Versatile, seasonal, and low-cost. Those words are music to my ears! Especially when it comes to fantastic tasting summer salads for the many BBQ’s, get togethers, and parties the warmer months spur on. I’ve been really enjoying two salads in particular: a pesto pasta heirloom tomato salad and a wheat-berry spinach salad. Pesto is super versatile and is the perfect playground for imaginative flavor combination. You simply start with a green base: basil, mint, Italian parsley, or spinach to name a few. Then you add in a little zest: fresh garlic, scallions, red onion, green onion, etc. Next, you might want to bulk it up a little, try: pine nuts, fresh crumbly parmesan (Trader Joe’s sells some of my favorite Parmigiano-Reggiano), sun-dried tomatoes, etc. Of course, don’t forget the olive oil, nothing less than 1/4 cup will do–it needs to be nice and juicy. And there you go! This particular pesto salad I used Italian Parsley, sun-dried tomatoes, fresh garlic cloves, salt, pepper, and olive oil. It was fresh, summery, and delicious! Next time, I think I may try adding some Parmesan too, just to mix it up a little.
Parsley Pesto
1 bunch fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley
4 cloves fresh garlic
4 sun dried tomato halves, soaked in hot water for 15 mins
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
optional 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Pulse in your food processor until a past, fold into pasta (I used Oreccheti pasta, one of my favorite shapes). Add sliced heirloom tomatoes and stir. Serve and enjoy!
Wheat berries are one of my favorite grains. I love their chewy texture and how satiating they are! I also love them because their flavor expands and develops the better you chew them. As someone who tends to eat on the fast side (or more like wolfing down food! I just get excited I guess), this has been a great food to eat for me to meditate a little more on the amazing range of flavors and textures a food can provide. Wheat berries tend to be more of a winter food, however, I’ve found that using them in cool summer salads have been great. I like the tangy flavor of the feta mixed with the subtle sweetness of the wheat berry and the green crunch of the fresh spinach. A dollop of olive oil, a squeeze of fresh lemon, a little pepper and wha-la, summer wheat berry salad!
Wheat Berry Salad
1 cup wheat berries, boiled in 4 cups water for 70 mins on low
1 package of feta cheese (I say the more the better, but this is total personal preference)
1 clove fresh garlic or 1 scallion, minced
1 bag or package of fresh baby spinach
1/2 small lemon juice
1/8 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Wash wheat berries in a strainer until the water runs clear. Boil 4 cups water and add the washed berries, cook on low heat for 70 minutes. Strain berries from cooking water and transfer to a bowl. Add feta, garlic or scallion, spinach, lemon juice, and olive oil and stir. Let sit for a few minutes to let the spinach soften just a bit. Serve at room temperature and enjoy!
I made the avocado cake again and decorated the top with fresh raspberries (from my Aunt’s garden) and fresh strawberries (from Mt. Hood). I like cake.
Andrew and I went on a trip through Central Oregon for the holiday weekend. Oregon never ceases to amaze me–the coast is so beautiful but central Oregon has sun (and more sun!), desert, fantastic hikes, views of the Cascade’s that will blow your mind, and cute towns with good brew pubs. We first went to Crater Lake. We tried to go last year but the lake was hidden beneath a thick blanket of smoke from smoldering forest fires (they happen naturally from lightning). So we went again to get the full majestic and breathtaking views it has to offer.
Looks a lot like the Caribbean! Crater Lake’s water is clear and amazing.
We also went to Bend and Smith Rocks. The desert was beautiful–hot sun, but the air was cool. The temperature did not rise above 78 degrees F. We camped there then drove home the following day on some scenic back roads.
From left: Mt. Bachelor, The Three Sisters, Mt. Jefferson.
Andrew took this photo!
We stumbled upon these beautiful falls and a lake most appropriately called Clear Lake. Row boats beckoned us, so we went out on the lake for a break from our drive. This alpine lake was a gem to stumble upon!
Cheers for summer!
Buckwheat has made a grand appearance in our kitchen this week–and thank goodness it has. Chilly mornings before setting out for a vigorous hike or bike ride, I crave something dense, warm, and nourishing like buckwheat pancakes. I love them! Toss some fresh, almost mushy and insanely sweet berries on top with a splash of maple syrup, it doesn’t get much better than that. Or does it? I ran across a recipe for a Fleur de Sel Buckwheat cake and didn’t know what to think. Cake? Buckwheat cake? The author, David Lebovitz, is entirely reputable and any recipes I’ve made of his have been fantastic. Having lots of buckwheat flour in the house, I decided it was a must try. The warmer days have had me looking for foods a little more on the salty side and less sweet.
Let’s talk a little bit about buckwheat first. It’s actually not a grain, but a fruit seed akin to rhubarb! This makes it a great option for people who are gluten sensitive or intolerant. It has a deep, nutty flavor, earthy in taste and texture. Buckwheat is fantastic for your cardiovascular system. It helps lower cholesterol, maintain blood flow, keep platelets from clotting excessively, and provides the body with flavonoids, or phytonutrients that protect against disease by extending the action of vitamin C and acting as antioxidants. Nutrients in Buckwheat may also contribute to blood sugar control by lowering blood gulcose and insulin levels–one of the main reasons I love eating these pancakes in the morning! It is also a great source of magnesium–a very important mineral in our bodies. It helps maintain normal muscle and nerve function, keeps heart rhythm steady, supports a healthy immune system, and keeps bones strong. Magnesium also helps regulate blood sugar levels, promotes normal blood pressure, and is known to be involved in energy metabolism and protein synthesis. Cool!
I knew that buckwheat was “good” for me, but I didn’t realize just how good it actually was. It’s interesting how your body asks for what it needs! And in this case, I’ve been needing more minerals and phytonutrients. So neat! I’m going to share with you my never fail Buckwheat Pancake recipe. It is so easy to whip up in the morning and make a batch of these, you will not be disspointed. In fact, you may find yourself craving them as well! I don’t think I’ll ever go back to regular pancakes when I could eat these and be satisfied on so many levels! Adding a hint of vanilla and cinnamon really round out the nuttiness of the buckwheat–they are fragrant and flavorful and will keep you satiated until lunch!
Buckwheat Pancakes, recipe adapted from Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything Vegetarian
1 cup all purpose or whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup buckwheat flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon maple syrup (yes, in the batter too)
2 eggs
2 cups milk or water
1-2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons olive oil or melted butter
Preheat griddle or large skillet over medium-low heat while you make the batter. Mix together the dry ingredients. Make a well in the dry ingredients and add the eggs, milk or water, vanilla extract, and oil or melted butter. Stir together until completely well mixed. If the batter seems too thick, add a little more milk or water. If your griddle or skillet is non-stick, you can cook your pancakes right on there, but otherwise, use a little butter first so they don’t stick to other surfaces. Adjust the heat as necessary; usually the first batch will require a higher heat than the later batches. The idea is to brown the bottom in 2-4 minutes without burning it. Flip the pancakes when they are cooked on the bottom and cook until lightly browned. Serve warm with maple syrup, fresh berries, peaches, or Greek yogurt! Enjoy!
And now for the cake! I am seriously impressed with the flavor and texture of this unassuming looking cake. It’s brown, it’s small, there’s nothing fancy about it really–except it’s taste! I could get lost in the subtle hints of flavors as I chew a slice of this. It is like walking down a garden path and wandering through a variety of different scents and scenes–but it’s all happening in your mouth. Something about how the dark rum mingles with the spicy hints of cinnamon all carried through by the earthy aroma of the buckwheat. There is also quite a bit of butter involved, which folds all the flavors into one another, connecting them and creating new sensations. Then there’s the fleur de sel. Yes. This is the icing on top, because just when you think you have it all figured out, you are pleasantly surprised by a tiny salty aftertaste. And then you’ve got to try it all over again, just to be sure! It can turn into a vicious cycle, leading to eating many more slices of this cake than intended. But that’s what friends and family are for! I made some fresh whipped cream flavored with maple syrup (have you tried this? it’s delicious!) for the side, but would also pair well with any fruit compote, or simply naked.
Fleur de Sel Buckwheat Cake via 101 cookbooks via David Lebovitz
For the cake:
7/8 cup (140g) buckwheat flour
1 cup (140g) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon plus 1/3 teaspoon fleur de sel
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 pound (240g) unsalted butter, at room temp
1 cup (200g) sugar
4 large egg yolks
1 large egg
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons dark rum
For the glaze:
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon milk
Butter a 9 or 10-inch (25-cm) tart pan with a removable bottom or a 9-inch/23 cm springform cake pan). Preheat the oven to 350F degrees (180C).
In a small bowl, whisk together the buckwheat and all-purpose flour with 1/2 teaspoon salt and the cinnamon.
In the bowl of a standing mixer or by hand, beat the butter until light and fluffy. Add the sugar and continue to beat until smooth.
In a separate bowl, beat the 4 egg yolks and whole egg with the vanilla and rum with a fork, then gradually dribble the egg mixture into the batter while beating. If using an electric mixer, beat on high speed so the butter gets really airy.
Mix in the dry ingredients just until incorporated. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top as flat as possible with an offset metal or plastic spatula.
Make a glaze by stirring the single yolk and milk together with a fork, then brush it generously all over the top. (You may not use it all, but use most of it.) Take a fork and rake it across the top in three parallel lines, evenly space; then repeat starting from a slightly different angle to make a criss-cross pattern.
Crumble the remaining 1/3 teaspoon salt over the gateau with your fingers and bake for 45 minutes (hs note: you might want to place a rimmed baking sheet on the rack below your tart in case it leaks at all – also, don’t over-bake or it will be on the dry side – start checking after 35 minutes or so). Let cool completely before unmolding.
Reprinted from The Sweet Life in Paris by David Lebovitz via 101 Cookbooks. Broadway (May 5, 2009)
Cheers!
Last week, a friend of mine sent me a recipe for chocolate cake. This cake, unlike the regular good-ol’ butter variety, is made with avocado for it’s main source of fat (because we all know that in order for a baked good to be truly good, there needs to be some good fat in there!). I had never tried substituting avocado for butter before, but was definitely up to the challenge. This cake is vegan, and one of the best vegan cakes I’ve ever tried, at that. Vegan baking used to scare me a little–if there isn’t butter or eggs in it, what IS in it? I used to think. But, after experimenting with lots of recipes and sampling delicious vegan baked goods from the numerous vegan bakeries around town, I’ve decided they are absolutely equal players in the baking field.
I was pleasantly surprised with how light and moist the crumb of this cake was as well as how much chocolate flavor each bite packed. I was even more pleased about the fact that I was eating something packed full of healthy fats (the avocado), no white flour (whole wheat pastry flour), no white sugar (brown rice syrup and sucanant), and it was delicious. What is happening here? I wondered out loud. My mind used to get so boggled when thinking about baking things that wouldn’t make my teeth fall out, grow an extra tire around my waist, make my blood sugar soar, or all of the above. But, it’s possible! I think I am more amazed than anyone here, haha.
Give this cake a try! You won’t be disappointed. However, if you are looking for something super sweet, you might not enjoy it as much. But that is precisely why I did! I could actually taste the chocolate flavors and not just an overpowering sweetness. There are a couple of options for frosting too! I made a simple, very non-vegan frosting with some cultured cream cheese, whipped cream, and maple syrup. My friend made a fantastic coconut cream frosting (vegan) that, she said, rocked her world. And I’ve also seen another recipe for a spinach-whipped cream frosting. No joke, but she said it was good! I’d have to try it to believe it though. This cake is really versatile when it comes to toppings, so take your pick and go for it!
ps–Just a gentle reminder that Friday is the last day to enter Pietopia this year! Just 300 words (about a short paragraph) and and a recipe and you could win!
Cheers!
Vegan Chocolate Avocado Cake, adapted from the edible perspective
3 cups whole wheat pastry or all-purpose flour
8 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 cup brown rice syrup
3/4 cup sucanat or granulated sugar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup soft avocado, well mashed, about 1 medium avocado
1 cup water
1 c almond milk or rice milk
2 Tablespoons vinegar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour two 8 or 9-inch rounds or 1 9 x 13-inch pan. Sift together all of the dry ingredients except the sugar. Set that aside.
Mix all the wet ingredients together in a bowl, including the super mashed avocado.
Add sugar into the wet mix and stir.
Mix the wet with the dry all at once, and beat with a whisk (by hand) until smooth.
Pour batter into a greased cake tins. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Let cakes cool in pan for 15 minutes, remove from pan and place on rack to cool completely before frosting.
Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting
1 package regular cultured cream cheese
2 cups heavy whipped cream
1/4 cup maple syrup
Whip the cream cheese and maple syrup until smooth. In another bowl, whip all the whipped cream until stiff peaks form. Add a few scoops of it to the cream cheese, folding it in and then blend well, then add the rest and whisk until completely blended.
When I was little, one of my favorite parts of picnics, Fourth of July celebrations, and summer was my mom’s potato salad. It was a tried and true recipe, and simple to make–she would boil some red potatoes until soft, cut them up, and then toss them with a bottle of Newman’s Own Italian dressing. I couldn’t get enough of it.
Now a days, I don’t really buy salad dressings since discovering the variety and freshness of making my own. But this potato salad still haunts me. So I set to work figuring out how best to replicate it from scratch. I think I was surprised at how easy it actually was! Something about the childhood memory of the salad made it loom larger than life in my head. You know how memories are always colored by not just the food itself, but the experiences, the smells, and the people you shared it with. That’s why I was so surprised to find that I could make something that compares. No, my mom wasn’t there to share it with me this time around, but the next time I make it, she’ll be out visiting! And, it’s her birthday in a few days. Happy Birthday, Mom!
I also received a very special surprise from one of the lovely ladies I teach. She brought me the most beautiful little buttermilk cakes with fresh rhubarb from her garden in them–they were fantastic. Maybe she’ll share the recipe with us 
. Thank you so much, Elizabeth!
Potato Salad with Arugula and Garlic-Mustard Vinaigrette, recipe adapted from The Complete Tassajara Cookbook
The arugula, with its mustardy quality, brightly accents the potato, but if arugula is not available, spinach is a good green, leafy alternative.
2 pounds small red potatoes
Water to boil them in
4 large shallots, thinly sliced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pepper, freshly ground
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 bunch arugula or small spinach
Wash the potatoes and cut into bite-size chunks. Cook potatoes in boiling, salted water 6-8 minutes or until tender. Whisk shallots, garlic, mustard, salt, and several grinds of pepper together with the vinegar in large bowl. Whisk in the olive oil. Drain the potatoes. Toss with the vinaigrette. Cool for 20 minutes before adding the arugula, then fold it in to the potato salad. The dish can sit a while before serving to let the arugula soften and sweeten a bit, if desired. Adjust salt, pepper, and vinegar to taste before serving.
Cheers!
Apple Kuchen was a favorite in my grandmother’s house growing up. She would make it for special occasions, or sometimes, just because. Looking back, she probably made it more often than she normally would because I would beg her to make it with me in the kitchen! I loved pulling the chair up to the side of the counter, help her measure the brown sugar, sift the flour in her old fashioned sifter, even attempt at peeling the apples. She used to give me little pieces of brown sugar to nibble on as we baked–she’d roll a little bit into a tiny ball between her long, strong fingers, then hold it out for me to take out of her rough and kitchen-worn palm–all with a bright, very bright twinkle in her eye.
I make this cake whenever I feel like I need a hug. Yep, it’s a total sweets-for-the-soul type thing which I recognize. But it goes beyond the satisfying slice eaten after it’s done baking. Making this cake takes me back to a place when I felt seen–when I was the apple of someone’s eye and I knew it. Lately, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking and meditating on the word “value”. I was surprised when I realized value permeated every aspect of my life–personally as a woman, daughter, girlfriend, in my career and financial health, and, most interestingly with my self. Do I value who I am and what I do? Do I really value my true self? Do I value what it is I’m trying to do or achieve with my life? (Deep questions–and I’ve found once I start asking, more questions keep popping up!)
Then I started to listen. Listen and feel, more accurately. For me, I feel first–then, and only then–can I put words into what is going on. And even that can take some time, like a simmering pot with its contents not quite finished. And what I heard, and felt, were important childhood memories like these: my grandmother making this cake with me, my aunt who would bring me over to her house for the most amazing sleepovers with movies, popcorn, and ice cream, my best friend and her parents who lovingly indulged my need to be with them because I couldn’t get what I needed at home, so I was there almost every day of the week. It was memories like these that started to speak, to remind me of my inherent worth, just because I am me. That’s a pretty cool thing to realize when that wasn’t displayed or taught or felt growing up. Teaching myself this has been a challenge–but incredible in so many other ways.
The next word that keeps popping into my head is “choice.” Now that “value” has been thoroughly investigated, this word has made itself very present in my conscious thoughts. Isn’t it interesting how one thing leads to the next in life? The constant growth as we progress down our paths amazes me. I’m curious to see what comes about next, and what “choice” brings up…
Have a wonderful weekend! I hope the sun is shining wherever you are
Grandma Martin’s Apple Kuchen
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1/4 pound butter (1 stick)
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
*I added about a teaspoon of vanilla to the batter
Sift dry ingredients. Cream butter, sugar, and egg. Combine with the dry ingredients, alternating with the milk, stir until well blended. Spread in a buttered and floured 9×12 pan (the dough is very sticky, take your time spreading it out, it takes a little bit of work). Add the sliced apples by arranging them on top of the batter. Next add the topping (below).
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup butter
* I added a sprinkle of cinnamon too
Mix well as for pie crust and sprinkle over the apples which have been cut into small pieces for 30-40 minutes at 350 F degrees.
Enjoy!
Every year my mother makes a Buche de Noel for Christmas dinner. She started when she was 14, the first year she took french. And each year that I can remember, it has been made a little different. Depending on time, sometimes she brought out the duncan heinz chocolate frosting instead of making her own, or there were little decorations made from candies, powdered sugar, and the end scraps cut off from the cake. It was the ritual of making and eating this cake that was important though and no matter what, the “buche” as she so lovingly calls it, made its way to our family table each year.
Living across the country does not make it especially easy to share a slice of cake. So I called her up and asked for her recipe so I could share and enjoy this cake thousands of miles away. Growing up, I always imagined much more whipped cream in the middle than what was there. I mean MUCH more. I remember scraping through the insides trying to get each little bit of cream before I even started on the cake or icing part. Some years, for whatever reason, there seemed to be such a scant amount that I even asked for a dollop on the side. “No, honey” was the usual response, “there isn’t any more, I used it all in the cake.” Hmm. My little baking mind was already devising ways to make improvements in that department for the next year.
This year, I loaded the Buche with lots of cream in the center–my favorite part. The cake is light and airy and chiffon-like. It is like biting into a cloud–with a surprise middle. The dark chocolate icing pulls the whole thing together, grounding the flavors back to earth, and gives it sophistication. Let the chocolate icing just pour right on top of the rolled cake and cream combo, then scoop the excess that has gathered at it’s base and reapply. The messiness of the process–the excessive amount of bowls, utensils, rolling, unrolling, rolling again, and dousing chocolate–are just as much a part of this cake as it’s flavor. One bite and you’ll know what I mean .
For the next week I will be in the Rockies to celebrate the holidays and frolic in the snow–snowshoeing, making snowmen, cross country skiing, attempting to snowboard– so I’ll be signing off for a little while. Have a wonderful week and see you soon!
Buche de Noel, via my mother
*Read the directions carefully before you begin as the process of making, the cake is a little more involved than just reading through the ingredients. Cheers!*
The cake:
4 egg yolks
1/3 cup of sugar
1/2 tsp of vanilla
4 egg whites
1/2 cup of sugar
2/3 cups of sifted flour
1 tsp of baking powder
1/4 tsp of salt
1/4 cups of cocoa
Beat egg yolks until thick and lemon colored. Gradually beat in 1/3 cup of sugar, add vanilla. Beat egg whites until soft peeks form, gradually add 1/2 cup of sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Fold yolk mixture into whites. Sift together flour, baking powder, cocoa and salt. Fold into egg mixture. Spread batter evenly into prepared jelly roll pan (151/2×101/2×1). Bake in a moderate oven at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes.
How to prepare the jelly roll pan:
Grease the pan then line with parchment paper making sure it extends over the edge of he pan. Grease the paper as well. Pour the batter so it covers all corners. Loosen edges as soon as cake comes from the oven. Reverse the pan onto a clean towel that has been dusted with sifted confectioners sugar. Immediately peel off the paper and trim the crust edges. Roll up before cake cools-roll in a dusted towel an place on a rack to cool.
Filling:
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 tsp of vanilla
1-3 tsp of sifted confectioners sugar
optional: 1 tsp instant coffee
Chocolate butter icing:
3 tbs butter
2-3 oz of unsweetened chocolate
1/4 hot water,cream or coffee
1/8 tsp of salt
Melt the above over low heat in medium sauce pan
Gradually add the following:
2 cups of sifted confectioners sugar
1 tsp vanilla
achieve a glossy finish by dipping the spatula in hot water frequently.
You can make a log knot with some of the crusts if you are industrious
I have used candies to make a holly leaf and berry
Sometimes I have sprinkled confectioners sugar lightly over the log to look like snow.
From Julie Rapp’s French class 1970 (I have been making this since I was 14 years old)
Thanksgiving. This year has given this holiday tradition and word all new meaning for me. In years past, I admit I did not get into the holiday spirit as much as I could have–(or would have liked too because I love the holidays). My family went through some pretty hefty transitions over the past decade–kids moving out (and back in and then out again) of the nest, divorce, marriage, death, and moving; all major and stressful life-transitions a person or family can go through.
It was a confusing time and difficult to understand, much less swallow. Thanksgiving dinners always seemed to get stuck in my throat–I couldn’t let anything nourishing or warm into my heart, because it hurt so much. But honestly, if we hadn’t been through those dark days, gone through the hard times, and seen the darker aspects of ourselves and life, we wouldn’t be who we are today. And from all of those major occurrences, I now know that it wasn’t just me who has grown. This thanksgiving was healing in that way.
I went across the country back home and had two thanksgivings–one with my mom and her family, one with my dad and Kim, my stepmother, and her family. I didn’t cook this year–which was actually a big challenge for me. But I realize it wasn’t about the food or what it tasted like, much less what exactly was being served. It was about (re)connecting, (re)affirming long time bonds, and being with people whom I have loved indefinitely for my whole life. The food was only an excuse–a catalyst–in a much larger, much deeper familial healing and ritual.
I also realized that my parents, in their own quirky ways, have given me so much. I know it isn’t uncommon to focus on the more annoying qualities of the people who raised you–I do it all the time! And there is even an old saying: No wonder our parents can push our buttons; their the ones that installed them in the first place. So true! But something this thanksgiving happened–like a shift of some sort–and that nagging, tugging, not-so-nice feeling I get in my gut or heart when I start to get really annoyed with them seemed to switch on something new: what if I was to look at my parents beautiful qualities, just as people? Strip away the history of flawed parenting, hurt feelings, and easy button-pushing, and just see them? This is what I saw and realize I am so thankful for in them:
Dad–his positivity is infectious, he sees the bright side and tells you about it; he will encourage you, even if he doesn’t understand exactly what you are trying to do but he does understand it means a lot to you; he loves to learn and isn’t afraid to tackle something new; he’s a mover and is really active, he loves walking, exploring, and getting out; he is fun to be with and super social; he always has a smile for you, always–and it’s a big one.
Mom–she doesn’t sweat the small stuff; she loves to have fun and has taught me the importance of doing things I love; she has a great artistic eye and knows how to make a space feel like home; she loves foods that are nutritious and simple and introduced me to this way of eating at a very young age; she isn’t afraid to try new things; she always has a story to tell; and she loves going places like the museums or the theater.
Kim–she’s been a successful business owner for the past 23 years which is hugely cool; and she loves my dad.
Food is easy for me to do. Eating, creating, and making are not challenges for me, or where the real art was for me this time around. Rather, it was the people I was with that I focused on this time. They were the ones who posed challenges which allowed me to creatively reconnect myself with them and with my past. The food, for once in my life, became secondary.
Image via here (because I didn’t get a chance to take a snapshot of this before it was eaten!)Cranberry Upside Down Cake, via The Art of Simple Food by Alice Waters
*I did make this cake for my thanksgiving dinner at my mother’s, per her request which I was all too happy to comply. She found this recipe in the November issue of Eating Well, one of her favorite magazines.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Measure into an 8-inch cast iron skillet or if you don’t have one, just use a small sautee pan. (You can bake the whole thing in a round cake pan with a removable bottom if you don’t have the cast iron skillet–that’s what I did and it worked out great).
4 tablespoons butter (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
Cover over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the butter melts and starts to bubble. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
Heat together in a small saucepan:
2 3/4 cups fresh cranberries
1/4 cups fresh orange juice
Cook until the cranberries just start to pop. Remove from the heat and our evenly over the cooled caramel (in the cast iron skillet or the sautee pan).
Separate:
2 eggs, at room temperature
Measure:
1/2 cup whole milk, at room temperature
Measure and stir together:
1 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
In another bowl or in a stand mixer, beat to lighten:
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
Add:
1 cup granulated sugar
Cream until light and fluffy. Beat in the 2 yolks, one at a time. Stir in:
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
When well mixed, add the flour mixture alternately with the milk, starting and ending with one third of the flour. Stir until the flour is incorporated. Beat the egg whites until they hold soft peaks. Fold one third of the egg whites into the batter and then gently fold in the rest. If using the cast iron skillet, pour the batter directly on top of the cranberries and caramel mixture and then stick the whole thing in the oven. If using a round cake pan with removable bottom, scrap the cranberries and all the caramel goodness into the cake pan first, then pour the batter over it. Don’t worry if it doesn’t spread to the edges, it will while it bakes. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the cake pulls away from the sides of the pan. Invert onto a serving plate and enjoy with some rum or vanilla flavored fresh whipped cream!
Happy Thanksgiving!
The past weeks have been full–full of experiences, firsts, and learning new things. September was a rare month where I had an amazing opportunity to really begin working on realizing my dream of becoming a small business owner. So that’s all I’ve been doing really! Creating a business plan, working on a website, etc, etc–basically a crash course in business! It has been so interesting but also a ton of work. I am not complaining–I have a side of me that compulsively really loves to work. But I have been so in the midst of this that when I finally looked up and looked back at what I’ve been doing, I couldn’t help but be excited and a little surprised .
The official launch of this new endeavor will be happening early next week and I can not wait! It is so gratifying–and even a little scary–to see your dreams come to fruition. I sometimes have to pinch myself. I will make a special announcement about it right here, so you’ll know all about the new launch!
In the meantime, I found myself flipping through some of my cookbooks after the event I did up in Seattle. The day after a big event like that always lets me feel a little deflated–not in a bad way, but just those initial transitional moments of winding down from something big can be trying. Something I do to help segue those moments is to bake something and keep my hands busy. I find that when I am done, it is so much easier for me to focus and reflect on the previous event. I learn all that I can from that experience and apply it to my next events–and it is a nice way to find closure after something so big.
The spiced pear cake was one of the best things that have come out of my kitchen in months, I swear. It is super moist and fluffy, spicy, with a variety of textures that come from the pieces of pear, the moist cake, and the crumble topping. (Dad–I’m making this over the Thanksgiving holiday for all of us, you’d love it:). This cake will turn any fall day–sunny or rainy–into a great fall day! When I bit into it, I thought “THIS tastes like fall!” It has a home-like flavor, something about how the spices mingle with the pears and fill your entire house with a lovely aroma. Sure, there are many tastes of fall. For some reason though this taste resonated differently–it was softer, subtler, not like biting into a crisp apple, that kind of fall taste–but rather it was sophisticated and warming, all in one. The spice pear cake cake calls for a few friends, neighbors, or family members to enjoy it with you too (make it and you will smell/taste/know why 
. It is a social cake that will grab the attention of your guests (and you) when they are least expecting it! And they will be forever grateful for this slice of fall-heaven. So will you . It is just that good.
Bon Appetit!
Pear Spice Coffee Cake,
adapted from Beth Hensperger’s The Bread Bible
Crumb Topping
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter
Cake
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
2 large eggs
2 pears, peeled, cored, and finely diced, preferably Bartletts
Preaheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease the bottom and sides of an 8-inch springform pan.
Make the crumb topping: In a medium bowl combine the sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or just using your hands until the mixture forms coarse crumbs.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and spices. In a different large bowl using an electric mixer, combine the sour cream, butter, and eggs. Then combine the wet and dry ingredients until smooth and creamy. Fold the pears in, mixing until distributed.
Pour batter into the prepared pan, smooth out the top, sprinkle with the crumb topping and place on the center rack in preheated oven. Bake about 55 minutes to 1 hour (I had to go about 15 minutes longer, but I am quickly finding that my oven in my new place is not true to what it tells me the heat temperature is…). When a toothpick or butter knife is inserted into the center and it comes out clean, the cake is done. Let it cool for about 15 mins in the pan. Remove the sides and let cool completely, or in my case, eat while warm (amazing!) and serve thick slices with tea to your friends. Enjoy!
One of my very dear friends, the lovely Chelsea, had a birthday last week. I decided a while back that she needed a surprise party–but a surprise party that was especially about her! So I set about making it happen. It was so much fun because she has so many fun interests and wonderful qualities. It was hard to pick just one. Chelsea is an artist, designer, and a wonderful gardener. She spends hours in her garden delicately tending her nasturtiums, lettuces, figs, and squash. She, like many of our generation, has had a pretty mobile life–moving from one place to the next, across the country and back, then back again, looking for a place to be for a while. But each place she settles, roosts in for a while, she immediately starts growing things. Sometimes they are in pots and if she stays for a while longer, they get a piece of her yard. Gardening grounds her. It is a way that she literally places roots in a place for herself. Therefore, the food that she eats inexplicably connects her to the very earth she lives on in that place.
Taking this love of gardening, I asked each guest to bring a botanical-reinterpretation of her. I was thinking of those old Victorian era associations and meanings they had with flowers: if you give someone a yellow rose, it means friendship, etc. One friend brought a daisy crown (perfect for Chelsea’s obsession with wearing floral crowns!), another a hand-made pin of an over sized sunflower (mirroring the ones in her garden) that she can wear, and another a painting done with scented oils. I made her a cake .
For her cake, I went with the never fail Mary Todd Lincoln recipe for a lovely white cake. This cake is amazing, light, and aromatic. I usually omit the almonds in this recipe so Andrew can eat some, but I do add extra vanilla in its place which I believe to be even better! Chelsea loves all things vanilla and really doesn’t like dark chocolate. I wanted the cake to resemble a garden of sorts (making dark chocolate perfect for icing–to resemble healthy dirt!) but I knew this would not do. So, I compromised and made a milk-chocolate french butter cream frosting. Then, I dusted the top of it with cocoa to give it a bit more of an earthy look . I even raided her garden that afternoon and clipped some lovely nasturtiums, Thai basil, and chamomile to decorate it with. Flowers on a cake always bring out the inner-fairy. When we eat flowers, it usually has nothing to do with nutrition of our bodies. Rather, it is more of a decadent act; it makes you feel special in ways that other foods can not, feeding other aspects of our selves. Flowers nourish the spirit .
On the table, I drew her favorite flower, the Paper White and wrote quotes from different poems about gardens and gardening. Some were really funny. Others, were quieter, more soft, and beautiful. I also made a ratatouille (it doesn’t get much more vegetable heavy that that!) out of Mastering the Art of French Cooking, some toasted slices of baguette with olive oil, and a nice, fresh ricotta mixed with fresh thyme herbs and sea salt. We ate it all!
Mary Todd Lincoln’s White Cake
Adapted from “Lincoln’s Table” by Donna D. McCreary
Ingredients
1 cup blanched almonds
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)
2 cups granulated sugar
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup milk
6 eggs, separated (best when eggs are cold)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Confectioners’ sugar
Method
Using a food processor or a spice grinder, pulverize almonds until they resemble coarse flour.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a Bundt cake pan.
With an electric beater or stand mixer, cream butter and sugar until light yellow in color and fluffy.
Sift flour and baking powder three times. (I don’t make a rule of this practice, but with three cups of flour, it seemed like a good idea to incorporate some air and help make this cake as light as possible.) Fold flour mix into creamed butter and sugar, alternating with milk, until well blended. Stir in almonds and beat well.
In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until they have stiff, firm peaks. (Use egg yolks for another use – French toast, possibly?) Beaters must be washed and dried thoroughly before whipping egg whites or they will not stiffen properly. Fold egg whites gently into batter with a rubber spatula. Add vanilla extract.
Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for one hour, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
Cool for at least 20 minutes before inverting, then allow to completely cool before serving. Sift confectioners’ sugar on top.
Makes about 12 slices.
Italian inspired and wonderful any time of year, this cake…well…takes the cake! I made it for a dinner I had last night with my aunts, uncle, and little cousin. I was first introduced to this cake by my friend Chelsea. She spent a few summers working different farms in Italy and first ate it there. When she got back, she found the recipe in Nancy Silverton’s Pastries from La Brea Bakery.
Recipes are like 100 year old sourdough starter–they come with stories and memories, have been slightly changed by time and handling, but have always been intricately and intimately part of people’s lives by the time they reach you. Once you have that recipe, it becomes a part of your life too, putting your story on it’s map–part of a history and continuing into the future.
With this olive oil cake, I imagine tasting Tuscan hillsides, hard work, sleepy kitchens, and sprightly conversation. I can see it eaten in big wedges from a large farmhouse table, people hungry at the noontime meal, as well as dainty ladies stopping for a mid-afternoon tea, picking up each small piece without the use of her pinkie. The taste of this cake is cross cultural, bi-lingual, and ageless. You make it in one bowl, with one spoon, and eat it in big slices. It is so good you might just finish the whole thing in a day. Don’t say I didn’t warn you .
(you can see the tiny flecks of orange zest, yum!)Olive Oil Cake with Orange Zest, by Nancy Silverton
2 cups + 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cup whole milk
1 cup + 2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons orange zest (about 2-3 oranges)
Sift together all the dry ingredients in a bowl. I usually just throw them all together then fluff/whisk them all together with a whisk. Make a well in the middle, add eggs, milk, and olive oil. Stir with wooden spoon to combine, add the zest and stir until mixed in. Pour into a round baking pan that has been buttered and floured. Bake for about 50 mins or until toothpick comes out clean at 350 degrees F.
