If you go to Nana's blog, you can click on her youtube video and watch her demonstrate how to make guacamole.

http://nanasunpetitmorceau.blogspot.com/

It occurs to me that if lots of people watch Nana's video, someone might figure out that she'd be a great person to have a cooking show on television. Actually, I don't know if that's what Nana wants, but I'm very sure she'd like to be asked. So watch her making guacamole and tell your friends.

BTW, Django is off-screen and you might hear him in the background.

Carol

Was anyone else surprised by Django's low pitched voice?

Carol

Carol. I noticed his voice which seems to resemble Siddig's in it's register.

That looks such a tasty and easy to make recipe. One ingredient I have never heard of before is Cilantro (Is that the correct pronunciation) never heard of it, never tasted it Also toastardas are new to me as well.

Thanks for providing links for this.

Best Wishes.

Jude.

Honestly, that one is new to me as well. It's possible I've eaten it in dishes prepared by others, but I certainly have never used it as an ingrediant myself.

I'm not a very adventurous cook.

Django didn't say enough for me to make much of a judgement about his voice -- other than it appears to have changed!

Carol

I love cilantro, but Nana's right, it's one of those things you either love or hate. (I had an old roommate who insisted that it smelled "like poison", and forbid me from cooking with it.)

It's a very fresh, unique flavor. However, if fresh ginger tastes soapy to you, cilantro might also. Cilantro and coriander come from the same plant, so there's some commonality in their tastes.

As well as being nice in Mexican dishes, it's also really nice in Indian food, especially with lime.

Interesting that you should say that. When I was a child, ginger DID taste like soap to me, but it doesn't any more.

It's one of those reasons why I'm never impressed when someone tells me, "I tried it once and didn't like it." You might want to try some foods again now that you're an adult. Tastes DO change.

Carol

Just watched all three. Very nice. And I agree with you Carol! (and so do a few people on Youtube, although some seem to think it's a joke).

As for Cilantro, it's also found in Asian and Italian dishes as well. It resembles flat parsley (actually, they're related). I've found myself using it lately. Mainly for my salsa recipe, but I usually have it around.

I just watched Nana make her pumpkin stew recipe. I wouldn't have thought of combining pumpkin, beef and chocolate together, but it looks delicious. Nana is really good cook. Do you think she is doing these these cooking videos as a sort of audition so someone will offer to let her do a cooking show on television? Or maybe she is doing them to drum up orders for her mail-order food business. Or she could be doing the videos just for the fun of it. It does look like she is having fun. The videos seem to be becoming a hit on YouTube already. I like watching her demonstrate the recipes, but mostly I like seeing bits of her home life and the town where she lives. It is nice being able to get to know Nana better through these videos. I wish Sid would make a blog like she has.

Peridot

I watched the pumpkin stew one too! Sounds yummy! Except certain people around here don't like sage so we would have to omit the sage from the Polenta.

That pumpkin stew does look delicious! But for me it looks too complicated.

I think she is doing it for fun. If you look at the videos and the blog she seems to like sharing her recipes with other people.

I found the video fascinating as many of the ingredients are new to me and I notice that so many other cultural influences make up Nana's style of cooking.

Would love to see her do requests and make other peoples recipes.

Just out of curiosity are leeks and rhubarb available in the US.

Jude

Yes:-) In fact, we used to grow rhubarb (it didn't fare to well in our horrible soil), but lots of other people around here do. It would be summer around here if we didn't have strawberry rhubarb pie.

As for the leeks, yes. Now you're making me hungry for potato leek soup (and I'm the only one who likes it in this house!) Maybe after I make my broccoli soup (which I'm doing this weekend) I'll make a batch for myself!

I've wondered that myself. It's not a bad idea if she's trying to reinvent herself and move to a new career path.

I know one of the recipes was in response to a request from a specific fan so it's also possible it's just a way to connect with people and share something she loves.

Whatever the motivation, Kudos to her!

Carol