walnut stuffed figs

we really didn't eat a lot of desserts

when i was a kid

usually

after dinner

a pot of coffee was brewed

and 

bowls of

fresh fruit

and

nuts

were heaved to the table

one particular treat

at holiday time

was

freshly cracked walnuts

stuffed into

dried figs

this year

i gave the treat a little update

by dipping the figs

in 

bittersweet chocolate

a sweet

with 

benefits

walnut stuffed figs

12 dried figs
12 large walnut halves-toasted


warmed honey and flavorful cheese
or
bittersweet chocolate-melted and tempered

using a sharp knife, make a split in the fig without cutting all the way through
like this

push a walnut into the fruit
like so

and close it up

leave as it, 
drizzle with honey and serve with cheese as a savory snack
or
dip in chocolate for a great sweet

gravlax

we had a gorgeous feast 

for 

christmas dinner

a feast

of seven fishes

actually

i was excited to present

home cured

gravlax

during cocktails

many years ago

before i had cable

leaving me with 5 channels

(and surprisingly a lot more interesting tv)

i watched a lot of julia child on pbs

each episode

numerous times

an episode i distinctly remember

is one where she made gravlax with a seattle chef

i was amazed

but never actually made it

truthfully

i'm not much a fan of salmon

but this

this gravlax

is something really special

pure in flavor

sweet

salty 

briny

fresh

my family

never shy to poke fun

was primed to make bait jokes

but

 found it difficult

to utter much of anything

through their stuffed gullets

 

 gravlax

(printable recipe)

this takes several days to cure, plan accordingly

1 1/2 lbs fresh salmon filet (you must use salmon in season)

1/2 cup kosher salt

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup vanilla sugar*

1 Tbs grapefruit zest

1 heaping Tbs pink peppercorns

1-2 sprigs thyme

rinse and dry the salmon filet.  line a casserole dish with plastic wrap, overlapping considerably.  place salmon filet in dish.  in a bowl mix together the salt, vanilla sugar, brown sugar, grapefruit zest, peppercorns and thyme.  coat the salmon heavily with the mixture...be generous and make sure the entire surface is covered. close the salmon in the plastic wrap, making sure it is well covered. 

 place a board or casserole dish on top of the fish, then use cans or bottles to weigh it down.  place in the refrigerator for 24 hours.  

after 24 hours, remove the weight, open the plastic wrap, you will see that the sugar and salt are now liquid, use it to baste the fish. wrap again in plastic and place the weight back on.  place in the refrigerator for another 24 hours.  on day three, repeat the process.  on day four, your fish will be cured (if you are using a larger piece of fish, it may well take a bit more time).  your fish should be firm and have become a bit deeper in color.  remove from the cure and gently rinse with very cold water.  dry.  slice off a thin piece and taste.  if it is overwhelmingly salty, place cold water in a casserole dish and put the fish in meat side down. cover and place in refrigerator and let sit for 1 hour.  remove from water and taste again. if the fish is still unbearably salty, soak it again for a maximum of 1 hour.  

serve with blini, creme fraiche and dill or chives

*to make vanilla sugar, whirl 1 cup granulated sugar with 1/2 dried vanilla bean pod in a food processor. 

feast of seven fishes

christmas eve dinner

has always been a bit of a hodgepodge for us

growing up

my mom and i would do most of the cooking

relatives would contribute to the bounty

with a specialty or two of their own

the only constant

baccala

and

linguine with clam sauce

the rest

a crap shoot

as the crowd grew from 20 or so people

to upwards of 70

my folks began having the affair catered

among the large chaffing dishes of gorgeous catered food

there was always a platter of

baccala

and

linguine with clam sauce

always

for the first time

in the 40 plus years my folks have lived in california

we are doing an immediate family only christmas eve

which means

instead of 70 people

we will be 

17

also

for the very first time 

we are doing a traditional italian christmas eve supper

a feast of seven fishes

(for more on this tradition click here)

but

because i am italian

which means

my fear of not having enough food for people to eat

supersedes my need for stress reduction

we are having

2 by land and 8 by sea

because

what is christmas without just a little bit of pork?

because

i am not crazy enough to make the food twice

(once for the blog and once for real)

i will be sharing the recipes

post christmas

but

i wanted to share our menu

just in case 

you are looking for last minute ideas

A Feast of Seven Fishes

Christmas Eve

roasted shrimp cocktail
gravlax with blini
calamari fritti
bluefin tuna tartar
cheese platter

linguine with clam sauce
orchiette with sausage & spinach
king crab
swordfish siciliano
baccala pugliese
kalua pork

arugula salad
braised leeks
roasted asparagus

cream puffs
cannoli
chocolates
cookies

Merry Christmas 
to those of you who celebrate
...a weekend filled with joy
for all

chocolate dipped

i'm a chocolate girl

when i was young

young, like grammar school, young

my sister and i had a chocolate business

we spent our evenings

melting chocolate

making caramels and creamy marshmallows

filling

chocolate

eggs in spring

christmas trees in winter

chocolate lollies for every holiday in between

as an adult

my choice in chocolate

has become a bit more sophisticated

now

i prefer dipped confections

to molded ones

for the holidays

i made a few of my favorites

"100grand bars"

chocolate dipped grahams

gingerbread "mallomars"

for the 100Grand bars

 i like this caramel recipe from joyofbaking

just add a nice pinch of sea salt

cut into squares

mix crispy rice in the tempered chocolate and dip the caramel into it

for the gingerbread mallomars

the gingerbread marshmallow recipe can be found

here

place on top of a graham cracker and enrobe in tempered chocolate

for the chocolate covered grahams

i simply cut the graham crackers into 4 pieces and dip them in tempered chocolate

the design on the top is made with a chocolate dipping tool

i buy my chocolate 20 lbs at a time and to be frank, only use callebaut 63% and 70%

i find it is terrific both in sweets and baking

here is a great video showing you an easy way to temper chocolate using your microwave

like anything, the better the ingredients, the better the result

happy dipping!

cake decorating birthday

yesterday was my niece's 7th birthday

a cake decorating party

she was very specific

about the cake

white

one layer

vanilla frosting

with

rainbows

sprinkles

and

chef hats

 

 (i took a bit of artistic license and made clouds out of the fondant chef hats)

for the cakes to decorate

hot pink fondant

and

lots of candy

some of the candy made it onto the cakes

but mostly it was being "taste-tested"

it was unanimous

fun party

decidedly

not "christmasy"

which was all part of the plan

happy birthday

sweet isabella

tomato chutney

basically

i am obsessed with this stuff

its a recipe

i swiped

from my visit to

ca' di gosta

in the hills of umbria

it was served one afternoon

and

 after catching me

licking the jar clean

jenny shared the recipe with me

great on a turkey sandwich

or a perfect condiment to

kalua pork

make it

make.

it.

now.

tomato chutney

(printable recipe)

makes approx 6 pints

3 lbs cherry tomatoes-cut in half

1 head garlic-peeled and finely chopped

1 heaping tsp crushed red pepper

about 2" root ginger--peeled and finely chopped

10 oz cider vinegar

1 1/2-2 lbs dark brown sugar

generous pinch of kosher salt

place all ingredients in a large pot, stir and allow to sit for 30-60 minutes.  place over medium heat, stirring occasionally and allow it to get to a dark, jammy like consistency.  this should take the better part of an hour. when you think the chutney may be ready, taste for flavor. you can adjust the sweet/sour/spicy at this point by adding more sugar, vinegar or red pepper.  test for doneness by placing a small bit of the chutney on a cold plate. if the chutney allows you to run a finger through it leaving a clean break, it is ready. you do not want it to get hard like a candy. place in glass jars and store in the refrigerator or if you are familiar with proper canning procedures, process for 15 minutes (at sea level) in sterilized jars.

gingerbread side-cars

i have made

gingerbread villages

chateaus

houses

for as long as i can remember

last year

i spotted

little gingerbread houses perched on a mug

from

not martha

(as far as i can tell--this is her original idea)

giddy and obsessed

as i have been known to get

i went to hubster

 he agreed to

make cookie cutters

(so i wouldn't have to knife cut each piece)

blowtorch in one hand

pliers in the other

he made these

i

in turn

made these

use your favorite gingerbread cookie recipe

bake as directed

cool

assemble and decorate

tip:

i plane the sides with a microplane to ensure straight edges

 these attach quite easily with

royal icing

(make it nice and stiff)

the wreaths are also made from royal icing colored green

piped with a no.63 tip onto parchment paper

sprinkles for berries

allow to dry overnight--remove carefully--attach with royal icing

i am using them this year

as place cards

piping names on the broad side of the house

and 

packaging them

like so

as gifts for friends

(you can get a template for the house from the not martha link above)

linking up to:
design dazzle
rook no.17
504 main

carciofi alla giudia {jewish artichokes}

much like finding

crawdads in louisianna

brisket in texas

and

barbeque in  memphis

you can find 

specialties in each italian region

rome is no exception

but

it also has something really special

the 

jewish ghetto

it is very small

virtually abandoned come dusk on fridays

it has

a cuisine of its own

the most famous item

possibly

the fried artichoke
carciofi alla giudia
(printable recipe)
serves 4-6
4-6 chokeless or baby artichokes
lemons
olive oil for frying
salt and pepper
italian parsley (for garnish)

fill a large bowl with cool water. squeeze the juice of 1 lemon into the water and stir. trim each artichoke, removing all tough outer leaves and trimming the stem (do not remove entirely).  toss the trimmed artichoke into the lemon water to prevent discoloration.
*if you cannot find chokeless or baby artichokes, you can use any artichoke, however, you must trim it to the tender leaves, cut off the prickly tops and remove the choke prior to placing in the water.
heat at least 3-inches of oil on the stovetop to 325 degrees.
meanwhile, remove the artichokes from the water and place on paper towel to dry.  place each artichoke stem side up on the counter and gently push to flatten, being careful not to break the leaves.  place in small batches in the hot oil and cook until soft, but not browned.  remove from oil and place on paper towel or kitchen paper to drain and cool.  allow to sit at least 30 minutes, and up to 3 hours.  just before serving, heat the oil to 375 degrees and fry the artichokes, careful not to crowd the pan, until they are browned and very crispy. depending on the size of the artichokes this can take as little as 5 minutes and as long as 10 minutes.
remove from pan, drain slightly. sprinkle with salt and pepper. serve with a garnish of chopped parsley and a lemon wedge.

Giving Thanks

as this day

draws to a close

i reflect

upon the gifts

of 

family, friends, kind strangers

health, joy, laughter

curiosity

compassion

conscious

and

 i am thankful

right this instant

chestnuts are roasting

in our fireplace

the perfect ending

may the spirit of being thankful,

carry us

today

tomorrow

and

forever

HAPPY  THANKSGIVING

it is probably time to get a cat...

we have a mountain home

i often talk about all the wonderful things about it

what i rarely mention

is our rodent population

hey

it is the mountains

after all

we have mice

mostly
they stay outdoors

or
 under the house
however

as it begins to cool

and

snow falls

they make their way inside

it does freak me out

especially
when i find a nest
in the arm of my robe
or
under a pillow

this morning
may possibly be my favorite tell
 the pantry held an empty walnut bag
across the room
another cabinet held this

walnuts in a vase
apparently
we have
fancy mice
eating only
from the finest of crystal

almond cake

i owe david lebovitz a debt of gratitude

while searching for 

an almond cake recipe

not calling for almond flour

i came across his recipe

one he admits comes from chez panisse

my pantry held marzipan rather than almond paste

so, i changed the recipe

ever so slightly

this cake looks light and airy

and it is

but it is also

incredibly moist

and almondy

have a slice on its own

or pair it with

 brandied cherries

peach ice cream

toffee

this cake

would be a gorgeous addition

to your 

thanksgiving dessert display

almond cake

printable recipe

(v.slightly adapted from david lebovitz)

1 cup + 2 Tbs granulated sugar

7 oz marzipan paste (i used odense)

1 cup all purpose flour--divided

1 cup unsalted butter--room temperature

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/4 tsp pure almond extract

6 large eggs

preheat oven to 325^F.  butter and flour a 9" springform pan.  line the bottom of the pan with a round of parchment paper.

using a food processor with the metal blade, process the marzipan, sugar and 1/4 cup flour until it resembles fine sand. in a separate bowl, mix together the remaining flour, salt and baking powder.

to the almond mixture, add the butter, vanilla extract and almond extract and pulse until a smooth batter forms. add the eggs one by one, and scraping the bowl as necessary in between additions.

add half of the flour mixture and pulse until just combined.  add the remaining flour and pulse a few times. if need be, hand stir the flour until it is fully incorporated.

pour into prepared pan and bake for about an hour.  begin checking after 50 minutes.  you can use the toothpick test to check for doneness, or whichever method you prefer.

once removed from oven and while the cake is still hot, run a sharp knife around the perimeter to loosen the cake. do not open the springform pan until the cake is completely cooled.  allow the cake to cool in the pan.  

serve with a dusting of powdered sugar

the original food trucks {travelogue}

i never understood

the why 

of

waiting in queues winding corners

for food

deemed 

"awesome"

by virtue of a great social media strategy

the food

usually expensive

often disappointing

always a lesson in compromise

i prefer

not 

finding my next great meal through a twitter feed

the next hot

rolling rip-off

can wait

artisanal

delicious

food

is handcuffed in that environment

when i am in italy

i follow the markets

freshly made porchetta each wednesday

salumi

made by the same hand i shook

as we exchanged pleasantries

arguably

they are food trucks

but 

without the 

frenzy

of a trend

that may already have seen

its best days

*these photos were taken at the weekly market of a small village in umbria

(apologies if i offend any food truck vendors. some of you may have amazing food..stop hiding your light under a bushel)

white truffles of umbria

as you may have figured

i am mid-term into an italian holiday

luckily

the bulk of our trip is in umbria

more luck

it is truffle season

the white truffles of umbria 

are highly fragrant

and prized

i met a purveyor this afternoon

and was able to get a few knobs for myself

the truffle hunter gave me a little tip

to store the truffles in a large container

aside 2 or 3 raw eggs in their shell

after several days

the eggs themselves will taste of truffle

i'll let you know

how it goes

through this window {travelogue}

this is a window

in 

florence italy

7 via de conti

to be exact

twenty five years ago

give or take a few months

i sat on the other side

looking out

watching merchants, tourists, students, neighbors

wander to and from

the san lorenzo market

occasionally

my friends would shout 

from the street below

an invite to the jolly cafe

pink floyd videos playing all day across the back wall

grande heinekens and great hot dogs

cheap

really cheap

tacked along the walls within that room 

behind the window

were

posters

photos

letters from home

beds shoved against 

3 of the 4 walls

and

3 strangers from california

became

memory makers

memories that swarm

and ooze like honey

into the creases of our lives

of days

that changed us

made us bold

gave us a bit more context

allowed us to shed our comfort

i visit this window each time i come to florence

and this year

the 25th anniversary

the shutters are flung wide

exposing

an

empty building

i asked the shop keep

across the way

about my surrogate home

he simply said

non c'e piu

it is no more

*i am currently traveling about italy...gathering more memories

child catcher halloween costume

yes

i know

halloween is in the past

and we have moved rapidly on to

the next big holiday

but

i want to share something

i am not a seamstress

there was that one quarter of sewing

in jr. high school

where we made pillows and wrap skirts

really, i don't even know 

how to sew

legitimately

but 

i do it anyway

i act unafraid

i improvise

i'm sharing with you

so you understand

it is possible

with little or no training

combined

with a bit of creative thinking

anyone can make

these costumes

for the child catcher coat

i used simplicity pattern 5386--closed the back and didn't add the collar or cuffs

i cut the sleeve pattern as prescribed, then pinned parchment paper to it, and fashioned it around my arm to the desired shape...and cut the parchment to match. opened it up..and had a new sleeve pattern.

all of the colors and patterns, are added on top of the the original coat giving it heft.  i made this in one afternoon

the glove is a black glove with a piece of oasis duck-taped on it. the lollipops are simply stuck and hot glued.

for the planet of the apes costume

i used butterick pattern  b4574--instead of an open collar for the shirt, i kept it closed and added a rolled collar, and hemmed the shirt cuff rather than adding elastic.  from the same pattern, i was able to make the vest--eliminating the cap sleeves and shortening it to hit at the hip.  the vest is made of pleather. i was able to make the ridges by taking strips of the pleather hot-gluing 1/4" cording down the center, then sewing the strips onto the vest.  the ammo belt is also pleather, with a covering of fishnet. 

i know this all seems rather simplified...but it is to make a point

it is rather simple

the work with sewing

is in the preparation

much like carpentry

measure twice

cut once

prepare your materials

pay attention to the directions

and

don't sweat it

i doubt anyone will criticize your costume

while you are handing them candy

i hope you had a great halloween

and 

aren't freaked by the notion

that 

christmas is only 52 days away

dracula dinner

"We left in pretty good time, and came after nightfall to Klausenburgh. Here I stopped for the night at the Hotel Royale. I had for dinner, or rather supper, a chicken done up some way with red pepper, which was very good but thirsty. (Mem. get recipe for Mina.) I asked the waiter, and he said it was called "paprika hendl," and that, as it was a national dish, I should be able to get it anywhere along the Carpathians"

"I had for breakfast more paprika, and a sort of porridge of maize flour which they said was "mamaliga", and egg-plant stuffed with forcemeat, a very excellent dish, which they call "impletata".'

Bram Stoker

Dracula

i'm really not much for horror stories

however

if the opening chapter

references two meals

i become open-minded

for the record

Dracula

it is a well written story

with astounding imagery

we all know

Dracula

is the only vampire

that counts

(get it? count dracula!)

if you are indecisive

regarding

your halloween meal

or this weekend lead

i present to you an idea

both clever and delicious

a

dracula dinner party

using

recipes inspired by

the words of stoker himself

dracula dinner party

chicken paprikash

(printable recipe)

eggplant implatata-ish

(printable recipe)
hungarian-bacon stuffed corn fritters

(printable recipe)
other recipes coming soon

custard tart with sour cherry glaze 

tokay wine

*the final recipe will be up soon--if you want more fun ideas for halloween...i will be a guest on azmomofmanyhat-radio this afternoon. pull up the archived podcast if you miss it

travelogue spokane {travel}

spokane, washington was my home for 6 interrupted years

interrupted because

the years weren't consecutive

 i attended university here

then left

transferred back for a job

and left again

i return several times each year

for meetings

and i find myself

envious of spokanites

yes

it. is. true.

each time i return to spokane i find new treasures

frozen mornings, warming to crisp afternoons

flaming red leaves of trees readying for winter

a crook of the river, hugging a long forgotten road

along a stretch of highway leading out of town

sits a charming eatery

a jewel of a place

called chaps

walking in the door

is more like stumbling into a magical cottage

i felt a bit like gretel  

following the scent of sugar and spices

to an airy room

dressed in chandeliers, marbled tables

and

incredibly hip patrons

i am a pastry chef

for professional reasons (cough,cough)

i sample

the adorable young man behind the counter {trevor}

recommended

an

apple fritter

and

vegetable omelet with chorizo
(not on the menu)

i added a pumpkin latte

the omelet was overstuffed and oozing with cheese

joined with perfectly cooked breakfast potatoes 

and freshly baked thick toast

the latte was as large as the harvest moon and filled with the flavors of pumpkin pie

it all was delicious, but i must admit

the fritter was my favorite

eschewing the cloying sweetness of a donut, for the mastery of a french pastry

it had me plotting my next visit before i finished my last

if you find yourself with a grumbling stomach

wandering the by-ways of the northwest

seek out chaps

a not-so-hidden treasure

in spokane washington

halloween wreaths

guess who is getting 

halloween happy

finally

the mantle is nearly complete

costumes are in full planning stage

and 

the kitchen is awash

in frightful projects

but for me

no holiday is official

until the wreaths are up

this year

i went simple

starting with wreaths

already aflutter in feathers

i  added a little bling

feather wreath, paper crow sprinkled in silver glitter 

feather wreath, styrofoam skulls covered in silver glitter, silk flowers 

i'm linking this up to

a little birdie @ rook no 17
tickled pink @504main
itsybitsypaper

the artsygirl

crepe brulee

pasadena

is not all about

rose queens and debutantes

or

penny loafers and posh hotels

along the edges

nearing the fringe

bijouxs and the rippler (that's me)

inspired by

art & culture

the storied past of pasadena

more

underground than paseo

after hours than high tea

pop art than prep school

created an unexpected gem

THE CREPE BRULEE

a confection well loved

in the tea salons of paris

transforms

to lust worthy

in the altier of bijouxs

bijouxs and the rippler

met at camp

and

instantly bonded over

immaculately curated bunk rooms

(think pendleton blankets, leather steamer trunks and vintage oil lamps)

and an

aversion to mingling

it was no surprise to learn

they both hail

from

pasadena

it was an instant friendship
bonding while breaking bread
not clear who said it first
but both agree
pasadena can be sexy
and hip
ahead of the curve
it just doesn't want everyone to know

now the secret is out


lynn and i have collaborated
on an amazing dessert
preppy handbook meets laduree

 crepe brulee

(printable recipe)



lynn gray of bijouxs is an artist in the kitchen
she brings a designer's palate to food

when the light casts like chiffon in my kitchen
i close my eyes
wandering my mind to the bijouxs studio
to watch
my simple dessert of crepes and custard
become art

to learn more about lynn and her classic Bijouxs style
jewels from the kitchen
click here

turmeric & cumin crispy smashed potatoes

i do enjoy

serving a meal 

of

homegrown

freshly harvested food

i swell with pride

as i lay a platter down proclaiming

all prepared from our garden harvest

'so simple and easy'

knowing full well

that the ease i feel is from years

of curiously

observing generations of the amazing cooks in my family

of boldly

wandering into restaurant kitchens simply asking to see a technique

of sitting with locals

at a farm table in the hills of italy

on the banks of a river in costa rica

roadside in india

and listening 

of trial and error

of trial and success

i learned of turmeric potatoes in india

brightly colored and deeply spiced

a perfect accompaniment to richly stewed meats

the version i present here

is a bit more tame

still brightly colored and assertively spiced

but more suited to roasted meats or a vegetarian meal

sadly, my potato harvest was a bit of a bust this year...but in a brush of serendipity, i was sent a few pounds of potatoes from friedas asking if i would like to give them a try.  i like the piccolo potatoes (sold in 1 1/2lb bags from the little potato company at Ralphs grocery) for this recipe once cooked they have crispy crust, with creamy interior

 turmeric & cumin crispy smashed potatoes

1 1/2 lbs small potatoes

(i used piccolo from the little potato company, this will work with new, fingerling or any other small potato)

1 Tbs turmeric powder

1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste

3 Tbs olive oil

1 generous teaspoon whole cumin seed

1/2 generous teaspoon whole mustard seed

place whole potatoes in a pot of cool water to cover.  add turmeric and 1 tsp salt and stir.  bring to a boil and simmer for approximately 15-20 minutes (until the potatoes are cooked through)

drain and place in a roasting dish in a single layer.  

using the back of a fork, press each potato until it is a bit broken and smashed, but not completely flattened.

in a skillet, place the olive oil, cumin and mustard seed.  heat on medium until the seeds begin to jump and pop.  immediately pour the hot oil and spices evenly over the smashed potatoes.  place immediately into to 375 degree oven for about 30-45 minutes. check periodically and stir if needed for even roasting.  remove from oven and taste for salt.

pair with roasted chicken or minted lamb or simply dab a bit of plain greek yogurt mixed with a bit of lemon juice over the top for a warm salad.

disclosure

while i was sent the potatoes as a courtesy, i was not prompted to write about them nor was i compensated in any way to write this recipe-post.  the opinions are my own.