Fresh Approach Cooking

The recipe for happiness is so simple. Each and every day you must, you absolutely must have a meal that reminds you of the transcendence of food. Eat something that is perfect. You must see and smell and touch and taste something that gives you a moment to pause and reflect and cherish and appreciate. It will alter your life. Have an assortment of alluring ingredients, an explosion of color, a mosaic of texture and everything bursting with vibrant taste. Combine all as best you know how. It's the recipe for perfection, divinity and pure joy all in one. (Though I suspect those are all sort of synonyms.) While eating, feel free to indulge in a sinfully fantastic wine (An Alsatian Riesling perhaps? Or maybe a cheeky Pinot Noir), smile up at the bright blue sky or the person you are with, and for that dazzling moment you take your first bite, know that you are truly, truly, a lucky kid. In case you can't think of a recipe that would make you beam with pleasure and melt with happiness, try this one. It always works for me. Enjoy!


8 large, plump, juicy scallops or some luscious medallions of spiney lobster
1 vibrant green hot house cucumber, peeled and sliced into paper thin rounds
1/2 cup hearts of palm sliced into thick rounds
1 small red onion, sliced so thin it is translucent
1 medium sized firm yellow tomato, sliced thick
1 medium sized green zebra tomato, sliced thick
2 Tbs. fruity olive oil
Coarse Salt and Fresh Cracked black pepper
Juice of 2 lemons
3/4 cup olive oil
1 Tbs sticky-sweet corn syrup
1/4 cup white (riesling) wine
A few chives, minced
Salt and Pepper to taste


Combine the lemon juice, olive oil, corn syrup, chives and wine. Whisk together to create an emulsion. Season with salt and pepper. (You can also do this in a blender, just leave out the chives until you are done blending)

Heat the olive oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat. Sear the scallops on both sides until golden brown and just barely cooked through, about 2 1/2 minutes per side. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.

Now the fun part. Arrange the cucumbers, hearts of palm, onion, tomatoes and scallops on a plate any way you see fit. (I like to use a ring and make them all into a stack with the dressing on the bottom.) Garnish with chives and serve.

Serves two as a main course or four as an appetizer (but if you do that, slice the scallops, through the equator, to make sure everyone gets some.)


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Northeast bay scallops were nearly exterminated in the 1980's by the toxic algae 'brown tide.' While efforts have been made to restore the scallops, they haven't yet returned in great numbers.

"British potato farmers demonstrated outside Parliament on Monday to publicize their bid to remove the term "couch potato" from the Oxford English Dictionary, arguing that the description of slothful TV addicts harms the vegetable's image. The group of about 30 farmers carried signs that read "couch potato out" and "ban the term couch potato." A similar rally took place in Oxford, central England." - Associated Press

June is National Papaya Month. It is also National Soul Food Month and National Seafood Month (among others)

What? No pictures? Nope, not until I get my camera back, figure out how to make it work with this computer (which is a Mac, and KILLING me) and realize that Flickr isn't part of a grand conspiracy to drive me to drink. More.