'BEAUTY AND THE BEAST' (NORWAY MAPLE) ~ THAI PINEAPPLE SHRIMP / COCONUT SHORTBREAD

"April hath put a spirit of youth in everything."

~ William Shakespeare

'Beauty' outside bedroom window

Flowering Norway Maple

(Acer platanoides)

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THAI PINEAPPLE SHRIMP

1 pound large shelled & deveined shrimp

3 Tbsp. soy sauce

1 1/2 tsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. turmeric

1 Tbsp. water

3 Tbsp. vegetable oil

2 large minced cloves garlic

4 cups cooked rice

1 tsp. coriander seed

2 cups inch-long julienned slices fresh pineapple

1 large julienned sliced red pepper

2-3 Tsp. minced jalapeno pepper

6 diagonally sliced green onions

• Combine soy sauce, sugar, turmeric and water. Mix well and set aside. Pour over shrimp and marinate 20 minutes.
• Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in large heavy skillet or wok until hot but not smoking. Remove shrimp, reserving marinade. Carefully add shrimp and stir-fry about 2 minutes until pink and loose transparency. Remove from skillet.
• Add remaining 1 Tbsp. oil to skillet and heat. Add garlic and stir until golden. Add peppers and cook until briefly, heating through but still crisp. Add rice and stir 1 minute or until hot.
• Combine reserved soy marinade to rice and blend well. Add shrimp, coriander seed, pineapple, jalapeno pepper, and green onion.


Wine Note: Try a Michigan 2004 Dry Riesling from Chateau Chantal (Old Mission Peninsula)
http://www.chateauchantal.com/
or Award-winning Best of Class 2005
Semi-Dry Riesling from Shady Lane Cellars (Leelanau Peninsula).
http://www.shadylanecellars.com/

Beauty & the Beast ~ BEWARE:

"Once established into a forest, it has the ability to shade out the native understory and out-compete the native tree species."

Visit: Invasive.org

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COCONUT SHORTBREAD

~ Excellent favorite from Culinary Counterpoint

( Detroit Symphony Orchestra) Cookbook

*

1 lb. unsalted butter

1 cup sugar

4 cups flour

1 tsp. vanilla

1 (7-oz) can flaked coconut

• Preheat oven to 325-degrees.
• Cream butter and sugar. Add flour and mix well. Stir in vanilla and coconut and mix until moistened. Form into 2-inch cylinders and wrap in waxed paper. Chill for 1 hour.
• Slice 1/4-inch thick and place on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 15-25 minutes. (6 dozen)

'SPRING FEVER' (NCAA FINAL FOUR WEEKEND)~ LOBSTER CORN DOG

“It's spring fever.... You don't quite know what it is you DO want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!"

~ Mark Twain

~ Primrose

(early spring visitor)

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LOBSTER CORN DOG

~ With a focus on Detroit and Michigan State in the 'Final Four Slam-Dunk Weekend', enjoy this yummy elegant Midwest appetizer compliments of Executive Chef David Hubbard and the (best view overlooking Detroit, Canada & the St. Marys River) beautiful

Coach Insignia (Renaissance Center, Detroit)

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2 4-5 oz. lobster trails (shells removed and split lengthwise)

2 3/4 cups flour

1 cup corn meal

1 tsp. baking powder

1 Tbsp. sugar

pinch salt

6 cups soda water

1/2 cup flour seasoned with salt, pepper, and paprika

2 6-inch bamboo skewers

4 cup blend of olive oil and vegetable oil for frying

• To create batter, mix flour, corn meal, baking powder and sugar. Add soda water slowly while mixing wit whisk. Mixture should look like pancake batter.
• Heat oil in deep saucepan to 350 degrees. Stick skewers all the way through each tail long ways to make a kabob. Dredge lobster in small amount of seasoned flour and dip into the evenly mixed batter. Carefully deep fry lobster tails until golden brown, approximately 6-10 minutes. Serve with a hollandaise infused with stone-ground mustard. (12-16 servings)

Wine Suggestion: Cremant, Talismon, Blanc de Blanc or Blanc de Noir from (L. Mawby - Leelanau Peninsula, MI)

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NCAA 2009 FINAL FOUR WEEKEND

(FORD FIELD - DETROIT)