June 2005 Archives

I made this a couple of weeks ago and it has stayed good and served me well. I started out eating it on bruschetta, but since then I've put it on a sandwich and eaten it with chicken paillard. I think it'd also be good tossed with pasta, which may be lunch tomorrow. Or in an omelet or over eggs? It's a pretty green color, too.

I used picholine olives, already pitted. About 2 cups in the food processor with capers, parsley, lemon zest and juice. Processed until it was finely chopped, then drizzled in olive oil until it was holding together.

So Saturday we happened to arrive at Eddie's just as last year's ice cream eating champion was out-eating the competition yet again. Last year he ate five pounds of ice cream; I didn't catch the tally this year.

I did indulge in the next flavor on their list, coffee. I love coffee ice cream, but I'm still nursing so I've been avoiding caffeine. But coffee ice cream is one of those flavors that isn't too sweet, that has a nice edge to it, and Eddie's is a good, creamy specimen of this favored flavor. They also have coffee chip, which I'll have to try next.

One of the most impressive things at Eddie's are the huge bowls of freshly whipped cream that they pull out of the icebox when someone orders one of their big, messy sundaes. It's almost a perfect sphere, the round mound of whipped cream completing the circle of the colorful pyrex bowl.

Laura Brody says that without eggs, dessert would be fruit. But what would we eat for breakfast? I know there are tons of yummy recipes where eggs star, shining figuratively as a mile-high souffle or literally in a gorgeous meringue, but I love eggs for their dutifullness behind the scenes. An egg theme for IMBB instantly had me thinking of mornings when I was a kid, when even the Bisquick mix my dad used to make pancakes required the addition of an egg.

So when we had buttermilk pancakes for brunch yesterday Todd snapped a photo. We ate them with whole-berry preserves my father-in-law had made and fresh whipped cream. I love the tender, fluffy texture that the buttermilk and eggs gave these.

It's a basic recipe, really. Whisk together 2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 2 tablespoons sugar. Then in a 4-cup measure whisk 2 cups buttermilk with 2 tablespoons melted butter and 2 large eggs. Mix the two together just to combine, then cook 'em up.

Laura Brody says that without eggs, dessert would be fruit. But what would we eat for breakfast? I know there are tons of yummy recipes where eggs star, shining figuratively as a mile-high souffle or literally in a gorgeous meringue, but I love eggs for their dutifullness behind the scenes. An egg theme for IMBB instantly had me thinking of mornings when I was a kid, when even the Bisquick mix my dad used to make pancakes required the addition of an egg.

So when we had buttermilk pancakes for brunch yesterday Todd snapped a photo. We ate them with whole-berry preserves my father-in-law had made and fresh whipped cream. I love the tender, fluffy texture that the buttermilk and eggs gave these.

It's a basic recipe, really. Whisk together 2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 2 tablespoons sugar. Then in a 4-cup measure whisk 2 cups buttermilk with 2 tablespoons melted butter and 2 large eggs. Mix the two together just to combine, then cook 'em up.

I don't think this turned out quite right (not as high as the picture), but it was so doggone good that I have to write it up anyway. It's like a giant, round almond croissant that you can serve for dessert. And not too difficult, either. The other thing I like about it is it calls for 1/4 cup almond paste, not a whole tube, but it's very marzipan-y.

Roll out two puff pastry sheets so you have space on each to cut out a 10-inch round (the recipe called for 11-inch rounds, used all the almond cream and took longer to bake than my version). Cut the rounds with a knife then stick them in the fridge. Mix together (I used the mixer) 1/4 cup each almond paste and sugar and 3 tablespoons softened butter. When that's smoothish, add 1 egg and 1/4 teaspoon each almond and vanilla extract. Mix to combine, then mix in 2 tablespoons flour. Place one round on a baking sheet, then spread the almond cream on it, leaving the edge all the way around uncovered. Cut vents in the other sheet and brush it with an egg wash. Brush the egg wash around the edge of the bottom pastry, too, then place the other round, egg wash side up, on top, and press on the edges with a fork to close. Bake until burnished brown on top in a 450 degree oven (mine took 15 minutes) then dust with confectioners' sugar. Serve warm.

I went to a new place here in Forest Hills today, and it should have been a nice lunch with the in-laws. But the place was Cami's, which apparently doesn't keep the ingredients stocked for about half the stuff on their somewhat-limited lunch menu. When my father-in-law tried to order a Cuban sandwich, he was told, "We don't have Cubans." The way the waitress said it it almost sounded like he was demanding something they didn't offer on the menu.

Then my sandwich, a roasted vegetable sandwich with smoked gouda and eggplant spread, came with no cheese and drizzled with pesto. When I asked about the cheese the hostess (owner?) came over and told me that it was a spread of gouda and eggplant. Then why is it green? Thin? Oily? No sign that it is made of eggplant, which is not green, and cheese, which is also not green? I can't help but feel that I was being lied to in a very bald-faced and offensive way.

If I wasn't being lied to, though, I have to say that a smoked gouda and eggplant spread, which may be kind of a good idea in abstract, does not work at all in practice at Cami's, where it is not thick and brown and smokey but much too much like pesto.

So disappointing, because I was looking for a nice place to spend my lunchtimes.

Warning: Lamb fat is a tricky one to wash off. I made these patties under my broiler this weekend and have washed the broiler pan three times and it still feels sticky. But I've grown to love the taste of lamb; I guess a little extra dishwashing is the price to pay.

I mixed these up and formed them into patties early in the day, then refrigerated them until we were ready to make dinner: about three minced scallions, a couple tablespoons minced mint, a large minced clove of garlic and a pound of ground lamb. Season the outside of the patties with salt an pepper, broil on each side about 5 minutes (I made them into three big patties) and serve with yogurt, chutney and warm flatbread.

What can you say about cherry vanilla? Eddie's has big pieces of cherries and is pink. I've had it in the past because it's one of the flavors I go for when I feel like having fruit ice cream.

A warning to my in-laws, who are coming to visit next week and want to go to Eddie's: The place looks like it has a split personality. To the left when you walk in is an old-fashioned soda-shop counter, with stools, a marble countertop and a board with a menu and all the flavors. There are tables in the back and ceiling fans spin lazily above. To the right, though, are dusty cases full of Beanie Babies, birthday dolls and other knicknacks, looking like they've been there since the early '90s. This flotsam gives the place a vaguely run-down, junky feel. But if it were purely a charming soda shop, it wouldn't feel like such a find, I think. You don't want it to feel like you're at Disney World, do you?

My first all-by-myself crust success! I actually had to fudge the recipe, which was from The Slow Mediterranean Kitchen, a bit. But it was great with the rhubarb custard - just sweet enough to counter that tart-tart rhubarb. This is for today's Sugar High Friday, theme tarts.

When making the crust, I turned on the food processor to "grate" 9 tablespoons of butter that I had cut up small then frozen and August flipped out. So I dumped the butter into a bowl, added 1/3 cup sugar, a pinch of salt and 8 ounces of flour (so great to be able to weigh my flour instead of measuring). I used a pastry blender to cut the butter in, then tossed in an egg I had beaten a bit. Dumped it into a plastic bag, sealed it and formed the dough into a ball. Refrigerated for an hour, then formed it into a disk and stuck it back in the fridge. The next morning I rolled it out, froze it for a while to make it easier to work with, then put it in my 10-inch tart pan. The recipe actually much more dough than you need (about 1/4 more), which is great for a novice roller-outer. (I used the scraps to make mini tarts with the leftover custard I had.) Pricked the bottom, refrigerated it for about an hour (at least 20 minutes), then baked it lined with foil and rice for 10 minutes in a 375 degree oven, then removed the foil and rice and baked it for another 5 minutes.

Yesterday after making the crust dough I cut up the rhubarb, removing the strings, and tossed it with 1/3 cup of sugar to macerate. Today I drained off the liquid and reduced it, then tossed it, with some grated orange rind and a splash of Cointreau, with the rhubarb. Spread the rhubarb in the par-baked crust, then poured the custard in (3/4 cup heavy cream, 3 whole eggs and 1 yolk, 1/3 cup sugar whisked together - I also added some of the liquid that was left from the rhubarb). I didn't want to overflow it so I didn't use all the custard, either. Baked it for 30 minutes in a 400 degree oven, until the custard was starting to brown around the edge and was firm in the center.

Another winner from the Once Upon a Tart cookbook: a moist, soft cake under jammy strawberries and a sugary topping (I might make the topping with almonds next time). It's their berry coffecake, which I halved, just used strawberries and baked in an 8-inch pan. (The original recipe was for a 13 x 9-inch pan.) The dough was really thick, which kept the strawberries from sinking too far into the cake, and it has a nice almond flavor from extract in the cake and almond paste in the topping.

The cake base is 4 tablespoons of softened butter creamed with 6 tablespoons sugar. Mix in 1 egg, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1/4 teaspoon almond extract. Then alternate between adding 1/4 cup buttermilk and 1 cup flour mixed with 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/8 teaspoon each baking soda, ground ginger and salt and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon. (I made this in the stand mixer, but just put it on stir and added the last of the flour mixture with a spoon by hand to avoid the dreaded rubbery texture. Worked.)

Spread that in the pan, then sprinkle with 1 1/2 cups quartered strawberries, then add the topping: 1/2 tablespoon flour, 1 tablespoon cut-up cold butter, 2 tablespoons torn-up almond paste, 1/4 cup chopped walnuts and 1/4 cup brown sugar (I just mushed the topping together with my fingers).

Another winner from the Once Upon a Tart cookbook: a moist, soft cake under jammy strawberries and a sugary topping (I might make the topping with almonds next time). It's their berry coffecake, which I halved, just used strawberries and baked in an 8-inch pan. (The original recipe was for a 13 x 9-inch pan.) The dough was really thick, which kept the strawberries from sinking too far into the cake, and it has a nice almond flavor from extract in the cake and almond paste in the topping.

The cake base is 4 tablespoons of softened butter creamed with 6 tablespoons sugar. Mix in 1 egg, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1/4 teaspoon almond extract. Then alternate between adding 1/4 cup buttermilk and 1 cup flour mixed with 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/8 teaspoon each baking soda, ground ginger and salt and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon. (I made this in the stand mixer, but just put it on stir and added the last of the flour mixture with a spoon by hand to avoid the dreaded rubbery texture. Worked.)

Spread that in the pan, then sprinkle with 1 1/2 cups quartered strawberries, then add the topping: 1/2 tablespoon flour, 1 tablespoon cut-up cold butter, 2 tablespoons torn-up almond paste, 1/4 cup chopped walnuts and 1/4 cup brown sugar (I just mushed the topping together with my fingers).

This was a fast, easy dinner that I made when we got home from New Paltz. I had bought smoked mozzarella for another dish I want to make later this week, and I was kind of worried that it wouldn't taste very good with the pepperoni - too many strong flavors. But it turned out great. The only problem was the FD flatbread I used as a crust never got crispy - I think if I had cooked it on the floor of the oven it might have remedied that.

I just thawed the frozen pre-grilled flatbread and spread it with tomato sauce (a Barilla garlic and onion pasta sauce that, dare I risk the wrath of cooks everywhere?, I like), then sprinkled chopped pepperoni and shredded smoked mozzarella on top. Baked in a 400 degree oven for 10 minutes, to warm everything through.

We went to New Paltz for the weekend to see a photography exhibit at SUNY's new gallery. It's a gorgeous gallery, huge, and the photography exhibit, which is primarily from the school's collection and is around the theme of materiality, is worth the trip. Especially if strawberries are in season and you stop by Dressel Farms on 208 and buy some that were just picked, then sit in your hot car in front of the stand eating the warm, red-red berries. I bought extra to do some baking and some heavy cream to accompany them tonight, too.

We also stayed at a B&B, Country Meadows, and I had some great French toast on Sunday morning. The owner, Judy, crusted the toast with some cranberry-almond flake cereal that had taken a ride in a food processor. She grated a bit of whole orange (rind and all) into some heavy cream with an egg mixed in, soaked Italian bread slices briefly in it, then patted the slices in the cereal crumbs. Cooked it in butter like regular French toast. It didn't even need any adornment, and was really good, with the crunchy crust a nice contrast to the creamy center. Todd's scrambled eggs had chives and herbs cut that morning from pots out front.

It really was a great place to visit. With all the farms and wineries around the food available is so fresh and thoughful. We ate at The Village Tearoom, and I had an arugula salad with local cheddar cheese and mustard vinaigrette. We went there to have their afternoon tea but decided it was just too hot for that (so now we have to go back). We did take some cookies (checkerboard, pecan tassie and gingersnap) with us for a nighttime snack after August had gone to bed.

We also did a bit of wine tasting and bought some bottles. And Todd took some great photos. Whew! And it's only June, so the fantastic parade of flavors is just beginning.

I wasn't really looking forward to this one. I always find butter pecan ice cream, like dulce de leche, too sweet, and this one was no exception. Didn't keep me from polishing it all off, though.

On June 25 Eddie's is having an ice cream eating contest. Who can eat the most ice cream in 15 minutes, which seems like a particularly dangerous thing to try with ice cream. (Ever experienced that searing pain in the head when you eat something cold too fast? I'm embarrassed to say it's not an uncommon sensation for me.) I guess the guy last year ate 5 pounds of ice cream. Anyway, you have to raise $50 to enter, for St. Jude's, the woman behind the counter thought.

I wasn't really looking forward to this one. I always find butter pecan ice cream, like dulce de leche, too sweet, and this one was no exception. Didn't keep me from polishing it all off, though.

On June 25 Eddie's is having an ice cream eating contest. Who can eat the most ice cream in 15 minutes, which seems like a particularly dangerous thing to try with ice cream. (Ever experienced that searing pain in the head when you eat something cold too fast? I'm embarrassed to say it's not an uncommon sensation for me.) I guess the guy last year ate 5 pounds of ice cream. Anyway, you have to raise $50 to enter, for St. Jude's, the woman behind the counter thought.

I made rhubarb muffins yesterday, but when I gave one to Todd this morning he said they were weird, a combination of too chewy and dry. I know exactly what happened, too. I used the stand mixer to mix the dough and I mixed it too much after I added the flour, which worked the gluten so I ended up with something craggy and bread-like, instead of cupcake-like muffins. Will try the recipe again sometime, though, because I really like the tart rhubarb in them and I'm sure if I just stir the flour in they'll be better.

I've decided to add a new category because I'm making so many sandwiches these days. This one was inspired by a Sarah Moulton recipe that was way too complex for me right now. Who has time to slice and blanch carrots, make tapenade, clean the processor, etc? So I just had goat cheese, chopped green olives and carrot strips made with the peeler. I'm sure it wasn't as good as the original, but it was a nice weekday lunch.

I felt like I was Emeril when I was making this cornmeal cake. August was watching, first from the front carrier and then from the high chair, and he was really exited about everything I did. Cream a softened stick of butter with a cup of sugar? He watches, rapt. Add a mixture of 1 cup cornmeal, 3/4 cup flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder and 3/4 teaspoon salt? A shriek and some arm waving, then more rapt watching as the paddle turns. Some coos of delight as I pour in 2/3 cup of milk, 2 eggs and one yolk and mix until lighter in color and texture, about 3 minutes.

Then from the high chair he burbled and babbled as I poured the mixture into an 8-inch springform pan (the only kind of 8-inch pan I have) and put it in a 400 degree oven for 40 minutes. (Since no one mentioned baking troubles in the comments on Epicurious I can only assume that it was my own oven's fault that I had to bake it for an hour and 10 minutes instead of the recommended 40.) Let it cool for 10 minutes, then brushed it with 1/3 cup of a rosemary sugar syrup I had made ahead (boil 3/4 cup each sugar and water with 1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh rosemary, steep for 30 minutes, then strain).

I liked this cake a lot: dense, coarse texture and an interesting flavor from the cornmeal and the rosemary. Epicurious says to serve it with whipped cream and blackberries, but I think it can stand alone, too.

I had leftover Italian sausage I needed to use and I was sick of pan-browning them: We did it with the casing off this weekend for a pasta sauce, and whenever I try to brown them whole I'm always worried they're not getting cooked through. So last night I roasted them in a 400 degree oven (thanks to the modern miracle of air conditioning) over white beans.

I mixed a 19-ounce can of white beans with salt, pepper, Italian seasoning mix from Penzey's (oregano, rosemary, marjoram, etc), olive oil and diced tomato in a small casserole, then stabbed four sweet Italian sausages in a few places with a knife and laid them on top. Roasted for 40 minutes in a 400 degree oven. At that point some of the beans had dried out, but the bottom of the sausages were not browned so I turned them and roasted for another 10 minutes. I think I could've turned them halfway and skipped the last 10 minutes, but I don't know how to keep the beans from drying out, except to stir them halfway through, which I guess you could do when you turn the sausage.

The beans end up really good, though, because they soak up all that fat from the pork sausages. Don't want to let that go to waste!

We had a rosemary-syrup-soaked cornmeal cake for dessert, which I thought was fantastic, an odd flavor that really works. The cake ends up dense and polenta-ish from all the syrup, with a nice rough texture and a corny flavor. I'll write it up next.

Don't you love it when the signage at a place makes you feel welcome? We drove up to Cold Spring today (mostly just for the drive) and ate at Foundry Cafe on the main downtown drag. At least three "no cell phone" signs. Restrooms for customers only. A number of tables with "This table is for parties of 3 or 4 only." A drawing of a crying baby with a no screaming sign. A sign near the self-serve coffee sternly instructing that only to-go customers should use the paper cups. Signs that the tables are for table service and the counter is only for to-go customers. In case you were homesick for New York, I guess (maybe someone who works there is).

The food was basic: I had a cucumber, sprout, tomato, Swiss and lettuce on whole wheat with jalapeno mayo and Todd had curried chicken salad on rye (no nuts or raisins, which he liked but I was disappointed in). The rusty-looking coleslaw had sesame seeds and the prices were Manhattan-like. The cheesecake, which they make there, was creamy and fluffy (not dense enough for Todd) with a great, thick chocolate cookie crust and just the right amount of coffee flavor (it was a cappuccino cheesecake).

Maybe the attitude's the charm, or maybe they're sick of cityfolk like us coming up there and messing everything up because we don't understand how their system works. (The staff were not particularly mean or nice, too.)

We have been finding it very difficult to stick to our budget lately, and part of the problem is that I go on these "errands" every morning (an excuse to take August for a walk) and I always encounter something I must buy: a wonderful shortbread, caramel, chocolate and pecan confection from Bonelle bakery, cheap avocados at the fruit stand, some redolent grating cheese, banana ice cream at Eddie's.

Well, I've done it again. I had $7 in my pocket to last today and tomorrow and instead of buying the milk and butter we needed I sprang for some first peaches and fragrant strawberries. Now instead of the cornmeal cake I've been putting off (not enough butter), I think I'll make a peach-apricot crumble.