"I would not exchange the laughter of my heart for the fortunes of the multitudes; nor would I be content with converting my tears...into calm. It is my fervent hope that my whole life on this earth will ever be tears and laughter." Kahlil Gibran

LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER 

November 2010       

Dear Life Bites Readers,

I can hardly believe it's Thanksgiving time. We have some great 'clean food' and traditional recipes for you to enjoy with your family, as well as some totally sinful selections from some favorite chefs. Sense of Style is packed with cultural destinations and events to enjoy as winter approaches, including coverage of the spectacular gala opening of the Santa Barbara Symphony season. We have some great healthy cookbooks and general good reading suggestions in Book Bites, as well as some interesting travel destinations for you to enjoy.

The Beverly Hills Hotel, the 'grand dame' of Sunset Boulevard is featured in Hotel/Chef this month, and provides lots of interesting information on the history of the 'pink palace' for your enjoyment. Health minded has some helpful information for cyclists, as well as general health tips, sips has Wolfgang Puck news on green gastronomique. Kids K and Teen Times page offer the best in 'what's happening' in the young scene, and the Santa Barbara Chowder Festival turned out to be a great story, 

Upcoming travel sections will provide helpful suggestions or families planning holiday vacations, from economical to outrageous. The new Lynda and Stewart Resnick Pavillion is now open at LACMA in Los Angeles, and is an amazing art venue.

I hope you will join us in remembering our soldiers fighting in foreign lands and pray for their safe return to their families. God bless them, and God bless America in these challenging times. May the flag of freedom fly now and forever.

Happy Thanksgiving to you, your family and dear friends.

Cordially,

Stuffed Zucchini Flowers  by Costas Spiliadis
 
Estiatorio Milos will open at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas in December 2010, 
and will feature the culinary talent of acclaimed Chef and Restaurateur Costas 
Spiliadis will present his fabulous Mediterranean seafood, which he has made 
popular in New York City, Montreal and Athens, Greece. 
 
Ingredients:
6 large
zucchini flowers, closed
2 oz. (60g)
feta cheese
2 oz. 50g Manouri cheese
2 oz. 60
gt. Ksinomizithra (xynomyzithra) cheese
2 spring
onions, white parts
2 sprigs
dill
2 sprigs
parsley
3-4 leaves
peppermint
½ red chili
Black
pepper, to taste
4 cups (1
ltr.) frying oil
2 cups
(200g) all-purpose flour
½ cup (150
ml) cold water
Afarala
(fleur de sel), to taste
Oregano, to
taste
1 ¼ cup
(150g) Greek-style yogurt
 
Method:
Wash the
flowers carefully and remove the stem inside without breaking it.
In a metal
bowl, mix the feta, the Manouri (semi hard sheep and goat cheese from Greece) and the
ksinomizithra (a smooth creamy, fermented chevre) into an almost creamy mixture.
Finely chop
the spring onions, dill, parsely, peppermeint, an red chilies, and add to the
mixture. Season with pepper only-no salt.
Stuff the
flowers with the mixture and set aside.
Mix the
cold water with the flour and make a creamy (pancake-like) mixture.
Dip the
flowers in the dough and cook in hot oil until golden brown.
Sprinkle
with afarala and oregano. Serve hot with Greek-style yogurt on the side.