Many of our gift baskets come with delcious jams from Stonewall Kitchens. We also include Georgia peach preserves in our Atlanta Artisan gifts. If you are burnt out on toast, why not use your jar to make a jam tart? Look at this incredibly delicious recipe posted by David Leovitz on his blog, “Living the Sweet Life in Paris.” So beautifully simple. Let me know if you try it!

http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2008/07/jam-tart/

http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2008/07/jam-tart/

I wish I knew who wrote this poem because it perfectly describes my mood this time of year. During autumn, life feels like a celebration because the simplest pleasures—from jogging to reading a book—can be fully enjoyed, as you are not hot, not cold, and decidedly not covered in pollen.

Everyone has something to celebrate. The football flags are up, the baseball fans are out, and there is no better time to enjoy a game of golf or watch a tournament on TV. When it comes to entertaining, the mood is pleasant rather than panicked as it will be in a few short weeks when the holidays are upon us.

At our house, October means we gather to celebrate our German heritage with Oktoberfest, much the same way we celebrate our Irish heritage in March. That is part of the beauty of being American— our varied backgrounds mean that many of us have a variety of cultural traditions to choose from. And, as you may have guessed, we are really just looking for an excuse to throw a great party and enjoy our wonderful friends and family.

We serve homemade Bavarian pretzels, strong German beer, bratwurst, kosher hot dogs, and an incredible cabbage dish my friend Marta taught me to make. Marta is Polish and so is her recipe, but I won’t tell the Oktoberfest police if you don’t!

Even people who do not like sauerkraut will love this dish. Rinsing the sauerkraut mellows its flavor, and the carrots and Vegeta seasoning lend the dish incredible flavor and color. If you are curious about Vegeta seasoning, read the following article:
http://www.examiner.com/ethnic-restaurants-in-chicago/vegeta-seasoning

Marta’s Delicious Cabbage
2.5 lbs sauerkraut (from a bag), rinsed and drained in a colander. Reserve the liquid.
1 lb carrots, peeled and shredded with a box grater
2 Tbs. vegetable oil, plus a few drizzles more
1 lb fully cooked Polska kielbasa
1 white onion, finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2 cups water
2 tsp. Vegeta seasoning mix. (Look for it at international food markets or on Amazon.)

Set a stockpot on the stove over medium-low heat. Add the sauerkraut, shredded carrots, and two cups of water.

Next, heat two Tbs. vegetable oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Sautee the onion for about five minutes until golden, and add the kielbasa. Cook the sausage and onion for about five minutes more, just until the sausage is browned.

Add the sausage and onion to the sauerkraut and carrot mixture in the stock pot. Raise the heat to medium-high bringing the liquid to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer. Add the Vegeta seasoning and drizzle the cabbage mixture with a little more vegetable oil (1/2 to 1 tsp.). Add salt and pepper to taste, and red pepper flakes if you like a little spice. Cover the pot and let the cabbage cook for about 10-15 more minutes until it is tender.

At this point, you can serve it immediately, or let it cool down and store it in the refrigerator for up to two days. This is the kind of dish that gets better after it sits for a bit, so make it in advance if you can.

To make it a meal, grill some bratwurst and kosher hot dogs. Meanwhile, warm the cabbage over medium-low heat, adding just a little vegetable oil to moisten it. Serve the cabbage on a large platter with the sausages on top, quartered cucumbers, and sour pickles. We also serve boiled potatoes with salt, pepper, and butter, along with steamed carrots. Much like fall itself, this meal is simple and delicious.

People often ask me what they should do with the Bonito del Norte tuna we include in several of our gourmet gifts. I have to say, the options are nearly limitless, and once you try it, you will probably never go back to American tuna fish.

Bonito del Norte is a product of Northern Spain. The tuna itself is premium-quality white tuna that is cooked and packed in Spanish olive oil, which gives it—and anything you put it in—incredible flavor.

In Spain, I have seen it served in a variety of ways, ranging from the exotic to the strikingly simple. I tend to prefer the latter. It makes for an incredible lunch or light dinner as part of a salad Nicoise. Just drain the tuna and serve it on top of lettuce, along with green beans, tomatoes, onions, hard boiled eggs, pitted black olives, capers, and potatoes. A friend in Madrid used it to fill seafood cannelloni, which she served for lunch along with an incredible gazpacho. In fact, Bonito works well in a variety of simple pasta dishes. I will post these recipes soon.

If it is your first time cooking with Bonito del Norte, try this recipe from the Basque country of Spain. You just can’t go wrong with these flavors.

Bonito del Norte Spread

1 loaf French bread, to serve toasted with the tuna spread

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 large Spanish onion, chopped

3 green peppers, chopped

2 large cloves of garlic, finely chopped

¼ cup pitted and chopped green and/or black olives

3 tablespoons capers, drained, and chopped

1 14-oz can tomatoes in juice

2 tablespoons tomato puree (if you have to make your own, use Roma tomatoes)

15 ounces roasted red peppers, drained and chopped

1 splash of good sherry vinegar (we like Lustau Vinagre de Jerez)

8 ounces of Bonito del Norte tuna in olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Warm the olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Sautee the onion and green peppers for about 12 minutes (until translucent, but not brown). Add the garlic and cook about 2 minutes more (do not let the garlic turn dark, or it will be bitter). Add the olives, capers, tomatoes (including the juice), and the tomato puree, and cook over medium heat for five minutes. Add the red peppers and cook for about 3 to 5 minutes more. Add a splash of sherry vinegar and the drained bonito tuna. Add a small dash of salt and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper. Double-check your seasonings before chilling the spread in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, up to overnight. Before serving, check the seasonings once more, adding salt or pepper if necessary. Serve with toasted slices of baguette. And remember, it tastes even better the second day!