Peasant Food

We are getting back to simple this week with our theme of Peasant Food.


Peasant Foods are rustic, traditional dishes that are specific to a particular culture and made from inexpensive and easily accessible ingredients and are usually homey and humble fare.


Peasant Foods were so called as they were the diet of peasants, tenant or poorer farmers and their farm workers, and other cash-poor people, making them perfect for today's economy.


Characteristic recipes often include hearty one-dish meals like soups, stews and casseroles, vegetables, beans, breads and pastas, so it should be easy to find a Tessa Kiros recipe to make and enjoy!


Make and post your Peasant Food post by Sunday, October 23rd. Don't forget to link your post of the week's with Mr. Linky below, so we can all enjoy your fabulous creation! Remember to leave a comment after, each week that you use Mr. Linky to link your post, just to be sure we don't miss anyone.

Not sure what a permalink is? Check out our Welcome post.

If you missed the From the Orchard theme last week, be sure to head on over and see all of the fruit-filled fare that everyone made! Don't forget, we're cooking through the recipes of Tessa Kiros right now...so if you've linked up, please be sure that you've used/adapted one of her recipes for your post!


We can't wait to see what kind of delicious Peasant Food you discover!

(Paintings from top: 1. Peasants Breaking Bread, 14th Century Paris / 2. Peasant Woman Cooking by a Fireplace, Vincent van Gogh / 3. The Afternoon Meal by Evert Pieters / 4. Woman Grinding Maize, Diego Rivera / 5. The Meal by Paul Gauguin)

I Heart Cooking Clubs *Peasant Food-Tessa Kiros* Participants

1. Mika-Black-Eyed Peas with Spinach and Cornbread 2. Pierce - Rustic Roast Chicken with Delicious Potatoes 3. Heather ~Soutzoukakia 4. Michelle~Baked Chickpeas

5. Andrea at Nummy Kitchen -- Rigatoni with Tomato, Eggplant, and Ricotta 6. Deb in Hawaii--Baked Feta w/ Lettuce Salad 7. Kayte - Sausages and Beans 8. Natashya - Rice Pudding

9. Kim - Risotto with Fried Egg 10. Andreas - Pasta with Pumpkin

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From the Orchard

Fall is in the air! Can you feel it? Can you feel it? Yeah, me neither. Crazy weather. But I'm still happy with the idea of it being Autumn. Leaves changing colors, colorful fruit hanging from trees, sweatshirts and pumpkins, and munchkins in costume. I'm holding out for a long, looooooong spell of crisp weather once these 80 degree days take their leave. I am totally ready to hop, skip, and pick my way through any orchards I come upon. There's just something so magical about fruit hanging from trees.

So, whether or not the temperatures admit it is fall (or perhaps it is simply Spring on your side of the globe), head out and start pulling fruit from trees then get busy making something delicious. Possibilities abound...from apples, pears,cherries, and plums...to oranges, lemons, limes, and kumquats...to pomegranates, crabapples, passionfruit, persimmons, or even guava! We can't wait to see what magic comes out of the trees, into your kitchen, and over to share with all of us!

Make and post your From the Orchard post by Sunday, October 16th. Don't forget to link your post of the week's with Mr. Linky below, so we can all enjoy your fabulous creation! Remember to leave a comment after, each week that you use Mr. Linky to link your post, just to be sure we don't miss anyone.

Not sure what a permalink is? Check out our Welcome post.

If you missed the October Potluck theme last week, be sure to head on over and see all of the delicious dishes everyone brought! Don't forget, we're cooking through the recipes of Tessa Kiros right now...so if you've linked up, be sure that you've used/adapted one of her recipes for your post!

I Heart Cooking Clubs *From the Orchard* Participants

1. Andrea at Nummy Kitchen -- Whole Wheat Pluot and Apple Pie 2. Mika-Pear Berry Crisp 3. Deb in Hawaii--Cooked Apples w/ Amaretti 4. Michelle ~ Apple Cake w/ Toffee Topping

5. Natashya - Mele Cotte con Amaretti 6. Kim - Pear and Blueberry Crisp 7. Heather ~Apple Bread w/ Sugar & Cinnamon Topping 8. Donna - Pomegranate and apple gelatin desserts

9. Kayte - Apple Cake with Toffee Topping 10. Couscous & Consciousness - Seville Orange Spoon Sweets 11. Meredith-Apple Cake with Toffee Topping

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October Potluck with Tessa Kiros!

We are overwhelmed with joy at how excited people are to cook from Tessa's recipes this term at IHCC! 

Some people are still waiting on their books, so we felt it would be perfect to schedule a potluck at the beginning. You choose the dish that tempts you, from one of her gorgeous books or from the few recipes that are available online, whip it up - making any changes that suit you - and share your delicious results with us!

Tessa Kiros is a world traveller and, more importantly, a worldly cook. So throw open your boundaries and try something new this week. It's time for potluck! 

While you are deciding what to cook, have you checked out the delicious Welcome dishes from last week?

Whip up your potluck dish and post on or by Sunday, October 9th. Link up with Mr. Linky, below, so we can all check out your beautiful dish!

Tessa Kiros recipes only please. New to IHCC or not familiar with Mr. Linky? Check out our Welcome page for more details.
I Heart Cooking Clubs *October Potluck with Tessa Kiros* Participants

1. Michelle ~ chickpea balls w/ yogurt on the side 2. Mika-Fun Dough 3. Deb in Hawaii--Risotto w/ Fried Egg 4. Tina Marie - Fasolada (white bean soup)

5. Heather ~ Pineapple, Cinnamon & Allspice Cake 6. Kayte - Baked Fennel 7. Meredith-Chicken with Cilantro and Spinach Rice 8. Andrea at Nummy Kitchen -- Tomato Lasagna

9. Natashya - Focaccia con Cipolle 10. Donna- Spinach and ricotta cannelloni 11. Kim - Greek Yogurt with Sweetened Condensed Milk and Oranges 12. Couscous & Consciousness - Cranberry Sorbet

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Welcome Tessa!

A big WELCOME to our next chef, Tessa Kiros!

Tessa Kiros was born in London to a Finnish mother and a Greek-cypriot father.  The family moved to South Africa when she was four and, at the age of eighteen, Tessa set off to travel and learn all she could about the world's cultures and traditions, and new ways of living and eating.  She has worked in Sydney, Athens, and Mexico, and at London's famous Groucho Club.  On a trip to Italy to study the language and food, she met her husband, Giovanni.  They live in Tuscany with their two daughters.*

Due to Tessa's extensive travels, her recipes come from a broad range of cultures: Italian, Greek, Finnish, South African, and more.  Her books are not only beautiful, but heartfelt, with warm thoughtful stories and passionate prose throughout.  It's going to be a wonderful six months with Tessa!

All food is welcome food, but is there one particular dish you feel is more welcoming than others?  What says welcome to you?  A platter of cheeses and antipasto?  A piping hot bowl of soup? A freshly baked loaf of bread?  A gorgeous plate of pasta?  Or, perhaps something to whet your sweet tooth?

Feel free to welcome Tessa with whichever dish you chose, but please make and post your Welcome Tessa dish by Sunday, October 2nd.  Don't forget to link up with Mr. Linky so that we can all see your glorious creation.  Please remember to leave a comment after linking up so that we're sure to see your post as soon as it goes up.

If you're new to IHCC, please see our WELCOME post.

And, if you happened to miss our very last week with Jamie (Cheerio, Mate!), please click HERE to be redirected to the links.

*intro to Tessa excerpted from Falling Cloudberries bookcover
I Heart Cooking Clubs *Welcome Tessa* Participants

1. Deb in Hawaii-Purslane Soup 2. Michelle ~ Patatosalata 3. Tina Marie - Greek Salad 4. Heather ~Pastitsio

5. Kim-Cinnamon and Cardamom Buns 6. Natashya - Pastine di Ricotta e Marmellata 7. Kayte - Baked Feta 8. Andrea at Nummy Kitchen -- Ricotta Gnocchi with Tomato Pesto

9. Mika-Carrot Cake 10. Meredith-Fig Jam 11. Couscous & Consciousness - Chickpea, Feta & Coriander Salad

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Cheerio, Mate! (Our Final Potluck with Jamie Oliver!)

First things first... If you can't tell by looking around, starting next week there is a new chef in town. You came, you voted, and you selected Tessa Kiros as the chef we will be cooking with for the next six months!

Born in London to a Finnish mother and a Greek-Cypriot father, Tessa Kiros has traveled all over the globe while collecting inspiration, memories and recipes. Her gorgeous cookbooks are the stuff dreams are made of and we look forward to exploring the world with her.

But wait...


Before we welcome Tessa officially, we need to say Cheerio, Mate! to a very special chap, Jamie Oliver. Six months cooking with Jamie has flown by and it is time to say goodbye with one final POTLUCK!

It's time to make that Jamie recipe you have been putting off, or remaking a dish you loved. Whatever you decide to make, let's send Jamie out with a bang this week!


Jamie, we will miss getting naked with you! Thinking fondly of your rumpled "everyday bloke" good looks, your cheeky personality and your easy-peasy, tasty recipes. Even though we will be cooking with a new chef instead of spending time with you each week, you will always be in our hearts.


Pick your final Jamie Oliver recipe from one of his books or online and join in the final POTLUCK fun by posting your dish by Sunday, September 25th.

• Don't forget to link your post of the week's with Mr. Linky below, so we can all enjoy your fabulous potluck creation!

• Remember to leave a comment after, each week that you use Mr. Linky to link your post, just to be sure we don't miss anyone.

• New to IHCC and not sure what a permalink is? Check out our Welcome post.

• If you missed the Ready, Breadie! theme last week, be sure to head on over and see all of the delicious bread creations that everyone made!

Don't forget! We are still cooking through the recipes of Jamie Oliver for another week...so if you've linked up, be sure that you've used/adapted one of his recipes for your post!

So Jamie, Cheerio, Mate! And we will see you all at the POTLUCK!

I Heart Cooking Clubs *Cheerio Mate! Final Potluck with Jamie* Participants

1. Tina Marie - Crispy Sticky Chicken Thighs 2. Couscous & Consciousness - Blue Cheese, Fig & Walnut Flatbread 3. Kim-Top Five Jamie Recipes 4. Natashya - Jamie's Perfect Roast Chicken

5. Michelle ~ Crunchy Garlic Chicken & my favs 6. Deb in Hawaii-Pukkolla 7. Heather ~the wrap-up 8. Andrea at Nummy Kitchen -- Spinach and Mushroom Calzones

9. Andreas - Farro Salad with oven-baked Vegetables 10. Meredith-Roasted Chicken Thighs with Creamy Butternut Squash and Chiles

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Ready, Breadie?

Heads Up: Don't forget to vote for our next chef!  It's "girl-time" for the next six months, so head on over to the sidebar and vote for the person YOU most want to cook, bake, explore in the kitchen with.  Choose from Diana Kennedy, Madhur Jaffrey, Tessa Kiros, and Claudia Roden.

But this week, we're getting our bread on!  Brush aside those fear of the yeastie beastie's and head into the kitchen to bake up something beautiful and golden!  Jamie has some fantastic bread recipes, most of them based on one specific master recipe.  The possibilities are endless. 

Maybe your favorite is a simple baguette.  Maybe you want it swirled with cinnamon and studded with raisins?  Perhaps loads of fresh herbs are your bag.  maybe you want to toss it out into a disk and top it with glorious meats, veggies and cheeses?  Or even  a sweet or fruity bread to soak up your morning coffee?

While we're hoping everybody gets lost in a bakers wonderland, as always, our theme is open to interpretation.  Want to use a glorious loaf of bread to make a killer sandwich?  Or perhaps some custardy french toast?  Maybe you are in the mood for some bread pudding or something topped with toasty bread crumbs (okay, maybe that's pushing it a bit, but...).  Go on, get your bread on!

Make and post your Ready, Breadie? post by Sunday, September 18th. Don't forget to link your post of the week's with Mr. Linky below, so we can all enjoy your fabulous creation! Remember to leave a comment after, each week that you use Mr. Linky to link your post, just to be sure we don't miss anyone.

Not sure what a permalink is? Check out our Welcome post.

If you missed the Condiments! theme last week, be sure to head on over and see all of the delicious dishes everyone brought!  Don't forget, we're cooking through the recipes of Jamie Oliver right now...so if you've linked up, be sure that you've used/adapted one of his recipes for your post!

*all photos via Google Images

I Heart Cooking Clubs *Ready, Breadie?* Participants

1. Deb In Hawaii--Eggplant & Mint Bruschette 2. Tina Marie - Focaccia

3. Natashya - Rosemary and Raisin Bread 4. Heather ~ Raisin Rosemary Bread

5. Kim-Banana and Honey Rolls

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Condiments!

“Condiments are like old friends-highly thought of, but often taken for granted.”
Marilyn Kaytor

Not anymore! This week is all about the supporting cast - the condiments! Those hard-working and highly flavoured additions that make a meal delicious.

Ketchups, mustards, salsas, chutneys, jams, pickles, mayo.... sweet or savoury. Our toppings are tops!

So get out your mortar and pestles, blenders, food processors or machetes - whatever you use to get the perfect consistency on that perfect Jamie Oliver condiment - and show us what you've whipped up!

Post your J.O. condiment on or by Sunday, September 11th and link up with Mr. Linky below.

Can't wait to see your condimental creations!
*

And, did you get a chance to check out the Back to School posts from last week?

 *

Link up your Jamie Oliver condiment post to Mr. Linky below, leaving a comment after.

*

Not sure what a permalink is?  Check out our Welcome post. 

all photos from google images
I Heart Cooking Clubs *Condiments!* Participants

1. Kim-Simple Cheesy Mustard 2. Deb in Hawaii-Guava-Yuzu-Vanilla Jam

3. Michelle ~ Winter Crunch Salad w/ Mind Blowing Sauce 4. Heather~ Roasted Strawberry Vanilla Bean Jam

5. Meredith-Honey Lemon Glazed Carrots 6. Natashya - Salsa Verde

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