I headed out for a solo walk at the Lime Kiln Farm Wildlife Sanctuary in Sheffield, Massachusetts- truth be told, not in the best of moods; weighed down by recent world events. As often happens, a few minutes after I set out, all was put in perspective and I started to enjoy the peaceful surroundings; small details in the beautiful surroundings caught my eye and delighted me.
The trail climbs gently through meadows and fields with views of the distant mountains.
Lime Kiln Farm Wildlife Sanctuary- Sheffield, MA
A 30 foot high concrete stack peeks through the woods; remnants of a lime kiln factory that was built by the Massachusetts Lime Company which operated a lime quarry and kiln from 1909 to 1912.
Lime Kiln Farm Wildlife Sanctuary- Sheffield, MA
I continued on my solitary jaunt, rejuvenated and for the moment at peace with the world. Returning to my safe, warm and cozy home, I felt thankful for all that we have; my thoughts turn towards creating a hearty soup for dinner and about making a rich over the top pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving!
Lime Kiln Farm Wildlife Sanctuary- Sheffield, MA
We often visit Amanouz Cafe in Northampton, MA that offers unfussy well prepared Moroccan food. A favorite is their red lentil soup. Here is my version-hearty and full of flavor. I hope you enjoy making this!
In a large heavy pot, heat olive oil and add chopped onions. Cook onions a few minutes until they start to soften. Add tomato paste and cook until it starts to brown. Add cumin seeds and paprika- cook a minute or two, stirring.
Add all other ingredients and cover with water.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cover.
Cook until lentils are very soft and start to break down, aprox. 1 hour.
If soup is too thick, add a bit more water.
ENJOY!
It’s too cold outside now to make any more musical videos, more to come in the spring! Poems from Billy Collin’s Musical Tables will continue!
A glorious fall weekend and it also happened to be my birthday! On top of that, our daughter was visiting. We spent a few lovely days that included leisurely walks where we caught up on everything while enjoying the fall scenery.
And, we had a wonderful dinner at Champrete, a small cozy French restaurant in Pine Plains, New York.
Joffey Preserve- New Marlborough, MA
Merwin Road- Millerton, NY
For my birthday, my husband and daughter gave me a beautiful book of poems by Billy Collins called Musical Tables. The collection features small poems with themes from nature, mortality, music, absurdity and love- all written in a few lines.
My daughter asked if I had made any videos lately playing my recorder in bucolic natural settings. At her suggestion, I decided to include poems from the Billy Collins collection along with musical videos. So, as long as the weather cooperates, the next few blog posts will include a poem and short musical selection! Here is an improvisation made at the idyllic Bear Swamp Pond in Ashfield, MA.
Bear Swamp- Ashfield, MA
Departure
I wonder-
did you happen
to play something new
on the piano
just before you left
or was it the breeze
from the door
you left open
that turned the page?
from Musical Tables by Billy Collins
On Sunday morning, I was treated to a breakfast with gluten free Johnny Cakes. Made with almond flour and cornmeal, these cakes are light and nutty tasting. Along with scrambled eggs and organic apple/maple chicken sausages and plenty of maple syrup, this was a perfect Birthday brunch! I hope you enjoy making these!
ALMOND CORNMEAL PANCAKES AKA JOHNNYCAKES recipe by Renee Byrd ( from willfrolicforfood.com blog)
Serves 2-3 people
Ingredients
1 cup almond meal
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 egg
1 1/4 cup almond milk
3 tbsp agave (or maple syrup)- I do not add any sweetener
2 tbsp melted coconut oil, + more for frying- I used canola oil
Maple syrup, agave, and almond butter — to serve
Method
Heat skillet or griddle to 300’F. Coat with coconut oil.
In a large bowl, combine almond meal, cornmeal, baking soda, & salt. Add almond milk, egg, agave, and coconut oil and stir until a thick batter forms. Spoon batter onto your griddle — mine were about 3 to 4 inches each. When bubbles begin to form and pop in the center of the cakes, flip. Cook 2 minutes more or until golden brown on each side and the center is fully cooked.
Serve with almond butter or ghee and your favorite syrup.
This a recycled vintage post from October 2020. I hope you enjoy the “spooky” recorder improv, many trees and my favorite recipe for sugar free spiced apple pie!
Steepletop Reserve- New Marlborough, MA
October 18, 2020
On our recent walks through the woods, I have closely observed the burled and gnarly bark of the trees and with a slightly overactive imagination, I happily anthropomorphized their unique personalities; some scary or with attitude, others shy, wise, scared and surprised or just plain silly!O
My first prize goes to to a tree with a big “schnozs”!
Other categories:
MONSTERS:
HUMOROUS:
WISE:
EVIL:
ATTITUDE:
SCARED AND SURPRISED:
SHY:
This little fellow reminds me of a Giocometti sculpture.
Alberto Giacometti
CREEPY TOES:
Last weekend after walking at the Bullitt Reservation in Ashfield, Massachusetts, we drove around doing some leaf peeping and discovered a steep and dark dirt road with an old cemetery; an excellent spot for this slightly creepy, spooky and eccentric improvisation!
This week with excellent local apples, I made a spiced sugar free apple pie. I like to mix a few different varieties of apples; particularly the Honey Crisp variety. I use plenty of cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, cloves and cardamom and I make the pastry crust using a recipe from Julia Child’s, Mastering The Art of French Cooking. The recipe calls for a combination of butter and shortening and it makes an easy to work with crust that is both tender and with a buttery flavor. For my version, I use whole wheat pastry flour and whole grain spelt flour which gives it a wonderful nutty taste. The apples are so full of flavor, that no sugar is necessary, although this would taste great with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream!
Sugar Free Spiced Apple Pie
Ingredients for filling:
5-6 apples- peeled, cored and sliced into thin pieces.
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon each of ground nutmeg, allspice, cloves and cardamom.
Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl.
Pastry Crust:
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup whole grain spelt four
1 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter
3 tablespoons non-hydrogenated shortening (I like the organic Spectrum brand)
3 or more tablespoons ice water
Make the pastry crust:
In the bowl of a food processor combine flours, salt, butter and shortening until just combined.
Add the ice water and process until a ball shape forms. You may need to add more water a tablespoon at a time.
Take the ball of dough and cut into 2 pieces and refrigerate at least one hour. When you want to make the pie, bring the dough back to room temperature.
Preheat oven to 350 Degrees
Bring pastry dough to room temperature.
Roll out one of the balls of dough to fit a deep pie dish.
Place filling in pie dish.
Roll out next ball of dough to fit over top of filling.
Trim and crimp edges together.
Make an egg wash with one lightly beaten egg and brush over top of pie. This will make the top of the pie bake with a golden color.
Bake aprox. 40- 45 minutes until filling is bubbly and the top is golden brown.
I leave you with a vintage Halloween treat- a clip from the “talking trees” scene from the Wizard of Oz!
It is always a thrill to discover and explore new places; it is equally rewarding to return to places that I have visited often. Kite Hill in nearby Ancram, New York is a nature preserve where I have grown to love observing the seasonal changes in the surrounding meadows and hills. In the distance is the outline of the Catskill mountains; a dependable anchor of stability in our turbulent world.
On a bright clear late September day, the brilliant yellow color of golden rod blended with other wildflowers and plants that had started to dry, showing off their rich brown and russet tones.
With cooler days and the turn of the seasons, I have returned to cranking up the heat on the oven and making hearty dishes with bold flavors. I thought about Cafe Miranda for inspiration; a favorite restaurant in Rockland, Maine that closed after 29 years during Covid. I am happy to say that they have recently reopened with a reconfigured structure and a gourmet hot dog stand in front of the restaurant called “The Excellent Dog”! I can’t wait to return!
This eccentric little place, serves creatively made food with bold flavors and fresh local ingredients. The atmosphere is unpretentious and the food is delicious. There is a wood burning oven and many of the dishes are cooked and served in cast iron pans with the vegetables roasted and charred crisply around the edges.
Cafe MirandaFish Chowder- Cafe Miranda
I had an abundance of late summer corn and some lacinato kale. Channeling Cafe Miranda, this is what I came up with:
Crispy Kale with caramelized onions and corn
I caramelized a thinly sliced onion until it softened and turned light golden and massaged pieces of lacinato kale with olive oil and salt; this tenderized the kale. I mixed the kale and corn kernels with the onions, along with dried thyme, ground cumin, smoked paprika and red pepper flakes and cooked the mixture for a few minutes on the stove. I stuck the pan under a hot broiler until the kale crisped up and started to char; quick and delicious! We served this with a small dish of leftover bolognese sauce with green beans and pasta. Along with a glass of red wine, a lovely early fall dinner!
Crispy Kale with Caramelized Onions and Corn
Ingredients:
1/2 bunch of lacinato kale- torn into medium sized pieces and tough middle stems removed.
1 small onion thinly sliced
1 cup corn fresh corn kernels
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
extra virgin oil
To make Crispy Kale:
In a small bowl, place kale and massage with a bit of olive oil and a few pinches of salt. Massage together for a few minutes- set aside.
In a cast iron or broiler proof pan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and add onion. Cook over medium heat stirring often until onions soften and turn a dark golden color.
Add kale, corn and other seasonings. Cook a few minutes over medium heat.
Turn broiler on high.
Place dish under broiler and cook a few minutes until kale starts to crisp up and turns dark in a few places. Turn kale over with a tongs and cook a few minutes more.
End of summer, with a last few carefree days before teaching and rehearsals begin.
Riding in the car with sister in-law Tracey the other day, she asked how kayaking was going. I mentioned that it was becoming harder to lift our fifty pound kayak onto the roof of the car and that our kayaks had spent a good deal of the summer propped up against a tree in the woods, collecting a wide variety of spiders and other insects.
The following happened in a manner that was both spontaneous and serendipitous: That very morning, my osteopath and I had been discussing collapsible kayaks and how great it would be to use something so light and easily transported. In the car, my husband Paul, who was in the back seat, looked up collapsible kayaks on his phone and saw that an REI Sporting Goods store was just 5 minutes from us with an end of summer sale on Oru collapsible kayaks. We quickly made an executive decision to seek out the kayaks. I turned around and headed the car in other direction on the highway.
The store was out of stock but a young eager salesperson said that she had one in her car and would we like to see how it worked? A moment later she returned proudly carrying a neat small package that unfolded like a big origami paper sculpture into a boat! We were impressed with the ease of use and decided on the spot to order one. And, two days later, it arrived!
It took only a few minutes to get it ready and then I glided smoothly off- heaven! Best of all, it weighs less than 17 pounds; I can carry it under my arm and it makes me look like I am very strong!
It also fits quite nicely in the back of my small car with one seat down!
Along with a noticeable shortening of the days and the arrival of fall, I look forward to the appearance of Italian plums at the local farmers markets. One of the New York Times most requested recipes is for plum torte, first printed over 40 years ago! The recipe is rich with butter, sugar and eggs and is delicious! I have tinkered with the recipe over the years and have come up with a guilt free version made with whole grain spelt flour, whole wheat pastry flour, coconut sugar, monk fruit sweetener, soy milk and canola oil. For my latest edition, I added ripe banana, toasted walnuts and ground cardamom. The result tasted rich and not too sweet; this would also be perfect with a scoop of vanilla ice cream! I hope you enjoy this.
Plum Walnut Cardamom Torte
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 cup monk fruit sweetener
1/4 cup coconut sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 heaping teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1/2 very ripe banana
1/2 cup toasted chopped walnuts
1/3 cup canola oil
1/2 cup soy or almond milk
Topping:
8-10 very ripe plums- cut in half and pitted
To make cake batter:
Pre heat oven to 350 degrees farenheit
In a large bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, monk fruit sweetener, coconut sugar, ground cardamom and cinnamon.
Add egg, vanilla, canola oil, soy or almond milk and mix together just until the batter is smooth.
Lightly butter a tart pan or round pie dish.
Pour batter into pan and place plums cut side down over batter
Sprinkle top lightly with additional cinnamon.
Bake in middle of oven aprox. 30 minutes until plums are bubbling and a cake tester comes out clean.
ENJOY!
Rosh Hashana (The Jewish New Year) starts this weekend.
Late August; the extra rainfall this summer has created an ideal environment for the prolific growth of fungi and mushrooms. Clusters of colorful specimens appear overnight from the rich loamy soil on the forest floor.
On a sunny day, with low humidity and light refreshing breezes, I took off on a solo mushroom expedition. Note, that I do not forage mushrooms to eat, I respectfully am just an observer!
A few years ago we walked on the Saddle Trail in Alford, Massachusetts; I remembered that there were many mushrooms and fungi. I found the trailhead and started off. It was a cool day; the long trek upwards through a meadow and fields was not too hot and at the top, there was a rewarding view with a bench!
Saddle Trail, Alford Springs, MA
The trail continued upwards through beautiful sun dappled woods, but there were few mushrooms and fungi.
Just down the road from the Saddle Trail, I saw a sign for the Shiffman Woods Reserve; a tiny one mile loop around marsh land. I walked slowly, looking downwards, closely observing the ground and I hit pay dirt!
Shiffman Woods Reserve- Alford, MA
I saw colorful, intricate specimens; one looked like tiny fingers stretching upwards.
Clavulinopsis fusiformis
According to Wikipedia, the species was first described as Clavaria fusiformis by English botanist James Sowerby in 1799, from collections made in Hampstead Heath in London. The fungus is considered to be edible and is often consumed in Nepal.
Ramariopsis kunzei
Ramariopsis kunzei is reported to being edible with no particular flavor and belongs to a group of fungi called coral fungi. It is found in Britain and Ireland and also parts of North America.
I’m not sure what the next little beauties are; I think I will need to take an expert forager with me on another expedition!
A tiny maple leaf on the ground was a sign that fall is not far away.
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I was thinking about the excellent risotto that we had in Iceland after a concert and wanted to recreate the dish. I decided to use farro instead of arborio rice, the usual ingredient for risotto. Farro is less starchy and the result was not as creamy, but delicious. I had been hoarding a bottle of sauvignon blanc from the Charles Krug winery that I got on my trip to California last March. Alone, the wine was crisp, fruity and clean; added to the dish, the flavor sang through!
I sauteed some chicken breasts and deglazed the pan with more of the white wine. Served along with glazed tarragon carrots, broccolini and of course glasses of wine, we had an excellent feast!
Mushroom Farro Risotto
Ingredients:
1 cup farro
1 cup chicken broth (use more if necessary)
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
freshly ground black pepper to taste
handful finely chopped parsley (I use Italian parsley)
1/4 teaspoon dried ground sage
2 small shallots finely diced
6-8 button mushrooms (any variety is good)- sliced into small pieces
3-4 shitake mushrooms- sliced into small pieces
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
To Make Risotto:
In a medium sized pot, heat olive oil.
Saute shallots until they soften, do not brown.
Add mushrooms and saute over medium heat until they release their liquid.
Add farro and stir with other ingredients.
Pour in wine and cook until all of the liquid evaporates and then add about a 1/4 cup of the chicken broth at a time. Add the sage. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally until almost all of the liquid is absorbed. Keep adding liquid until the farro is softened, but not gummy. You may need to add additional chicken broth. Stir in the parmesan, black pepper to taste and before serving, add chopped parsley. Adjust the seasoning- I did not add salt because the chicken broth was salted. This dish requires a bit of patience, but is well worth the effort, and you can always enjoy a glass of wine while cooking!
During the pandemic, one of our main activities was to go on road trips and explore properties for sale in the hill towns above Northampton, Massachusetts. We had great fun bushwhacking through land, all the while dreaming and imaging that we might someday move and build a new home. After looking at over thirty properties, we came upon land that immediately spoke to both of us, quickly made an offer and became the owners of over 70 acres!
The land is scruffy and at one time was logged, but at second glance, it is quite beautiful and full of potential! There are many old logging roads; one is lined with an old stone wall.
Years ago, most of the trees were cleared and the land was used for a sheep farm. When the land was abandoned, thick forests grew back.
The land was logged and a good deal of brush was left strewn haphazardly, creating an ideal environment for the growth of interesting fungi.
My husband Paul, along with his intrepid friends Peter and Caroline have been slowly clearing some of the brush on the old logging roads and creating an intricate system of hiking trails. I follow behind with a can of spray paint marking blazes on the trees.
We have started excavation for our new home, the driveway has been roughed in and the homesite is cleared. We saved wood from the trees that were cut and the lumber will be used for pine siding and for oak floors!
At the moment, we are the proud owners of two gigantic mounds of woodchips, that we like to call “The Monet Haystacks”!
Stay tuned for future progress as we embark on this exciting new chapter of our lives!
All of this planning, clearing and hiking on trails creates a powerful appetite. I wanted to think of a dessert that tasted rich and delicious but was also healthy.
I remembered a dessert that I had at the venerable restaurant Chez Panisse last March on my trip to California. The meal was incredible; details in another post!
The dessert that I had been looking forward to, sour cherry apple galette, looked picture perfect, but I was very disappointed with the flavor and texture. The flavor was bland, my slice had all of 3 cherries and the puff pastry was so tough that I could hardly cut it with a steak knife!
It got me thinking about interesting combinations of cherries and apple; here is my version- humble home cook that I am! This is more of a torte or cake with the same batter that I use for my peach cornmeal cake. I use no regular sugar , but a combination of low glycemic coconut sugar and monk fruit and the fruit has no sugar added to it. For a touch of extra flavor and sweetness, I made a glaze to drizzle over the top from honey and cinnamon. The batter also has cornmeal- I ran out of regular cornmeal and used a bit of coarse polenta. This gave the torte added flavor and texture.
Apple Cherry Cornmeal Torte
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup fine cornmeal (you can also use 1/4 cup of coarse polenta for addded flavor and texture)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 cup monk fruit sweetener
1/4 cup coconut sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 heaping teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1/3 cup canola oil
1/2 cup soy or almond milk
Topping:
1 1/2 cups sweet cherries pitted
2- 3 apples peeled and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with small of amount of water to make a slurry.
1 teaspoon almond extract
Glaze:
1 heaping tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F.
To make filling:
Place apples and cherries in a medium size pot and cook until the fruit softens and starts to release it’s juices. Add cinnamon. Whisk in cornstarch mixture and remove from heat. Stir in almond extract.
To make cake batter:
In a large bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, monk fruit sweetener, coconut sugar and cinnamon.
Add egg, vanilla, canola oil, soy or almond milk and mix together just until the batter is smooth.
Make glaze:
Mix together honey and cinnamon. Microwave until mixture melts.
Assemble Torte:
Lightly butter a round pie dish. Pour in batter and spread evenly over pan.
Arrange apples and cherry mixture over top of batter.
Drizzle honey glaze over top of fruit.
Bake in middle of oven until fruit is bubbling and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean*, about 35 minutes.
* The fruit may be juicy, so a toothpick will come out clean only when inserted in the part of the torte where there is no fruit.
We first visited Ashintully Gardens during the throes of the pandemic in July 2020 and since then have returned many times. During the pandemic when we could not perform in public with others, I found a creative outlet where I would take my native American flute and recorders and play short improvisations in places of great natural beauty.
Here is the original blog that I wrote:
July 13, 2020
The gardens are the 30 year creation of the composer and musician John McLennan. He created a garden that combines several natural features:a rushing stream, native trees, a rounded knoll and gently rising meadows. He arranged this with formal gardens that include the Fountain Pond, Pine Park, Rams Head Terrace, Bowling Green, Regency Bridge and Trellis Triptych.
A short steep trail through the woods leads to the ruins of a Georgian Style Mansion. In 1903, Robb and Grace de Peyster Tytus discovered the Tryingham Valley on their honeymoon. They fell in love with the area and soon after purchased 1,000 acres of land that they named Ashintully (Gaelic for “on the brow of the hill”.)
DePeyster Tytus was an Egyptologist who worked at Luxor, where he helped to uncover the palace of King Amenhotep III, grandfather of King Tutankhamen.He and his wife built the large Georgian style mansion over looking the valley in 1910 that at the time cost over one million dollars! The main facade of the house had four Doric style columns that gleamed in the sun and in the moonlight. The building came to be known as the Marble Palace. The main facade held a two-story library and music room that was the heart of the house. Measuring 78 feet long by 28 feet wide and 32 feet high, it was built to match the dimensions of Amenhotep III’s great hall and was said to hold 12,000 volumes on its shelves. A fire in 1952, destroyed the house, but the front terrace, foundation and columns still stand today. There are some that say the house and family were cursed-https://www.berkshireeagle.com/stories/the-cottager-ashintully-a-mansion-cursed-by-egypts-pharaoh-kings,551420
From the fields, we came to a steep path that continued through the woods. As we neared the crest of the hill, four columns stood stoically alone on the hilltop and we could see bits of the old foundation.
Ashintully Gardens- Tryingham, MAAshintully Gardens-Tryingham, MA
A ray of sun shone through the woods and a delicate veil of mist lightly covered the stone foundation wall. It felt as if we were on a secret treasure hunt!
In front of us was a majestic view of the Tryingham Valley. I wondered what concerts and other events in the main facade would have been like in 1910. What music was played, were the guests dressed elegantly, were desserts served on fancy china? I wish I could have heard the conversations that people had as they stood on the terrace admiring the beautiful scenery.
This day I had brought along both my alto recorder and Native American flute. I originally thought that the recorder would be appropriate to play on the terrace of the foundation-perhaps an improvisation that was Gaelic in nature. As I started to play the Native flute while looking over the hills, it became clear that the resonant deep timbre of the flute was in harmony with the surroundings. I played a slow melody and as the sound drifted away towards the valley, I felt a profound sense of gratitude and joy to play music in this space.
This summer, I am about to depart to Iceland with my group Hevreh Ensemble to play live concerts! How things have changed!
We returned to Ashintully the other day and the wildflowers in the meadow walking up to the old ruins were beautiful!
Ashintully Gardens- Tryingham, MA
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Fresh blueberries have reappeared in the markets and for Fourth of July this year, I decided to revamp my recipe for Strawberry Ginger Crumble Teacake using plump flavorful blueberries. This is a delicious cake that is also healthy! Sweetened lightly with monk fruit and coconut sugar and made with whole wheat pastry flour, it is great for dessert or also for breakfast.
Place oats, flour, coconut sugar, pecans, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until nuts are in small pieces. Add kefir and pulse until mixture forms small clumps- you may need to add a bit more kefir. Add small bits at a time. Set mixture aside.
Pre heat oven to 375 degrees
Line a 5×9 loaf pan with parchment paper with the paper hanging over the sides. Butter the paper lightly.
To make cake batter:
In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, monk fruit, coconut sugar and cinnamon.
Add egg, vanilla, canola oil, soy or almond milk and mix together just until the batter is smooth. Add fruit and stir to combine.
Pour batter into the prepared baking dish and then scatter the crumb topping over the top. Bake in the pre heated oven for about 15 minutes and then cover the top loosely with foil so the top will not brown too quickly. Bake for about an hour until a toothpick comes out clean.
Remove from oven. Lift cake out of pan leaving paper on the cake. Let cool completely on a rack before slicing with a serrated bread knife. This is a very soft crumbly cake, the longer you let it cool the easier it is to slice. This is hard to do, so enjoy the first very crumbly pieces if you can’t wait!
AND: Instead of a “Tree of the Week”, here is a clever fellow who stood up on his hind legs and deftly opened the door to Paul’s car and would not leave! We yelled and banged on pots; he left the car and then opened up the passenger door and got back in! The car alarm on my key finally did the trick. He got out slowly, looking annoyed and sauntered slowly down the driveway! Now we lock the car at night!!
It’s a while since I have posted a blog- it’s been a busy spring including planning for my group Hevreh Ensemble’s upcoming tour to Iceland. The itinerary is all set for an early July departure and I am finished with a busy semester of teaching- time to revisit my spring trip to California!
In early March, under a professional development grant from Hofstra University, I collaborated with the renowned jazz oboist Paul McCandless.
What a gift it was to have two days of incredible sessions together and then it was time for a foodie road tour; jam packed with lunch and dinner reservations, accompanied by my dear friend Carol.
Here is Part Two of our delicious foodie adventure:
After a few days of delicious, innovative and very rich food, a morning walk was in order. We stayed at the Seven Branches Inn, a lovely small boutique hotel in Sonoma, less than a mile away from the Montini Nature Preserve.
Seven Branches Inn Balcony
We enjoyed a light but filling breakfast Sunflower Cafe in Sonoma and then headed out to the trails.
Our delicious breakfast included chia pudding that was topped with fresh mango puree, slivered almonds, hazelnuts, raspberries and granola along with crusty slices of whole grain toast and chai lattes.
It was early spring in March and because of the extra rainfall California experienced, the landscape was lush and green and the hills were covered with brilliant yellow wildflowers.
At every turn on the Sonoma Overlook Trail the scenery was beautiful.
Montini Nature Preserve- Sonoma, CA
This being a trip for relaxation and stress reduction, we decided to treat ourselves to spa treatments at the nearby Spa at MacArthur that included both foot reflexology and lovely hot stone massages. Carol remarked that the massage therapist had hands like an octopus, she was everywhere at once; intuitively placing the hot stones in all of the places of tightness and tension- simply heavenly!
Feeling that for the moment that all was well with the world, we completed the day with dinner at Oenotri; a contemporary Italian restaurant in nearby Napa. We shared everything and enjoyed a delicious salad of roasted beets and creamy burrata cheese accompanied by crusty focaccia and grassy pungent California olive oil.
We savored crispy brussel sprouts with a balsamic glaze and pomengranite seeds along with homemade pasta with arugula pesto.
For dessert we shared a bittersweet chocolate pot de creme- a perfect ending to a memorable meal!
A few more restaurants will appear in the next installment where we ended our foodie adventure with a coveted reservation at Alice Water’s venerable restaurant Chez Panisse!
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If possible, I try to cook with fresh local organic produce; our trip to California reinforced my love of simple well prepared food with the best possible ingredients.
In the summer, in our neck of the woods, we are blessed with farm markets and excellent organic farms. Inspired by the local bounty surrounding me, I decided to make a summer salad along with spicy crispy shrimp for our dinner. With a base of organic mesclun, I added boiled new baby potatoes and fresh asparagus with cherry tomatoes, toasted pecans and feta cheese and chives from my herb garden. I drizzled this with a dressing that I made with live oil, red wine vinegar, lemon, garlic and shallots.
Summer Salad
I marinated shrimp with lemon juice, olive oil, plenty of chopped shallots and garlic, dried thyme, ground cumin, smoked paprika, salt and freshly ground pepper and red pepper flakes.
I heated a cast iron pan with a glug of olive oil in the broiler until the pan was very hot and smoking and then placed the shrimp with all of the marinade into the pan. It made a loud and satisfying sizzling sound! I cooked the mixture until the shrimp was crispy and the bits of shallots and garlic were dark brown- almost on the side of being overdone- all delicious with crusty French bread!
ENJOY!!
Summer Salad
Ingredients:
Organic Mesclun Mix (I used about 1/2 of a package)
6 red baby potatoes
6-8 stalks asparagus
handful toasted pecans
2 or 3 chives finely minced
6 cherry tomatoes cut in half
small piece feta crumbled
Place mesclun in salad spinner, wash and spin dry.
Boil potatoes until soft, let cool and then slice thinly.
Wash asparagus and cut on the diagonal into medium sized pieces. Place in a small pot of cold water, bring to a boil and cook briefly. Rinse under cold water.
Place mesclun in a large bowl, add other ingredients and pour on dressing- mix lightly and serve immediately.
Dressing:
Lemon juice from about 1/2 lemon (I did not measure the ingredients for the dressing, so feel free to adjust according to taste)
dijon mustard
extra virgin oilve oil
one garlic clove finely chopped
1 small shallot finely chopped
Mix together ingredients and let sit for about one hour to let marinate.
Spicy Crispy Shrimp
Ingredients:
8 medium wild caught shrimp, peeled and deveined- keep tails on
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Marinade:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
fresh lemon juice- about 1/4 cup or more is also fine
3 shallots finely chopped
3 garlic cloves finely chopped
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
salt and freshly ground pepper
To Make Shrimp:
Mix all marinade ingredients in a medium size bowl.
Peel and devein shrimp leaving tails on.
Place shrimp in marinade and refrigerate about one hour.
Turn broiler to high.
Place a cast iron pan in oven with about 2 tablespoons olive oil.
Heat pan until almost smoking (put on exhaust fan!)
Add shrimp and marinade to pan. Cook until shrimp are browned and garlic and shallots are well done.
Enjoy!
AND: Here’s the “Tree of the Week”
” I practiced my giraffe stretch and now I am stuck!”
I had just finished playing an inspiring faculty chamber music concert at Simons Rock of Bard College. The performance ended in the late afternoon; just enough time to enjoy the late afternoon light at nearby Joffe Preserve in New Marlborough, MA. Melodies from the concert were pleasantly dancing around in my head and as we entered the tiny marshland that surrounds the Joffe Preserve, we encountered another performance. Thousands of frogs were creating an antiphonal early spring concert with bright colorful back and forth calls; we stood still and listened, enchanted by the sounds.
Joffe Preserve- New Marlborough, MA
The late day light created beautiful reflections and patterns on the water.
Joffe Preserve- New Marlborough, MAJoffe Preserve- New Marlborough, MAJoffe Preserve- New Marlborough, MAJoffe Preserve- New Marlborough, MA
Planning the menu for a dinner with friends, I thought about a recipe that we recently saw on America’s Test Kitchen for turkey breast stuffed with a filling of sage, garlic, fennel, rosemary, parsley and black peppercorns; a normal seasoning used for Italian Porchetta.
As we sat musing about the delicious sounding filling, we concocted a slightly plausible story about how a Jewish Venetian recipe might have been created in the 1500’s:
In 1555, Jews were ordered to live in a section of Venice next to a foundry that made cannons. The Italian word for cannon is giotto and some think that this may be the derivation of the word ghetto.
On a chilly early spring day, an elderly Jewish woman was hurrying through recently restricted Venice. She drew her woolen scarf closely around her shoulders and face to stay warm and at the same time trying not to attract attention to herself. She had been visiting a friend who had been in ill health and was anxious to get home. From a high window of a house on a crowded narrow street, an enticing aroma wafted through the air; fennel, garlic, herbs and spices mixed with the delicious smell of roasting pork.
According to Kosher law, eating pork was strictly forbidden but thinking about the rich and heady smells made her mouth water. When she returned home, she started to prepare Sabbath dinner and looked in her meager larder to see what was available. They had been lucky enough to have money to get a freshly slaughtered kosher chicken and she found fennel seeds, parsley and garlic. She took a few branches of rosemary from a pot on her window sill and pounded this together with olive oil in her worn and ancient mortar and pestle. She spread the mixture over the chicken and lit a fire in her wood burning oven. As the chicken roasted, the same smell she had happened upon earlier filled the air; a new dish was born!
Here is our version of Venetian Stuffed Chicken! Paul remembered the Italian roast chicken and potatoes that his mother and grandmother made with plenty of garlic, black pepper and lemon…. this was a starting point for our creation.
I marinated boneless chicken breasts overnight with minced garlic, lemon, olive oil, salt and pepper, dried thyme and chopped fresh rosemary. I whirred together fennel seeds, dried thyme and plenty of black peppercorns in a small coffee grinder and then I placed the ground spices in a food processor with fresh sage leaves, parsley, garlic, salt and enough olive oil to make a loose pesto like mixture.
I cut the chicken breasts open and spread generous amounts of the mixture over the chicken and then rolled them up into neat packages. I let them marinate in the fridge for a few hours and then roasted them in a hot oven; the result was heavenly! I hope you enjoy making our invention: Jewish Venetian Stuffed Chicken! We served the chicken with roasted baby potatoes and fresh fennel along with bright green asparagus that a friend contributed to the dinner.
Venetian Stuffed Chicken
Serves Six
Ingredients:
6 split boneless chicken breasts with skin left on
Marinade for chicken breasts:
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic finely chopped
2 teaspoons salt and freshly ground pepper
Pesto Mixture:
4 cloves garlic
small bunch Italian parsley
8 sprigs fresh sage
2 teaspoons dried fennel seeds
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns (more to taste)
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
To Prepare Chicken Breasts:
Pre-heat oven to 380 degrees
Place chicken in a large bowl and add rosemary, thyme, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil and salt & pepper. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Make pesto filling:
Place black pepper mixture from spice grinder into bowl of food processor along with parley, sage, 1 tablespoon rosemary, garlic cloves, olive oil and salt. Process until mixture is finely chopped- add a bit more olive oil if needed to make mixture thinner and smoother.
Cut chicken breasts open and spread mixture on the inside of the chicken. Fold up the chicken into packages and lay seam side down in a large roasting pan. Sprinkle tops with the remaining chopped rosemary and more olive oil.
You can roast the chicken right away, but if you can let the chicken marinate for a few hours, this is even better!
Roast chicken about 45 minutes until the center of the chicken reaches 170 degrees. Place under a broiler for a few minutes to crisp up and brown skin. Let chicken rest a few minutes before serving. ENJOY!!
A Musician's Travels 