Dr. Fritz Smith, the man himself (Mr. ZB)

Greetings 
And... CREDIT CARDS are now accepted, whoopee!

round xmas time

The dunes of St. Anne's on Sea, near the Lake District, U.K.

THE BEST KALE- (it's actually raw!)

Find and use what's called Lacinato Kale (dinosaur kale). It is very dark with slightly wavy edges, different than the more commonly seen kale which is more green with ruffle-y edges. In a bowl (a wooden salad bowl is great) pour about a 1/2 cup of olive oil and add at least a clove of garlic (more is best!) that has been grated or chopped finely. Next add to that the juice of 1/2 a lemon and salt to taste. Let this mixture coalesce while you prepare the kale. Simply slice along the edge of the stem while holding the leaf vertically and get rid of it, or you may choose to just leave the leaf intact. I love the unadulterated smooth chew of a stemless leaf. Hand rip or slice the leaves into a manageable size and then wash and dry the leaves. Wisk together the solution sitting in your bowl and then add the kale. Massage the kale into this mixture with your hands. Get it really well incorporated (shiny and soft). For the final touch, grate Pecorino Toscano (Asiago or Parmesan does just fine) over the kale and toss. This dish holds up well for quite a while and actually gets more 'cooked' the longer you leave it. ENJOY!

Summer rolls with Salmon I've made this quite a bit this Summer. It really hits the spot when otherwise we might not feel like eating, from the heat (also, it's a funny task to accomplish with friends!). Gather an appetizer portion of Salmon each for however many people you are serving. I coat mine in Gomasio (lightly toasted sesame seeds and sea salt) first and then sear briefly. You can instead just season with Salt and Pepper (white is nice too) before searing. Next julienne (slice in super thin strips, sticks, slivers) Carrot, and Cucumber. One large Carrot and/or Cucumber goes a long way once julienned; keep that in mind. Then wash and prepare Watercress (Arugula is a good substitute), and slice Avocado. Once every bit is prepared, organize it all around you, fill a shallow bowl or pan with water and make a space to begin rolling. Dunk a sheet of rice paper in the water just until it is malleable. Lift it out with fingers and let it drip-dry a bit, like you would a wet sheet. Place it on work surface and begin to put a small amount of each ingredient just below the center of the paper, toward you. Now you can roll the end nearest you over the little mound, making sure to go a full revolution before folding the sides in and completing the roll. Usually Summer rolls are served with a Peanut dipping sauce, which I find inappropriate for these. I have used a Sweet Chili sauce, and also have used Wasabi Mayo with a little Rice Wine Vinegar, or Tamari with Garlic and Ginger is always nice. Enjoy!