Carrie Vitt of the amazingly Deliciously Organic is a new friend, we met over pizza at Mozza and then got to know each other over margaritas at Food Blog Camp. Jaden Hair of Steamy Kitchen referred to her fellow bloggers as work colleagues – I will now follow her lead and do the same from now on and so I introduce Carrie as a friend and work colleague. Now here’s the best part – she’s married to a Top Gun airforce pilot – she’s a real life Charlie (the Kelly McGillis character). Impressed – mais oui!
Carrie has just published her first book – Deliciously Organic – and I can’t recommend this book strongly enough. Best of all there’s a publisher’s special going on right now through February 10th when you can get it for $27.99.
It’s full of recipes that you want to cook, everyday favorites that are easy to prepare and taste delicious. The organic aspect of the book is like Carrie’s blog – there, but not rammed down your throat. The ingredients called for are whole ingredients, unprocessed and therefore good for you as well as giving a nod to the environment and how the food is produced.
I am particularly fond of her Cottage Pie recipe and if you want something sweet her Chocolate Chip Cookies fit the bill – they are so good I have to make sure I cook them with many happy mouths around apart from just mine.
The beautiful food photography is by Helene Dujardin of Tartlette and makes you want to cook everything, more importantly it makes me want to be a better food stylist and photographer! Inspiring.
Here’s a perfect example of why I love Carrie’s book – you can use it for every occasion – like today! It’s Burn’s Night – as in the Scottish Bard Robbie Burns’ birthday – when the Scots amongst us don tartan, recite poetry, toast anyone and anything and consume haggis, neeps and tatties washed down with lots of whiskey… No haggis for us today – can’t stand the stuff – sorry Granny Val!
[FYI – The tartan shown to the left is part of my grandmother’s kilt which she lent to my sister Hettie for her Burns Supper on Saturday. Hettie tells me it’s the Menteith Tartan – which I’ll gladly adopt from now on! So excited to know we have a family tartan – and love that blue with the brown and black.]
Instead of haggis we are celebrating with its close relative – the sausage! In the Address to the Haggis Burns refers to the haggis as Great chieftain o’ the puddin-race – and for puddin read sausage – so we aren’t so far off the mark with good old bangers, oh and the all important neeps and tatties… mashed rutabagas and potatoes. Thank you Carrie for sharing your recipe from Deliciously Organic, I encourage all of you to buy a copy of the book – you won’t be disappointed.
For more on Burns Night and how to celebrate
All that is needed now is a wee dram or two of a single malt and I’m all set. Oh, and a Highland piper…
Happy Birthday Bobby Burns!
Deliciously Organic’s Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes
Carrie’s book contains this recipe for rich and creamy buttermilk mashed potatoes – I don’t have sour cream in the fridge so I swopped in some creme fraiche. I then prepared the neeps – rutabagas – using the same recipe just replacing the pototoes with the rutabagas.
Serves 6-8
3 pounds (1.4 kg) potatoes, preferably Yukon or red, rinsed and cut into 2-inch (5 cm) pieces
1/2 cup (120 ml) whole buttermilk
1?4 cup (60 ml) whole milk
1/2 cup (115 gr) unsalted butter
1 heaping tablespoon sour cream
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Place potatoes in a large pot and add water to cover the potatoes by 1 inch (2.5 cm). Bring to a boil and cook until potatoes are fork tender. Drain.
While potatoes are cooking, heat buttermilk, milk, and butter in a medium saucepan over low heat until butter is melted.
Place potatoes back into pot and pour in milk mixture. Mash with a potato masher, stir in sour cream and season generously with salt and pepper.
News just in – the long lost Procopio Tartan has been found! Still looking for Marla’s – perhaps Michael will share?
Such a great book, and I as you said, so adaptable!
Love Carrie’s book!
Happy Burns Day to you too Lucy!! Have to say I do like Haggis – if it’s prepared well – my great aunt made a very good one!! Love your tartan – I actually have two – one for my side (McDonald) and one for my husband’s!
I can never get beyond what it is – but then we always called sausages ‘piggies eyelids’ as a child because of what goes into them!
You are so great! I love the “Top Gun” reference. Thank you for a witty, and thoughtful post!
You are the best – can’t wait to meet the kiddies and Mr Top Gun himself – will he come in flightsuit and helmet ; ) I’ll play Take My Breath Away!
For one, brief moment, I thought you were going to tell me that Carrie included a haggis recipe in her new book. I’m hoping she adds one to her second volume.
Thank you for reminding me that I need to buy this particular cookbook. I put a freeze on my cookbook purchases this year, but I think I’m willing to bend the rules for this one.
P.S. If you ever come across the correct plaid for Clan Procopio, please pass along the info.
LOL – I was crying when I read this – and so as a favor to you I’ve found the Clan Procopio complete with your very own tartan – check it out in the post at the end…
I am with Michael – the Meridith family would love a plaid to call it’s own…..Love Carrie & her book. Great review! Happy Burns Night to you 🙂 xo
I also love how great Carrie’s book is that you can use it for every occasion. I still need to get my hand on one for myself.
Lucy, what a well written and provocative post! You inspire me to want to be a better writer. And, loving the new design of your blog….well done, my friend! xx
Fun post! Love Carrie’s book and Carrie. Work colleague’s… I might have to borrow that to! And hello from England! I’m keeping good watch over it for you.