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.
“Swallow Love”- Joan Miro (1893-1983)“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!
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!
Hanukah Latkes!!
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.
Thousand Acre Swamp
Delicate princess pines peeked demurely through a light cover of snow.
Thousand Acre Swamp
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!
Diane’s Trail-Gould Farm
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 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!
It was the day after the election and the members of the Hevreh Ensemble were in a state of disbelief as we embarked on a short tour to Portland, Oregon. The plane headed west into the sunset; what better time for a little escape and to bring our music to others!
A week of concerts were planned with the first at one of my favorite radio stations, All Classical Portland. We were warmly welcomed by our host Christa Wessel and a lovely staff of helpful engineers.
I was especially excited because Portland has a growing reputation as a foodie city. A few weeks earlier, I had read an article in the New York Times; “The 25 Best New Restaurants in Portland“. We were able to make reservations at the Korean restaurant Han Oak and the award winning Thai restaurant Lang Baan.
I had done some research on the bakery scene in Portland; the other members of the Hevreh Ensemble know me well and were excellent participants in the planned food adventures!
There were many choices to write about, but a few standouts were the Korean restaurant Han Oak, the Orange & Blossom Bakery and the Portland FarmersMarket.
After our first concert for All Classical Portland, we headed off to an evening dinner at Han Oak. Our Uber driver dropped us off in a residential area and we almost missed the entrance; the eccentric and festively decorated restaurant was tucked away in the backyard of a small business.
The restaurant is owned by chef Peter Cho and his wife and partner, Sun Young Park; the food was creative and delicious. The current menu, with a $65 prix fixe was well worth the price! We started with 4 small appetizers that were replenished as often as we wanted throughout the meal.
They included homemade Napa cabbage and daikon kimchi made by the chef’s mother, pear and seasonal mustard greens with silken tofu miso dressing, fried eggplant with lemon ssam jabg (Korean soybean paste), garlic chives and scallions and smashed potato salad with eggs, garlic chives, celery, carrot and shredded gim (seaweed). Along with icy Korean beer, this could have been a complete meal!
Our next course was Roast Beef Soo Yook- delicate and tender rare roast beef with seared green and purple cabbage and charred corn vinaigrette in a rich bone broth, simmered for 15 hours.
The next course was billed as a “Gimbap Party”. We were presented with platters of barbequed meats and vegetables along with seaweed, rice paper and seasoned rice. My favorite was a bowl of hamachi (a delicate Japanese fish that is often found in the Northwest) cured with citrus and yuzu soy and served over chojang-mayo (a spice Korean sauce) and scallions. We had great fun creating or own seaweed and rice rolls.
Himachi with citrus, gochu-mayo, yuzu soy and scallion
Surprisingly, after all of this food, we still had room for a delicious dessert that the table shared: caramelized custard poached pears with sweetened puffed rice, vanilla whip and misugaru sauce ( a Korean beverage made from a traditional grain powder). At this point, I jokingly told the group, that the real reason we had traveled to Portland was actually for the food!
Caramelized custard poached pears with sweetened puffed rice, vanilla whip and misugaru
The next day, group members Laurie and Jeff had to tend to repairs on a Bass Clarinet that had encountered an unfortunate fall after our concert for All Classical Portland.
With a free afternoon before our evening concert, our guest keyboardist Renee and I headed out for a bakery adventure. I had read about an excellent bakery called Orange & Blossom. This turned out to a be a wise choice. The moment we entered the small cozy store, we were mesmerized by the wonderful assortment of beautifully presented baked goods.
The description on the bakery’s website says: “rooted in the seasons, inspired by our travels, local farms and west coast roots.” The cases were filled with enticing pastries that had an autumnal theme.
We ordered a pot of tea, a sandwich and assorted pastries for lunch. It was hard to choose but we ended up with a delicious sandwich with home made foccaccia that was filled with beet hummus, pickled vegetables, frisee and spread with garlic cashew cream cheese.
We shared a slice of pumpkin maple cake made with kabocha squash, maple butter cream and roasted peptitas, an unbelievably rich peanut cup filled with squash and peanut butter AND a rosemary orange scone.
Thinking we had probably ordered too much, I am sorry to say that we did not try the pear chai Manitozzi (Rome’s most iconic brioche bun).
Pear chai Manitozzi
We did buy an unusual and incredible brownie made with milled buckwheat, dark chocolate ganache and cocoa nibs for the airplane ride home!
On Saturday, we had a free day with an evening concert at the Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education. I am so glad that we had the chance to visit the famous Portland Farmers Market. After a long walk from our hotel, we finally saw the colorful booths poking through the trees located at Portland State University.
There were countless stands of beautiful organic fruits and vegetables along with stands ranging from cheeses, organic meat and seafood along with artisanal breads and pastries.
Street musicians played at various locations throughout the market.
I strolled by stand after stand of beautiful pastries; I bought a tiny bittersweet chocolate macaron. Popping it into my mouth, it was full of flavor-perfect!
I passed by a stand of fresh chestnuts and could not resist buying a quart. The owner of the stand was very engaging and described a fool proof method to peel the shells easily. He said to cut almost all of the way through the shell with a heavy cleaver and then steam the chestnuts about 10 minutes.
I took my chestnuts that I purchased at the farmers market home. Tucked away safely in my suitcase, I was looking forward to making our Thanksgiving turkey with a sour dough stuffing that included braised chestnuts.
Our last concert at the Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education was in commemoration for the anniversary of Kristalnacht (Night of Breaking Glass) that occurred in Germany in November 1938 in a wave of antisemitic violence that swept through the country. The concert was a profound moving experience for all.
On the flight home, while the other passengers were eating their allotment of a tiny bag of peanuts, we broke out our chocolate ganache buckwheat brownie.
The rich nutty flavor of the buckwheat blended beautifully with the fudgy chocolate texture of the brownie. The end of a lovely trip!
For Thanksgiving this year, I made sour dough stuffing with braised chestnuts. I prepared the chestnuts using the method the person at the farm stand recommended and it worked like a breeze! For a few recalcitrant chestnuts, I steamed them for about 3-4 minutes more and the shells and skins slipped easily off!
AND, there were lovely scraps for all of the critters in our woods!
I tasted a braised chestnut and it was sweet, tender and earthy- they made a delicious stuffing that would also be good for a Christmas roast goose or chicken!
ENJOY!!
Sour Dough Stuffing with Braised Chestnuts, Mushrooms and Pecans
Ingredients:
Large bowl of dried sourdough bread cubes (from about 2 loaves of bread)
1 medium onion finely chopped
3 celery stalks with leaves finely chopped
6-8 button mushrooms chopped
2 teaspoons dried thyme (more if desired)
1 teaspoon dried sage (more if desired)
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
braised chestnut mixture
1 cup toasted pecans broken into small pieces
2 cups chicken stock (more if needed)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Ingredients Braised Chestnuts:
10-15 chestnuts peeled
1 large shallot finely diced
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup chicken stock
1 teaspoon dried thyme
freshly ground pepper to taste
To Make Stuffing:
Braise Chestnuts:
Melt butter in a small saucepan.
Saute shallots until softened, add chestnuts and cover with chicken stock.
Add dried thyme and freshly ground pepper.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for about 10-15 minutes.
Set aside while you prepare the rest of the stuffing. (Can be refrigerated for up to 2 days).
Prepare Stuffing:
Ina large saucepan, heat olive oil and added chopped onions. Cook until softened. Add celery and mushrooms. Cook until softened and mushrooms release their liquid.
Add dried thyme and sage and freshly ground pepper. Wait to add salt until stuffing is prepared.
Place the bread cubes in a large bowl and add the onion and braised chestnut mixture. Stir and add 1/2 cup of the chicken stock. It will take a while for the bread to absorb the liquid. Let mixture sit for a few minutes and gradually add rest of stock. You can always add more if needed. The mixture should be slightly softened. You should be able to squeeze clumps with your hands when ready to bake.
Let cool completely before stuffing turkey. After stuffing turkey, place rest of stuffing in a baking dish, cover and bake at 350 degrees about 35 minutes, remove cover and bake about 10 minutes more to create a delicious crusty topping and corners!
AND: Here is the “TREE OF THE WEEK” from Portland, Oregon!
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”:
“Feeling a tiny bit Bashful”Fall flower at Hofstra University– New York
What a pleasure it was to perform a concert at the end of August with my group, The Salisbury Four at Chesterwood, located in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. For many years we have presented an annual Holiday concert for the Salisbury Association in Salisbury, Connecticut.
Chesterwood was the home, studio and gardens of America’s foremost public monument sculptor Daniel Chester French who lived from 1850-1931. French is most famous as the sculptor of the Lincoln Memorial. The concert was held in the artist’s spacious studio that had high vaulted ceilings It was thrilling to sit next to studies of Lincoln’s hands and of the Lincoln sculpture!
The studio opens up onto a lovely peaceful garden and the large wrap around porch overlooks Monument Mountain in Great Barrington, Massachusetts!
Our repertoire for lute, recorder, voices, historical harp and Baroque dance has expanded to include a new summer themed program; with our recent concert titled: “Fortune, Love and Time”. We are so fortunate that one of our singers, Zahra Brown, is also a gifted dancer and is a specialist in Baroque dance. Enjoy this short video of our warmup rehearsal!
The other Salisbury Four members are all food lovers and are talented cooks and bakers. When we rehearse at our singer and harpist Marcia Young’s apartment, she always has a wide assortment of unusual teas at the ready and often a freshly baked goody such as a lemon drizzle cake. Another person once brought a rich chocolate babka.
I often make spelt raspberry scones that are super easy to make with a nutty delicious flavor and they also happen be healthy! I planned to bring a plate to the concert and our lutenist Christopher Morrongiello mentioned that he was thinking about the scones a bit obsessively on his long ride up from Long Island!
I have been using this vegan recipe for spelt scones from Erin McKennas’s Baby Cakes cookbook for several years; the dough for the scones, without the sweeteners also make a great topping for either savory potpies or fruit cobblers. I substitute coconut sugar for the agave syrup used in the original recipe.
Spelt Raspberry Scones
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Ingredients:
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup whole grain spelt flour
1/4 cup coconut sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/3 cup canola oil
1/3 cup hot water
To Make Scones:
In a large bowl, combine flours, salt, cinnamon baking powder. Mix well.
Add oil, vanilla and hot water, stir to combine and knead mixture gently a few times with your hands. Lightly stir in raspberries. You could also use blueberries or add chopped walnuts.
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!
Kviknes Hotel- Balestrade, Norway
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!
Grieg’s Steinway piano
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?
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!
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.
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.
Guanciale
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
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
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!”
“Yikes”!First wildflowers of the Spring: Trillium and Trout Lily!William Cullen Bryant Homestead- Cummington, MA
A few weeks ago, I put the address in the GPS for the Steepletop Preserve in New Marlborough, Massachusetts. I was looking forward to a peaceful contemplative walk on this beautiful set of trails. I drove for a few minutes, not paying close attention, enjoying the scenery around me and slowly realized that the surroundings did not look at all familiar. I had lost internet service a while back and I was basically lost!
I had ended up on a quiet dirt road that followed a small winding stream. I pulled the car over to the side and decided to walk and see where the stream and road led. I would retrace my steps later to return home.
This turned out to be a delightful serendipitous walk and I would love to return to this spot, but I am still not quite sure where I was! I did take a picture at a fork in the road and when I returned home, my husband and I looked up where we thought I was on a map! I believe it may be a small road in Mill River, Massachusetts. Any guesses??
???
Safely home, I decided to make a big pot of hearty Red Lentil Soup, a soup that I have made many times and wrote about in an earlier blog post. I based my current version on the delicious Moroccan Red Lentil soup that we enjoy at the Amanouz Cafe in Northampton, Massachusetts. I sauteed onion and garlic and stirred in tomato paste with cumin, smoked paprika and red pepper flakes and let the mixture lightly brown. I added green beans cut into small pieces, red potato, carrot , celery and plenty of chopped parley. Fragrant with thyme and bay leaf, the soup was thick and filling enough for dinner along with a small green salad and fresh peasant bread.
ENJOY!
Hearty Red Lentil Soup
Ingredients:
4 cups dried red lentils
1 medium onion finely chopped
2 garlic cloves minced
1 medium carrot peeled and cut into small pieces
1 celery stalk with leaves cut into small pieces
handful Italian parsley finely chopped
2 medium red potatoes cut into small chunks (no need to peel them)
handful fresh or frozen green beans cut into small pieces
2 teaspoons ground cumin
pinch of red pepper flakes (or more to taste)
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 bay leaf
1/2 can tomato paste
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
water to cover
To Make Soup:
In a large soup pot or cast iron pot, heat olive oil
Saute onions until translucent, add garlic and stir. Add other spices and tomato paste. Cook mixture until tomato paste starts to lightly brown.
Add lentils, vegetables and cover with water about 2-3 inches above other ingredients.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer until lentils and vegetables are very tender and soup thickens. If soup is too thick, add a bit more water. Adjust seasoning. ENJOY!
AND: Here is the “Tree of the Week”!
“Spring Really is Here”!!Vernal Pool- Barnum Road Sheffield, MA
A Musician's Travels 