My So-Called French Life

I am in a summer funk. Which I find a little quizzical- Summer being bright and warm and shiny and all. There has been a few days of gray skies and rain around here, but truthfully, I love rainy days.
Lately that eighties Bananara gem "cruel summer" has been playing in my head. "The city is crowded, my friends are away, and I'm on my own". Everyone seems to be away or going away to more exotic or cosmopolitan places. Eustacia is in Amsterdam/Paris, Marcene is summering in the Hamptons, even Hub is going to Las Vegas, my brother is in Puerto Rico, Shelz is on her way to Israel. And I'm here in my regular daily life- summer version. I want to be somewhere else, somewhere different. A city that doesn't speak english. A spot where the food tastes different. A location where the people dress differently and have different rules and customs. I want something other. Really, I want to go to a place where I'm other.

The only (and cheapest) way I can travel while still having to be here, is through books and cuisine. I finished reading The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery, a really excellent book translated from french. Through it I felt like I was living in a grand and fabulous apartment in a chic neighborhood in Paris. Which led to me baking a tray of madeleines and fantasizing about my alternate reality French life, where I'm called Manon. And whenever I nibble on a madeleine, I think of my Grandmere Lisette's wonderful little sponge cakes that I would wash down with a bowl of hot chocolat upon returning from school everyday. Grandmere's madeleines are flavored with fresh lemon juice and vanilla extract. My best friend Nathalie's maman added a a few drops of rosewater to her madeleines, to delicate and delicious results. I am thinking about incorporating a chocolat dimension to my madeleines with les petites chocolat chips. Zut alors! How super would that be? That way it would be like eating the madeleine and drinking the chocolat all at once! Quel Genial!

Grandmere Lisette's Madeleines (sans mini chocolate chips)

Preheat oven to 375F. Grease madeleine tin well. Melt 6 tbsp. butter and put aside to cool a little. In a medium bowl sift together 1 1/4 c. all purpose flour and 1 tsp. baking powder. In a separate large bowl beat 2 eggs and 3/4 c. powdered sugar until thick and frothy and the mixture displays ribbons when beaters are lifted. Fold in juice of half a lemon and 1 tsp. vanilla extract. Starting with the flour mixture, alternately fold in the flour and melted butter in four batches. Let batter sit for about 10-15 minutes. The mixture will be sticky and tacky, carefully spoon into the tin. Bake for about 15 mins. or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool on wire rack. Bon Apetit!

Hawaiian Sweet Bread

When I came across this Pineapple Macadamia Nut Bread recipe, images of Hawaii flashed before my eyes. Immediately I started to plot my Hawaiian Sweet Bread, using this recipe from the Los Angeles Times Cookbook circa 1981 as a template. Of course it had to have pineapple in it, no trip to Hawaii is complete without one of those fruity drinks served up in a pineapple. Macadamia nuts are also a ubiquitous flavor in Hawaii. They're a great addition because they provide a great crunchy texture and a mild, creamy, and nutty taste. I also decided to add orange juice and roughly chopped mandarin segments, because when I think of Hawaii I think of sunshine, and when I think of sunshine I think of sweet orange juice. I mixed in some shredded coconut to round out the tropical paradise feel, but I think it was unnecessary- the coconut flavor was lost in the mixture and the coconut texture was distracting. The crunch of the macadamia nut was enough. The wholewheat flour was OK, it worked with the flavors, but I think next time I'll use 1 cup of white flour to smooth it out a bit. Instead of using white sugar next time I will use brown sugar for a more caramelized flavor.
This sweet bread is a good starting point. My plan is to have a great recipe that I can turn to in the dead heart of winter when Hawaii is just a sunny wish.

Hawaiian Sweet Bread
Combine 1 c. egg beaters, 3/4 c. sugar, 1/2 c. canola oil, 3/4 orange juice, 3/4 c. crushed pineapple, 1/2 c. roughly chopped mandarin orange segments, and mix well. Sift together 1 tbsp. baking powder and 3 c. wholewheat flour. Mix flour mixture into pineapple orange mixture. Fold in 1/2 c. chopped macadamia nuts. Pour into greased loaf pan. Bake at 350F for about 55 minutes.

My Chocolate Boulder

Sometimes I feel like Sisyphus pushing a huge chocolate boulder up the mountain. My chocolate truffle project aka Roxy Chocsmith (http://www.roxychocsmith.com/), is pretty much at a standstill. True, summer is usually slow in the chocolate world, and the R word isn't helping any (rhymes with depression). But what about all those anecdotal tidbits I hear about how during the Depression the only businesses that made any dough were 1) cosmetics 2) bars 3) chocolate. Very recently I heard on some news-type program that Hershey's numbers are up- because people are drowning their sorrows in chocolate. While I am not advocating chocolate suicide, I am totally recommending a well placed truffle here and there to escape into a a blissful, creamy, and dreamy chocolate dimension.
Today I made a couple of sales calls- toting my sweet wares and glad handing out samples to sweeten the pallettes. I had no trouble pushing the samples, and I took the eyes rolling to the back of skulls as an honest endorsement. No orders were placed, however my card was pocketed many times over. Who knows if they'll remember me when they need to? I always say that everyone's favorite thing is free chocolate. Paying for it? That's a different story.

King Of Popcorn

Today they layed Michael Jackson to rest. Long live the King of Pop! And now can we get back to the regularly scheduled program? There is no doubt that this guy was super-talented, that he changed music, popular culture, maybe even the world - but enough already! Judging by the all-Michael/all-day media coverage you'd hardly know that the world is still spinning and that there's major unrest going on in Iran, and a coup occuring in Honduras. And not to mention, a long-winded recession that is still squeezing us all dry. More myopically, summer and camp are happening right here, right now.

Dinner is still a couple of hours away when they get home from camp in the late afternoon, so I'm trying to devise a few semi-healthy/wholesome type snacks to tide them over 'til the main event. Yesterday I made a huge bowl of honey-nut king of popcorn. It has a homespun Cracker Jack quality to it, and was pretty easy to make. I lightened it up with that spreadable butter/canola oil stuff, used half a cup of honey and half a cup of brown sugar. Baking it at a low heat (250F) for about an hour, made it crispy. I dedicated it to Michael Jackson, because one of my fondest memories from the early 80's in Seattle, was sitting at the small TV in the kitchen and watching the Thriller video on MTV like a zillion times, and discovering how wonderfully liberating music can be. Those are honey memories for me now, my early adolescence in the early 80's. As cliched and old-fartsy as it is to say that those felt like simpler times, it's true. The peanuts in the King of Popcorn? Well it's obvious why they're there- the guy was 25 different kinds of nut. So there goes my offering to the growing cult of Michael Jackson.. Now can we talk about something else....?

King of Popcorn

Preheat oven to 250F. Put 10-12 c popped corn in large bowl (or pot). In a saucepan melt 1/2 c. light butter, 1/2 c. brown sugar, 1/2 c. honey and bring to a syrupy boil. Mix in 1/2 tsp. cinnamon and 1 tsp. vanilla. Pour over popcorn and 1 c. salted peanuts- mix well so that all popcorn is covered in syrup. Lay popcorn out on baking trays. Bake for about an hour, stirring every so often.

Summer Starts With Sweetiepie

POP! And just like that summer starts. School ended wednesday morning, however the peculiarly unseasonal conditions had prevented us from hurtling full whoop! speed ahead. The serial downpours kinda providing the clouds for the silver lining of summer vacation. Yesterday, I decided a celebration was in order. We chugged down to the City for a little lunch at Sweetiepie. What a treat that was for both young and old-er alike! The space is gorgeously whimsical and playfully sophisticated, with hot pink leather banquettes to lounge on at your perfectly appointed table. If it's the special little touches that make big differences in life, Sweetiepie has made this idea it's central theme. The dainty mismatching china, the huge gilded cage containing a table for 5, the bar stocked with bottles of spirits, wine, and colorful jumbo gumballs, the fey pastel mural stretching along the wall in the back room, the femme powder rooms- where you actually feel like powdering your nose, all contributes to a chic grand time.

Obi 1 Kenobi (kid#1's requested new name) ordered fish 'n chips. Girlette got her usual of mac 'n cheese. I had a salad of halved boconccini and cherry tomatoes with greens and splashed with olive oil and truffle oil. All three dishes were delicious. The mac 'n cheese was seriously yummy smooth, creamy, and sharp, with an attractive golden crust to poke through to get to the stuff. Mmmmm I'm swooning just recalling it. The french fries were thin, crispy, and salted, and served alongside a tiny cup of malt vinegar. Chips with salt and vinegar are a great nostalgic treat for me, so at that point in the experience I was wondering how I could tranform my kitchen-dining area into Sweetiepie. For dessert, the kids decided on milkshakes served in posh heavy glass goblets, which were so thick that Girlette flattened her straw through her hollowed cheek vigor. My dessert of a light and sweet coffee was offered in a beautiful gold rimmed cup and saucer set. And after Girlette and I freshened up in the powder room, and Obi experimented with the automatic hand dryer, we set off through the West Village, back home. Definitely worth the while and effort; a little flight of fancy from the weekly budget every once in a while is always fun.

To provide a contrast for les kides, upon returning to ye olde country we grabbed a couple of balls and Munch, and headed for an off-the-beaten-path park I discovered recently, and frolicked summerly for a while- until I remembered the recent bear warnings in the area. And that's how our vacation began, quite a fantastic opening day, if you ask me.

Today I tried a new dairy-free chocolate cake recipe, and I think I like the result. Of course tweaking and improving are usually necessary, and I already have a few ideas. But this original iteration might be a good canvas to work off of. I'll serve slim wedges of this 2 layer cake on my Royal Albert Country Roses china, with dessert forks and a primly folded cloth napkin in order to have a Sweetiepie experience in my own dining room.

Dairy-free SweetieCake
In med. bowl sift together p2 3/4 c. all purpose flour, 1 c. cocoa powder, 1 tsp. baking soda and set aside. In a large bowl beat together 1 1/2c. smart balance-type spread and 2 c. packed brown sugar. Beat in 4 eggs (1 at a time), 1 1/2 c. almond milk and 1 tsp. vanilla extract (the mixture will be soupy). Gradually mix in flour, beat until it resembles a thick batter. Pour into greased cake tins. Bake at 350F for 35-45 mins. or until it passes toothpick test.

Post script (7/1): COCONUT MILK!!!!! Replace almond milk with 2/3 c. coconut milk- and then mix in 1 c. choc chips right before you pour into bundt pan. Pour chocolate glaze over cooled cake. Chocolate Glaze: 1/2 c. coconut milk heated in saucepan, mix in 1/2 c. choc chips until smooth.

Banana Honey Pecan Scones

My baking binge continues on with these Banana Honey Pecan Scones. A while back, during the holiday season, I had a banana scone that I just could not get out of my sense memory. It was just heavenly with a cup of coffee- not overly sweet, and not at all mushy in the way that banana baked goods sometimes are. Last night, I decided to exploit my burst of baking energy, and make a version of those unforgettable scones. I was quite pleased with the result. These scones are lightly sweetened with honey, making them more of a breakfast bread than a dessert. They are best served warm, with a scraping of butter- or if you want to be extravagant; with peanut butter and nutella.

Banana Honey Pecan Scones

Preheat oven 400F. In a large bowl mix 1 1/2 c. wholewheat flour, 1 1/2 c. all purpose flour, 1 tsp. baking powder, 1/4 tsp. baking soda. Cut 3 tbsp. chilled butter into flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal. In seperate bowl combine 1/2 c. plain yogurt, 1/2 c. honey, 2 eggs, 1 tbsp. vanilla, 1 c. mashed ripe bananas (about 3). Mix until well-blended. Add to flour mixture, stirring until just moist (do not over-mix). With floured hands turn dough (which will be sticky) onto lightly floured surface, knead and shape into a large disc shape. Place on lightly greased baking tray, sprinkle with chopped pecans, and 1 tbsp. brown sugar mixed with 1/4 tsp. cinnamon. Press pecans gently into dough. Score scones into wedges. Bake for 20 mins. until golden brown.

That's A Latte Cake!

You know you've got a baking problem when you convert a shortcut cake mix recipe into a from scratch recipe. Last week, for Hub's birthday I made him a Latte cake. It was a three step program, this cake was, despite it being a cake mix concoction. It was good- unsusual and a little sophisticated. Ever since, I've been thinking on how to make it even better, more homemade. I used a simple butter cake recipe for the base and mixed in a cup of strong espresso. For the next cafe fab layer I substituted condensed milk for dulce leche and stirred in more espresso- poked holes in the cake base and let this coffee-like syrup seep through. And then for the foam on the latte? Slightly sweetened whipped cream with a neat sprinkling of cocoa powder. This is one for those who love the flavor of coffee, the strong smokiness of it, and the bittersweet taste.

Latte Cake
Preheat oven to 350F. In large bowl combine 1 c. butter, softened, 4 eggs, 1 1/2 sugar, 1 tbsp. vanilla extract, 1 3/4 c. all purpose flour, mix well. Add 3/4 c. very strong espresso. Mix well. Pour into a greased baking pan, and bake for 35-45 minutes until cake passes toothpick test. Let cool for about 5-10 minutes then with stem of wooden spoon, poke holes at 1 " intervals in cake. In a medium bowl mix 1 14 oz. can of condensed milk with 1/3 c. v. strong espresso and 1 tbsp. rum, it should be porable and syrupy in constistency (if too thick, microwave for 30 seconds). Pour over the poked cake and let cool for about 2 hours. In a med. bowl beat 1 c. whipping cream, 1 tsp. vanilla extract, and 2 tbsp. powdered sugar- until firm. Spread thickly over cake. Sprinkle cocoa powder or chocolate shavings on top.
PS: Upon further consideration I've decided that this cake needs a further makeover, beginning with the cake base. The butter cake is too dense, this cake needs a fluffier lighter cake that will be completely absorbed by the syrup. Also, the espresso mixed into the condensed milk needs to be very strong. I'll be revisiting this one.