it when I hear a perfect contender.

LaraThalice's Top 5 Kitchen Tools

There are a handful of kitchen tools that I pull out of the cupboard and stare at in grateful awe before carrying on with my mission. Every time I use one of them, I think, "I need to let the world know how amazing you are!" So, I'm finally letting the entire world know about these dudes/dudettes.

1. Cuisinart Smart Stick Immersion Blender
I put this as number one because I honestly can't get over it. Every time I use it, it's like Christmas. I want to meet the inventor. IMMERSION BLENDER, YOU MAKE MY KITCHEN LIFE COMPLETE. I have considered traveling with it before, just because it's so freaking awesome. Pureeing soup in an instant without having to move it to the blender is by far the best thing in the lands. I also puree fruit in liquids to make popsicles, quick smoothies, and syrups. The other GREATEST THING IN THE LANDS is that I can barely-chop up dressing ingredients (lazy), plop them into a Pyrex measuring cup (okay, these cups are goddesses, too, and love how they can handle the heat) with some oil, and give it a quick puree for a fantastical salad dressing. Oh, and tomato sauce, duh.

2. Wüsthof Classic Ikon 8" Cook's Knife - 4596/20
A true workhorse in the LaraThalice kitchen - chopping, mincing, slicing and dicing my way through a cooking fiesta. I use it multiple times a day, it's super easy to sharpen, and my hand never tires. I find it to be the perfect size for every recipe I've ever cooked, only sometimes pairing it with my Wüsthof Paring (har har) knife. You don't realize how much a good knife speeds up the prep process until you own one.Now picture my voice introducing the next line to come down the runway at NYFW: It also features a contoured handle for comfortable fit and a more contemporary appearance...ooo la la. **NOTE: Although this says "Dishwasher Safe", it is always best to hand wash your beloved knives.

3. KitchenAid Artisan Series 5-Qt. Stand Mixer
The colors and attachment options alone make this kitchen toy a favorite. I use it to knead bread, make pasta dough, whip cream, eggs, pasta fillings, sugah, buttah. My brother even borrowed it to grind venison burger. It deserves its own apron, actually, because it may do more work in my kitchen than me. I may or may not kiss it goodnight each evening.

4. Lodge Cast Iron 12" Skillet
What can't you cook in one? I actually don't know. Mine is 3.25" deep, which I find perfect because it allows me to cook quite a variety in it. And after you've used it for a while, it tends to make everything else you cook in it taste wicked good. I've made everything from the obvious soups/stews, braised chicken, and perfectly seared fish, to pad thai, grilled mac & cheese, and pancakes. That's quite a variety, I'd say!

5. Kitchenismo Fine Mesh Stainless Steel Food Strainer & Sieve
This little beast is truly underrated. I am big on minimizing kitchen gadgets and love when one thing does multiple tasks (if you couldn't tell from this list, already).
It not only strains the obvious – food but it acts as my sifter, ricer, steamer, rinser, and even allows organics to steep in boiling water to make Easter egg dye.
It's the perfect size. I really think my favorite thing about it is that it eliminates a gaumy sifter. Yes, I said "gaumy." It's a Maine thing. I can't help it. We use it in place of awkward/bulky/clumsy. My husband says I made it up. I say I learned it as a sternwoman on my Dad's lobster boat.
I'm having trouble remembering where I got my strainer and there is absolutely no branding on it. So, I actually ordered the ones I linked to (and posed with, left), to make sure they compare/are the same thing as mine (pictured right). I was unable to find the single-item listing so I've linked to a 3-pack. You won't be sorry owning the mini strainer. I use one a lot for decorative powdering, spices, fine pureeing, tea, even camp coffee (which actually is delicious and a must-know when the power goes out). And, as for the middle one, I don't know. Just meditate on it. I bet it would make a fun beach toy (for the young and old).

Bonus: Microplane Gourmet Series Black Fine Grater
I did a bonus instead of a Top 6...because who writes Top 6 lists? But, really this is right up there with the rest. It grates everything from zests, to garlic, ginger, and nutmeg, to name a few, with the obvious cheese thrown in between. It's light, ergo-friendly, and I like how it can rest on the receptacle so there is less stress on my hands.

Bonus: 2 T Pyrex measuring shot glass (6-teaspoons, 2-tablespoons, 1-ounce, and 30-milliliters)Am I allowed to have two bonus items without changing the title of this list from "Top 5"? The greatest thing about this little imp is that I can measure from 1 tsp up to 2 T (or ounce and milliliters equivalents) and only get one thing dirty, not 5,287 spoons. It's such a good friend.
**NOTE: I would NOT recommend the dishwasher. The writing will slowly wash away and then you just have a (was) fancy shot glass.