A Provencal Bouquet for Northern Italy

This is the bouquet I would want for any special occasion.  Squash blossoms, just picked,

They last only for a few hours so time is of the essence........ The product of Zucchini and Pumpkin plantings, these are as precious as Saffron to me........

In Provence they fry them in a batter, you could, I imagine maybe do a tempura like thing.  The French call them Beignets like the fried doughnuts but they are not sweet.  Tomorrow Robes has permission to go pick as many of these babies as he wants from some local people who have tons of them. If they stay on the vine they turn into zucchini or pumpkins. You only have a window of a few weeks the blossoms are blooming.  Once thy bloom they last only a day or so......
Once picked, they start to wiltlasting just a few hours.

You would think they were truffles.  If they get to the supermarket they are all wilty......Yuck.

These fabulous images from http://www.zoebakes.com/ from her July 26th 2010 post and you may want to check out the golden tomato Gazpacho she has the recipe for.

Here's how I do it. From Provence the beautiful cookbook by Richard Olney
For the batter:
1 cup AP Flour
2 egg yolks reserve the whites for later
salt and pepper
1Tablespoon Olive Oil
3/4 cup warm beer
Sift the flower into a mixing bowland add everything but the every thing but the egg whites.
Whisk only long enough to produce a smooth batter. Cover with a plate and let sit for two hours.

Just before using (I like Peanut Oil for this)heat your oil for fryingthese  Whisk the eggwhites into limp peaks and gently fold into the batter. Fry intil crisp and light golden brown.  Dip in your favorite sauce.  Fresh Marinara or Salsas, anything you like.  This is also good for squid, mushrooms. red peppers, and artichokes.
Oh and DON'T RINSE the fresh blossoms just carefully wipe off... Later we tried with tempura batter..... Much lighter if you prefer that........

This is what you are looking for..... I am providing the recipe I use..and I like to dip in icy cold fresh marinara....

I also recommend if you have access to Trader Joe's their marinara out of a can chilled.......DEE Lish.

Look! There's one!  Grab it Robes!

Our Friends Garden: Dale and his lovely wife Dorothy have a business here in Brenham and you can get great kolaches, doughnuts, coffee..... Just a family run business for a great breakfast fix.

Robe's  bounty.

Frying it up in Peanut oil......

La Plate, with icey cold Dry Rose from France and some fresh Marinara sauce with herbs from our own potager.

This is with the Tempura batter...... From a box....... We liked it too!!!!!!! Lighter....

Also did some fresh picked green beans with it........ Might have been good with Ponzu sauce and Sake......I am having font issues......... It is not me I hope........

I would like to say on my previous post I mentioned the earthquakes in Northern Italy.... Well they had three more early this morning.......... Much more damage..... We are thinking of you .....xo