Nature – Page 2 – A Musician's Travels

“Frosty Winter Walks-Apricot/Chocolate Rugelach and Festive Fruit Tart”!

*Christmas at Thousand Acre Swamp-New Marlborough, MA*

The New Year is upon us; the last few weeks have been a happy blur of visits with dear friends and family. We have enjoyed wonderful meals together for both Christmas and Hanukah. This blog will feature a festive fruit tart that we served for Christmas and delicious chocolate and apricot rugelach that our daughter Lev made to celebrate Hanukah. Luckily we were able to go on a few hikes to work off the rich food!

One day, we walked at a a favorite place; Thousand Acre Swamp in New Marlborough, Massachusetts with serene trails that wind through pine forests and overlook a beautiful swamp.

Delicate princess pines peeked demurely through a light cover of snow.

Another day we enjoyed a late leisurely breakfast at the newly reopened Roadside Diner in Monterey, MA. The diner is operated by Gould Farm, a therapeutic community. Just down the road is the lovely 1.5 mile Diane’s Trail that winds through Gould Farm, along a wetland habitat and the Rawson Brook.

*Diane’s Trail, Gould Farm- Monterey, MA*

As we walked alongside the marsh, sunlight sparkled on the ice.

We trekked over a wooden bridge and saw what we thought was a large bird’s nest, made from branches lining the sides of the brook.

A bit further on, we came upon another branch sculpture that was definitely made by people or a large creative bird!

Back out of the cold, we returned home to our baking projects.

We planned a small Hanukah party and our daughter Lev, who is an excellent baker, offered to make rugelach. For those not familiar with this delicacy, the pastry can be traced back to medieval times in Eastern Europe within the Ashkenazi Jewish communities of Poland.

Various fillings of nuts, chocolate, apricot and raspberry jams are encased in a delicate cream cheese based pastry. Lev even made a sugar free version for my husband, using dried apricots and chopped Lily’s Stevia chocolate.

Apricot and Chocolate Rugelach (Recipe adapted from Epicurious.com)

Dough:

2 cups all-purpose flour

½ tsp. kosher salt

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

Fillings:

½ cup plus 4 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 cup apricot preserves

1/2 cup toasted walnuts (or toasted pecans!)

1/2 cup finely chopped dried apricots (for sugar free version)

2 ounces finely chopped Lily’s Stevia Dark Chocolate (for sugar free version)

For Chocolate filling:

2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted with 1 tablespoon bitter, mixed with enough cinnamon sugar to make a paste similar to Nutella.

1/4 cup toasted walnuts, finely chopped. Pecans are also great!

Milk for brushing cookies

Special equipment: parchment paper; a small offset spatula

Preparation

Step 1:Whisk together flour and salt in a bowl. Beat together butter and cream cheese in a large bowl with an electric mixer until combined well. Add flour mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until a soft dough forms. Gather dough into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap, then flatten (in wrap) into a roughly 7×5″ rectangle. Chill until firm, 8 to 24 hours.

Step 2:Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Line bottom of 1–1½”-deep large shallow baking pan with parchment paper.

Step 3:Cut dough into 4 pieces. Chill 3 pieces, wrapped in plastic wrap, and roll out remaining piece into a 12×8″ rectangle on a well-floured surface with a floured rolling pin. Transfer dough to a sheet of parchment, then transfer to a tray and chill while rolling out remaining dough in same manner, transferring each to another sheet of parchment and stacking on tray.

Step 4:Whisk ½ cup sugar with cinnamon.

Step 5:Arrange 1 dough rectangle on work surface with a long side nearest you. For Apricot Rugelach: Spread ¼ cup preserves evenly over dough with offset spatula and a rounded ¼ cup walnuts over jam, then sprinkle with 2 Tbsp. cinnamon sugar. For Chocolate Rugelach, melt 2 ounces chocolate and mix with enough cinnamon sugar to make a coarse paste, similar to Nutella in texture. Spread evenly over dough and then sprinkle 1/4 cup chopped walnuts on top.

Step 6:Using parchment as an aid, roll up dough tightly into a log. Place, seam side down, in lined baking pan, then pinch ends closed and tuck underneath. Make 3 more logs in same manner and arrange 1″ apart in pan. Brush logs with milk and sprinkle each with 1 tsp. of remaining granulated sugar. With a sharp large knife, make ¾”-deep cuts crosswise in dough (not all the way through) at 1″ intervals. (If dough is too soft to cut, refrigerate until firmer, 20–30 minutes.)

Step 7:Bake until golden, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool to warm on baking sheet set atop wire rack, about 30 minutes, then transfer logs to a cutting board and slice cookies all the way through.

ENJOY!!

I created this fruit tart for my husband. There is only a small amount of coconut sugar (very low glycemic index) in the pastry filling and no sugar in the fruit. It is light and refreshing; totally guilt free!

Festive Fruit Tart

Pastry Filling:

1/2 cup cornstarch

1 1/2 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk

2 tablespoons coconut sugar (more if sweeter taste is desired)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

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

Fruit Topping:

1 large ripe kiwi- cut into think slices

1 /2 raspberries

1 cup blueberries

1/2 cup blackberries

Make the Pastry Filling:

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together cornstarch and 1/2 cup of the almond milk.

In a small sauce pan over low heat, bring the almond milk to a simmer with the coconut sugar.

Whisk in the remaining almond milk and stir constantly until the mixture thickens slightly. It will become much thicker after it cools.

Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Refrigerate a few hours until very cold and the mixture has thickened. This can be made a day in advance.

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.

Refrigerate at least one hour.

Bring pastry dough to room temperature.

Preheat Oven to 350 Degrees Farenheit

On a floured surface, roll the dough out and place into a pie dish. Trim and crimp edges. The crust will be completely baked and cooled before filling.

Prick the crust all over lightly with a fork and line the crust with a large sheet of parchment paper. Add pie weights (I use old coffee beans) to crust and bake in oven about 10 minutes. Carefully remove parchment paper and pie weights; continue to bake crust until it is lightly browned all over. If the edges seem to be browning too quickly, cover the edges with a small amount of foil. The crust will bake aprox. 15-20 minutes more.

Cool completely and then add cold pastry filling. Decorate with fruit and serve!

ENJOY!!

AND: Here is the first 2025 “Tree of the Week”!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

“Happy Winter Solstice and Smoky Tomato Soup”

A last Winter’s Solstice blog for 2024! Here are some of my favorite late afternoon pictures from our shortest days of the year. Many thanks to my loyal followers. Best Wishes for a Happy Holiday and a Healthy New Year!

I can’t resist adding pictures with beautiful abstract patterns!

AND: Here’s a pic of our new house peeking through the woods!

STAY WARM AND COZY!

Here’s a recipe for Smoky Tomato Soup, that we had on a recent lunch at the newly reopened Roadside Diner in Monterey, Massachusetts. We enjoyed our version of soup with Crispy Sour Cream and Onion Chicken featured in my recent blog:https://wordpress.com/post/musicianstravels.com/9143 along with a green salad.

Smoky Tomato Soup

Ingredients:

2 large cans (28 ounce) whole 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:

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!

AND: Here’s the last “Tree of the Year” for 2024!

HAPPY WINTERS SOLSTICE!

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!!

Troldhaugen (Grieg’s Home) and “Chip Shop” Curry- Norway: Part 3

Summer has ended and the fall is gearing up to be a busy one- my group Hevreh Ensemble is getting ready to travel to the west coast with performances in Portland Oregon in early November. We are excited to be presenting a concert for All Classical Portland and for the Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education. The concert there will be for the commemoration of Kristallnacht– The Night of Broken Glass.

But first, a last fond remembrance of my trip to Norway this past summer!

Norway: Part 3

The morning we left Solvorn it was misty, atmospheric and peaceful with gentle calm water- so hard to leave a place of such natural beauty!

Our next two destinations, the small seaside village of Balestrade and a town high in the mountains; Stalheim were equally captivating.

From the porch of our hotel in Balestrade we looked over the water to a magnificent view of the mountains and the fjords. One evening we ordered burgers and beer from the hotel bistro to eat on the porch. We each had brought our books and after our feast, we sat and read to our heart’s content- with a bright sky even at 10 PM!

The next morning we donned heavy cumbersome wet suits and took a thrilling high speed motor boat ride through the narrow fjords.

On the way back, we could see our historic old hotel from the boat!

It was unseasonably warm for Norway as we set off to find our lunch destination- The Ciderhuset, an organic apple orchard with a cafe. After trudging in the hot sun for seemed like several miles, we were starting to wilt. We dragged ourselves slowly up a hill, with more than a bit of complaining on both of our parts, and then in front of us was a bucolic apple orchard and a quaint rustic cafe with a welcoming outdoor porch that looked over the mountains!

We sat on the porch enjoying local organic berry nectar as a refreshing breeze from the nearby hills washed over us; soft sounds of Ella Fitzgerald played in the background.

We ordered excellent fish cakes and an unusual sounding entree- a chicken wrap with “Chip Shop” curry sauce.

Both dishes were delicious and came with a spicy slaw topped with ground sumac.

After enjoying a piece of homemade apple crumb cake, which I am sorry to say we ate too quickly to take a photo, we thanked the gracious hostess. I mentioned that we had enjoyed the chicken curry wrap and I asked about the recipe. The hostess asked if I would like to speak to the chef and she introduced me to a lovely young man who it turned out was from Turkey! This explained the spicy Mediterranean flavors and the topping on the slaw.

The chef generously shared his method to prepare the sauce for the curry chicken wrap. I took mental notes as he lovingly described how he prepares the sauce in large batches based on sauteed onion, combined with coconut milk, a small amount of tomato paste along with cumin, ground coriander and cardamom. He then cooks the mixture down until it forms a velvety sauce, with no added thickeners.

After I got home, I decided to try to make the sauce from the taste that I remembered and my few notes. I was also curious about the name “Chip Shop Curry” and found that it is a sauce offered in chip and fish shops in England! I would imagine that this would have originated from the popular Japanese curry sauce.

I created a “Chip Shop” curry sauce that I mixed with sauteed vegetables and chunks of chicken and made my version into a potpie with an olive oil pastry crust. I am happy to report that I was delighted with the result; I hope you enjoy making this!

“Chip Shop” Curry Chicken Potpie

Ingredients:

Olive Oil Pastry Crust

1 cup whole grain spelt flour

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening (I used Spectrum Organic-All Vegetable Shortening).

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons non-fat yogurt

3 tablespoons ice water (more if necessary)

1 egg-lightly beaten for egg wash

Ingredients for Curry Sauce:

1 small onion finely chopped

1 clove garlic finely minced

2 cups canned light coconut milk

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon cardamom

pinch cayenne powder

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Filling:

2 cups cooked chicken cut into small pieces

1/2 cup diced carrots

1/4 cup chopped celery with leaves

5-6 chopped button mushrooms

1/2 frozen peas- defrosted (optional)

Make Pastry Crust:

Combine flours and salt in the bowl of a food processor.

Add olive oil, shortening, yogurt and ice water.

Process until the mixture forms a ball. You may need to add a bit more ice water, add 1 tablespoon at a time.

Wrap ball of dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to let gluten in the dough relax.

Bring dough to room temperature and roll out into a large thin circle.

Place dough on baking sheet with the parchment paper.

Trim edges to make a round circle.

Make Curry Sauce:

Heat olive oil in a medium sized pot with a heavy bottom.

Saute onion until soft, add chopped garlic and cook briefly.

Add carrots, mushrooms and celery- cook a few minutes until the vegetables start to soften slightly.

Add spices and cook about 2 minutes, stirring.

Add tomato paste and cook mixture until tomato paste start to lightly brown.

Add coconut milk and bring to a boil- reduce heat to a simmer and cook uncovered until sauce thickens enough to lightly coat the back of a spoon, aprox. 30-35 minutes.

Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. Add more cayenne if desired.

Add chicken and peas if using.

Stir mixture and pour into a large oval baking dish.

Pre-heat oven to 350 Degrees

Place prepared crust over top of dish, crimp edges and lightly brush with beaten egg glaze.

Cut a few slits in the top of the crust and bake in the middle of the oven until crust browns and sauce bubbles around the edges of the crust, aprox. 35-4o minutes.

Let cool about 10-15 minutes.

ENJOY!

After Balestrade, we traveled to Stalheim, high up in the mountains. The scenery was equally stunning.

We returned to Bergen and had the chance to visit Troldhaugen, Grieg’s summer home; an absolute thrill to see the Steinway piano that he played his compositions on! It was a lovely and fitting last day for an amazing trip!

AND- Here is the “Tree of the Week”

What do you see? I feel perhaps this tree is Edvard Munch like; with hands holding a face?

HAPPY FALL!

Fjords, Ferries, Tunnels and Mountains: Norway Part 2

NORWAY- PART 2:

We spent one more jam packed day in Bergen; a highlight was the Kode Art Museum which houses one of the largest Munch collections in the world. We discovered evocative works of art by the Norwegian Modernist painter Nikolai Astrup that depicted pastoral mountain scenes.

*“Barren Mountain”- Nikolai Astrup (1905)*

*“Evening with fruit trees in bloom”- Nicolai Astrup*

We took a fun ride on a funicular to the top of Bergen and were treated to a bird’s eye view of the city and harbor.

And, of course at the top, I had to pose next to a touristy and kitschy troll!

Afterwards, we treated ourselves to cups of bittersweet hot chocolate at Fjak, an organic chocolate shop.

It was located on the same charming side street where we had dinner reservations that night at Les Mathis, an excellent small French bistro.

We enjoyed pan seared cat fish with a caper vinaigrette and pickled vegetables served over greens along with a bowl of roasted potatoes. A wonderful day!

The next morning, we picked up our rental car. As we left Bergen, ahead of us were rugged mountains and the roads quickly became steep and narrow; the next part of our adventure began!

Fearless hang gliders were soaring down the side of a mountain!

Countless tunnels cut through ranges of dramatic and imposing mountains. One tunnel was over 20 miles long!

We were headed to the tiny harbor town of Solvorn on the innermost part of the Sognefjorden; about a 5 hour ride from Bergen.

The scenery was so breathtaking; it was hard to not stop the car every few miles to take pictures!

The road would abruptly end with signs for a ferry crossing.

At one crossing, while waiting to board the boat, I noticed a German license plate and van called a Burstner; I ventured out and had great fun practicing my German with the owner!

Solvorn is an exquisitely beautiful town on the innermost branch of a long fjord with breathtaking views in any direction.

Our destination in Solvorn was the historic Walaker Hotel; the oldest hotel in Norway, it has been operated by the same family since 1690.

From the window of our small cozy bedroom, there was a view of the harbor.

The room also included a four course dinner. Before the feast, we took a small walk to the harbor.

Just down the road was a lovely little cafe with a deck that extended out over the water.

We ordered two icy glasses of local organic blueberry nectar; we had arrived in heaven!

It was time to return to the hotel for dinner.

We were warmly escorted to our table in the charming small dining room and presented with an appetizer plate that included reindeer sausage, local cheeses, Norwegian crackers and a cream fraiche spread that was delicately flavored with nutmeg. Along with a glass of white wine, this would have been a delicious small supper!

The first course was a creamy but light carrot soup garnished with toasted coconut, scallions and a basil puree.

This was followed by poached cod with a delicate paprika sauce.

We were starting to be quite full, but somehow managed to find room to enjoy tender and succulent duck breast with potatoes Anna and a brightly flavored lingonberry sauce.

And of course, we were able to happily devour a dessert of warm chocolate souffles served with local strawberries and creme anglaise!

By this time, it was 10:00 at night and still light outside. Between the excellent courses, we had the luxury of talking to our heart’s content!

The next morning was misty and cloudy; stunningly atmospheric and beautiful!

After enjoying the plentiful breakfast buffet with homemade jam, it was time to move on to our next destinations; to Balestrade located in another small harbor village on the Sognefjorden, to Stalheim, perched high in the mountains and then back to Bergen with a visit to Troldhaugen, the Grieg home.

STAY TUNED for Norway: Part 3

AND: Of course, here is the “Tree of the Week”!

*“I feel like I may have a hole in my head!”*

A Summer Stroll at The Bullitt Preservation and Cherry Tomato Galette

I have safely returned from an amazing trip to Norway; part research on the Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg and a thrilling expedition by car driving on narrow winding roads over mountains and through countless tunnels. There were views of extraordinary fjords and of course many memorable meals! I am happily sorting through pictures and am planning a few blog entries about the trip. In the meantime, here is a short entry from our Fourth of July hike at the Bullitt Preservation in Ashfield, Massachusetts and a recipe for a summer Cherry Tomato Galette!

The Bullitt Preservation has a lovely system of trials that wind through meadows and woodlands.

At the top of the hill, there is a welcoming bench!

We have walked here in all seasons. An earlier blog written in December 2021, featured the famous French Chef Andre Soltner’s roast chicken. We discovered that the Bullitt Preservation was donated by the late William Christian Bullitt, Jr., the first US ambassador to the Soviet Union.

“William Christian Bullitt Jr. was a controversial figure. Bullitt was at the Paris Peace Conference in 1919, working for Woodrow Wilson and resigned after reading the resulting Treaty of Versaille. He was the first US ambassador to the Soviet Union in 1933 and then Ambassador to France until 1940. On June 14, 1940, Bullitt refused to leave in the evacuation and stayed in Paris as the Germans attacked. He escaped with his life to return to a very disappointed President Roosevelt, who had hoped he would continue working with the French temporary government in Bordeaux. Bullitt co-wrote a book about Wilson with Sigmund Freud: Thomas Woodrow Wilson: A Psychological Study.
The Ashfield property was a Poor Farm for 50 years until 1874. William Bullitt bought the property in 1920, which has since been sold privately. The Bullitt Foundation provided the funds to develop the preserve that the public can enjoy today.
New England towns borrowed the idea of Poor Farms from England, where the practice had been put into statute as part of the Elizabethan Poor Laws during the 1600’s”.

And, we could not resist inserting a bit of Roaring Twenties soap opera details!

The following is from the Wikipedia entry about Bullitt:

Bullitt married socialite Aimee Ernesta Drinker (1892-1981) in 1916. She gave birth to a son in 1917, who died two days later. They divorced in 1923. In 1924 he married Louise Bryant, journalist author of Six Red Months in Russia and widow of radical journalist John Reed. Bullitt divorced Bryant in 1930 and took custody of their daughter after he discovered Bryant’s affair with English sculptor Gwen Le Gallienne. The Bullitts’ daughter, Anne Moen Bullitt, was born in February 1924, eight weeks after their marriage. Anne Bullitt never had children. In 1967, she married her fourth husband, U.S. Senator Daniel Brewster.
During that period, he was briefly engaged to Roosevelt’s personal secretary, Missy LeHand. However, she broke off the engagement after a trip to Moscow during which she reportedly discovered him to be having an affair with Olga Lepeshinskaya, a ballet dancer.^[21][22]

The day on which we recently walked was overcast and muggy; the path leading uphill through the meadow was lined with beautiful wildflowers.

One of our favorite series is PBS Kitchen Vignettes– a farm to table video blog by Aube Giroux, a passionate organic gardener and home cook. Recently we were enjoying the video for Cherry Tomato Galette, with a rich buttery crust and a filling of creamy ricotta and parmesan cheese. After all the rich food that I ate in Norway, I decided to create a lighter version.

For some time, I have been attempting to make an olive oil crust that is both flaky and tender. Most of my tries turned out to be flavorful but hard as a rock! I think that I may have found success with this version. I used olive oil and added a few tablespoons of Spectrum non-hydrogenated shortening, ice water and yogurt; the result was a delicious flaky crust that was a breeze to roll out!

I hope you enjoy this recipe!

Cherry Tomato Galette

Ingredients:

Olive Oil Crust:

3/4 cup whole grain spelt flour

3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening (I used Spectrum Organic-All Vegetable Shortening).

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons non-fat yogurt

3 tablespoons ice water (more if necessary)

1 egg-lightly beaten for egg wash

Topping:

1 container cherry tomatoes, cut in half and laid on paper towel to drain

2 ounces feta cheese crumbled

2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

8 or more pitted oil cured olives, cut in pieces

handful sweet basil folded and cut into slivers

1 or 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

To Make Galette:

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Make Pastry Crust:

Combine flours and salt in the bowl of a food processor.

Add olive oil, shortening, yogurt and ice water.

Process until the mixture forms a ball. You may need to add a bit more ice water, add 1 tablespoon at a time.

Wrap ball of dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to let gluten in the dough relax.

Bring dough to room temperature and roll out into a large thin circle.

Place dough on baking sheet with the parchment paper.

Trim edges to make a round circle.

Place rack in the middle of the oven.

Pre heat oven to 375 degrees.

To Assemble Galette:

Place cherry tomatoes cut side down on crust and sprinkle with black olives.

Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and top with crumbled feta.

Sprinkle about 1 tablespoon olive oil over top of galette.

Brush edges of galette with egg wash- this will create a beautiful brown crust!

Bake aprox. 35 minutes until crust is browned and tomatoes start to release their juices.

Sprinkle basil over top and serve immediately!

ENJOY!!

AND: Here is the “Tree of the Week”!

HAPPY SUMMER!

Walking over the Hudson and El Gran Toro Brasserie!

*“Walkway Over the Hudson”- Poughkeepsie, New York*

It all started with a Foodie Road trip to find El Gran Toro Brasserie, a Mexican Fusion restaurant in Newburgh, New York . The restaurant was featured in Chronogram Magazine, a Hudson Valley publication. We thought we would combine a walk over the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge. After a few wrong turns we came to a small parking area with a chain link fence that led to a slightly overgrown path to the bridge. The walkway on the bridge turned out to be narrow and rusty; very close to the deafening traffic crossing the bridge. It was a blazing hot day and as we stepped onto the pathway, it vibrated up and down. Feeling queasy, a quick decision was made to cut this walk short. We headed off to Newburgh.

We drove slowly down the main thoroughfare of Newburgh; clearly the small city of 28,00 had seen better days with more than a few boarded up businesses lining the street.

We located El Gran Toro Brasserie and alas it was closed, reopening in a few hours.

Our foodie trip was going so poorly, that our situation began to appear humorous to us- we decided to make the best of it; we would scout out the area and return for an early dinner at 5 PM. As we looked around more closely, we saw some old surviving businesses and glimmers of growth and rejuvenation.

A careworn old Italian bakery seemed as if it had served the community for many years, selling countless Italian cookies, cannolis and Birthday cakes.

Likewise, Commodore Chocolatier- established in 1935 by the Courtsunis family; it was filled with mouth watering chocolates. The current owner John Courtsunis was very affable; it turned out that he was a music lover and a supporter of the arts. It was his opinion that every child should learn to play a musical instrument, much like the program El Sistema that originated in Venezuela.

Back outside, with our spirits lifted, we decided to explore some of the side streets. The architecture was beautiful with some buildings in a state of almost total disrepair.

The Dutch Reformed Church built in 1835, was graced with a community garden in front of it! The church is on Preservation League of New York State’s “Seven to Save” list.

A passerby walking his dog, noticed me looking intently at a church and said to me: “Are you interested in this church?” “The pastor is in the back working on the garden and he has a lot of stories to tell!”

As we continued on our walk, we observed other building that were in pristine condition; all it seemed with many stories to tell.

The time had flown by and El Gran Toro Brasserie was open. We entered a small unpretentious space and were warmly welcomed by our server. With the first bite of our appetizer, Sopesitos de Tlales, (crispy and flavorful carnitas, very spicy salsa roja, beans, lettuce and queso fresco), we were immediately glad that we had waited for this meal!

The chef and owner of the restaurant, Miguel Perez, is from Mexico and studied at the Culinary Institute in nearby Poughkeepsie, New York. Before opening his own restaurant, Perez was head chef at Le Bouchon in Cold Spring, New York. His delicious food is Mexican with French and Asian influences.

We ordered chicken and brisket tacos, very good, but my favorite was a rich French inspired dish of mushroom ravioli.

The ravioli was served with a rich cream sauce and topped with fresh greens, a touch of queso fresco and a slightly spicy mole sauce- irresistible!

Our foodie road trip was a roaring success!!

A few weeks later, we returned to the area and had a wonderful stroll on the Walkway over the Hudson in Poughkeepsie, New York.

The views are magnificent, but I had not realized how high we would be!

As long as we stayed in the middle of the wide walkway and did not look down over the sides of the bridge, all was fine!

Next week, I am excited to be traveling to Norway with my intrepid travel companion Carol. The trip is part research on the Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg along with, (no surprise) an emphasis on food and fjords- stay tuned!

AND: Here is the “Tree of the Week”.

HAPPY SUMMER!!

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!!

A Misty Early Spring Stroll and Wild Blueberry Ginger Crumble

It had been raining lightly most of the day, stopping long enough for a misty stroll on Kite Hill in nearby Ancram, New York. The air was invigorating, raw and cold. I headed up the gentle slope; the trees that lined the path were just starting to bud.

As I continued on my walk, thoughts of Passover came to mind. This year, our daughter Alicia would join us. In addition to being a professional singer and cantor, she is a member of a group which specializes in Early Jewish music called Myriam. She is also currently in the rabbinical program at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College. We were thrilled that she would be leading the Passover Service- just a little proud here! I could happily kvell for an extended period of time!

With the plans for the Passover service under expert hands, I looked forward to thinking about the guests that we would greet and welcome to our Seder table and about the food we would serve. On the menu was traditional Maztoh Ball Soup, with extra fluffy matzoh balls flavored with small amounts of nutmeg and ground ginger; a recipe inspired by the incredible Jewish cookbook author Joan Nathan. We also planned to serve often requested Smoked Whitefish Gefilte Fish, a modern take on Gefilte Fish, featured in an earlier blog: https://wordpress.com/post/musicianstravels.com/4917. Chicken breasts stuffed with wild rice, shallots and pecans and a vegetable medley of carrots, zucchini, roasted red peppers and caramelized onions rounded out the menu!

With the current strife and terrible loss of life in the Middle East and the continued war in Ukraine, this year our Passover service was all the more poignant. We chose to spend our time together talking about these important issues and our collective human frailty, but also found a way to celebrate our precious time together. AND, somehow, we found room for fresh juicy strawberries and a delicious almond torte brought by a dear friend. This dessert is so good, that an entire blog will appear soon featuring Swedish Visiting Cake!

During the Passover week, it is traditional to not eat leavened bread or flour. One night during her visit, our daughter made an improvised flourless blueberry crumble with no leavening or flour. It was so good, that I tried to recreate it and this is what I came up with. For my version, I added ground ginger and a bit of finely diced candied ginger. Easy to make, this is also good for breakfast topped with plain yogurt. Feel free to add sugar to the blueberry and tapioca mixture. This would also work with regular blueberries- I like the flavor of the smaller wild blueberries, frozen is OK, but the full intense flavor of fresh wild blueberries in the summer makes me nostalgic for past summer vacations in Maine and fresh wild blueberry pie!

ENJOY!

Wild Blueberry Ginger Crumble

Ingredients:

Filling:

5 cups frozen wild blueberries- defrosted (I used Wymans Wild Blueberries). Use fresh blueberries in the summer! Sprinkle tapioca over berries and set aside.

2 tablespoons instant tapioca

Crumble Topping

1/2 cup almond flour

1/2 cup coconut flour

1/2 teaspoon ginger powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

pinch salt

1 egg yolk

1/3 cup coconut oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 cup maple syrup (more if a sweeter taste is desired)

1/4 cup finely diced candied ginger (optional)

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350F

Place blueberries in a medium sized oval baking dish and sprinkle tapioca over the berries. Set aside while you prepare the topping.

Whisk together dry ingredients and then add egg yolk, coconut oil, vanilla, and maple syrup. Add candied ginger if using. Mix with your hands until you can form medium sized clumps. If the mixture is too dry, add either a bit more coconut oil or syrup.

Drop pieces of mixture over the berries and place in the oven on a rack that is in the middle. Check after about 10 minutes- if the top is browning too quickly, cover with foil and continue baking. Bake for aprox. 40 minutes.

ENJOY!

*Trusty baking dish awaiting another crumble!*

AND: Here is the “Tree of the Week!”

*First wildflowers of the Spring: Trillium and Trout Lily!* *William Cullen Bryant Homestead- Cummington, MA*

HAPPY SPRING!

A Master Oboe Technician and a Dim Sum Feast!

I arrive for my appointment with my favorite oboe repair person, Heidi Chisholm. She greets me warmly, we sit down at her cluttered workplace and my oboe is rapidly is disassembled by expert and experienced hands; her intelligent eyes sparkle as she fills me in on the latest news from the oboe world.

As Heidi works on my instrument, I look around her shop crowded with tools, supplies and a music stand with orchestral excerpts.

We chat about politics or our families; on this particular day, Heidi mentioned that she often works on the instruments of talented young oboists that face an extremely uncertain job market and a lack performance opportunities when they finish music school. So here’s the plug: Minnesota State College offers a nine month band instrument repair program with 97% of graduates finding work in their field! She also mentioned that Oberlin Conservatory of Music offers a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Piano Technology; a two-year program of study designed in association with Steinway & Sons. Food for thought; we do currently have a big shortage of skilled technicians.

At this point, my blog entry may become a bit nerdy, unless you are an oboist, but stay with me! I asked Heidi about using swabs to clean out the bore of oboes; knowing that I was baiting her. Her eyes started to flash and she said, ” Never pull a swab through all the way an oboe. ” “Let me show you this!” She pulled out an old oboe that had been cut in half and lined it up with a ruler. “See”, “look how narrow the bore is”! I remember at one point that Heidi displayed ruined instruments with stuck swabs on her wall.

I thoroughly enjoy my visits with Heidi. Not only is my instrument expertly repaired; it often feels like my instrument plays like velvet when I get home. I value our conversations peppered with her sharp wit and observations about all subjects. And then, I confess that I look forward to a culinary treat in nearby White Plains. A few years ago, I discovered an excellent Chinese restaurant, Aberdeen Seafood and Dim Sum, tucked away in the lobby of a Marriott hotel in the middle of downtown White Plains. They serve a wonderful assortment of dim sum, translated as “touch the heart”. This visit I made an order to go that included a delicious combination of shrimp and snow pea dumplings, pan fried chive dumplings and delicate vegetable dumplings covered in a casing of rice dough flavored with spinach.

Placed on a towel on the seat next to me, I had a wonderful picnic on the ride home! I look forward to my next visit to Heidi’s. I do have to stop by this weekend to pick up an English Horn that she repaired for Hofstra University- with perhaps another side trip to Aberdeen Seafood and Dim Sum!

AND: Here is the “Tree of the Week”

*Blunt-lobed Hepatica: Drury Preserve-Sheffield, MA*

HAPPY SPRING!!