I’m feeling a little dull and blue today, for no reason whatsoever! It’s a funny thing about feeling blue, because it’s not really a bad feeling, as I use the term. It’s a contemplative, slightly melancholy feeling. But there are so many shades and moods of blue, and I love them all. Tintin blue is one of my absolute favorite colors – bight and clear. Bill Traylor’s high singing blue is exhilarating. Midnight blue is deep and mysterious. Indigo is dark and rich. Sky blue is light and floating. Flame blue is like a flickering soul or spirit. Vein blue is alive and poignant. Musically, the blues put you in a mood, but it’s not a depressed mood. A little sad, maybe, but joyful, too, just because they exist. To shake the dullness, I thought I’d post a few dancey scenes. Dancing always livens the party! There are so many good ones, and here are few of my favorites.

There are so many! I could go on and on and never stop! What are some of your favorite dance clips?

You know what else will cheer you up? A bright pink and green pinwheel! This roulade was very fun and easy to make, and tasted delicious! The roulade itself was like a big fat pancake (it’s actually closer to a flatter soufflé!). It was sweetish, because of the beetish, and a little tangy with goat cheese, and lovely and summery with thyme. The filling used the greens from the beets, in combination with some chard (you could use any green you like!) and was a nice savory contrast to the roulade. Pine nuts add a bit of smoky crunch. The nice thing about the roulade is that it’s very good at room temperature, so if you don’t want to heat your kitchen up before you eat (on a 100 degree day, say) – make this earlier in the day and set it aside till you’re ready! We had it with a no-cook sauce of tomatoes and avocados, chopped chunky-style, and tossed with olive oil, basil, and balsamic. Add a salad of crisp arugula and crunchy hazelnuts, lightly dressed with olive oil, sherry vinegar and some crumbled goat cheese, and you have a perfect summer meal!!

Here’s Jackie Mittoo and the Soul Vendors with Love is Blue.

2 smallish beets, peeled and grated
olive oil to coat
1 t balsamic
4 T butter
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup goat cheese
6 eggs – separated
1/2 cup flour
1 t salt
1 t dried thyme or 2 t fresh

4 or 5 cups greens (beet and chard mixed are nice) washed and chopped quite fine
1 T olive oil
1 plump clove garlic – minced
1/2 t red pepper flakes, or to taste
1/4 t pine nuts
1 cup cheese grated – mozzarella, parmesan, sharp cheddar, gruyere, or any combination you like
small handful fresh basil, chopped

Spread the beets on a small baking tray. Stir in enough olive oil to coat them lightly (maybe 1 T) and the teaspoon of balsamic. Toast or roast for about 15 minutes till they’re starting to blacken and smell like burnt sugar. (In the oven you’ll roast them at 425, in the toaster, just put them on “toast”)

Preheat the oven to 400. Melt the butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. While it’s melting, warm the milk in a small saucepan, and steep the thyme leaves in it.

When the butter is melted and just starting to brown, whisk in the flour, and cook for a few minutes. Add the salt and milk, and whisk till it’s smooth. Stirring often, cook for 4 – 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the beats and goat’s cheese. At this point, you’ll have a big, pink gloopy mess. Fear not! It will all be lovely in the end. Set the gloop aside to cool for a few minutes.

Spread foil or parchment paper on a baking sheet with a small rim. Butter the foil and flour it well – the roulade will stick to it!!

Whisk the egg whites till quite stiff.

Stir the egg yolks into the pink gloop. Pour the gloop into the eggwhites, and combine carefully but thoroughly. Spread the batter onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake for about 15 minutes, till it’s puffed and crackled.

Set it aside to cool while you prepare the filling. In a large frying pan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the garlic, and stir and fry till it starts to brown. Add the pepper flakes and the greens with water still clinging to them, or with a drop of water. Cook till they’re quite wilted – 10 minutes or so. You want the pan to be quite dry. Tip into a bowl and stir in the pine nuts, cheese, and basil. Season with salt and pepper.

Flip the roulade upside down and carefully peel of the foil. If any bits stick to the foil, you can scrape them off and smear them back onto the roulade. Spread the greens as evenly as possible on the roulade, and then carefully, starting with the short end, roll it up. Place it seam-side down on a plate. Don’t worry about any cracks in the roulade, it should stick together anyway. Set aside till you’re ready to eat.

Slice into pieces about an inch thick, and serve with the sauce of your choice. We used…

Several ripe tomatoes
1 ripe avocado
olive oil
balsamic
salt
pepper
fresh basil

All chopped and stirred together.