Nature – A Musician's Travels

New Musical Adventures and Sweet & Savory Crepes

It’s been a busy fall with exciting new musical projects coming together- I am delighted to share news about a long planned Early Music group- meet Ensemble Zephyrus!

After many years of playing the oboe professionally with orchestras, chamber music groups and with the Hevreh Ensemble, I have decided to continue to teach oboe and play small gigs, but will concentrate my efforts on performing recorder and fulfilling my love of Early Music.

Ensemble Zephyrus is truly like a breath of fresh air to me; with this group, I have the wonderful opportunity to collaborate with excellent musicians who play harpsichord, viol, baroque violin and theorbo. Together we will perform exquisite music from the Renaissance and Baroque periods.

GERMANY – JUNE 24: Made by Carl Friedrich Voight. A theorbo is a type of lute, a stringed musical instrument. (Photo by SSPL/Getty Images)

Our first concert is in NYC this week-website and pictures coming soon!

In the meantime, here are glorious autumn pictures, a food excursion, recipes and as always, the “Tree of the Week”.

The Fall foliage has been lovely this year; we have traipsed happily through our land in Massachusetts on the winding maze of trails that Paul has cut through the woods. As we walk, our minds quiet.

The patterns and designs we discover in fallen leaves, pine needles and fungus are captivating. The light is beautiful and illuminates leaves that are suspended in delicate webs.

Tiny fungi nestled in a mossy tree trunk, look like seashells on the ocean floor!

What was once a dream during COVID, is finally becoming a reality-our new cozy little house peeks through the woods!

*****************************************

Every few months, our supply of Parmesan and Pecorino cheese dwindles and then it’s time to make a pilgrimage to Arthur Avenue, the Italian neighborhood in the Bronx.

There is also a sizable Albanian population in the neighborhood and on a recent trip, I treated myself to lunch at an excellent small Albanian restaurant that I discovered called Cka ka Qellu. Located on Hughes Avenue,it’s just a few blocks from busy Arthur Avenue.

The inside of the welcoming restaurant was small and cozy. People around me were chatting softly in Albanian. It felt as if I was transported to the Balkans in Southeast Europe!

I enjoyed a few appetizers- lightly pickled cabbage salad served with hot crusty bread, Tatator- a yogurt dip with cucumber and garlic and Lecenik- cornbread stuffed with spinach and cheese. This made a lovely lunch feast!

After my lunch, I walked a few blocks to Teitel Brothers, a third generation family business opened in 1915, by a Jewish immigrant family from Austria. Today, brothers Michael and Eddie stand at the counter in white aprons. I could have stayed for hours listening to their heavy New York accents as they bantered happily with their customers.

The store is small and crowded with imported Italian goods and huge blocks of cheese. Everything is top quality with incredibly low prices.

Dried salt cod stacked next to bottles olive oil and a box of sun dried tomatoes filled the air with a fishy smell.

On one visit, a huge bag of leftover scraps from procuitto sat on the counter. One of the owners asked if I would like to have it- a gift that one cannot turn down! I imagined crispy bits of procuitto with roasted brussel sprouts and in rich black bean soup! I lugged the heavy bag back to my car and planned to share it with a friend.

Looking for a use for my new supply of parmesan, I decided to make a quick chicken soup with pastina that I had read about in NYT Cooking:https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022969-brodo-di-pollo-con-pastina-chicken-soup-with-pastina

Instead of using pastina, I remembered a recipe for whole wheat crepes that I had made rolled and filled with freshly grated parmesan. I used the NY Times recipe for the broth; it was quick and had as much flavor as a stock that I usually simmer for hours. The crepes are easy to make and they were delicious with the fresh parmesan!

Chicken in Brodo with Parmesan Crepes

Chicken Broth (based on NY Times Cooking recipe)

Yield:6 servings

2large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound)
1large yellow onion, thinly sliced
3tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2tablespoons kosher salt (Diamond Crystal), or to taste
½teaspoon garlic powder
¼teaspoon black pepper
3large carrots, peeled and sliced into ¼-inch half moons
3large celery ribs, sliced into ¼-inch half moons
3garlic cloves, finely chopped
2teaspoons tomato paste
½cup finely chopped parsley

Preparation

Step 1Place the chicken and 10 cups of water in a large pot. Partly cover and bring to a boil over high heat, keeping a close eye so that it doesn’t overflow and skimming off any foam that rises to the top.
Step 2Add the onion, olive oil, salt, garlic powder and pepper; stir and allow to come back up to a gentle boil. Cover completely, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the carrots, celery, garlic and tomato paste, stirring to incorporate the tomato paste. Increase the heat to high and allow to come back up to a gentle boil. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and season with more salt and pepper as desired.
Step 3Remove the cooked chicken and place in a large bowl.

For the Crepes:

3 eggs
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup cold water
About ¼ cup grapeseed or sunflower oil
1/4 tsp salt
About 3 to 4 cups freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano cheese
Fresh chopped parsley for garnish

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the salt and flour. Make a well into the center of the flour and crack all 3 eggs. Whisk together well and gradually add the milk, a little at a time, whisking well to avoid lumps. After all the milk has been added, if the batter is lumpy, you can run it through a fine-meshed sieve to get rid of any lumps.
Grease up a heavy skillet or a small crepe pan, using about 1 tsp oil per crepe. Make the crepes using about 1/4 cup of batter per crepe. Swirl the batter around, cook for about 30 to 60 seconds on each side or until golden and bubbly. If the batter is too thick, add a little more water, a couple tablespoonfuls at a time. Stack the crepes on a large plate. They will miraculousy not stick together.
Sprinkle a generous handful of grated cheese on each crepe and roll it up into a cigar shape. (Divide the cheese evenly among the crepes but save some for garnish). Place the rolled crepes seam down into a large serving bowl. Serve two to three crepes per person and ladle a generous scoop or two of broth on top of the crepes. I also added some of the reserved chicken breast chopped, to the soup. Garnish with a little cheese and chopped parsley. ENJOY!

There were a few leftover crepes; the next morning we enjoyed the crepes filled with fresh fruit (whatever you have on hand is good) and plain yogurt. Topped with plenty of crunchy granola and a drizzle of maple syrup, this was an excellent quick breakfast treat!

ENJOY!!

Fruit and Granola Breakfast Crepe

AND: Here is the “Tree of the Week”!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

Winter Strolls on Merwin Road and Cod Fish Cakes!

One of my favorite places to walk is on Merwin Road at Spencer’s Corner in Millerton, New York. I come here often when I have a short break from teaching. My stroll starts at the old Spencer’s Corners Burying Ground.

I continue down the street that is symmetrically lined with maple trees. In the summer, the trees offer a welcome canopy of cooling shade and at this time of year, they act as a buffer from the stiff frigid wind that blows from the surrounding mountains over the fields.

My beloved brother in-law Perry recently passed away after a long struggle with early onset dementia; this week there will be a Celebration of Life service held in his honor. This blog entry is dedicated to his memory; he was a kind, sincere, warm and intelligent man with a lovely sense of humor. He keenly observed nature and weather conditions and I know he would appreciate the quick changes on Merwin Road; one week a blustery snowy landscape and a few days later, rusty brown fields.

The other day at the fish counter, the wild caught cod looked especially fresh and my thoughts turned to crunchy cod fish cakes for dinner. I remembered a recipe from the New York Times Cooking column for cod cakes which I based my recipe on. The fish is first poached gently with lemon slices, bay leaf and black peppercorns and this gives the fish a wonderful subtle flavor. This step is well worth the extra time required. We served these crispy little beauties with lemon slices and a sauce made from veganaise, lemon, mustard and capers along with chunks Japanese sweet potato roasted with olive oil and rosemary and steamed broccolini. I hope you enjoy making these!

Cod Cakes (based on NY Times Cooking recipe by Sam Sifton

INGREDIENTS

Yield:4 to 6 servings as a main course, 6 to 8 servings as an appetizer

4 peppercorns
1 bay leaf
1 lemon, cut into eighths
3/4pound cod fillets, or other white flaky fish
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 rib celery diced
1 medium-size yellow onion, peeled and diced
1 heaping tablespoon mayonnaise,( I use vegenaise)
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 egg
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
3/4 cup panko bread crumbs (add more if mixture is too soft)
1/4 bunch parsley, roughly chopped
¼ cup neutral oil, like canola

PREPARATION

Fill a shallow, wide pan with high sides with about an inch of water, and set it over high heat. Add the peppercorns, bay leaf and 1 section of the lemon to the water, and allow it to come to a bare simmer. Place the fish into this poaching liquid, and cook, barely simmering, until the flesh has just begun to whiten all the way through, approximately 6 to 8 minutes. Using a wide spatula, carefully remove the fish from the water, and set aside to cool.
Empty the pan, and return it to the stove, over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, add the celery & onions, and sauté, stirring often, until the vegetables soften and the onions turn translucent, then transfer them to a large bowl.
In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, mustard, egg, salt, pepper and Old Bay seasoning, then add this mixture to the bowl with the sautéed vegetables, pour the bread crumbs over them and stir to combine. Add the parsley, and stir again.
Flake the cooked fish into the binding sauce carefully, keeping the flakes as whole as you can manage, then gather them into small balls, and form them into patties, 4-6 for a main course, 6-8 for an appetizer. Place them on a sheet pan or platter, cover loosely with plastic wrap and transfer them to the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to set.
Set a large sauté pan over high heat, and add to it the neutral oil. When the oil is shimmering, remove the fish cakes from the refrigerator, and carefully sauté the patties until they are golden brown, approximately 4 to 5 minutes a side. Work in batches if necessary. Serve them alone, or with greens dressed in a lemony vinaigrette, with the remaining wedges of lemon.

Sauce:

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Vegenaise

2 teaspoons dijon mustard

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoons capers

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl.

We also accompanied our meal with a quick antipasto that included sliced avocado, cherry tomatoes, green olives, marinated artichoke hearts and crumbled feta cheese. Drizzled with olive oil and lightly sprinkled with salt and freshly ground pepper- no recipe here- but so pretty we had to take it’s picture!

AND: Here is the first 2024 “Tree of the Week”:

STAY WARM AND SAFE!

California Foodie Adventure: Part 2 and The Montini Nature Preserve

It’s a while since I have posted a blog- it’s been a busy spring including planning for my group Hevreh Ensemble’s upcoming tour to Iceland. The itinerary is all set for an early July departure and I am finished with a busy semester of teaching- time to revisit my spring trip to California!

In early March, under a professional development grant from Hofstra University, I collaborated with the renowned jazz oboist Paul McCandless.

What a gift it was to have two days of incredible sessions together and then it was time for a foodie road tour; jam packed with lunch and dinner reservations, accompanied by my dear friend Carol.

Here is Part Two of our delicious foodie adventure:

After a few days of delicious, innovative and very rich food, a morning walk was in order. We stayed at the Seven Branches Inn, a lovely small boutique hotel in Sonoma, less than a mile away from the Montini Nature Preserve.

We enjoyed a light but filling breakfast Sunflower Cafe in Sonoma and then headed out to the trails.

Our delicious breakfast included chia pudding that was topped with fresh mango puree, slivered almonds, hazelnuts, raspberries and granola along with crusty slices of whole grain toast and chai lattes.

It was early spring in March and because of the extra rainfall California experienced, the landscape was lush and green and the hills were covered with brilliant yellow wildflowers.

At every turn on the Sonoma Overlook Trail the scenery was beautiful.

This being a trip for relaxation and stress reduction, we decided to treat ourselves to spa treatments at the nearby Spa at MacArthur that included both foot reflexology and lovely hot stone massages. Carol remarked that the massage therapist had hands like an octopus, she was everywhere at once; intuitively placing the hot stones in all of the places of tightness and tension- simply heavenly!

Feeling that for the moment that all was well with the world, we completed the day with dinner at Oenotri; a contemporary Italian restaurant in nearby Napa. We shared everything and enjoyed a delicious salad of roasted beets and creamy burrata cheese accompanied by crusty focaccia and grassy pungent California olive oil.

We savored crispy brussel sprouts with a balsamic glaze and pomengranite seeds along with homemade pasta with arugula pesto.

For dessert we shared a bittersweet chocolate pot de creme- a perfect ending to a memorable meal!

A few more restaurants will appear in the next installment where we ended our foodie adventure with a coveted reservation at Alice Water’s venerable restaurant Chez Panisse!

**********

If possible, I try to cook with fresh local organic produce; our trip to California reinforced my love of simple well prepared food with the best possible ingredients.

In the summer, in our neck of the woods, we are blessed with farm markets and excellent organic farms. Inspired by the local bounty surrounding me, I decided to make a summer salad along with spicy crispy shrimp for our dinner. With a base of organic mesclun, I added boiled new baby potatoes and fresh asparagus with cherry tomatoes, toasted pecans and feta cheese and chives from my herb garden. I drizzled this with a dressing that I made with live oil, red wine vinegar, lemon, garlic and shallots.

Summer Salad

I marinated shrimp with lemon juice, olive oil, plenty of chopped shallots and garlic, dried thyme, ground cumin, smoked paprika, salt and freshly ground pepper and red pepper flakes.

I heated a cast iron pan with a glug of olive oil in the broiler until the pan was very hot and smoking and then placed the shrimp with all of the marinade into the pan. It made a loud and satisfying sizzling sound! I cooked the mixture until the shrimp was crispy and the bits of shallots and garlic were dark brown- almost on the side of being overdone- all delicious with crusty French bread!

ENJOY!!

Summer Salad

Ingredients:

Organic Mesclun Mix (I used about 1/2 of a package)

6 red baby potatoes

6-8 stalks asparagus

handful toasted pecans

2 or 3 chives finely minced

6 cherry tomatoes cut in half

small piece feta crumbled

Place mesclun in salad spinner, wash and spin dry.

Boil potatoes until soft, let cool and then slice thinly.

Wash asparagus and cut on the diagonal into medium sized pieces. Place in a small pot of cold water, bring to a boil and cook briefly. Rinse under cold water.

Place mesclun in a large bowl, add other ingredients and pour on dressing- mix lightly and serve immediately.

Dressing:

Lemon juice from about 1/2 lemon (I did not measure the ingredients for the dressing, so feel free to adjust according to taste)

dijon mustard

extra virgin oilve oil

one garlic clove finely chopped

1 small shallot finely chopped

Mix together ingredients and let sit for about one hour to let marinate.

Spicy Crispy Shrimp

Ingredients:

8 medium wild caught shrimp, peeled and deveined- keep tails on

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Marinade:

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

fresh lemon juice- about 1/4 cup or more is also fine

3 shallots finely chopped

3 garlic cloves finely chopped

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

salt and freshly ground pepper

To Make Shrimp:

Mix all marinade ingredients in a medium size bowl.

Peel and devein shrimp leaving tails on.

Place shrimp in marinade and refrigerate about one hour.

Turn broiler to high.

Place a cast iron pan in oven with about 2 tablespoons olive oil.

Heat pan until almost smoking (put on exhaust fan!)

Add shrimp and marinade to pan. Cook until shrimp are browned and garlic and shallots are well done.

Enjoy!

AND: Here’s the “Tree of the Week”

*” I practiced my giraffe stretch and now I am stuck!”*

HAPPY SUMMER!

Cornmeal Peach Cake and Joe-Pye Weed at Steeple Top!

*Steeple Top Reserve- New Marlborough, MA*

I have been enjoying collecting my notes for the next Iceland Post; Part 4: Foodie Heaven. I got waylaid this week by the lusciously sweet fragrant peaches that have appeared in our local farmers markets and also by August sightings of Joe-Pye Weed. Foodie Heaven will return shortly!

The weather finally broke and it was possible to walk again without feeling the oppressive heat and humidity weighing down on me. My husband Paul had gone out for an early morning hike with a friend (not an early riser here!) I made an executive decision that there was to be no practicing this day; I headed out for the Steeple Top Reserve in New Marlborough, MA. We often went there during the pandemic because there were usually few people. I was in the mood for quiet contemplation and to be completely alone. So, it was just me for the entire 2 mile loop, although I wasn’t really alone; I was accompanied by many bugs and the mosquitos also had a lovely time!

The Steeple Top trail winds through woods down a small hill to a marsh area with many species of birds, cat tails, tall grasses and wildflowers. It was a bright clear day with gentle breezes.

I stood on a small wooden walkway over the marsh and the air washed over me. I noticed one of my favorite wildflowers; dusky mauve colored Joe-Pye Weed. The plant is named after a New England man who used the plant medicinally to help with Typhus.

Here is a backstory: Joe-Pye Weed always reminds me of going to visit colleges with my daughter and mother in Ohio. We were driving down a small two lane highway near Oberlin, when my mother said loudly from the back seat of the car,” Yo, Joe-Pye!” In her excitement, the words spilled out of her mouth and we had a collective giggle. Now, whenever my husband and I see our first Joe-Pye Weed in mid August, we happily call out, “Yo! Joe-Pye!”

As I continued on my walk through Steeple Top, I came upon several clusters of Joe-Pye; a butterfly with intricate patterns and bright colors perched on the top of a flower.

I stood mesmerized by the scene and I was able to take pictures to my heart’s content, but staying still also allowed the mosquitoes to continue their feast on me, so I moved on……

The peaches have been wonderful this summer; juicy, fragrant and full of sweet flavor. I have bought way too many several times and tried to think of a use for the surplus peaches that were almost overripe. I love cobblers of all kinds and was thinking about a cake that was not very sweet but with a cobbler like topping. I used the same basic cake batter for my Apple Strawberry Ginger Crumb Teacake and added cornmeal to the dry ingredients. I cut up the peaches full of juice and added a good quantity of instant tapioca. This made a great chewy topping that reminded me of boba (tapioca pearls) used for bubble tea. I used no sugar in the peach mixture, the peaches were already sweet enough, but made a quick syrup to pour over the the fruit before baking. I mixed some cinnamon with a few tablespoons of honey and put it in the microwave briefly. I drizzled this over the peaches and sprinkled on just a bit more cinnamon. Baked until the peaches were bubbly, this turned out to be irresistible. It is great for breakfast or fancied up with vanilla ice cream or whipped coconut cream for dessert. I hope you enjoy this cake!

Cornmeal Peach Cake

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

1/2 cup fine cornmeal

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 cup monk fruit sweetener

1/4 cup coconut sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 heaping teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 egg

1/3 cup canola oil

1/2 cup soy or almond milk

Topping:

3-4 very ripe peaches peeled and thinly sliced *

1/4 cup instant tapioca

Glaze:

1 heaping tablespoon honey

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F.

To make cake batter:

In a large bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, monk fruit sweetener, coconut sugar and cinnamon.

Add egg, vanilla, canola oil, soy or almond milk and mix together just until the batter is smooth.

Make glaze:

Mix together honey and cinnamon. Microwave until mixture melts.

Assemble Cake:

Lightly butter a square baking pan. Pour in batter and spread evenly over pan.

Pour peach mixture over top of batter.

Pour honey glaze over top of fruit.

Bake in middle of oven until fruit is bubbling and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 40 minutes.

* To peel peaches, bring a pot of water to boil. Add peaches and let sit a minute or two in the water and then remove. The peels will slip off easily!

ENJOY!!

AND: Here is the “Tree of the Week”

*Cardinal Flower- Thousand Acre Swamp New Marlborough, MA*

HAPPY SUMMER AND STAY COOL!