Yesterday I cleaned the kitchen. I don’t mean regular old sweep the floor, wash the dishes, and wipe down the counters cleaned.

I mean top to bottom, wash the walls, clean the exhaust vent, organize drawers, empty and scrub out the fridge, 4 hours of work kind of cleaning.

So I was prepared to say to Carl Cook and Betty Baker. “No Sup! for you” (ya’ know like Jerry Seinfeld)! Because, I was not about to make a mess; no kind of mess at all.

I hate admit it but I was enjoying imagining all of you pleading and begging for more. “Please Sup! I want some more” (ya’ know like Oliver Twist)!

But then I thought. “My goodness! Where did this streak of cruelty come from?” I like to think of myself as “happy and peppy and bursting with love” (ya’ know like Felix Unger)!  I mean would Lady Di withhold food from the starving?

But then again, I’m not Lady Di, and you are probably not starving. And this is of course, virtual food. Some might even say pretend food.

So I resolved to stick to my guns. “No Sup! for you (ya’ know yada yada yada…)!

But it did not work out that way, because today you get two recipes!

I love Mediterranean flavors. Italian, French, Spanish, North African, Lebanese, Sephardic...

I love the Mediterranean style of cooking too.

I also know there is a “Mediterranean Diet” gaining buzz out there. Heart healthy oils, tomatoes, blah, blah, blah. But once something has developed into a cult (and anything with the word diet in it does—just try googling it) then I tend to steer well clear. Besides, that is not really what I am talking about.

To me Mediterranean “cooking” is instinctual cooking. It’s taking a few simple ingredients that you know and love and following your instincts in pairing them. Mediterranean cooking is guided by simplicity—further proof that humble ingredients produce the most amazing fare.

Recipes are not really necessary because Mediterranean cooking embodies the tradition of cooking from what you have on hand. 

It’s knowing that salt and lemon bring out the sweet in certain vegetables. But not becoming consumed with how many teaspoons, grams or pinches!

But it’s good to have some guidelines when working with some foods.

Have you got your grill set up yet?

I know it’s not quite summer, but where I live grilling season has started. That means when I have a casual get-together with friends (which we do a couple of times a week) I will be cooking outside more often than not.

It’s nice to sit out by the pool and eat something in a casual setting that is delicious and hot off the grill.

But just because you are eating outside and cooking on the grill doesn't mean you can’t get a little creative. Because as much as I like grilled foods, they tend to look a little boring on the plate sometimes. Those char-marks are great. But grilling in general tends to produce foods (even most veggies) that are, well,  brown. I needed something pretty on the plate too.

So I decided to do a pesto with these grilled sausages. An arugula pesto. Grilled Sausages with Arugula Pesto

Let Your Food Do The Talking (watch video) was the very intriguing concept behind the challenge brought to us by Tangled Noodle and Savor The Thyme.

Food has been speaking to me for years.

Pretty much as far back as I can remember. I just did not know other folks could hear those voices as well. Imagine how relieved I am to find out that other people can hear a pretty potato, or a nice rugula, loud and clear. Other people who seem otherwise perfectly sane! Phew...

Trees and goats talk to me too, but we’ll save that for another challenge.

In true SippitySup form I decided to do a video entry entitled Because A Can, Can Can-Can. This way I can really let the food do the talking. It seems the most direct way to let you hear what I hear as I am chopping up carrots, celery and onions for a mirepoix. Just like the one you’ll need for this video recipe. Italian Sausage with White Beans and Radicchio.