Life's a feast

Announcement! New Hotel, New Life, New Blog!

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie) — Mon, 19 Jan 2015 07:37:00 +0000

You have to make it happen.

- Denis Diderot

So, friends, it looks like my husband and I just bought a hotel.

A new hotel, a new life, a dream that we have been working hard to realize for many years, deserves a new blog, a brand spanking new Life’s a Feast! I have outgrown this blog space and have finally moved to a platform that will give me the room I need to write stories about the hotel, about our discoveries in this new place, new city, this new life, day to day, and our life in France, along with the recipes and my personal musings as I have always done. *

You will find the new Life’s a Feast at www.lifesafeast.net where you will also discover the enchanting hotel I now own with my husband (who will finally be revealed as well), an auberge de charme in the medieval town of Chinon.

I welcome you to follow this adventure along with me so make sure that you follow the new Life’s a Feast. Don’t forget to “like” the Life’s a Feast Facebook page for all new updates and information, and follow @lifesafeast on Twitter and Instagram for links, updates and photos!

Thank you for inspiring me all of these years since I began writing Life’s a Feast; it is your encouragement and friendship that has kept the blog alive! Now let the adventure continue!

As we open the doors to our new hotel, Ilva Beretta and I have already organized our first Plated Stories Food Photography & Food Writing Workshop/Retreat at the hotel in April! Find all the details and how to register at Plated Stories.

* (I have made the decision not to transfer the almost 7 years of blog posts to the new blog and am keeping this one alive for anyone – including me – who is searching for or wants to consult my recipes. So don’t forget to follow the new!)

Vanilla Rum Crème Brulée

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie) — Tue, 06 Jan 2015 15:19:00 +0000

PLAYING WITH FIRE

Once fire was discovered,

the instinct for improvement made men bring food to it.

- Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin

My husband offered me a kitchen torch for Hanukkah. Of course, the first things that popped into my head were crème brulée and Baked Alaska, an omelette à la norvégienne or Norwegian omelet, as the French call it. The Baked Alaska was, for the moment, out of the question as there was no ice cream in the house and husband and I just cannot agree on where to buy good quality ice cream. But I had a bounty of eggs in the refrigerator and I had long wanted to try my hand at crème brulée, no matter how nervous cooked creams make me. But, then, fire makes me nervous, too. But husband and I decided to face the fire together.

But where to start? Where I usually begin is by doing an extensive search for recipes, both online and in the cookbooks I have on hand, both in French and English. I started by going French; crème brulée is, after all, a French dessert. And I found what I often find: that recipes vary widely in quantities and proportions of ingredients, although I narrowed it down to recipes using only eggs, milk and cream, sugar and flavoring (believe it or not, some use gelatin or cornstarch). And I knew that I wanted to flavor my first crème brulée with vanilla and rum, as I did my panna cotta, my pastry cream-filled choux and my Saint Honoré. Vanilla and rum has become my fetish flavor combination!

After going through quite a number of recipes on blogs and websites, in French and English, I had narrowed it down to two and began fiddling with the quantities. And then it dawned on me: if I trusted anyone to only post an excellent and well-tested recipe, it would be my friend Jenni Field of Pastry Chef Online, a trained pastry chef and a thorough recipe tester; she also writes extremely careful and detailed recipes filled with added information and a generous helping of humor. I discovered that she did have a recipe for crème brulée and miracle of miracles, it matched in ingredients and quantities one of the two recipes I had chosen online to follow. Once again, I adjusted my recipe, threw in 2 vanilla bean pods and a few tablespoons of rum and the deal was done.

This recipe made a lot of single servings, 10 or 12, so next time I will cut the recipe in half, even though JP and I did succeed in eating every one. Jenni baked hers in a water bath while Meilleur du Chef did not; I baked the first batch in the water bath and it seemed to slow down the baking so I baked the second batch without, the ramekins just placed on a large baking tray. Both ways produced the same result without a huge difference in baking time. I also cut back on the sugar. Jenni uses all cream while Meilleur du Chef uses half cream, half milk, which is what I did although I only had lowfat on hand; it was delicious and wonderful even if it produced a slightly looser crème/custard than if whole milk had been used.

The crème brulée was astoundingly delicious and will definitely become a favorite treat; it is quite simple to make and the flavor variations are endless! It was creamy and smooth and of course nothing works with a cream dessert as well as that vanilla-rum combination. And since this was such a roaring success, I might even try my hand at Baked Alaska! Or maybe a Lemon Meringue Pie...

With the leftover egg whites, you should most definitely make my Angel Food Cake; the recipe is posted on Plated Stories White.

VANILLA RUM CRÈME BRULÉE
Adapted from recipes on Jenni Field’s Pastry Chef Online and the Meilleur du Chef website.

2 cups (½ liter) heavy or whole cream
2 cups (½ liter) whole or lowfat milk
9 – 10 large egg yolks
¾ cups (150 g) white granulated sugar
Pinch salt
1 ½ vanilla bean pods, split lengthwise and the beans scraped out
2 - 4 tablespoons amber rum

Place the cream and milk in a saucepan with the vanilla pods and the seeds that have been scraped from the pods. Heat the milk; when it begins to steam and comes just barely to the boil, remove the saucepan from the heat, cover the pot and allow the vanilla to steep in the milk for at least 30 minutes. Stir 2 tablespoons of the rum into the liquid.

Preheat the oven to 250°F (130°C) and have clean, single-serving ramekins lined up on a large baking sheet and ready to go. I baked six the first day, stored the remaining cream in the refrigerator and baked the second half dozen the following day.

After the 30 minutes steeping time, gently reheat the liquid back up just to the simmer and remove from the heat again. Then whisk the egg yolks, the sugar and a small pinch salt together vigorously in a large heatproof bowl; if whisking by hand and not in a stand mixer, you will want to place the bowl on a non-skid surface or a kitchen towel that has been shaped into a “nest” – you will be whisking the eggs vigorously with one hand while pouring the hot cream into the bowl with the other and you want the bowl to remain still and steady.

Pour the hot liquid ( the steeped cream and milk) through a strainer (to remove the vanilla pods) in a slow but steady stream into the egg yolks and sugar as you whisk; this will slowly warm the egg yolks without cooking them. Taste and add more rum if desired; I believe I added 4 tablespoons total.

Divide the liquid between the ramekins, filling each one almost to the rim. Bake in the preheated oven for about an hour – watch carefully starting about 45 minutes into the baking time as ramekin size and ovens risk making a difference in baking times. Mine took much longer the bake than Jenni’s. The custards or crèmes are done when they wobble gently when nudged and they are set all the way to the center.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill and firm up.

Before serving, remove the custards from the refrigerator and check for condensation; if there are spots of water on the surface, carefully blot the water off with a paper towel. Sprinkle a thin layer of brown or white granulated sugar evenly over the surface of the custard all the way to the edges. Making sure than your ramekins are on a safe surface that won’t burn or melt if the flame hits it (just in case), hold the flame of your torch a couple of inches from the custard, moving it in small circles to melt the sugar evenly, then brown it evenly. If your flame is too hot or too close to the custard, you'll end up burning the sugar, giving it a bitter flavor. Let the crèmes brulées sit for a minute or two for the caramel to harden into the characteristic crisp shell before serving.

Orange Chocolate Olive Oil Marble Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie) — Tue, 30 Dec 2014 10:59:00 +0000

TASTE OF THE MEDITERRANEAN

Time is a circus, always packing up and moving away.

- Ben Hecht

How many times in the past ten or fifteen years have I packed up our belongings into cartons and suitcases? I know that I am not the only one, far from it. But surrounded by cartons, rolls of tape, suitcases open and overflowing with clothing, stacks and stacks of books and mountains of pots and pans, I feel like I am. And I feel like I just did this yesterday. Packing and unpacking, only to pack everything up again. And wondering how in the world it will all fit in the boxes and suitcases that I have.

Well, I have about two weeks to pack before we head to the hotel for our training period, following the current, soon-to-be-former owners around, dogging their heels and stepping into their rhythm, the rhythm of hotel life. Just a bit terrifying, just a bit exciting, but mostly just surreal. Very surreal. I pinch myself as my husband makes phone call after phone call, appointment on top of appointment, as we go over the hotel budget again, calculate costs again, rework the calendar again.

But even as I pack up the tins and cake pans, I have time to bake a bit, fueled by the holiday spirit. One more Progressive Eats Virtual Meal for your (and our) delectation. This month’s hostess is Megan of Stetted and she selected the theme is Mediterranean! Sitting here in the our cozy apartment as I pack, in the dead of winter, I can’t but dream of being on a Mediterranean beach, sitting in a beachfront restaurant enjoying this meal with friends.

I was asked to bring dessert to the Mediterranean Progressive Eats Party and Mediterranean of course means North Africa and the Spanish, Italian and French coasts. Mediterranean also means oranges and olive oil. And so I concocted a simple yet scrumptious Orange Chocolate Marble Cake using a mix of butter for richness and olive oil for lightness, moistness and flavor. This recipe is so simple to make and so truly delicious to enjoy with friends or while taking a break from packing, a cake that can sweep me away to somewhere warm, comfortable and dreamy.

Life is uncertain. Eat dessert first.

- Ernestine Ulmer

Welcome to Progressive Eats, our virtual version of a progressive dinner party. This month's theme is Mediterranean Food and is hosted by Megan Myers who blogs at Stetted. Try something new for the New Year; a mix of appetizers, salads, main dish and desserts all featuring recipes with a Mediterranean look and feel.

If you're unfamiliar with the concept, a progressive dinner involves going from house to house, enjoying a different course at each location. With Progressive Eats, a theme is chosen each month, members share recipes suitable for a delicious meal or party, and you can hop from blog to blog to check them out.

Appetizers & Drinks
Greek Salad Skewers on Miss in the Kitchen
Herbed Labneh on Spice Roots
Hibiscus Rose Sharbat on Pastry Chef Online

Soups & Salads
Prosciutto and Pomegranate Salad on Creative Culinary
Avgolemono (Greek Lemon Chicken Soup) on The Heritage Cook

Main Course
Sumac Lamb Chops with Pomegranate Relish on Stetted

Sides & Bread
Whole Wheat Pita on Barbara Bakes
Spiced Chickpeas with Feta and Preserved Lemon on Healthy Delicious
Roasted Greek Lemon Cauliflower and Potatoes with Feta on Jeanette’s Healthy Living
Ricotta and Herb-Stuffed Eggplant on Never Enough Thyme

Desserts
Vassilopitta (New Year Wish Cake) on girlichef
Orange Chocolate Olive Oil Cake on Life’s a Feast

We are a core group of 12 bloggers, but we will always need substitutes and if there is enough interest would consider additional groups. To see our upcoming themes and how you can participate, please check out the schedule at Creative Culinary or contact Barb for more information.

ORANGE CHOCOLATE OLIVE OIL MARBLE CAKE

12 Tbs (3/4 cup / 175 g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1 1/8 cup (225 g) sugar
4 large eggs, preferably at room temperature
3 Tbs olive oil
1 ¾ cups (230 g) flour
2 tsps baking powder
Gently rounded ¼ tsp salt
2 Tbs milk
¼ tsp vanilla
2 Tbs unsweetened cocoa powder
Zest of 1 large orange
1 Tbs freshly squeezed orange juice

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Butter a standard loaf pan and fit a piece of parchment paper in the bottom.

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

Cream the softened butter and the sugar together in a large mixing bowl, beating with an electric mixer until blended, light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time then beat in the olive oil. Beat in the flour mix until blended, scraping down the sides.

Divide the batter evenly between two bowls – I did this by weighing the batter (about 880 g) and pouring out 440 g of it into a second bowl. Beat the milk, vanilla and cocoa powder into one portion of the batter; beat the orange zest and juice into the other portion of batter.

Spoon large dollops of each mixture into the prepared loaf pan. Drag a skewer or a long, sharp knife blade back and forth through the dough in swirls to create a marble pattern; do not over mix or swirl or you won’t see the pattern. Smooth the surface if necessary.

Bake the cake in the preheated oven for 55 - 60 minutes until the cake is set all the way to the center and just barely begins to pull away from the sides of the pan; I covered the top of the cake with a sheet of aluminum foil for the last five or ten minutes of the baking time to avoid overbrowning.

Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about ten minutes before loosening the cake by sliding a knife around the edged and turning it out, removing the parchment paper from the bottom and allowing it to cool, top side up, on a rack. If you like, prepare a ganache using orange-scented chocolate and cream to drizzle over the top.

Chocolate Chestnut Rum Bûche

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie) — Tue, 23 Dec 2014 06:20:00 +0000

GUESS WHO’S COMING TO DINNER?

The sincere friends of this world are as ship lights in the stormiest of nights.

- Giotto di Bondone

Forty-two years ago, a young man on the brink of adulthood, a young man just seventeen years old and soon having the heavy responsibility of choosing his future career, of selecting his university, stood in the hallway just outside the kitchen of his parents’ apartment in a working class suburb of Paris, unobserved by his mother and his French professor who were discussing him, speaking in undertones. A school theater group, with this professor as chaperon and theater director, had just returned to Paris after a summer trip to Corsica where they performed their play to the public and discovered the island, and the young man’s parents had invited the group in for lunch.

"You know, I’m worried about him,” his mother confessed to her son’s teacher. “How do we know he’ll make the right choices? And be successful?” The teacher, a Jesuit priest and a favorite teacher of the young man, who had joined the boy's mother in the kitchen to help dry the dishes, put down the cloth and looked at her. “You have absolutely nothing to worry about,” he said. “JP is a bright young man and I’m sure that whatever he chooses to do it will be something he is passionate about and he’ll be very successful at it!”

These words spoken by this much-loved, much-respected teacher meant the world to the young man. And he carried those words with him throughout his life; this brief conversation came back to him often, at each crossroads, each fork in the road. These words got him through thick and thin, hard times and doubts. Every time he made a decision, each time he chose to leave one job, one career behind and look for a new, he was comforted by those words, buffered up by the confidence of the man who spoke them, strengthened and bolstered up even when those immediately around him doubted or, worse, scorned.

Along the way, over the years, the young man, less young, more experienced and then a father and responsible for others, often wondered about this priest who had such an influence on him. This past month as he once again stood on the threshold of a new adventure, having made the decision to start all over again with a new profession in a new city, decided that it was finally time to track down that priest, that teacher. And thank him for that gift that he never knew he had given to a self-doubting young man all those years before.

A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.

- Henry Adams

Google search is quite the handiest thing when one has a crazy, overwhelming curiosity to delve back into one’s past and discover whatever became of old friends, classmates or teachers, work colleagues, childhood friends or foes. For better or worse (and don’t tell Santa; some of that curiosity is often quite naughty). Every now and then, my husband or I can be found in front of a laptop squinting hard at the screen, studiously scouring the hits and the images in an attempt to guess whether or not this is indeed the person we have been looking for. And this time, magic happened. He, that long ago young man now my husband, sat down and googled and found the trace of this teacher. And he sat down and penned a letter to him, explaining and thanking. He slipped the letter into an envelope but decided to check one more time if the address he had found was still the current address. He checked, he telephoned and what a holiday miracle. Father Michel was now living in Nantes! Ten minutes away.

And that is how we had a Jesuit Priest for dinner on the fifth night of Hanukkah. And what a joy. Charming, smart, funny and cool he was and the two of them former student and teacher, young man and mentor, caught up, sharing stories and gossip and news about other teaches and students they had known. We all had a great time. JP prepared a delicious fish and seafood choucroute, accompanied by a beurre blanc nantais that I prepared (my first!). And we ended the meal with this seasonal, festive Bûche de Noël.

CHOCOLATE CHESTNUT RUM BÛCHE DE NOËL

The Yule Log or Bûche de Noël is a delicious, sophisticated and impressive dessert for any occasion but I have put a twist on the traditional creamy concoction, usually overloaded with buttercream and too many flavors, by paring it down into something simple and elegant but just as scrumptious. Once you get the hang of working with the cake to create a flawless roll, the sky is the limit where flavors, fillings and décor go. If you prefer a vanilla cake, check out my Vanilla Bûche filled with Blueberry-Black Currant Jam and Mascarpone Whipped Cream.

For this Bûche, prepare the Chestnut Mascarpone Whipped Cream and the Rum Syrup the day before making the genoise/sponge and assembling the cake. I topped the cake with chopped candied chestnuts and drizzles of chocolate ganache thinned with 2 capfuls of amber rum.

For the Chestnut Mascarpone Whipped Cream Filling:
Scant 1 tsp powdered gelatin + 2 Tbs cold water
¾ cup (185/190 ml) heavy whipping cream
½ cup (125 g) mascarpone cheese
3 – 4 Tbs crème de marrons – sweetened vanilla chestnut cream

Place the gelatin in a small saucepan; add the 2 tablespoons cold water and let sit for 5 minutes to soften, swirling the pan gently to pull all the granules of gelatin into the liquid. Place the pan over a very low heat to warm the water and melt the gelatin – you want to heat the water for about 4 -5 minutes without allowing it to come to a boil or to boil away: allow the water to heat then, holding the pan just off of the flame/heat, swirling and whisking almost constantly, allow the bit of water to stay heated for long enough to allow the gelatin to melt. After 4 - 5 minutes, remove from the heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes or until barely tepid to the touch.

Beat the heavy cream in a chilled bowl until thick, soft peaks hold. Continue beating as you pour the gelatin water into the heavy cream in a very slow stream. Beat in the mascarpone about a tablespoon or two at a time. Add and beat in the chestnut cream; add a bit more if you want to accentuate and deepen the chestnut flavor.

Place in the refrigerator to chill for at least an hour to overnight to allow the gelatin to add body to the filling.

For the Rum Sugar Syrup:
Scant half cup (100 ml) water
Scant 3/8 cup (80 g) sugar
2 - 3 Tbs amber rum (the rum can be replaced with Cointreau, Grand Marnier, Kahlua, etc)

Place the water with the sugar in a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Let boil for 2 minutes then remove from the heat. Stir in the rum to taste. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

For the Chocolate Genoise/Sponge:
4 large eggs, separated, preferably at room temperature
Pinch salt + 2 drops lemon juice for the whites
½ cup (100 g) sugar
¼ tsp vanilla
½ cup + 1 ½ Tbs (80 g) flour
2 Tbs + 1 tsp (20 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
¼ tsp baking powder
Unsweetened cocoa powder and a sifter or sieve

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Very lightly butter a 15 ½ x 10 ½ x ¾ inch (40 x 27 x 2 cm) jellyroll pan and line with parchment paper. Have a clean dishtowel larger than the jellyroll pan as well as a large, clean flat baking sheet ready.

Separate the eggs, placing the yolks in large mixing bowl and the whites in a very clean medium-sized bowl (I prefer plastic). If you like, add a tiny pinch of salt and 2 drops lemon juice to the whites to help stabilize them. Add the sugar to the yolks and beat with an electric mixer on high until thick, creamy and pale, about 3 minutes. Beat in the vanilla.

Blend the flour, the cocoa powder and the baking powder together in a bowl.

Using very clean beaters, beat the whites until peaks hold and the meringue is dense. Fold the whites into the yolk/sugar mixture gently but firmly using a spatula, a third of the whites at a time, alternating with the flour, cocoa, baking powder mix (preferably sifted onto the batter to remove all lumps) in two or three additions. Do not over mix/fold but do make sure there are no more clumps of whites visible, no pockets of flour.

Spread the batter evenly in the parchment-lined jellyroll pan. Bake in the preheated oven for just 15 minutes or until lightly puffed, just set and the cake springs back when lightly pressed.

Remove from the oven. Immediately slide the parchment paper and cake together onto the second large flat baking sheet. Invert the warm jelly roll pan and place on top of the genoise and, holding both the jellyroll pan and the baking sheet firmly together, flip them over and remove the baking sheet; the top of the genoise is now face down while the parchment paper is up. Peel off the parchment paper. Dust a very light layer of cocoa powder all over the genoise and then place the clean dishtowel over the genoise. Once again place the clean baking sheet inverted on top of the dish towel-covered cake and, holding the baking sheet and the jelly roll pan firmly together, flip. Remove the jellyroll pan.

You should now have the warm genoise topside up, the cake on the clean dishtowel on the clean flat baking sheet. Dust the top of the genoise with a very light layer of cocoa powder and, starting on a short end of the cake, roll the genoise up – gently but as tightly as possible without crushing or breaking the cake - in the towel (the towel will be rolled up with the cake). Allow to cool completely.

Assemble the Bûche:

When the genoise is completely cool, carefully unroll and slide the cake off of the dishtowel and onto a clean sheet of parchment paper. Brush/Dab a good amount of Rum Sugar Syrup all over the cake’s surface, really allowing a good amount of it to soak into the cake; not only will this add flavor to the dessert but will moistened the sponge cake.

Once the cake is imbibed with the rum syrup, spread most of the Chestnut Mascarpone Whipped Cream evenly over the genoise almost, but not quite, to the edges of the cake; save about 4 or 5 tablespoons to use for piping a decorative swirl on the top of the roll. Starting at the short end of the genoise (the end rolled up first in the towel to cool), roll up the cake as tightly as possible without pressing or rolling so tightly that all of the cream oozes out. When completely rolled, scrape off any filling that has oozed out and add it back to the bowl with the extra filling. Using a sharp or serrated knife, cleanly trim off both ends of the roll or bûche (these can be eaten now). Very carefully, lift the bûche onto the serving platter, placing the seam side down, remove the parchment paper and gently shape the log so it is even from one end to the other.

Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill until just before serving time. The bûche can be made, assembled and chilled several hours or the day before serving; as it chills, the filling will continue to firm and the cake itself to moisten.

Just before serving, dust the entire surface of the roll lightly and evenly with cocoa powder or powdered/icing sugar, drizzle with chocolate rum ganache then pipe the rest of the cream on top and decorate as you like with fruit, colored sugar, crushed candy canes or chocolate curls. Or candy Christmas shapes. I used chopped candied chestnuts.

Nutella or Jam Brioche Flower Bread

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie) — Tue, 16 Dec 2014 11:24:00 +0000

BREAD AND JAM

“Why do you keep eating bread and jam,” asked Father,

“when you have a lovely egg?”

“I like bread and jam,” said France,

“because it does not slide off

your spoon in a funny way.”

- Russell Hoban, Bread and Jam for Frances

Sometimes I feel a bit like Frances, eating bread and jam as much and as often as I do. Breakfast is always two oblong pains au lait, brioche buns, smeared with cherry jam. Every single day. While there is often cake on the kitchen counter and cookies galore in the pantry, when snack time rolls around (mid-morning, mid-afternoon, just before a workout), I find the jam and grab either the loaf of bread or baguette, the box of biscottes, or a slice of matzoh, heat up a café au lait and go to town. When out of town staying in a hotel, the basket of croissants and chunks of baguette are placed between us, and don’t we all feel that a croissant is the most luxurious breakfast treat? Well, I offer my croissant to husband, split the hunk of baguette in two, spread it with jelly or jam (cherry, orange) and start my day with bread and jam.

So of course when this month’s Bread Baking Babe hostess Cathy of Bread Baking Experience, a formidable bread baker and fount of baking wisdom and knowledge, selected a Nutella Brioche Flower for December’s bread challenge, I knew that the Nutella just had to be replaced with jam. And I still had half a jar of the incredibly scrumptious Blueberry-Black Currant jam leftover from my Bûche de Noël and I knew it would be perfect.

This is truly a super festive bread, so well-chosen for December’s challenge, for both Hanukkah and Christmas. Flower or holiday wreath? It is such a lovely, enjoyable (yes, really) dough to make and so easy and fun (yes, really) to work with and shape into a flower (wreath?) – just watch the video! And husband and I couldn’t eat it fast enough, it was so good. The brioche bakes up light, fluffy and barely sweet, the perfect brioche, and the jam was just perfect, like brioche and jam! But I would say that, wouldn’t I? I am rather like Frances.

If you love playing with your food, if you love having a wonderful coffee cake on the kitchen table for family and holiday guests, then bake Cathy’s Brioche Flower, spread with your favorite filling, whether Nutella, jam or even cinnamon-sugar (my next). If you bake it before the end of December, contact Cathy and you can be included in the Bread Baking Buddies roundup (and earn your Buddy Badge)! Happy Holidays!

And do visit my fellow Bread Baking Babes to see how beautiful their Nutella Brioche Flowers turned out – and you may very well pick up excellent tips and advice on perfecting this recipe (many are experts in all things bread):

Bake My Day – Karen
Thyme for Cooking – Katie (Bread Baking Babe Bibliothécaire)
blog from OUR kitchen – Elizabeth
Feeding My Enthusiasms – Elle
girlichef – Heather
Lucullian Delights - Ilva
Living in the Kitchen with Puppies – Natashya
My Kitchen In Half Cups – Tanna
Notitie Van Lien – Lien
My Diverse Kitchen - Aparna
Bread Experience – Cathy

I’ll be sharing this with Susan of Wild Yeast for her weekly Yeastspotting!!

NUTELLA OR JAM BRIOCHE FLOWER BREAD
Makes: 1 large Nutella Brioche Flower

For the sponge:
½ cup (2.25 oz/65 g) bread flour or all-purpose
1 ¼ tsps (5 g) instant yeast
½ cup (4 oz/125 ml) whole milk, lukewarm/tepid

For the dough:
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
3 cups (13.75 oz/390 g) all-purpose flour
3 Tbs sugar
1 ¼ tsps salt
½ cup (4 oz/114 g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled to warm
1-2 teaspoons milk, if necessary to form a smooth dough

For the filling and glaze:
Nutella or similar hazelnut chocolate paste, jam or jelly, cinnamon-sugar, etc
1 Tbs milk + 1 tablespoon water for glaze
Icing (confectioner's/powdered) sugar for dusting

Prepare the sponge: stir together the flour and yeast in a large bowl (or the bowl of your stand mixer). Pour in the warm milk and whisk the ingredients together until all of the flour is hydrated. Cover with plastic wrap and let it ferment for 30 - 45 minutes, or until the sponge rises and falls when you tap the bowl.

Prepare the dough: add the eggs to the sponge and whisk (or beat on medium speed with the paddle attachment) until smooth. In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, and salt. Add this mixture to the sponge and eggs and stir (or continue mixing with the paddle on low speed for about 2 minutes) until all of the ingredients are thoroughly incorporated. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes to begin to develop the gluten. Then mix in the melted butter by hand, using a wooden spoon or Danish dough whisk or with the mixer on medium speed using the dough hook. Add in a couple of teaspoons of milk if the dough is too dry. (my note: the dough was too dry once I added the dry ingredients so I went ahead and added the warm, melted butter, stirred until blended and smooth and then let it rest for 5 minutes).

Transfer the dough to the work surface and knead for about 8 - 10 minutes until the dough is soft and smooth. It shouldn't be too sticky too handle. Form the dough into a ball and place it in a clean bowl (it doesn't need to be oiled; the butter should keep the dough from sticking to the bowl), covering the bowl with plastic wrap and a clean kitchen towel. Let the dough ferment and rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours, or until doubled in size.

Meanwhile, cut out a circle of baking or greaseproof paper about 30 cm (12″) in diameter. Place the paper on a baking sheet (my note: my parchment is not 30 cm/12” wide but it didn’t matter).

Shape the flower: once risen, turn the dough out onto your work surface, knock it back knead for 3 - 4 minutes. Divide the dough into 4 even pieces and form each piece into a ball.

Working one ball of dough, roll the dough out into a circle measuring about 25 cm (10″) in diameter. The dough should be about 3-4 mm (1/8″) thick.

Place the dough onto the baking paper (gently reshape or roll back into shape and size just as needed) and spread on a layer of Nutella, jam or filling, leaving a small gap (1/2”/1 cm) around the edge. Don’t make the layer too thick but be sure to evenly cover the dough.

Roll out a second ball of dough, place it on the first layer (evening it out) and spread with Nutella. Repeat with the third and fourth balls of dough but do NOT spread Nutella, jam or filling on the final layer.

To shape the dough into a flower, watch this excellent video on The Bread Kitchen… this will make it super clear and easy): Cut the brioche into 16 segments but leave a small (3 cm/1½”) area in the centre of the dough uncut (my note: I took a 3 cm round biscuit cutter and gently pressed in the center to leave the barest of indentations which helped me stop cutting at the same distance from the center, evenly all the way around).

Take a pair of adjacent segments. Lift and twist them away from each other through 180°. Lift and twist through 180° again, then twist through 90° so that the ends are vertical. Press the edges together firmly. Repeat this process for all pairs of segments.

Place the brioche in a large plastic bag or cover with lightly oiled film. Leave in a warm place to prove/rise for 1 - 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 180°C (360°F) for a conventional oven or 160°C (320°C) with the fan.

Once risen, remove the plastic wrap and once again firmly press each point (and fold over each point onto itself) to seal well. Make the glaze by putting the milk + water in a cup then delicately brushing the dough with the glaze. Bake the Brioche Flower for 20 – 25 minutes (my note: I baked mine for closer to 30 minutes at 180°C / 360°F while Cathy indicated that she baked hers at 190°C / 375°F. for 15 minutes, then turned it down to 350°F and baked it another 5 minutes or so.) until risen and the glazed-brushed areas of the bread are a deep golden brown.

Place the bread on a wire rack to cool. Once cooled, dust lightly with icing sugar and serve.

Next Brioche Flower I make, I will be more generous with my filling!

Cake Roll - Bûche de Noël

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie) — Tue, 09 Dec 2014 15:41:00 +0000

BEAUTY AND MERIT

Beauties in vain their pretty eyes may roll;

charms strike the sight, but merit wins the soul.

- Alexander Pope

With Christmas approaching rather quickly, I have been thinking about bûches de noël, the traditional Yule log cake served on all French tables at the holidays. While bakeries and pastry shops are already filling their glass cakes with bûches of all sorts, genoise filled with buttercream, layers of dacquoise, crispy feuilletine, mousse and bavaroise, or even ice cream bûches glistening under a cloak of gelée, I am considering making my own. Creating a büche is quite simple and rather fun for the flavor variations, the range of possibilities is endless, making for a very personal and personalized treat. And very festive!

I have made cake rolls many times, chocolate cake rolled around whipped cream and coffee pastry cream for birthdays, vanilla cake rolled up tightly with buttercream to make a filled charlotte, and of course bûches these past two years, one a vanilla genoise dabbed with rum syrup and filled with chestnut mascarpone cream frosted with chocolate mascarpone frosting, the other imbibed with Cointreau syrup, filled and topped with chocolate buttercream and chocolate chestnut mascarpone creams.

As my friend Debra of Smith Bites contacted me with questions, wanting to make her own very first bûche de noël, a gluten-free version of my own recipe, I got the cake roll bug. I wanted it to be rather simple as it would just make its appearance on my table as an everyday, after dinner dessert or mid-afternoon snack.

The bûche de noël, or Yule log, has a history older than the Christmas tree in France, possible coming from pagan Solstice celebration rituals. While the family was away at Christmas Mass, a giant log would be dragged into the house and placed in the chimney where it would be burning upon the family’s return, welcoming and warming them. The family would gather round the burning log for their holiday meal, sing songs and celebrate. The log was to come from an old fruit tree and must be so large that it would burn for at least three days or longer; it was often blessed, the ashes later to be spread around the house, stables and barn, bringing health, luck and prosperity to the family and friends gathered round.

When the Yule cake was first created isn’t clear, whether the 18th or 19th century, whether in Paris, Lyon, Provence or Monaco, there being conflicting stories, but we can all agree that the cake was created to replace the true Yule log as the one custom disappeared, replaced by another albeit symbolic. And certainly enticing and spectacular! Traditionally a genoise rolled up with a rich buttercream, I usually follow my own family’s desires and tastes when choosing each element, more complicated and impressive for the holiday celebrations, simpler for an everyday treat.

Today’s was easy: I had a jar of wild blueberry and blackcurrant jam and half a tub of mascarpone that had been purchased for my Saint Honoré. JP requested no chocolate and so my Cake Roll, my bûche, was created.

Give yourself time to prepare this dessert; each part is quite simple but the cream needs time to chill and set and the cake needs to cool completely before assembling. The separate elements can be made the day before assembling and serving, can be made and assembled early in the day, chilled, then served in the evening, or made and assembled the day before serving, leaving it in the refrigerator overnight. Easy, right?

CAKE ROLL OR BÛCHE

1 genoise or sponge cake baked in a jelly roll pan
Mascarpone Whipped Cream
About 6.5 oz (185 g) jam or jelly of your choice
Powdered/Icing sugar and decor

For the Mascarpone Whipped Cream:
½ tsp powdered unflavored gelatin + 2 Tbs cold water
½ cup (125 ml) chilled heavy whipping cream
½ cup (125 g) fresh mascarpone cheese
¼ tsp vanilla
Powdered or icing sugar to taste

Place the 2 tablespoons cold water in a small saucepan; sprinkle the gelatin over the surface of the water and let sit for 5 minutes to soften. Place the pan over a very low heat to warm the water and melt the gelatin – you want to heat the water for about 5 minutes without allowing it to come to a boil or to boil away: allow the water to heat then, holding the pan just off of the flame/heat, swirling and whisking almost constantly, allow the bit of water to stay heated for long enough to allow the gelatin to melt. After 4 - 5 minutes, remove from the heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes or until barely tepid to the touch.

Beat the heavy cream in a chilled bowl until thick, soft peaks hold. Continue beating as you pour the gelatin water into the heavy cream in a very slow stream. Beat in the mascarpone and the vanilla. Add and beat in enough powdered or icing sugar to taste; as the jelly or jam is sweet, I usually only very lightly sweeten the cream. If you like, you can also beat in one or two petites suisses or a couple tablespoons of cream cheese if you like a slightly cheesecake flavor.

Place in the refrigerator to chill for at least an hour to overnight to allow the gelatin to add body to the filling.

For the Genoise:
This is a magnificent genoise for any jelly roll cake any time of the year. Simple to make.

4 large eggs, separated
½ cup (100 g) sugar
½ tsp vanilla
4/5 cup (100 g) flour
Powdered/confectioner’s sugar and a sifter or sieve

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 15 ½ x 10 ½ x ¾ inch (40 x 27 x 2 cm) jelly roll pan with parchment paper. Have a clean dishtowel larger than the jelly roll pan as well as a large, clean flat baking sheet ready.

Separate the eggs, placing the yolks in large mixing bowl and the whites in a very clean medium-sized bowl (I prefer plastic). If you like, add a tiny pinch of salt and 2 drops lemon juice to the whites to help stabilize them. Add the sugar to the yolks and beat with an electric mixer on high until thick, creamy and pale, about 3 minutes. Beat in the vanilla.

Using very clean beaters, beat the whites until peaks hold and the meringue is dense. Fold the whites into the yolk/sugar mixture gently but firmly using a spatula, a third of the whites at a time, alternating with the flour (preferably sifted into the bowl) in two or three additions. Do not over mix/fold but do make sure there are no more clumps of whites visible, no pockets of flour.

Spread the batter evenly in the parchment-lined jelly roll pan. Bake in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes or until puffed, golden and the cake springs back when lightly pressed.

Remove from the oven. Immediately slide the parchment paper and cake together onto the second large flat baking sheet. Invert the warm jelly roll pan and place on top of the genoise and, holding both the jellyroll pan and the baking sheet firmly together, flip them over and remove the baking sheet; the top of the genoise is now face down while the parchment paper is up. Peel off the parchment paper. Dust a light layer of powdered sugar all over the genoise and then place the clean dishtowel over the genoise. Once again place the clean baking sheet inverted on top of the dish towel-covered cake and, holding the baking sheet and the jelly roll pan firmly together, flip. Remove the jelly roll pan.

You should now have the warm genoise topside up on the clean dishtowel on the clean flat baking sheet. Dust the top of the genoise with a light layer of powder sugar and, starting on a short end of the cake, roll the genoise up – gently but as tightly as possible without crushing or breaking the cake - in the towel (the towel will be rolled up with the cake). Allow to cool completely.

Assemble the Jelly Roll or Bûche:
When the genoise is completely cool, carefully unroll and slide off the dishtowel and onto a clean sheet of parchment paper or work surface. Spread jelly evenly over the entire surface of the cake, then spread the Mascarpone Whipped Cream evenly over the genoise; save about 3 or 4 tablespoons to use for piping a decorative swirl on the top of the roll. Starting at the short end of the genoise (the end rolled up first in the towel to cool), roll up the cake as tightly as possible without pressing or rolling so tightly that all of the cream oozes out. When completely rolled, scrape off any filling that has oozed out. Using a sharp or serrated knife, cleanly trim off both ends of the roll or bûche (these can be eaten now). Very carefully, lift the bûche onto the serving platter, placing the seam side down, remove the parchment paper and gently shape the log so it is even from one end to the other.

Cover the bûche and the platter with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for several hours or overnight to allow the filling to firm up. Just before serving, dust the entire surface of the roll lightly and evenly with powdered/icing sugar, pipe the rest of the cream on top and decorate as you like with fruit, colored sugar or chocolate curls.

Cocoa Molasses Chew Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie) — Tue, 02 Dec 2014 16:22:00 +0000

SPICED

In seedtime learn, in harvest teach, in winter enjoy.

- William Blake

As things cool down outside, things are heating up within. I stepped out to walk the dog just yesterday and it was if Old Man Winter had arrived sometime during the night, sneaking into town on a whip of Arctic wind, the scarlet and silver shimmer of the holiday lights illuminating his way through the streets of Nantes. He seems to have drawn his cloak of burnished pewter over the entire city, casting a mysterious glow that bodes snow. Yet even as rumor finds its way to me, whispering of snow just a few hours away in Paris, we must settle for a kind of odd brume, the same one that arrives every winter content to mock my wishes for white yet bringing only mist.

Inside, I bake.

Three meetings with bankers and loan officers, then two and now a final two this week and we seem to be pulling each one into a haze of intrigue. They each have studied the three-inch thick dossier put together by our broker and each has decided to meet us, interview us to see if we are authentic, to see if we can indeed eloquently explain our unusual career paths and life choices and elucidate just how these atypical professional pathways will make us the best hotel keepers and managers. Unravel the mystery that is us and our life.

The French are a bewildered by the atypical and the unusual.

But now we are off and running. We are working on the company project with our lawyer and looking at how to make the website into our image. We are beginning to think about the move as we study up on the region. And drink their wines.

While I relish our warm months, winter forms our character and brings out our best.

- Tom Allen

You know that I have been back to baking a bit more frequently than I had been. I do think it is the cold, damp, gray weather than urges me into the kitchen, coaxes me to heat up the oven and bake. The light filters into the house making one o'clock feel several hours later but somehow so cozy. And winter has a way of making me want to pull out molasses, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger, those ingredients that add warmth, an earthy comfort to baked goods. One of my favorite's are my Chocolate Gingerbread Macarons, a confection that proved to me that chocolate and gingerbread spices go so beautifully, deliciously together; both accentuating and balancing the other. I have also been craving my Molasses Chew Cookies and have been thinking that just maybe adding cocoa into the mix would gently mute the odd molasses flavor – which I love but which some most definitely do not – while adding a hint of chocolate, neither flavor too pronounced, neither hidden.

And so I did. I omitted the ginger and cut back just slightly on the cinnamon so it wouldn't overpower the cocoa. I then replaced some of the flour with cocoa powder. And baked. And ate.

And these might just now be my favorite holiday cookies, or at least finding themselves a close second to the original Molasses Chews. And seeing how simple they are to make and bake and how beautiful they turn out, they will definitely find their way onto your own holiday cookie platter.

Winter is a season of recovery and preparation.

- Paul Theroux

These should all be on your holiday cookie platter:

Chocolate Gingerbread Macarons

Original Molasses Chews

Cocoa Molasses Chews

COCOA MOLASSES CHEW COOKIES
Makes about 18 – 20 cookies

12 Tbs (175 g) unsalted butter
1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
¼ cup (65 ml) molasses or treacle
1 large egg
1 ½ cup (190 g) flour
¼ cup (25 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
Gently rounded ½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp salt
½ tsp baking soda

Melt the butter, sugar and molasses in a small saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth, stirring to keep the sugar from burning and the whole homogenous. Remove from the heat and allow to cool a bit.

Stir the flour, cocoa powder, spices, salt and baking soda together. In a large mixing bowl, lightly beat the egg then, continuing to beat with a wooden spoon or whisk, gradually add the warm butter/sugar/molasses mixture in a slow, steady stream, whisking until smooth. Add the flour/spice mixture to the liquid mixture and stir together until blended and smooth. The batter will be wet.

Allow the batter to sit for about half an hour or so to thicken a bit.

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).

Drop tablespoons of the batter onto a baking sheet leaving 1 - 2 inches between each mound to allow for spreading. Bake each batch for 10 - 12 minutes until puffed and beginning to darken; they will appear set but will still be soft. Remove from the oven and allow to rest on the cookie sheets for about 30 seconds to 1 minute to firm up slightly before carefully sliding a spatula under each cookie and lifting off. Allow to cool completely on cooling racks.

Vanilla-Rum & Chocolate-Chestnut Saint Honoré

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie) — Tue, 25 Nov 2014 09:38:00 +0000

SO MUCH TO CELEBRATE

No party is any fun unless seasoned with folly.

- Desiderius Erasmus

Celebration season is swiftly approaching… Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, New Year's Eve, my birthday and the purchase of a hotel. I've long been contemplating upping my pastry game and holiday season just seemed to be the time to do it.

As many of you know, my older son never seems to have the time to drop by and eat what I bake. And he often eschews dessert when he does come over for a meal. Younger son has no sweet tooth, none at all, and if he desires something for dessert it is always the same thing, a simple chocolate cake, pan of brownies or stack of chocolate chip cookies. Anything he considers exotic or different he simply turns his back on. And husband and I? Well, we should most definitely be eschewing the creamy, chocolaty, caloric treats for, well, fruit. Shouldn't we? So I end up making simple, plain goodies, like fruit crumbles or sponge cakes.

But it is celebration season, isn't it? No time like the present to forget the House Rules and create a little folly around here. I have long been wanting to up my pastry game and all the joy and excitement in the house has inspired me. November will quickly melt into December, Hanukkah and Christmas. Then a New Year's fête! And January will be here before we can say "Jack frost nipping at your nose" and I'll be turning 55 and we'll be buying a beautiful hotel. So in the spirit of the season and all there is to celebrate, I pulled out all the stops and made a Saint Honoré. My style.

My good friend and talented pastry chef Jenni Field of Jenni Field's Pastry Chef Online is hosting this month's Progressive Eats Virtual Party and in view of the season, she asked each of us to bring Great Holiday Desserts! How's that for a party theme?

I am thankful for the mess to clean after a party

because it means I have been surrounded by friends.

- Nancie J. Carmody

Welcome to another edition of Progressive Eats! Reminiscent of days past when friends would get together for a meal and move from location to location for different courses, we, a group of 12 bloggers, come together once a month around a theme and create a complete meal – from appetizers and soup to a main dish with sides followed by desserts, offering drinks or breads on occasion. We share from-scratch recipes suitable for a delicious meal or party, and you can hop from blog to blog to check them out and use them to create your own dinner or party.

What did I bring for this celebration? A Saint Honoré. Named after the French patron saint of bakers and pastry chefs, Saint Honoré or Honoratus (d. 600 AD), bishop of Amiens, the Saint Honoré is a stunning pastry of cream-filled, caramel-dipped choux sitting on a puff pastry base and traditionally filled or topped with crème chibouste and whipped cream. Definitely worthy of a patron saint! Of course I had to change it up, personalize it with my own flavors and style.

Puff pastry and choux, of course, for a Saint Honoré… it just isn't one without these two basics. Vanilla Rum Pastry Cream. Heaven! And I so wanted to enter into the Autumn dance with crème de marrons, sweetened vanilla chestnut cream but wanted to cut the sweetness and add a dash of chocolate so I whisked in a bit of chocolate ganache which I made to replace the traditional caramel for topping the choux, which also gave body to the chestnut cream. Then simple, lightly sweetened whipped cream thickened with mascarpone topped the whole.

Splendid.

This month is a desserts-only extravaganza just in time to inspire you for the upcoming holidays. Just visit each blog, grab the recipes and you are ready to celebrate!

Coffee Pecan Tart from Jenni on Jenni Field's Pastry Chef Online

Brown Sugar Pumpkin Cheesecake with Bourbon and Caramel Sauce from Barb on Creative Culinary

Chocolate Peppermint Ice Cream Cake Roll from Barbara on Barbara Bakes

Nutella-Stuffed Oatmeal Cookies (Gluten Free) from Lauren on Healthy Delicious

Mini Mascarpone Cheesecakes from Liz on That Skinny Chick Can Bake

Warm Apple Buttermilk Custard Crisp from Jeanette on Jeanette's Healthy Living

Individual Raspberry Mascarpone Tarts (Gluten Free) from Jane on The Heritage Cook

Bourbon Cajeta Apple Butter Goat Cheese Cheesecake from Megan on Stetted

Orange and Ginger Dark Chocolate Bark from Julie on Savvy Eat

Mini Pomegranate Ganache Tarts from Milisa on Miss in the Kitchen

Pecan Tassies from Lana on Never Enough Thyme

JAMIE'S SAINT HONORÉ

This recipe seems complicated, but taken step-by-step it is rather simple and quite fun to make. I've made it a bit easier by using store-bought puff pastry and making the chocolate ganache and the pastry cream the day before. That only leaves making the choux – which is easier than you think – and assembling it all the day you want to serve it. And it is worth every effort. You can easily change the flavor of the pastry cream and replace the layer of chocolate chestnut cream by something else… or nothing at all.

Puff Pastry for one 8- or 8 ½ - inch (about 22 cm) very thin (less than but no more than 1/8-inch/ 2-3 mm thick) round

Choux pastry dough (find the recipe HERE)

Vanilla Rum Pastry Cream (find the recipe HERE)

Chocolate Ganache (using 52° or 64° cacao prepared with 3.53 oz (100 g) chocolate to ½ cup (125 ml) heavy cream, recipe below

3 – 4 Tbs crème de marrons – sweetened vanilla chestnut cream

1 cup (250 ml) heavy whipping cream, well chilled
An 8 oz (250 g) container mascarpone cheese, well chilled
Powdered sugar, about 3 TBS or more to taste

Prepare the Pastry Cream and Ganache:

Prepare the Vanilla Rum Pastry Cream (you can eliminate the rum if you choose) according to the directions found HERE). Place in the refrigerator covered in plastic wrap, the plastic pressed down to the surface of the pastry cream to keep a skin from forming) and allow to cool completely. This can be done the day before assembling the dessert.

Prepare the Chocolate Ganache by chopping 3.53 oz (100 g) chocolate and placing it in a heatproof bowl. Bring ½ cup (125 ml) heavy cream just to a boil and pour over the chopped chocolate. Allow to sit for about a minute then stir until all of the chocolate is melted and the ganache is smooth. Allow to cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally, and then reserve in the refrigerator. The ganache will firm up as it cools.

Prepare and the different elements of the Saint Honoré:

Roll out the puff pastry to a 8- or 8 ½ - inch (about 22 cm) circle and to a thickness of no more than 1/8-inch/ 2-3 mm. Place on a lightly buttered baking sheet.

Prepare the Choux Pastry Dough according to the directions found HERE.

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

When the choux dough has cooled to room temperature, place the dough in a pastry bag with a round tip opening of about ½ - ¾ inch. Pipe a ring of choux dough around the edge of the puff pastry circle then pipe a spiral of dough in the center. Dust the whole with about a tablespoon or so of granulated sugar. Bake in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes or until the choux dough is puffed and golden and the bottom of the circle is golden as well. Remove from the oven and cool on a rack.

On a clean but lightly buttered baking sheet, pipe out the rest of the choux dough into mounds of about 1 – 1 ¼ -inch (2 ½ - 3 cm) in diameter, leaving space between the dough for the rounds to puff up and expand. Bake until puffed and a deep golden color, about 20 – 25 minutes depending upon the size. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on racks.

Draw circles onto a piece of parchment paper then flip the parchment over on your baking sheet (pencil lead side down) and you'll have an easier time piping regular circle of choux dough.

Stir about 2 teaspoons of the chocolate ganache into about 3 or 4 tablespoons of the chestnut cream. Taste and add more ganache until desired flavor balance and consistency. Chill until ready to ready to assemble the Saint Honoré.

Fill 11 choux puffs with Vanilla Rum Pastry Cream; place on a clean baking sheet, plate or tray. Dip the top of each filled choux in the chocolate ganache, touching up with a knife or palette knife until the top half of each choux is lightly coated in ganache and it is smooth with no holes apparent. Place back on the tray or plate and refrigerate until ready to assemble the Saint Honoré.

Assemble the Saint Honoré:

Pipe and spread a layer of the remaining Vanilla Rum Pastry Cream evenly over the surface of the Saint Honoré puff pastry base, coming up to but not covering the choux ring around the edge. Spread the chocolate chestnut cream on top of this layer of pastry cream. Dab a bit of chocolate ganache on the bottom of 10 of the filled and ganache-topped choux and arrange them around the border of the base spacing them evenly, "gluing" each choux down with the dab of ganache. Chill for a few minutes in the fridge to set the ganache.

Pour the cup of heavy whipping in a medium-sized mixing bowl, preferably chilled. Beat on high speed until thickened and peaks hold. Beat in about half of the mascarpone, a couple of tablespoons at a time; the whipped mixture should be smooth and very thick. Beat in a tablespoon or two of powdered sugar at a time until desired sweetness (it should be only lightly sweetened so as to balance out but not overpower the pastry and chestnut creams. Scoop the whipped mascarpone cream into a pastry bag with Saint Honoré tip. Pipe the cream on top of the creams on the base, filling the space between the ring of choux piping out to fill up the spaces between the choux themselves. Place the 11th filled and topped choux in the center. Decorate as desired and serve.

Store any leftover Saint Honoré in the refrigerator.

Vanilla or Chocolate Sponge Cake with Cherries

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie) — Fri, 14 Nov 2014 10:46:00 +0000

IN OUT OF THE RAIN

Don't threaten me with love, baby.

Let's just go walking in the rain.

- Billie Holiday

Autumn has arrived in full force; great swathes of leaves tinged gold and russet lie matted and forlorn in the gutters and gathered round the trees. Like mud. Autumn is ushered in with rain and smoky skies the color of dull pearls and I am saddened to think that we will never get snow, not in this part of the world. I turned my back and the city was dressed for Christmas, absent for two short days and the city was awash with cherry pickers and men in neon yellow vests and hard hats hooking holiday lights on every lamppost, swags of lights strung between buildings like clothes drying in the wind. But the gray rain-sodden days and my moody soul are not even brightened by the glittery lights, as they will not likely be turned on for at least another month. So we huddle inside and wait for news about the hotel and this weather, the changing season, makes me want to bake.

Early morning, Nantes.

I have had blueberries on my mind. I love the tiny little wild blueberries sold frozen and I always (or so I thought) keep a bag in my freezer, ready to toss a handful into lemony quick breads or bake into perfect blueberry muffins, delicate and cakelike and topped with streusel, in a fruit crisp or a mixed fruit crumble, winter like summer. But the freezer was bare save for a frosty bag of broccoli flowerets, dry ice for the picnic cooler, and sacks of French fries for those emergency scrambled eggs-and-french-fries dinners. No blueberries in the depths of our freezer. I grabbed husband and we headed for our morning marketing, oranges and tomatoes, fresh pasta and a round of goat cheese, and I dragged him into our favorite frozen food store across the street for blueberries. And no blueberries! Out of blueberries! Frozen cherries? I asked. His face broke into a smile and he said, nodding his head; "I like cherries much more than blueberries!"

So that pound cake punctuated with indigo became a light and airy sponge cake dotted with red. Cherries. Now, my first try was the vanilla sponge into which I tossed the cherries frozen. The cake took forever to bake but did finally bake up perfectly! With the cherries sunk to the bottom. Second try? Chocolate sponge layered with defrosted and drained cherries tossed lightly in flour.

Vanilla Sponge followed by Chocolate Sponge.

So while we bide our time until next week's meetings with bank loan officers (keep your fingers crossed) we sit snuggled in the cozy apartment listening to the rain tap against the window sills, waiting for the occasional burst of sunshine, and study the history of our new region, the wines and local recipes. And move ahead with our projects.

CHOCOLATE OR VANILLA SPONGE CAKE WITH CHERRIES

For best results, defrost the cherries in a fine strainer or sieve over a bowl the day before you plan on baking the cake. Just before tossing the cherries in flour and adding to the cake batter, gently press down on the fruit to release as much liquid/juice as possible without squeezing them. If you like, pat them gently between layers of paper towels. Save the juice for another purpose such as adding to a sweet and sour sauce, a panna cotta or pudding, a cake batter….

Pay very close attention to baking time; my sponge without the fruit used to bake for closer to 1 hour; with the cherries and in my new oven which bakes very slow, the cake now bakes for close to 1 hour 20 minutes.

1 ¼ cups (162 g) flour
¼ cup (25 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
6 eggs, separated
1 ¼ cups (150 g) sugar
½ cup (140 ml) cold water
2 tsps vanilla
About 2 cups frozen cherries

Please read the notes above the list of ingredients for best results.

Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C). You will need a 10-inch ungreased tube pan with a removal bottom/center.

Blend the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in a small bowl.

Separate the eggs. Place the whites in a mixing bowl (plastic is better than glass for beating whites) with either ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar or, as I do, a few grains of salt and 1 or 2 drops of lemon juice. Either will stabilize your whites. Set aside.

Put the yolks in a very large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric beater on high speed for a few minutes until they begin to thicken and become paler yellow. Add the sugar gradually and continue beating for another couple of minutes until doubled in volume, thick, creamy and pale.

Add the dry ingredients to the yolk/sugar mixture in three additions, alternating with the cold water and vanilla in two, beginning and ending with the dry, beating after each addition until blended, scraping down the sides as necessary.

Using very clean beaters, beat the whites on low speed for about 30 seconds, then increase speed to high and beat until stiff peaks hold and the whites are thick and dense.

Delicately fold the whites into the cake batter: begin by folding in about a third of the whites in order to lighten the heavy batter so as not to “break” the whites (knock out the air). Then fold in another third, then the final third. Don’t overdo it or, again, you will knock out too much air.

Gently press the excess juice out of the drained cherries and drop half of the fruit, separating the cherries, into a wide dish or bowl. Dust with a pinch or two of flour, lightly toss to coat the cherries thinly with the flour and drop them on top of the batter in the pan, spreading them out. Pour another third of the batter into the tube pan over this layer of cherries, separate the rest of the cherries, toss lightly in flour and drop over the second layer of batter. Spread the remaining batter in the pan, lightly spread evenly around the tube, covering the cherries.

Bake at 325°F (160°C) for about 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 25 minutes or until well risen and set; when the surface of the cake is lightly pressed with the tips of your fingers, it should not feel "foamy" or liquid. Cool inverted on a rack.

FOR THE VANILLA SPONGE CAKE
Replace ¼ cup cocoa powder with ¼ cup flour for a total of 1 ½ cups (195 g) flour

Olive and Parmesan Bread Stick Twists with Speck

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie) — Wed, 05 Nov 2014 14:18:00 +0000

RAIN

Fallen leaves lying on the grass in the November sun

bring more happiness than the daffodils.

- Cyril Connolly

Rain beats against the windows and batters the streets below, the wind howls (yes howls) in a terrifying rhythm against a backdrop of deep pewter gray, bruised and swollen. It is if the lovely first days of autumn carried in on November have been tarnished, have been sullied and stained by the single day of violence my city suffered.

As protesters gathered on one side, police assembled on the other, damage control after the last demonstration ended in clashes, conflict and destruction, we watched from above, feeling the tension mount as the hours passed, waiting to see what would happen. The silent confrontation, seething anger, the long-lasting standoff, the eerily oppressive silence only broken by the intermittent explosion of a tear gas shell or a firecracker, one side teasing, taunting, provoking, the other answering with a detonation, a blast, although not yet doing harm and a curl of smoke would rise from the distant huddle. The brief scuffle and cry would then once again fade into silence. We watched from our window at the confrontation just below our building and we were lost, wondering where we were. Certainly not in our peaceful city.

And then all hell broke loose. Suddenly it exploded, nerves, tensions; the pressure had been building until it all just suddenly convulsed, erupted into a violent rampage. Molotov cocktails, tear gas, thick smoke covered the center of Nantes, screams and yells from innocent passersby and masked youths (scarves and bandanas pulled up over their mouths and noses, caps and hoods pulled low over their foreheads), the noise of footsteps on the paving stones reverberating off the sides of buildings as people scattered and ran, turning back to regroup and circling round to charge. Youths scrambled to hack up stones from between the tramway tracks to use as weapons, more police dressed head-to-toe in swat gear arrived and marched shoulder-to-shoulder down the tracks and through the streets attempting to stop the rampage, calm the crowds, keep destruction to a minimum. Round and round they all went in bizarrely contained conflict ring-around-the-rosies. We shut our windows tightly against the poisonous smoke and, in front of the close ups and commentary on television, we watched as the center of the city blazed.

No shade, no shine, no butterflies, no bees,

No fruits, no flowers, no leaves, no birds,

November!

- Thomas Hood

And then it died down as suddenly as it had erupted. And the following day the rain began before dawn and poured down in anger and brutality as if the gods were at once raining down wrath and trying to scrub away the rage and memories of one single day. Make us forget our own shock and distress. And today the sun is back out and a beautiful, peaceful autumn afternoon comforts the city and we have already moved on.

Laundry piles up around me as I attempt to conquer son's suitcase overflowing with dirty clothes; papers, books, cords and sundry items from our daily unkempt life are scattered around the living room and make themselves at home atop the diningroom table where I try and work. I check my e-mail every few minutes looking for responses to various submissions I have sent off to this magazine editor and that. I feel subdued, rather overwhelmed and uninspired. My mood has followed the weather, been grazed by this weeks events, and I have been vanquished; if only the sun that has so recently reappeared bringing with it November weather and my favorite season would warm and comfort me. And maybe rekindle my writing flame.

Simon's departure for two months overlapped with older son's being away for two and a half months so we haven't all been together since early July. Now everyone is home, safe and sound, both sons returned crowned in laurel wreaths and we are a family again.

Thanks to my good friend Jill O'Connor, I dusted off this recipe that I had originally posted with my Pumpkin Soup in 2011 and gave it its own blog post. I had bread dough in the refrigerator leftover from Sunday pizza, just two pounds left. With half of the dough I made a focaccia topped with a combination of Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses and with the other half I made these wonderful, savory bread twists. Accompanied by a bowl of soup and fresh fruit, they are the star of the show. Just the comfort we needed.

OLIVE, TOMATO, PARMESAN BREAD TWISTS WITH SPECK

Makes 8 – 12 bread sticks although the smaller sticks (the dough divided into 12) are easier to pick up and eat.

About 1 lb (500 g) bread dough
2 Tbs sun-dried tomato tapenade or purée
2 Tbs or so (about 50 g) pitted black Greek olives, coarsely chopped
2 Tbs finely grated Parmesan cheese
A grinding of black pepper, optional
8 - 12 thin strips of Speck or Parma ham, one per bread twist

Briefly knead the dough to soften. Spread or roll out the dough flat – I rolled mine out to about the size of my cutting board. Spread the tomato tapenade evenly and thinly over the surface of the dough; press the chopped olives and the Parmesan and a bit of pepper, if you like, evenly over and into the dough. Roll up the dough jellyroll style, fold it over onto itself and knead until all of the ingredients are evenly distributed.

Divide the dough into 8 or 12 even pieces and roll each piece into a long strip, at least 7 inches (18 cm) long, longer for if the dough is in 8 pieces. Allow them to rest on a parchment-lined baking sheet while you preheat the oven.

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

Once the oven is preheated and the dough snakes have rested, simply but firmly wrap one slice of ham around each breadstick, twisting the two together and then placing them on the parchment-lined baking tray. If you like, you can very lightly brush each bread stick with olive oil for a more burnished surface.

Bake the breadsticks for about 15 minutes or until puffed and golden.

David Leite's (via Jacques Torres) Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie) — Mon, 03 Nov 2014 15:24:00 +0000

BACK TO NORMAL?

And the days dwindle down

To a precious few, September, November -

And these few precious days I'd spend with you,

These golden days I'd spend with you.

- Maxwell Anderson

November arrived and with it our son, Simon, back from his two-month internship at a design agency in Munich. As I scooped golf ball-sized rounds of chocolate chip cookie dough onto baking sheets, he chattered away, telling me about the apartment where he stayed, about the people he worked with, about the projects he worked on and his thoughts about where he will apply for his fourth year internship next year. And his fifth year internship the year after. There is nothing like a real work experience to excite and motivate him to get through his next three years of school.

I am happy to announce that my husband passed his Exploitation Permit course and received his diploma, allowing him to acquire a license to sell liquor at the hotel. As there is a bar and we are smack in the center of an incredible – and much visited – wine region and do sell local wines, as well as hold wine tastings, at the hotel, this was an obligation. And he passed. A week later, I attended the Food Hygiene for Restaurants course and also passed my diploma! This certification is not an obligation for boutique hotels where only breakfast is served, but this will allow me to go above and beyond that, preparing and serving home-baked cakes and pastries at breakfast and at the bar (savory madeleines!) as well as eventually prepare and serve meals to workshop attendees. And opens up doors for other food-related projects. So we had something to celebrate!

Husband and I had another meeting with our lawyer and accountant and what confidence to see just how much they are truly working for us, thinking through each and every angle of each and every option and making the best decision based on our particular case and needs. This week it was all about the company we must create, what kind works best, whether we are Managers or President and Vice-President, who earns a salary and basically the financial side of the business we are creating. We left the meeting happy, upbeat and positive; one more step towards our goal, assured that it will be a success.

It never ceases to amaze me that I can understand and follow the intricacies of French law, French regulations, the French social system and all in French. It is a delicate balance of tax status, healthcare status, collecting for retirement (points and semesters), CRAV, URSSAF, ASSEDIC, AGIRC/ARCCO, Sécurité Sociale…. And on and on it goes. I listen, I smile, I even add my thoughts and opinions, I accept my status as Vice President with a grin and listen as the accountant reviews the financial health of the hotel. The French have a terrible reputation for overcomplicating matters and making entrepreneurship difficult and expensive; I don't know how it is elsewhere, but I thank heavens we have an accountant and a lawyer to do the dirty work for us and help us make decisions.

JP and I chatted about it all over a wonderful lunch in a local restaurant, the first we have "tested", for test and get to know every restaurant in the town is a must so we can recommend only the best to our hotel clients. Feeling we are in capable hands (the lawyer and accountant) allowed us a bit of wiggle room to dream, to think about possible projects that will develop the business. Starting with workshops, yes, indeed, and maybe writers' retreats as suggested by one former Plated Stories Tuscan Muse participant. I would love to build a small teaching kitchen with an area for seminars, demos and classes. But meanwhile, we know our first year will be devoted to getting the feel for the hotel, its rhythm and clients. Getting to know the employees and the area. And little by little we will see how to integrate our projects. Well, maybe a workshop or two anyway, right?

After lunch, we drove out to visit a first vineyard in the area; the owner organized a tasting for us with the other visitors, a couple from Ancenis and an Englishman and his father who showed up with a refrigerated trailer attached to the back of his car, a trailer specifically for transporting wine and lots of it. The view of the vineyards from the drive was spectacular, promising a wonderful several years living in the region. The wines were splendid and kept their promise - we specifically selected the restaurant where we had lunch because they served this wine producer's whites. We had decided to purchase a case of white but ended up buying a box of "Champagne" style bubbly as well. All around, our day was perfect.

Son's homecoming meant I could bake him his favorite treats and chocolate chip cookies is certainly one of them. I took the opportunity to bake David Leite's Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies. And they are my new go-to recipe. They are less sweet that my usual recipe (my family's favorite) allowing for the buttery flavor of the cookie to shine. Sadly, I was out of chocolate (!!!!) so only had a small quantity chips; these definitely needed more chocolate than I put it! I didn't seem to get the same texture that David does but maybe because my refrigerator is too cold? Or different quality ingredients in Europe? I will definitely be trying them again, maybe bringing them to room temperature (or close to it) before baking. But this is THE chocolate chip cookie recipe you should be using.

DAVID LEITE'S ULTIMATE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

David says that this recipe makes about 18 cookies (he gives the size and weight of the scoops of dough to bake); I did not weigh my scoops but I shaped each into the size of what I think is a golf ball and had close to 40 cookies and had only baked about 2/3 or 3/4 of the batch.

2 cups minus 2 tablespoons (8 ½ oz/240 g) cake flour
1 2/3 cups (8 ½ oz/240 g) bread flour
1 ¼ tsps baking soda
1 ½ tsps baking powder
1 ½ tsps salt
2 ½ sticks (1 ¼ cups/283 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 ¼ cups (10 oz/284 g) light brown sugar
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (8 oz/227 g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsps natural vanilla extract

1 ¼ lbs (680 g) bittersweet chocolate disks or fèves, at least 60 percent cacao content (Unfortunately, I did not have this much chocolate in the house so I used ¼ lb/100 g mini chocolate chips and about the same in coarsely chopped pecans. Needless to say, I wished I had had more chocolate chips.)

For the instructions and many helpful hints, hop over to Leite's Culinaria.

Italian Apple Cake - Torta di Mele

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie) — Tue, 28 Oct 2014 17:27:00 +0000

BACK TO SCHOOL – An Apple for the Teacher

School days, school days

Dear old Golden Rule days

I head back to school this week, two days in which to earn my Food Hygiene for Restaurants diploma. I was going to take the Permis d'Exploitation pour License IV course, which allows one to sell alcohol in a hotel, bar or restaurant, which I thought would be great fun, but as the Employment Agency at which JP is registered would cover the costs if JP took it, I was shuffled off to food hygiene. Well, I will be the one making the jams, cakes and breads served to hotel guests, so it is only fair. And school starts Monday.

Monday, Tuesday I will be learning the ins and outs of food hygiene. In French. Then another trip on Wednesday for more meetings with our lawyer, our accountant and a banker. And we will be trying out our first local restaurant, for you know that we will have to get to know every restaurant, bakery, pastry shop and bar in order to well inform our clients. Right? See, I'm learning the hotel business and getting in the spirit rather quickly.

School is something,

we must all embrace.

Knowledge we need,

to seek out and chase.

- from Anita Poems for children

It will soon be November and Simon arrives back home from Germany and hits the school ground running. Time will begin moving very quickly as January and moving date approaches. We are scheduled to take over ownership and management of the hotel February first and have much to do between now and then, most importantly find Simon a place to live in Nantes and organize our own move. Meanwhile, we are doing our homework, preparing. We are researching, studying and learning all about our new city and our new region, its history and geography, the monuments and museums, the restaurants and, most importantly, the wines! It is a beautiful and fascinating city with such a rich history and so many interesting places to visit in the neighborhood.

And I'm keeping a diary, as detailed as possible, of this adventure and hope to turn it one day into a book. My agent (I like the way that sounds) has me working on a first book for now as the hotel story unfolds, a memoir about my voyage from the States to where we are now.

One kind reader and friend was a bit put off by my abrupt story cutoff on my last post. I will tell the entire story, but suffice it to say that for six years my husband work in Occupational Health and Hazard, for two I worked full time as a milliner with my own hat label after which, having ended a more than unsavory business relationship with a woman whose very rich and powerful (and unscrupulous, greedy) family soured, ruined our business and my husband finished his mission, we both ended up at home. I blogged, wrote and forged my professional freelance writing career, he did consulting work and project creation and we were very happy, both working at home next to each other, side by side, day in and day out. But times change, retirement age inches ever closer, and we knew that we needed a steady, more sure source of income. We wanted to work together, create our own project, one in which we were bosses and managers, making the decisions, reaping the benefits and taking the bumps and bruises. We wanted to see something through from beginning to end, earn an income and build up, nourish and nurture something that we both loved, that we could be proud of. A hotel just made sense and, once again, like back in 2003 when we first discussed the possibility and gathered the information, we knew that it really was the perfect project, the ideal activity for the two of us. And here we are.

I don't have to announce that it is apple season, but I will say that I saw this Italian Apple Cake, this Torta di Mele on my friend Domenica Marchetti's delicious blog Domenica Cooks and had to make it. Different than my French Apple Cake in that the French apple cake is cakier, more cake – tender, delicate, moist and flavorful vanilla cake – to apples, while the Italian version is more apple heavy. Which called for the perfect, the sweetest most flavorful apple. Our own Johnny Appleseed at our neighborhood market selling local organic apples, the best we've ever eaten or cooked with, suggested the Jonagored and a smart choice it was. This cake is so delicious, so moist with a thin crispy, nutty layer on top and chock full of Jonagored. Just look at it! Beautiful! Breakfast, snack or dessert, this is my new favorite apple cake.

DOMENICA'S TORTA DI MELE or Italian Apple Cake

The only changes I made - which I indicate here - is using light cream and pecans in place of Domenica's half-and-half and walnuts or slivered almonds.

1 ½ cups (200) unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tsps baking powder
¼ tsp fine sea/table salt
1 large egg
½ cup (scant 125 ml) vegetable oil
½ cup (scant 125 ml) light cream or whole milk
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 cup (200 g) sugar, plus 2 tablespoons divided
½ tsp vanilla extract
2 to 3 apples, cored and peeled, quartered, and cut crosswise into thin slices *
¼ cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts
2 Tbs (30 g) butter, at room temperature
Confectioners' sugar for serving

* I used two very large Jonagored apples sliced very thin, and when I added the apples to the batter, I did NOT add the lemon juice that remained in the bottom of the bowl.

I used an 8 1/2 –inch round springform pan that I greased with vegetable oil and lined the bottom with parchment paper. Domenica baked her Apple Cake for about 50 minutes and mine took well over an hour. Just watch carefully and remove from the oven when a tester inserted in the center comes out without wet batter clinging to it. The top should be a deep golden and the sides of the cake will be beginning to pull away from the sides of the pan.

For the directions, hop over to Domenica's post.

French Meringue-Topped Rice Pudding with Apples

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie) — Mon, 20 Oct 2014 16:10:00 +0000

A HOTEL

It is said that desire is a product of the will, but the converse is in fact true:

will is a product of desire.

- Denis Diderot

So the cat is out of the bag. We are buying a hotel.

Amid the oooohs and the ahhhhs elicted among friends must come, once the astonishment and excitement fade, questions and a bit of head scratching. Did your husband pop this on you out of the blue when you were away in Florida? a friend asked, laughing. No, this wasn't a spur-of-the-moment, impulsive decision, but a well-thought-out and planned step, a well-desired and organized career change. In their rules there was only one clause: Do what you will. - Francois Rabelais So many people have that uncanny dream of owning a hotel. What makes running an inn or a bread & breakfast so enticing, so charming? Visions of standing in an elegantly appointed lobby greeting guests and showing them to their rooms, of serving tea and scones at five sharp, the joy of entertaining somehow translates into hôtellerie. In France, becoming the owners and managers of a hotel, inn or chambres d'hôte is all the rage (as it must be everywhere) and has become the reconversion career of choice.

Yes, those of us who have stayed in innumerable hotels over the years and know what we like and what we don't, think directly of buying a hotel when owning and running one's own business is the only choice left. Or the most attractive choice of what we have standing in front of us. It certainly was for us. But we also know that it is a lot of hard work and elbow grease; it is being up early, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, serving breakfast and pouring over maps with hotels guests, offering directions and suggestions along with the croissants and jam; it is greeting tired, often haggard guests back at the end of the day, opening up the bar and pouring glass after glass of local wine. It is checking to make sure each and every bathroom is spic and span after the cleaning crew has passed, the beds made, the floors vacuumed. It is not screwing up the reservations! It is collapsing into bed at the end of a very long day thinking that maybe you should have devoted just a bit more time to keeping up your diary entries and wondering if everyone had a wonderful, happy stay.

And here we go. It might be a crazy desire, but we are making it happen.

Husband and I began discussing the possibility of running a small hotel years ago when we first arrived, unemployed, in Nantes. We did our research, gathered data and information and weeded through the French laws, tax system and requirements pertaining to owning a hotel. And then husband was offered a job, I went off to design hats and the plans were tucked away in a notebook, boxed up and forgotten.

Until this year.

This all calls for true comfort food influenced by autumn, which is inching up on us. Bright sun and temperatures beginning to dip (when it isn't raining) and apple season mean discovering and rediscovering some classic, old-fashioned French comfort food and this meringue-topped creamy rice pudding sweetened by a layer of caramelized apples (with a touch of cognac) is just the thing.

RIZ AUX POMMES MERINGUÉES (Meringue-Topped Rice Pudding with Apples)
A French classic, comfort food for autumn and apple season.

* You will need a TOTAL of 8 TBS (tablespoons)/120 g + 1 teaspoon granulated sugar in all. 1 tablespoon sugar = 15 grams. In the recipe below, I have divided the sugar up.

* I used 2% lowfat milk for this recipe because it is what I had on hand and I wanted to make it a bit less caloric for husband and I. Use whole milk or half whole milk and half light or heavy cream for a richer rice pudding, as you like.

Butter a shallow baking dish: I used a 10 ½ x 8 x 2 – inch oval.

7 oz (200 g) round rice for puddings and risotto
3 ¼ cups (750 ml) milk
1 tsp sugar
1/8 tsp salt

2 large egg yolks
4 Tbs (60 g) sugar
½ tsp vanilla

3 medium apples
2 Tbs (45 g) unsalted butter
1 Tbs (15 g) sugar
2 Tbs cognac (can be replaced by amber rum or whiskey or ½ tsp vanilla)

3 large egg whites
Small pinch salt
3 Tbs (45 g) sugar

Butter the baking dish.

Place the rice in a fine sieve and rinse under cold running until the water runs clear. Drain well. Bring the milk just to the boil, add a teaspoon of sugar, the pinch salt and the rice, stirring. Bring back to the boil, lower to a very low simmer and cook, stirring when needed (by the halfway point I was stirring almost constantly), for about 30 – 35 minutes or until the rice has absorbed all of the milk, the rice is very tender and the pudding is creamy.

While the rice is cooking in the milk, peel and core the apples then slice them into thin wedges. Melt the butter in a large skillet or pan, add the apples, tossing to coat with the butter, then cook until the apples are tender, 10 minutes. About a minute or two before the apples are done, stir in 1 tablespoon sugar and 2 tablespoons cognac. Continue cooking for the last couple of minutes as the sugar dissolves and the alcohol from the cognac cooks off. Remove from the heat.

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Move a rack to the slot one above the center of the oven.

When the rice is done, remove from the heat and allow to cool for only a couple of minutes. Whisk the eggs in a heatproof bowl and then whisk in a large spoonful of the hot rice, then another, then another, allowing the yolks to heat gradually as you whisk. Once about half the hot rice has been added to the yolks, scrape the whole thing back into the remaining rice in the pan, stirring to blend. Whisk in the 4 tablespoons sugar and the vanilla.

Spread the rice pudding in the buttered baking dish then top with an even layer of cooked apples.

Place the whites in a bowl with a pinch of salt. Beat on low speed for 1 minute then increase to high speed. Beat until the whites are no longer foamy and soft peaks are starting to appear; continue beating while you gradually add the 3 tablespoons of sugar. Beat until glossy and stiff peaks hold. The whites should feel dense and thick when touched. Lightly spread the whites evenly over the rice and apples all the way to the edges.

Slide the baking dish into the preheated oven and bake for 5 – 6 minutes to color the tops of the whites.

Remove from the oven and serve warm.

Caramelized Onion, Herb and Asiago Cheese Bread

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie) — Thu, 16 Oct 2014 17:00:00 +0000

ONIONED & TRESSED

Banish (the onion) from the kitchen and the pleasure flies with it.

Its presence lends color and enchantment to the most modest dish; its absence reduces the rarest delicacy to hopeless insipidity, and dinner to despair.

- Elizabeth Robbins Pennell

Nose running like a second grader in finger painting class trying hard not to run a sleeve across her face, barely able to see through the thick veil of tears that have gathered, eyes stinging, I blubber nonsense about the sheer discomfort of the task yet forge ahead, press on with one, two, no three, I can get through to the end but I don't. I have to drop the knife and, a wad of paper towels pressed to my face, against my eyelids, dash from the kitchen and into the living room, fling myself towards the open window and breath in, desperately, greedily sucking in air. While husband sits cozily in an armchair and chuckles at me.

Onions have always made me cry. But I love cooking with these babies. Peel back the papery outer skin, dry and brittle, and one is smacked in the face by the acrid, peppery odor. I am sure that we have all tried every trick in the book – a match held firmly between the front teeth, swimming goggles protecting the eyes, a scarf covering nose and mouth, rubber gloves on the hands. But to no avail. One must brave on and chop or slice those aggressively snappy bulbs if one wants – and we all do – the aromatic sweetness or delicate savor of the onion in the dish.

The onion and its satin wrappings is among the most beautiful of vegetables and is the only one that represents the essence of things. It can be said to have a soul.

- Charles Dudley Warner, My Summer in a Garden, 1871

I like to think it is my Eastern European heritage that has made me a lover of caramelized onions, but I don't think so. The love of the sweet and savory flavors of slow-braised and sautéed onions is somehow universal. Onions, such a cheap commodity, peasant food, really, along with their garden buddy the potato, are the most common yet versatile food there is. What dish, from stews and tagines to quiches and winter soups, is complete without onions? And caramelizing thin slices of onions, whole panfuls of them, in butter and a bit of sugar or balsamic vinegar and one has turned the onion into something sophisticated and flavorsome. Caramelizing softens the bite, the lusty pungency melts into something sweet as by magic.

Katie, of Thyme for Cooking (and fellow American expat living in France) as well as our Bitchin' Bread Baking Babe Bibliothécaire, is the October Bread Baking Babe's Kitchen of the Month. She asked the Babes – and Buddies – to make this beautiful braided Caramelized Onion, Herb & Cheese Bread.

I was excited and intrigued. I have made a beautiful braided apple and orange coffee cake and have used caramelized onions in quiche, a tomato tart, pierogi, even in a stunning sweet & sour couscous tfaya and now I got to put the caramelized onions together with a flavorful cheese inside a braided loaf.

Check out the gorgeous loaves created by my fellow Bread Baking Babes:

Bake My Day – Karen
Bread Baking Babe Bibliothécaire: Thyme for Cooking – Katie
blog from OUR kitchen – Elizabeth
Feeding My Enthusiasms – Elle
girlichef – Heather
Lucullian Delights - Ilva
Living in the Kitchen with Puppies – Natashya
My Kitchen In Half Cups – Tanna
Notitie Van Lien – Lien
My Diverse Kitchen - Aparna
Bread Experience – Cathy

If you would like to bake with us and earn your Bread Baking Buddy Badge, just check out Katie's post to find out how. And ask to become a member of the Bread Baking Babes & Buddies page on Facebook where you'll see all of the recipes and challenges and where you can ask questions and join in the conversation!

The bread was so simple to make – I love this kind of Challah-type dough to make and work with – and braiding was such fun. But it was not my favorite bread – as bread. Maybe I expected more flavor, like a Challah, but it was rather bland. The filling, on the other hand, was stunning and deserved to be the main feature rather than lost in too much bread, as it was. As a suggestion – double the filling, divide one portion (as listed in the recipe) of the dough in two and make two loaves instead of one.

I'll be sharing my loaf with Susan of Wild Yeast for her weekly Yeastspotting post!

CARAMELIZED ONION, HERB & CHEESE BREAD
From Canadian Living Magazine

1 tsp sugar ½ cup (125 ml) warm water
1Tbs (12 g) active dry yeast
¼ cup (60 ml) tepid milk
2 large eggs at room temperature
2 large egg yolks at room temperature
¼ cup (60 ml) vegetable oil
1 ½ tsps salt
3 ½ cups (450 g) all-purpose flour

Filling:
1 Tbs (15 g) butter
1 Tbs vegetable oil
3 cups sliced onions (about 2 large/345 g))
1 tsp granulated sugar
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 Tbs prepared Dijon mustard
1 ½ cups (about 160 g) shredded asiago cheese – I used Fiore Sarde
3 or 4 thin strips of speck or a favorite cured or smoked ham
1 egg, lightly beaten

Dissolve the sugar in the warm water. Sprinkle on yeast and stir with a fork to wet the yeast; let stand for 10 or 15 minutes or until frothy. Whisk in the tepid milk, eggs, egg yolks, oil and salt. With wooden spoon, stir in 3 cups (400 g) of the flour to make soft dough. Turn out onto lightly floured surface; knead for 10 minutes, adding enough of the remaining flour to make the dough smooth and elastic. Place in a greased bowl, turning to grease all over. Cover with plastic wrap and then a clean dish towel; let rise in warm draft-free place for 1 hour or until doubled in bulk.

Prepare the filling:
While the dough is rising, heat the butter with the oil over high heat in large skillet; ass the onions, sugar and rosemary, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium; cook, stirring and scraping up brown bits from bottom of pan, for 10 to 15 minutes or until onions are golden and very soft. Let cool to room temperature.

Grease a baking sheet or line with parchment paper; punch down the dough. Turn out onto lightly floured surface and roll out into 14 x 12-inch (35 x 30 cm) rectangle. Transfer to prepared pan. Spread mustard lengthwise in 3-inch (8 cm) strip down centre of rectangle, leaving 1-inch (2.5 cm) border uncovered at short ends; top with onion mixture. Sprinkle with 1 cup (250 ml) of the cheese and lay the strips of ham on top of the cheese.

Using sharp knife and starting at 1 corner of dough, make diagonal cuts 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart almost to filling to form strips along 1 long side of dough (my cuts were straight out, the strips parallel). Repeat on other side, cutting diagonal strips in opposite direction. Alternating strips from each side, fold strips over filling to resemble braid, overlapping ends by 1 inch (2.5 cm) and brushing with some of the egg to seal. Cover with towel; let rise in warm place for 30 to 40 minutes or until doubled in bulk.

Brush top with egg. Bake in centre of 350°F (180°C) oven for 30 to 40 minutes or until puffed and golden. Sprinkle remaining cheese down centre of braid; return to oven for 10 minutes or until melted.

Serve warm or let cool completely on rack. (Make-ahead: Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 1 day; rewarm in oven before serving.).

Chocolate Whiskey Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie) — Tue, 14 Oct 2014 14:32:00 +0000

TIME FOR A LITTLE NIP

It's not how old you are, it's how you are old.

- Jules Renard

We are off again this week to take care of business. But serious stuff this time, signing papers and all. Meetings, financial and legal things to take care of. Dipping our toes in the frigid waves and getting acclimated to the water. And visiting one aunt. Oy.

I marvel at the resilience and determination of two old folks such as we. Starting over should be the domain of the younger, stronger generation, taking on a new career, a new profession, learning new duties. Yet I once had a university professor, a world-renowned psychologist specialized in his field of learning who, standing before a hundred eager students proclaimed "yes, in fact, you CAN teach an old dog new tricks!" This has stayed with me for more than thirty years. Old dogs? Maybe, maybe not, but we've done it before and we can do it again. We have decided to roll up our sleeves, stick our feet into our sneakers and start all over again. But better, really, than the first time. With age comes experience and knowledge. With the empty nest syndrome comes giddy excitement and the desire just to please ourselves and have a bit of fun.

Meanwhile, we have an interlude of a short few months before jumping in with both feet, a period of discussion, analysis, planning, grasses matinées, slow, lazy mornings in bed, and organizing our other projects.

While husband works more and more on, delving deeper and farther into his genealogy, finding success in leaps and bounds, I follow my agent's lead and plunge fast and furiously into the assignments that we have lined up for me as a way to define and focus on each of my ideas.

And I bake. You know that I am on a whiskey binge. Chocolate and whiskey is this month's project. I discovered a recipe in a French cookbook, tweaked it as needed and baked them as individual cakes. They were excellent, albeit not what I had in mind when I set out to make the cake. I wanted a dense, super moist cake whereas this recipe produced a marvelously light cake, perfect in every way but worth reworking.

I immediately wanted to make this again and attempt to produce the wetter, denser cake I wanted, but I have to say that this Chocolate Whiskey Cake is almost perfect in every way. The flavor and the texture are, well, fabulous (bad descriptor but the one that fits). A full chocolate flavor with a hint of whiskey that actually gets stronger and more pronounced after a day or two. The photos don't do this cake justice, but take my word that it produced a wonderfully light, "cakey" cake perfect for breakfast or coffee or tea break. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of either warm chocolate or a salted butter caramel sauce for a beautiful dessert.

Several days later: I made the cake again, this time replacing the 50 ml whiskey cream + 50 ml whiskey with 75 ml whiskey + 25 ml heavy cream. I did not beat the batter with a hand mixer, beating until thick and doubled in volume. Instead I whisked by hand just until well blended, creamy and smooth, alternating the dry ingredients with the melted butter + chocolate then stirring in the whiskey + cream. I poured the batter into a buttered and floured 1 liter aluminum tin which left enough over for a single cupcake (although I should have made 2 or 3 cupcakes and poured less in the tin.) The cupcake came out of the oven after 30 minutes or so and the cake baked for an hour.

And it was marvelous, even better prepared this way. Still light and delicate, almost like a moist feather cake, not wet and heavy at all. Deep chocolate flavor but heady with whiskey. The perfect tea cake or base for a wonderful and very adult dessert.

CHOCOLATE WHISKEY CAKE
Adapted from cakes maison by Ilona Chovancova.

Makes one loaf or 9 – 10 individual cakes

Read my several days later note above for more slight changes, especially if you don't have Whiskey Cream.

10 ½ Tbs (5 1/3 oz / 150 g) unsalted butter
3 ½ oz (100 g) bittersweet or unsweetened chocolate; I used 70% cacao baking chocolate
1 1/3 cup + 1 Tbs (180 g) flour
2 Tbs unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
¾ cup (150 g) sugar
3 large eggs, preferably at room temperature
Scant ½ cup (about 6 Tbs / 100 ml) TOTAL liquid – half whiskey + half Irish Cream/Whiskey Cream (like Bailey's Irish Cream or similar) or 75 ml whiskey + 25 ml heavy cream

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Butter and flour a medium-sized (1 liter) + 2 individual cupcake molds or 8 – 9 individual cupcake molds or ramekins.

Gently melt the chocolate and butter together in the microwave or a bain-marie, just until most but not quite all of the chocolate is melted. Stir off the heat until completely melted and smooth. Set aside.

Blend the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a bowl and measure out the whiskey and whiskey cream in a measuring cup.

With either a hand mixer set to medium to high speed or a whisk by hand, beat the eggs with the sugar in a mixing bowl until thickened and foamy, just a minute or two. On low to medium speed or with a whisk, beat/blend in the dry ingredients (sift into the batter) alternating with the melted chocolate-butter followed by the whiskey and whiskey cream, scraping down the bowl as needed.

Pour the batter into a loaf pan or divide among the individual ramekins (I used those little aluminum cups). Bake for about 30 minutes for individual cakes, add 5 – 10 minutes for a loaf, removing the cake(s) from the oven to a cooling rack when the cake is set in the center.

An Agent. Step One.

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie) — Fri, 10 Oct 2014 10:45:00 +0000

THE CALM

When you come out of the storm, you won’t be the same person who walked in.

That’s what this storm’s all about.

- Haruki Murakami, Kafka on the Shore

I was once in a hurricane. I grew up along Florida's Atlantic coast with one foot practically in the water. Our house stood on the narrow peninsula that stretched from Titusville and Cape Canaveral in the north to Sebastian Inlet, surfers' heaven, to the south. The long strip was barely a mile wide and even less in some places, divided from Mainland Florida by the Banana and Indian Rivers, bordered on the other by the ocean. It was treacherous territory disguised as tropical paradise, every hurricane that approached threatening to swallow up the land, pull it out into the crashing waves. Incalculable and capricious was the danger.

One hurricane, an early one I barely remember, damaged our home; water stains are still visible on my bedroom floor all these years later. But sometime during my early teen years, the storm was so powerful and so close that we were obliged to evacuate the beaches and take refuge on the mainland. We stuffed the station wagon with a few precious belongings (why my brother was allowed to bring his banjo yet I had to leave my guitar behind I will never understand), food and water for a couple of days, one terrified English setter, four kids and two adults and made the slow exodus to my mom's office in Melbourne where we would stay, waiting out the hurricane.

Sleeping arrangements were rudimentary at best, bedding down on the floor as we were, taking turns dragging the poor dog outside as needed, and who even remembers what we ate.

But one thing I clearly remember, awful, wondrous and breathtaking as it was. We followed the course of the mighty hurricane over the radio and stayed huddled together away from doors and windows when the winds and rains were most powerful, furiously beating against the building, howling, cursing, raging in anger. The walls shook, the glass panes rattled, the furniture shivered, the ceiling throbbed. The storm seemed to breathe, the rise and fall of the tempest, sudden calms followed by a burst of violence or a gradual surge of bluster, the walls of the building seeming to breathe, heave and sigh with it in unison.

Then the voices on the radio warned of the eye of the storm, warned us to remain inside as the eye would be passing directly over us, warned us to be wary of the sudden calm. Don't be fooled into believing the hurricane has ended and it is safe to go outside for this calm would be followed closely by the other side of the ring of the center of the tempest at its wildest, its most destructive. And we waited. We listened and slowly, slowly the storm faded, the battering against the building as an army of angry beasts came to a halt and an eerie silence settled around us. This quiet was almost as terrifying, as threatening as the gusts and gales of the storm. We four kids looked at each other, the question "do we or don't we?" passing silently from one to the other. But it was too tempting. And then our parents made the decision for us. "You have to take the dog out now!"

The four of us walked outside and stood in the barren parking lot, our sneakers squelching in the slick, glossy puddles. The city looked abandoned, like a scene from an old black and white film after the end of the world or an alien invasion, in shades of desolate gray. Although the palm trees hung in ravaged defeat, limbs dragging on the ground, objects large and small strewn haphazardly across the parking lot and as far as we could see, bits of roof and eaves pushed and pulled this way and that, although we knew that we had just lived through something dreadful and that it was far from over, we were stricken dumb with awe, excited as only four kids experiencing their very first hurricane and standing directly in its eye could be. The ringing in our ears, an imprint of the fever and pitch of the gale forces, slowly receded.

This absolute stillness, the silence was pregnant with mystery. There was something formidable about the thought that the storm could recommence at any moment; as kids we imagined it lurking just around the side of the building ready to pounce, grab us and fling us off into the distance or catch us up in the swirling eddy before we had the chance to turn around and dash back through the door of the office.

Yet what I remember feeling was a supreme calm, the peaceful serenity, impressed by the beauty of what we were witnessing. A hazy ray of sunlight broke through the deeply pewter skies and swollen clouds with a religious earnestness that promised a hopeful, fortuitous outcome. Standing outside in the eye of the storm one has time to collect one's thoughts and balance, see the storm for what it is, just a lot of noise, rain and wind, temporary impediments, wild, maybe uncontrollable forces leaving destruction and loss in its wake but that will eventually fade and become a memory. Leaving only tranquility and the chance to rebuild.

And this is where I am now. At the calm center, the eye of the storm. After months, maybe years, many of them turbulent and stormy, attempting to focus and make decisions about writing projects, about agents and books, I finally signed with an agent. My agent. And after months fraught with fear of finding ourselves with nothing, husband and I have chosen a project, and now we are just waiting for what is the other side of the eye; it will start up again in a few minutes or days or weeks, that storm, and we will be caught up in a cyclone of activity, a wild whirlwind of expectations peppered with doubts and having to swiftly learn on our feet. There may be a constant threat of dark clouds and havoc, but the chaos doesn't have to be dangerous, as I learned. I must simply keep concentrated and determined to succeed, allowing the excitement simmering below any menace to inspire me and we'll be able to walk out in one piece, better for it, at the other side.

There are some things you learn best in calm, and some in storm.

- Willa Cather

This is the calm before the second half of the storm. Buckle down and get ready for the ride. And rest assured that it won't be destructive. But rather beautiful.

Traditional Honey Cake with Caramelized Apples

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie) — Tue, 07 Oct 2014 12:27:00 +0000

A SWEET START TO A NEW YEAR

Good news is rare these days, and every glittering ounce of it should be cherished

and hoarded and worshipped and fondled like a priceless diamond.

- Hunter S. Thompson

The Jewish New Year edged its way through the tail end of summer, pushed through those last warm days and the start of the rain, bringing with it something melancholy. Maybe it was the sudden oncoming of the storms and the oppressive mugginess, the unexpected chill in the air. Or maybe I was just letting outside forces, real or imagined, disturb my peace of mind. An unforeseen bump in the road or two caught me off guard and threw me off balance and brought on a bout of wariness and doubt. But trust in the New Year to bring with it the promised sweetness, for one by one good news is here for the sharing.

Yes I promised you news. I teased and taunted. I apologize but sometimes events cannot be revealed until they are a sure thing, until decisions are made and papers are signed. Sometimes things just have to be organized and confirmed before letting the cat out of the bag. Right?

And here is just the first piece of news.

I have just – finally – signed with an agent.

Everyone has inside of him a piece of good news.

The good news is that you don't know how great you can be!

How much you can love! What you can accomplish! And what your potential is!

- Anne Frank

We welcomed in the New Year with a Honey Whiskey Bundt Cake, a French Apple Cake, a sweet Whiskey Soufflé with Apples and luscious little Baked Honey Custards topped with Caramelized Apples. Apples and Honey are symbolic, of course, for a round, continuous and very sweet year. But I had never made a traditional Honey Cake and decided that this was the year to find a great recipe and bring it home. To celebrate.

TRADITIONAL HONEY CAKE WITH CARAMELIZED APPLES

From Martha Stewart with a few slight changes. I topped the cake with apples for the Jewish New Year. If you would like the cake parve, or dairy free, simply replace the milk with soy or almond milk.

1 ¾ cup (225 g) flour
¾ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
Rounded ½ tsp ground cinnamon
2 large eggs, preferably at room temperature
½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
¼ cup (50 g) packed brown sugar, light or dark
½ cup + 2 Tbs (150 ml / 215 g) very good quality liquid honey
½ cup (125 ml) milk (I used 2% lowfat)
½ cup (125 ml) vegetable oil
¾ tsp vanilla extract

For the Caramelized Apples:
4 apples, about 1 ½ lbs (750 g) – I used Royal Gala
1 ½ Tbs (@ 22 g) unsalted batter
1 ½ - 2 Tbs granulated brown sugar
1 – 2 Tbs very good quality honey
2 Tbs whiskey, optional

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).

Grease (I use the fat, whether butter, margarine or oil, that is used in the recipe, in this case I greased the pan with vegetable oil) a 10-inch (25/26-cm) cake pan or springform pan, line the bottom with parchment, grease the paper then dust the pan with flour and tap out the excess.

Measure out and whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; set aside.

Measure out and whisk together the honey, milk, vegetable oil and vanilla until the honey seems dissolved; set aside.

Break the eggs into a large mixing bowl. Add the two sugars and beat on low speed until blended, scrape down the sides and beat on high speed for about 2 - 3 minutes until thick. With the mixer on low, add the liquid ingredients and beat until blended. Beat in the dry ingredients in 2 or 3 additions, beating just until well blended and smooth.

Pour the batter in the prepared pan and bake in the preheated oven for about 50 minutes or until just set in the center. The cake should only just be beginning to pull away from the sides of the pan.

Remove from the oven and carefully run the blade of a sharp knife around the sides to loosen the cake from the pan. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 10 or 15 minutes before turning it out of the pan and allowing to cool on a rack.

Prepare the Caramelized Apples:

Peel and core the apples and cut into thin slices. Melt the butter in a wide pan until sizzling and stir in the sugar. Stirring, cook until the sugar is dissolved or at least well blended with the butter (mine stayed grainy until the apples began releasing their juices). Add the apple slices and toss and stir until the slices are all coated with butter/sugar. Cook over low or medium-low heat, stirring and tossing carefully for about 10 minutes or so… or until the apples are very tender (as your like them, softer or slightly "al dente") and the juices are thickened. If you want to cut the sweetness a bit, add the whiskey and cook until the alcohol has burned off and the juices are again thickened. Stir in the honey a tablespoon at a time, allowing it to melt into the apples and juices before tasting and adding more if desired.

Allow the apples to cool slightly to warm or tepid before mounding on top of the cake and serving. Adding whipped cream never hurt anybody.

Tex-Mex Savory Cheddar Madeleines with Olives & Tomato Tapenade

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie) — Tue, 30 Sep 2014 10:25:00 +0000

FRANCE MEETS TEXAS

Part of the secret of success in life is to eat what you like

and let the food fight it out inside.

- Mark Twain

Paris, Texas. Remember that film? I don't think I ever watched it, but I always found it intriguing. Oh it isn't the story as much as the mental image those two words, standing side by side, elicit. Paris. And Texas. Very mysterious in its contradiction, evocative in its contrast. Opposite ends of the spectrum. But often opposites attract.

Of course, Paris is a town in the Great State of Texas, but it isn't what pops into our heads when we hear the two together. What do they have in common? What connections? As the Texan-French Alliance for the Arts states on their website, "Texas is more than Stetsons and spurred boots and France is more than strong cheeses and good wines." But those are indeed the images, stereotyped as they are, that we associate with the two. Other than the French Can-Can performed by dancing girls in Old West saloons, at least the film version, I cannot think of much more. So why not bring the two together? This month's Progressive Eats Virtual Dinner allowed me to do just that.

I didn't grow up with Tex-Mex food. In fact, I don't even know when it was the first time I ate whatever is considered Tex-Mex. Most likely a taco at a fast food joint. But it never really became part of my repertoire, something I crave. But I did bring it to France when I moved, married and began raising little Franco-Americans.

Tex-Mex is the kind of food that fascinates my French husband. Although he may grumble about the richness of it, he might wonder aloud at the authenticity of it, but he'll gobble a plate of tacos, rice and beans, or fajitas down in a flash and beg for more, extra Jack cheese, s'il te plaît! And he makes a damn fine pot of chili, maybe the best on Ze Old Continent! I'll bring the guacamole and the corn muffins and our French dinnertime turns into a Tex-Mex feast! Now that we can buy cans of red kidney beans, squares of cheddar cheese and cornmeal, a Tex-Mex meal is always possible whenever the thought strikes.

My younger son has become somewhat addicted to those boxed Tex-Mex dinner kits. Tacos, fajitas and burritos, there is always a box or two in the house. Once in a while, he'll run to the corner butcher and pick up a package of ground beef or chicken breasts and come home and prepare the meal for the family. Or, better yet, for his friends.

Milissa of Miss in the Kitchen hosts this month's Progressive Eats Virtual Dinner and she chose a Tex-Mex theme for the meal. I offered to bring an appetizer; what, I thought to myself, would be a great nibble with the requisite Tex-Mex flavors but that would accompany such Tex-Mex specialties as chili, rice and beans and fajitas, a savory treat that would pair well with typical Tex Mex flavors as cilantro, green chilis, lime and bacon? I had been wanting to make a savory Madeleine for a while and this was the chance! Cheddar, black olives, a bit of chopped chives (fresh coriander was my other option) and a swirl of dried tomato tapenade found their way into my recipe. And of course a large pinch of chipotle chili powder for a kick, my newest rage. After a couple of attempts and tweaking a variety of recipes here and there, I came up with a wonderful base for a savory Madeleine and a delicious Tex Mex appetizer!

And France meets Tex-Mex!

I tested several recipes, tweaking and combining along the way until I had a wonderful base recipe into which I could stir any number of flavorings, cheeses, tiny caramelized cubes of fruit, fresh or dried herbs, spices… This is such a versatile recipe. And serving a tray piled high with warm-from-the-oven Madeleines, small, medium or large, makes such an elegant and even festive change from muffins for a meal or buffet.

Welcome to another edition of Progressive Eats! Reminiscent of days past when friends would get together for a meal and move from location to location for different courses, we, a group of 12 bloggers, come together once a month around a theme and create a complete meal – from appetizers and soup to a main dish with sides followed by desserts, offering drinks or breads on occasion. We share from-scratch recipes suitable for a delicious meal or party, and you can hop from blog to blog to check them out and use them to create your own dinner.

This month, the dinner and recipes are all Tex-Mex! And here is the menu and the links to all the recipes:

Appetizer:
Savory Cheddar Madeleines with Olives, Chives & Dried Tomato Tapenade from Jamie on Life's a Feast

Soup and Salad:
Creamy Hatch Green Chile and Cheese Soup from Barb on Creative Culinary
Mexican Chopped Salad with Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing from Jeanette on Jeanette's Healthy Living

Main Course:
Epic Creamy Chicken Enchiladas from Milissa on Miss in the Kitchen
White Chicken Chili from Lauren on Healthy Delicious

Bread and Sides:
Homemade Tortillas from Megan on Stetted
Tex-Mex Rice with Bacon from Jane on The Heritage Cook
Vegetable Fajitas from Ansh on Spice Roots
Pinto Beans with Fresh Tomato Relish from Lana on Never Enough Thyme

Drinks and Desserts:
Frozen Virgin Strawberry Margarita from Barbara on Barbara Bakes
Mexican Spiced Chocoflan from Jenni on Pastry Chef Online
Margarita Cheesecake from Liz on That Skinny Chick Can Bake

What a Meal!

TEX-MEX SAVORY CHEDDAR MADELEINES with Olives, Chives & Tomato Tapenade

¾ cup + 2 tsps (3.5 oz / 100 g) flour
1 ½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
3 – 4 grinds of black pepper
½ tsp or more chipotle chili powder
2 large eggs
2 Tbs olive oil
1 ½ Tbs (20 g) unsalted butter, just melted
4 Tbs milk
1.75 oz (50 g) sharp cheddar cheese, finely grated
10 black Greek-style olives
1 Tbs minced chives or fresh coriander/cilantro
1 Tbs dried tomato tapenade

Pit the black olives, place them in a fine sieve and run under cold water until the water runs off clear or nearly clear; you want to wash away the black so as not to discolor the madeleine batter. Chop the olives and add to the finely grated cheddar cheese and the minced chives or coriander.

Mix or whisk the dry ingredients – flour, baking powder, salt, black pepper and chipotle chili pwder – together in a mixing bowl.

Whisk together the olive oil and butter and add to the dry ingredients along with the milk and eggs. Whisk well until the batter in smooth; there should be no more lumps. Stir and fold in the cheese, olives and herbs until blended and the flavorings are well and evenly incorporated.

Place the bowl in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes while the oven preheats. The batter will firm up slightly while it chills.

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Butter a madeleine mold (even if it is non-stick).

Once the batter is chilled and the oven preheated, take the batter from the refrigerator and break up the tablespoon of tomato tapenade across the top; using the blade of a sharp knife, swirl the tapenade throughout the batter without blending it in. Spoon the batter into the prepared molds filling each mold only about ¾ full. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 – 25 minutes depending on the size of the madeleines and your oven. The madeleines will be done when they have risen, are set in the center (press lightly) and are a light golden brown. Remove from the oven, allow to sit for couple of minutes before carefully lifting the madeleines out of the tin to a cooling rack until all the batter has been baked and you are ready to serve. Butter the molds again if refilling to finish baking the rest of the batter.

Whiskey Soufflé with Honey Caramelized Apples

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie) — Tue, 23 Sep 2014 14:13:00 +0000

STARTING OVER: Step 6 (This is Really It)

Hard is trying to rebuild yourself, piece by piece, with no instruction book,

and no clue as to where all the important bits are supposed to go.

- Nick Hornby, A Long Way Down

My husband and I are certainly no strangers to starting over. I walked away from one university and headed to another even before I had received the letter announcing that I had been accepted to the second. No turning back. I had to start over, wherever I ended up, be it in Philadelphia attending classes or in Boston working, knee deep in snow. I left one job in Philadelphia, saying a quick, breathless yes to a job offer in New York, the exchange taking place quietly while the three of us were crouched over a lithograph in my (soon-to-be-former) place of employ. I packed my things and headed to my new city, my new job, my new life before I could even consider what I was doing. And Paris? I would be starting over from scratch, my dizzyingly impetuous decision one of hazy necessity, but, again, the urge to start over.

Each change, each starting over, done with few belongings, little money and no planning. Courageous? No, rather impulsive, each starting over a rash decision, a desperate need for change. But I was also searching for something, a new life, a better me. Maybe a bit of adventure and excitement thrown in.

My husband, well, he is the rare Frenchman who has risked starting over, reinventing himself once, twice, thrice and more. Both together and individually we have evolved, transformed, started over many times from the suburbs of Paris to Milan, back to Paris then to Nantes, from one job to new, changing homes, changing lives. He has taken risks, changed not only jobs but professions, woven his career path with adventure.

But this time will be different. A drastic change, yes, but this time, for the first time, we will be working together, combining our voices, our skills, our energy and passion into a common project. This time we are going towards something rather than moving away from what we no longer are adapted to. This time we are moving towards, have found the life that suits. Our baby boys are now grown men and we are ready for excitement and an adventure, an exploit that will enliven our present and enrich our future.

We must be willing to get rid of the life we've planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us. The old skin has to be shed before the new one can come.

- Joseph Campbell

With that same spirit of courage and adventure, I've regained my baking mojo and infused it with dauntless enterprise and a dash of audacity. How about trying a sweet soufflé? Tossed with caramelized apples, the scent of autumn, and the heady kick of whiskey, earthy and golden heat? It may not have risen to dizzying heights but oh my how good it was! A soufflé baked for six easily eaten by two. Naughty us but we deserve something special these days, right?

I would like to wish each and every one of my readers who celebrate Rosh Hashanah a Joyous, Happy, Healthy and Sweet New Year! L'Shana Tova!

Here are a few more special treats perfect for the Jewish New Year:

Honey Baked Custard with Caramelized Apples

French Apple Cake

Apple Cinnamon Almond Cake

Cherry & Chocolate Chip Challah

Jayne Cohen's Almond Challah

Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day perfect no-knead Challah

Challah with Hazelnut Maple Swirl

HONEY CARAMELIZED APPLE & WHISKEY SOUFFLÉ

A flavorful, beautiful dessert to be served hot from the oven before the soufflé has the time to fall too far! The whisky adds a depth and complexity, which complements the apples beautifully. Serve the Soufflé on its own or with slightly sweetened or unsweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Truly the embodiment of autumn. Any leftovers? This soufflé is just as delicious served the following day; it may have fallen but reheated gently or even straight from the refrigerator it is excellent! Once you have the base recipe, you can add a variety of flavors to change the dessert.

Honey Caramelized Apples:
2 medium sweet cooking apples, I used Reine de Reinette, will make @ 1 cup cooked
Scant tablespoon butter, about 10 g
1 tsp liquid honey

Sweet Soufflé base:
3 Tbs (45 g) unsalted butter
4 Tbs (40 g) flour
Total 1 cup (240 ml liquid) = 2/3 cup (180 ml) milk + 1/3 cup (90 ml) cream *
2/3 cup (130 g) sugar **
4 egg yolks
2 Tbs whiskey
½ tsp vanilla
5 egg whites + pinch of salt

* If you have no cream, use 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
** You can slightly reduce the sugar to no less than ½ cup (100 g) if you prefer a soufflé less sweet

Prepare the apples:
Peel and core the apples; cut them into small cubes. Heat the butter in a skillet over medium-low heat until sizzling. Add the apples and cook, stirring, until just tender. Add the honey, stir to coat all of the apples and continue cooking until the apples are very tender, another couple of minutes. Remove from the heat. This should make about a cup of caramelized apple cubes.

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

Prepare the Soufflé dish:
Prepare a large soufflé dish by first generously buttering the bottom and sides. Then make a collar with aluminum foil by first pulling off a length of foil that will wrap around the circumference of the dish and overlap by several inches. Fold the foil in half lengthwise, lightly butter the inside of the foil (the part against which the soufflé will rise) and wrap around the bowl and secure this collar tightly around the top/lip of the dish using kitchen/cooking string (to be honest, I first pin the collar with regular straight pins to make sure it is very tight and doesn’t move).

Prepare the Soufflé:
Warm the milk and cream. I do this in the microwave for only a minute. Do not allow it to come to a simmer; it should just be warm.

Melt the butter in a medium-sized heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat; stir in the flour vigorously as soon as the butter has melted. Lower the heat slightly and cook the roux, stirring continuously, for 2 to 3 minutes. Gradually whisk in the milk/cream and continue to cook, stirring continuously and vigorously, until it is smooth and thick. Whisk in the sugar; when the sugar is completely dissolved and the mixture smooth, remove the pot from the heat.

Beat in the egg yolks one at a time until well blended. Return the pot to a very low heat and cook, stirring constantly for just 2 - 3 minutes until the mixture begins to thicken. Once again remove from the heat and whisk in the whiskey and vanilla.

Scrape the soufflé base into a large mixing bowl and gently fold in the apples.

Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until glossy and stiff peaks hold. Fold the whites into the soufflé base, about 1/3 of the whites at a time, until all are folded in and the batter is well blended and smooth. Do not overfold. Pour into the prepared soufflé dish; I topped with some slivered almonds but this is optional. Place the soufflé dish in the preheated oven (I placed mine on the bottom shelf) and immediately reduce the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C). Bake for 40 – 45 minutes or until the soufflé has risen, the surface is golden brown and the soufflé is set – jiggle it gently and it should not seem wet or liquid inside (I let mine go for an extra 5 minutes or so).

Serve immediately.

Robert May's French Bread from 1660

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie) — Tue, 16 Sep 2014 07:46:00 +0000

Trophies of Cookery

Acorns were good until bread was found.

– Francis Bacon (1561-1626)

As you may know – well, anyone who happened to read my article on Blanquette de Veau in The Art of Eating or Seeing Red: the Bittersweet History of the Radish in The Foodie Bugle knows that I am fascinated by the history of a food. How was a dish created, who concocted the very first one, how did it develop over the years? And very old recipes intrigue me even more than modern inspiration. I just have the idea that it was all so much more of a challenge way back when. So needless to say, I was very happy when I saw that Ilva had selected a recipe for September's Bread Baking Babe's challenge that was originally written in 1660.

The recipe for this French Bread was first published in The Accomplished Cook, written by Robert May in 1660 to be republished with slight adaptations in Elizabeth David's English Bread and Yeast Cookery. Robert May was an Englishman who trained to become a professional chef in France. His training began at the tender age of ten; May's father was chief cook for a certain Lady Dormer at Ascott House and it was she, apparently an epicure who saw the importance of well-trained chefs, who sent the young boy off to Paris to learn to cook. After a five-year training period, Robert returned to London where he served out his apprenticeship, finally returning to Ascott House where he would serve under his own father.

As May wrote "then were those Golden Days wherein were practised the Triumphs and Trophies of Cookery; then was Hospitality esteemed, Neighbourhood preserved, the Poor cherished, and God honoured”.

May eventually became chef in his own right and worked in a total of 13 homes of minor nobility, "suitable" households all, over his lifetime.

In 1660, at the age of 72, Robert May wrote The Accomplisht Cook: Or the Art and Mystery of Cooking, thought to be the first major recipe book to be published in England. Part memoir, part recipes and general technical commentary, May set out to produce a cookbook “wherein the whole ART is revealed in a more easie and perfect Method than hath been publisht in any language”. May wrote in the 1665 edition's introduction:

To all honest and well- intended persons of my profession, and others, this book can not but be acceptable, as it plainly and profitably discovers the mystery of the whole art; for which, though I may be envied by some, that only value their private interests above posterity and the public good; yet, God and my own conscience would not permit me to bury theses, my experiences, with my silver hair in the grave.

But back to the bread. Ilva, the brilliant photographer behind Lucullian Delights as well as my own partner on Plated Stories (thanks to her, PS won the prestigious IACP Best Photo-Based Blog Award 2014) is this month's Hostess with the Mostess and, passionate historian as she is as well, she selected this bread, first coming across the recipe in Ms. David's cookbook. I must say that if this is the recipe as was first published by Chef May, then he did indeed discover the mystery of perfect yeast bread.

A tad less sweet than my recent Fast and Fabulous French Bread, May's French Bread is just as simple, just as tender but because the flavor of the loaf is a bit more neutral and delicate, it is the perfect loaf for either sweet or savory, cheese course or breakfast toast with jelly (it does make fantastic toast). This was such an easy and enjoyable bread to make it will quickly become a regular in my home… and yours. The bread is also incredibly versatile and we Babes decided to each decorate ours as we wished. I topped mine with bread decorations and sesame seeds.

And do visit my fellow Bread Baking Babes to see how their loaves turned out – and you may very well pick up excellent tips and advice on perfecting this recipe (many are experts in all things bread):

Bake My Day – Karen
Thyme for Cooking – Katie (Bread Baking Babe Bibliothécaire)
blog from OUR kitchen – Elizabeth
Feeding My Enthusiasms – Elle
girlichef – Heather
Lucullian Delights - Ilva
Living in the Kitchen with Puppies – Natashya
My Kitchen In Half Cups – Tanna
Notitie Van Lien – Lien
My Diverse Kitchen - Aparna
Bread Experience - Cathy

You can join the Bread Baking Babes and earn your Buddy badge by simply baking Robert May's wonderful French Bread by the end of September, mentioning the Bread Baking Babes and linking to Ilva's BBB challenge post (ask for the Buddy badge!), and emailing your link to her. Enjoy!

I will share this link with Susan of Wild Yeast for her weekly Yeastspotting!

ROBERT MAY'S FRENCH BREAD
Adapted from Elizabeth David's English Bread and Yeast Cookery

1 lb 2 oz (500 g) flour or a half-and-half mixture of unbleached white and wheat meal
About 2 tsps (10 g) salt
A packet or 0.28 oz (8 g) active dry yeast or 0.5 oz (15 g) fresh yeast
2 egg whites
9.5 to 11.5 oz (280-340 ml) water and milk, about 3/4 water and 1/4 milk, warmed to tepid

Egg wash, 1 egg yolked whisked with a tiny bit water, optional
Sesame seeds, optional

Stir the yeast into a small amount of the tepid water/milk and let stand about 10 minutes until dissolved and slightly creamy.

Blend the flour with the salt in a mixing bowl. If you like, warm in a very tepid oven. (This is optional and I did not do it.)

Pour in the yeast into the flour/salt. Add the egg whites, beaten in a small bowl until they are just beginning to froth (I simply added the whites without beating). Pour in half the remaining water/milk and stir to wet all of the flour. Add the remaining liquid, a little at a time, just enough until you have moistened all of the dry flour and a dough as formed. Mix as for ordinary bread dough (I kneaded for about 5 minutes on a lightly floured board until the dough was smooth.

Place the dough back in the bowl (I oiled the bowl and then covered the bowl with plastic and then a clean kitchen towel) and leave to rise until spongy and light. This will take 45 minutes to 1 hour depending on the temperature of the ingredients when the dough as mixed (mine was more than doubled in closer to 30 minutes!).

Break or punch down the dough, divide it into two round or oblong loaves, or long rolls if you prefer. (Ilva made one oval loaf the first time she made it). Cover with plastic or a light cloth and leave to recover volume. About 30 minutes should be enough (this is a very fast-rising dough).

Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C).

Brush the loaves with the egg wash, optional, but I love the deep golden color an egg wash gives to a bread. Decorate the loaves' crust with cuts, dough shapes, seeds, nuts or not, as you like. Bake in the preheated oven for the first 15 minutes. Then to prevent the crust from to getting too hard, cover the loaves with bowls or an oval casserole; bake for another 15 minutes. If you do not cover the loaves, lower the over temperature to 350°F (175°C) and continue baking for 15 – 20 minutes.

Five

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie) — Mon, 15 Sep 2014 10:29:00 +0000

FIVE YEARS

Never, never, before Heaven, have I thought of you but as the single, bright, pure, blessed recollection of my boyhood and my youth. Never have I from the first, and never shall I to the last, regard your part in my life, but as something sacred, never to be lightly thought of, never to be esteemed enough, never, until death, to be forgotten.

– Charles Dickens, Dombey and Son

Five senses

Five fingers

Take five

This old man, he played five

Five Guitars

The Famous Five

The Best of Five

Slaughterhouse Five

Five Golden Rings

Gimme five

High five

Nine to five

Five years

September 15, 2009 – September 15, 2014

One

Two

Three

Four

Five years a lifetime.

If our affections be tried, our affections are our consolation and comfort;

and memory, however sad, is the best and purest link between this world and a better.

– Charles Dickens, Nicholas Nickleby

Michael.

Clams in White Wine

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie) — Thu, 11 Sep 2014 09:09:00 +0000

A CHANGING LANDSCAPE

We are the children of our landscape; it dictates behavior and even thought

in the measure to which we are responsive to it.

- Lawrence Durrell

What a hectic week it's been in France! A Presidential scandal, a parliamentary scandal involving a deputy, and the far right national party trying to muscle their way closer to the top. And la rentrée, the start of the new school year and the new changing time organization, five days of class instead of four, which, of course, has led to scandal among mayors and teachers alike. Sigh. I guess a demonstration can't be far behind. On a more personal note, the sun is out and has pushed the dreary, rainy summer out, now a faded memory. The air is crisp, cool, and foreboding good things, a bright future. And our lives are about to change, so this is a very good omen.

Our older son has been in Senegal for about six weeks after a month traveling – hitchhiking – through Italy and southern France. A heady, busy working vacation. He arrives back home Saturday night and will be expecting dinner. I most definitely want to bake this Honey Whiskey Bundt Cake for him. Maybe this Caramelized Onion & Mushroom Quiche? Oooh or this Greek-style Preserved Lemon Chicken with Olives, a favorite dish of his?

Younger son finally made it to Munich and he began his internship. He found a room in a fantastic apartment with a great host, very close to the design agency he is working in. He is already a part of the team, participating in brainstorming sessions and being given heady assignments. He is filling his weekends with visits to museums, parks, the market and bookstores, active young thing.

We are so very happy for and proud of both of them.

Meanwhile, we have taken a leap ahead in our plans and will soon be able to reveal all, just as soon as everything is confirmed. What an exciting change, a somewhat overwhelming change for us but one that we welcome for the new start that it is, one filled with possibilities and, yes, adventure.

Thomas Jefferson asked himself “In what country on earth would you rather live ”

He first answered “Certainly in my own where are all my friends my relations and the earliest and sweetest affections and recollections of my life.”

But he continued “which would be your second choice ”

His answer “France.

- Thomas Jefferson

Today I share with you some photos of favorite spots, favorite buildings in Nantes, just a visual feast. And a plate of Clams in White Wine that my husband prepared for us last week as we savor a bit of time alone, empty-nesters as we are for the moment. This is such a simple dish to make but so filled with flavor. Clams steamed in white wine is a classic, the bit of flour just allows the flavorful sauce to cling a bit to the meat. The cilantro or coriander adds a bright freshness to the dish, the scallions or spring onions all the bite it needs, the chipotle chili powder a touch of heat. The onions, tender and sweet, add a mellow complexity to the clams and the sauce.

CLAMS IN WHITE WINE
Serves 2

* We used a mix of tiny coques, cockles, and larger palourdes, the carpet-shell, littleneck or cherrystone clams. If using different types and sizes of clams, it is important to know the cooking times of each and add them to the pot accordingly. We prefer using fresh coriander rather than parsley for the wonderful bright flavor it imparts and although the dish can be delicious without the pinch chipotle chili pepper, we love the slight kick of heat.

2 lbs (1 kg) total clams * see note above
½ - 1 onion, in fine dice
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 slightly rounded Tbs flour ¾ cup dry white wine
Freshly grated black pepper
Pinch or 2 chipotle chili powder, optional but excellent *
1 Tbs or more finely chopped fresh coriander or flat-leaf parsley *
Finely sliced spring onion or scallion for topping, optional
1 Tbs margarine + 1 Tbs olive oil

Rinse the clams in a colander under cold running water until the water runs clear. Allow to drain.

Whisk the flour into the white wine until dissolved.

Heat the margarine and olive oil over medium-high heat in a deep medium-large pot or saucepan until sizzling; add the onion and garlic and sauté, stirring, until the onions are translucent and tender. Add the larger of the clams and the wine-flour and stir until the onions and clams are well and evenly blended and coated with the wine-flour mix. Bring to the boil – this should only take a minute or less, then lower the heat until the liquid is simmering. Allow to cook for 5 minutes, stirring everything up, then add the small clams and stir to blend. Cover the pot and allow the to cook and steam for an additional 10 minutes or until the clams are opened, the meat firm, and the sauce is slightly thickened. Add some chopped coriander and a pinch chipotle chili powder a couple of minutes before the clams are done.

Immediately ladle the clams into to soup plates with some of the juice/broth and top with a light dusting of chipotle chili powder, some chopped fresh coriander or parsley and sliced spring onion/scallion.

Serve accompanied with the dry white wine and fresh bread with salted butter.

Honey Whiskey Bundt Cake with Honey Whiskey Butter Glaze

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie) — Mon, 08 Sep 2014 14:56:00 +0000

WHISKEY, HONEY?

Too much of anything is bad, but too much good whiskey is barely enough.

– Mark Twain

I am not a drinker. Neither were my parents although my father absolutely demanded a bar in the family room (big, hulking thing he built himself yet never finished even as it stood there for at least twenty years). That bar was filled with everything convivial: whisky, rum, Kahlua and Grand Marnier. Mixes for Tom Collins and bottles of bitters. Yet twenty years later those very same jars were still tucked away behind the bar glazed with twenty years worth of dust. But I digress. I am not a drinker other than my half glass of wine with a meal. Maybe a bit more with dessert or a box of fine chocolates.

But I, too, have a well-stocked liquor cabinet. Bottles of Martell cognac, Grand Marnier and Cointreau, amber rum and whiskey, port and Limoncello and kirsh and although husband has been know to tipple…. no, no… relax of an evening sipping a digestive or postprandial, I keep my bottles for baking.

Even if one isn't a drinker and does not enjoy the taste or heat of liquor or booze (a vulgar word, you say? No, not when a cake or pudding is concerned!), there is nothing comparable to the flavor one of those tipples adds to a dessert, whether heartily imbibed or gently infused. Rum and vanilla make the most ambrosial mélange and I have been known to pair rum with chocolate, the rum giving the chocolate a slightly earthy kick and a sexy warmth. Cointreau, more subtle and spicy than headier, warmer Grand Marnier, is no stranger to cakes, cakes and more cakes, and this oh-so French liqueur has married so well with an oh-so Italian Tiramisu. Grand Marnier has cozied up to Madeleines, added the celebration to Bundts, and found its way into ganache sandwiched in between two macaron shells. Cognac and Amaretto are neither one alien to my kitchen, the former in a stunning Panna Cotta, the latter the traditional flavoring of our classic Tiramisu. And both have found their way into cakes and ganache for macarons.

But whiskey? I have never baked with whiskey.

Maybe because I never considered, never had the desire to taste it. At all. But a recipe for Honey Whiskey Mini Bundts with Honey Whiskey Glaze I discovered on Stacy's blog Food Lust People Love, made me rethink my prejudice. I could imagine the heat whiskey could suffuse throughout the cake, the perfection of the blend of whiskey and honey, woody, earthy and sweet. I really wanted to try this cake. A moist yet delicate Bundt cake and topped with pecans, my favorite nut to bake with, sealed the deal.

Whisky is liquid sunshine.

– George Bernard Shaw

And I am thrilled with the result! The cake is perfect, moist and dense, buttery with a hint of the whiskey. The glaze, oh the glaze, is gorgeous! Honey with the addition of butter and a pinch of salt gives the resulting syrup the splendid taste of a salted butter caramel or buttery caramel candies with the added kick of the whiskey. Don't be shy about bathing the cake in the syrup; spoon or brush a good amount of it on several times beginning when it is still warm and just turned out of the pan until you have used most of the syrup. Don't worry, the cake won't become soggy, but simply moister and really infused with the whiskey, buttery flavor. Magnificent.

To stress how fabulous this cake is: my husband, unbeknownst to me, wrapped up two slices of it and took it to the owners of an "American" café around the corner (no, we had never met them before) to taste in the hopes they would place an order. That is how much he loved it. And between the two of us, husband and me, half the cake was eaten the first afternoon and evening. It is that good.

Although a gorgeous everyday treat, this is definitely a cake for special occasions, as well, whether holiday (Rosh Hashanah or Christmas) or for company. And better than your traditional Rosh Hashanah honey cake, I'll bet.

HONEY WHISKEY BUNDT CAKE with Honey Whiskey Butter Glaze

Makes one 8 ½ inch (21 ½ cm) Bundt cake

Stacy made her cake as individual mini-Bundts using a five-cup capacity mini Bundt pan making six mini Bundts and you can pop over to her beautiful blog for the instructions if you would like to do the same.

For the cake:
¾ cup (150 g) sugar
6 Tbs (85 g) unsalted butter at room temperature, plus more for buttering pan
2 large eggs
2 cups less 1 Tbs (250 g) flour
1 ½ tsps baking powder (by error I also added ½ tsp baking soda and it was fine)
½ tsp salt
¼ cup (60 ml) good quality liquid/runny honey
2/3 cup (155 ml) milk at room temperature
1/3 cup (80 ml) whiskey, bourbon or amber rum
¾ cup (about 90 g) chopped pecans (I used about ½ cup or less than 50 g)

For the syrup/glaze:
¼ cup (60 g) unsalted butter
2 Tbs water
¼ cup (60 ml) good quality liquid/runny honey
¼ cup (50 g) sugar
¼ cup (60 ml) whiskey, bourbon or amber rum
¼ tsp salt

Preheat your oven to 350°F or 180°C and prepare a 8 ½ inch (21 ½ cm) Bundt pan by using a pastry brush to paint the inside and around the edges liberally with butter. Don’t be shy.

Sprinkle your pecans into the bottom of the buttered Bundt pan.

Combine your flour, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl and set aside. Combine the milk, bourbon and honey for the batter in a measuring vessel and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together your butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating well between them. Now add half of the flour mixture and half of the liquid mixture and beat well. Add the balance of the flour and liquid mixture and beat well again. Gently scoop or spoon the batter into your prepared pan, on top of the pecans. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before turning the Bundt cake out of the pan and turn right side up (nut side up). Cool on a wire rack while you make the syrup glaze.

Put all the ingredients for the syrup in a small pot and heat it until boiling. Allow to boil for a few minutes, until it reduces slightly. Turn off the fire and allow to cool for a few minutes.

Put your warm Bundt cake either on a rack or a piece of parchment or foil in a pan or plate with sides to catch the glaze that doesn’t soak in immediately. Drizzle or brush the syrupy glaze, at little at a time, over all of the cake. It continued to brush on the syrupy glaze on the cake - on top, on the sides and inside the center hole, over a period of an hour or so, each time I passed in front of it allowing for the syrup to easily soak into and imbibe the cake gradually; pouring it on all at once and too much will run off.

Slice and serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes From Nantes

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie) — Fri, 05 Sep 2014 13:50:00 +0000

PAINT THE TOWN Part I

Graffiti is one of the few tools you have if you have almost nothing. And even if you don't come up with a picture to cure world poverty you can make someone smile while they're having a piss. - Banksy, Banging Your Head Against a Brick Wall

Graffiti has become a real casse-tête in Nantes, a headache, a puzzle, an ongoing debate. As in every city and town across the country, I imagine. It is undoubtedly illegal, defacing public and private property. A prohibited activity, which has become a moral dilemma. The city spends millions of euros to clean walls, buildings, to erase, expunge, obliterate the unwanted, these blots on our society.

Like exterminating undesirables, washing them away.

Are they much different than cave drawings? The need to draw, the urge to communicate, the desire to capture one's daily life, one's thoughts and ideas in words and images in a public space for all to share and experience. And we respond to it. To the message or maybe only to the colors, the exaggerated presence of another's being, another's heart and soul. We are intrigued by the movement, the voice shouting in colors and symbols. Garish, gaudy or black and white. Large movements, large ideals, or intimate, personal.

I love graffiti. I love the passion and I love the humor.

Is it irresponsible and childish as some claim? Or is it intuitive, this need to express one's self in this way? Is it a social ill or a social need?

I fear chiefly lest my expression may not be extravagant enough, may not wander far enough beyond the narrow limit of my daily experience, so as to be adequate to the truth of which I have been convinced. Extravagance! it depends on how you are yarded.

- Henry David Thoreau

Personally, I think graffiti dresses up a city, covering bare, drab walls with brightness, with bold gestures, with stories. Beautiful personal expression.

I love playing I Spy, stumbling upon a vibrant kaleidoscope, rich and exciting. Spontaneous, visceral, intuitive. Cave drawings for today's society, art for our times.

How do you react? Art? Madness? Irreverence? Beauty? Or not?

Chocolate Chip Pecan Buttermilk Muffins

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie) — Tue, 02 Sep 2014 14:11:00 +0000

HOME COOKING

To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.

- Oscar Wilde

Comfort Food. It's all I could think of today. I needed comfort food. I wasn't sad, I wasn't heartbroken. I wasn't even wistful, contemplating better worlds and future hopes. Nope…. I was exhausted. Two weeks solid, non-stop of helping my younger son organize his internship in Germany, find housing, figure out transportation, yadda yadda yadda, Marty recovering from his surgery and older son off in the wilds of Senegal, working and partying amid the threat of ebola (images of The Masque of the Red Death dance through my head although I know I am exaggerating), not to mention our own waiting for our own plans to fall into place (fingers crossed). I was simply and utterly worn out. But don't get me wrong: all is good.

Very good. My Pot-au-Feu feature appeared on the news stands in the latest issue of Fine Cooking magazine, a coup that I am particularly proud of. Both the article and the recipe are also available online on the Fine Cooking website.

The book proposal advances, thanks to the dogged persistence and brilliant vision of Ilva. Marty is as happy as a bug in a rug, vivacious and back to his old self, the Marty that we haven't seen for ages. My son continued to work on my online portfolio and made plans with me (read: urged me) to begin making cooking videos upon his return later this autumn. Does that plan include something called French Fries Pizza? Rumors, I tell you, only rumors.

There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.

- Albert Einstein

I was still riding high on the success of the Fast and Fabulous French Bread (one is safely tucked away in the freezer for any emergency) and so was still in the mood to bake. I wavered between baked custard like this one or a fruit clafoutis or flognarde like this one or panna cotta like this one or an old-fashioned summer fruit cobbler like this one. I even considered making French riz au lait after seeing Ilva's post for Swedish rice pudding.

But I decided to make muffins. With chocolate for sweetness with a slightly bitter edge and pecans for a toothsome bite. Muffins not too sweet, not too moist (I did not want cupcakes), just cakey enough, just tender and sweet enough to make the best little breakfast treat, the perfect little snack. Comforting.

In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on.

- Robert Frost

CHOCOLATE CHIP PECAN BUTTERMILK MUFFINS
Makes 12

Perfect comfort food, ideal for breakfast, brunch and snack. Feel free to replace the chocolate chips with fresh blueberries.

2 ½ cups (320 g) flour
¾ cup (150 g) sugar
2 tsps baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp ground cinnamon
Finely grated zest of ½ to 1 orange, to taste, optional
¾ cup (about 100 g) mini chocolate chips
½ cup (50 g) coarsely chopped pecans
1 large egg, lightly beaten
¾ cup (180 ml) buttermilk
2/3 cup (160 ml) vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease or line with paper cupcake cups 12 regular-sized cupcake tins.

Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and orange zest (if adding) in a large mixing bowl and whisk to blend. Whisk in the chocolate chips and chopped pecans.

Combine the egg, buttermilk, oil and vanilla in a large measuring cup or a bowl and whisk until well blended.

Using a rubber spatula or a wooden spoon, fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients just until all of the dry ingredients are moistened and the batter is well blended. Do not overbeat or over mix the batter as this can lead to a tougher muffin.

Divide the batter evenly between the muffin cups, filling each cup ¾ full and bake for about 20 minutes (time may vary depending on your oven) until the muffins are puffed, golden and set and a tester inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Remove the muffins from the oven and carefully lift each muffin out of the tin and allow to cool on a rack.