Long Weekend

Memorial Day Weekend  has long been the unofficial beginning of summer, and our weekend was the perfect juxtaposition of activity and relaxation.  The true sign of summer for me is the first time I brew a pitcher of iced tea.  Perfect.

Friday night ushered in the weekend like many before it. T and J were coming for dinner. But this time it took some convincing as it was T's birthday, and she was determined not to acknowledge it.  I had to promise not to. Right before they arrived the sky cleared so we sat outside to enjoy some bruschetta.  I cut some slices from a baguette on the diagonal, brushed them will olive oil and placed them on the grill. Hot off the grill I rubbed them with a clove of garlic and piled them high with some ripe grape tomatoes, shreds of basil and salt then anointed them with a bit of extra virgin olive oil. Perfect.

So it was pizza and politics as usual.

The only nod toward the occasion was dessert -- affogato.  A scoop of ice cream, in our case caramel macchiato flavor, doused with a bit of liqueur, here Patron XO Cafe, and drowned in a shot of espresso. T approved.  

Saturday was lovely and we spent it relaxing, reading and enjoying the symphony of birds that visit our birdbath. Between the visits to the bird bath each day by our pair of mourning doves, Fred and Ethel, the rabbits chomping on the lawn, and the deer, well eating our plants, sometimes it's hard to remember that we live only ten miles outside of New York City.

When I checked my small garden, I was thrilled to see that the arugula I had planted just a few days before had germinated.

And as usual, the mint is on its way to taking over.  I guess there are Mojitos in our immediate future.

Last weekend was spent mostly doing work in the yard. We weeded and mulched and spruced up as we planned to enjoy it all this weekend. Saturday morning was our first al fresco breakfast overlooking John's newly mulched garden path to nowhere. 

Sunday's weather was beautiful, and we continued to putter around at a very leisurely pace.  J and L called on their way home from the wine shop. Can they come over and bring some wine? Sure--you've got to love them.  So it was bruschetta again, this time with slices of ciabatta grilled, topped with some fresh ricotta, chopped tomatoes and basil. I made a salad and grilled some hot sausages as we drank a lovely zinfandel.

The very best thing about Sunday was knowing  that we had one more day of the weekend ahead of us.
Ahh.

Thursday

Breakfast

Lunch at the office

Haircut

Market

Flowers from the garden

Dinner

Dinner Tonight

It was approaching 5 pm and I still didn't know what I was going to make for dinner.  I must have been channeling Tracy at Amuse-Bouche for Two when I texted John and asked if he had any ideas for dinner.

"Do you have any beef barley soup in the freezer?"  No.
"How about any tomato soup in the freezer?"  No.

I could see where this was headed as it is a miserable, cold, and rainy day.  Ok, I'll survey the fridge and see what I can come up with. Celery, carrots, and an onion. Canned (boxed, actually) tomatoes, a bag of lentils, and some low sodium chicken broth. Good.

I pour some olive oil into the soup pot, add a knob of butter and saute the chopped vegetables until soft. If you happen to have some pancetta--I didn't--now would be the time to add it. Add a pinch of salt then one cup of tomatoes, cut up. Season and simmer for a bit.

Add 1 1/2 cups lentils, stir, then add 4 cups broth or half broth and half water. Season to taste.  Cover and simmer approximately 45 minutes or until lentils are tender--adding more water if lentils absorb too much liquid.  Off heat finish with a tablespoon or so of butter and correct seasoning. Serve dusted with grated cheese. We used Pecorino. Add a green salad, a whole wheat roll, and a glass of wine. Done.

Master Chef

I stopped at the Asian market on my way home yesterday. You see I've been yearning to make an Asian-style turkey burger ever since I saw this recipe at Serious Eats, and I needed sriracha sauce for the dressing.

Sriracha is a blend of hot chiles, salt, sugar and vinegar. It can be used to liven up just about anything, and is quite good blended with some mayo as a sauce for the burger.  I have, in the past, used these same Asian ingredients that appear in this recipe with great success blended with freshly chopped salmon to form burgers.

I was first introduced to the wonders of the Asian marketplace in the late 1970's  by my Chinese cooking guru, Eileen Yin-Fei Lo.  Eileen is quite the authority on Chinese cooking and has authored eleven cookbooks on Chinese cuisine and many articles for major magazines.  But I knew her as Eileen Ferretti and took cooking lessons from her in her New Jersey kitchen.

Those were the days before anyone had ever heard of a celebrity chef, and people were still allowing strangers through their doors to teach them to cook.  Imagine that!  Eileen did, and still does, cook food that is traditional to her native land. I worked and ate my way through Eileen's classes all the way up through "super advanced".

An Asian grocery store could be overwhelming to a Westerner; but before classes would begin, Eileen would take us to Chinatown in New York City to make sure we would have all the proper woks and utensils and ingredients to continue our education at our own stoves at home. I did become quite proficient at it, too--even going so far as hanging a Peking duck from a hook on our screened-in porch, fan blowing to dry it out, before roasting it in a hot oven. That was before our kitchen had an exhaust fan, and I don't know how the Fire Department didn't show up!

Eileen Yin-Fei Lo is a 4'9" dynamo who was born in the village of Sun-Tak in Canton and learned to cook at an early age from her beloved grandmother. During the Chinese Revolution Yin fled to Hong Kong to be with her father and continued her cooking education with her Number 6 Aunt.  She met her husband of fifty years,  journalist Fred Ferretti, in 1958 when this American G.I. walked into the tailor shop that she managed. They married the following year, she added Eileen to her name, and moved to the United States to begin a family.

Eileen believes that Chinese cooking is Chinese culture. One must have respect for the tradition of Chinese cooking and be authentic in technique and in life. Her latest book,  Mastering the Art of Chinese Cooking, will serve to keep her beliefs and traditional recipes alive forever.

I see Eileen from time to time around town. We always stop to talk. We ask about each others families, the projects we are working on, and about her grandchild.  Now Eileen can pass on her treasured culture to her granddaughter Siu-Siu, as her grandmother did to her.  And I think of Eileen every time I make Lemon Chicken from Number 6 Aunt!


Click here to see Eileen at home in her kitchen.

A Weekend At Home

I am planning a weekend at home. John is working and I expect to catch up on many neglected tasks.  The weekend started well with a quiet dinner for two on Friday night of a nice broccoli and ricotta pizza on a whole wheat crust.

 I got up early today and paid the bills, both home and office--but the filing will have to wait.  The day is gorgeous for a change so my mind is racing--should I run out and buy some plants for the deck? Sure! I get to the garden center when it opens, buy some large baskets of New Guinea impatiens, some lettuces and more basil plants. When can I plant these? What else do I need? Should I buy seeds and start a pot of lettuce? No. We've decided to join a CSA and we'll probably have more lettuce than we will know what to do with.

Back home there seems to be unfinished projects everywhere.  Focus. I fire up the espresso maker.

Did that coffee help, or did it make me crazier?

I cook for my 94-year old mother, and her freezer needs to be filled.  As she is not an adventurous eater and a creature of habit,  I prepare the same food for her over and over. A no-brainer, really. So I put a podcast on my ipod and try to get into the zone as I did during my days as a personal chef. I begin with baked ziti, a dish I may add, I never make for us.

Next comes beef barley soup.

Now cool, portion, package and freeze.  The remainder of the food will have to wait. You probably can tell that I am having an ADD kind of day. Breathe, just breathe.

The serenity I felt on vacation is gone, and the only thing left from it is the photo on my screen saver!

If you've stuck with me for this long, thanks for letting me rant!

Ready to Roll?

Back from vacation and up at dawn. Pour coffee, empty dishwasher, check e-mails, jump on the treadmill--both literally and figuratively--drawing up to-do list in my head.

After a beautiful and restful week with our friends at the beach eating and drinking with total abandon, it's time to get back to more prudent habits.  I roasted a plump chicken for dinner last night. Sprinkled the cavity with salt and pepper and filled it with a lemon pierced in spots, some rosemary springs and garlic gloves.  After loosening the skin over the breast I massaged it with some softened butter and more salt and pepper. I worked some more butter into the skin, s & p, then I trussed it closed and put it to roast in a hot oven.

There is nothing like the smell of a chicken roasting. I added a green salad, some olives and one glass of red wine.  Off to a good start.

Decompression

My friends S and A are at the gym, and John is already at the beach. Good for them, but I have declared a no exercise zone for myself.  I'm on vacation, you see, and at home I work out at least five days a week.

At home I eat yogurt and fruit for breakfast. Here in St. Thomas I eat goat cheese and smoked salmon.  At home I race from task to task. Here I sit in a lounge chair overlooking the turquoise sea. At home I drink my morning coffee while I check my e-mails. Here John pours our coffee, and brings it back to bed as we part the curtains to allow the sun to stream in.  At home I grab a solitary lunch usually standing up. Here I prepare lunch with friends, set the table on the balcony overlooking the beach, pour some wine and enjoy.

At home some days it is difficult to finish reading the newspaper.  Here I have brought with me my favorite literary friends.  There is Nic Costa, the dark and emotionally damaged Roman detective with a penchant for Caravaggio. Alex Delaware, a psychologist who consults with the LAPD on interesting crimes.  Alexandra Cooper, NYC assistant DA who is smart, tough, and majored in English Lit. Jack Reacher, lone wolf, ex-military cop whom trouble seems to follow. Yep. Murder and mayhem.

We have been coming to this lush tropical island with S and A for over twenty-five years. It allows us to pause the rush and chaos of everyday life.  For that I am grateful.

My Day in Food

Since I'm still at a loss for words, I'll show you.

Breakfast of Greek yogurt, a ripe pear, some walnuts with a sprinkling of cinnamon.

Lunch of peanut butter on whole grain.

Dinner of grilled pork chop, roasted chili sweet potatoes, and cole slaw.

And coffee.

Argh!!

Spring has sprung, as they say; and I have a terrible case of blog block. I am enjoying reading prolific posts by my favorite bloggers, but I'm not able to put pen to paper.

Is it lack of inspiration? How could it be? Spring is bursting forth all around me--warm sun, trees in bloom, birds splashing in the birdbath, vibrant green herbs peeking through the soil, and spring produce starting to appear in the market. Is it just that I don't have anything to say? That never stopped me before.

Is it lack of confidence in my writing skills? Definitely, as the entertaining prose of my favorite bloggers puts mine to shame. Or is it distraction? Could be. Easter and the planning, cooking, serving and cleaning that came with it is now over. The first of several out-of-town weddings is over. Showers, more travel for weddings, a weekend trip for my birthday, and a much looked-forward-to  week on our favorite beach in St. Thomas all taking place within the month.

So much has to be accomplished and planned for before we can collapse on that beach. But I will hold onto the promise of soothing turquoise water, gentle breezes, and warm sand--and maybe blog block will become a thing of the past.

Still Crazy After All These Years

One of the definitions of crazy is someone who repeats the same task over and over expecting a different outcome.

After another failed attempt at an olive oil cake on Friday, I vowed that I was done with this elusive task. But while browsing through dessert recipes in my to-be-tried file over the weekend, I came across--you guessed it--a recipe for this Walnut-Orange Cake made with olive oil. Now I don't know if it was crazy, obsession or just tenacity that made me do it--but I had to try this cake.  It was worth the wait.

It was sweet, light, tender, and--best of all--delicious. "Are you done now?'" asked my friend, L, in her inimitable style.  Yes, I'm done now.

For dinner we had Jacques Pepin's Crusty Chicken.

These chicken thighs are started to cook in a cold non-stick pan, then when sizzling, covered until done. While the chicken is kept warm, a quick sauce of diced onions, garlic and mushrooms is made in a small amount of the chicken fat and finished with white wine.  The ubiquitous, but refreshing, green salad rounded out the meal. Topped off by, of course, Walnut-Orange Cake.

Tomorrow marks one year since I began writing this blog. It has taken a different turn from what I set out to do, but I think I am starting to find my voice and having fun along the way.

We are having a crowd for Easter dinner, and I still must decide on the desserts. Other than Aunt Louise's Cheesecake, I can't make up my mind.

Whether you are celebrating Passover, Easter or the coming of Spring, I hope that it is joyous.

A Rainy Weekend

Another weekend of terrible weather in the northeast. Torrential rains and high winds wreaked havoc on the area with fallen trees and downed power lines making travel difficult at best. We were lucky to never have lost our lights or our heat, so it was a good time to at stay home and catch up on a few things that had gotten away from us.

Sunday afternoon J and L stopped by and decided to stay for a while to watch a movie with us.

When it became evident that we all wanted to eat, ingredients were easy to gather, and water was put on to boil.

Broccoli florets were tossed with some olive oil, garlic, red pepper flakes and salt then put to roast in a hot oven. I soaked some very thinly sliced red onion in ice water while I made a salad of escarole and baby spinach, then I dropped the orecchiette into the waiting pot of boiling water. I drained and dried the onions, tossed them into the greens and then dressed them with a lemon mustard vinaigrette.

The cooked pasta was quickly dumped into the waiting bowl and tossed with 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter, the roasted broccoli, a couple of handfuls of toasted walnuts and enough hot pasta water to marry everything. While John poured the red wine, I tasted for seasoning and sprinkled the pasta with freshly grated Parmagiano. Dinner!

I have had some unsuccessful baking projects lately, but this almond torte was a hit.

Kath of The Ordinary Cook was hoping I would post the recipe. Here it is.

Almond Torte from Everyday Food, March 2010

1 1/4 cups (6 ounces) whole natural almonds, toasted

1 teaspoon cornstarch

4 large eggs, separated

3/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest (from 1 lemon)

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor, blend almonds and cornstarch until finely ground, about 15-20 seconds,

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat egg yolks, sugar, lemon zest, vanilla and salt until light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes. Gently fold in almond mixture.

In another bowl, whisk egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold one-third of whites into almond mixture; then fold almond mixture into remaining whites just until combined.

Pour batter into a 9-inch springform pan. Bake until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool in pan.

Note: There is no mention of greasing the pan in the recipe. Make sure that the cake is thoroughly

cooled before removing springform pan. Next time I would consider using buttered parchment

on bottom of pan to make removing cake from bottom a bit easier.

Thinking of Spring

"A kitchen without a lemon is like a song without a tune." David Wheeler, writer


While I was reading a post last week at racheleats about making crackers, Rachel mentioned that Rome was experiencing spring-like weather and that she was going to be picking lemons later in the day.
We were in the middle of another snow storm with 12 inches already dumped on us. With another full day of snow expected, I thought that making these gorgeous crackers was a great way to spend the afternoon. I was prepared to do just that. But somehow I just could not get the thought of spring time in Rome or the beautiful scent of lemons out of my head.

My thoughts started to drift  towards all the wonderful food I could make with a few lemons.  Citrus is always plentiful in the winter, and the bright color and intoxicating aroma of a bowl of lemons was enticing. Because of the severe weather this winter on the East Coast, the cost of these beauties has skyrocketed. I've  seen the cost of one lemon as high as 80 cents this season. But a trip to the local vegetable market after the roads were cleared scored me eight lemons for $2.

Lemons are so versatile for use in both sweet and savory dishes that my options were vast--Marcella Hazan's fettucine with lemon cream sauce; risotto with lemon zest; Neiman Marcus' Zodiac Room's famous lemon bars; lemon ice cream; lemon martinis. This was going to be tough. Sweet won out though.

I have been experimenting of late with using olive oil in baked goods.  It seems to be the it thing among pastry chefs, and many recipes have been showing up on various sites online.  I have been baking pastry chef, Gina DePalma's,  Cinnamon Breakfast Toasts , which include olive oil, for quite some time with great success.  Also, I love her Torta di Mandorla.  But this was to be all about the citrus.

I came across a recipe for Lemon Olive Oil cake posted here which sounded great.

The cake went together quickly, and the batter smelled delicious.  Forty minutes later the cake was out of the oven and cooling.

Finally, the cake was ready for a taste test.

Unfortunately, the cake was not what I expected.  It was drier than I had anticipated and not as tender as it should have been. Perhaps I left it in the oven a couple of minutes too long or used an olive oil that was too heavy.

 I guess I'll just have to try again.  I know it's a tough job, but somebody has to do it.                              

The Lamplight Inn Bed and Breakfast

"Old friendships are like jewels, polished over time to become beautiful and enduring."

Celia Brayfield

I can't believe that The Lamplight Inn Bed and Breakfast is celebrating its 25th anniversary! It seems like yesterday that my best friend from high school and her husband took on this labor of love.

It was 1984 when Linda and her soon-to-be-husband, Gene Merlino, bought the 1890 Victorian home overlooking Lake Luzerne in New York's Adirondacks. They had a wonderful vision of turning this run-down home into a thriving bed and breakfast. Sounds romantic--but they had no illusions. They embarked on this adventure with eyes wide open and were ready for the work that lay ahead.

It wasn't long before each weekend they would leave their jobs in the textile industry to go to work on the house. Most weekends a group of friends and family accompanied them, and soon the renovation began to take shape. Sometime in October that year they found the time for a wedding, and they got married on our front porch surrounded by the people who loved them. Our old house was undergoing a renovation of sorts, too. So we were just glad that no one fell through the porch! The inn was opened for guests in September, 1985.

The Lamplight Inn is a beautifully restored home on ten acres of hills, white pines, and trails. The large wrap-around porch greets you before you walk into the great room which is divided into three seating areas. The sunporch dining room beckons you to sit awhile. There is a renovated caretaker's cottage on the grounds as well as a newly built carriage house. There is a room for everyone's taste here.

Linda and Gene quickly won over the community with their friendly manner and their genuine hospitality. They have became a mainstay of the community that they love. Gene is even the town supervisor. And let's not forget Valentino, the Inn's dog.

The inn is known far and wide for the wonderful breakfasts that Gene and Linda cook up. Each morning guests are greeted in the dining room with Linda's home made granola, muffins or coffee cakes and fresh fruit. These can be enjoyed along with your coffee while deciding what to order from the menu.

Every day besides eggs any-style and a variety of omelets, Gene offers a Special of the Day. There are often Belgian Waffles, Pancakes, Peach Crepes or Croissant French Toast--my favorite. After a breakfast like this you will be ready for hiking or biking or enjoying the lakes and beautiful views.

The Lamplight Inn is well-known for bridal and baby showers as well as their New Year's Eve Dessert Buffet and the very popular Mother's Day Breakfast Buffet.

This month in celebration of their 25th Anniversary, The Lamplight Inn is hosting "Evening In Tuscany" dinner on Saturday nights March 13, 20th and 27th. In a addition to soup, salad and dessert, Gene will create a pasta entree right in front of you in the dining room. Sounds like fun!

So to my dear friends, Linda and Gene--you did good! Happy Anniversary!

These muffins have been on the menu from the beginning. Enjoy.

Healthy Bran Muffins

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon cloves

1 cup low-fat milk

1 1/4 cups 100% bran cereal

1 egg

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 cup raisins, optional

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with vegetable oil.

Combine bran cereal and milk, and let sit for 5 minutes. Blend together dry ingredients.

Add egg and oil to bran mixture. Stir until well blended. Add dry ingredients, stirring until just combined. Stir in raisins, if using. Full muffin tins about 2/3 full. Bake 15 minutes until done.

Makes 12

Biscotti Anytime

Biscotti are my favorite cookies to bake. These Italian twice-baked cookies are as versatile as they are easy to make. They go perfectly with a cup of cappucino for breakfast or a mid-morning snack. They are a tasty complement to afternoon coffee, and they are perfect with dessert.

Many years back, when my son was young and we were experiencing a long snowy winter, I began my search for the perfect biscotti recipe. Through trial and error--and eating a lot of cookies--I came upon what I believe to be the perfect formula for me.

During my research I found  that most recipes I tried had about the same amounts of flour and sugar. But what seemed to vary the most was the amount of fat. The amount or lack of fat in a recipe seemed to considerably affect the texture, taste and the shelf life of the biscotti. Shelf-life was not something I needed to worry about because having an adolescent boy and his friends in the house rendered that concern moot. Of course, there are many traditional recipes for biscotti that do not use any fat. But the possibility of cracking a tooth on a too hard cookie did not appeal to me.

So I started to experiment. The amount of flour, sugar, baking powder and salt were pretty much a constant. I always used eggs but varied the amount of unsalted butter I used until the recipe produced a crisp but tender crumb. I have even made biscotti with olive oil with success; and with agave nectar with a little less success.

 

One of the fun things about making biscotti is that the variations and flavors are endless.  By changing a few ingredients--type of nuts, dried fruits, extracts, citrus zests, spices-- you can make an infinite variety of cookies. Don't be afraid to try savory ingredients, too. The biscotti take well to spicy and cheesy. And like making a risotto, once you learn the process, the sky's the limit.

The basic formula that continues to work for me for most of my recipes is 2 cups of flour, 3/4 cups sugar, 2 eggs, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 6 tablespoons unsalted butter.

After the dough is made and patted into logs, it goes into the oven for its first baking.

After approximately 30 minutes, the dough is removed from the oven and cooled on the baking sheet for about 15 minutes.

 The logs are cut on the diagonal with a sharp knife and returned to the oven for 10-15 minutes for the second baking to ensure crispness.

Cool biscotti completely on racks before storing.


 Why not try a batch of these delicious twice-baked cookies. You are sure to love them.

Spicy Orange Walnut Biscotti

Adapted from a recipe by EvanKleiman @kcrwevan

2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons citrus zest of your choice
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup walnuts, lightly toasted and chopped


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and black pepper.

With an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Add vanilla and citrus zest.

 Blend in the dry ingredients with the mixer on low speed, then stir in the nuts and mix until the dough just comes together. Do not over mix.

Halve dough, and with floured hands, form dough into two 12 inch by 2 inch logs.This dough is a bit sticky, so you may want to wet your hands instead of flouring them. Place logs about 3 inches apart on parchment or silpat lined baking sheet.  Place sheet on rack in middle of oven.  Bake for 30-35 minutes until firm to touch.

Remove from oven and let logs cool on baking sheet for 10-15 minutes. Slice each log slightly on the diagonal into approximately 12  3/4 inch pieces.  Place cut side down on baking sheet and return to oven for 10-15 minutes turning over once.

 Cool completely before storing in an airtight container or in the freezer.

It is easy to grab as few or as many as you need, and they are ready to eat by the time the coffee is poured.  Makes about 2 dozen.


Note: I have edited the original post for updating and clarity 2/6/2016