THINKING SUMMER, STILL SNOWING

Mary+ by | May 23, 2019 | Uncategorized

In the Spirit of Full Disclosure, I never watched Game of Thrones. Not one show… ever. Which makes you feel sorta like the last kid picked at recess for the kickball team.

Counterpoint: Call me a When Calls the Heart super fan. That show just finished it’s sixth season on the soppy, feel-good Hallmark Channel. When WCtH actress Lori Loughlin became embroiled in the college admissions scandal, I realized the formidable Aunt Betsy (Loughlin’s role) would become persona non grata in Hope Valley.

Realizing I’d taken for granted Mayor Aunt Betsy as a WCtH mainstay, Loughlin’s arrest messed with my happy ending programming. It also sullied Hallmark’s “When you care enough to send the very best,” halo of goodness.

These shows are fantasy. Whether you disliked the GoT ending or my being unsettled by Aunt Betsy’s demise, these discomforts are short-lived, non-important. But this ‘taking for granted’ business in real life is way different. Recently two events, bookends if you will, occurred which hammered that savor every moment message home again.

NOTRE-DAME CATHÉDRALE & ACES’ WINGED EDUCATOR

BOOKEND #1: Last winter in Paris I often walked by Notre-Dame Cathédrale. An astounding 30,000 people visit the cathedral daily. I stopped for services twice.

Just before flying home, I met my blogging colleague, Patty, for coffee and to sample ‘the best cinnamon roll in Paris.’ It was early, cold, rainy and quite a schlep to the boulangerie but well-worth the calories.

Afterwards Patty, who was leaving for San Francisco the next day, suggested we walk over to ND. “I want to see it one more time.”

Even though it was a bit of a huff, we did. It was a quiet morning, few visitors, only a priest saying Mass. We went our separate ways and finally met by the alcove where the 19th-century statue of Joan of Arc by Charles Desvergnes sits. We each lit candles, said our private prayers and left.

I took for granted that one of the most important religious structures of Western civilization, built in the 12th Century, would always stand tall. I’m thankful for the memory of that last visit.

BOOKEND #2 Last Sunday the iconic Golden Eagle who lived at the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies for 30 years died of natural causes. She was 38. As a yearling, she’d been found with a broken leg and wing on nearby Bell Mountain. That she recovered at a Colorado raptor rehabilitation hospital is miraculous. That she would never survive in the Wild again was not a surprise.

We moved to Aspen in 1988, got involved with ACES and Michael served on its Board. There never was a time when I walked out to ACES’ Hallam Lake Preserve that I didn’t walk by that beautiful bird sitting on her grassy hill and not acknowledge her presence. In fact for 30 years more than 10,000 visitors a year, did the same.

She was a member of the staff, it’s longest serving environmental educator and probably the major take-away for many of the thousands of school kids who visited ACES. I last saw her several days ago when I took my friend Wendy birding at ACES. Wendy had never seen the GE so we went back to her enclosure as her trained caretaker, Derek, the GE perched on his gloved arm, was bringing her outside for the day. Wendy was mesmerized. As for me, I’m sad that what I thought would always be, is gone.

I don’t know what happens to winged creatures when they pass away but I like to think that our ACES Golden Eagle is finally soaring again with the angels.

LET’S EAT

I put together some definitely-don’t-miss fare to share with you. Emphasis on ‘don’t miss.’

FIRST, the CAKE

This lemon cake with lemon glaze topped with toasted coconut is Sweet Sixteen delicious. My granddaughter Clara turned 16 last week. Whether I celebrate with the girls or from afar, I always bake a cake. No recipe here, just bake and frost your favorite cake. Toast the coconut in a medium-sized frying pan on medium heat on the top of the stove for about 5-7 minutes. Liberally sprinkle the toasted coconut topping on the newly frosted cake. Very festive. Yum. Just yum.

HAM, GORGONZOLA & PEAR QUICHE  by David Lebovitz,  My Paris Kitchen

There are so many ways to improvise and change up this easily made and delicious quiche according to your guests and tastes.
 
Serves 8-12

INGREDIENTS:

Crust:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed and chilled
1 large egg, room temperature

Filling:
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large, firm, ripe pear, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch cubes, Bosc or Anjou
1 cup (4.5 ounces) diced cooked ham
1 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
4 large eggs, rooms temperature
2 egg yolks, room temperature
1 1/2 cups (5 ounces) crumbled blue cheese, Roquefort (France) or Gorgonzola (Italy)
2 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

DIRECTIONS:

To make the crust, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, cornmeal, and salt. Add the butter and beat on low speed until the butter is broken up and the mixture is sandy.
Add the egg and mix until the dough begins to clump and come together. Shape the dough into a disk and wrap it in plastic. Chill it for at least 30 minutes. (The dough can be made up to 2 days in advance.)

1. Roll out the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface until it’s 14 inches across. Wrap aluminum foil around the outside of a 9- or 10-inch springform pan to catch any leaks. Transfer the dough to the pan, pressing the dough against the sides and allowing it to come close to the top of the sides of the pan. Patch any cracks with a bit of dough from the edges so the filling doesn’t leak out during baking. Chill the dough in the pan while making the filling.
2. Preheat the oven to 375°F. To make the filling, heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat and cook the shallots with some salt and pepper until they are soft and translucent, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove them from the heat and stir in the diced pear and ham. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, blend together the cream, cream cheese, nutmeg, eggs and the egg yolks until it is all smooth. Stir in the cheese, pear and ham mixture, then the parsley.
4. Set the springform pan on a rimmed baking sheet and pour in the filling, making sure the ingredients in the filling are evenly distributed. Bake the tart for 45 to 50 minutes, until the top is lightly browned and the filling still jiggles and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
5. Let the quiche cool until it is firm enough to slice, about 15 minutes. Carefully untold it from the springform pan. Serve it warm or at room temperature. Refrigerate leftovers to reheat the next day.

David Lebovitz’s VINAIGRETTE

This is the only salad dressing I make now. Note that David suggests using canola or sunflower oil instead of olive oil. Season strictly to your taste, especially with the mustard.

Makes about 1/3 cup, enough for one large green salad, serving 2 to 3

INGREDIENTS:

1/8 teaspoon sea salt (a three-finger pinch or two)
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
2 teaspoons minced shallots,
1 to 2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 C canola or sunflower oil

DIRECTIONS:
1. Using a fork, mix together all the ingredients, stirring until the salt is dissolved.
2. Stir in the oil briskly until fully mixed.
3. Storage: This dressing will keep for about eight hours, covered with plastic wrap or lid, at room temperature.

The Dorie&David Show. Let’s Eat.

Mary+ by | May 11, 2019 | Uncategorized

COOKtheBOOKFRIDAYS

How many cookbooks live in your house? Let’s count ‘em. Disregarding my file folders of clipped recipes and following this year’s annual purge, I counted 86. After separating the wheat from the chaff, I fingered 8 for the deserted island and 11 that I’d sorely miss. The rest? Toodle loo.

Thanks to Google, we can now link onto every imaginable recipe. Still, approximately 20 million cookbooks were sold in 2018. There was even a site, now defunct, called Cookbooks Anonymous penned by a blogger trying to justify his collecting habit by cooking from every cookbook he owned in just one year.

This week’s CooktheBookFridays recipe choices are from cookbooks that are keepers: a strongly flavorful, nutritious GREEN-as-SPRING-SOUP from Everyday Dorie, The Way I Cook, by Dorie Greenspan; surprisingly simple PRESERVED LEMON-PISTACHIO ISRAELI COUSCOUS, My Paris Kitchen by David Lebovitz; and, a PARISIAN APPLE TARTLET, Baking, From My Home to Yours by Dorie. The tartlets were nabbed off the baking sheet! Watch those fingers, the sugar is hot. I’m thinking you already have most of these necessary ingredients on hand. Why not pull up next week’s menu plan and make it better.

PRESERVED LEMON-PISTACHIO ISRAELI COUSCOUS from David Lebovitz’s My Paris Kitchen

Here are the recipes and tips (don’t miss them).

 Serving Size: 4 – 6, makes about 5 cups

INGREDIENTS

1-2 preserved lemons (depending on size) or Juice from 1/2 fresh lemon
1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley and chopped mint (more to sprinkle on top)
2 tablespoons salted or unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup dried fruit, diced, (your choice-cherries & apricots or mangoes & figs, both combos which I used, or cranberries, prunes, raisins or dates
1/2 cup shelled, unsalted pistachios, very coarsely chopped, almost whole (you can easily substitute toasted hazelnuts or almonds or even pine nuts.)
3/4 teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 cups Israeli couscous or another small round pasta like Orzo
freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Trim the stem end from the preserved lemon and cut it into quarters.
   Scoop out the pulp. If there is excess juice, press it through a strainer into a medium-sized bowl to extract the juices. Discard the pulp. Save the juice for other use.
2. Finely dice the preserved lemon rind and add it to a medium-sized bowl along with the chopped parsley/mint, dried fruit and pistachios along with butter, salt and cinnamon.
3. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.
   Add the couscous and cook according to the package instructions and until moisture is absorbed.
4. Drain off any water left. Add it to the bowl of fruits, nuts, parsley and spices, mixing until the butter is melted and ingredients are blended.
5. Season with black pepper, salt, if necessary and serve warm, room temperature or cold.

TIPS:
1. The couscous can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

2. Preserved lemons stored in salt and their own lemon juice are a staple in Indian, North African, and Moroccan cuisine. They’re used in everything from stews to salads to rice and much more. They are easily stored, maintaining their flavor, in the refrigerator. You can buy a jar in speciality stores or easily make your own: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/preserved-lemons-recipe-2012376

Mark Bittman’s “Quick” Preserved Lemons

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon kosher salt
4 lemons, unwaxed (or scrubbed of wax)
2 tablespoons sugar

DIRECTIONS:

1. Dice lemons, including peel, removing as many seeds as possible.
2. Put the lemons and their juice in a bowl and sprinkle with the salt and sugar. Toss well and transfer to a jar.
3. Let the mixture sit for at least 3 hours at room temperature, shaking the jar periodically. This can be served at that point or refrigerated for up to a week.

PARISIAN APPLE TARTLET from Baking, from My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan

Single Serving Recipe for One

INGREDIENTS

1 1/8″ thick, 4″- 5” circle using cold Puff Pastry*
1/2 firm, sweet apple, such as Golden Delicious or Fuji, peeled and cored

Light brown sugar1 tsp cold (preferably unsalted) butter, cut into 3 pieces

1 tsp cinnamon 

DIRECTIONS:

1. Center a rack in the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat and put the pastry circle on the sheet.Cut the apple half into 4 chunks and center the chunks on the pastry circle.
3. Sprinkle the apple with 1- 2 teaspoons light brown sugar and the teaspoon of cinnamon. Dot with the bits of butter.
4. Bake the tartlet for about 25 minutes (the time will vary depending on how your apple bakes) until the pastry is deeply browned and puffed up around the apple and the apple can be easily pierced with the tip of a knife but still firm in appearance.
5. Transfer the baking sheet to a rack and let the tartlet cool – it’s great just a little warm and equally good at room temperature.
6. The tartlet should be served soon after it is baked and is best on the day it is made. If you have leftovers, cover tightly and stick in the fridge. To warm, use the oven or microwave

TIPS:

1. To serve, wrap the tartlet in a piece of waxy paper and eat it in a casual fashion as a breakfast pastry or snack. Or, you can put it on a plate with proper cutlery and serve it as an elegant finish to a meal.
2. For variety or a flavor change, use a pear, plum, apricot, peach or even a mango for this tart.
3. There are two brands of puff pastry in the USA, Pepperidge Farm, available in most supermarkets, and harder-to-find Dufour. Although Dufour is pricier, it’s well worth the search. Dufour makes an all-butter puff pastry, while PF (and Trader Joe’s during the holidays) uses shortening. Unfortunately I had to use Pepperidge Farm for this tart.

GREEN-as-SPRING-SOUP from Everyday Dorie, The Way I Cook,” by Dorie Greenspan

Since the publisher has asked us not to print recipes from Everyday Dorie, The Way I Cook, if you want more information about this recipe, e-mail me.

COOKtheBOOKFRIDAYS is an international group of food bloggers cooking virtually through Everyday Dorie, The Way I Cook. If you’re interested in knowing more about this group, go here.

NOODLING AROUND with THROWBACK RECIPES

Mary+ by | Apr 26, 2019 | Uncategorized

Since my last post, I’ve moved 2/3 of my belongings back into my condo while discarding/recycling 1/3. If I can do 8 weeks in Europe with 2 pairs of jeans and 3 pairs of black slacks, I can do 6 months in Aspen without 10 spatulas, 42 Bic pens and 7 pairs of scissors.

In my toss-with-abandon enthusiasm I now own no measuring spoons (I had 5 sets) or bedroom slippers (two pair.) My bad. However I did pull together a great throwback recipe from the now-defunct Gourmet Magazine, 1941-2009.

The problem with this recipe, Liu Shaokun’s Spicy Buckwheat Noodles with Chicken, is that Soba noodles are brown. While they are tasty, they photograph very badly. That’s why, thankfully, I could share instead my opening photo, compliments of my talented friend.

My friend, Karen, asked me to supper, sorta last minute. Nothing fancy schmancy, she said. Last night I showed up in my too-casual yoga gear glory for her lovely meal which definitely merited a prime location in my blog.

SOBA is JAPANESE for BUCKWHEAT which is NOT WHEAT

Ruth Reichl, remember her? Food editor of The Los Angeles Times. Restaurant critic-in-disguise at The New York Times. Best-selling author. Editor-in-Chief of Gourmet magazine from 1999 to its last gasp in 2009.

Until forced by space limitations to abandon my collection, I had several years of those magazines carefully organized by month, bookmarked and sitting on my basement shelves. Do those of you with stacks of mildewed National Geographic’s or dusty New Yorker’s understand the malady?

Now, a decade later, Reichl has written Save Me the Plums: My Gourmet Memoir about her editorial reign. While I’ve yet to read it, I did spot an Epicurious blog article in which Reichl dishes on her favorite ten Gourmet back-pocket recipes she still pulls out often.

As for me, I still bake a classic Sour Cream Coffee Cake with Cinnamon-Walnut Swirl from a 37-year old Gourmet. My catering friend, Judy, asked for my meatloaf recipe from a 90’s Gourmet issue. She updated it. It’s still in her repertoire. I wondered how Reichl’s favorites, spanning years 2000-2009 would stand up to the test of time.

Reichl chose 4 pasta recipes.The Spaghetti with Ramps (2000) most intrigued me. For sweets lovers, there is Raspberry Crumble Tart (2006) and Apple and Calvados Galette (2003.) Yes, please! Although Ian’s Meatloaf recipe (2008) was reminiscent of mine, please hold the 1/2 cup of pitted and chopped prunes. (Link to article and recipes above.)

Next month, I intend to try her Bacon and Cheddar Toasts (2004) which according to Reichl are killer and also Roasted Japanese Sweet Potatoes with Scallion/Miso Butter (2007) . Thanks to cookbook author Dorie Greenspan, I’ll be incorporating miso, a salty/savory fermented soybean paste, into several recipes from her new cookbook this summer.

What I made this week is Liu Shaokun’s Spicy Buckwheat Noodles with Chicken (2003). This is a simple, authentic Sichuan dish which Reichl claims is her favorite lunchtime treat.

I found it not only delicious in its simplicity, it also begs to be dressed up and shown off. Build color by adding vegetables, steamed, blanched or stir-fried. Try other spices (ginger), condiments (sambal oelek, for example) or ingredients (Asian greens, Smoked Tofu, red or orange bell peppers.) Do ahead. Poach the chicken. Blend together the mixture. Set aside. When ready to eat, cook the noodles.

Liu Shaokun’s SPICY BUCKWHEAT NOODLES with CHICKEN

GOURMET April 2003

YIELD 4 ample lunch main courses or 8-10 side-dish servings

INGREDIENTS

3 cups chicken broth or water
2 lbs skinless boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 lb dried buckwheat noodles such as soba noodles
1 tablespoon peanut oil
3 tablespoons Chinese black vinegar or Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon chile oil containing sesame oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 scallions (green parts only), thinly sliced
2 tablespoons roasted soy nuts or peanuts

DIRECTIONS

1. Bring broth to a simmer in a 3-quart saucepan, then add chicken and simmer, uncovered, 6 minutes.
2. Remove pan from heat and cover. Let stand until chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes.
3. Transfer chicken to a plate and cool at least 10 minutes, reserving broth for another use.
4. While chicken is poaching, bring 4 quarts salted cold water to a boil in a 5- to 6-quart saucepan over moderately high heat. Stir in noodles and cook according to package directions until noodles are just tender but still firm and chewy throughout.
5. Drain noodles in a colander and rinse well under cold water to cool, then drain well. Toss noodles with peanut oil in a large bowl.
6. Stir together vinegar, soy sauce, chile oil, garlic, sugar, and salt in another bowl until sugar is dissolved. Then add to noodles and toss until coated.
7. Shred chicken with your fingers into 1/4-inch-wide strips and add to noodles, tossing to combine.
8. Sprinkle with sliced scallions and nuts. Serve warm, cold or at room temperature. Sorry to note that it will not be as tasty the next day.

IN the KITCHEN with MARY

Mary+ by | Apr 12, 2019 | Uncategorized

“Good news is rare these days, and every glittering ounce of it should be cherished and hoarded and worshipped and fondled like a priceless diamond.” RIP Dr. Gonzo

Counterculture icon Hunter S. Thompson, until his death in 2005, lived in nearby Woody Creek. I occasionally saw him hanging out at WC Tavern. He was prickly, eccentric and having given birth to Gonzo Journalism, wildly creative. This quote is spot on any and every day.

COOKtheBOOKFRIDAYS

While Good News is okay, I have Great News. Those of us cooking virtually with Dorie Greenspan the past nine years through Around my French Table and now her new Everyday Dorie, The Way I Cook, are doing the happy dance. This cookbook was just nominated in the General Cookbook division for a prestigious James Beard award.

Although Dorie has already won five Beards for her cooking and writing skills, she seems particularly pleased by this nomination. Perhaps this has something to do with the company she’s keeping. Also nominated are her friends, the legendary Christopher Kimball,  Milk Street: The New Home Cooking and well-regarded Israeli-English chef, Yotam Ottolenghi for Simple.

EVERYDAY DORIE, THE WAY I COOK

Due to copyright constraints we often can’t post recipes. However, this week’s 3 recipes were shared to promote the cookbook so it’s possible to do.

Besides this week’s CooktheBookFridays’ recipe choice of juicy Salmon Burgers and pickled red onions, the Food52 Cookbook Club on Facebook has chosen Everyday Dorie for its April book. If you’re interested in just hopping on and off the virtual food blogging train, check out this site. Every month Food52 chooses a cookbook and its club members (There are 1,112, 356 members!) cook from it and post when they wish. No pressure.

JUICY SALMON BURGER, p. 174.

This week’s CtBF’s recipe choice is a flavor-packed Salmon Burger. Think lemons, capers, mustard (2 kinds), scallions, dill and Greek yogurt topped off with my homemade pickled red onions and sliced avocados. We had quite the snowstorm Wednesday so after getting more wintery exercise than intended and wanting to create a moment, I built a fire, sat on the hearth and had my salmon burger with chips and a pale ale for supper. (See recipe/tips below.)

HONEY-GLAZED,TANGERINE CHEESECAKE, p. 270 ( for FOOD52 CC)

“You hit a real home run with the honeyed cheese cake last night, Mary. The best I’ve ever eaten!” Bernie Grauer, dinner party host

When I landed in Aspen ten days ago my friend, Donna Grauer, was the first caller. “I think we should have a party to welcome you home,” she said.

Now what you must know about Donna is that if she sees you can pat the top of your head while rubbing your belly, she’ll determine it’s party time. Anxious to see good friends, I agreed and offered to bring dessert.

After finishing Donna’s fabulous dinner, this cheesecake was dessert bliss, definitely on Bernie’s desert island list. Another guest, Charlotte McLain called it a killer cheese cake. “What a treat!! I loved the delicate citrus flavor and the light texture.” (See recipe and tips below.)

So happy to be back in the mountains, Readers. Can you tell?

RECIPES

Salmon Burgers:

https://www.splendidtable.org/recipes/salmon-burgers

This recipe Link goes to one of my favorite radio programs, The Splendid Table which was first moderated by Lynn Rossetto Kasper and now Francis Lam.

TIP: I cooked my patties in three batches, two in the pan at a time. By cooking them 3 minutes on each side, they stay together fine without any binder but be gentle.

Honey-glazed Tangerine Cheesecake:

Makes: 16 servings

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar
2 to 3 tangerines (or 2 or 3 lemons or 2 oranges)
1 1/2 lbs cream cheese, cut into chunks
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
2 lbs whole-milk ricotta (see note)
1/4 cup cornstarch
3 large eggs, room temperature
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 to 1 tsp pure orange extract or oil

3 tbsp cookie or graham cracker crumbs or dried bread crumbs

Honey, for glaze and serving

NOTE: Working Ahead: The cake must be refrigerated for at least 8 hours, or overnight.

Directions:

• Center a rack in the oven and preheat it to 325°F. Butter a 10-inch springform pan, dust it with the cookie or bread crumbs and knock out the excess. Set the pan on a baking sheet. (Caterer Judy Boyd suggested to me that Keebler’s Pecan Sandies cookie crumbles would make a nice crust also.)
• Put the sugar in the bowl or in a very large bowl if you’re using a hand mixer. Grate the tangerine zest (to taste) over the sugar and, using your fingers, rub the two together until the sugar is moist and very fragrant — it might even turn orange. If you are going to serve the tangerines or oranges with the cake, wrap them in plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed. If you’re using a stand mixer, attach the bowl and fit it with the paddle attachment.

• Add the cream cheese and salt to the bowl and beat on medium speed, scraping the bowl often, for 4 minutes. Spoon in the ricotta and beat and scrape for another 4 minutes — all this beating is what will give you the creamy texture you’ll love. Turn off the mixer, add the cornstarch and then mix on low speed to incorporate it. One by one, add the eggs, mixing on medium speed for 1 minute after each egg goes in. Beat in the vanilla extract and orange extract, if you’re using it. Scrape the batter into the pan and swivel the pan to level it.
• Bake the cake for 90 minutes without opening the oven door. The cake may crack, but that’s normal. The top may have risen above the rim of the pan and it will have browned. Turn the oven off and open the door a little — prop it open with a wooden spoon, if necessary — and let the cake rest in the oven for 1 hour.
• Transfer the cake to a rack and let it cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 8 hours, or, better, overnight.
• When you’re ready to serve the cake, run a table knife between the cake and the sides of the pan and remove the springform ring.
• To glaze the cake warm about 3 tablespoons honey in a saucepan or microwave just until it’s liquid. With a light touch, brush it over the top of the cake. Pass more honey at the table, if you’d like.
• If you are serving with tangerines or oranges, working with one at a time, stand the fruit up on a cutting board and, using a sharp knife, slice away the rind and white pith, cutting so that you remove a thin layer of the fruit as well; it’s important to expose the fruit. Now, working over a bowl, cut between the fruit and the membranes to release the segments; remove any seeds. Squeeze the membranes to release whatever juice remains and stir it into the fruit. If not using immediately, cover and refrigerate until needed (they’ll be fine for up to 6 hours.)
• Use a long knife to cut the cake, running the blade under (or dipping it into) hot water and wiping it dry between cuts. If you’re using the tangerines, either spoon some fruit and juice over each slice or pass the fruit at the table.

Storing:  Wrapped well, the cake will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, although the glaze might not fare as well as the cake. Unglazed, the cake can be wrapped airtight and frozen for up to 2 months; defrost overnight in the refrigerator.

NOTE: If your ricotta has liquid around it or if it seems loose in any way, it’s best to spoon it into a cheesecloth-lined strainer set over a bowl, fold the cloth over the cheese, place a weight, like a can of beans, on top and put the setup in the fridge to drain for about 3 hours.

LIGHTS STILL BRIGHT in PARIS

Mary+ by | Mar 24, 2019 | Uncategorized

Wednesday was the UN’s International Day of Happiness and France’s National Macaron Day. I defy anyone to nosh on macarons, pull up Pharrell William’s Happy on their iPod and not bust a sugar-high move or two. Joy always transcends embarrassing one’s self.

I’m an Iowa girl. Seeing the Midwest under water is heart-breaking. Colorado has experienced over 3,000 avalanches this winter. Uncertainty reigns everywhere. So where’s the happy dance in all that?

Here’s my answer. While it’s essential to be Present, caring for what you can control, let’s agree to all needing a daily dose of Joy Juice. To laugh. To smile. “The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate.”

Celebrating. That’s Oprah. She also suggests moving out of your comfort zone. Well, Ms. O., D-O-N-E. At times this winter, I’ve been wobbly, feeling a bubble off, maybe. But here’s what I tell myself. Feeling awkward or uncomfortable? Get over it. No one else is paying attention to that. If my self esteem takes a hit, shake it off. Recently I received an e-mail from Emma, my 16-year old granddaughter, that began, “OMG, Grandma, you’re such a Rebel.” I don’t need Joy Juice or Oprah, I have Emma!

If you’re interested in learning about this Rebel’s stellar Paris itinerary the past two weeks…..

HERE’S THE SCOOP

Last winter I scheduled guided Paris Walks. This year I walked Paris. I’ve tasted and rubbernecked my way through this vibrant city. Hopefully the walking will lessen the consequences of my don’t-hold-back eating.

If there’s a crowded street food line, I’ve joined it. Today it was Lebanese. Being clueless, I muttered “Je ne sais rien,”

“Knowing nothing” earned me a comrade-in-line who planned my order. When I stepped up to the counter, the owner smiled, saying in perfect English, “We will get you all fixed up.” (And he did, with Shawarma au bœuf libanais.)

Without today’s technology my trip couldn’t happen. I use my iPhone for travel itineraries and check-ins, museum tickets, walking maps and photographs. It’s my security blanket. It’s also a link to the life I live. I’m never lonely because I’m not alone. There’s a steady flow of texts and e-mails from friends and my Gant and Cali families.

The best tech magic, however, was last week when Clara, a sophomore, competed in a southern Cali track invitational 200 miles from Bishop. Her sister Emma texted this picture to Melissa. Within the hour, that text landed in Paris followed shortly by Clara’s text saying she’d jumped her personal best, winning second place. That was the same day I saw Van Gogh’s “Self Portrait with a Bandaged Ear” (which came in second place to Clara’s second place). Life does not get better.

I’ve settled into a comfortable rhythm visiting museums, churches and sites. At Fondation Louis Vuitton, I wandered through English industrialist Samuel Courtauld’s collection of impressionist painters…twice. I watched an amazing 30-minute light/musical immersion of Van Gogh’s paintings at the Atelier des Lumières. The Petit Palais didn’t disappoint nor did Musée Cernuschi which has a remarkable Asian art collection.

One afternoon I stopped by the Panthéon to honor the greats buried in its necropolis. I had a list and found them all – Jean Moulin, the Curie’s, Louis Braille and also Voltaire, Rousseau, Hugo, Zola, Descartes and Dumas. It felt good to do that.

Although there’s still much to do this week, I’ll soon fly home and will be very happy to be in Aspen.

MORE, from PARIS

Mary+ by | Mar 8, 2019 | Uncategorized

Many of you know during Aspen’s summer season I’m a volunteer USFS Ranger decked out in the required uniform and official paraphernalia. When on a mountain trail patrol, if I see a tourist who is lost, separated from their hiking group or panicky, I know what to do.

Currently I am an American in Paris, a visitor, a guest. The best word to describe me is “careful.” That’s why when I spotted a little guy, about four-years-old, opening the gate at Square Jean XXIII park near Notre Dame Cathédrale last Sunday, it gave me pause. I looked around, saw no parents but did see a busy crowded boulevard, cars, and the Seine.

I slowly approached him, remembering the verb for “lost” and asked if he was. He didn’t respond but ‘about to cry’ means, “Yes.” As he wandered around the park, a young woman asked me if he was lost. Realizing he was, she said, “I’ll stay with you until he finds his parents.”

We didn’t touch him nor hold his hand nor say a word to him. We just kept him safe until we heard an obviously embarrassed Dad and worried Grandpa waving, hollering and thanking us. The entire incident took only ten to fifteen minutes but in that time the little tyke could have walked out the gate.

When I leave Paris, will that be the incident I remember most? Not likely. What I will remember is that I am one of at least 23 million tourists who visit a city that 2.2 million Parisians call home. It’s their turf and I’m cautious.

That being said, every day in Paris is like starting over ….. and, that’s a beautiful thing.* Here’s what my second week here looked like.

MACRON, MACARON, MACAROON, MACARONI

Oui, it’s confusing! Today we’re only dealing with macarons, that small, round almond cake/cookie with a meringue-like consistency made from almond flour, powdered sugar and egg whites. Two of those little darlings are “glued” together with a delicious, creamy filling. They can be made in a rainbow of colors with plain to exotic fillings.

I signed up for what was a fabulous three-hour macaron class at LaCuisine Paris, a well-regarded cooking school. Under the watchful eye of our talented chef, Ségolène, eight of us learned two different meringue methods, four classic fillings and many macaron baking tips. We made 20 dozen cookies (10 dozen macarons)!

PARIS HAS, COUNT ‘EM, 130 MUSEUMS

This week I visited two new-to-me museums, Le Musée de la Chasse de la Nature (The Museum of Hunting and Nature), housed in the grand Hôtel de Guénégaud, circa 1651, and The Musée du Quai Branly – Jacques Chirac, a Museum of Arts and Civilizations of Africa, Asia, Oceania and the Americas.

Both museums were quite dazzling, with their own personalities and well worth my time. See their websites listed below.

COOKTHEBOOKFRIDAYS – EVERYDAY DORIE, THE WAY I COOK

Our recipe choice this week is Dorie Greenspan’s POTATO TOURTE. Using the same method as pie-baking but by exchanging store-bought puff pastry for pie crust, you’ll understand what this is about. Another French twist are the ingredients, potatoes, onions, garlic, herbs, butter and heavy cream. Those last two are shockers, right?

After slicing and dicing, layer everything except the cream into your pie or tart container like a composed salad. Save the butter for the top. Salt, pepper. Bake at 400 degrees and, mid-baking, slowly pour the cream through the X vent of your top crust.

This tourte is as tasty as it is eye-appealing. The genius of Dorie is her skillfulness in walking you through her recipes. For those of you, like me, who aren’t pro’s, she tends to answer a question just as you’re wanting to ask it. This dish works for lunch with a salad, for dinner as a side or as a snack, note the crème fraîche.

As I said, I made today’s recipe in my tiny one-counter kitchen. Although I love, love, love my flat here in Paris, when I return to Aspen and my 940 sq. foot condo, it will seem like a mansion. (More photos of it in next week’s blog.)

Bonsoir from Paris.

*Brian Fallon

La Cuisine Paris https://lacuisineparis.com/

Museum of Hunting & Nature, https://www.chassenature.org/

Museum de Quai Branly – Jacques Chirac, http://www.quaibranly.fr/fr/expositions-evenements/au-musee/expositions/

CooktheBookFridays, https://cookthebookfridays.wordpress.com/