Terra Americana

I love quiche, but I never make it.  The crust is what throws me.  That ingredient makes it simply to complicated for anything but a special occasion.

Twenty years ago I found myself in Venice, meandering down alley ways and over canals.  It was a sunny Sunday and the cafe's were full of people enjoying brunch.  In a spot I could never find my way back to I decided to join the trend.  It was at this little eatery that I enjoyed my first frittata. All the deliciousness of a quiche, all the simplicity of good Italian food.  Serve this for dinner or for a great brunch dish on weekends.

• 6 eggs
• 1/3 cup milk or Soy Cream
  
• 2 salmon fillets or a (14oz) can salmon, cut in chunks
  
• 6 scallions, chopped
• 2 large potatoes minced
• 1 tbsp Dill Salt
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp butter or Earth Balance (soy butter)
  
• 1/2 lemon (optional)
• optional add ins - asparagus, broccoli, peppers

Preheat oven to 350f.  In a heavy oven safe skillet, heat the olive oil and cook the potatoes and scallions until they soften.  Squeeze lemon over salmon.  Stir in the salmon pieces and butter.  Beat the eggs, milk and Dill Salt lightly and pour over the mixture in the skillet. 
 
Bake for 30 minutes.  Serve hot or cold.  Delicious with a salad of any sort.

More delicious ideas for a fabulous brunch:

• Back of the card cheese and olive bread

• Crab and Grapefruit Salad

• Blueberry Coffee Cake

• Tomato Martini

• Mimosa

Photo Credit:  Julie Cecchini

Millions of people visit Mount Tai every year. For those strong enough to go in foot, there is no shortage of hiking food on offer. Fair ranges from hot dogs and beer to fresh vegetables and tea.

All along the trail there are makeshift cafes setup under ancient trees where you can get the most famous of all Foods found on Taishan.

Thin, crisp and fragrant are the three features of Tai’an Millet Crepe. The protein rich millet is first ground into flour and then steeped in liquid to ferment. They are then cooked on large, round cast iron griddles that spin. The result is as thin as the wing of cicada. People even can read newspaper through it which is tasted crisp and fragrant. Local people usually eat it by rolling green Chinese onion in it.

• 1 cup millet flour
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander or Lemon Ginger Curry
• 1 egg
• Chopped green onions 

Soak millet flour in water for atleast 2 hours, overnight is better.  Blend to incorporate egg and spice. Pour onto a pre-heated nonstick surface. Using a spatula, spread batter as thin as you can get it . Cook for 2 minutes of until the crepe is cooked through.  Top with green onions, fold and serve.

This recipe yields 4-7 to 8 inch crepes.

More on the go foods:

• Protein Packed Carrot Muffins

• Spotted Dog with apples

• Cinnamon & cranberry crunch bars

• Savory Breakfast Cupcakes

Photo credit: Julie Cecchini