FRENCH FRIDAYS:  POMMES au FOUR

FRENCH FRIDAYS: POMMES au FOUR

Translation:  apples in the oven.

This week’s French Fridays with Dorie recipe choice is Pommes au Four, baked apples filled with fruits and nuts. My first thought? Who can’t bake an apple? In Iowa, when I was a kid, we picked apples at the local orchard, hauled them home and helped Mom turn them into sauce, pie, crisp, cake, salad and, yes, baked.

But readers, this is an apple like no other. In Dorie’s words, “Baked apples are less a recipe than a construction: you core some apples, stuff their hollows with dried fruits, nuts, honey and butter, and then slide them into the oven. Which fruits and nuts? It’s up to you. Cinnamon or no cinnamon? Again, your choice. Hot? Warm? Chilled. with heavy cream? No one will tell you definitely.” 

made this recipe last week-end, just before leaving for California. I enjoyed it hot, warm and chilled, with crème fraîche. I even diced up the leftovers to use as a topping for my oatmeal. If you follow the recipe carefully, Pommes au Four are simple to bake and delicious to eat.

I baked my apples in Aspen but am writing this post in Cambria, my winter home for the next three-and-a-half months. Yesterday I moved into our family’s rental house and, admittedly am enjoying the roominess. Although I’ve made peace with my 940-square foot Colorado condo, this house is nice, quiet and, sorta like this week’s baked apples, a real treat.

My biggest treat, however, will be seeing my nearby family more often. In their last e-mails to me, Emma, my blond, 12-year-old granddaughter, announced the tips of her hair are now dyed pink! Her sister, Clara, who is 10, wrote that she is negotiating with the neighbors to rent hen space in their chicken coop. To my mind, my daughter, Melissa, who is their mother, has either lost her mind or loosened her grip. I need to check in on Family Place to find out. (If it’s the latter, Ms. Clara and I are going to go purchase one great big noisy hen.)

If you’re interested in seeing how other Doristas peeled their apples this week? Go, here.

EVERY BITE IS WHITE – LIGHTS ON BRIGHT

EVERY BITE IS WHITE – LIGHTS ON BRIGHT

This week’s French Fridays recipe choice is Hélène’s All-White Salad, a bunch of crunch created by Dorie’s friend, Hélène Samuel. She has loved this salad since first eating it at Samuel’s cafe, Délicabar Snack Chic, located in Paris’s renown Le Bon Marché department store. Built by Gustave Eiffel in 1852 and now owned by the luxury group LVMH, the store still exists.The cafe does not. Luckily, Dorie asked, Helene shared, and the all-white salad still survives in Around my French Table.

This salad seemed comfy, a thumbs up. I located every ingredient at the tiny Cookie Crockery market in Cambria. The priciest item was organic mushrooms but the rest, celery, Granny Smith apples, Napa cabbage and Greek yogurt, cost less than the gas to drive there.The preparation was simple.The dressing, Yogurt Vinaigrette, parading as a light, low-calorie mayonnaise, went together easily.

Earlier in the day I baked Irish Soda Bread, using a recipe from Dorie’s Baking: From my House to Yours cookbook. My wine was Patelin de Tablas Blanc from Tablas Creek, one of many local vineyards focusing on grapes and blends traditional to France’s Rhone Valley.

Readers, sometimes hits turn into misses. The Vinaigrette was bland. After one glass of vino and half-way through another, still tasteless. I liked the salad ingredients, however, especially the apple/Napa cabbage/celery combo. For lunch the next day, I used the leftover “whites” and made chunky blue cheese dressing for the pour-over. Bingo. Blue is the new White.

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FIGURE IT OUT, MARY

Today’s Post marks three years of turning my lights on bright. Disappointed the salad was not the celebratory recipe I envisioned, the birthday candles went back in the box. Then, an Aha moment. The past three years have been all about hits, misses, thumbs up and never agains. Let me explain.

Irish Soda Bread - It's Almost St. Paddy's

Irish Soda Bread – It’s Almost St. Paddy’s

This blogging adventure began shortly after my husband, Michael, was moved to the Memory Care Unit with Hospice joining the private facility to assist with his care. The good news was my day-to-day caregiving responsibility was no longer needed. The Pros wanted and insisted upon taking over. The bad news was my day-to-day caregiving responsibility was no longer needed. I was undone. “Go out and make a life, Mary,” a nurse insisted.

This was not new advice. I had tried and been spectacularly unsuccessful at the new life-thing. As usual, with each crisis, I ran wailing to my professional counselor, Paige. This woman does not suffer histrionics. She is also maddeningly unemotional. After calming my waters, she asked, “Mary, what are the two things you do best?”

After some thought, I responded, “Writing and being a good grandmother.”

Well,” she answered,  “your granddaughters are nearby and you see them often. Check. That leaves Writing. Go figure it out.”

Visit over. I didn’t even get my hour.

2012 Patelin de Tablas Blanc

2012 Patelin de Tablas Blanc

THE BIRTH OF A BLOGGER

After some months of thought, I decided to blog. WordPress was beyond me so I found a web designer on Craig’s List. He put together the site you are now reading, albeit not without disaster. Within five minutes of my site going up, I totally obliterated it. I blogged about politics and hobbies and caregiving. Nothing worked. An article in Oprah’s magazine introduced me to French Fridays with Dorie. The dye was cast. FFWD created the structure I needed in my life.

Yes, Michael-visits were still unbearable but cooking the book with my fellow Doristas was salvation. Better yet, it framed my week. Here’s how it goes: 1) Read the assigned FFWD recipe; 2) Shop for ingredients; 3) Make the recipe; 4) Photograph, eat and share the food; 5) Write my piece; 6) Post on blog each Friday; 7) Link on thirty or forty of my colleagues‘ blogs to read/ comment on their sites.

You thought the life of a food blogger was easy?

My FFWD virtual friends became reality at the International Food Boggers Conference in Seattle.  Our Dorie was the keynote speaker. Fall, 2013.

My FFWD virtual friends became reality at the International Food Boggers Conference in Seattle. Our Dorie was the keynote speaker. Fall, 2013.

Michael spent two years with round-the-clock care and I launched a new life. When he died, I had a framework in place as I began to build a lifestyle alone. In addition, I had met an entire family of virtual companions who joined with my family and friends to assist me. Now, with 228 Posts under my toque, I think I’ve been spectacularly successful in doing just that.

CAN “LIGHTS” GET BRIGHTER?

Today I completed Melanie Faith’s five-week online food writing class. Her nuts and bolts course was immersion at its finest. Our class waded through a 300-page text, Will Write for Food by Diane Jacob and submitted five in-depth writing assignments. Every morning, w-i-t-h-o-u-t fail, I woke up to an e-mail prompt, our exercise-of-the-day. Writers need editors. I am pleased to have Melanie in my back pocket.

After months of deliberation I just hired a young Denver firm, Peak Solutions Marketing, to completely redesign my site. Sorta excited. Kinda nervous. (No pressure, Zoe & Kenneth) It appears I’m committed to keeping my lights on. The brighter, the better.

The High Priestess of French Fridays, Dorie Greenspan

The High Priestess of French Fridays, Dorie Greenspan

French Fridays with Dorie is an international cooking group working its way through Dorie Greenspan’s “Around my French Table, more than 300 recipes from my home to yours.” If you would like to look at our group link, go here.

It’s MAC & CHEESE, The French Version

It’s MAC & CHEESE, The French Version

HAPPY NEW YEAR

New Year's Eve Fireworks in Aspen, 8:00p.m.     photo:Aspen Daily News

New Year’s Eve Fireworks in Aspen, 8:00p.m. photo:Aspen Daily News

Last week-end Trevor Kensey who posts at Sis.Boom.Blog. and I were exchanging holiday e-mails. He asked what I was doing on New Year’s Eve. I didn’t respond. While I’m the first to celebrate holidays and special  occasions with gusto, Auld Lang Syne at midnight, not so much.

After 9:00pm the world turns without me. If that means turning the page of another year, so be it. My plan, as always, was to have a nice, rather late dinner (that’s 7:00pm) and crawl into bed with my favorite book. Presently it’s Lawrence in Arabia by Scott Anderson. But that rascal, Father Time, is full of surprises. Trevor, my evening was a blast. So, listen up, my friend, this Post’s for you.

 

This week's FFWD recipe choice, Dressy Pasta Risotto. In America we call this Macaroni & Cheese.

This week’s FFWD recipe choice is Dressy Pasta Risotto. In America we call this Macaroni & Cheese.

 

This week’s French Fridays with Dorie recipe choice is Dressy Pasta “Risotto”. As Dorie admits, there is nothing risotto-ish about this dish. It’s a fancy French version of the American classic, mac & cheese. Now, in truth, creamy pasta dishes originated in northern Europe and caught the palate of Thomas Jefferson when he made his Grand Tour (1784-1789). In 1802, as president, he served mac & cheese at a state dinner. In 1937 Kraft introduced it in a box. At our house my mother made the most fabulous m&c with Velveeta. Ohhhh, that yummy toasty crust on top.

Dorie’s version adds chicken broth, heavy cream, mascarpone, and freshly grated Parmesan (ya gotta love the French) to the traditional chopped onions and elbow macaroni. It’s easily tossed together and made in a skillet over medium heat on the stove top in 30 minutes. Delicious. I paired it with my favorite Old-fashioned Meat Loaf, a recipe from the April 1994 Gourmet, and homemade corn bread. Be still my heart.

 

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Just as I finished dinner at 8 pm, the traditional NYE fireworks over Aspen Mountain began. Since I live directly east, under the mountain, my balcony was prime real estate for viewing. The display was spectacular and very, very loud. But The Gant’s balconies were jammed, the children, squealing, the adults, whooping and hollering. It was a celebration.

I went to bed, thanked God for a great 2013, asked that 2014 be more of the same, and soon fell asleep. Suddenly……… all hell breaks loose. That bombs-blasting-in-air thing.  By the time I got fully awake, pulled my heart back into my chest, I realized it was Midnight. In Aspen, where EXCESS is spelled in capital letters, we now do fireworks twice. Since I’d been gone a decade, I was unprepared for “twice”.  But, once again, the balconies were full, the kids, some, frightened, squealing, the adults, whooping and hollering and tooting their horns. And, Trevor, since sleep did not come easily after that, it was one heck of a New Year’s Eve for me. Thanks for asking.

CALIFORNIA-BOUND

This coming week I am going to California to spend the winter.  The only negative about moving home to Aspen? My family lives in Calli. I dearly miss the monthly visits, being present for all the girls’ performances and activities that I enjoyed while living in Nevada. The solution, we decided, was to rent a family hang-out on the central coast of California.

 

On our last visit to Cambria, Stephen considers the possibilities. Our rental house is located nearby.

On our last visit to Cambria, Stephen considers the possibilities. Our rental house is located nearby.

 

We picked Cambria, a picturesque little village located on Highway 1 near the spectacular Hearst Castle in San Simeon. If the area is good enough for William Randolph, it’s good enough for me. I first visited Cambria in 2007 when I attended a week-long seminar on the Four Migrations (whales, birds, butterflies and elephant seals). My kids soon joined me and we’ve been enjoying annual visits ever since.

 

Melissa:  "This works."

Melissa: “This works.”

 

They will come to Cambria. I will go to Bishop. Next week, I’ll be posting from California. If you’d like to track where my colleagues are posting from this week, go here.

 

Our last family visit to Cambria.........anticipating manmy more.

Our last family visit to Cambria………anticipating many more.

Spaghetti Carbonara – DORIE GOES ITALIAN (It’s French Fridays)

Spaghetti Carbonara – DORIE GOES ITALIAN (It’s French Fridays)

Spaghetti Carbonara, a classic Italian recipe, was created in the middle of the 20th century. Although it’s origins are unknown, it first appeared in cookbooks after WW II when many Italians were dependent on foods supplied to them by American troops. But eggs and bacon were plentiful and a constant ration. The thrifty Italian housewives soon realized all that was necessary to create a spectacular sauce for a hearty bowl of pasta were small amounts of cream, butter and Parmesan.

 

Spaghetti & Onion Carbonara

Spaghetti & Onion Carbonara

 

Dorie’s riff on Spaghetti Carbonara is this week’s FFWD choice, Recipe-swap Onion “Carbonara” and we do know it’s origins. This distinctive dish was first created by legendary French chef Michel Richard, with later variations made by American cookbook author Patricia Wells who graciously shared it with her colleague and friend, Dorie.

 

I used a mandolin to get thinly sliced onions.

I used a mandolin to get thinly sliced onions.

 

If you’re watching your carbs, here’s an Italian dish with none. Zero. While the sauce is the sauce is the sauce, the pasta is replaced by thinly sliced onions, steamed to al dente. This makes an interesting starter or a veggie side to a main course. Steaming the onions is the trick to this dish. Simple. Quick. Tasty.

 

Steaming the onions is the secret to this delicious recipe. I placed my steaming basket inside a big pot.

Steaming the onions is the secret to this delicious recipe. I placed my steaming basket inside a big pot.

 

Since I’ve never met a carb I didn’t love, I tried Dorie’s Bonne Idee, adding Spaghetti to the Onions Carbonara. (The first picture shows the onion carbonara as a topping for the spaghetti.)  Man, it was delicious.

 

Our Camp Hale & Hearty Tour

 

A Tenth Mountain Division soldier featured on the cover of POST Magazine. Photo by 14ers.com

A Tenth Mountain Division soldier featured on the cover of POST Magazine. Photo by 14ers.com

 

Dorie doesn’t often “do” Italian but her timing was perfect this week. Early last Saturday, my friend, Donna Grauer, and I headed 120 miles east to chase history and pay homage at Colorado’s Camp Hale, the training site of the 10th Mountain Division. Located at 9,300 feet, surrounded by the historic mining towns of Leadville, Red Cliff and Minturn, it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1992.

 

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The 10th, created during WW II with 15,000 men in residence, was transformed into an elite high alpine corp – perfecting skiing skills and learning cold weather survival techniques under harsh mountain terrain and conditions.  The training was brutal. Imagine climbing to 14,000’ feet on skis or snowshoes while carrying a weapon and 90-pound rucksack on your back.

 

Soldiers training in the Rockies

Soldiers training in the Rockies in 1943.   Photo by Denver Public Library Tenth Mountain Resource Center

 

 

In January 1945 they were shipped over to Italy to accomplish what other army divisions had failed to do for the previous 6 years – breach the heavily-fortified  German Gothic Line located high in the Apennine Mountains. The force successfully scaled a 1,500‘ vertical assent at night while under intense German fire, prevailing in the legendary battles of Riva Ridge, Mount Belvedere, and Mont Gorgolesco. Their ability to take the Po River Valley played a vital role in the liberation of northern Italy. Success came at a terrible loss, however with over 4,000 men being wounded and 1,000 killed during the campaign.

 

Camp Hale

Camp Hale

Camp Hale

Camp Hale

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Donna and her husband, Bernie, were in Italy this fall and followed the 10th Mountain Division route, climbing both Mt Belevedere and Riva Ridge. While the trip to Camp Hale was moving and thoughtful for me, it was Donna who felt she had come full-circle.

 

Bernie, standing in a German Bunker on Riva Ridge

Bernie, standing in a German Bunker on Riva Ridge

 

 

Donna, standing at the 10th Mountain Division on Mt. Belvedere

Donna, standing at the 10th Mountain Division Memorial on Mt. Belvedere

 

Wherever you live, there is something special to discover, visit, see and learn. It isn’t much of a stretch to believe that the 10th Mountain Division helped play a role not only in the liberation of Italy but, as a result of that victory,  in the Italians’ creation of Spaghetti Carbonara.

 

The memorial to the 10th Mountain Division in the  Aspen's Gondola  Plaza. Several 10th Mountain Division veterans returned to Aspen to bolster the area's ski industry.

The memorial to the 10th Mountain Division in  Aspen’s Gondola Plaza. Several 10th Mountain Division veterans returned to Aspen to create, bolster and support the area’s ski industry.

 

French Fridays with Dorie, is an international cooking group working its way through Dorie Greenspan’s latest cookbook “Around My French Table”. To see if my colleagues chose to make this week’s recipe with or without pasta, go to  our  FFWD link.