eggbeater

Sunday New York Times: July 20, 2008 {!}

This coming Sunday you may want to pick up the NY Times. Look for something written by the inimitable Amanda Hesser.
July 20, 2008.
It will be a special day indeed.
Well, for me, at any rate.

See you soon?

 

once s'more, with feeling!

How To Make Snickerdoodles!

You all have been waiting soooo patiently!

You've been teased.

And promised.

And tempted.

And some of you have even taken nibbles.

But now.

Right now.

I have a recipe, method, step-by-step instruction and photos,

and

if you live close by

you could even taste one.

Follow the bowl of swirling cinnamon sugar

to Simply Recipes where I'm guest authoring.

SNICKERDOODLES.

                     /and you thought the day would never arrive. awww. i keeps my promises!

Have you ever made pastry cream at home?

Creme Patissiere anyone?
With flour? Cornstarch?
Whole eggs? Just yolks?

While there are a number of recipes online, I couldn't find one I loved the explanation for the method of.
Do you have one you always follow?

    p.s. this is research so I can give you a recipe you've asked about... 

berries berries berries everywhere.

if you had too many bush berries on your hands, what would you do with them?

feel free to point me to your favorite recipes...

merci!

The Fourth of July!

today is:

chocolate buttermilk cake
sticky buns
beignets !
sweet potato pie
caramel cake with caramelized butter frosting
a spoonful of the best coconut pastry cream, if I love you
snickerdoodles
chocolate chocolate chip cookies
bacon-scallion-cheddar biscuits
limeade
mint lemonade
strawberry lemonade
lacy yeasted cornmeal waffles with brown sugar butter
creamed corn
warm buttermilk biscuits and local jam
blue bottle coffee
homemade granola
black cast iron skillet baked cornbread
grits
a giant smoker filled with ribs and chicken
perfectly poached eggs
watermelon
real vanilla ice cream
honest iced tea
fresh squozed orange juice
R&B
a dash of hip hop
old school soul
hot cooks
even hotter bakers
corn on the cob
friends
barking

and beautiful
big
explosions of light
and colour
in the broad
grand
mighty
night sky.

happy fourth.
be safe, sane & consensual, and responsible tonight. /please.
just think:
you may even want to remember what you did today, tomorrow. just sayin'

see you soon?

Napa Valley Eating & Imbibing

While I was staying at the farm last week, I did manage to pry myself away from dog walking and reading the New Yorker long enough to eat and drink a bit in the new & improved Napa Valley.

Almost 10 years ago, when I lived in Napa, the city proper, downtown was basically a memory for a few people. The old movie theater was mostly "closed for renovations," block after block in the historic area was dusty and cobwebbed or being torn down, and visiting the post office was sometimes the highlight of my week.

Not so anymore.

The place has exploded.

You can get exquisite, inky, oily, sweet, freshly roasted espresso at Ritual, one of the best {vegetarian} meals in California at Ubuntu, real mint mint chocolate chip ice cream at Three Twins, just about any meat or meat product you want or have never heard of at Fatted Calf {our guy Guy took some of the best FC photos-- check em out here}, illegally delicious coffee cake at Alexis Baking Company, gorgeous and delectable desserts by Nicole Plue, and produce grown with everloving care, if you choose to wake early and go to the St. Helena farmers' market.

Of course there are a hundred more restaurants and dozens of more eateries and imbibing stations, but above is what I got to on this go-around.

Pierre Herme Macarons, 2008. /Sweet French Telegram

Although I once said all I thought I could say about the venerable Pierre Herme and his exquisite macarons, I have a bit more to add to the mix.

Jasmine Tea. snowy white iridescence, subtle, evocative, featherlight, barely imperceptible breeze. oof. delicious like you've never thought to know.

Triple Vanilla. close your eyes, take a trip, sailing under cerulean skies, glimmering aquamarine blue sea, a hint of something deep from the tropics, one finger down a naked spine, a tiny powerful neck bite, eye contact, and then missing the painpleasure because you can never get enough.

Apricot & Cherry. soft downy skin, treasure in the middle, hint of sour, large light goose down comforter, lullaby, one last hand hold before you board the ship. ready for sleep.

Chocolate-Passionfruit. it's 11 pm and you're ready to go out. disco nap an hour ago. hair, check. tight jeans. you look fine. and you know it. you don't kiss and tell. superfly. is the night ready for you? pinch & slap. dark & glittery. sweat on skin glows, invites. lean in, pull out. tease.

The Caramel Cake Has Made A Comeback

I have made some adjustments to the recipe based on the challenges of the current kitchen where it is being produced. We are using a still oven that is also the service oven for The Line in the restaurant, during service!

Caramel Cake.

Yes. Nearby, if you live in Northern California. I'm a gonna get me some today...

Seasonal Fruit Dessert Class: May 31, 2008 ~Eats

We ate a lot of seasonal fruit desserts today.
    too many?
Well, that's relative.
    to what?
Hmmm.
    yes?
It's relative to not enough.

What we made in class:

Tulare Cherry-Cornmeal Cake
Biscuits
Blackberry-Rhubarb Cobbler
Honey Sabayon
Seemingly Disparate Fruit Salad:
    cucumber, jicama, mango, basil, orange segments, young ginger, & a pinch of serrano pepper

What we saw:

Cherry Stones Roasted and Smashed With A Hammer

What we ate:

Everything We Made
Strawberry-Buttermilk-Ricotta Bavarian with Strawberry Coulis
Melon with Honey Sabayon and a dash of Bee Pollen

and...
    drumroll, really?
Yes, Drumroll!

            A   MANGOSTEEN ! ! ! !