Betsy looked at me oddly. After a long pause, she said, “Mary I wasn’t even two years old yet. I don’t remember it.”
Whoops!
TOMATO, BASIL & MOZZARELLA TART
I did the math. She was born in 1961. I was born in 1944. Holy Moly, I thought, she’s right! My first life-altering moment wasn’t even on her radar screen. “Mine was the Challenger explosion [1986 ],” she later added.
Our 17-year age difference became an additional thought-provoking layer during our week-long libraries journey. Many things that I remembered, she’d only learned in school. There were other situations we both recollected but recalled through our different generational lenses.
CAULIFLOWER & CHICKPEA CURRY
Every generation has its shared moments, life-altering events when we still remember where we were when something happened. This week I asked both friends/family to recall their first public experience that helped shape the adult they’ve become.
TO CARAMELIZE AND SOFTEN THE TOMATOES, THEY BAKE ALONE FOR 15 MINUTES AT 375 DEGREES BEFORE BEING JOINED BY CHEESE.
For 24-year-old Kacey Mahler, The Gant’s Customer Service Manager, it was 9/11. That was the consensus among the front office staff. But Bellman Chris Malone, 28, said, “Mrs. Hirsch, you may not like this but for me it was watching OJ Simpson being chased in his white Bronco by the police.” Malone, who was 7 at the time, explained, “That’s when I first realized heroes could be criminals.”
IMAGE BY ideasevolved.com
The responses were as varied as generational:
Hurricane Andrew. (a home lost); Princess Diana’s Death; Governor Orval Faubus closing all high schools in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1958; Apollo Eleven’s Moon Landing;
Team USA upsetting the Soviet Union, 4-3, The Miracle on Ice, at the Winter Olympics in February 1980;
DUST WITH POWDERED SUGAR, IF YOU WISH.
For my daughter, Melissa, it was about Jimmy Carter and her initial disillusionment with politics. “I remember listening to his energy crisis address when he was president,” she says. “It flipped everyone out – the idea to conserve energy – but I remember as a kid thinking it was a good idea. The result was President Carter got crushed in the re-election.”
I DOUBLED DOWN ON MOZZARELLA BUT IT’S YOUR CHOICE.
My Norwegian son-in-law’s first life-altering moment? ( “Yup, Mom,” Melissa e-mailed, “Swear to God, this is Stephen’s answer.”)
“The 1975 non-call of offensive pass interference against Dallas Cowboys/Minnesota Vikings game that allowed the Cowboys to win and go on to the Superbowl.”
Realizing this man is the love of my daughter’s life and father of my two granddaughters, I have no comment except, Go Vikings!
While you’re pondering how you would answer this question, here’s what I cooked up this week. My showstopper is undoubtedly Yvette Van Boven’s Sticky Chocolate Cake in Your Coffee Mug in 3 Minutes. There aren’t words to describe its fudgy appeal. Skeptical? Try it. A perfect dessert for one or two sweet tooths.
I ALSO POURED DULCE de LECHE, A CREAMY, SMOOTH, MILK-CARAMEL SPREAD OVER THE CAKE.
I made two recipes for this month’s Cottage Cooking Club from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s River Cottage Veg cookbook. The first, Tomato, Basil and Mozzarella Tart is a keeper, something I’ll stick in my back pocket to bring out to impress guests. You may use a traditional round tart pan, an oblong pan which makes finger-friendly portions for appetizers or a regular baking sheet. Try other flavorful combinations such as Tomato, Thyme and Goat Cheese; Tomato, Rosemary and Pecorino or Tomato, Blue Cheese and Chives. Pretty and Tasty.
MY PUFF PASTRY RULE HAS BECOME THAT IF I CAN’T FIND DUFOURS, I DON”T MAKE A RECIPE WITH PUFF PASTRY. IT IS THE BEST, IN MY OPINION, AND, BETTER YET, ALWAYS WORKS.
Honestly, I am seldom disappointed with Hugh’s recipes but Cauliflower and Chickpea Curry didn’t work for me. Cauliflower, yum. And, I love curry. Still, this is a healthy recipe that, with its ingredients, should be packed with flavor. Although I’ve posted pictures of my effort, I need to return to the kitchen and try again. Back to you in a few weeks. Or, not.
PHOTO BY katrin.coaching-in-bulgaria.com
STICKY CHOCOLATE CAKE IN YOUR COFFEE MUG IN 3 MINUTES
Adapted from Yvette Van Boven, Home Made Winter cookbook
If you wish, sprinkle with confectionary sugar or add any syrup, liquor, ice cream or whipped cream.
DIRECTIONS:
1. Mix the dry ingredients in the coffee mug. Add the egg and whisk together with a fork. Add the milk and oil and whisk some more.
2. Stir in the chocolate chips.
3. Place the mug in the microwave and “bake” the batter for 3 minutes on high. The cake will rise above the rim of the mug. Use a saucer under the mug as it “bakes” to catch any drips. Let it cool for a bit.
4. Add any desired topping.
Thanks to Betty Pollack-Benjamin for introducing me to Yvette Van Boven.
TOMATO, BASIL and MOZZARELLA TART
By Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall by River Cottage Veg
Serves 4 to 6
INGREDIENTS:
Canola or Sunflower Oil
13 ounces all-butter ready-made puff pastry
1 large egg, beaten, for brushing
12 ounces tomatoes
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
Extra-virgin olive
3 1/2 ounces Mozzarella cheese
2 TBSP shredded basil, added after the tart is baked
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat the oven to 375. Lightly oil a baking sheet or tart pan.
2. Roll out the pasty fairly thinly and trim to a rectangle measuring your pan. Put it on the baking sheet or tart pan. Cut a 1/2-inch strip from each edge. Brush these strips with a little beaten egg. Stick them onto the edges of the rectangle to form a slightly raised border. Brush the edges with a little more egg. Even if you are using a lipped tart pan, reinforce your edges.
3. Thinly slice the tomatoes crosswise into 1/8-inch slices. Discard the stalky top and skinny bottom slices. Scatter the garlic over the pastry. Then, arrange the tomato slices on top, overlapping them only slightly. Season with salt and pepper and trickle with a little olive oil.
4. Bake for about 15 minutes, until the tomatoes are tender and lightly browned.
5. Take the tart out of the oven, scatter over the cheese. Add another twist of pepper and a trickle of oil. Return to the oven. Bake for another 10 minutes or so, until the cheese is melty and bubbly and the pastry golden brown.
6. You can serve the tart hot. Whittingstall recommends serving it half an hour or so after it comes out of the oven, with a green salad.
Cottage Cooking Club is a virtual group cooking its way through Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’sRiver Cottage Veg cookbook. It is skillfully managed and inspired by our leader Andrea from The Kitchen Lioness.
The most often asked question about my Blog is, “With all the food you make, how do you stay so thin, not gain weight?” Now, Readers, when I think about Me, I certainly don’t think thin. In Aspen, where body image is everything, I’m a heavyweight.
YOGURT PARFAIT
The truth is I’ve always waged a bulge battle. As a kid I was chubby and remained about 15 to 20 pounds overweight my entire life. My nickname in junior high was Tank. Not a confidence builder. What I weighed eroded my ego and overshadowed the good things in life. Always. I applaud and envy women who are comfortable in their own skin, content with themselves. Unfortunately, I couldn’t pull that off.
“NOBODY EVER MENTIONED I’D HAVE TO FIND MY OWN FOOD.” This juvenile Great Blue Heron, who flew into this lake, obviously was hungry, unsure of himself. We watched him 30 minutes and he never came close to nabbing anything.
It was not until Michael’s sickness that I lost those unwanted 20. My doctor had cautioned me to rein in my stress, done only by exercise. Since our Henderson housing complex had a gym, most mornings, at 5am, I was in Spinning class or exercising. Every evening I would charge around our 3-mile loop with my best friend. While this didn’t keep stress at bay, it was conducive to weight loss.
ROASTED TORTILLAS AND AVOCADO MASH
Quesadilla & Wrap
To my mind it’s because of my food blog rather than in spite of it that I haven’t regained those pounds. My pantry is loaded, my freezer is full and my cupboards, never bare. For me, it’s about choices, changing it up and menu variety. This week’s recipes, Yogurt Parfaits, a Weekend Apple Pancake and Mashed Avocado Tortillas are an example of that. Nothing earthshaking here but just reminders of what’s easy and possible.
This gorgeous Question Mark butterfly (Polygonia interrogationis) is eating sap from the “sap well” that was drilled by a sapsucker. Ajax Trail, Aspen Mountain
A recent Harvard study suggests that we front-load our eating to the early part of the day, taking in most of our calories before the sun goes down. It’s ludicrous to believe that culturally we could make that shift. However, that’s how I manage my day. Because I live alone and organize my own schedule, I can.
Cook the Weekend Apple Pancake until the filling is set firmly.
Just so you don’t think I’ve gone all sanctimonious on you, here’s my fail. I was determined to lose 5 pounds this Summer. My goal. Summer ended today. Didn’t lose an ounce!
Despite that, having food on hand to make quickly is the secret. My simplistic recipes and their adaptability represent just that.
“TWINS. TWINS. MY OB SAID NOTHING ABOUT TWINS.”
Starved? Famished? Need a quick breakfast, lunch, snack or dinner?
TORTILLA with AVOCADO MASH a favorite of Christopher Hirsheimer and Melissa Hamilton, The Canal House
1. Pull out a whole-wheat tortilla and toast, heat or roast it.
2. Choose a filling. Make a wrap or quesadilla. You can’t do better than mashed avocado with lime juice and coarse salt. I even made a tasty wrap from last week’s leftover Roasted Butternut Squash Salad mixture.
Eggs, meat, legumes or veggies pulled together with spices, salt and pepper, make delicious mixtures.
If you always keep a carton of rich, creamy Greek yogurt (WITH the fat) in your fridge, magic can happen. Try Jody Williams’ roasted nuts/honey/yogurt concoction for breakfast or a snack. For a change of pace use fruit (canned or fresh), coconut, granola or syrup as a topping. Because the roasted nuts/honey mixture will keep for weeks toss it on ice cream, pound cake or, even better, cheese.
YOGURT PARFAITS by Jody Williams, Buvette
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup nuts (I used pine nuts, pistachios, almonds and walnuts.)
1/3 cup honey
Pinch of coarse salt
2 Cups (16 ounces) plain Greek Yogurt
DIRECTIONS:
1. Stir together the nuts, honey and salt.
2. Layer the nut-honey mixture with a yogurt mixture, using 1 inch of yogurt to 1/2 inch of the nut-honey mixture.
TIP: This is rich so two layers of each with a dash of nuts on the top is enough. Use wide-mouthed containers, jam jars or brandy snifters, for example.
The Weekend Apple Pancake, always love this. Who can resist its dramatic puff or lament the quick fall.
WEEKEND APPLE PANCAKE adapted from Faith Durand,The Kitchn
INGREDIENTS:
3 apples, use different kinds like Granny Smith, Fugi and Gala
4 tablespoons sugar, divided
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
6 TBS unsalted butter
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 large eggs
Powdered or cinnamon sugar, to serve
DIRECTIONS:
1. Heat the oven to 400°F.
2. Peel, core, and quarter the apples. Cut them into medium slices (1/4-inch thick or less). Cut the slices in halves or thirds. You should have about 3 cups of chopped apples.
3.In a small bowl, mix 3 tablespoons of sugar with the cinnamon and ginger and set aside.
4. Cut the butter into chunks and place them in a 10” deep cast iron skillet or 8×8-inch baking dish. Put the skillet or baking dish in the oven for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the butter is melted. Take the pan out of the oven and sprinkle the 1/3 cup brown sugar over the melted butter. Carefully spread the apples on top of the brown sugar and sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture over the apples. Put the pan back in the oven to caramelize the apples and sugar.
5. Whisk the flour with the remaining tablespoon of sugar, salt, and nutmeg. Gradually add the milk, whisking constantly with a large wire whisk to beat out any lumps. When the flour is smoothly incorporated into the milk, beat in the vanilla and the eggs, one by one. Beat by hand for 2 minutes, or until foamy. Let the batter rest for 5 minutes. By now the sugar should be bubbling around the apples.
6. Take the pan out of the oven and pour the batter over the apples. Bake for about 30 to 40 more minutes, or until center is set and sides are lightly browned. The pancake will puff up dramatically but fall after a few minutes after you take it out of the oven.
If you want, serve with powdered sugar or more cinnamon sugar but it is not necessary.
The Japanese word, Tokimeku, means joy. I’m 100% fully committed to joy. Raise your hand if you’re for joy. Good show. Let’s move on. This week my life’s been about finding magic. Japanese author Marie Kondo has sold over 3 million copies of her book claiming that one’s life improves dramatically, the joy thing, just by tidying up. Her bestseller is entitled “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up.”
ISRAELI COUSCOUS & ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SALAD
Constrained by my depleted book-buying budget, I resisted. What could this decluttering manual teach me? We’d moved from a 4500 sq. ft. home (Iowa) to 3400’ (Colorado) to 2000’ (Nevada) to the 940 sq. ft. condo where I now reside. I consider my tidying up credentials unchallengeable. Still, had 3 million readers already gleaned a nugget I hadn’t learned? I stopped by our library only to find 133 others patrons had placed Kondo’s book on reserve. I bought the book.
Her KonMari Method, massive de-cluttering, has its allure. Having always Leaned In to order, organization and having my ducks in a row, I was still able to add tidying tools to my bucket. (For you, I’ve made a List.) First, however, I must share what I’ve made in my tidied up kitchen this week.
Poster by Sun Gazing
Besides cookbooks, I often turn to food bloggers for inspiration and ideas. I needed a salad for our church pot luck so I asked Chris at The Cafe Sucre & Farine for suggestions. Chris, who creates amazing salads, suggested Israeli Couscous (Pearl Pasta) and Roasted Butternut Squash Salad. Perfect. Although we received 4 inches of snow in the mountains this week, I’m still thinking Autumn. Every Fall I bake a seasonal go-to bundt cake…over and over again. I linked to Liz Berg’s This Skinny Chick Can Bake blog and spotted an Apple Ginger Bundt Cake. Mmmm
ALTHOUGH WE HAD 4 INCHES OF SNOW IN THE MOUNTAINS THIS WEEK, I AM STILL HOLDING ONTO AUTUMN.
I’m a squash nut – soup, salads, side dishes. This pretty salad’s ideal, hot (dinner), room temperature (lunch), or cold, (leftovers). It comes together easily. Think progression party. Yum for Liz’s Apple Ginger Bundt Cake which pushes all the right taste buds. Buttermilk not only keeps this cake moist and tender, it also adds little fat. The flavor punch comes from apple and crystalized ginger with streusel providing the razzle-dazzle. Both recipes are below.
ALTHOUGH THIS DELICIOUS CAKE NEEDS NO EMBELLISHMENT, I ADDED CRÈME FRAÎCHE.
While cooking, I de-cluttered my kitchen. Although Kondo suggests we go cold turkey, ‘organizing your space thoroughly, completely, in one go,’ I went rogue. My Lifestyle and ‘in one go’ aren’t compatible. She suggests we talk to our belongings! Yes, a conversation. Readers: be alert to the possibility of her 3 million readers jabbering to their possessions. For example, “This is the routine I follow every day when I return from work,” she says. “First, I unlock the door and announce to my house, “I’m home!” Picking up the pair of shoes left out in the entranceway, I say, ‘Thank you for your hard work,’ and put them away.”
ANOTHER KITCHEN PURGE. WHO NEEDS 4 ICE CREAM SCOOPS, THREE CHEESE GRATERS, 2 CAN OPENERS OR 2 VEGGIE PEELERS?
While this seems odd to me, maintaining a running conversation with your home’s objects, I’m not tossing the idea. After all, she’s the best-selling author. I’m not. That’s why I immediately began a relationship with my hiking boots. Pulling on my boots this week, I whispered, “We’re going hiking. Please keep me safe.” After hauling myself up and down the mountain, I acknowledged my boots,“Thank you for your hard work.”
Last night, after a full-day class on Elk and Big Horn Sheep, we were rewarded when 4 Bulls and 50+ Cows and Calves came down into a nearby meadow to romp. LOVE is in the AIR . This Bull kept close watch on his herd.
A SURREAL, EARLY EVENING VIEW OF SOME OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN ELK HERD’S COWS AND CALVES.
I draw the line with the boots, however, strange but weirdly comforting. Two years ago, by necessity rather than choice, I let go of most of my belongings. It still astounds me how easily I rebounded from that purging. Kondo’s book may be bizarre in its approach but she’s obviously inspired a growing less is more obsession. If you are into Life-Changing Magic (and, why not), here are my takeaways:
1. De-clutter Alone. Friends and family muddle-up the magic.
2. Tidy by Category, not room. Start with simple stuff, books, clothes, dishes and kitchen equipment, before tackling papers and sentimental tugs.
3. Vertical Storage. While I’ll utilize the efficient KonMari folding method when storing clothes, I’m ambivalent about going totally vertical. Kondo stores her carrots by standing them in the drink holders of her refrigerator’s door. Seriously?
4. Shoeboxes. Shoeboxes. Shoeboxes.
5. Isabella Beeton, Book of Household Management, 1861, wrote there ‘is a place for everything and everything in its place’. Today Kondo’s made it her gold-plated tidy mantra.
6. Here are Chrissy Halton’s “101 Items to Get Rid of Without Regret,” this week’s Life-Changing Magic Assignment.
⅓ packed cup brown sugar
¾ tsp. ground ginger
¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
3 Tbs. all-purpose flour
¼ cup cold, unsalted butter
⅓ cup finely chopped walnuts
Cake:
10-1/4 oz. (2-1/4 cups) all-purpose flour
½ tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
¼ cup finely chopped crystallized ginger
6 Tbs. unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
½ cup sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 large eggs, room temperature
1-1/4 cups buttermilk
1 medium Granny Smith or Golden Delicious apple, cored and chopped coarsely
Confectioners’ sugar for dusting
DIRECTIONS:
1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 10-cup bundt pan and set aside.
2. For the streusel, blend the brown sugar, ginger, cinnamon, flour, and butter with your fingers or a pastry blender until the mixture resembles large breadcrumbs. Mix in the walnuts and refrigerate until ready to use.
3. For the cake, sift together the flour, ground ginger, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl. Stir in the crystallized ginger and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
4. Gradually add the sugars, continuing to beat until very light. Add the vanilla and then the eggs one at a time, beating each one in well before adding the next. Alternately stir in the flour and the buttermilk, until the batter is just mixed. Don’t over beat or your cake will be tough. Gently stir in the chopped apple.
5. Pour half the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with a third of the streusel. Pour in the remaining batter and top with the remaining streusel. (The streusel will sink a little during baking to make a swirl.)
6. Bake until the top of the cake is firm (a skewer inserted in the center should come out clean), about 40 to 45 min. Cool for 15 min. in the pan on a wire rack. Invert the cake onto a serving platter, dust with confectioners’ sugar, and serve slightly warm or at room temperature.
ISRAELI COUSCOUS AND BUTTERNUT SQUASH SALAD, Thanks to Chris Scheuer, The Cafe Sucre & Farine
INGREDIENTS:
3 cups peeled, diced butternut squash, ½-inch dice (about ½ of a medium size squash)
1 ½ TBS extra-virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon sea salt
⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 cups spinach tough (Chris suggests using kale with tough stems removed)
4 cups chicken broth
8 ounces Israeli couscous (pearl pasta), 1 1/2 cups
3 TBS extra virgin olive oil
2 medium shallots, finely chopped
2 TBS finely chopped fresh sage
1½ TBS sherry vinegar
½ tsp sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 ½ cups tiny frozen peas, thawed
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat the oven to 450°F.
2. Combine the squash and the olive oil on a sheet pan and toss to coat. Sprinkle with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Roast for 10 minutes then remove from oven and stir. Roast for another 8-10 minutes or until tender. Set aside.
3. Place sliced spinach (or, kale) in a large bowl and set aside.
4. While the squash is roasting, bring chicken broth to a boil in a medium size pot. Add pearl pasta, return to a boil then reduce to a steady simmer. Simmer for 8-10 minutes or until pasta is al dente. Drain pasta and immediately transfer to the bowl with the spinach. Stir gently for a minute to combine. Cover bowl with plastic wrap for 2-3 minutes until spinach begins to wilt.
5. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-low heat in a small sauté pan. Add shallots and cook for 3-4 minutes until translucent. Then add sage and cook for 30 seconds longer. Add sherry vinegar and stir to combine. Add ½ teaspoon salt and a generous ground of fresh, black pepper. Transfer shallot mixture to the bowl with the pasta. Stir gently.
6. Add peas and butternut squash and stir just to mix.
Let’s talk FRIENDSHIP. Yours. Theirs. Mine. Ours. It’s September. Time to do that.
THE ONLY STOP DURING THE TRIP BACK TO ASPEN WAS FOR FRANNIE TO PERUSE THE MOOSE RACK SELECTION FOR OUR NATURALIST EXHIBITS.
Last week-end my nature-loving colleagues and I spent three days in Rocky Mountain National Park taking field workshops. For me, it was a rigorous three days. By 5:30pm on Friday night, when we were ready to make the 185-mile trip back to Aspen, I was pooped. There was no drive left in me, either for up another mountain or behind the wheel. Having anticipated this, Francine and Carol climbed in the front seat of my car while I folded my wings, crawling in the back.
Four hours later as we crossed the line into Pitkin County, Francine said, “You know, Mary, we love you. We all love you.”
Not to be outdone, Carol chimed in, “You have a great support system here, Mary. Everyone loves you. They do.”
CORNBREAD WITH CARAMELIZED APPLES, ONIONS & THYME
There was more of this chatter, I responded with gratefulness, dropped my friends off and finally drove into The Gant around 10pm. After unpacking, bathing and checking for ticks (a hazard in the High Country), I fell into bed at Midnight, four hours past my norm. But not before thinking about those remarks. What brought that on, I’ll never know. I was weary, yes, but euphoric about a perfect trip. I wasn’t feeling needy, lonely, or abandoned. No propping up necessary. Shall we simply chalk it up to Friendship?
SINCE RETURNING TO ASPEN OUR SILVERKING DRIVE NEIGHBOR, BLANCA O’LEARY (middle), HAS ALWAYS INCLUDED ME IN NEIGHBORHOOD FUNCTIONS & HOLIDAYS. SHE NEVER FORGETS ME. HERE WE’RE CELEBRATING VAIL’S LITERACY PROJECT’S 25TH ANNIVERSARY AT A LOVELY LUNCHEON HOSTED BY OUR VAIL FRIEND, JANE LOWERY.
As we all celebrate the long Labor Day week-end why not open the window wider to this opportunity to value our friends more. Let’s be better, try harder and remind them they’re appreciated. Although Frannie and Carol have now probably forgotten those remarks, I have not. Besides wishing you Happy Labor Day Week-end with the following cast iron menu, I’m sharing snapshots of my local supporters who have enriched my 2015 summer. Hopefully these photos will encourage you to acknowledge your own.
CAULIFLOWER PARMESAN, OVEN READY
Some women in the following photo have been friends since 1988. This is the only time I was with this gang all summer!?! And, that took 40 e-mails, determination and a surprise 60th birthday party to make happen. Some gals work and many, like me, are dedicated volunteers for this and that. The activities we did together ten years ago, Saturday biking adventures and Sunday hikes up Aspen Mountain, I’m no longer strong enough to do. However, after obviously too much vino, I agreed to a winter bike training program put together by Californian Terry Durham, far right, to bring me up to speed by Summer 2016. I’ll gear up if they’ll slow down.
LONGTIME ASPEN FRIENDS. LET S NOT COUNT THE YEARS.
Since It only takes one small spark, there’s no balcony grilling allowed at The Gant. For whatever reason, cast iron cooking makes me feel all outdoorsy. What I know for sure is my three cast iron skillets conduct heat superbly, can travel from stovetop to oven without talking back and will last my lifetime. I’ve linked to recipes and include John’s at the end of this post.
DAY-IN AND DAY-OUT MY FOREST CONSERVANCY FRIENDS (AND, SMOKEY) PROVIDE ENCOURAGEMENT AND SUPPORT.
SOMETIMES WE VOLUNTEER RANGERS EVEN GO ALL-FANCY!
MY MEAL:
1. Cornbread with caramelized apples, onions and thyme,Bon Appétit magazine. I’ve made this cornbread before but never posted the menu.
2.Cherry-Almond Clafoutisby David Tanis, A Platter of Figs and Other Recipes. Although I chose David’s, your favorite clafoutis recipe works also. Or, click on links of Dorie’s or Julia’s for their delicious recipes.
3.Cauliflower Parmesan by Melissa Clark, The New York Times. Three words: To Die For.
4.Filet Mignon by John Lester. John, who blogs with his wife, Susan, on Create Amazing Meals, grills this amazing, no-fail filet mignon INDOORS. The recipe is at the end of my Post.
GOD BLESS CAROL KURT? MY IOWA FRIEND, MARY BERGLUND, SENT ME INFO ON SNORKELING GEAR. I ORDERED IT AND IT ARRIVED LAST WEEK. AS PROMISED CAROL STARTED MY LESSONS AT THE GANT POOL. I NOW CAN PUT MY HEAD IN THE WATER AND BREATHE CORRECTLY. NOT TOO WILLING TO VENTURE INTO THE DEEP END YET ( 6 FEET). SOON. GALAPAGOS, HERE I COME. AND, YES, THE KIDS HERE AT THE GANT ARE LOVING THIS. MY OWN CHEERLEADING SECTION.
I would be remiss if I didn’t honor the friendship of you supporters of my blog. Whether you visit my posts for recipes, stories or just to see the photos, I’m just thrilled you’re here. Thank you.
Cherry-Almond Clafoutis
I hope you are relentless in your enjoyment of this weekend. It’s a good one and we’re lucky to be breathing in it. Joy the Baker adaption
HERE’S THE BEEF.
FILET MIGNON by John Lester, Create Amazing Meals, Susan & John Lester
INGREDIENTS:
• 2 8-ounce Filets
• Salt and Pepper, to taste
• Vegetable Oil
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Remove steaks from the refrigerator 1 hour before cooking and sprinkle with salt & pepper on both sides.
2. Coat the inside of a cast iron skillet with vegetable oil.
3. Place pan on the stove over medium-high heat.
4. When oil begins to smoke, sear steaks on both sides, about 3 minutes a side.
5. Place a baking rack over a sheet of foil and place steaks on the rack.
6. Allow to rest at room temperature for ½ hour.
7. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
8. Place steaks back in cast iron skillet.
9. Place skillet in oven for 5 – 12 minutes, depending upon the thickness of the steak and the way you like them.
10. Remove pan from oven and allow steaks to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
For years I’ve yearned to visit the Galápagos Islands, that archipelago of isolation that sits 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador. These are the islands where Charles Darwin landed in 1835. While the Galápagos Islands are recognized for the theories they launched, today they are more famous for the inhabitants.
Unfortunately, life has always nudged a Galápagos trip to the back of the bus. While I don’t often give into it, aging and the hesitancy to travel alone have begun to rear their ugly heads. Perhaps the endangered Galápagos tortoises and I would never meet. It just wasn’t happening.
Peach Ice Cream by David Lebovitz, The Perfect Scoop
A month ago, the stars aligned. I was asked to join 15 others for an 11-day December Origins of the Species Adventure to the Galápagos. We’d be traveling aboard an 144’ vessel called the Integrity. Within a week I’d agreed, booked a flight to Quito, Ecuador, and dusted off my passport.
However, there is one huge hiccup about this trip which we need to discuss.
Miss Colorado Peach 2015
First, let’s talk peaches. Since the prime season for our Colorado peaches is short, I’m greedy and, each week, buy big. I think this week’s show-stoppers are worth sharing. This week-end, why not try Brown Butter-Peach Tourte by Dorie Greenspan or David Lebovitz’s Peach Ice Cream.
Dorie’s tourte is peaches, butter and crust. C’est tout. There’s little sugar or flour and only a dab of vanilla and lemon juice. The delish is a result of the butter which simmers until it turns ‘fragrant and is golden browned to a caramel flavor.’ When your cut-up peach chunks swim in this, it’s heavenly.
Because of the butter, the top crust, sprinkled with sugar, gets browner, melting as it bakes. Here’s where you can be creative, simplify the process or bake to your taste. Since the magic of this dessert is the filling, the crust is your choice. Choose a sweet tart dough, pie dough (no shame in store-bought) or a strudel concoction. This delight is in the filling.
Memories were made from lazy summer days when we helped make hand-cranked peach ice cream. Magic, right? Lebovitz created the simplest stone fruit ice cream recipe I could find. It’s delicious. I know that because I enjoyed most of it myself. After making the mixture and refrigerating it to cool overnight, I found I needed unexpected oral surgery. (I will spare you the 2-day play-by play.) When I returned home, there was very little I could eat. I remembered Lebovitz mentioning this peach ice cream ‘is indeed best when spooned right out of the machine, just moments after it’s been churned.’
I followed David’s advice and poured the chilled mixture into my ice cream maker. Thirty minutes later I was standing at my kitchen counter, drowning my sorrows with this delicious ice cream. For the past two days it’s been my comfort food. With 2/3 of the quart gone, I’m definitely on the mend.
And, that’s important, because I need to be in top form to deal with the hurdle in my upcoming Galápagos trip. From the Brochure’s Itinerary: 11:00 am Snorkeling: The group usually snorkels once every day. You may be out for 30 minutes to an hour, and may even have two opportunities to snorkel in one day.
Snorkeling and swimming are an important part of this journey. The problem is, I don’t. While I can probably dog paddle and keep myself afloat, I don’t swim. My face in the water, nooooo. Twenty years ago Michael paid major money for my private snorkeling lesson in Hawaii. I was doing fine, being attentive and preparing to walk into the Pacific when my instructor said, “And, if you begin to hyperventilate, here’s what you do.”
Alarmed, I immediately laid my equipment on the sandy beach and left, leaving my husband a bit perturbed. (There were times that man was a saint.) Please understand, I am not proud of this and am determined to jump into those waters and swim with whoever wants to join me, whether marine iguana, sea lion or turtle. I am (a brave) woman!
FEAR OF WATER – IT’S THE PITS.
To that end, I am reading this book, will buy my snorkeling equipment next week and have the availability of The Gant’s two pools. My sweet friend, Carol Kurt, my naturalist colleague in all things who has just returned from Galápagos, has offered to “learn me.” She is confident and determined. As am I. I have four months. The clock is ticking.
As for now, I’m off to polish off the peach ice cream while I “Learn How To Swim and Snorkel Even if you are Afraid of the Water.”
BROWN BUTTER-PEACH TOURTE by Dorie Greenspan, Baking Chez Moi
INGREDIENTS:
Filling
2 pounds ripe but firm peaches (about 5)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
Tiny pinch of fine sea salt
¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract (or a drop of pure almond extract)
Juice of ¼ lemon
Crust
1 partially baked 9- to 9½-inch sweet tart dough crust, cooled
1 12-inch sweet tart dough circle, refrigerated
Sugar, for dusting (I used Turbinado natural cane sugar)
DIRECTIONS:
1. Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
2. Using your favorite method for peeling and dicing peaches, cut each peach into one-inch chunks. Put the peaches in a strainer, over a bowl, to catch extra juice.
3. Place the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat and allow it to melt and bubble. When it reaches a light caramel color, pull the pan from the heat. If you spot small dark brown spots on the bottom of the pan, that’s fine. You’ll also catch the whiff of warm nuts. After a minute or two, pour the butter over the strained peaches. Add the sugar, flour, salt and vanilla. Gently stir together. Finish with the lemon juice.
4. To assemble the tourte, ut the tart pan on the lined baking sheet. Give the filling another stir and scrape it into the tart shell, smoothing the top. You should have just enough filling to come level with the edges of the crust. Remove the circle of dough from the refrigerator while it’s resting a minute or so, brush the edges of the tart shell with water. Position the circle of dough over the crust. Press the rim with your fingers to glue the two pieces together, pressing on the rim as you go.
5. Use a knife to remove a circle of dough from the center. Brush the surface lightly with cold water and sprinkle generously with sugar.
6. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the crust is deeply golden brown and the butter is bubbling. Transfer the tourte, still on its baking sheet, to a rack and allow it to cool until it’s only just warm or at room temperature before serving. As it cools, the buttery syrup will be reabsorbed by the peaches, which is just what you want—so don’t be impatient.
Storing: You can partially bake the bottom crust up to 8 hours ahead and you can have the top crust rolled out and ready to go ahead of time, but the filling shouldn’t be prepared ahead. Best served the same day but if you’ve got leftovers, refrigerate them. The crust will lose its delicateness, but the dessert will still be satisfying.
PEACH ICE CREAM by David Lebovitz, The Perfect Scoop
Yield: 1 quart
INGREDIENTS:
1 ½ pounds ripe peaches [about four large peaches]
½ cup water
1/4 cup sugar
½ cup sour cream
1 cup heavy cream
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
A few drops freshly squeezed lemon juice
DIRECTIONS:
1. Peel the peaches, slice them in half, and remove the pits. Cut the peaches into chunks and cook them with water in a nonreactive saucepan over medium heat, covered, stirring once or twice, until soft and cooked through, about 10 minutes.
2. Remove from heat, stir in the sugar, then cool to room temperature.
3. Purée the cooked peaches and any liquid in a blender or food processor with the sour cream, heavy cream, vanilla, and lemon juice until almost smooth but slightly chunky.
4. Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator and freeze in your ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.
When I issued my dinner invitation, I said, “Wear Your Lipstick,” and they did. L to R, Steve Chase, Donna Grauer, Donna Chase and the birthday boy, Bernie Grauer.
Since October, 2010, when French Fridays was launched, we Doristas have danced around Dorie Greenspan’s French table. While our jigs were virtual, the 300 recipes she created and we made were delightfully genuine. Now, after 4 1/2 years, it’s kinda shocking to realize I’ve successfully muddled through Around My French Table, more than 300 recipes from my home to yourscookbook.
Marie-Hélène’s Apple Cake by Dorie Greenspan was chosen to be included in Food52’s Genius Recipes cookbook.
To mark this journey’s end, we are all choosing our most treasured recipe. For me, that’s easy. I salute Marie-Hélène’s Apple Cake. Admittedly, when I bring this dessert to the table, no one is impressed. This rather plain Jane, single-layer cake has no WOW factor…until you take the first bite. As one dinner guest exclaimed recently, “This is the real deal.”
The apple cake batter, in its springform pan, home before it visits the oven.
It gets better. Last April, FOOD52, an award-winning community-based cooking site, published a cookbook, Genius Recipes, 100 Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook. That’s a heavyweight moniker for any cookbook but it’s become a New York Times bestseller. Here’s the kicker. Marie-Hélène’s Apple Cake by Ms. Greenspan is one of the 17 chosen desserts. I rest my case.
THE BOOK
The completion of this 4 1/2-year effort called for a celebratory dinner. Since friend Bernie Grauer’s birthday dovetailed with this completion, I planned a small party. “It’s a Genius Dinner,” I told my friends. “Wear your lipstick,” I requested.
Here’s the menu with links to the recipes, all taken from FOOD52’s Genius Recipes, 100 Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook:
The beef brisket is ready for the oven, to cook, and cook, and cook some more.
What I can say about this evening is it was bittersweet and delicious and hilarious. From the bottom of my heart, thank you, Grauers and Chases, for making it so.
Doesn’t every milestone beg to be remembered? My artist friend, Ellie Gould, who was just elected president of the Arizona Watercolor Society, did just that. This week I received two gorgeous watercolors of the AMFT cookbook cover and yours truly in a chef’s coat. Already at the framer. Merci mille fois, Ellie.
Chicken In A Pot is the cookbook cover of Around My French Table by Dorie Greenspan. Watercolor by Ellie Gould.
It is with a heavy but grateful heart that I wrap up this French Fridays experience. Dorie and my Dorista colleagues unwittingly helped me rebuild my life. At a time when my only goal was to survive each day, this blog thing and French Fridays came along. Writing and cooking, what could be better? Crazy as it may seem, having to create a post every week insisted upon organization and structure. Michael and I were in a decade-long battle without an end game, no light at the end of any tunnel. For me, completing a post each week was a goal, an accomplishment and fun.
Some of the French Fridays gals who attended the 2013 International Food Bloggers Conference in Seattle.
As I’ve said often, during the past four years this French Fridays gang has become more than a virtual community for me. Whether it was rallying around Dorie, the perfect mix of cooks with a common interest, a fortunate accident of serendipity or just my perception, I cannot say. The French Fridays group has been magic. What lies ahead in each of our virtual worlds, no one knows. In the real world, however, I’ve made wonderful friends and those relationships will continue.
We all love Dorie and I think that she loves us back. International Food Bloggers Conference 2013
Let me end with an appreciative nod to an unheralded group of supporters who always “wear their lipstick.” All my French Fridays colleagues have spouses, partners, kids or extended families living nearby who need to be fed and nourished every day. Since I am single, my reality is whether I put a meal on the table or not makes no difference. Wanting to join French Fridays but not wanting to waste the food I make every week, I’ve relied on others.
It was great fortune that my Henderson, Nevada neighbors were foodies. Lawyer Michele Morgando, also a judge, also a graduate of the Culinary School at The Art Institute of Las Vegas, was (and, still is) my tutor. Ray Dillon and Dominick Prudenti, such great friends to the Hirschs, once owned a successful deli in New York. Adriana Scrima, Sicilian by birth, cooks with an Old World flair. Fresh. Local. Homemade. Many Nevada friends jumped in to help when I began my blog. Failure was not an option. I miss you all.
It all began in Henderson, Nevada with L to R: Adriana, Dominick, Ray, Bobby (Adriana’s husband) and Michele.
In closing, it’s no coincidence that the three ladies pictured below were featured in my last posts. When I moved back to Aspen, Coeur à la Crème was the first French Fridays recipe choice. Holy Moley. Donna Grauer offered, as she has many times, to help. A dinner gathering, with contributions by Charlotte McLain and Donna Chase, followed. This sparked a realization that maybe food blogging could create the social life I desired here. “Wear your Lipstick,” became my watchword. Thanks, friends.
Charlotte and the Donna Deux, February 2013
Coeur à la Crème, my first French Fridays with Dorie post from Aspen. February 2013
“People who love to eat are always the best people.” Julia Childs
Celebrating French Fridays with Dorie, a watercolor by Ellie Gould
