“Just Desserts”: A Portland, Maine Foodie Adventure- Part 1

My travel buddy Carol and I decided to stay closer to home this year and planned a short getaway to Maine for a foodie adventure in Portland, Maine. We stayed at the Higgins Beach Inn located in nearby Scarborough and spent a delightful few days treating ourselves to wonderful meals. We even managed to fit in a few beautiful walks, a spa treatment at the Astrea Spa and a visit to the Portland Art Museum.

Part 1: “Just Desserts” features memorable desserts that we had at the following restaurants: Twelve, Honey Paw, Fore Street and Magissa.

We started our food adventure with an amazing dinner at the new restaurant Twelve. Located in a 150 year old brick building and opened in 2023, the restaurant is completely refurbished from local makers. We decided on the three course signature menu which included a choice of a few desserts. The first that we ordered was a rich chocolate tart with raspberry sorbet and a crunchy cocoa nib florentine.

The slightly bittersweet flavors of the chocolate and cocoa nibs melded beautifully with the London Fog ice cream sandwich which was covered with a pistachio macaron. The ice cream was delicately flavored with a hint of bergamot and vanilla.

The next day, we had a delicious spicy Asian lunch at a little gem called the Honey Paw. The honey soft serve ice cream covered in chocolate with crispy bits of cookie that looked like honey comb, may have been my favorite dessert of the trip. As we savored the silky texture of the cool ice cream, the chocolate coating hardened and we had to work a bit to break off bittersweets chunks- very satisfying!

Probably my favorite all time restaurant is Fore Street- much more to come about the rest of our meal and experience later! The desserts were also incredible, we ordered a piece of chocolate tart for comparison with Twelve- research is very important! The tart was equally delicious, lightly sprinkled with sea salt, a sweet pastry crust and a salted caramel layer!

*Salted caramel chocolate tart- Fore Street*

The other winner was a Rhubarb Buckle with the tart fresh flavor of the rhubarb shining through. It was topped with a crisp oatmeal and nut topping along with a scoop of house made vanilla ice cream- a simple dessert elevated to another level!

The runner up was the Ouzo Cake at Magissa, a charming small Greek restaurant in the East End of Portland. A generous portion of the moist cake was lightly grilled and served with ouzo poached Maine blueberries, white chocolate tahini cream and topped with candied fennel seeds. Even though we were filled from dinner, we quickly polished off a piece of the cake!

To help work off some of the delicious treats that we happily devoured, we took long walks on the beach in Scarborough and also discovered the beautiful Eastern Trail that stretches from South Portland to Kittery.

“A PORTLAND, MAINE FOODIE ADVENTURE”: PART TWO COMING SOON!

For your listening pleasure- a Wood Thrush sings an intricate melody on a hot summer afternoon in our woods.

AND: Here’s the “Tree of the Week”!

HAPPY SUMMER!

Cow Parsley & Butterweed at Parson’s Marsh and Sugar Free Spiced Apple Pie with Strawberry/Raspberry Conserve!

A cloudy Sunday afternoon- after a lovely lunch at the excellent Indian restaurant MINT, the threat of rain did not deter us from visiting one of our favorite short walks at Parson’s Marsh in Lenox, Massachusetts. Just down the road from Tanglewood, the trail winds through a meadow with lovely wildflowers. Bright yellow Butterweed and Cow Parsley, with lacy white flowers that looked like Queen Anne’s Lace line the path. In English folklore, there is a superstition that bringing Cow Parsley (also know as mother-die) into the house would result in great misfortune and even cause the death of the home’s mother! It is thought that the origin of the superstition is because the plant looks very similar to deadly Hemlock!

A small boardwalk meanders through the woods and ends at a marsh and a small lake. It is a bird lover’s haven. Countless birds have been observed there including: wood ducks, red wing blackbirds, great blue herons and pied-billed Grebe.

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The other day, we were in the mood for a big slice of sugar free spiced apple pie. I remembered writing one of the first entries in my blog from October 2020 in the midst of the pandemic, titled “Spooky Sounds and Anthropomorphic Trees”. The post featured my recipe for sugar free apple pie and in the post, I also explained my love of anthropomorphizing trees! This was the origin of the “Tree of the Week”!

My husband Paul suggested making a strawberry sauce to go with the pie; I first thought that the flavor combination would be strange. I decided to try making a sugar free strawberry and raspberry conserve and somehow the tart flavors of the berries melded together beautifully with the sweet spiced apples.

Sugar Free Spiced Apple Pie with Strawberry Raspberry Conserve

Ingredients for filling:

5-6 apples- peeled, cored and sliced into thin pieces.

1 teaspoon of cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon each of ground nutmeg, allspice, cloves and cardamom.

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl.

Pastry Crust:

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1 cup whole grain spelt four

1 teaspoon salt

1 stick unsalted butter

3 tablespoons non-hydrogenated shortening (I like the organic Spectrum brand)

3 or more tablespoons ice water

Make the pastry crust:

In the bowl of a food processor combine flours, salt, butter and shortening until just combined.

Add the ice water and process until a ball shape forms. You may need to add more water a tablespoon at a time.

Take the ball of dough and cut into 2 pieces and refrigerate at least one hour. When you want to make the pie, bring the dough back to room temperature.

Preheat oven to 350 Degrees

Bring pastry dough to room temperature.

Roll out one of the balls of dough to fit a deep pie dish.

Trim and crimp edges together.

Make an egg wash with one lightly beaten egg and brush over top of pie. This will make the top of the pie bake with a golden color.

Bake aprox. 40- 45 minutes until filling is bubbly and the top is golden brown.

Strawberry/Raspberry Conserve

Ingredients:

1 large package organic strawberries rinsed and hulled ( you can leave them whole)

1 small package organic raspberries rinsed.

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon cornstarch

In a small pot, place ingredients over medium heat. Cook until berries start to soften and release their juices. Turn heat to medium high and cook, stirring occasionally until berries completely soften and start to thicken slightly, aprox. 20 minutes.

Make a slurry with the cornstarch and a small amount of water. Add this to the mixture and stir briefly.

Remove from heat and let cool before serving. This recipe is sugar free, but feel free to add a bit of maple syrup to sweeten it a bit. Serve this over the pie!! ENJOY!

For your listening pleasure, here is a beautiful version of the “Wood Duck Waltz” an English Country Dance tune written in 1978 by Fried Herman. It’s from an album by the group Bare Necessities titled, Take a Dance, with the amazing musician Jacqueline Schwab. She is the pianist on many of Ken Burn’s documentaries and also happens to be the sister of my dear friend, intrepid travel buddy and incredible artist, Carol Ober!

AND: Here is the “Tree of the Week” from Parson’s March!

*“Fox & Pups”- Hog Hollow Road Buckland, MA*

HAPPY ALMOST SUMMER!!

“Lady Slippers and Cod Provencal”

There it was. Nestled in pine needles, twigs and leaves, a perfect Pink Lady’s Slipper; a hidden treasure in the woods! Also called Moccasin Flower, the delicate woodland wildflower is part of the orchid family (Orchida Ceae) and is native to Eastern North America. Indigenous people used the plant as a medicinal cure for menstrual pain. We were enthralled by it’s elegant beauty and it made our day!

Then, we had another fortunate find on the way home- we took a favorite short cut that crosses a narrow one way bridge with a view of a small waterfall. Sometimes, in the summer around twilight we are lucky enough to see a tall elegant grey heron sitting regally at the edge of the stream waiting patiently for fish to fall over the edge of the waterfall. It was a cloudy misty evening and as we crossed the tiny bridge, we craned our necks- there he was, sitting elegantly on a rock by the water; almost completely hidden by light grey mist!

We had gone fishing the easy way and purchased a piece of fresh Atlantic cod. I was thinking of a way to use up some fresh tomato sauce with pitted black olives and capers that I had made the day before. I came up with a quick recipe for Cod Provencal. I sauteed sliced onions, garlic, fennel and slivers of red pepper and added the mixture to the tomato sauce. I lightly seasoned the fish with salt and freshly ground pepper and a sprinkle of herb d’Provence. I nestled the fish in the sauce, covered it tightly with foil and baked it for about 30 minutes and then uncovered it for a few minutes more until the vegetables browned a bit. I like to use Bianco Dinapoli organic crushed tomatoes from Northern California. They are pricey, so I always keep an eye out for a sale and stock up on them. They have a wonderful taste, the closest you can come to a fresh ripe summer tomato! We served the fish with toasted slices of Berkshire Mountain Bakery herbed Ciabatta bread and side of stewed Escarole and White Beans (recipe in next blog post!) – a perfect combination. Enjoy!

Cod Provencal

Ingregients:

2 cups fresh tomato sauce with oil cured black olives and capers

1 pound fresh cod

1 medium onion sliced

1 medium red pepper cut into strips

1/2 cup sliced fennel

2 teaspoons herb d’Provence

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

salt and ground black pepper to taste

To Make Cod:

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in medium saucepan.

Add onion and cook over medium heat until translucent and slightly softened.

Add rest of vegetables and saute until vegetables soften, about 10-15 minutes.

Rinse cod with cold water and pat dry.

Sprinkle cod with salt and pepper and herb d’Provence.

Place tomato sauce in baking dish and nestle fish and vegetables over the sauce. Spoon a bit of the sauce over the top of the fish and sprinkle with about 2 tablespoons of olive oil.

Cover tightly with foil and bake about 30 minutes. Remove cover and bake for about 6-8 minutes more to brown vegetables a bit.

Let sit a few minutes before serving. ENJOY!

AND: Here is the “Tree of the Week”!

HAPPY SPRING!!

“Quaker Ladies” and Johnny Cakes with Granola and Fruit

Spring is in full bloom; as we walk on our land, bright green leaves create a canopy over our heads. With all of the impermanence in the world and the daily barrage of tragic news, it is a reassuring and special treasure to welcome back “Quaker Ladies” with their blue four petals and yellow centers.

Our new house peeks through the woods as we head up the hill.

In the distance we see a carpet of Quaker Ladies on the forest floor.

Once a sheep farm in the 1800’s; the land is crisscrossed with crumbling old stone walls. When farms in the area were abandoned, forests slowly reclaimed the land. At some point, the land was partially logged, creating a series of trails that wind through the woods. We are now honored to have become stewards of the land, my husband has painstakingly cleared many of the trails of invasive species, encouraging the growth of wildflowers and other native plants.

According to writer Suzan Bellincampi from the Vineyard Gazette:

The name Quaker ladies is reputed to have originated from Native Americans who “would track where the Quakers travelled by seeing where the flowers grew (as the seeds dropped from their shoes).”

The bluet’s four-petalled flower emerges from a single stem and its yellow center is irresistible to pollinators, attracting carpenter bees, green metallic bees, and many other buzzing brethren. Bluets are a favorite of the bee fly, or humblefly, which resemble a plain, stripe-less bumblebee, and which hovers like a hummingbird above the flower. And it also attracts small butterflies, so it wouldn’t be unusual to see an azure on an azure.

While pollinators appreciate the gifts provided by bluets, their uses by humans are more limited. Apart from their beauty, only one practical use was found for this plant, though it is a useful one. Cherokees made an infusion from it as a cure for bedwetting.

Our house is almost ready to move into. We have a brought a few chairs and set up a small makeshift table. The other day Paul was hammering wooden dowels into a IKEA pantry shelf while I practiced a Vivaldi Sonata on my recorder. Somehow the hammering did not bother me. It brought back memories when we lived together in one room on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. I remember practicing while Paul worked on his financial newsletter; a new high rise was bring built directly across the street and a huge a pile driver was making regular slamming noises! This was decidedly more peaceful!

Here is a recipe for light and delicious pancakes made with cornmeal and almond flour- a perfect summer breakfast with fresh fruit, plenty of maple syrup and granola. I am looking forward to making these Johnny Cakes on the griddle of our new stove!

Johnny Cakes

Ingredients:

1 cup almond meal
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 egg
1 1/4 cup almond milk
2 tbsp melted coconut oil, + more for frying- I used canola oil
Maple syrup, agave, and almond butter — to serve

To Make Johnny Cakes:

In an medium bowl, mix dry ingredients together.

Add egg, almond milk and oil.

Mix well.

Heat a pancake griddle and oil lightly.

Cook pancakes on one side until small bubbles appear, flip and cook until done.

Serve with fresh fruit, yogurt and granola.

Top with plenty of maple syrup and enjoy!

AND: Here’s the “Tree of the Week”!

HAPPY SPRING!

“Furry Spring Visitors and a Hearty Shepherd’s Pie!”

The glorious spring days with lovely cool temperatures have encouraged large fuzzy black bears to awaken from their winter slumbers. As most people in our neck of the woods will attest, they have become habituated to people and are no longer shy and fearful. They are also clever and intelligent and have learned to open screen doors to houses and car doors. Last week, I looked out the window and witnessed a large group of black bears; a huge mother bear, two yearlings and three babies walking slowly through the woods. The rich black color of the animals created a beautiful contrast with the light green of the spring vegetation- all very nice at a safe distance!

And, then the other day, a medium sized black bear showed up in my yard, took a walk on top of our kayaks, sauntered over to the back door and looked in expectantly. I recognized him-“Cookie Bear” was back!

Last summer, I was baking a batch of vegan peanut butter cookies that are lightly sweetened with maple syrup. The screened kitchen window was open and the sweet aroma of cookies baking wafted through the air. My back was to the window and I heard a scratching sound on the screen. I thought that my husband had come home and was playfully announcing his arrival. I turned around and a huge nose was poking into the window trying to push out the screen with his enormous paws. I yelled at him with the biggest and sternest voice that I could summon and he just looked at me. I immediately closed the window and banged on a few pots- finally he gave up and lumbered slowly away. I named him “Cookie Bear”. I now remember to close the windows tightly before I bake or cook anything!

The other day, I was in the mood for a hearty shepherd’s pie with a mashed potato topping that had parmesan, yogurt and scallions, along with butter and milk. The filling included ground beef, sauteed onions and leeks, along with carrots, peas and green beans.

Hearty Shepherd’s Pie

Filling:

1/2 pound grass fed ground beef (as lean as possible)

1/2 onion finely chopped

1 small leek- rinsed carefully and sliced thinly

1 cup frozen green peas- defrosted

1/2 cup frozen green beans – defrosted

1/2 package mushrooms- thinly sliced

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1 teaspoon dried thyme

Sauce:

3 tablespoons butter ( I have been using extra virgin olive oil and it works nicely!)

1/4 cup white flour

1 1/2 cups chicken broth (home made if possible, low sodium canned organic broth may be substituted). * Note

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

Mashed Potato Topping:

Ingredients:

Aprox. 5-6 medium sized Yukon gold potatoes, cut into quarters- not necessary to peel them

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons yogurt

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 scallion- washed and finely chopped

whole milk- add enough to achieve a creamy texture.

salt to taste

To Make Mashed Potatoes:

Place potatoes in a medium pot and cover with cold water.

Bring to a boil and boil until potatoes are very soft. Drain potatoes into a colander and return to the pot.

Add butter and salt and with a potato masher and mix until butter melts. Add other ingredients, adding the milk last. Add more milk until you get a smooth creamy texture- add more salt to taste. Add this stage, these potatoes are delicious – it’s hard to not eat the whole pot!

To Make Filling:

In a medium saucepan heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and saute onion and leeks until they soften. Add ground beef and seasonings. Cook for a few minutes until meat browns and then add carrots and mushrooms. Add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Cook about 10 minutes until vegetables soften a bit and are lightly browned. Add peas and green beans and set aside.

To Make Sauce:

Over medium heat melt butter or olive oil in a small pot.

Stir in flour and cook briefly.

Slowly whisk in broth and continue to stir until mixture comes to a slow boil and thickens. If sauce is too thick, you can always a bit more broth. Adjust seasoning.

* Note- If you are using canned broth, I sometimes add a few dashes of Tamari for extra flavor and color.

Pour mixture into a baking dish and spread mashed potato mixture over top.

Preheat Oven to 350. Bake uncovered in the middle of the oven for about 45 minutes until mixture bubbles up and the top is lightly browned. Let cool slightly before serving. Keep windows closed- this is not for “Cookie Bear”!

ENJOY!!

AND: Here is the “Tree of the Week”!

HAPPY SPRING!!

“An Early Spring Forest Treasure and Chicken & Broccoli with Garlic Sauce and Ramps!”

On a cold and drizzly early spring day, it was time to venture out to forage for wild ramps with our good friends and expert ramp guides, Thomas and Francis.

Dressed warmly and wearing our rubber boots we drove to their favorite spot next to a bubbling brook in New Marlborough, Massachusetts.

The soil was rich and loamy with a deep earthy aroma. Next to abundant patches of ramps were Trillium flowers, one of the first flowers of the spring!

Thomas showed us how to gently dig up the ramps, leaving the root intact so that the plants continue to propagate.

It was time to take our fragrant treasures home. Thomas had all of the ingredients ready for a pizza with a crust that he had purchased earlier that morning from Berkshire Mountain Bakery in Housatonic, Massachusetts.

He expertly rinsed off the dirt and grit from a big handful of leeks with plenty of cold water while Francis made a fire to warm us up in her charming little woodstove.

Thomas snipped the leaves and stems of the ramps over the crust that was richly layered with thin slices of provolone, a mixture of shredded cheeses along with tomatoes that Francis had canned last summer.

He baked the pizza in a hot oven (500 degrees Farenheit). We enjoyed a wonderful treat! It was simply delicious- crunchy crust and plenty of melted cheese along with the mellow oniony flavor of fresh ramps!!

My husband Paul, found an interesting article from Northern Woodlands on how ramps help replenish the wood land soil:

“Every year I know that spring has arrived when it’s time for my family to forage for ramps on a two-acre patch on the hill above my house. We have just a few weeks to enjoy their spiciness before they disappear from the landscape, along with other spring ephemerals. While we prize many spring ephemerals for their fleeting beauty – flourishing before the overstory trees leaf out, then dying back as the shade season begins – they also are important to nutrient cycling in woodlands.

Ecologists Robert Muller and F. Herbert Bormann first suggested that spring ephemerals contributed to nutrient storage and release while conducting forestry research in the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest in the 1970s. Muller and Bormann observed that American trout-lily (Erythronium americanum), a common spring ephemeral, grew the fastest when nitrogen and potassium losses from the soil were at their highest (during the spring melt). While trees are still dormant and unable to use these nutrients, melting snow and spring rains wash these nutrients out of forest soils. Muller and Bormann proposed that spring ephemerals could capture critical nutrients when they might otherwise wash away and then return those nutrients to the soil when they died back during the summer shade. They called this the “vernal dam” hypothesis, because the ephemerals act as a dam, retaining the flow of nutrients before releasing them back into the soil. “

And, according to Spruce Eats:

“Ramps–a cousin of onions, leeks, scallions, and shallots–grow in low mountain altitudes from South Carolina to Canada. In many areas, they’re considered a spring delicacy and a reason for celebration. Harvesting ramps has a long tradition in the Appalachian region of the United States, with West Virginia particularly well known for its many festivals and events. Ramp festivals are also held in Tennessee, Virginia, and North Carolina. There are many ways to enjoy ramps: raw, sautéed, roasted, grilled, and pickled too.“

NOW– what to do with the ramps that Paul and I harvested! I had first thought that I might make a ramp pesto with garlic, parmesan, toasted almonds and extra virgin olive oil. I started to think about Chinese chicken with broccoli in a spicy garlic sauce and imagined that replacing the scallions in the recipe with ramps; along with their leafy green tops I imagined it would be a good combination of flavors. I am happy to report, it worked beautifully!

You can easily replace the ramps in this recipe with scallions! ENJOY!

Chinese Chicken and Broccoli with Garlic Sauce and Ramps

Ingredients:

2 boneless chicken breasts thinly sliced (the chicken was still a bit frozen and this made it easier to slice thinly)

1 medium broccoli crown- steamed until crisp tender. Remove from heat and quickly rinse with very cold water or place in an ice bath. This will retain the bright green color and texture.

2 tablespoons finely chopped tips of the ramps (this is the part that looks like scallion bulbs).

2 tablespoons finely chopped ginger

1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic

2 cups chopped green leaves of ramps

1/2 cup roasted cashews (optional)

Marinade:

2 tablespoons tamari

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

1 teaspoon hot chili oil (or more to taste)

Cornstarch slurry:

2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with aprox. 2 tablespoons water to make a smooth paste

Marinade:

2 tablespoons tamari

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

1/2 teaspoon hot chili oil

Sauce:

3 tablespoons tamari

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

1 teaspoon (or to taste) chili paste with garlic

To prepare:

Pour marinade over sliced chicken- you can do this a few hours before, but let chicken marinate for a least 1/2 hour before cooking.

Mix marinated chicken with cornstarch slurry- let sit for a minute or two.

Heat wok – it should start to smoke a bit.

Add oil bring back to high heat. Add ginger, ramps tips and garlic and cook briefly.

Add chicken and cook until done. You can cut a small piece with your spatula to check if the inside is not pink and it slices easily.

Add ramp greens and stir fry until they wilt- about 1 minute.

Add broccoli and stir briefly.

Add sauce alongside the wok and stir all together briefly.

Top with roasted cashews if using them.

I served this with brown rice and oven roasted sweet potatoes dusted with ground cumin!

Enjoy!!

AND: Here is the “Tree of the Week”!

HAPPY SPRING!!

“A Spring Concert by Ensemble Galliard and Chocolate Yogurt Snack Cakes”!

On a rainy and windy early March day with ominous sounding flood warnings, I set out in my car to visit the Field Memorial Library located in the charming small town of Conway, Massachusetts. My new collaboration, Ensemble Galliard– a duo with myself on recorder and Joe Belmont classical and jazz guitarist, will present a concert at the library on Saturday April 25th. I am excited and honored that the concert will be sponsored by the Friends of the Field Memorial Library and the Massachusetts Council on the Arts.

Coming inside from the cold blustery day, I opened the heavy majestic doors to the library and entered a stunning marble rotunda. I was greeted by the warm and friendly Chair of the Friends of the Library, Linda McDaniel.

She proudly showed me around the charming space and gave me a quick historical background. The Field Memorial Library was a gift for the people of Conway, Massachusetts from Marshall Field in loving memory of his father and mother, John and Fidelia Nash Field. The dedication of the library was on July 13, 1901.

Marshall Field was born in a house in Conway and at the age of seventeen went to work in a store in Pittsfield, Massachusetts and at twenty-one moved to Chicago where he eventually founded Marshall Field and Company. He developed a reputation as one of the foremost merchants in the world. He was the benefactor for many institutions including the University of Chicago and the Chicago Natural History Museum, but Mr. Field once said the gift that gave him the greatest pleasure was the Field Memorial Library. A picture of Marshall Field hangs on the wall of one of the reading rooms.

*Photo- Courtesy Field Memorial Library*

His parents, John and Fidelia Nash Field are displayed on the wall in the opposite reading room.

*Phpto- Courtesy Field Memorial Library*

If you happen to find yourself in the area, it would be lovely to see you at the concert. For my readers from Canada, Europe, the UK and other places:

Here is a short video featuring one of the pieces in our repertoire: “Var et du” and a cameo appearance by Joe’s photogenic dog!

Often times after performances, I am hungry and in the mood for a special treat on the ride home; something sweet, but not too rich. Moist and flavorful chocolate yogurt snack cakes are perfect! They also freeze very well and great to bring out for late afternoon tea with friends! This recipe is from Deb Perlman’s wonderful blog, Smitten Kitchen.

Chocolate Yogurt Snack Cakes from the Smitten Kitchen Blog
From David Lebovitz’s The Sweet Life in Paris

This is almost a rarity in the world of chocolate cakes — light and not overly decadent; perfect for breakfast or a snack or, you know, right now.

Makes 12 cupcake-sized snack cakes or 16 mini-springform ones

7 ounces (200 grams) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup (125 ml) vegetable oil
1/2 cup (125 ml) plain, whole-milk yogurt
1 cup (200 grams) sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 1/2 cups (200 grams) flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder (David recommends aluminum-free baking powders, such as Rumford or Bob’s Red Mill, as do I)
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper cupcake liners or lightly butter the pan. Or, if you’re Deb and have to be fancy dust off that much-neglected mini-springform pan and coat it with a nonstick spray.

2. In a heatproof bowl set over simmering water, melt the chocolate with 1/4 cup of the oil. Once melted and smooth, remove from the heat. (Alternately, you can do this in the microwave on high for 30 seconds, then in 15 second increments, stirring well between each until smooth.)

3. In another bowl, mix the remaining 1/4 cup oil with yogurt, sugar, eggs and vanilla and almond extracts.

4. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the yogurt mixture. Stir lightly a couple times, then add the melted chocolate and stir until just smooth.

5. Divide the batter among the muffin or springform cups and bake for 20 to 25 minutes (less for mini-springforms, more for muffins, though your oven may vary) or until they feel barely set in the middle and a tester or toothpick comes out clean.

6. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack before serving with coffee and a nice dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream and any berries you can scrounge up in your fridge. Or, you know, as is.

Do ahead: These cakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for four days.

AND: Here is the “Tree of the Week”!

*“Come on in*–*“there’s room for all of us!”*

HAPPY SPRING!!

Snow Day and Pan Fried Veggie Dumplings and Hot & Sour Soup!

The wind is howling and the snow is piling up outside; we are cozy and warm inside planning a lazy day with plenty of time to practice, make oboe reeds, write my blog and play Bananagrams in front of the woodstove!

I will share recipes for a Chinese Feast that we made in the last snow storm that included pan fried veggie pot stickers and hot & sour soup- just in time for Chinese New Year!

The recipe for the soup includes sliced bamboo shoots. I didn’t have any on hand- feel free to use what you have.

For the veggie dumplings, also feel free to improvise with whatever ingredients are available.

ENJOY!

Veggie Potstickers

1/2 pound firm tofu cut into small pieces

1/2 cup shitake mushrooms sauted and finely chopped.
1/2 cup coarsely grated carrots- optional
1/2 cup finely chopped bok choy or Napa cabbage
1/2 cup finely chopped soaked and drained rice noodles
2 tablespoons finely chopped scallions
1 teaspoon soy sauce and 1 teaspoon sesame oil

20 small wonton wrappers

Preheat the oven to 200°F.

Place dried rice noodles in a bowl and pour boiling water over them. Let sit a few minutes until softened. Drain and rinse with cold water. Cut into small pieces.

Cut the tofu in half horizontally and lay between layers of paper towels. Place on a plate, top with another plate, and place a weight on top (a 14-ounce can of vegetables works well). Let stand 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, cut the tofu into 1/4-inch cubes and place in a large mixing bowl. Add the carrots, rice noodles, shitake mushrooms, scallions, soy sauce and sesame oil. Lightly stir to combine.

To form the dumplings, remove 1 wonton wrapper from the package, covering the others with a damp cloth. Brush the edges of the wrapper lightly with water. Place 1/2 rounded teaspoon of the tofu mixture in the center of the wrapper. Fold over and lightly press edges to seal. Set on a sheet pan and cover with a damp cloth. Repeat procedure until all of the filling is gone.

Heat a 12-inch saute pan over medium heat. Brush with vegetable oil once hot. Add 8 to 10 potstickers at a time to the pan and cook for 2 minutes, without touching. Cook until brown and crispy and then turn. Cook this side until brown and crispy.

Remove wontons to a heatproof platter and place in the warm oven. Repeat until all the wontons are cooked.

Serve immediately.

Dumpling Dipping Sauce

1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar (I use organic brown rice vinegar)
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil or 1/2 tablespoon dark, 1/2 tablespoon hot sesame oil
1 small clove garlic, minced (optional)

Hot and Sour Soup- adapted from NY Times Cooking

By Vivian Chan-Tam

Published Feb. 6, 2024

Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6

6 ounces pork tenderloin, sliced into ½-inch-thick strips (see Tip 1)
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
2teaspoons Shaoxing wine, or dry sherry
½ cup plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch
8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
4 ounces shiitake or baby bella mushrooms, stemmed and sliced ¼-inch thick
8 ounces firm tofu, cut into ½-inch cubes
1(8-ounce) can of sliced bamboo shoots, drained
2 medium scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced, whites and greens separated
⅓ to ½cup rice vinegar, to taste
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
¾ to 1½teaspoons crushed red pepper, to taste
¼ to ¾teaspoon ground white pepper, to taste
1 large egg, beaten

Preparation

in a medium bowl, add the pork and 2 teaspoons of regular (low-sodium) soy sauce, Shaoxing wine and 1 teaspoon of cornstarch. Toss until well combined and marinate for 5 minutes.
In a large, wide pot, bring 7 cups of the broth to a boil over high. Reduce heat to medium, then add the marinated pork, shiitake mushrooms, firm tofu, bamboo shoots, scallion whites, vinegar, remaining 2 tablespoons regular soy sauce, dark soy sauce, crushed red pepper and white pepper. Simmer until mushrooms have softened and flavor has developed, 5 to 7 minutes.
Whisk the remaining ½ cup cornstarch with the remaining 1 cup chicken broth in a small bowl. Slowly stir into the soup; continue stirring until the soup has thickened, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Taste the soup and add more pepper or vinegar, if desired.
Stir the soup in a circular motion and slowly drizzle in the beaten egg to create ribbons. Simmer for 1 minute. Divide soup among bowls and top with scallion greens. Serve immediately.

Tips

Tip 1: If purchasing a whole tenderloin, remove the 6 ounces needed for this recipe and freeze the remaining piece, wrapped tightly in plastic. Or, cut the remaining piece into strips and freeze in a single layer on a sheet pan, then transfer to a zip-top bag and store it in the freezer for a quick stir-fry.
I used the extra pork to make stir fried bok choy and pork ( recipe to appear in another blog post!)

Here are some pictures from a walk on a cold sunny day at the Thompson-Palmer Trail in Great Barrington, MA.

AND: Here is the “Tree of the Week”!

**” I do feel a little tangled up with my thoughts”!**

STAY WARM!

“Shadow Visionaries” at the Clark and Heirloom Bean & Kale Soup

A welcome day off from teaching and practicing– we headed north to the Clark Art Institute in Williamstown, Massachusetts. Almost at the Vermont border, the mountains are higher and the trip there always feels as if we are on a small vacation.

Looking outside a museum window, the landscape reminded us of a scene from an old classic black and white film.

In the distance, a lone skier traversed across a snowy field.

Staying with the black and white color scheme, we viewed the current exhibition of intricate lithographs, “Shadow Visionaries: French Artists Against the Current”:1840-1870.

Here is a description from the exhibit:

“The mid-1800s in France was a tumultuous era that witnessed dramatic political, social, and cultural change. The impact of those transformations on the art of the period has often been measured by the painting and sculpture shown at government-sponsored Salons, Universal Expositions, and other prominent exhibition venues, which tended to uphold official narratives of progress.

Yet a focus on more private media, such as printmaking and photography, tells a different story. In fact, many artists felt at odds with their era’s celebration of material advancement and modernization.

Rejecting the prevailing current, such figures—described as “Shadow Visionaries” for this exhibition—chose dark subject matter oriented toward the irrational, spiritual, and fantastical. They used the distinctive characteristics of black-and-white media to convey intense emotions, while producing works of unsparing directness and rare beauty. Although some of the Shadow Visionaries evoked nostalgia, others dreamed boldly toward an alternate future, anticipating later art movements such as Symbolism and Surrealism.”

I was particularly drawn to the lithographs of trees and forests; the contrast of light and shadows was mesmerizing along with their magical unworldly character.

*“Old Oaks at Bas Breau”*– Adolphe Martal

*“Clearing in the Forest”-Rodolphe Bresdin*

We next visited the permanent collection of Impressionist paintings. As we entered a large room filled with paintings by Monet, Manet, Pissaro, Millet and Renoir, we were greeted by warm brilliant colors.

I sank down on a plush dark blue velvet couch in front of Monet’s “Tulip Fields at Sassenheim” and drank in the beautiful colors; a perfect antidote from the grey monochrome winter day! On a Tuesday afternoon in February, we were the only visitors in the room; we pretended that this was our own private art collection- a slice of heaven!

*“Tulip Fields at Sassenheim”-Claude Monet*

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On my pantry shelf at home, a small jar of cute little heirloom beans that I purchased last summer has waited patiently for me to put them to use! I got them at the excellent organic Honey Dog Farm in Hillsdale, New York. A winter day in February is the perfect time for a long simmering pot of bean soup!

The heirloom beans are a variety called Coco de Boheme and are described as “a hearty meaty bean that holds it’s shape well”. I decided to make a bean and kale soup with a southwestern flavor. I sauteed onions and added a diced poblano chile, carrots, diced fire roasted tomatoes, celery and lacinato kale and seasoned the soup with dried thyme, dried oregano, bay leaf, cumin and smoked paprika with salt and pepper to taste.

The cooked beans tasted creamy and at the same time were firm and held their shape. We served the soup for dinner with freshly ground pepper and a sprinkle of grated pecorino cheese along with a salad and crispy squares of potato & leek focaccia (recipe to come in another blog!).

Heirloom Bean and Kale Soup

Ingredients:

1/2 pound dried beans ( pinto or cannellini beans would also work well)

1 medium onion diced

1 small carrot cut into small pieces

1 stalk celery with leaves cut into small pieces

5 or 6 leaves of lacinato kale (remove tough center stems) Tear kale into small pieces

1 small can diced organic fire roasted tomatoes (add juice in can to soup pot)

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried oregano

2 teaspoons cumin powder

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

1 large bay leaf

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

water to cover beans and vegetables

To Make Soup:

Quick Soak the beans. Rinse and sort the beans in cold water. Drain and add to a large pot. Cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Cover and remove from heat and let sit for at least 2 hours. Do not drain. Use soaking liquid for soup.

In a separate small pan, heat olive oil and saute onion and slightly softened.

Add onions and all other ingredients except kale to soup pot. Cover everything with water and bring to a boil. If soup seems to thick, add more water. Reduce heat and cook at a low simmer until beans are tender. Add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

The cooking time can vary greatly. The older the beans, the longer they will need to cook to soften. After cooking the soup about 1 1/2 hours add kale for the rest of the cooking time. The flavor of the soup improves after a day or two in the fridge. ENJOY!!

AND: As always, here is the “Tree of the Week!”

STAY WARM!!

A Snowy Day at Canoe Meadows and Chocolate Cream (Healthy) Donuts!

As I write this we are in the middle of a major snow storm and it is really cold! Last Sunday, with temperatures hovering in the 30’s (0 Celsius) and no wind, we ventured out in a light snow for a short walk at Canoe Meadows Wildlife Sanctuary in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. This was after we enjoyed the always delicious Sunday Buffet at an excellent little Indian restaurant, MINT , with a lakeside view of Laurel Lake in Lee, Massachusetts.

The lovely scenic path winds gently through fields, meadows, small ponds and around the Housatonic River.

In the distance is October Mountain, named by the famous writer, Herman Melville. The nearby Arrowhead Herman Melville House, overlooks the mountain. The house was built in the 1780’s. Melville spent some of his most productive years there between 1850-1863 where he wrote Moby-Dick, Pierre (dedicated to nearby Monument Mountain),Confidence Man and Israel Potter.

At a recent visit to the Woodstar Cafe in Northampton, Massachusetts, I was tempted by the Hazelnut Creme Donuts; somehow I resisted and decided to make a healthy version that we could enjoy at home.

I thought that the perfect filling would be a rich tasting but very light chocolate pudding and the baked apple cider donuts that I included in a blog titled “Mann tracht un gott lacht”.

The pudding, which includes almond milk, cornstarch, a small amount of coconut sugar, vanilla and Lily’s chocolate (sweetened with Stevia) is delicious on it’s own or served with fresh berries and sliced almonds.

The filled donuts tasted rich and decadent, but are healthy and perfect with a cup of late afternoon tea or a decaf latte with oat milk!

ENJOY!

Donuts with Chocolate Cream Filling

Chocolate Pudding Filling– adapted from Chocolate Cake by Michele Urvater

Ingredients:

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/3 cup cocnut sugar ( this makes a very bittersweet pudding, feel free to add up to 1/2 to 3/4 cups sugar.)

1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond or soy milk

1/2 teaspoon almond extract or vanilla extract

4 ounces dark chocolate chopped (I used Lily’s Extremely Dark chocolate, but you could semi or bittersweet chocolate for a sweeter taste)

To make the pudding:

In a small mixing bowl, with a fork or small whisk, combine the cornstarch with 1/2 cup of the milk.

In a small saucepan over low heat, bring the remaining 1 cup milk to a simmer with the sugar, stirring occasionally so the milk does not boil over. Remove the saucepan from the heat.

Whisk the cornstarch and milk in the bowl again to make sure the cornstarch is dissolved, and add this to the hot milk and sugar mixture. Return the saucepan to the heat and bring to a simmer until the mixture thickens, whisking constantly. Remove from the hear and add chocolate, stirring until chocolate melts into the mixture. Stir in almond extract. Put pudding in a bowl and refrigerate until cold.

refrigerate until cold.

For the donuts:

⅓ cup neutral-flavored oil (canola, avocado, grapeseed, walnut)
3 large eggs
1/4 cup monk fruit sweetener
1/4 cup coconut sugar
1 cup applesauce ( I did not have a jar of applesauce on hand, so I just cooked down a few apples and mashed them up with some cinnamon).
½ cup apple cider, boiled down to about 2 tablespoons of syrup
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

Instructions

Making the donuts:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a non-stick donut pan with cooking spray. My pan makes 6 donuts, so I had to fill it twice.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil, eggs, sugar, applesauce, cider syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder until smooth.
Add the flour, stirring until just smooth.
Fill a pastry bag or a sturdy gallon-sized plastic bag with the batter. Use scissors to snip off the tip of the bag, creating about an ½”’ hole.
Pipe the batter into the wells of the doughnut pan nearly to the rim. Or, just carefully spoon in the batter.
Bake the doughnuts for 12 to 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of one comes out clean. .
Remove the doughnuts from the oven, and loosen their edges by running a knife along the outer circle.

To Assemble the Donuts:

Cut donuts in half with a serrated knife.

Spread one half liberally with chocolate pudding to make a “donut sandwich”.

Melt a few squares of chocolate in microwave and place in a small plastic baggie. Snip off a tiny corner of the bag and squeeze lightly back and forth over doughnuts to make decorative lines.

Enjoy with a cup of tea!

Here is a beautiful piece to listen to by the Renaissance composer Joan Ambrosio Dalza-“Pavana alla Ferrarese”

AND: Here is the “Tree of the Week”!

STAY SAFE AND WARM!