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!

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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!!

Autumn at Hollow Fields and Smoky Tomato Soup with Chicken Potpie Cornbread Muffins!

A tricky back has kept me from the trails this past week; perusing through my notes and pictures, I discovered that I had never written about a glorious fall walk last year at Hollow Fields in Richmond, Massachusetts; a trail system operated and supported by the Berkshire Natural Resources Council.

According to BNRC:

“This land, and all of the present-day Berkshires, are the ancestral homeland of the Mohican people, who were forcibly displaced to Wisconsin by European colonization. These lands continue to be of great significance to the Stockbridge-Munsee Mohican Nation today. To learn more, visit mohican.com.”

We walked down a small hill along side the woods and then up a mowed path through the meadow, where there was a chair to enjoy the stunning views!

Leftover lemon roast chicken got me thinking about favorite recipes from old blogs. I remembered tasty chicken potpie cornbread muffins from the entry “Mozart’s Starling”- January 2022.

I picked up a box of ripe end of the season plum tomatoes at Freunds Farm in Canaan, CT and it brought to mind the smoky tomato soup that I featured in a blog from last December: “Happy Winter’s Solstice and Smoky Tomato Soup.”

When I made the soup this time, I added carrot and celery to the recipe. This added even more flavor and a chunky texture to the soup. You could also add fennel! We served the soup sprinkled with grated pecorino cheese and freshly ground pepper.

Together, these recipes made a wonderful fall dinner. With the cornbread and chicken potpies baking in the oven and a big pot of soup bubbling on the stove, the house was filled with enticing aromas.

Chicken Potpie Cornbread Muffins

Adapted From Food and Wine Magazine-Published on January 12, 2016

Ingredients:

Cornbread:

1 1/2 cups cornmeal
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups well-shaken buttermilk

Filling:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large shallot, chopped
1/2 onion finely chopped
1/4 cup frozen peas (defrosted)
4 button mushrooms cut into small pieces
1 medium carrot, cut into small pieces
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoons dried sage
1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 cup chicken stock or low-sodium broth
1/2 cup cooked chicken cut into small pieces

Directions

Make the cornbread:

In a bowl, stir together the cornmeal, flour, 3/4 teaspoon salt, baking powder and baking soda. Whisk the egg and buttermilk into the cornmeal mixture. Fill 12 (1/2-cup) well greased muffin tins about 2/3 full with the cornbread batter. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Make the filling

In a large cast-iron or heavy skillet, heat the oil over medium high heat until hot, then stir in the onion and shallots- cook until slightly softened and then add carrots and mushrooms, 1/4 teaspoon salt, dried thyme and sage. Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook, until incorporated, about 2 minutes. Pour in the stock and bring to a boil, then stir in the chicken and the defrosted peas. Season the filling with salt and pepper to taste. Place 2 to 3 tablespoons of the filling over each batter-filled muffin tin.
Bake the muffins until golden around the edges, about 25 minutes.
Let cook about 10 minutes before removing from muffin tin. This will keep them from sticking to the pan.

Smoky Tomato Soup

Ingredients:

2 large cans (28 ounce) whole plum tomatoes (or 6-8 ripe plum tomatoes)

1 small stalk celery finely chopped

1 medium onion finely chopped

1 small carrot finely chopped

2 teaspoons paprika

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

pinch cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 bay leaf

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 cup water- more if needed

To make soup:

If using fresh tomatoes: bring a large pot of water to boil. Add tomatoes and boil for a few minutes. Remove from water and slip off the skins. Cut tomatoes in half and squeeze to remove seeds and excess water. Chop roughly and proceed with the recipe.

Heat olive oil in a large soup pot and add onions.

Saute onions until slightly softened. Add carrots and celery. A bit of chopped fennel might also be good! Cook a few minutes.

Add tomatoes and rest of ingredients.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook about 1 hour. Add more water if soup is too thick.

Remove Bay leaf and puree with an immersion blender. Remaining chunks of vegetables are fine.

ENJOY!

The deep flavor of the ripe late summer tomatoes was sweet and delicious, the last for a while. Pablo Neruda’s “Ode to Tomatoes” will help us remember!

Ode to Tomatoes

The street
filled with tomatoes
midday,
summer,
light is
halved
like
a
tomato,
its juice
runs
through the streets.
In December,
unabated,
the tomato
invades
the kitchen,
it enters at lunchtime,
takes
its ease
on countertops,
among glasses,
butter dishes,
blue saltcellars.
It sheds
its own light,
benign majesty.
Unfortunately, we must
murder it:
the knife
sinks
into living flesh,
red
viscera,
a cool
sun,
profound,
inexhausible,
populates the salads
of Chile,
happily, it is wed
to the clear onion,
and to celebrate the union
we
pour
oil,
essential
child of the olive,
onto its halved hemispheres,
pepper
adds
its fragrance,
salt, its magnetism;
it is the wedding
of the day,
parsley
hoists
its flag,
potatoes
bubble vigorously,
the aroma
of the roast
knocks
at the door,
it’s time!
come on!
and, on
the table, at the midpoint
of summer,
the tomato,
star of earth,
recurrent
and fertile
star,
displays
its convolutions,
its canals,
its remarkable amplitude
and abundance,
no pit,
no husk,
no leaves or thorns,
the tomato offers
its gift
of fiery color
and cool completeness.

Pablo Neruda

AND, Here is the “Tree of the Week”:

HAPPY FALL!!

Woodland Spring Flowers and the Best Matzoh Ball Soup!

April 21st- The last few weeks have been rainy, raw and windy; a slow start to spring. So, when the sun finally peeked tentatively out, I made room in my schedule to head out for a hike at the Drury Preserve in Sheffield, Massachusetts.

Readers of my blog might remember an entry that I wrote, “Mann tracht un Gott Lacht” in the fall of 2022.(https://musicianstravels.com/2022/11/02/mann-tracht-un-gott-lacht-and-baked-apple-cider-donuts/) On that day, I had gotten turned around and became quite lost on the Drury Preserve Trails. I had to be rescued by my husband who had just come down with Covid!

This time, I remembered to pay attention to my surroundings! As I entered the woods, I breathed in the rich piney air and happily headed off on the familiar sun dappled trails. It felt as if I had come home.

As I continued on my walk, my thoughts turned to music and to upcoming changes in my musical career. Thursday, April 24th at the FDR Presidential Library and Museum, will be my last performance with The Hevreh Ensemble; a group that I started over 20 years ago! I thought of our many trips to Europe and having the chance to travel to Iceland- wonderful memories. No regrets here, but bittersweet thoughts of leaving the group. I have decided to devote more of my musical energy to Early Music and performance on the Recorder.

And, I look forward to writing future blogs about some of the trips that Hevreh Ensemble took to Prague, Vienna, Krakow , Berlin, Amsterdam and Warsaw!

I walked past a beautiful meadow and was quickly brought out of my reverie; on the small hillside next to me, I noticed one of the first woodland flowers of spring, Blunt Lobed Hepatica.

As I looked my closely, I saw small bunches of the flowers clustered all over the surrounding area.

Tiny speckled leaves of Trout Lilies peaked shyly out of the ground.

As I was finishing my walk, my thoughts had turned to making Matzoh Ball Soup for our upcoming Passover Seder. I did pay attention to where I was going and I am happy to report that this time, I did not get lost. I retraced my steps to my car without any mishap!

Each year, we look forward to sharing Passover with dear friends; cooking a large traditional meal that always includes Matzoh Ball Soup. Over the years, I have come up with a recipe for matzoh balls that are light and also flavorful. I make a rich chicken stock with diced carrots and a touch of dill- together this soup shared with friends is truly an antidote for our crazy world!

ENJOY!!

Matzoh Balls (Adapted from Bon Appetit Magazine- August 20, 2004 issue)

Ingredients:

4 large eggs, separated

1 teaspoon salt

Dash cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons white onion, grated

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted ( I use Extra Virgin Olive Oil and it works just as well)

3/4 cup matzoh meal

Preparation:

In a medium bowl, beat the egg whites until they hold stiff peaks; set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, salt, cayenne pepper, onion, and olive oil. Fold the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture until just combined. Gently fold in the matzoh meal in several additions. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate one hour. In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Moisten hands with cold water and roll the matzoh mixture into 3/4 inch balls. After all the balls are formed, drop them into the boiling water. Return to a boil, then reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon. These freeze beautifully- let cool completely and then place in a large plastic container. To use, defrost slowly at room temperature and then place in chicken stock and heat. I like to add diced carrot and fresh dill to the soup.

RICH CHICKEN STOCK

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken (about 3-4 pounds)

1 large onion peeled and cut into 4 pieces

1 large stalk celery- cut into 3-4 pieces

1 large carrot- peeled and cut into 3-4 pieces

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon dried thyme

15 whole peppercorns

1 teaspoon dried dill

1 tablespoon salt

TO MAKE CHICKEN STOCK:

Place all ingredients into a large stock pot

Cover with cold water

Bring to a boil- remove any scum that may rise to the top, reduce to a simmer. Cover pot and simmer about 3 hours.

Let cool completely- pour into a large bowl and refrigerate overnight. The next day remove fat from top. The stock can now be used or frozen.

ENJOY!!

AND: Here’s The “Tree of the Week”:

*“I think I will crawl back into my safe place*“

HAPPY SPRING!!

“French Tapestry” at the Clark and Pesto Chicken Kale, White Bean and Tortellini Soup!”

Outside the Clark Art Institute in Williamstown, Massachusetts, the hills in the distance were gray and foreboding and the wind chill was sharp and bitingly cold; what better time to be inside!

We were delighted to discover a special exhibition at the Clark: Wall Power! Modern French Tapestry from the Mobilier national, Paris. The exhibit displayed a wide range of tapestries created by contemporary artists from the 1920’s to today. Artists, weavers and dyers revived ancient techniques and created bold and daring new works of art. The room was full of brilliant colors and patterns; warming to the soul.

The beautifully curated exhibit included the following insightful commentary:

“Since the middle of the 20th century, the art of tapestry has continued to offer a vast field of expression to major artists, to the most varied trends and plastic research: Picasso, Matisse, Miró, Delaunay, but also to abstract artists (Hartung, Vasarely) non-figurative (Nemours, Bazaine), part of Minimal Art, new realism (Hains), narrative figuration (Erro, Aillaud) or the Supports-Surfaces group (Buraglio, Rouan, Pincemin). More recently, Louise Bourgeois, Bertrand Lavier, Sheila Hicks or Orlan have distinguished themselves with their woven creations. In perpetual evolution, the works created by the Manufactures nationales reflect the most diverse trends in contemporary art”.

“A Thousand Wildflowers” by Dom Robert, a Benedictine Monk, recalled wildflower fields that were popular in the Middle Ages.

*“A Thousand Wildflowers”- Dom Roberts* (1907-1997)

Several of the tapestries were designed from existing works of art and then woven. Designing a work and then weaving it with a team of weavers, can take up to 2 or 3 years.

“*Evening Music*“-*Pauline Peugniez*-1890-1987

*“The Woman with the Lute”- Henri Matisse* (1869-1954)

*“The Vines of Volnay”- Michel Tourliere* (*1925-2004*)

The French artist Michel Tourliere who lived from 1925-2004, came from wine country in Burgundy and specialized in designing woven tapestries. His works often depict landscapes from Burgundy.

We also viewed stunning contemporary works by the American artist Kiki Smith and the French artist Jean Messagier.

*“Seven Seas”- Kiki Smith (American-born Germany 1954)*

*“Red Flames”- Jean Messagier (1920-1999*)

At the end of the exhibit, it was fascinating to see the back of “Red Flames”; a work of art in itself!

And then, back home for some hearty soup!

I had roasted a chicken with basil pesto slipped under the skin and was looking for a use for the leftover chicken. I decided to make a quick stock with the remaining chicken carcass. I threw the chicken bones along with a carrot, onion, celery, thyme, peppercorns, salt and bay leaf into a big pot, covered it with water and let it simmer on the stove for a few hours and then strained the stock and discarded the solids. The result was a delicate basil scented stock, just right for beans and kale! I defatted the stock and added chopped, onion and carrot, a can of white beans and a small bunch of chopped lacinato kale. Along with bay leaf, dried thyme, dried sage and dill, I simmered the soup until all of the vegetables were tender. I added leftover chopped chicken and a small package of cooked tortellini. Sprinkled with freshly ground pepper and grated pecorino cheese, this was truly a heartwarming winter soup! ENJOY!!

Pesto Chicken, Kale, White Bean and Tortellini Soup

Ingredients for Pesto Chicken Stock

Leftover chicken bones

3 quarts water

one onion cut in half

1 large carrot roughly chopped

1 stalk celery with leaves roughly chopped

1 clove garlic peeled and smashed

2 teaspoons salt

10-12 whole peppercorns

2 teaspoons dried thyme

2 bay leaves

Ingredients for soup:

3 quarts defatted pesto chicken Stock (home made is best, but you can use store bought and add a tablespoon of pesto)

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 medium carrot chopped

1 onion chopped

1 stalk celery chopped

leftover chicken cut into small pieces

8-10 lacinato kale leaves

1 can cannellini or great northern beans, drained and rinsed

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried sage

1 teaspoon dried dill

1 bay leaf

1 small package tortellini (I used Kite Hill tortellini with almond milk ricotta)

To Make Soup:

In a large pot, heat olive oil and add chopped onion. Saute a few minutes until onion softens. Add chicken stock and all other ingredients, except tortellini and cut up chicken.

Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cook covered about an hour until vegetables are very tender. Cook tortellini according to directions on package and add to soup along with the leftover cut up chicken.

Serve with freshly ground pepper and sprinkle with grated pecorino cheese!

ENJOY!!

AND: Here is the “Tree of the Week”!

STAY WARM!

Autumn at Twin Lakes and Crispy Chicken Katsu with Fried Brown Rice!

Early Fall at the end of September- with noticeably shorter days; enough daylight to take a late afternoon walk at bucolic Twin Lakes.

I walked down the dirt road that curves around the lake, the contrast of the water and clouds is peaceful and calming; helping to put the events of the day and our turbulent world into perspective. Lately I have been thinking about how to stay involved and help in ways that can effect positive change; at the same time balancing the importance of self care- which today is the winner!

The leaves were just starting to turn and a few brilliant red leaves and a purple aster were suspended in lacey webs.

For dinner that evening, I was thinking of a way to use the leftover brown rice and vegetables that I had on hand. This would be a good time to take out my new wok to make a quick fried rice, which I got last spring in New York’s Chinatown at the venerable store, Hung Chong Imports.

I had chicken breasts marinating in a mixture of yogurt, minced chives and onion powder (a strange combination, based on a NY Times Cooking recipe for Crispy Sour Cream and Onion Chicken). The yogurt tenderizes the chicken and the flavor does taste a bit like sour cream and onion dip! Coated in panko crumbs, drizzled with olive oil and baked in a hot oven results in the best crispy, tender and flavorful chicken! I just watched Yotam Ottolenghi, the Israeli and British chef, on a Stephen Colbert segment demonstrate his yogurt marinated chicken with North African spices. This is from his new cookbook, Comfort. I plan to try this version soon!

Sliced into thin strips and served over the fried rice, this turned into a delicious dinner!

Crispy Chicken Katsu with Fried Brown Rice

Fried Brown Rice Ingredients:

3 cups cold cooked brown rice

2 scallions finely chopped

1 small piece ginger, peeled and finely chopped

Assortment of vegetables (whatever you have on hand is fine)

2 stalks baby bok choy cut into small pieces

1 small onion finely diced

1/2 cup steamed broccoli (cooked briefly and rinsed in very cold water)

1/2 cup frozen peas defrosted

2 tablespoons canola or peanut oil

In a small cup mix together: 1/4 cup reduced sodium tamari, 1 tablespoon sesame oil and 2 tablespoons brown rice vinegar. For a spicier flavor, you can also add a small amount of hot chili sesame oil.

Chicken Katsu- (adapted from NY Times Cooking)

Ingredients:

4boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved horizontally (see Tip) and pounded ⅛-inch thick, or use 4 chicken cutlets (don’t split or pound)
Salt and black pepper
½cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
¼cup thinly sliced chives (or 1 tablespoon dried chives), plus more for serving
2tablespoons onion powder
2cups panko bread crumbs
2 table spoons extra virgin olive oil

To make Chicken Katsu:

Preheat oven to 380 degrees and place rack on bottom of oven

Pat chicken dry, and season both sides with salt and pepper.
In a medium bowl, stir together the sour cream, chives and 1 tablespoon onion powder. Season with salt and pepper. Add the chicken and turn to coat. (Chicken can sit in the marinade for up to 8 hours. Refrigerate, then let come to room temperature before cooking.)
In a shallow bowl or lipped plate, stir together the panko and remaining 1 tablespoon onion powder; season with salt and pepper.
Working one at a time, press the chicken breasts into the panko, using your fingers to pack the panko onto both sides of the chicken, and place on a large sheet pan drizzled with olive oil.
Drizzle top of chicken with remaining olive oil and place in hot oven. Cook about 6 minutes until browned on bottom and then flip over. Continue cooking until chicken is cooked through and crispy and browned all over, about 6 minutes more.
Let sit for a few minutes and slice into small strips.
Note: With this recipe, you will have extra leftover chicken for sandwiches, etc.!

To Make Fried Rice:

TURN ON EXHAUST FAN OVER STOVE!!

Heat wok over high heat until it starts to smoke slightly. This helps to create the traditional Chinese cooking effect of “Wok Hei” translated as “breath of a wok” that gives the food the smoky charred taste found in Chinese dishes.

Add canola or peanut oil to the wok and heat until the wok starts to smoke slightly.

Add chopped scallions and ginger- give it a quick stir.

Add chopped onion and stirring continually, cook about 1-2 minutes until onion starts to soften a bit.

Add vegetables and cook, stirring continually about 2 minutes.

Add rice, cook about 1 minute, stirring and then pour the tamari mixture around the edges of the pan. This is the best part- the sauce will bubble vigorously and give off a wonderful aroma! Stir briskly and you are done!!

ENJOY!!

AND: Here is the “Tree of the Week”:

*Fall flower at Hofstra University*– New York

HAPPY FALL!!

Yellow Violets at Steepletop and Rigatoni all’Amatriciana!

It is always a thrill to discover the first illusive and secretive yellow violets of spring. The delicate plants with their characteristic heart shaped leaves thrive in sunny spots. We walked downhill towards the marsh at the Steepletop Preserve in New Marlborough, Massachusetts and magically there they were, cozily surrounded by leaf cover in the same place as last season! Their name, viola, is derived from the Greek name lo. According to a Greek myth, Jupiter protected his beloved by transforming her into a heifer surrounded by violets for her to feed upon.

We continued on the rest of our walk around the marsh area and it was as lovely as ever.

Reentering a wooded area, fiddlehead ferns newly opened, like graceful scrolls on a string instrument, lined the sides of the trail.

It was a warm day and at the end of the 2 mile loop, a stone bench with an inscription from Walt Whitman’s A Song of Joys beckoned to us: “sit, relax and enjoy the peaceful surroundings”!

Like any self respecting foodie, I currently subscribe to three different food magazines. The April 2024 issue of Food and Wine Magazine is titled: “The Italian Way”. On the cover, Rigatoni All’ Amatriciana was artfully photographed. The recipe called for a few high quality ingredients, including the Italian cured meat, guanciale (gwann-chaa-lay) and pecorino cheese. We decided that we deserved a rich treat! I found guanciale at Guidos Fresh Marketplace in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. I read in America Test Kitchens that guanciale is from the cheek or jowl and is cured with salt, pepper, garlic, rosemary and sage. Since it is from the cheek, it has a higher fat content (thus more flavor) than pancetta, which is from the pork belly.

I slowly sauteed lardons of guanciale to render the fat and crisp up the bits of meat. Our house was filled with a lovely peppery and enticing aroma.

The recipe uses all of the rendered fat in the tomato and pecorino sauce; I just used a small amount of the fat for flavor and this was fine! Made with sauteed onion, red pepper flakes and tomato paste that was browned with sauteed garlic and added to high quality pureed whole tomatoes with freshly grated pecorino; this was one of the best sauces I have ever tasted.

We purchased the best quality imported Italian Rigatoni that we could find and with the crispy bits of guanciale in the sauce, freshly ground pepper and more grated pecorino; the dish was simple perfection! Not necessary, we also served a side dish of steamed broccolini simply seasoned with fresh lemon, salt and extra virgin olive oil.

ENJOY!!

Rigatoni All’ Amatriciana- based on Food and Wine- April 2024 Issue

Ingredients

1 medium-size (9-ounce) yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
5 ounces guanciale, cut into 1-1/4 inch batons
1/4 teaspoon black pepper or more to taste
2 teaspoons minced garlic
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 (28-ounce) can whole plum tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1 pound uncooked rigatoni pasta
2 ounces pecorino Romano cheese, finely shredded (about 1 cup), plus more for serving

Directions

Heat a large high sided skillet over low heat. I used a cast iron enamel pot. Add guanciale, cook, stirring often and guanciale is crisp and fat is rendered about 20-30 minutes. Transfer guanciale to a paper towel to drain. Remove almost all of the fat from the pot- you could add a small amount of extra virgin olive oil.
Add onion, and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 4 minutes. Stir in crushed red pepper.
Add garlic, stirring about 30 seconds. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly until darkened to a rusty red color.
Using your hands or a wooden spoon, crush tomatoes; add tomatoes and their juices to skillet. Bring to a boil over medium-high; reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring often, until flavors meld and mixture thickens, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Add cheese and half of guanciale to tomato mixture.
While sauce cooks, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high. Add rigatoni, and cook according to package instructions for al dente, about 13 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup cooking liquid.
Add rigatoni to sauce in pot. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sauce thickens and coats pasta, adding extra reserved liquid if necessary. Serve with additional pecorino cheese, freshly ground pepper and reserved bits of guanciale.

AND: Here’s the “Tree of the Week”!

*“Well, beauty is in the eye of the beholder!!”*

I end with a rare White Trillium that my husband Paul found while bushwhacking through the Great Mountain Forest in Norfolk, CT.

*White Trillum: Great Mountain Forest- Norfolk, Connecticut*

HAPPY SPRING!!

Mountain Meadow Preserve and Vegetarian Tamale Pie

*Mountain Meadow Preserve- Williamstown, MA*

At the beginning of February one of my teaching positions had a short winter break. We decided to treat ourselves to a “Cabin Fever” mini vacation and traveled further north to Williamstown, Massachusetts in the Northern Berkshires- with even colder temperatures!

Williamstown is an idyllic small New England town that includes Williams College. We have often made day trips to visit the Clark Art Institute or to nearby North Adams to MASS MoCA, scene of my most recent blog post! We looked forward to having a leisurely dinner, going to see a film and not making the long trek back home in the dark!

We checked into the upscale but cozy Williams Inn made all the more attractive with inexpensive off season rates.

We decided to first visit the Clark Art Institute and headed to a favorite gallery that includes many treasures- paintings by Cezanne, Renoir, Monet, Redon and sculptures by Rodin.

It was not crowded that day, the gallery was almost empty- we sat on a comfortable couch in the middle of the room. Surrounded by beauty, we pretended we were in our mansion in the drawing room; the troubles of the world drifted away.

*Claude Monet- Tulip Fields at Sassenheim*

*Odilon Redon- Woman with a Vase of Flowers*

In a nearby hallway we visited one of our favorite paintings, “Home at Montclair” by the American painter George Innes.

*George Innes- “Home at Montclair” 1892*

The painting expresses the stillness of twilight at the end of a cold snowy day. A wisp of smoke rising from a chimney and muted light from a window in the distance drew my thoughts inward; I imagined a warm hearth and a pot of soup simmering on a wood stove.

Afterwards, we treated ourselves to dinner at the Barn Kitchen and Bar at the Williams Inn. Although the setting was lovely with friendly servers, the food was bland and disappointing and so earns my new restaurant review- a simple, “Meh”. Some think that this word which means indifferent or expresses boredom, may be derived from Yiddish!

We still enjoyed ourselves and after dinner headed just down the street to a small independently owned movie theatre. We enjoyed the quirky movie “Poor Things” with excellent acting by Emma Stone and then returned to our inn and fell fast asleep in our cozy room.

The next day, we had a quick breakfast at a local diner and then had just enough time for a brisk walk before we needed to return home. We drove to nearby Mountain Meadow Preserve with views of snowcapped Mt. Greylock in the distance; we had last walked here on a steamy day in late summer.

Today is the first day of spring, but outside it is cold and blustery; still the kind of weather for making hearty casseroles in a hot oven! Vegetarian Tamale Pie from the NY Times Cooking section, is easy to make; with a crunchy irresistible cornmeal, cheddar and scallion topping!

Vegetarian Tamale Pie – based on NY Times Cooking: Recipe by Melissa Clark

Yield:6 to 8 servings

Ingredients:

1large red or white onion, halved
2jalapeños, halved lengthwise and seeded (I omitted the jalapenos in my version)
1poblano or green bell pepper, sliced in half lengthwise, seeds removed
2tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
1¾teaspoons kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal), plus more as needed
1(28-ounce) can whole plum or diced tomatoes
3fat garlic cloves, finely grated or minced
2tablespoons mild or hot chili powder, more as needed
2teaspoons dried oregano
1¾teaspoons ground cumin
3(15-ounce) cans black or pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems (optional)
¾cup/135 grams fine cornmeal
2tablespoons all-purpose flour (I used whole wheat pastry flour)
1½teaspoons baking powder
½teaspoon kosher salt
1large egg, at room temperature
⅓cup/80 grams sour cream or whole-milk yogurt, plus more for serving
¼cup/57 grams unsalted butter, melted and cooled (I used extra virgin olive oil)
2scallions, whites and greens thinly sliced, plus more for serving
1/2 cup grated Cheddar

PREPARATION

Prepare the chili: Move a rack as close to the heating element as possible and heat the broiler. Cover a baking sheet with foil. Finely dice half of the onion and set aside for later.
Slice remaining onion half into ½-inch-thick half-moons and arrange on the prepared baking sheet. Place jalapeños and poblano next to onions, cut sides down. Lightly brush vegetables with oil and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Broil 2 to 4 minutes, until vegetables are charred on one side. (If the chiles are small, they will be charred after 1 to 2 minutes.) Flip vegetables and broil until the other side is charred, 1 to 3 minutes.
Transfer pan to a rack until cool enough to handle, then stem the peppers. Transfer charred vegetables and any accumulated juices to a blender (or use a bowl and immersion blender). Add canned tomato and ¼ teaspoon salt, and blend to a coarse purée. You can make this up to 4 days ahead, and store in the refrigerator until needed.)
Heat oven to 425 degrees. In a large Dutch oven, heat the 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high. Add diced onion and sauté until lightly browned, 6 to 9 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in chili powder, oregano, remaining 1½ teaspoons salt and cumin, and cook until spices darken, about 30 seconds.
Add beans and the reserved tomato purée, and let mixture simmer until thick like a chili, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in cilantro, if using. Taste and add more salt and chili powder, if needed.
While the chili simmers, prepare the cornbread: In a medium bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, baking powder and salt.
In a small bowl, whisk together egg, sour cream or yogurt. Whisk egg mixture into cornmeal mixture until combined. Fold in scallions.
Spread cornbread topping over the chili, then top with grated cheese, if using. Bake, uncovered, until cornbread is golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve hot or warm, topped with sour cream and more scallions. I topped our version with Greek Yogurt. ENJOY!

AND: Here is the “Tree of the Week”!

Happy Spring!

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!

The Best Crispy Potatoes and a Foodie Road Trip to the Transilvania Restaurant and Bar!

The day was cloudy and misty with a persistent cold drizzle of rain. However, our spirits were not to be dampened and we decided to set out for a foodie road trip to East Haven, Connecticut. A bit of a schlep, but as it turned out, well worth it! Our destination was a Romanian restaurant, The Transilvania Restaurant and Bar. My husband Paul had read about it in The Daily Nutmeg , an online newsletter.

This cozy restaurant, which opened in 2022, was decorated tastefully with colorful table settings. We were warmly greeted by the friendly owner, Alina Coldarariu.

The unpretentious place does not take itself too seriously; there was a bit of kitsch, with a picture of Vlad the Impaler on the wall and complete with “Bat Rooms”!

We had an excellent lunch. Paul and I shared two lunch specials that included Romanian style chicken paprikash with delicate spaeztle with marinated cabbage salad and a hearty meatball soup.

My lunch included delicious stuffed cabbage with polenta and sour cream and bruchettta with Romanian eggplant salad.

Many years ago, when I was a music student in New York, I had the opportunity to travel to Romania with a group called the Riverside Chamber Orchestra. I remembered eating an eggplant salad that had a smoky delicate flavor and here it was again!

I asked the owner Alina about the dish and she kindly described to me the technique she uses to prepare the eggplant which includes grilling whole eggplants over coals; definitely something I plan to try to make! Even though she was busy getting out other lunch orders, we had a lovely chat about Romania, which at the time of my visit was still a communist country.

The stuffed cabbage had a unique flavor. When I returned home, I read about Romanian style stuffed cabbage; it is called Sarmle and is made with sour cabbage. This is much like the flavor of sauerkraut but whole cabbages are used. One article mentioned that the cabbages can be found in Eastern European specialty food shops (another road trip!)Smoked bacon is also used-I will use turkey bacon for my version.

My husband asked Alina if there are any special Romanian dumplings and she mentioned plum dumplings-galuste cu prune.

My winter cooking projects are all set: Eggplant Salad, Semolina & Plum Dumplings, Romanian Stuffed Cabbage! In the meantime, here is a recipe for irresistible, easy to make crispy oven baked potatoes that I made during the holidays. I scored the potatoes with a fork and this made the surfaces extra crispy. The potatoes taste like a combination of French fries, home fries and baked potatoes and are so good that they could almost make a meal on their own accompanied by plain yogurt or sour cream!

Crispy Oven Baked Potatoes

Ingredients:

4-5 medium Yukon gold potatoes (leave skin on)

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon dried rosemary

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

To Make Potatoes:

Pre heat oven to 380 Degrees

Cut potatoes in half (larger potatoes can be cut into 3 pieces).

Score the cut side of the potatoes with a fork.

Place on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil- with your hands, rub potatoes together to cover all surfaces.

Sprinkle with salt and dried rosemary.

Bake about 20 minutes, cut side down and then carefully turn over with metal spatula.

Bake cut side up until potatoes are brown and crispy. The insides of the potatoes will be very soft.

Eat while piping hot.

ENJOY!

BEST WISHES FOR A HAPPY AND HEALTHY NEW YEAR!!