Vanilla Icing

Finally, Flowers.

A few years ago, Rick and I experienced some losses that left me uninterested in a lot of the things that I loved to do.  Baking, writing, and gardening were just of a few of the things that I left by the wayside as I struggled to accept what had happened.  I'm still working on regaining those lost interests and this year was the first year that I was ready to dig my hands into the soil.

It felt good.   

I was happy to see that many of the perennials I had planted years ago were still growing: peonies, roses, moonflowers, foxglove, mexican-something-or-other, and my sage plant which had easily quadrupled in size and was waving purple flowers at me.  The strawberry bed has grown immensely and today I ate the first strawberry of the season from it!

It was delicious.  Maybe this year will be the year I have enough not only to have some for eating and strawberry ice cream but also the year's strawberry jam?  My fingers are crossed.   I discovered my poor dead blueberry bush isn't dead at all--it was sending up shoots!--so that means anything can happen.  

It's hard to believe that from one bedraggled strawberry plant Maia brought home in a Dixi cup five years ago that I hurriedly stuck in the ground so it wouldn't die that I now have a strawberry patch that is about 3 feet by 8 feet.  I've also given people cuttings from it, transplanted more to other parts of my yard, and finally just whacked up great armfuls of plants that were trying to take over the lawn and heaved them in the trash.  Lately, I've wondered--do you think my neighbors would mind if I let them take over my entire front yard?

A few days ago and then again today,  I went to the store and I think I might have gone a little bit crazy. I picked up a some vegetable and fruit starts: cucumbers, squash, zucchini, four different types of tomatoes and four types of peppers.  The tomatoes and peppers are in containers for growing on my front porch as it gets the most sun.  I don't expect a high yield but if I were able to make a batch or two of salsa?  I'd be very happy.

I picked up a few annuals that were on sale: lobelia, geraniums, petunias, and French marigolds but mostly I brought home perennials which are my favorite.  Astilbe, Pink Swirl Dianthus, Delphiniums, Iceland Poppies, Snow Fountain Gaura, and a red flower that is on long, long stems that looks as if it would be fitting in a Dr. Seuss book that I unfortunatley don't know what it's called.  I hadn't ever seen it before which is part of the reason why I purchased it and the tag seems to have gone missing.

Call these what you will--violas or pansies but I will always, always call them Johnny Jump Ups.  I had these a few years ago, and sure enough for a couple years it seemed a new little one was jumping up in the most unexpected place!  These were the only flowers that disappeared from my garden and I couldn't bring home a new one fast enough.

Of course, I picked up a few more herbs to supplement the ones I brought home from Quiet Creek Farm.   I  have purple and sweet basil, rosemary, oregano, mint, and creeping thyme all tucked in here and there.  On a whim, I brought home a raspberry cane last Saturday but I have no idea where to put it or how much sun it needs.  I mean to look it up, find a home for it, and hope for the best.

Rick says at our new office there's a long swath of grass that if I want, I can dig up and plant it with all the vegetables that I want.   It's a little late in the season to get started on such a project because I think the wall will have to repaired in one spot and I also need to chart the amount of sun that reaches the ground.   Then, I'll have to prepare the ground and decide what I want to plant and where exactly.  I think I'll take my time with planning and preparing this plot and have it ready for next spring.   If it's suitable it would be perfect to supplement what I can grow at home with my extremely limited sun.

I'm so glad to planting and planning again!

Quiet Creek Farm

Quiet Creek Herb Farm & School of Country Living is a beautiful sustainable herb farm located only two hours outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.   The stewards of Quiet Creek, Rusty and Claire, use this wonderful place to teach sustainable living methods, conservation, and practical skills such as soap making.   It seems like the knowledge in these areas they have to share is nearly limitless and I was thrilled to learn about all of the other classes they teach.  Soap making? Yes, please!   Earthen building?  Yes, please!  Everything else?  Yes, please!  Take a look at their classes here or find out more about building your own class.

The farm is perched on gently rolling green hills and the only sound to be heard is birdsong.  It's quite the change from the city and the serene stillness immediately calms and welcomes visitors.  You can feel yourself slowing down, breathing deep, and relaxing.

My friend Jen who told me about Quiet Creek and I visited the farm for their 15th Annual Spring Festival.   There were quite a few things on the schedule but each thing took place in its own time and none of it was rushed.

A Lemon Lament

Today, a terrible thing has happened:  A child not belonging to me has plucked the sole lemon from my potted lemon tree.  I am ridiculously, over-the-top upset about the abrupt removal of my lemon by someone other than me and I am fully aware that there are many people out there that would roll their eyes and make snarky remarks about 'real problems in the world.'  But, I am sure that there are sympathetic readers out there who proudly claim the title 'gardener.'

A little lemon history....

A few years ago, I was rereading Frances Mayes' books on Tuscany as I do every so often because I find the words lovely though they always leave me longing to see Italy for myself.  In one of the books, the author mentions a 'limonaia' which is a room designed specifically to house lemon trees over the winter.  It never occurred to me that lemons could be grown in pots until I read about this room and a bit of research later confirmed that lemons could indeed be grown in pots and brought inside for the colder months.  It was then I decided I must try my hand at growing lemons.

I purchased two small twigs that had about ten leaves each that had a small tag on them proclaiming them to be lemon trees.  I felt a little skeptical that such small things could someday grow lemons but I was unwilling to purchase larger, more expensive trees for my experiment.  The tiny trees were brought home, repotted, watered, and then I waited.  I diligently lugged the pots inside when the nights turned too cool and patiently waited until I was sure there was no absolutely no chance of the nighttime temperatures dropping too low before putting them back out on my front porch.  I waited some more.  And waited.   And waited for a couple years!

The lemon trees finally reached a size where they looked less like twigs and more like bushes.  (I'm a little intimidated to try my hand at pruning to get them to grow in the correct shape).   Their growth alone was a triumph because my house is situated in a very shady neighborhood and what sunshine there is to be had is on my front porch.  

Winter came again and I brought the lemon trees inside and put them near the dining room windows that are able to capture a little of the shallow winter sunlight.  I was beginning to think that I would be hauling them back and forth with no hope of lemons ever!   But, one morning when I woke up and came downstairs, there was an unexpected floral scent in the air.  At first, I couldn't locate it but at last I did.  The lemon trees had blossomed!!  I was beyond thrilled.

But then tragedy struck.  One of the lemon trees began to lose leaves at a rapid rate.  This wasn't the ordinary leaf loss the trees experienced in the winter but something different.  I couldn't discover the cause.   I separated the trees as best as I could while still keeping them in the window that gave them their only light.   The first little lemon tree died.  

A couple of weeks later, the same thing began to happen to the other tree.  I was bewildered at what to do: the trees had looked healthy, were watered, fed, and given as much sun as could be had--the same as every year--and now the second tree was dying.  Then, one day as I stood there staring at the tree in dismay, I swear I heard a noise.

I bent closer to the tree and then I saw it.  A filthy, thieving, eating stink bug!  It literally was munching away at a leaf.  Probably I didn't hear anything at all and really saw a small minute movement out of the corner of my eye but what does it matter?  That piece of scum was to blame for everything!  I removed the stink bug and kept a vigilant watch for any others that might have snuck in.

A couple weeks later, there were new leaves on the lemon tree.  And a few more after that, more blossoms.  By Summer, there were nearly a dozen tiny green lemons.  Time crept by slowly and they grew agonizingly slow.  Another minor tragedy struck in the form of an end of summer storm.  Every baby lemon was blown off the tree but one.  Somehow, it survived--perhaps its stem was a little thicker than the others? and it grew and grew and grew.  One day it began to turn a proper yellow and over the weeks it finally swelled just a little bit more until it was larger than any lemon I've ever seen at a store.

My research had told me that a lemon can be 'stored' on the tree for a very long time and it's better to leave it on the tree until it's ready to be used.  I was perfectly fine to leave it there until I had a special use for it and I admired it every day.  Every. Darn. Day.

I was so proud of that lemon.  It was the most epic thing I've ever grown and it represented perserverance.  I don't have much land and even less sunlight but over the years I've been able to grow a few things the naysayers said I didn't have enough sun to grow and....I GREW A LEMON!   

Pride goeth before a pick?

 

 ~Love lemons too?  Try my  Starbucks Lemon Loaf Sorta Copycat Recipe But EVEN BETTER recipe~

Lunch By The Water

Sometimes, the desire to leave the city overwhelms me to the point that each strike of my foot on the concrete seems to call out 'Go! Go!' and I know that a leisurely walk through Frick Park isn't going to cut it.  I must go farther away, deeper into the woods.   Time restraints and the necessity of being home in time to greet ones' children from school doesn't allow for anything too far away, but an hour or so outside of Pittsburgh there's Ohio Pyle.

Even in Ohio Pyle, it's difficult to get entirely away from people unless you have unlimited hours to go walking on the less traveled hiking paths.  But, for this day, encountering small groups of two or three people on occasion was acceptable and considerably less than the constant stream of runners, walkers, bikers, and dog walkers Frick Park offers at this time of year when Winter has finally lost its battle and Spring is struggling to hold on before Summer overwhelms.

A friend who had never visited Ohio Pyle  and I packed a light lunch and headed out of the city.   When we arrived, we spent a few minutes walking through town and stopping by the Falls before we ventured over to the trail near the Natural Waterslides.  

It was a warm day, but by the water, the trees keep the sun only peeking through here and there.  We hiked up a thin, dirt and sand scuffed trail and clambered over rocks large and small until we found a perfect lunch spot.  A smooth flat rock was the ideal height to sit on with feet dangling in the little-too-cold! water with a young tree overhead that fanned out its glowing branches.  We lunched with only the sound of water, the occasional bird, and our own voices which was quite the difference from the noisy traffic, rowdy people, and squawks of bizarre background music choices we usually lunch to in the city.

It's the small things that make such a difference in one's outlook.

Culinary Council with Chef Tom Douglas

 

Saturday morning had me feeling a little nervous because I was attending Macy's Culinary Council with Chef Tom Douglas who was going to be preparing some of his All American dishes.  I have to admit the thought of being in the presence of a celebrity chef intimidated me.  I couldn't stop replaying all of the clips in my head that I've seen on Food Network of angry, shouting chefs belittling their oftentimes incompetent help.  I decided that if I learned all I could about the chef prior to the event I might feel a little better.

Chef Tom Douglas is a self made man.  He never attended professional culinary school and instead, his natural talent was brought out by his own travels and by "learning something from everyone he's ever cooked with."   He owns several restaurants in Seattle and also Prosser Farm.  The farm is an organic farm a couple hours outside of Seattle which supplies his restaurants with plenty of fresh, seasonal produce and delicious meats.  I found myself wishing I could visit his farm when I was reading the farm blog and I instantly began to feel a little more relaxed about attending the demo.

Macy's had music playing and a stage set up for the chef and rows of white chairs with a copy of Table Magazine and printouts of the recipes that were going to be cooked during the demo.  I was excited to see that one of them was one of the recipes I had tried myself earlier in the week!

Then, I saw the wine.   I watched a glass being poured and taken to the chef just prior to the demo beginning.  My nerves began to jangle.  Would the chef come storming out shouting at his audience?  Would he be one of those arrogant chefs you see on Food Network?

I couldn't have been more wrong.

Chef Tom Douglas came out, wine glass in hand, smiling and the audience went wild.   The music was still pumping and the chef immediately began dancing and waving for the audience to join him.   Before he could even offer a signed cookbook to the most enthusiastic dancer, nearly everyone was already on their feet dancing with him.   The music quieted and the chef graciously handed a copy of his newest cookbook, The Dahlia Bakery, to one delighted fan who gave him a big hug in return.  

Chef Douglas took a few minutes to introduce himself and tell everyone a little bit about himself and where he works.  He encouraged the audience to ask him anything at any time.   A few questions were asked about Seattle and one excited man was on the edge of his seat with desire to ask questions and to tell the chef about his own love of cooking.   This particular man had plenty of questions to ask and things to say throughout the entire demo and I was thoroughly impressed with the graciousness and patience Chef Douglas showed with his over eager fan.

The first recipe was 'Etta's Dungeness Crab Eggs Bennies with Lemon Dill Hollandaise.'   Eggs Benedict is a recipe that often intimidates people because of the hollandaise sauce.  Done incorrectly the hollaindaise will become more like scrambled eggs rather than the creamy, delectable sauce it's supposed to be and that fear is exactly why most people don't attempt to make it.  

Chef Douglas was a blur of measured movement as he prepared the hollaindaise sauce but never once did it it become frenzied.  He was calm and carefully explained what he was doing and offered his tips for keeping the hollaindaise smooth and silky.  Be sure to keep the water at barely a simmer, not boiling.   Whisk constantly but be careful not to incorporate any air into the sauce.   Keep the sauce warm but don't continue cooking it while the rest of the dish is prepared.

Fluffy chunks of sweet crabmeat were warmed in a pan while the toasted English muffins were prepared by topping them with gently wilted spinach leaves and well poached eggs.  Chef Douglas emphasized you don't want a soft poached egg because then the water from the egg whites will run and ruin the dish.  

The crabmeat was lavishly piled onto the English muffins with a thank you from the chef to Macy's for their generous allowances and great spoonfuls of hollaindaise sauce poured all over everything.  The bright and sunny Lemon Dill Hollandaise was surprisingly light on the palate despite the rich thickness of the sauce.  It was simply amazing and I'm sure I would eat it by the spoon if left alone with a bowl of it.

Ah, bread.   When this bread was being unwrapped,  I couldn't help but wonder if the chef had brought it all the way from his own Dahlia Bakery in Seattle.  I meant to ask him but I was quickly distracted by the next recipe, 'Tom's Tasty Tomato Soup with Brown Butter Croutons,' being prepared.  

Canned tomatoes were the tomato of choice in this recipe and a woman in the audience asked Chef Douglas if he preferred one brand over another.  His response was practical and down to earth and my heart warmed even more towards him.   Chef Douglas advised that as each year the tomato crop is different due to the nature  different growing seasons in different locations that it's best not to choose your canned tomatoes  based on brand name.  He said that he thinks it's best to purchase one can of each brand you have available to you, open each can and put a tomatoe from each on a plate.  Then, take a taste of each and whichever one tastes best is the brand you should use for that year.   I think that's excellent advice!

I was a little bit envious of his immersion blender.  I still haven't gotten around to getting one yet and if I hadn't been so sidetracked by all of the good food I would have remembered to pick one up at Macy's before I left.    

The perfect sandwich to pair with a bowl of tomato soup is always a grilled cheese.  Chef Douglas made his 'Grilled Cheese with Caramelized Broccoli Rabe & Fontina' to go with his soup.   The carmelization of the broccoli rabe is surprisingly quick.  The sharp sweet tang of the balsamic vinegar that was poured over the broccoli rabe during the last few minutes wafted out over the audience and I couldn't help but noticing that it stopped several passerbys in their tracks to see what was being cooked.  

The caramelized broccoli rabe is layered between thick, rustic bread and shredded fontina cheese and then grilled to toasted buttery goodness.  It's important not to skimp on the butter because it helps the outside of the bread crisp up.

Don't be intimidated by the extra step with the broccoli rabe.  I made this exact recipe a couple nights before the Culinary Council demo because I was excited to try some of the chef's recipes and it really did add only a few extra minutes.  

Every good meal deserves to end with a delicious dessert.  When Chef Douglas, began to pour chocolate into the food processor, the entire audience let out a collective 'Mmmmmmm.'   Everyone knew something good was coming.

The 'Silk Chocolate Cream Pie with Pecan Crust' recipe began with the chef talking about the pie crust. This crust blind bakes for a longer time than other crusts because it's very important for it to be very, very crisp.  An pre-prepared pecan crust was lifted out of its pan and shown to the audience.  It was crisp enough the entire crust came wholely out of the pan in one piece.  

The silk part of this pie is made as a custard on the stove and then the hot custard is sieved over the chocolate in the food processor.  When the food processor is turned on, it's only a matter of a minute or two before the custard melts the chocolate.  The chocolate silk is poured into the pie crust and chilled thoroughly before being topped with sweetened whipped cream and curls of chocolate.

The Silk Chocolate Cream Pie was intensely decadent and yet, not heavy like so many of the other chocolate silk pies I've eaten.  This remarkable ability to take something that is rich and hedonistic and make it feel and taste light seems to be a particular talent of Chef Tom Douglas.  A particularly evil talent of the chef's I'd say--I think I could eat half of the pie myself!....right after I finish a bowl of that Lemon Dill Hollaindaise.

Chef Douglas finished by talking and answering more questions from the audience.  His time and attention with us was unstintingly thoughtful and kind and I think it pairs wonderfully with his delicious food.  

My special thanks to Chef Tom Douglas for sharing his wonderful self and expertise and also to Macy's Culinary Council for inviting me to be a part of this event.

 

Disclaimer:  I am a member of the Everywhere Society and Everywhere provided me with compensation for this post about Macy's Culinary Council.  However, all thoughts and opinions expressed herein are my own.

Honey Cookies

Have you ever begrudgingly carefully measured out an expensive local honey for a recipe you are baking only to find that once the baking is finished you can't even taste the honey?  Perhaps you are like me and sulked every time you saw the honey jar now with considerably less in it and thought bitterly how you should have just used ordinary sugar as a sweetner instead of wasting precious honey?   No?   Then this recipe might not be for you.  But....but....if you've thought an emphatic Yes! and maybe you even went so far as to ban every other person from touching the honey unless you've deemed their usage to be truly 'honey worthy' then, this recipe is for you.

These golden honey cookies are a little crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside.  The sweet taste of honey is strong with a gentle taste of vanilla and nutmeg that lingers.   I especially like a couple of honey cookies with a cup of tea but they go well with a cold glass of milk too.

 

Honey Cookies

             by Michelle

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup honey

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons of vanilla OR scrapings from 1 vanilla bean

2 eggs

3 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

 

1.  Preheat the oven to 350.  In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and baking powder.  Set aside.

2.  Cream the butter, honey, and sugar until smooth.  Beat the eggs and vanilla in until well combined.  Slowly mix in the flour mixture.

3.  On a parchment or silpat lined baking sheet, drop the cookies into approximately 1 inch balls about three inches apart. If desired, roll into a more uniform ball shape for rounder cookies.  Flatten dough balls slightly with the bottom of a floured glass.

4.  Bake for 10 minutes or until cookies are just beginning to turn golden.  Cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet and then remove to a wire rack to finish cooling.  

Makes about 5 dozen

Creamy Hummus

There's a little restaurant in Pittsburgh's South Side that makes the best ever hummus.  It's simple in taste as all the best things are and doesn't try to hide the fact that it's really not much more than well....chickpeas.  

Roasted garlic?  Sundried tomatoes?   Pine nut?  Olive?   Southwest??!   Not necessary.  A hint of nutty tahini, a hint of sharp garlic, and one shining bright note of lemon is all that is needed to make the addicting dip I simply couldn't have often enough.   The hummus at this restaurant is the creamiest hummus I've ever eaten and I found myself going there a little too often.  I tried to break up my visits by purchasing pre-made hummus at my local grocery store but not a single one could even compare and I was growing a little embarrassed by how often I was visiting the restaurant and ordering only hummus and the soft, triangles of pita bread that came with it.

It was time to make it myself.  

My first attempts were mediocre and a little too salty for my tastes which was easily explainable because I was using canned chickpeas.  There was also a slightly gritty texture that I chalked up to having an older food processor with a not-so-sharp blade.  One issue at a time, I told myself as I ate my way through several batches of sort of gritty, sort of salty hummus.

I purchased a bag of dried chickpeas, soaked them overnight, and then, the next morning, I cooked them until they were tender.  When they finished cooking I went to scoop out some of the cooking water and I noticed things floating on top of the water.  I looked closer and realized that they were chickpea skins.  Having not used chickpeas in my cooking (nor really eaten any at all until my mid to late 20's!), I hadn't realized that they had skins and they could come off.  I scooped a hot chickpea out of the pot and bounced it from hand to hand until it cooled some.  Then, just like when peeling an almond, I put it between my fingers and pinched off the skin.  It slid right off.

I did it again.  And again.   And again.  That's when I started thinking about almonds and how if you eat a handful of almonds with their skins on you are left with teeny tiny bits of skin floating around in your mouth that is quite an unpleasant feeling....that felt awfully similar to how my gritty hummus felt in my mouth when I ate it.

This is where things got a little crazy.  I proceeded to peel (skin?) a potful of chickpeas.  It didn't take as long as I thought it would and I was finished in about fifteen minutes.  I proceeded to make hummus with my newly naked chickpeas.

Creamiest hummus ever!   Turns out, naked chickpeas DO make all the difference in the world.  Put the radio on, turn on an episode of your favorite show, or enlist a helper.  Do it.   You won't regret it!

Hummus is a very subjective taste.  Some people prefer it to have more garlic or more lemon flavor.   I lean a little more towards the latter than the former but either way, be sure to stop the food processor often and taste your hummus and adjust it to your specific tastes!

 

Creamy Hummus

        by Michelle

2 cups cooked chickpeas, PEELED.  Reserve some of the cooking water

1/2 cup tahini paste

2-3 cloves of garlic

juice of 1 small lemon

salt to taste

 

1.  In a food processor, combine the chickpeas, tahini paste, and garlic.  Puree until you have a thick mass.  

2.  Add half the lemon juice and about 1/4 cup of the water.   With the food processor running, trickle in a little more water until the hummus is a consistency that you like.   Add salt and more lemon to taste.

Serve with fresh baked pita, pita chips, vegetables, pretzel thins, or crackers.   The hummus stores well in the fridge for up to a week.

Blueberries by the Sun

What is it about a sunny day that makes me think about blueberries?  C'mon Summer!