Similar to the diced salads I enjoyed long ago at El Gaucho in Amsterdam, this elegant chopped salad is a refreshing accompaniment to any meat dish. Celery, cucumber, and red onion are chopped into small bits and tossed with vinegar and oil for an elegant salad. ©M-J de Mesterton

Christmas Cookie Design ©M-J de Mesterton Christmas cookies, adapted from a 1950s recipe by Antoinette Pope (The Antoinette Pope School of Cookery). I’ve been enjoying these since I was a child. Here are the ingredients: One half-pound of butter Two and a half cups of flour One cup of powdered sugar One tablespoon of milk (full-fat, of course) One teaspoon of vanilla (imitation vanilla is just as good as the real thing) One egg yolk mixed with two tablespoons of cream (to brush on top, as a base for sprinkles–adds nice flavor, believe it or not) If you are going to use icing and a piping bag to decorate these Christmas cookies, skip this decorating step. Method: The ingredients, except for the egg yolk and cream, are mixed together and rolled out to a quarter (1/4) inch thickness. Then cookie-cutters are employed; the things are brushed with egg yolk/cream and sprinkled with colored sugar. I prefer Swedish pärlsokker, or white pearl sugar. Transfer the cut-out cookies to an upside-down

For more photos, and a pictorial of how to make M-J's Elegant Pineapple Pork Chops,  see this previous post .

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See Elegant Bread for M-J's Fougasse Recipe

Parallèle "45" Consistently Good Wine from the Côtes du Rhône

An elegant dessert table at M-J's cocktail buffet holds a cake decorated with French dragée almonds , walnut chocolate brownies, and crisp chocolate-chip cookies. M-J's Elegant Appetizers/Appetisers  at the Elegant Cook ©M-J de Mesterton

Soy sauce, pineapple juice, dried red chile peppers and a bit of brown sugar are used to marinate these elegant pork-chops. They are then placed on a broiling-pan which has on its bottom level the pineapple and marinating liquid. The pork is browned and turned over. When the pork chops are done on both sides, the pineapple will be well-cooked and seasoned in the bottom of the broiling-pan. ©M-J de Mesterton Asian Pork Dish, Broiled Pineapple, Broiled Pork Chops, Chile, Chile Peppers,Dried Chile, Elegant Cook, Elegant Cuisine Asian Food, Pineapple Pork, Red Chile, Soy Sauce, Spicy Pork

An old friend of mine used to make this dish for me in the 1970s. I published my recipe for the unusual breakfast offering on Elegant Survival in 2006; it was for a long time the only recipe for Eggs Vienna on the internet. I shall reconstruct it here at Elegant Cuisine: Eggs Vienna for Two Prepare four slices of streaky American-style bacon until they are crisp. Poach two eggs in two cups of boiling milk, until they are soft. Toast two slices of white bread or English muffins, then butter them. When all three components are ready, place one piece of toast in each of two soup-bowls. Place two slices of bacon on top of each piece of toast, then top that with a poached egg. Pour the remaining hot milk, in which the eggs have been poached, into each bowl. Copyright M-J de Mesterton

M-J's Original Recipe for Elegant Potatoes Boiled in water infused with saffron and paprika, these golden potatoes are coated with butter and more seasoning, then baked until golden brown at the edges.

M-J's elegant canapés begin with her home-made bread fashioned into toast platforms. They are now ready for filling with refined ingredients. ©M-J de Mesterton

Soy sauce, pineapple juice, dried red chile peppers and a bit of brown sugar are used to marinate these elegant pork-chops. They are then placed on a broiling-pan which has on its bottom level the pineapple and marinating liquid. The pork is browned and turned over. When the pork chops are done on both sides, the pineapple will be well-cooked and seasoned in the bottom of the broiling-pan. ©M-J de Mesterton

Pine-nuts, grapefruit, tangerines or clementines, orange juice, and honey make this dessert a refreshing and warming holiday treat. In winter, we all need some honey and citrus fruit to enhance our health. The o riginal recipe is found at CuisineAZ.com M-J's Version of Citrus-Honey Dessert Two cups of orange juice One-third cup of honey One-third cup of lightly toasted pine-nuts ( pignolia, piñon nuts) 3 tangerines or clementines, sectioned and separated 5 grapefruit, cut into supremes ( click here to see how)  and quartered Boil the orange juice for two minutes, and then add honey and pine nuts. Simmer until slightly thickened. Put prepared citrus fruit into a bowl and sprinkle it with a fine coating of sugar.  Distribute the fruit among six stout glasses, then cover it with hot orange-honey-nut mixture. Serve either hot or cold. Chill for at  least two hours. Cinnamon or vanilla may be added to the hot liquid if desired. For a more colourful presentation, use pink grapefruit. ~~M

See The Elegant Cook for M-J's Recipe

M-J’s Green Beans with Almonds Haricots Verts Amandine M-J's Green Bean and Almond Sauté In a large pan or wok, heat some peanut or red chile oil (M-J’s recipe is on the Elegant Survival.net Cuisine page). Empty a bag of frozen or fresh green beans into the hot oil. The thinner the beans, the better. Crush some roasted chile almonds (M-J’s recipe is on the Cuisine page at Elegant Survival.net) inside of a bag with a mallet or potato masher. Empty them into the pan with the green beans after they have begun to look a bit browned. Toss this together while sautéeing it all for a while longer. Serve alongside chicken or beef, or as a high-protein, high-fiber meal if you don’t eat meat. ©M-J de Mesterton 2007

Click Photo to View Larger Image Crème Fraîche This Recipe Makes Two Cups With a taste reminiscent of hazelnuts and a hint of tanginess, crème fraîche is France’s favourite form of cream for use in cookery. With enhanced body and more complex flavours than fresh sweet cream, crème fraîche is a thick, rich concoction with a custard-like consistency. Ingredients: Two tablespoons of cultured buttermilk, preferably full-fat Two cups of heavy cream Combine the buttermilk and cream in a saucepan and heat till just before boiling. Pour the mixture into a clean glass bowl or jar. Partially cover and let stand at room temperature for eight hours, or until thickened. Stir and refrigerate at least 24 hours before using. The crème fraîche will keep for about two weeks in the refrigerator. I like to chill and then whip it, so that it becomes thick like Devon cream. ~~©M-J de Mesterton 2006

Featured at Elegant Survival in 2006, Les Cornuds 2005 by Vinsobres Côtes du Rhône Villages Perrin & Fils Beaucastel

In New Mexico where it originated, the Green Chile Cheeseburger reigns supreme. Simply fry your burgers, then add as many chopped green chiles on top as you like, then add a slice of your favourite cheese and broil for a minute. Monterey Jack is popular, as is Cheddar. Lettuce, mayonnaise and pickles are optional. Zesty Southwestern Hamburger Dressing Drain and chop finely a couple of dill pickle spears or a handful of hamburger dill slices. Shred and chop a cup of lettuce. Drain a small can of chopped green chiles in a sieve, pressing until they are as dry as possible. Ortega Fire-Roasted, Diced Green Chiles Old El Paso Green Chiles by the Case  In a mixing-bowl, combine these vegetables with a half-cup of mayonnaise, gently blending the ingredients together for an elegant and refreshing southwestern-style hamburger sauce. A bit of ground pepper and/or 1/4 teaspoon of onion powder may be added to absorb excess moisture and impart extra flavour to the mixture. Amounts of these ingredie

Optional, and very popular: adding a slice of Monterey Jack cheese to your New Mexican Green Chile Burger Zesty Southwestern Hamburger Dressing Drain and chop finely a couple of dill pickle spears or a handful of hamburger dill slices. Shred and chop a cup of lettuce. Drain a small can of chopped green chiles in a sieve, pressing until they are as dry as possible. Ortega Fire-Roasted, Diced Green Chiles Old El Paso Green Chiles by the Case  In a mixing-bowl, combine these vegetables with a half-cup of mayonnaise, gently blending the ingredients together for an elegant and refreshing southwestern-style hamburger sauce. A bit of ground pepper and/or 1/4 teaspoon of onion powder may be added to absorb excess moisture and impart extra flavour to the mixture. Amounts of these ingredients may be adjusted to your taste. ©M-J de Mesterton New Mexican Green Chile Burger on Home-Made Hamburger Bun Recipe Courtesy of M-J de Mesterton The Authentic New Mexico Green Chiles, Grown by

å M-J de Mesterton with Marimekko apron and pot-holders, from the Marimekko shop in Borgå Here is more on the subject of aprons, on my old blog, where I'm no longer posting: Let's All Wear Aprons ! Marimekko Apron and Pot-Holders Peugeot Pepper Mills Zassenhaus Coffee Mill The Rock Painter