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Raspberry Mojito-Squadeeto
The classic mojito came to us courtesy of Havana, Cuba. Now that the U.S and Cuba are on friendlier terms, perhaps we’ll need to take a Le Voov! adventure to visit our neighbors 90-miles off the Florida Keys….. Stay tuned!
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Dear Matilda
Oh Deer!
Dear Matilda,
We recently installed an 8ft. deer fence around our back yard with the hopes of growing a beautiful picking garden that would not become a gourmet salad bar for our lovely local deer population. Unfortunately, the gate was left open, and now I have two female deer that refuse to leave my gated yard.
I don’t want to hurt them, I just want them gone, immediately if not sooner. Any advice…?
Oh My Deer,
My very first thought was a cross bow, though you kindly stated your lack of interest in venison sausages. (Rats!) So, I’ll share with you a little trick I learned on the family dairy farm when the cows would raid Mum’s garden.
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Dear Matilda
Beautiful Girl
Dear Matilda,
I am a 14-year old girl with terrible acne. I’ve tried all the products at the store and nothing works. My face has red, puffy volcanoes all over it! Is there anything you know of that can help me? Please!!!!
– Zitted-out & feeling awful
Dear Beautiful Girl,
Thank you for writing to me with your facial issues. Puberty can feel like such a betrayal of the body, yes? Hormones are awakening within the body and mind, and it’s truly quite overwhelming at times. I recall my face looking like a constellation in the northern sky when I was about your age. My dear Mum had a few farmhouse remedies from the old country I’d be happy to share with you. We’ll have you radiant and clear-faced in no time my dear, no worries.
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Le Voov! Garden – Planting Bulbs With Otter!
Otter-Pop the dog really enjoys the flowers of springtime, particularly the Daffodils and Narcissus. With the lack of winter temperatures or rain due to California’s forth year of severe drought, planting season came earlier than usual this year. So, I picked up a bag of 50-bulbs for Otter-Pop to decorate throughout the garden.
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Dear Matilda
Full House
Dear Matilda,
My generous in-laws invite us to use their luxurious cabin in the mountains, rent-free, a few times throughout the year. We usually invite another family to enjoy a holiday with us, and divvy up the meals and other costs accordingly. Most, if not all of our guests go out of their way to pay for restaurants, etc. as a token of their appreciation for the invitation to join us at the cabin. This is certainly not expected, but always appreciated given the rental rates for cabins in the area are seriously off-the-charts $$$!
Recently, I invited a friend & her family (2-adults, 2-kids) to join us for our upcoming holiday at the cabin. We agreed on the dates and began planning our adventures. A few days later, while attending a charity luncheon, my friend invited another woman and her family, whom I am not acquainted with, to join us at the cabin for our upcoming holiday. I was without words and unable to respond before she audaciously stated she was sure it wouldn’t be a issue because there was enough room for their family of four (bed-wise) to stay with us at the cabin….
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Le Voov! Fruit: Meyer Lemons ? ? ?
We are blessed to have not one, but two Meyer lemon trees in our yard. As the days grow shorter in late autumn, the yellow orbs begin to deepen in color and look like bright seasonal ornaments stealthfully hiding among the deep green foliage. With the passing of each winter day, the lemons grow sweeter, and knowing this makes me feel warm right down to my toes.
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Grandma’s Meyer Lemon Pound Cake ?
My Grandmother was always in the kitchen cooking up something wonderful. As I recall, even the couch in her house smelled like a perfectly pleasant blend of fresh-baked cookies and thick-cut bacon. (I know that sounds weird, but it was absolutely the bees-knees as a kid!)
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Raspberry Ginger Snap
Several decades ago I began exploring the art of infusing various fruit and herbal mixtures with spirits. It started innocently enough with a simple curiosity to find a way to blend the medicinal anti-inflammatory qualities of the ginger root with the anti-oxidants in wild berries. Wah-lah, the Raspberry Ginger Snap was born!
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Lemon Chicken Piccata ? ?
Meyer Lemon Picatta is exquisitely divine and easy to prepare. The light, rich sweetness of the lemon sauce in juxtaposition to the salty capers and deep tones of white sage, make this a Splendiferous ‘comfort meal’ to be shared with friends and family. Serve it with fresh pasta, herb-roasted potatoes or lemon-rice pilaf, accompanied by steamed asparagus, broccoli, brussels sprouts or try our Rainbow Carrots, Haricot Verts & Caramelized Shallots.
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Blood Orange Mimosa ?
Who doesn’t love a mimosa to go with a fabulous Sunday brunch?!! And while regular orange juice is lovely, why not add some unique bling and glam-it-up a bit with fresh squeezed blood orange juice? The deep rose-red color makes a regular champagne glass look like an Oscar-worthy celebration…
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Parisian Lox & Bagels Brunch
This brunch is our daughter’s very favorite lazy-weekend breakfast. We buy fresh bagels the afternoon prior so we can wake up in the morning ready for a truly pleasurable, relaxed meal. I usually get the variety bagels that have a bit of everything on top, rather than a specific topping like plain or sesame seed. It’s important to locate a good source for Wild-Caught Smoked Salmon (NOT Farmed Salmon) to ensure high quality lox, without the unnatural addition of toxins, anti-biotics, dyes, or growth hormones present. I usually add fresh chopped dill, a bit of cracked black pepper, and freshly squeezed lemon juice to the top of the lox for an extra bit of flavor. The bagels are accompanied by a platter of freshly sliced organic English cucumber, ripe avocado, thinly sliced red onions, lemons, and cilantro with a small bowl of capers.
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Rainbow Carrots, Haricot Verts & Caramelized Shallots
Rainbow carrots bring a marvelous splash of deep, bright color to any meal. The hues of purple, red, deep orange and yellow are complimented perfectly with the bright green verts (French green beans). This colorful, crunchy medley paired with the deep tones of the caramelized shallots and browned butter make for a lovely sidecar to any meal!
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Nut-Butter Berry Banana Smoothie ?
One of my very favorite morning meals is the Nut-Butter Berry Banana Smoothie. (Oh behave yourselves naughty monkeys…!) I refer to this smoothie as ‘B3Z’ (pronounced bee-3-zeeeeh!) since this name includes the word ‘Bee’, and I just love, love, love bees!!! So, I prefer to call it B3Z!
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Cara Cara-tini Fizz ? ?
For those of you unfamiliar with the fabulously juicy, seedless Cara Cara navel orange, it is the physical embodiment of Le Voov!. Both it’s deep-reddish-pink flesh and the sweet, succulent citrus flavor will make you a believer in heavenly delights. Containing only half the acidity of a traditional navel orange, Cara Cara’s are the perfect cocktail mixer. As one sips the juice of this deep-hued citrus, subtle hints of cherry and blackberry tones can be noted lingering on the back of the palate. The dynamic, complex flavor makes this fruit a perfectly adventurous choice for dipping in chocolate fondue! (We’ll talk about that later….)
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Le Voov! Product Review: HIC Eggsact Egg Timer
This little handy device makes for perfectly cooked eggs. I just place the Eggsact Egg Timer in the pot with the eggs and wait for it to change color from red to purple-black. The color changes slowly from the outer rim towards the center as the eggs cook, indicating soft, medium or hard-boiled for perfectly cooked eggs every time!
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Le Voov! Product Review: Cuisinart CCJ-500 Pulp Control Citrus Juicer
Living in California our family enjoys fresh fruit juice all year around. This compact, powerful juicer by Cuisinart can handle everything from lemons to limes, oranges to tangelos, and even large grapefruit with great efficiency. The auto-reverse reamer extracts every last drop of juice from the fruit in a snap and the brushed stainless steel exterior and dishwasher-safe, BPA-free parts make cleanup effortless and easy.
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Le Voov! Product Review: Brita 10-Cup Everyday Water Filter Pitcher
We have two Brita water filters in our home, one lives in the kitchen, the other stays in our Camping supplies/Emergency Disaster Kit in the basement. Each individual filter provides us with 40-gallons of clean, fresh tasting water, without the smell or taste of chlorine or bitter minerals. We access our Brita when making tea or coffee, as well as filling our pets’ water bowls. All pitchers and filters are BPA-free and 100% recyclable.
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Le Voov! Product Review: Pyrex Simply Store 20-Piece Food Storage Set
I purchased this 20-piece Pyrex food storage set years ago when setting up my first real epicurean kitchen. What makes these containers so Splendiferous is that they stack beautifully in the refrigerator/freezer, yet nest together to store in an easy, compact manner. They are made in the USA and the plastic lids are both dishwasher safe and BPA-free for convenient, safe food storage.
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Le Voov! Restaurant Review: Picaro ? ?
We stumbled across this tapas restaurant in the Mission District of San Francisco. We weren’t even thinking about lunch, but the rich, earthy aroma coming from the kitchen lured us in like moths to the flame. The colorful, art-filled walls and the bustling atmosphere contributed greatly to the lively tenor. Our waiter Jose gave us a few thoughtful suggestions.
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B.L.A.T.O.H. Sandwich (pronounced blah-toe)
Recently, I found myself in a rather ‘delicate’ state, desperately craving salt, fat, protein, juicy tomato & the peppery flavor of arugula. So I decided to make myself a bacon lettuce & tomato sandwich (B.L.T.) With my trusted sous-chef Otter-Pop the dog by my side, we took to the task of creating the perfect ‘hangover helper…!’
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