From the get-go, when Chestnut-Pear Soup was chosen to be the November 15th French Fridays with Dorie recipe, I put myself in the not-going-to-happen column. This soup, to my thinking, was a bubble off.
But having taken the pledge to not be a doubting Dorista, I finally sourced a 16-ounce jar of chestnuts ($26.31 at Aspen’s Butcher Block), picked up two ripe juicy pears, onions, leeks and celery and pulled out my Dutch oven. Within an hour, I sampled a most delicious and complex winter soup. Because I prefer my cold weather soups a tad chunky, I cut my broth (chicken or veggie) by 2 cups. Your choice.
For a cold winter’s day, I’m smitten with Chestnut-Pear Soup.
Chestnut-Pear soup now hangs out with Marie-Hélène’s Apple Cake and Moules Marinière as my top three fave recipes in Dorie’s Around My French Table Cookbook. A tip, serve it steaming hot.
For a light dessert, I served Compote de Pommes Two Ways with Greek yogurt.
Since I was traveling last week, I made but wasn’t able to post Compote de Pommes Two Ways. In the Midwest we always called this applesauce, something my mother made and my daughter and I still often make during the fall/winter seasons. The French cook their compote longer and tweak our Iowa-version by adding brown sugar, vanilla, and…….. butter. Adding anchovies to pot roast is one thing but butter to applesauce? Not so sure. It was tasty, however, and even better when mixed with Greek yogurt.
No post last week because my friend, Donna Grauer, joined me on a 2500-mile odyssey to visit three presidential libraries for an ongoing research project of mine. Our destinations were Abilene (Eisenhower), Independence (Truman) and Little Rock (Clinton). Since Donna is from Little Rock and still has family there, I asked her to join me. Occasionally I have lightbulb moments and including Ms. Little Rock on this trip was just that.
Day One: WE CAN DO IT. Leaving cold, snowy Colorado and headed 650 miles to Abilene, Kansas.
First, it’s important to know that Donna is an accountant (now retired) who worked for a huge Houston-based real estate firm that developed one of our local ski areas. That translates to her being organized, thorough, meticulous and, well, just accounting-ish-like. And, that translates to this entire trip being laid out on a spread sheet. (I am not kidding.)
Day Two: I Like Ike. We toured the tiny house where Ike and his 3 other brothers were raised.
Although AAA mapped our trip, Donna used Mapquest to calculate our daily mileage needs for programming my car’s Garmin GPS. She researched and booked Bed&Breakfast lodgings and also put together an invaluable trip notebook. We each bookmarked not-to-be-missed restaurants. Prior to leaving, I read McCullough’s tome on Truman while she read Jean Edward Smith’s book on Ike. We brought along CD’s on Clinton, Churchill and World War II – enough material for 2,500 miles.
Day Three: Give ‘Em Hell, Harry. A life-sized Harry Truman at his most impressive library.
Since our itinerary was ambitious and with safety in mind, this trip needed to work like clockwork. We not only spent a day each in three incredible libraries but also savored our side trip to Alice Walton’s Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. Donna graduated from Little Rock High so she guided me through that school’s civil rights history and the monuments honoring it.
Day Four: A Cultural Side Trip. Alice Walton’s new Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas.
Donna and I got up early to hike the beautiful Art Trails at the Museum before it officially opened. The museum is free with no admission charges at all.
As these pictures demonstrate, it was a week’s journey through the histories of two world wars, two centuries of American art and the civil rights movement. Even Donna and I were amazed we could make it happen. Since she and I are all about fun and laughter, it was also hilarious at times. What I continue to believe is these presidential libraries are indeed the uncrowned, ignored jewels of our country’s memories. I also realized there is still much for me to see and learn about this country, even in the plains of Kansas, Missouri and Arkansas.
Day Five: DG’s Home Town. The very impressive Clinton Library.
A somber stop at the State Capital to honor the Little Rock Nine.
French Fridays with Dorie, is an international cooking group working its way through Dorie Greenspan’s latest cookbook “Around My French Table”. If you would like to see how my colleagues dealt with this recipe, from soup to nuts, go to our FFWD link.
No way…2500 miles! Shocking information. I forgot to tabulate mileage on my spreadsheet.
Great post, but Wish you had included the picture of the dining room full of orange hatted pheasant hunters at Crazy R’s in Goodland, Ks.
I’m thankful chestnuts were easy to find here and SO much cheaper – whoah! Good for you for making this! I am glad I did too – loved the flavour combination!
OK, first I have to get past the price of your chestnuts…LOL…no wonder we only bought brats from the BB back in the day! And can you loan out Donna to help plan my next trip? What an amazing adventure!!!
There aren’t many downsides to living in the mountains, Liz, but “paying the price” for hard-to-locate products is one of them. Just need to be a bit better at planning ahead.
Your trip looks great! You’re mighty ambitious. Oh boy, my list of “make up recipes” is getting longer and longer. My in-laws are here for a month (whimper), so things are crazy.
I love that you made this so thick! I thinned it out more but the taste was hearty enough each way. Thanks for sharing your adventure photos! I love, love, LOVE seeing them and making note. I do want to see all these presidential houses.
Looks like it was a great trip! Great Dorie twofer!
Next time you need chestnuts, let me know. At least right now, they are selling 20 oz bags at Costco for $5. I can send them to you. It is exciting to discover a new Top 3 recipe from the book. Not quite as exciting as your trip though. Sounds like you and Donna had an amazing time. So much ground covered, and so many adventures. Between your trip and reading Bully Pulpit, you are very immersed in history. BTW, Howard is so picky that spiced tomato cupcakes wouldn’t win him over. He’s still worth it though.
Sounds like a wonderful soup, though a bit expensive! What a fun trip you must have had – looks like a fabulous time. I wish I was so organized as your friend!
Looks like I should not complain about a RM23.45 jar of chestnut puree! Enjoyed your post very much, thanks for sharing the great journey! Both your soup and apple compote are FAB!
You sure know how to pick friends Donna sounds amazing. Sounds like an amazing trip and now I am curious about presidential libraries. You are so right, not on most people’s radar. Well, really happy that you liked and ranked high, the chestnut soup. I seem to be the only member with a rich history of eating chestnuts. I didn’t know they were so Italian.
Thanks for sharing your great pictures of your trip. Looks like you had a great time. Your soup and applesauce look very tasty. I loved the applesauce and the soup was so so. I believe I need to give the soup another chance, almost everyone in the group loved it. Have a nice weekend, Mary.
Mary, I love your photos, the trip must have been a lot of fun and very interesting.
Your soup looks great, glad you enjoyed this one, especially with those expensive
chestnuts. Someone mentioned this might be an east coast thing, could be, because
we have always had chestnuts at holiday time. Love roasting them in the oven, delicious.
Have a great weekend.
Sounds like a fun road trip Mary! I’ve only been to two presidential museums but plan to visit more. As many times as I’ve driven to and through Arkansas I am ashamed to say I have not visited Alice Walton’s Museum. I have herd many wonderful things about it and plan to go one of these days. Thank you for your good advice about dealing with the death of my friend. Loving people is a good prescription for any ailment! And glad you enjoyed the soup! And applesauce!
OK, like everyone else- let me first complain about the crazy high price of chestnuts. And I stood in Wegmans eyeing the jar for a few minutes before I put in down INTO my cart. I officially have no complaints (even if I did not taste chestnut in the soup…….ok, that is one complaint :)) Seriously, so happy you ended up delighted with the soup. That is the most important part. And love that you called a spade a spade. Applesauce it was and I had a blast actually making it from scratch. I may make it Iowa style next time 🙂 Now- that trip. What a trip. Inspiring indeed on many levels. The project, the trip, the prep, the execution and of course – you look just fabulous in all those photos. Really – this is priceless. I enjoyed getting info on Facebook about the trip and reading even more in this post. Thanks for sharing ~
Love all the photos! You win the prize for dedication – I would not have paid for the chestnuts. I so want that bowl of yoghurt with compote de pommes – it looks delish!!
Wow Mary. Your research work looks and sounds exciting. What is it about? I used to do a lot of research work as well that led me to lots of interesting new places. Glad that you FUN.
Good job on that soup too.
Dear Mary, I so enjoyed this post of yours – it is Monday morning around here and I finally have a bit of time and read your post and marvel at all your wonderful pictures. The research project looks amazing and since we love touring museums and art exhibits so much too, I can understand that this must have been a memorable trip – how nice that you have such a wonderful firend to share your passion and travel with!
Your soup looks like such comfort in a bowl and your applesauce must have been quite nice with that Greek yoghurt.
Thank you also for your wonderful comment – there is truly no German translation of this poem yet but I am working on the rest of the poem this week.
All the very best and hugs and kisses form the girls,
Andrea
Now, Miss Mary, that is one heckuva trip – I am sure it was made even better by the great company.
I can’t believe your can of chestnuts was the price of a mortgage payment. I thought the 7$ price sticker on mine was bad….
We make spreadsheets when planning trips too. I’m glad to know I’m not the only open! Your trip sounds so fun, and interesting. I’m very impressed that you were able to cover all of those miles….As for the recipes, I’m glad you enjoyed both of them. I especially love the beautiful garnish on your soup.