Charles and Camilla

It's Food Friday!   Happy Earth Day!Charles and Camilla are a little rushed these days and have a slew of parties they must attend this weekend (out of their deep sense of duty, and Camilla's love of excellent Champagne). So they will not be hanging by the pool they way they usually do on the weekends. Charles wanted me to share Nanny's recipe for her traditional Easter Hot Cross Buns. He hopes that you are recycling, mulching, conserving water and eating his organic Duchy shortbread, because as they say on the BBC, "It's really very good."Hot Cross Buns1 cup milk2 tablespoon ...

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Charles and Camilla are bickering just a bit these days – I guess the strain of planning the wedding is getting to everyone. There are just so many avenues for making social gaffes. Did you know that Kate ate some pâté de foie gras a few weeks ago, when Charles has strictly forbidden it from Palace menus? Heavens to Betsy!  (Charles has privately confided to me that he misses the good old days when the Palace would serve Veal Cordon Bleu and Veal Scallopini, but he must be firm in his stance…) Camilla is quite sure that we have done Chicken Cordon Bleu for Food Friday before, but Charles ...

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February 25, 2011It's Food Friday!This is one of our reliable crowd pleasers, the recipe for which we no longer have to scour through the cookbooks - Bruschetta. We have to step out tonight and thought this would be a tasty little contribution to the mix. Camilla is desperate to get out and socialize. (She still hasn't gotten over Kat...e's pony tail in public yesterday.) And Champagne Charlie is always ready for a party!This is very tricky-woo - so pay attention.Cut a day old baguette into slicesToast the slices under the broilerAllow slices to coolRub each slice with a chunk ...

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February 4, 2011The Disappearing ActThis evolved from your basic 1950s onion dip for John Cheever-y kinds of cocktail parties. I think it is a step up the slippery evolutionary kitchen slope because Camilla uses Knorr soup mix, which sounds imported, no? (Charles always blanches at the idea that a mix is used. He seems to think that everything needs to be organic and handmade and heaven knows where would we get all the time? The rest of us do not have a staff, let alone personal servants!) Regardless of the shopworn cliché and conceit, this dip is very popular with our guests, ...

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January 28, 2011It's Food Friday!Here is a recipe for home made fortune cookies. No matter where we get Chinese food the fortune cookies always seem stale. I would hate to bring stale cookies to the Year of the Rabbit festivities. I have also included some pithy quotations that you can print and include in your batch of yummy fresh cookies. Charles and Camilla had so much fun helping me choose!3 egg whites¾ cup white sugar½ cup butter, melted and cooled¼ teaspoon vanilla extract¼ teaspoon almond extract1 cup all-purpose flour2 tablespoons waterPreheat the oven to 375°F. Line cookie ...

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November 19, 2010Quick and Easy Garlic Bread1 crusty baguette1 clove peeled garlicSome excellent olive oilShredded Parmigiano ReggianoSlice the bread through the middle, to have a top and bottom. Put on a cookie sheet and broil until the tops are lightly toasted. Let them cool for a moment. Rub the garlic over the tops until it (and your fingertips) are worn to a nubbin. Drizzle the bread with olive oil and scatter some Parmigiano over the bread in a decorative fashion before returning the bread to the oven. Don't broil it again, the cheese will just scorch. Set the temp at about ...

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t's Food Friday!We have to keep it simple today since some of the Gentle Readers will be gearing up for the scrum at the H&M opening in Palm Beach. (Charles and Camilla are going,too. I'm on deadline, so I hope they bring me something nice!)I have raised a family of renegades. They do not like pumpkin pie. They do not like pecan pie. They do not like apple pie. At birthdays they demand Boston Cream Pie, and at Thanksgiving they expect Chocolate Pudding Pie á la Ken. It is a secret family recipe, rather like Rice Krispies Treats. Be sure to sigh, and dust yourself with flour so ...

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Best Beloved’s Black Bean and Corn Salsa 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed 3 ears cooked corn, corn sliced off the cobs 2 large, fragrant tomatoes, chopped 2 bunches green onions, chopped Cilantro leaves, for garnish In a large bowl, mix together black beans, corn, diced tomatoes, tomatoes and green onion stalks. Garnish with desired amount of cilantro leaves. Chill in the refrigerator at least 8 hours, or overnight, before serving. Serve with chips, or as a relish for any grilled meat. Yumsters. Charles was enjoying the salsa more than he was talking with Camilla the ...

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September 3, 2010The Last All Request Summer Cocktail Friday of Summer...Snowy Mango Rum CocktailFrom Diane RafaelsServes one - but you know you should be generous, so do the math.Orange juice – 2 ouncesRum - 1 ounceMango nectar - 2 ouncesPineapple juice - 2 ouncesPour ingredients into a cocktail shaker and shake until mixed.You can make a snow coat over the rim of a long glass with powdered sugar. To do this, you must wet the top of the glass with some fruit or tip it in juice. Then dip the rim of the glass in powdered sugar. Snow! Turn the glass right side up again, add ice. Pour the ...

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Strawberry Daiquiri5 large, fresh or frozen whole strawberries 1 tablespoon lime juice 1 teaspoon sugar 2 ounces of rum ½ ounce triple sec1 cup crushed ice Blend 10-20 seconds and serve in a chilled cocktail glass. Charles and Camilla are not sure about the Fourth of July. Sometimes Charles gets a little sniffy about those upstart Colonials. Silly Charles. Usually he is mollified after a daiquiri or two, and he does hull the strawberries nicely, and without being told. Camilla is rooting around the laundry room looking for the chairs we are going to take to Downtown Stuart to watch ...

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June 24, 2010It's Food Friday!Roasted Corn1 stick butter, melted1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice1/2 teaspoon lime zest1/2 teaspoon sugar1/2 teaspoon salt1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro12 ears fresh corn, shuckedCombine the butter, lime juice, lime zest, sugar, salt, and cilantro in a medium bowl and mix well. Grill the corn on a medium-hot grill for 10 minutes, turning occasionally (use tongs so you don't suffer like Charles does!). Transfer the lime-cilantro butter to a serving bowl and serve with the corn. Before grilling the corn, soak the unshucked corn in water. The heat ...

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