Three Moistened Cakes

This week's show dealt with cakes and solved an age-old problem faced by home cooks ever since someone grabbed a potholder and removed a circular pan from the oven, namely the dry cake.

I posit that the scoop of vanilla or the tall glass of cold vitamin D showed up as a cure for dry cake syndrome. There has to be an easier solution in our post space-age. Turn the clock back 600 years and, in the words of Sofia Patrillo, "Picture it, Sicily, 1500." The Spanish (one in a long line of conquerors of the Mediterranean's largest island) brought their cuisine to mingle with the kitchen treasures of so many other cultures. One of Spain's main contributions was Pan di Spagna, Spanish bread, or, as it is more commonly known, sponge cake. Not very high falutin' sounding to be sure but nonetheless a staple in the day of the Baroque where ornamentation ruled. That Bread of Spain was the canvass on which the artists of the kitchen (actually the convents in those days) would heap their fanciful creations, the most famous and surviving one being The Triumph of Gluttony, a veritable tower of overindulgence and decadence. But it wasn't only what could go on the cake that was important but also what could go in the crevices of the cake itself. Enter the Cassata.

Although The Triumph of Gluttony can still be had (with notice, of course, it takes some time to put those super structures together!), the cake that survives to this day from the Italian Baroque and is displayed in the windows of the pasticcerie all over Palermo to any passerby (by the slice) is the renown Cassata, a sponge cake filled with a sweetened ricotta that may or may not contain chocolate chips and candied fruit and be surrounded with a green-hued marzipan and be topped with a citrus icing wherein various candied fruit are embedded like so many gems in a gold leaf sculpture. Not impossible for the home cook to put together--I've make a few of these myself with good results--but there are easier (and just as good) things to do with your Pan di Spagna that will bring you results that are just as good and impressive.

Last August, as in every August for the past I-don't-want-to-remember-how-many years I have been making Joel a strawberry cake of some sort for his birthday. Last year I decided to make the cake I wanted to make him for his birthday and proceeded to start a few days ahead making Cassata starting with the sponge cake and even homemade ricotta. Down to the wire, I only had to get the marzipan (my marzipan recipe was not quite there yet) so I went to my favorite super market to pick up two tubes of the almond confection to complete the celebratory pastry until I was stopped dead in the baking aisle by the price of marzipan. It would have cost me $14.00 for the marzipan alone. Initially possessed by the spirit of Fred Mertz, I went into a momentary panic attack. (To the youngsters out there, I suffered sticker shock.) After a quick recovery, I saved money, the premade ingredients and the day by quickly concocting a recipe in my head. Strawberries were on sale and I had a half pint of whipped cream in the fridge. Thus was born, Strawberry Cassata. Without further ado, here's the recipe:

Strawberry Cassata

For the cake:

6 eggs, separated
3/4 sugar, divided
1 tablespoon hot water
1 teaspoon vanilla
Grated zest of 1 lemon
1 1/4 cups cake flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350F and line bottom of 10 x 3-inch spring form pan with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, whip egg yolks with 1/2 cup sugar, water, vanilla and lemon zest until light yellow and tripled in volume. Sift flour, baking powder and salt into yolk mixture and fold in.

In a separate bowl, and with clean beaters, whip egg whites until soft peaks form. Whip in remaining 1/4 cup sugar, a tablespoon at a time, until stiff peaks form. Fold the whites into the other mixture, gently but thoroughly, until no streaks remain.

Spread batter into prepare pan and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick or wooden skewer inserted comes out clean. Cool completely on rack before removing from pan. Using a large serrated knife, carefully cut cake in two which will leave you with 2 cakes approximately 2-3 inches thick.

For the Sweetened Ricotta:
15 oz contain of ricotta, drained
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Blend all ingredients until well combined. Refrigerate until ready to use.

For Assembly:
1 cup cut up strawberries
Whole strawberries for decorating
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup strawberry liqueur (optional)
4 oz cream cheese
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 pint whipping cream (not all will be used)

Heat water and sugar in sauce pan and boil until sugar is dissolved and liquid reduced by 1 quarter. Add strawberries and simmer for a few minutes just until they start to break down.
Drain liquid and save.
When strawberries are cool, fold them into ricotta mixture.
If using, stir optional liqueur into syrup.
With a pastry brush, brush both sides of cake (on the rough sides) with the syrup.
Spread ricotta mixture evenly on one half of cake and top with the other.
Using a hand mixer, beat cream cheese until soft and then add sugar and beat until mixed. Slowly add cream to mixture and beat until a soft but sturdy consistency is achieved.
Apply frosting to top and sides of cake.
Decorate cake with whole strawberries.

The next cake, though not nearly as complicated as the previous, also uses syrup as a moistener. Like the Strawberry Cassata, it too uses fruit--citrus this time--as not only a main ingredient, but also as a main feature throughout its different components.

The Amalfi Coast in the Camagna region of Italy, stirs up visions of bleached hill towns gazing down into the blue Bay of Salerno, of bright walkways winding up and down and through the small passageways of ancient stark white houses and of carefree tourists relaxing at cafe tables sipping an afternoon quaff of chilled Limoncello, one of many inventions the people of the area have found for which to use the abundance of lemons that grow there. But what would an afternoon, just the time of day for a nibble and a sip (dinner is not until around 9pm), be without that little something something to tide one over til the evening meal?

My first taste of Amalfi Coast Lemon Cake had me hooked. (I'm sure I was "hooked" into eating two pieces that first time.) Not only the cake itself a bliss of lemon flavor but the also the syrup and the outer glaze which held decorative slices of almonds in place. (See upper left hand picture.) This is certainly a cake that works for everyday or a company cake. (For the latter, try dousing a little limoncello on each slice of cake for the grownups before serving. Not that the syrup by itself is not enough to add any needed moisture but...)

Amalfi Lemon Cake

6 oz unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
4 large eggs (room temperature)
Grated rind of four lemons
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
3 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
Sliced or slivered almonds for garnishing

Preheat oven to 350F. Butter and flour a 9-inch bundt pan.
In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
Add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition and scraping down sides of bowl.
Beat in lemon zest.
In a separate bowl, sift flour, salt and baking powder together.
In four additions, fold flour and milk into sugar mixture beginning with flour and ending with milk.
Pour into prepared pan and bake in center of the oven for 40-45 minutes or until a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted comes out clean.

While the cake is baking, make the syrup by combining the 1/2 cup of sugar and the water in a saucepan and stirring over high heat until the sugar melts and the mixture boils. Let cook briefly and add lemon juice.

While cake is still warm and still in pan, poke holes throughout with a wooden skewer and drizzle the syrup (holding back several tablespoons) over the top allowing it to seep into the cake.

When the cake is cool, remove from pan to a plate. Boil the remaining syrup and reduce slightly.
Brush onto cake and garnish with almonds.

With the advent of the Internet, has come both a blessing and a curse. By the flip of am switch and the click of a mouse, we are able to do in mere moments what it used to take us many hours and many trips to do in many libraries. (Do they still make note cards?) Just about any question you have can be answered as fast as you can click on a link. Or several links. For several answers. Unfortunately, all those answers are to the very same question. (I wouldn't suggest cramming for a test using the Internet. It's easier just to read the text book.) Where am I going with this and what does it have to do with syrup-moistened cakes? As I mentioned on Monday's show, our final cake (Kentucky Butter Cake) was the winner of the 1963 Pillsbury Bake off. Wanting to double check for accuracy before I repeated the credit, I went online and checked several sources. It turns out that there were several different winners that year depending on which site you checked. If I have to make a judgement on which one is correct, I'm sticking with my initial announcement just because I want to believe that someone named Nell Lewis of Platte City, MO was the winner. If I was a mid western housewife in 1963, I would want that to be my name, my place of residence and my winning cake for the 15th annual Pillsbury Bake off!
So, without further ado, here is the recipe for Kentucky Butter Cake.

Kentucky Butter Cake

3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 cup buttermilk, well shaken
2 teaspoons vanilla
For syrup:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons rum
Grease and flour a tube or bundt pan.
Sift flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda together and set aside.
Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time and continue beating until well mixed.
Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately beginning and ending with flour until just mixed.
Pour into prepared pan.
Bake at 325F for about an hour or until a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean.
While cake is baking, make the syrup:
Heat sugar, water and butter in a pan until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Heat to a simmer and take off heat and add rum.

While cake is still warm and in pan, poke holes all around and drizzle syrup on letting it seep into the cake.
Let cake cool on rack for 15 minutes and insert onto plate.

Quick Fix is still to come in my next blog!

Pie Crust

There's an old saying that states, "Promises are like pie crusts: they're easily made and easily broken."

If that first part was only true! Seems like some that are "easily made" take a hammer and a strong arm to break. (Or at least a good serrated knife to saw through!) The art of the perfect crust has escaped many a home cook and made the people who stock their wares in the refrigerated cases reason to smile. I will admit that the refrigerated pie doughs are pretty good if you don't mind a list of ingredients on the box that you can't pronounce let alone decide may not belong in your diet.

I will also admit that some of my pie crusts have turned out pretty disastrous. Either not getting the fat cut in properly (which made it melt into a lardy gooey mess in places) or I overworked the dough which made it like the crust I described above, something that made the diner work for his mouthful.

This past Friday I achieved what I consider my best crust yet. I think by closely following a few variables, a great pie crust can be made by the home cook that puts the pre-made circles in the red box to shame.

The first clue to making a good flaky crust is temperature. Your ingredients must be cold. Some bakers will take this so far as to put their flour, bowls and utensils in the freezer. No, I'm serious.
I won't mention any names but I just received an email from a renown American chef who suggested that the secret to a perfect crust is an ice-cold box grater and a stick of butter fresh from the freezer. Here's the recipe for the crust I made. Yes, I do keep my fat in the freezer and water very cold but that's where it ends.

Pie Crust For A Double-Crust Pie
3 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
Pinch of salt
8 ounces lard (kept in the freezer)
1/2 cup ice water (I put it in the freezer for a few minutes just until it starts to form crystals)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the flour and salt a few times just to mix them.
Cut up lard into tablespoon-size pieces and add.
Pulse just enough to incorporate them. About 10 or 11 1-second pulses.
Add lemon juice to ice water.
Pulse and pour water in in a stream just until dough starts to come together.
Remove from processor, force together into a ball. Divide into two discs (one slightly larger than the other), wrap in cling film and refrigerate for at least an hour.
When you are ready to bake your pie, roll out the larger piece, place in pie pan and return to refrigerator .
Roll out second disc (this will be the top) and place on cookie sheet and place in freezer.
Remove pie plate from freezer and fill.
Remove second crust from freezer and top pie. Trim, crimp and bake as usual.

Putting the Bounty By Whilst Eating Meatballs from Around the World

Okay, a strange name for the title of this blog, I know. But I wanted to get started on the subject of canning just because the season is upon us and my mind is going to the empty jars downstairs, how many lids I'll need to get, whether or not I need more pint and 1/2 pint jars and a Christmas many years ago when a box arrived with a hole in it. HUH?????
Shortly after we moved to San Francisco, I was inspired by my sister's preserving techniques and dove into the wonderful world of canning. In addition to the fresh and inexpensive produce available at the farmer's market and the ethnic markets in "The City," I discovered a source of fresh and free wild black berries a short distance away at Golden Gate Park. They all found their ways into buckets, pots and, finally, jars before being put away in the pantry in the back of our apartment in the old building we lived in a few blocks away from the Pan Handle. Everything I needed to make this wonderful culinary magic lay in the pages of The Ball Blue Book, a thin, over sized paperback and all I needed to create these wonders.....or so I thought.

Back when we were living in San Francisco, it seems that boxes going out and coming in during the Christmas season were mammoth. (Taking them to the post office was certainly a mammoth task!) One such huge box , sent from my sister and her partner, arrived at our place with a hole in it. There seemed to be more than enough gifts inside but still I thought I would call after Christmas Day to double check. Yes, Jim had gotten his socks and the newest Anne Rice book.
Yes, pink flamingo salt and peppers shakers had arrived all in one piece and were in a place of honor in the kitchen.
And so it went on until I was questioned about the canning book. "Doing what to food," I asked. No, it hadn't arrived. It must have escaped through the hole. But that was okay, enough other wonderful things had made for a fun Christmas as always. No, it wasn't good enough. I had to have that book, my sister told me.
Several weeks later, a large envelope arrived with a book titled Putting Food By inside. It turned out to be more than just a canning book. It was (is) the quintessential book on food preservation. It goes from canning, to smoking to building your own root cellar. Yes, more than I'll ever need to know about preserving the bounty but by no means more than I want to know.
I'll be talking about the book later on this summer when we get into some canning recipes. But for the time, I'll return to the subject meatballs.

I was particularly attracted to this recipe because of the two main ingredients: Pork and shrimp, two ingredients also found in Shoa Mai one of my favorite items on the board in the dim sum shops that I invariably have to visit when I'm in San Francisco.

Filipino Meatball Soup
(Almondigas)

For the meatballs:
1/2 pound ground pork
1/2 pound shrimp, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/2 cup onion, chopped
Large pinch salt
Several grindings of fresh black pepper

For the soup:
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon fish sauce*
Several grindings of fresh black pepper
2 ounces Filipino noodles (misua) or angel hair pasta
2 tablespoons green onions, finely chopped

Combine all the ingredients for the meatballs. Form into walnut-sized meat balls and set aside.
In a saucepan, saute' garlic and onions in the oil until translucent. Add chicken broth, fish sauce and pepper. Bring to boil and add salt if needed.
Reduce to a simmer, gently add meatballs, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add noodles and continue cooking until tender, about 1-2 minutes.
Garnish with green onions and serve.
* Fish sauce is an Asian ingredient that may be found in the ethnic section of your grocery store or in many Asian food markets. It's very often used in the cooking of Southeast Asia.

The next recipe comes from a friend in the DC area and is also a Forum member at the Jamie Oliver site. She has been fortunate enough to have traveled the far corners of the world and experienced the cuisine of a good many countries. She shared this Moroccan recipe for which she suggests making the tomato sauce first.



Tagine de Boulettes a la Tomate‏

600 gr. (bit more than a pound) ground meat (lamb or beef)
1 onion, finely diced
few branches of cilantro
few leaves of mint
few leaves of marjoram
1 small bouquet of parsley
1 T. olive oil
1/2 t. paprika
1/2 t. cumin
1/2 t. raz al hanout*
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1 t. salt
Wash and dry the fresh herbs, chop in mini prep or by hand. Mix meat and remaining ingredients. Form into mini balls and drop into simmering salted water as you form them. Cook each about a minute and place them in simmering tomato sauce as you remove them from the water. Cook 40 minutes in the tomato sauce.

Tomato Sauce

1 kilo tomatoes (you can use canned), peeled, seeded and chopped
1 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
few branches of flat leaf parsley
few branches of cilantro
2 T. olive oil
1/2 t. paprika
1 pinch cayenne pepper
Saute onion and garlic in olive oil. Add chopped tomatoes, herbs and spices. Simmer while you form and cook meatballs.

*Raz el Hanout is a spice blend. Look for this in middle eastern markets or make your own using this recipe:
2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground mace
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon crushed saffron threads

Combine all ingredients and store in a glass jar in a cool dry place.

Another Asian meatball recipe comes from another Jamie Oliver forum member. She offers this recipe for Indonesian meatballs and suggest the dipping sauce of your choice for them to be served with at room temperature. (Note her unique method of shaping!)

Bakso sapi Indonesian (beef balls)

1 lbs lean beef, sliced
1 clove garlic
1 tbsp tapioca starch (or corn starch)
1 tsp fried shallots
1/2 tsp fried garlic
1 tsp sugar
2 tsp salt
4 tbsp iced water or shaved ice
1/4 tsp ground white pepper

Method:

Grind all of the ingredients except ice water in a food processor or hand crank meat grinder into a smooth paste. Pulse more to make it smoother paste. I use mortar and pestle, to make a very smooth and stiff paste. Transfer to a bowl, add iced water, mix it well, cover and refrigerate it a least 6 hours. Longer is better. Cold dough will produce springy and bouncy tasty meat balls. Before shaping meat balls, transfer the paste into freezer for about 1 hour.

Heat water in the pot. When it reach boiling point, lower the heat. The water should be hot enough to cook the meat balls but not bubbling.

Meanwhile, rub little bit vegetable oil in one of your hand, and get a handful of the meat paste and close your hand into a fist. Squeeze out a small portion of the meat paste (1 teaspoon), between index finger and thumb, to make a smooth rounded ball shaped dough. Scoop out the meat balls dough with an oiled/watered spoon and put it in boiling water (not bubbling). When the meat balls float and cooked through, drain and put it in cold/iced water. At this stage, bakso is ready to eat. Freeze it for future consumption.

The end of the show found us back in Italy where we made vegetarian "meatballs" using eggplant. These are delicate and tender. Different from the meat version but every bit as good.
They are pictured in the beginning of this blog.

Eggplant Polpette

For the sauce:
28 oz can tomatoes
2 large cloves garlic, smashed
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
Pinch of chili pepper flakes (or 1/2 dried Calabrian chili, chopped)
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
salt to taste

Either pass tomatoes through a food mill or chop them up adding them to a pot along with the other ingredients. Heat to simmer and simmer slowly for about 25 minutes. Remove the garlic and set the sauce aside.

For the Polpette:
2 medium eggplants
3 cloves garlic, minced fine
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 large egg
3/4 cup plain breadcrumbs, toasted
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
several grindings of black pepper
Pinch of salt
Plain flour
Vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 400F.
Place eggplants on rack in middle of oven and bake for about 40 minutes or until a toothpick easily pierces the skin.
Remove to a plate to cool.
Once cool enough to handle, cut off tops, peel, cut into large pieces and place in colander to drain for about 20 minutes or until most the the liquid has drained off.
Chop into small pieces and combine with garlic, cheese, egg, breadcrumbs, parsley, salt and pepper.

Put flour on a plate for dredging. With a serving spoon, scoop out some of the mixture, flatten it into a small patty and place it in the flour on the plate. Top the patty with more flour and gently take it off the plate and place it in the palm of one hand. Turn hand over releasing the patty into the palm of the next hand. Repeat this several times to firm up the patty and to knock off the extra flour.

Heat some of the oil in a skillet, fry patties for a few minutes on both sides until a crust forms. You will have to do this in several batches stopping to drain off the blacked oil once or twice and wipe clean with a paper towel.

Reheat the sauce to simmering and simmer the polpette for about 15-20 minutes. Serve with grated cheese. Any extra sauce may be served over pasta.

By Request:Cake & Casserole

I think me getting two recipes on my blog so soon after the show must be a first for me. (Let's hope it's not a "last.")
Taste-wise, I have to confess that this is not my favorite squash casserole. That place goes to the squash casserole that the old Aunt Fannie's Cabin in Smyrna, GA which, unfortunately closed. (I will post that recipe in an upcoming blog.) But this particular dish has a special place in my heart and mind...it was one of my Dad's favorite things to eat. For that reason I made it yesterday to celebrate Father's Day sort of like one would celebrate Dios de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) which is observed in some cultures and which is celebrated by making the favorite food of the departed souls. Whether or not this becomes a favorite, I hope you'll try it and perhaps add your own special touch.

Summer Squash and Sausage Casserole

1 pound sausage (sweet or spicy)
1 clove garlic, crushed
4 cups sliced summer squash
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup chopped parsley
Pinch salt
Several grindings of black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 beaten eggs

Cook sausage and garlic til meat is brown, breaking it up with a fork.
Remove any excess fat
Cook squash covered in small amount of salted water until tender.
Drain well and mix in with the rest of the ingredients except the eggs.
Fold in beaten eggs and pour into greased baking dish.
Bake at 325F for 25-30 minutes.

I hope you enjoy this cake as much as I have come to over the past few years. Great for company but also as a little well-deserved reward at the end of the day with a teensy drop of brandy.

Apricot Upside-Down Cake

For the topping:
1 stick (1/4 pound) unsalted butter
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
Enough apricots cut in half lengthwise and pitted to fit the bottom of a cast-iron (or other oven-safe)pan. (About 10 small or 5-6 large)

For the cake:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick (1/4 pound) unsalted butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
2 large eggs, room temperature
3/4 cup well-shaken butter milk

Put rack in middle of oven and preheat to 375F.

Heat butter in 10-12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat until foam subsides. Reduce heat to low and sprinkle brown sugar evenly over butter cooking without stirring for 3 minutes. (Not all the sugar will melt.) Remove skillet from heat and arrange apricot halves, cut side down, close together on butter and sugar mixture. Set aside.

Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a bowl.
In a large bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment) beat together butter, sugar and extracts at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Beat in eggs one at a time. Scrape down and beat until creamy and doubled in volume, 2 to 3 minutes.
Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately beginning and ending with flour until just incorporated. (Do not over beat.)

Spoon batter over apricots evenly being careful not to disturb the distribution of the fruit.
Bake until brown and a wooden toothpick or skewer comes out clean, 40-45 minutes.
Cool on rack for 15 minutes.
Run a sharp thin knife around the edge of the skittle. Place a plate over the skillet and, using oven mits or pot holders, invert cake onto plate. Lift off skillet and, if necessary, replace any fruit that may have stuck to the bottom of the skillet.

Spaghetti and Meatballs and Pie (Oh my!)

The next recipe comes via the Jamie Oliver Forum and from one of the members whose family is from Greece. Koukouvagia (her forum name) lives in NYC and brings a Greek flavor to our current topic. This is her take on meatballs:

Here's a greek meatball. They are usually eaten as a fried appetizer but we often drizzle tomato sauce over them and serve them with pasta.

-1lb ground beef (chuck)
- 1 lbs ground pork
- 2 medium onions grated
- 1 bunch scallion finely chopped
- handful fresh chopped parlsey
-handful fresh chopped mint
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 2 eggs
- splash of red wine
- 3 or 4 slices of bread
- splash of milk
- olive oil for frying
- salt/pepper

1. Remove the crust from the bread and cut into chunks in a bowl. Pour a little milk over the bread and set it aside to absorb.
2. In a large mixing bowl beat the eggs. Add the onion, scallion, garlic, herbs, and salt/pepper. Combine.
3. Add the mince. Squeeze the milk out of the bread and add the bread too.
4. Combine swiftly - do not overmix!! Overmixing will cause the meat ball to be tough.
5. Form into ping pong sized balls and set aside.
6. Pan fry in olive oil and drain on paper towels. Voila.

Tip - don't overmix
Tip - Don't add breadcrumbs, they will make your meatball dry.

To overmix or not overmix seems to be something that few can agree on. Or maybe "mix well" does not equal overmixing. Who knows. You must be the judge.

John Lennon once said (sang), "There are places I remember in my life though some have changed. Not forever or for better. In my life, though some remain..."
On my last trip to Michigan, I took a few days and went back to my home town of Battle Creek where I had planned to indulge in a shrimp salad from downtown restaurant that had been there for years. Just before my trip I went online to check the hours to make sure I would get there in time. Something in me died a little as I found that their website only contained a "For Sale" advert along with the realtor's name who was handling the property. One more thing that I could never go to again along with Emilio's (the Mexican restaurant by which I judged all others) The Spa Steakhouse where I bussed tables and fell in with the comradery of the wonderful social misfits that end up serving food to the public, The Clock Restaurant, that 24-hour eatery where I got my first cooking job in Battle Creek and where the best potato pancakes and sausages were made in the deep fryer, The Knight's Inn (Holiday Inn restaurant) ran by the cheapest man I'd ever worked for (he had moles in the kitchen who would rat you out for snitching a sausage)
All of them gone. Just dreams now. But there is that one place that still has that one pie...
On the show last Monday, I talked about a place near Battle Creek, Michigan called Cornwall's Turkey Farm. It's one of those places that I hope is there for years and years to come. Although it's not unchanging, it's gone through several incarnations but still offers something sweet from my youth....Peanut Butter Pie.
My old standby at Cornwall's was always the same: A Sloppy Tom (think of pulled turkey thigh in a sloppy joe sauce on a humongous homemade roll) Large Iced Tea and Peanut Butter Pie.
Ahhh peanut butter. The treat that we were not allowed to have in the house as kids because of an addicted sibling. It was like you can't have cooking sherry in the house because Uncle Louie the Alky is coming to visit. So it was with peanut butter. That's why it became such a treat to go to the Turkey Farm. As big and as filling as the Sloppy Tom was, I could always find a space (usually where my lungs were supposed to be) for a mouth watering slice of Peanut Butter Pie.
And I'm serious about the lung thing. You couldn't breathe by the time you waddled out to your car.
I don't have Cornwall Turkey Farm's recipe for peanut butter pie but I do have one every bit as good that my sister's college friend, Marjean, shared with me several years ago.
Note that this recipe calls for Cool Whip. Feel free to use fresh whipped cream instead as I do.

Peanut Butter Pie
1 graham crust - the one I made was from scratch....
> 1 1/4 c. graham crackers, crushed
> 1/4 c sugar
> 6 Tbls. melted butter
> mix, press in pan and chill - 45 minutes
>
> Beat individually together:
> 2 3 oz pkgs. cream cheese (I use a little
> less)
> 1 C powdered sugar
> 1/2 C peanut butter (I use creamy, but crunchie is good
> too)
> 1/2 C milk (I used 2%)
>
> Fold in 9 oz. cool whip
>
> sprinkle top w/ 1/4 c chopped nuts and freeze
>
> I have also added shaved chocolate or drizzled chocolate
> syrup
> on the top also.
>
> Enjoy,

Thanks, Marjean. I have enjoyed it ever since you passed the recipe on. Hope my readers and listeners will as well.

Last Monday's quck fix (which was different than the one you may have heard on the "rebroadcast") was a reicpe I picked up in Sicily a few years back.
It would be a misnomer to say that memorable times were to be had at Franco's table because the wine flowed so freely that few could remember what conversations had occured. I'll just say that good times and good food were had there and that it seems there was always a big crowd.
I can't tell you how many times I ate at that table (yes, I imbibed with the rest) but I can tell you that Franco was as generous with giving out his recipes as he was pouring the next glass of wine.
Franco loves spaghetti and he made it several different ways during out visit to Sicily. This is a wonderful way to make it particularly if you have wild fennel available. If not, subsitute a teaspoon of fennel seeds. Also, when you serve this to guests, don't tell them it has tuna in it.
I can promise you that there are those who will make a face and judge your abilities in the kitchen before the first strand of pasta winds its way around their forks if the meal even progresses that far. No, wait until they have to first taste and a puzzlement joined with a wonderment crosses their faces. Them tell them, "there's tuna in the sauce."

Spaghetti con Pomodoro e Tonno ala Franco

1 28 0z can plum tomatoes
2 cloves garlic smashed
few sprigs of fennel tops (wild if you can get them)
2 tsp sugar
1/2 lb zucchini (peeled and diced)
1/3 cup olive oil (plus more for frying zucchini)
1 small can (80 grams) of good Italian tuna (drained and flaked)
salt to taste
1 pound spaghetti
Pass tomatoes through a food mill and put in a pan together with garlic, fennel, sugar and olive oil. Simmer for 15-20 min. and fish out garlic and fennel
Meanwhile, saute diced zucchini in olive oil until golden and season with salt.
Add zucchini to sauce and heat through and then add tuna.
Mix sauce with finished pasta and serve.
Although it's a no-no to use grated cheese with fish, we can help but love us our pecorino!
>

Meatballs!!!!!

Like lots of Americans, I was under the impression that the proper, and traditional place for meatballs was atop a pile of spaghetti.
To be honest, we rarely ever had them just because the only way my mother made spaghetti was with a meat sauce. "Spag bol," as the English would say.
When we did have spaghetti with meatballs, it came from a can. I don't remember the brand name but it was the only canned spaghetti my father would allow in the house. Not that he was of Italian heritage. (My dad's family were German immigrants on both sides.) But he decided that the meatballs (forget the mushy pasta) were not that bad so it appeared on the table from time to time with the obligatory green can of "Parmesan," which was all many of us ever knew.
Enter the era of television cooking shows. Who knew we'd gotten it all wrong for all those years?
In Italian culture, the meatballs are not sitting on top of a nest of spaghetti like big brown eggs.
In fact, they don't make their appearance until the next course, the pasta having its own spot in the limelight. In addition to this, the meatballs are not the size of your head. They are, ofttimes, medium-sized flat patties. (Think sliders here.) I won't go into the why Italian food is so different here than in Italy. I will, however, direct your attention to the book, Lidia's Italian-American Kitchen by author and chef, Lidia Bastianich, an Italian immigrant who believes there's a legitimacy to Italian-American cuisine. And with whom I couldn't agree more. So however you like them...eat a meatball!!!
My first recipes will take us to Italy where many of us in American associate those tasty globes.
This recipe is one I developed after trying many.
Meatballs My Way

1/2 lb ground beef
1/2 pound ground veal
1/2 pound ground pork
2 cloves garlic minced fine
1/3 cup chopped parsley
1 1/2 cups bread crumbs
2 eggs beaten
2/3 - 1cup grated pecorino romano
Pinch cinnamon
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix to combine and form into balls. Fry in oil just until a crust forms.
Simmer in sauce until done. About 20-30 minutes.

This next recipe comes by way of Sicily from the book, Bitter Almonds, by and Mary Taylor Simeti* and Maria Grammatico. I have made one change after having made these a few times. The sauce does not seem to be adequate enough for as many meatballs as this makes. I always seem to end up with just a little sauce in a pot crowded with meatballs. I have, therefore, doubled the sauce recipe which should work out about right. Also, Ms Taylor Simeti has voided my opening remarks in this blog by suggesting the meatballs be served with pasta.

Sweet Meatballs

For the sauce:
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cups warm water
5 1/2 cups tomato puree
One 4-inch cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

For the meatballs:

1/3 pound whole blanched almonds, toasted
1 tablespoon sugar
1 pound ground beef
1 1/2 cups plain bread crumbs
1 cup freshly grated pecorino cheese
1/3 cup currants
1/3 cup pine nuts
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs
olive oil for frying

To make the sauce, saute' onion and garlic in olive oil just until translucent. Add tomato paste and warm water, stirring to dissolve the paste. Simmer for a minute and then add the remaining ingredients and simmer for 15 minutes.
In the meantime, make the meatballs. Grind the almonds with the sugar. Combine the ground nuts with the meat, breadcrumbs, cheese, currants, pine nuts, cinnamon, salt and pepper and mix well. Shape into 2 1/2 inch patties, brown in oil and simmer in sauce for about 20 minutes.

*Mary Taylor Simeti has written several books on Sicily which I highly recommend for anyone interested in history and, more specifically, the history of food and place. In addition to Bitter Almonds I would recommend Pomp and Sustenance and On Persephone's Island.

End of the Beginnigs

OK, I should have called this the "end of the starts" but that's not very clever and catchy, is it?
I can't believe that I got this far behind on my blogging for the show. Well, I guess I can considering we had company all weekend and I spent lots of time in the kitchen or over the Weber.
In a related story, I had an idea as I was thinking about making poppers: Brush a little maple syrup on the bacon. It turned out to be a winning thought. I let them go for a few minutes covered in the Weber and then brushed the bacon-wrapped poppers with a little maple syrup adding another layer of flavor to the smoke, tang and bit-of-a-bite.
Of course, you can always leave the bacon off and follow my sister's recipe from the last blog.
But I like the taste and texture that the addition of some meat gives to that very American appetizer.
If you want neither the meat nor all the cheese, choosing to make something healthier but still want the meaty texture in an appetizer, then the recipe for stuffed mushrooms is a good choice.
Mushrooms offer a meaty texture in themselves with the filling adding a nice crunchy and salty contrast.
Stuffed Mushrooms
1/2 cup plain dried breadcrumbs
1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
1/4 cup finely chopped flat leaf parsley
Several leaves of fresh mint, finely chopped
Pinch of salt plus several grindings of fresh black pepper
Enough olive oil for moistening the mixture plus more for drizzling over the mushrooms.
25-30 mushrooms (white button or cremini)

Preheat oven to 400F.
Mix first five ingredients together in a bowl. Add enough olive oil, mixing with a fork, to moisten.
Remove stems from mushrooms and reserve for another use. Place mushrooms on a lightly oiled baking pan. (Alternatively, you may line with parchment to save clean up.)
Fill each with some of the mixture and drizzle with a little of the oil and bake for about 25 minutes or until topping turns a golden brown.

Another healthy appetizer I featured last week was one made of fresh fava beans very reminiscent of Hummus, a favorite of my partner, Jim. I made this over the weekend and got the seal of approval from the house hummus-lover. Hope you'll take the opportunity to make this while fava beans are enjoying their short, short season.
(Make certain that you choose the smallest beans possible as the larger ones take on an unpleasant texture and taste and must be freed of their outer skin through boiling and tedious removal.)
Use a good extra virgin olive oil. I prefer a good unfiltered oil with a bit of a peppery bite if available.

Fresh Fava Spread

1 1/2 cups young, fresh fava beans, shelled
1/4 cup grated pecorino cheese
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Pinch of salt
Several grindings of fresh black pepper
Extra Virgin olive oil

Place all ingredients except olive oil in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until everything is finely ground scraping down the sides with a spatula from time to time.
With the processor running, add a stream of olive oil until mixture achieves a spreadable consistency. While adding, check from time to time making certain that the mixture does not become too thin.
Serve on crostini or cracker of your choice.

Last week's Quick Fix finds its place on my top ten sauces for that pasta staple to which we always return...spaghetti. (I like to remember Sofia Loren's quote, "Everything you see, I owe to spaghetti.")
I have no idea if this recipe originated from the area of Calabria in the toe of Italy or whether perhaps it was made in the kitchen of a Calabrian immigrant using what was available here in America. Whereever it came from, it found its way to me and now it's finding its way to you. I hope you'll try it. The leftovers, if there are any, make a beautiful frittata the next day.

Calabrian Spaghetti

1/4 pound sopressata, diced
1/2 cup pitted calamata olives
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
Chili flakes to taste (or if you can get them, one dried Calabrian chili chopped)
1/3 cup dry red wine
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped flat leaf parsley
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cups passata or tomato puree
1/2 chopped onion
1 pound good quality spaghetti, cooked and drained.

In a large wide skillet, heat olive oil and saute onions and saute until soft. Add chili flakes, soprressata and olives cooking for an additional 3 minutes or so. Deglaze with wine and add passata and garlic and reduce slightly.
Add basil and cook an additional minute. Stir in parsley and mix with cooked spaghetti serving pecorino at table.

Week of June 6,2011

Like my experience with Everybody Loves Raymond, The Golden Girls and The Sopranos (or any other shows that I discovered only after they'd started to rerun them) I came to poppers late in life. Wait. I can explain. I only ever saw them in boxes in the frozen food section of the grocery store and they all had pictures of some oblong breaded things on the packages.
They didn't interest me. I'd spent money on deep-fried looking things in the frozen food cases before and had been sorely disappointed on the waste of money and calories. (I hate spending what I imagine to be my daily allotment of calories from fat and bad stuff on, well, really bad stuff!!!)
It wasn't until last summer that I got all fanatic and obsessed with poppers when Maria Vieagas
was talking about getting a poppers holder for the grill that I got interested. Then another friend from Canada said something about putting them in the smoker and my mouth started watering and I had to make some.
I got the stuffing recipe from my sister, who bakes hers, and the idea from wrapping them in bacon from Dave who barbecues his. I'll give both recipes.

Jalapeno Poppers

8 oz cream cheese softened

4 oz cheddar cheese, shredded

4 Monterey Jack, shredded

1/4 t salt

1/4 t chili powder

1/4 t garlic powder

1/2 cup dry bread crumbs - if baking

1 lb fresh jalapenos

Preheat over to 300 degrees. Cut jalapenos in half lengthwise and seed. Combine cheese and seasonings. Spoon about 2 T filling into each half and roll in breadcrumbs. Place on greased baking sheet. Bake, uncovered for 20 minutes for hot, 30 minutes for medium and 40 minutes for mild pepper taste.

Note: When working with hot pepper, always use plastic gloves to protect hand and avoid touching your face.

I make mine basically the same way with the exception of using the bread crumbs, of course, and baking them in the oven. As I stated on my show, I like to wrap some bacon around each one, secure with a toothpick and bbq (off heat and with the lid closed) until bacon is done and jalapeno is tender. Alternately, and even better in my opinion, you can use a smoker instead. The flavor is just spectacular with the addition of that good hard wood smoke.

My next recipe on the show was for slow cooker meatballs. After looking over the list of recipes for meatballs, I realized I had given the wrong recipe. If you copied down the recipe from the show, feel free to use it and let me know how they turned out. I'm going to give you the recipe I use.

Slow Cooker Meatballs

Meatballs:
2 lbs ground beef
1 1/4 cups bread crumbs
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2-3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 cup minced onion

For Sauce:
1 can pineapple chunks, drained, juice reserved
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup cold water
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
Several grindings of fresh black pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 chopped green pepper

Combine meatball ingredients and form into small cocktail-sized meatballs. Brown in skillet in batches lift out with slotted spoon and place in slow cooker.
Pour reserved pineapple juice into the same skillet in which meatballs were browned and stir to combine. Mix cornstarch and cold water and add to skillet stirring over medium heat until thickened.
Add the rest of the ingredients heating through and add to slow cooker. Cook on low for 8 hours.

Since I have a picture of the Peanut Butter Cake that I mentioned on the show, I'm going to give the recipe for that now and finish up with the rest of the appetizers and the Calabrian Spaghetti later.
As I stated on the show, this is the cake that was sold at The Strawberry Festival up by the kitchen. Hope you'll try and enjoy it.

Peanut Butter Cake

1/2 cup butter (room temp)
1/2 cup smooth or crunchy peanut butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 large eggs (room temp)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups cold water

Generously grease and flour a bundt pan. Cream butter, peanut butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add eggs one at a time combining well after each addition. Stir in vanilla.
Sift together flour, soda and salt. Add to creamed mixture alternately with water mixing well after each addition.
Pour into pan and bake at 350F for 45 minutes or until a toothpick or wooden skewer comes out clean.
Cool for 5 minutes, remove from pan and cool thoroughly on cooling rack.
Frost with following:

Peanut Butter Butter Cream Frosting
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar
3-4 tablespoons milk

Cream butter with peanut butter, vanilla and salt.
Add sugar alternately with milk, beating until light and fluffy.

Taco Salad

The quick fix for the Memorial Day show comes to you courtesy of the old Loading Dock restaurant in the Frandor Shopping Center in Lansing, Michigan. I literally still dream of that place. I can't tell you how many nights I've wandered through dimly lit, rambling hallways in old buildings stretching on for what seems like miles of city blocks, looking for the Loading Dock to find Pat and Jean Collins and ask for my old job back. Most times my searching is in vain while a few others I actually catch a glimpse of them and in even fewer they hire me back. But it's never the same and I never even seem to get so much as an order of fries out let alone one of their great taco salads.
OK, ours wasn't the greatest Mexican salad in the area. That honor went to El Azteco for their
Topopo Salad. But ours was certainly popular enough as evidenced by the amount we sold.
In addition to my dreams, I've tried looking up Pat and Jean online with no luck. I do, however, enjoy that salad from time to time and will be enjoying it tonight for my dinner. I hope you'll take a few to enjoy it, too.
There are very good taco chips on the market and I'm sure very good baked ones as well for those who are watching their fat intake. I do like to make my own, however, using the handmade or any other thick tortilla. Best to let them dry out for a short time before cutting them into wedges and frying in hot oil. (If you plan on salting them, do so immediately after retrieving them from the hot oil to make sure the salt sticks.)
Also, feel free to make your own taco meat (or vegetarian version) instead of using the packet.

Loading Dock Taco Salad

1 pound ground beef (or turkey)
1 packet taco mix
Tortilla chips
Shredded cheddar cheese
Shredded lettuce
Garnishes of your choice (tomatoes, scallions, avocado...)
Sweet and sour cream sauce (recipe below)
Salsa or hot sauce

On each plate, crush some of the chips into large pieces. Sprinkle with some of the cheese.
Top this with some of the hot taco meat mixture followed by some lettuce and any of the garnishes you wish to use.
Serve sour cream sauce and salsa or hot sauce on the side.

Sour Cream Sauce
1 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons sugar
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup of white vinegar
Whisk all ingredients together. Taste and balance flavor to your liking with more vinegar or sugar if needed.

And if anyone runs into Pat or Jean Collins, tell them I said "hi" and I'm still making that salad. Oh, and if they happened to reopen the Loading Dock...

'Tis the Season to Eat Cherries (and other musings and recipes)

I just finished off the few last remaining Queen Anne cherries that I got yesterday at Andy's Produce Market in Sebastapol. Problem is, I want more. Last year was the year that Jim fell in love with cherries. He had no problem buying pounds of them and eating them (pits and stems flying out the car window) on our way back home to Guerneville. Come to think of it, around about this time of year when the fruit is beginning to appear in Northern California, it's not a good idea to follow too close behind us if you happen to see our our green Honda Civic traveling anywhere in the West County unless you don't mind being hit by the stray cherry pit, apricot stone or strawberry top. This is the only time we eat in the car and it's a lovely experience. But back to cherries.
I first discovered the goodness of fresh cherries when I lived in San Francisco and they appeared at the old farmer's market in The UN Plaza every Sunday and Wednesday. I just happened to get a few one day and decided to have a sample taste on the 5 Fulton on my way home. By the time I got there, I was left with a plastic bag of pits and very sticky fingers. It got to be a habit and although the bus drivers never said anything to me they did frown as I flashed my Muni Fast Pass and their eyes looked down at the bag of cherries then back up at my face.
They say the record rain this Spring may ruin quite a bit of the cherry crop. The ones I finished off today didn't look all that good but the taste, that taste that says "Spring" to me with all the other things to enjoy this season, was absolutely there!
What do egg incubators and peppadews have in common?
I may be going out on a limb on this one, but I think that we have Sonoma County to thank for both of them. OK, I know we have Sonoma County to thank for the invention of the chicken egg incubator. It was invented in The Egg Basket itself, Petaluma our big city to the south that borders on Marin County.
OK, so what about peppadews, those little saucer-shaped sweet, sour, a little spicy pickled peppers with the big cavity that begs to be stuffed? They may not have been produced here but they sure got a big boost from our very own Guy Fieri on his Food Network show, Guy's Big Bite.
I'd surely never heard of them before and I'm betting that is the case with a lot of other people who enjoy them.
I first started getting these at Safeway at their Olive Bar, the self-serve island with all the Mediterranean veggie appetizers. The last time I was in the Safeway over on Marlowe and Guerneville Road in Santa Rosa, they were missing. I'm hoping that they haven't disappeared altogether. They have the yellow ones in jars at G&G but the quality is not the same and they're a little too pricey. If you do get them, though, one of the best ways I know of to fill them is with an herbed goat cheese that you can put together yourself.
Stuffed Peppadews with Herbed Chevre

8 oz chevre goat cheese
a tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely minced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
s&p
15 or so peppadews
Minced chives (for garnish)
Cream the cheese, herbs, garlic and salt and pepper until a spreadable consistency is reached. (You may have to add a little milk or cream.)
Fill each peppadew with the cheese filling and garnish with some minced chives.

Another popular item that has found its way onto the appetizer table in the past several years is pita chips. These are so easy to make that I can't see spending my ever-shrinking food money of a package of them at the market.

Pita Chips
Slice pitas in two so you have two circles each with a rough and smooth side.
Brush a little olive oil on the rough side and sprinkle on some salt.
Cut each crosswise in half and each half into 4 triangles.
Lay on baking sheet and back at 375F for 10-12 minutes.

OK, now that you've got your pita chips, you'll want to find the perfect dip for them. So, in keeping with our middle eastern theme, we couldn't do better than Hummus bi Tahini. Think of it as a happy marriage of hummus and tahini.

Hummus bi Tahini
1 cup dried chickpeas, picked through, washed and soaked for 24 hours in the refrigerator.
Juice of 2 lemons
3 cloves garlic
1/2 cup tahini
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt to taste
1/2 teaspoon (or more to taste) harissa* (optional)
Extra virgin olive oil

Put drained chickpeas and garlic in bowl of food processor and run until finely chopped. Add tahini, lemon juice, cumin, pinch of salt and harissa (if using) and run until well combined.
With the processor running, add a stream of cold water just until it starts to thin a little then switch to olive oil and add until a spreadable consistency is achieved. Taste and correct for salt if needed.
I like to serve this in a bowl with a sprinkling of paprika followed by a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
*(Harissa is a fiery Tunisian condiment found in Middle Eastern or specialty food stores.)

Memorial Day Show (Beef Back Ribs and Dolmas)

Although this was a show dedicated to appetizers, I couldn't help but throw in a recipe for one of my favorite slowcooker gems, Barbecued Beef Back Ribs. I've had lots of back beef ribs and they ran the gamut from leather-on-a-stick to meltingly sensuous. I think think this recipe comes pretty damn close to the latter.
Slowcooker Beef Back Ribs

1 1/2 cups your fave bbq sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup honey
1 tbls Cajun seasoning
12 oz strong beer or ale

Mix all ingredients in slow cooker and add
3 lbs beef back ribs. Stirring to coat.
Cook on low for 8 hours.

If you really want to put these over the edge, remove the ribs to a pan and keep covered in a low oven. Skim the fat off the resulting juice in the slowcooker (there will be quite a lot), then reduce it in a wide skillet and serve with the ribs.

When I think of dinner parties with courses and appetizers, my mind goes back to a Thanksgiving dinner I attended while I was living in East Lansing, Michigan. A woman whom I worked with at the Grande Gourmet, just the kind of shop you would imagine, asked if I had plans for Thanksgiving. As my family was going up north for the holiday weekend, I jumped at the chance when she told me she would be making a fancy cake enrobed in marzipan. (Pumpkin pie, indeed!) I was ready for her gathering along with some students from MSU that she had invited. What I wasn't ready for was the estate-like place they lived on. (It seems she worked at the shop as a hobby for lipstick money.) The drive in front of the the landscaped yard was more like an off ramp from the freeway. I half expected the butler to come to the door with a silver plate on which to place my calling card. Luckily, the stoner son answered the door saving me the embarrassment of fumbling around for my nonexistent card. I also wasn't ready for the classic hors d'oeuvre that I found on the side table.
In my very limited world, nobody except rich people and Lucy Ricardo (remember the episode in Paris?) ever ate escargot. Yet here they were. Not in the snail shells that you always see sold with them in the grocery store. No, these were served in crispy puff pastry shells. Buttery, garlicky and tender as could be, they were so delicious that I couldn't help but sampleone and then another and another... (Thanks in no small part to my stop in the son's room during a tour of the house.) Escargot in pastry shells has since been available to the masses via Trader Joe's frozen food appetizer section. Not bad either. But by all means, don't pass up a dinner invitation to a snazzy crib just because TJ's has escargot in the freezer. They sure don't have gourmet cakes coated in marzipan and they absolutely don't have appetite enhancers.
Something they didn't have on that hors d'ouerve table was dolmas which is fine since I have gotten to be quite a snob about my stuffed grape leaves. Don't get me wrong: if offered a canned dolma I'll gladly accept. That being said, since making my own I don't think anything comes close. If you've access to fresh grape leaves, by all means use them. If you must use the canned variety, put them in a large bowl, cover them with boiling water (making certain the water gets between the leaves), let set for 20 minutes, drain, rinse well in cold water and repeat the process once more to remove the salt. If you do have access the fresh grape leaves, make sure they have not been sprayed with insecticide, for starters. Also, get more than you are going to need, stack the extras in freezer bags and store in the freezer. This will eliminate the need for boiling fresh leaves in the first step to making dolmas the next time you want to make them as freezing them will breakdown cells making the leaves limp enough to roll.
For the fresh unfrozen leaves, put a few at a time into a pot of boiling water and leave them a few minutes until they become limp. Cut the stems and tough veins going just into each leaf out.

Vegetarian Dolmas

40-5- grape leaves
(fresh or preserved)
3/4 cup long grain rice
2-3 tomatoes, skinned and chopped
2 large onion, minced
3 tablespoons finely chopped flat leaf parsley
2 tablespoons finely chopped mint
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
Large pinch of salt and several good grindings of pepper
5 cloves of garlic
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon sugar
Juice of two lemons

Add rice to boiling water and stir to separate. Drain into a strainer and rinse with cold water draining thoroughly after.
Mix rice, tomatoes, onion, parsley, mint, cinnamon, allspice, salt and pepper together.
Placing a leaf stem-side down and vein-side up, place a heaping teaspoon full of filling in the center. Fold bottom up and over, bring sides over and roll up like a cigar gently squeezing rolled up leaf in hand to tighten and eliminate excess juice.
In a large skillet, line bottom with torn or smallish leaves placing a clove of garlic here and there.
Place finished dolmas closely together in skillet.
Mix the olive oil with 1/2 cup of water, the sugar and lemon juice and pour over dolmas. Place a plate over dolmas, put a lid on the skillet and simmer on a very low flame for two hours making sure that there is always liquid in the skillet or the dolmas will burn.
Cool and serve.