DELIGHTFUL. DELECTABLE. DUMP CAKE.

Mary+ by | Dec 19, 2023 | Uncategorized

A SIMPLE DESSERT

Recently I was invited to a dinner party. There would be eight. I asked the hostess what I could bring. “Oh,” she said casually, “just bring a simple dessert.”

With the holiday season in high octane I decided my s-i-m-p-l-e indulgent contribution would be a CHERRY DUMP CAKE. What can be easier than dumping three to five ingredients in a 9×13” cake dish, baking it for 50-60 minutes and topping it with a slab of ice cream before serving. Apparently this recipe was in community and church cookbooks beginning in the 1960s. The official name came from a Duncan Hines recipe published in 1980 but I remember making this in the late Sixties, probably picked up from a dessert my Mom made for bridge club..

During this sugary and candy-coated season if you hit the holiday wall or want to detour from traditional seasonal treats, surprise your guests or family with a Dump Cake. Need to entertain kids or grandchildren? What sounds more fun than baking a Dump Cake. Or, during the cocktail hour at an adult party, put the non-cooking guests in charge. If they can dump, they can pull this dessert together, bake it during dinner and add a slab of ice cream before serving. Voilà. That is kinda joy-to-the-world merrymaking.

As I write this, another “modest” Dump of the white variety is forecast in the mountains on Christmas Eve. It’s been a beautiful fall season followed by some glorious snowfalls to kick off the skiing season. I’ll be spending the winter living in Bethesda and exploring/working in DC. My bags are packed, my condo emptied and ‘free of me’ for the next four months. There is nothing simple about doing that and every year I vow it’s my last! In the past ten years I’ve wintered in Paris, London, Maui, San Diego, Cambria and Las Vegas and loved each destination and experience. I am admittedly apprehensive about this year’s choice, a ‘we’ll see’ four months I’ll share with all of you.

CHERRY DUMP CAKE

With just 5 ingredients and 5 minutes of prep, dessert doesn’t get easier than this Cherry Dump Cake. Serve with some vanilla ice cream for a quick but crazy-delicious treat. Need variety? The Internet is overwhelmed with variations to the basic recipe. Fun Fact: Both Comstock (available in the South and East Coast) and Wilderness (available in the Midwest and Pacific Coast) pie-filling products are owned by Duncan Hines.

Serves 12

INGREDIENTS

2 cans cherry pie filling or any filling of your choice (21 ounces each)

1/3 cup maraschino cherry juice, the juice amount in a 6oz jar of cherries (optional)

1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract (optional)

1 box yellow cake mix (I used Duncan Hines but any yellow or white mix will work.)

3/4 to 1 cup butter, melted and cooled

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

1. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick spray.
2. Pour the cherry pie filling into the baking dish.

3. Add the maraschino cherry juice and vanilla or almond extract. Stir to combine and smooth out the filling into an even layer. DO NOT STIR THE INGREDIENTS AGAIN.

4. Sprinkle the cake mix evenly over the filling.
5. Pour the melted butter over the top. Try to saturate as much of the cake mix as possible. DO NOT STIR.
6. Bake for 50-60 minutes until golden brown on top and bubbly.
7. Let sit for 15 minutes. Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

HAPPY, HEALTHY HOLIDAYS, DEAR READERS. STAY SAFE.

THE POST’S TASTY TOP THIRTY

Mary+ by | Nov 5, 2023 | Uncategorized

During the past many decades, The Washington Post has published more than 10,000 online recipes.  This year they asked readers to pick their all-time favorites. On October 26th they published the winning 30 of those recipes. I chose three of them to make for a mid-week dinner, PORK CHOPS & MINI-GNOCCHI with MUSTARD CREAM SAUCE (2020), FAST FOCACCIA (2019) and Dorie Greenspan’s CUSTARDY APPLE SQUARES (2015). But first…

BIRTHDAYS, BOOKS AND WINTER PLANS, 2023-4

Last week we celebrated our first major snowstorm in the High Country. Even those of us who don’t love snow, icy roads and anything below zero are relieved to watch those serious flakes cover our peaks. For the past ten years this is when I forsake my condo in search of temps that don’t include wind chill advisories and blizzard warnings. Although packing up my digs is not a choice but a necessity, it’s become easier. Less is more.

For me it’s mostly been an adventure. I’ve spent the early winter months in  California, Las Vegas or Maui. Later, in February, I’d fly to Paris or London. During Covid I was relieved to hunker down in Boulder near good friends. Over a lifetime I’ve learned to bloom where I’m planted but during my travels there always are some “What was I thinking moments.” That’s when I remind myself this was always and only MY idea.

This year I’m spending winter in the tropical paradise of Washington D.C. (Honestly, dear Readers, six months ago this seemed like a brilliant idea!) Summer in Aspen does not play nicely in the sandbox with completing my writing project. I’m hoping the upcoming winter in Washington will. Although the deadline is self-imposed, it’s still a deadline. 

Balancing work and play, the many to see-and-do’s, will not be a chore. D.C. is an embarrassment of riches and sometimes, yes, an embarrassment. Wanting to sometimes leave logistics to others, I’ve enrolled in a week-long foreign-service/American diplomacy program and another about the capitol city itself. I will admit to being apprehensive. 

I want to re-recommend Beaverland by Leila Philip. Our entire book club was unanimously and enthusiastically all in. Author Walter Isaacson’s Elon Musk, a New York Times best-seller for the past seven weeks, is a must-read. Really, you must. Called ‘a fascinating and controversial innovator’ and ‘rule-breaking visionary,’ by the author, this is brilliantly researched and Isaacson-readable.

I just picked up Jamie Beck’s gorgeous An American in Provence,  Art, Life and Photography.  She was an unknown to me. Not anymore.   

PORK CHOPS & MINI-GNOCCHI with MUSTARD CREAM SAUCE (2020) and FAST FOCACCIA (2019)

In the Top 30, The Post also featured Dorie Greenspan’s Custardy Apple Squares (2015) from Baking Chez Moi which I baked for my blog. Here’s a Link to that recipe: https://www.washingtonpost.com/recipes/dorie-greenspans-custardy-apple-squares/

The pork chops and fast focaccia recipes are below in the Link of reader favorites.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/food/2023/10/26/reader-favorite-recipes-washington-post/?_pml=1

Is it Bison or Buffalo? Ask Ken Burns.

Mary+ by | Oct 18, 2023 | Uncategorized

I don’t often do whims. Scheduled and organized fit me best. I’m not suggesting that’s the way to roll but it’s my way. That’s why paying $13.13 (senior rate) for a 7pm ticket to Aspen’s premiere showing of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour film turned into a last-minute whim moment. I did later discover that the $13.13 price was because 13 is Taylor’s favorite number. 

Although I knew nothing about the tour, I did understand she’d just wrapped up the U.S. leg of 52 concerts in 19 states. Her upcoming international dates will close in November, 2024.

My friend, Sharon, decided to see Taylor also. Since 7p.m. was sold out, she grabbed an 8p.m. ticket and received some advice from the ticket seller. “What’s a friendship bracelet?” she called to ask, “I’m supposed to wear one.” (I had no idea.) 

“What are you wearing?” she wondered. “They suggested I wear sequins.”

And then the kicker, “Do you know it’s three-hours long?”

Not believing it was 3-hours long, I took my sequin-less self to the Isis Theatre. Everyone else, primarily girls with moms, teenage girl gangs and some couples, were dressed to the nines. I quickly discovered if you want to dress the era, go online and find outfits to fit every genre!  American capitalism at its best!

I was lucky with my seat partners though. On my left was a nice guy and his very quiet girlfriend. He was a tall drink of water, stood and swayed throughout the concert and was in and out of his seat all evening. Where did he go? I never asked. On my right were a young woman, mid-20s and her boyfriend. 

This young lady had an impressive set of pipes. When Taylor began to sing each of her 40 songs, she did also. The majority of the audience was encouraged to participate but she was, hands down, the blue-ribbon loudest. It wasn’t annoying. It was amazing. Throughout the evening she would hear the first few chords and was on it, never missing a beat or conjunction or preposition!  

About this production. Taylor Swift is exquisite as is her writing, singing, energy and joy. The fact she’s a savvy business women, at 33, who manages herself and her responsibilities well is most impressive. She seems to understand and realize she’s a role model for hundred of millions of young women of all ages. She carries that mantle well albeit with glamour and flair. A phenom.

Nice to know you better, Taylor.

Ken Burns

Today’s menu choice is to honor “The American Buffalo,” Ken Burns newest PBS documentary. Burns calls it ’the continent’s most magnificent species, an improbable, shaggy beast that nonetheless has found itself at the center of many of our nation’s most thrilling, mythic, and sometimes heartbreaking tales.’  

While Burns uses the words “buffalo” and  “bison” interchangeably, I would respectfully suggest to him they are not. They are two different animals. He knows that but most Americans do not. I am guessing he made that choice based on clarity. Nevertheless, like all Burns’ documentaries, this is well-worth four hours of your time.

This hearty Bison Chili with Avocado Toast topped off by a slab of Apple Cider Spice Bundt Cake makes for a substantial lunch or soul satisfying dinner. Making this bowl of delicious is as easy as 1,2,3, Sauté, Simmer and Serve. 

Bison is leaner than beef. If you’re looking to reduce your calorie or fat intake it’s a healthier choice. Most grocery store chains carry grass-fed lean bison. If available, and it usually is, I always buy it instead of ground beef or ground chuck.

BISON CHILI RECIPE

Servings: 8-10

Adapted from Kim & Kim’s Cravings

Ingredients

¼ cup olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 green pepper, minced
1 pound ground bison
1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, do not rinse
1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, do not rise,
1 (15-ounce) can black beans do not rinse
1 (28-ounce) can tomato purée
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 cups beef broth
1 tablespoon thyme
1 tablespoon rosemary
4 to 6 tablespoons Hatch Diced Green Chiles, Mild
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon salt, plus more to taste
1 tablespoon pepper, plus more to taste

Cilantro, for topping (optional)

Directions

1. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Sauté the onion and green pepper until softened, about 3-5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about a minute longer.
2. Add the bison meat and crumble into very small pieces while it browns. Cook until no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the pinto, kidney, and black beans to the mixture, undrained, then add the tomato purée and crushed tomatoes and stir to combine. Add the beef broth, thyme, rosemary, and chiles, and stir well.
4. Bring to a simmer, then turn the heat to low and cover. Cook for at least 20 minutes, but ideally cook for up to 2 hours to allow the flavors to meld.
   If the chili gets too thick (it tends to do that the next day), add beef broth.
5. When ready to serve, remove from the heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Sprinkle cilantro on top of each serving if desired.

APPLE CIDER SPICE BUNDT CAKE

Adapted from Jennifer Fishkind
Serves 12 (10-inch-12-inch bundt pan)
INGREDIENTS

CAKE

 1 box of Duncan Hines Perfectly Moist Spice Cake mix OR 1 box of Betty Crocker Super Moist Spice Cake mix

1 cup apple cider  (NOT apple juice)

½ cup apple sauce or cinnamon apple sauce (NOT chunky)

3 large eggs, room temperature

¼-tsp cinnamon

 1 tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Cinnamon Sugar Topping

2 tablespoons cinnamon depending on how much cinnamon you prefer
¼ cup sugar
1/4 cup melted butter (to be brushed on cake before sprinkling cinnamon sugar)

Glaze for Ice Cream (OPTIONAL)

1 cup powdered sugar

¼ cup apple cider

INSTRUCTIONS

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2.In a large mixing bowl, beat the dry cake mix, apple cider, apple sauce, and eggs. Add in the cinnamon (¼ tsp,) brown sugar and vanilla to the cake mix batter.
3. Pour mix into a well greased & floured bundt pan (I spread on soft butter and then lightly use spray Baker’s Joy for the addition of flour.
4. Place bundt pan on center rack and bake for 40-45 minutes. Test with a toothpick by sticking into the middle of the cake, if it comes out clean it is ready. Remove from heat and allow to cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes.
5. In a separate bowl, mix cinnamon with sugar.
6. Once the cake has cooled, brush the entire surface with melted butter. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar mixture over the cake until evenly coated.
7.Prepare apple cider glaze if using.. Add powdered sugar and 1/4 cup apple cider to a small bowl and whisk to desired consistency. Drizzle glaze on ice cream.

How do you like them apples?

Mary+ by | Sep 27, 2023 | Uncategorized

CONNIE & JANE

A decade ago I was inspired by a do-better nudge from a woman I met only once. The memory of that has served me well. I hope my story will inspire you to come up with your own. We all have stories to tell. In this week’s blog there are some summer pictures tossed into the mix and after a three-month absence, a recipe. I’ve been writing this food blog for eleven years, Marie-Hélène’s Apple Cake, a Dorie Greenspan-Genius Recipe is the only one I repeat every fall. It’s that delicious.

It was in late October 2014 when I first met Connie Harvey. We were in the midst of a group gathered at Aspen’s Hotel Jerome to toss a Hail Mary into Colorado Senator Mark Udall’s re-election campaign. The numbers weren’t good and, as expected, Cory Gardner won easily, upsetting Udall. But that sad morning turned into a North Star moment for me which has pestered and prodded me ever since.

Since the late 1990’s when I first became a volunteer wilderness ranger, I’ve realized it’s thanks to three gritty, irritatingly persistent women, Dottie Fox, Joy Caudill and Connie, known as the “Maroon Belles,” that this gorgeous place I call my “office” can exist. When I was in college and with the passage in 1964 of the Wilderness Act, these ladies became fierce wilderness advocates and are credited with “doubling the size of the Maroon Bells Wilderness Area and securing protection for the Hunter-Fryingpan, Collegiate Peaks, Raggeds and West Elk wilderness areas.”*

Although I never met Dottie or Joy, I did take the opportunity that chilly, blustery October day to thank Connie. As our morning get-together was breaking up, our host started putting together groups of 2 or 3 to go out and canvas Aspen neighborhoods. Whoaaa. Didn’t know that was on the agenda. I don’t like to canvas at all but especially on cold, windy Aspen mornings. Just as I had 3 legitimate NO reasons ready to roll off my tongue, Connie walked over to a Udall staffer and asked, “Who do you want me to go with?” Keeping in mind that this woman was 83 years old and I was not. I joined a group. That dratted Shame on Me lesson is still my constant do-better reminder.

When we decided to drive up to Independence Pass last August 13th to see the Perseid meteor shower, it seemed like a good idea. At 3am on that bone-chilling, dark Sunday morning, good idea became a bad choice, But we soldiered on, encountering one porcupine and a deer who knew better, stepping back into the bushes. We reached the Pass just at daybreak. It was a perfect place to be. When it was light and the shower over, we flagged down (meaning standing in the middle of Highway 82 waving our arms) two guys in a pick-up truck to take this photo.. It was a fireball of a good time.

In late September, due to extraordinary support from the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies, renown scientist, conservationist, and humanitarian Goodall, came to our Valley to deliver the ACES Community Youth Lecture and visit local schools. During her Youth Lecture she shared her amazing life story with a quietly attentive young audience. “Every single one of us makes an impact on the planet every single day” she said, “and everybody in this room, we have a choice about what sort of impact we make.” 

At 89 years of age, she travels throughout the world 300 days a year raising money and environmental awareness. (Please re-read that last sentence.) I will never know the impact she made on those kids but, as a long-time Hero of mine, her presence managed to rock my world in a lovely manner.

DORIE’S FRENCH APPLE CAKE, A GENIUS RECIPE

If you have ever dreamed of being called a genius (I’m raising my hand.), this is the recipe for you.

I first baked Marie-Hélène’s Apple Cake on December 8, 2012 when I was a member of French Fridays with Dorie. Every week we would make a group recipe choice, bake it and write up a post about it on our blogs. Every since then I’ve baked at least 10 of these cakes each year. This apple cake was my favorite recipe in the book and the favorite of many “Dorista’s.”
 
Later it was celebrated in the first of the Food52 Genius Cookbooks, Genius Recipes: 100 Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook.  At the time, one of its editors wrote, ‘know that apples cobbled together with gently boozed up, custardy cake are going to be well received.’

MARIE-HELENE’S (Dorie’s good friend) FRENCH APPLE CAKE

SERVES: 8 pieces

INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp. baking powder
Pinch of salt
4 large apples (If you can, choose 4 different kinds)
2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
3 Tbs. dark rum (optional)
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
8 Tbs. (1 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled)

INSTRUCTIONS

1.Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously butter an 8-inch springform pan. If you use a larger pan, it will lose some of its height but it will still be delicious.

2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a small bowl.

3. Peel the apples, cut them in half and remove the cores. Cut the apples into 1- to 2-inch chunks. If possible, use 4 different apples of any kind.

4. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs until foamy. Pour in the sugar and whisk for a minute or so to blend. Whisk in the rum and vanilla. Whisk in half the flour and when it is incorporated, add half the melted butter, followed by the rest of the flour and the remaining butter, mixing gently after each addition so that you have a smooth, rather thick batter. Switch to a rubber spatula and fold in the apples, turning the fruit so that it’s coated with batter. Scrape the mix into the pan and poke it around a little with the spatula so that it’s “evenish.” (Is that a word?) Bang the pan on the counter 2-3 times to remove air bubbles.

5. Slide the pan into the oven and bake for 50 to 60 to 70 minutes, or until the top of the cake is golden brown and a knife inserted deep into the center comes out clean. The cake may pull away from the sides of the pan. Transfer to a cooling rack and let rest for 5 minutes.

6. Carefully run a blunt knife around the edges of the cake and remove the sides of the springform pan. (Open the springform slowly, and before it’s fully opened, make sure there aren’t any apples stuck to it.) Allow the cake to cool until it is just slightly warm or at room temperature. If you want to remove the cake from the bottom of the springform pan, wait until the cake is almost cooled, then run a long spatula between the cake and the pan, cover the top of the cake with a piece of parchment or wax paper, and invert it onto a rack. Carefully remove the bottom of the pan and turn the cake over onto a serving dish.

SERVING: The cake can be served warm or at room temperature, with or without a little softly whipped, barely sweetened heavy cream or a spoonful of ice cream. Marie-Hélène served her cake with cinnamon ice cream. It was a terrific combination.

STORING: The cake will keep for about 2 days at room temperature. (It won’t last that long.) It’s best not to cover it tightly because it’s too moist. Leave the cake on its plate and just press a piece of plastic wrap or wax paper against the cut surfaces.

*Harvey information from Aspen Hall of Fame Organization.

ZITI al FORMO, ASPEN-STYLE

Mary+ by | Jun 8, 2023 | Uncategorized

It may take a village to raise a child but it only takes two professional cooks and an adaptive amateur to pull together a celebratory Baked Ziti (Ziti al Formo). Call it a casserole or pure comfort food but please do not call it lasagna. Like most food I serve, Baked Ziti is neither fussy nor fancy but honestly, neither am I.  “So delicious.” “I LOVE this.” “A great meal.” That’s really what I like to hear.

For the past 3 years the Pandemic followed by some must-do knee surgery has sidelined what I like to do best, invite friends over and feed them. This summer, with the kitchen settled and pantry re-stocked after my 4-month absence, happy days are back at D-203. Welcome, Normal. During the winter I fiddled with new recipes that sounded as good as I hoped they would taste. This Baked Ziti is one of those. 

By mashing together pasta creations from bloggers Jennifer Segal, Once Upon a Chef and Ree Drummond, The Pioneer Woman and adding a few tweaks of my own, make-ahead Baked Ziti is a pasta perfect meal. Disclaimer: Although Italian cooking is not my forté, I’m betting if you mix up a leafy green salad and add a baguette, you’ll agree. Despite the season, we’re dealing with some wacky weather these days, it always works.  Baked Ziti is an all-weather provider.  

I’ve also returned to neglected favorites. If a ‘recipe is a story that ends with a good meal,’* those neglected, greasy-smudged recipes are a precious stroll down memory lane. Here’s hoping these examples will encourage you to come up with your own.

Here’s what I still make often and when I first started: Sour Cream Coffee Cake (Ramada Inn, Scottsburg, Indiana, Bon Appetite 1978);  Traditional French Garbure (Cuisine Cooking School, Marysue Salmon, late ’70’s);  Old-Fashioned Meat Loaf (Gourmet Magazine, April 1994);  Marie-Hélène’s Apple Cake and Gougeres, Dorie Greenspan, “Around My French Table” 2010).  

French Braised Lentils with Herbs de Provence & Pork Tenderloin (The Cafe Sucre Farine, Chris&Scott  2014);  Mrs. Bing’s Irish Soda Bread (Sweet Paul Vitale, 2013);  Easy Kahlua Bundt Cake ( Liz Berg, That Skinny Chick Can Bake 2014);  Guacamole  (Josefina Howard, Rose Mexicana, NYC, 2015); Cauliflower Parmesan, Melissa Clark  (NYT Cooking, 2015).

BAKED ZITI, adapted from Jennifer Segal, Once Upon a Chef and Ree Drummond, The Pioneer Woman

“Life is a combination of magic and pasta.” Italian movie director, Federico Fellini.

Serves: 12 

INGREDIENTS

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 whole large onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb. sweet or spicy Italian sausage

1 lb. ground beef

28 oz. can whole tomatoes, with juice

1 24-oz. jar marinara sauce (I suggest RAO’s Homemade)

2 tsp. Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes (or not, your choice)

16 oz. ziti or mostaccioli, cooked until not quite al dente (I suggest Penne Ziti Rigate)

15 oz. tub whole milk ricotta cheese

1 1/2 lb. whole milk mozzarella cheese, grated and divided

1 c. pecorino Romano or Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated and divided

1 whole egg

Kosher salt, to taste

Ground pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat the olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté for several minutes, or until starting to soften. Add the Italian sausage and ground beef and cook until browned. Drain off fat, leaving a bit behind for flavor and moisture.

2. Add the tomatoes, tomato juice, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes (I don’t think red pepper was necessary.). Stir and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes. After that time, remove 3 to 4 cups of the sauce to a different bowl to cool down. 

3. Preheat oven to 375˚. 

4. Mix together the ricotta cheese, 2 cups of the grated mozzarella, parmesan, egg, salt, and pepper in a separate bowl. Stir together just a couple of times (do not mix completely).

5. Drain the pasta and rinse under cool water to stop the cooking and cool it down. Pour it into the bowl with the cheese mixture and toss to slightly combine (there should still be large lumps.) Add the cooled meat sauce and toss to combine. 

6. Add half of the coated pasta to a large casserole dish. Spoon half of the remaining sauce over the top, then top with half of the remaining mozzarella cheese. Repeat with another layer of the coated pasta, the sauce, and the mozzarella. (This is where you can freeze or stick in the fridge for up to two days.) Bake for 20 minutes, or until bubbling. Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes before serving.

TIP: Depending on where you live, sometimes Ziti is difficult to find. I mail-ordered mine from Amazon. 

*Thanks to Pat Conroy for the quote

THE GANT GOES GOLD! LET’S BAKE A CAKE.

Mary+ by | May 7, 2023 | Uncategorized

BAKE THIS.

Last week cookbook author Joy the Baker posted a simple one-layer Lemon Crumb Cake recipe she claimed would add a ‘sparkle of sweetness to your week.’ After spending 4 months in warmer climes I’m just back home in Aspen so Simple + sparkle + sweetness struck a culinary chord with me. Baking is difficult in rental kitchens so I didn’t. But my depleted Aspen pantry and fridge yielded almost everything needed for this recipe. I ran to the store for a jar of lemon curd and was in business. Both my and Joy’s recipe are below.

THE GANT GOES GOLD

I walked over to the office last Friday morning and this shiny new creature was sitting in the driveway. Whoaaa. What you must understand is The Gant, where I live most of the year, is quietly well-managed, provides first-class service and always, always delivers. It doesn’t do gold, glitzy or razzle-dazzle. While I wouldn’t call its “Brand” cutting edge, it is comfortable, safe and private. During Covid, the staff were all-stars. They meet the moment whatever it may be. That’s why, to commemorate 50 years, these flashy gold chariots are a real surprise. I’m definitely here for it.

THANK YOU, SAN DIEGO

It was a splendid San Diego winter for me. I met old friends I didn’t remember lived there and others who made time for me. My townhouse in Solana Beach exceeded expectations. The neighbors were welcoming and helpful. The terrific Pacific, just 100 stair steps down to the beach, was gloriously noisy. One of my last discoveries was a dessert restaurant, Somi Somi, serving a unique Korean dessert called Ah-Boong. It’s a sumptuous waffle cone in a shape of a fish, filled with unique, rich fillings. I got a Taiyaki which is a fish shaped waffle filled with Nutella on top of a ube and Thai soft serve swirl with coconut on top.

My being in San Diego was Emma’s idea. My granddaughter thought I’d like to be nearby during her last semester in college. Even better, Clara, who attends college in Indiana, flew home to California for the holidays. Emma and I orchestrated a birthday weekend for Melissa in February. Realizing those two young women are taking flight, I relished every minute with my family, Emma and her friends. She actually graduated Summa Cum Laude from Point Loma Nazarene University today.

HOME AGAIN

It’s every grandparent’s wish that their grandchildren thrive. I do want that, I do, but couldn’t they thrive closer to home? This summer Clara has an internship in Washington DC. Then, back to Indiana. She’ll be a junior. In July Emma will begin an intensive three-year doctoral program at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina.

We all know that sinking feeling, don’t we? When I left San Diego to drive to Colorado, it was Stomach-Pit-Knot. One thousand miles later, crossing the state line into Colorado and headed to the mountains, I was winter-grateful but excited to be home again. Driving into Aspen, I spotted a fox standing near the highway on a small hill and a herd of deer grazing in the grassy space at our entrance roundabout. Later in the day, a heron gracefully flew overhead. Despite our recent snowy weather, these Pasque flowers are survivors. Life is going to be fine. May we all live in areas we love where friendships thrive and nature survives.

LEMON CURD CRUMB CAKE
The thing about Joy, her recipes are written clearly, easy to follow and always work. She’s like Dorie Greenspan in that respect. That’s a comfortable and confident mindset to begin with when you’re baking. Honestly, this Lemon Curd Crumb Cake may be plain vanilla but those swirls of lemon curd provide an ever so scant touch of sweetness. The streusel, of course, is streusel, always such a show-off and making you wish for more.
Although the recipe is below it’s also worth clicking on Joy’s link to learn more about this recipe.
https://joythebaker.com/2023/04/lemon-curd-crumb-cake/

Lemon Curd Crumb Cake by Joy the Baker

1 9-inch cake
Serves 8-10

INGREDIENTS 

For the Cake:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup sour cream, at room temperature
About 1 cup store-bought lemon curd (8–10 ounces jar would be perfect!)

For the Crumble:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup granulated sugar
large pinch of salt
4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small chunks
Powdered sugar for topping

Instructions:
1. Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch round  baking pan (or springform pan), line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper and grease the parchment paper as well. Lightly flour the pan and knock any extra flour from the pan.
2. In a small bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, coriander if using, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl with electric hand beaters or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together butter and sugar on medium speed until pale and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating for 1 minute per egg. Beat in the vanilla extract.
4. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure that everything is mixed in well. Beat in the sour cream on medium speed.
5. Turn the mixer to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. Stop the mixer and finish incorporating the batter until well combined. The batter will be thick.
6. To make the oat crumble, in a medium bowl, whisk together flour, oats, sugar, and salt. Add the cold butter chunks and, using your fingers, work the butter into the flour mixture. Quickly break the butter down into the mixture until well incorporated. Some butter bits will be the size of small peas and oat flakes.

7. Spread half of the cake batter into the bottom of the prepared pan. An offset spatula is a great tool to spread the batter. Dollop with half of the lemon curd and sprinkle with just under half of the oat crumble. Lightly swirl the batter. Top with the remaining cake batter, spreading to the edges. Dollop with the remaining lemon curd and sprinkle with remaining crumble. Lightly swirl, leaving generous dollops of curd exposed on the top of the cake. They’ll bake to irresistibly jammy.

8. Bake until deeply golden and the sides of the cake are pulling away from the pan. A toothpick inserted in the cake will come out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. This is a long bake cake at 45-55 minutes. Rotate the pan halfway through baking. Remove cake from the oven and allow to rest for 20 to 30 minutes before trying to invert the cake.
9. Run a knife around the inside edge of the pan to loosen the cake from the pan. Place a flat plate over the pan and invert the cake. Peel the parchment round off the cake and gently invert the cake top side up.
10. Serve warm or at room temperature lightly dusted with powdered sugar.