January 2026 – A Musician's Travels

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!

*George Innes- “Home at Montclair”( Courtesy Clark Art institute)*

With the shortest days of the year upon us, many people are affected negatively with SAD (seasonal affective disorder).

By a stroke of luck, I am not affected by the lack of day light. I seem to be invigorated by cold temperatures and snow.

Whenever we have to opportunity to visit the Clark Art Institute, one of my favorite works of art is by the American painter, George Innes. The painting, titled “Home at Montclair” depicts twilight on a cold wintry day; as I gaze at the picture, I am filled with a sense of coziness and warmth. A tiny wisp of smoke curls out of the chimney and light glows softly from one window. I imagine that inside the cozy old farmhouse, crackling logs in the fireplace create a welcoming warmth; a small table is set with late afternoon tea and freshly baked muffins. This phenomenon might be called, SCM or (seasonal cozy memories.)

Recently we spent an afternoon exploring the historic town of Deerfield, Massachusetts. A light snow fell as we walked down the main street; streetlights glowed softly as the end of day approached.

We came upon the quaint Deerfield Inn; light glowing from the window on the porch beckoned us inside.

We were welcomed warmly by the hotel receptionist and thought about enjoying a light early dinner. After sitting by the cozy fireplace for a few minutes, we decided to brave the cold and return home for leftover bowls of Ginger and Chicken Rice Soup!

Ginger Chicken and Rice Soup with Zucchini (from NYT Cooking)

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Salt and black pepper
2 tablespoons neutral oil (such as canola or vegetable)
2 tablespoons minced ginger (from a 2-inch piece)
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
½ cup brown rice
1 large zucchini, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 fresh or dried bay leaf
Chile crisp, lemon wedges or chopped cilantro (or a combination), for serving (optional)

Preparation

Pat the chicken thighs dry and season generously with salt and pepper.
Heat a medium Dutch oven or other heavy-bottomed pot over medium. Add the oil, ginger, garlic and turmeric and let the mixture sizzle and soften for about 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
Add 6 cups water to the pot, along with the chicken, rice, zucchini, bay leaf and a big pinch of salt. Bring to a simmer then turn the heat down to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the rice is tender and the chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes.
When ready to serve, remove the chicken and place it on a cutting board. Use two forks to shred the thighs, then return the meat with all of its juices to the pot. Taste and season the soup with salt and pepper.
To serve, divide the soup among bowls and top with any combination of chile crisp, lemon and cilantro.

I hope you enjoy this warming soup and for those that suffer from light deprivation at this time of year, find some comfort! The days are starting to get longer!!

AND: Here is the “Tree of the Week”

STAY WARM AND SAFE!

Month: January 2026

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