eggbeater

the last day of the month hosting the first day of spring.

March 31st.
Monday.
The start of the week and the end of a month.
My month.
The month where the last sign ends and the first sign begins.
You could say that the Persians have had it right all along-- the first day of spring, March 20th, is the new year.
Winter ends, spring begins.

        do you take note of first and last days?

The end of March.
Bittersweet.
What will April bring?
Showers?
Strawberries?
Field grown rhubarb?
Out of the hothouse, into the sun, into the ground.

New beginnings make me fearful and giddy all at the same time.

        remember you can always start your year over.

Quince Blossoms!

It seems absolutely silly that I have never seen a quince blossom until yesterday, but there it is.

Because I'm taking photos everyday, (a great exercise if you've never done it) I am also having to choose one photo to represent that day. Yesterday was a hard one because all the blossoms in my neighborhood are exploding like decadent party revelers at Mardi Gras. The heady scent is drunkening and every sidewalk is a trompe l'oeil of recent snow fall.

But quince blossoms made the cut because upon close inspection I found it so nifty that quince's cottony fuzz ends up on the tree's leaves when blossoms come out in spring.

I hope wherever you are a new season is opening your eyes and encouraging you to take a closer look.

Butterscotch Questions & Answers

Butterscotch is a much disputed substance. People say butterscotch is this and butterscotch is that, but butterscotch is just one thing:

Butterscotch.

god said it, i believe it, and that settles it

Over yonder ho at Simply Recipes on the How To Make Butterscotch piece there are some absolutely fantastic questions being asked. What I love about the hard questions is that they make me think really hard, do a little more research and then try as hard as I can to explain what I know. In an actual kitchen, with you standing by my side, I can explain by saying "Here, look, see that and hey-- take a spoon and taste. See?"

But on this here flat screen, with only these 26 letters below my fingertips... Well let's just say it's a challenge I love to meet.

Two of my favorites so far:

"I fear I must repeat a previously asked question, as I, too, want to know. What is the difference between butterscotch and caramel? Thanks.

Hello LesterK,
Thanks for your question. I fear the explanation will bring us into the sticky realm (pun intended) of the thick and murky nomenclature bog.

Plainly, for the sake of brevity, caramel is made with white sugar and butterscotch is made of brown sugar.

But caramel could also be seen as an umbrella term for a wide range of sugars that caramelize. See above comments-- butterfat can caramelize from a number of animals which give milk, and depending on the region you could be eating Yak caramel or coconut sugar caramel, neither of which fit neatly into these two binary caramels.

I fear your question has spurred in me a number of other questions, and possibly posts, to come. Thank you for your small but grand query! ~ Shuna "

and

"Can you explain the New England habit of adding a dash of vinegar to butterscotch?

Hello DtG,
This is a great question. Because butterscotch began its life in the form of a hard candy there are a few "hold-over" ingredients from that particular recipe that can still sometimes be found in butterscotch sauce recipes and methods.

I don't have a degree in science, so explaining exactly why acidic liquid is added to sugar while sugar cooks and melts and reaches high temperatures is difficult in this format. Sugar loves to re-crystallize while it melts and one way of "insuring" that it will not re-crystallize is to add acidic liquid or an invert sugar (the most popular one now being corn syrup.)

Although one source listed cider vinegar as a preservative in butterscotch hard candy making, I believe the addition of vinegar was first used to facilitate sugar's smooth transition from granulated to liquid, and secondly the presence of acid in sweet cookery is like salt in savoury cooking-- vinegar acts as a flavor enhancer.

It should be noted: butterscotch making as we know it today, whether it be for hard candy or sauce, looks very different than the way it did in 1817 and the decades following. ~ Shuna "

Might you have any questions weighing on your heart about the elusive creature that is butterscotch? Fire away!

Butterscotch: How To Make. {finally}

For all the butterscotch rage that's been going on for about a year now, (on the www), there's still very little information about what butterscotch is and is not.

#1. Butterscotch is not made with white sugar. Look here if you don't believe me.

#2. Butterscotch is not the flavor of butterscotch chips and butterscotch chips are an artificial flavor.

#3. Butterscotch is really easy to make from scratch.

#4. A lot of people have told you how to make butterscotch pot de creme or stove top pudding before me. My own recipe and method is only one of many.

But now,

#5. I'm here to tell you How To Make Butterscotch. Yes! Finally! Go see for yourself!

How To Make Butterscotch-- with step-by-step photos and instruction. It's at Simply Recipes. Yes, I'm lucky enough to be a guest author there again.

So now you can do whatever you want with butterscotch. Now you have freedom. The skies are the limit. Butterscotch thrown from the rooftops! Butterscotch dresses! Butterscotch kiddie pools!

Butterscotch. The flavor. The memory. The sauce. The elusive & rare perfume.

Butterscotch: the myth, the legend. The Movie.

Butterscotch, the photo essay tutorial, can be found on Flickr. Click here to see the whole process.

Shuna Lydon's SF/Bay Area Baking Classes: April 2008

**are you finding these classes after the fact? Click Here to see what I'm teaching right now.**

APRIL 2008 ~

It's that time again! For Shuna Lydon Classes!

It's time you understood the Whys as well as the Hows!

When was the last time you made caramel confidently? How many pots have you ruined? What is the difference between amber and burnt caramel? How much butter can you add, how much cream, and can you add both? What is caramel sauce and did you know that gastrique can be applied to sweet and savoury foods?

CARAMEL

is the subject of one of my next classes. Get more confident around this dangerous substance. Understand mounting and avoid crystallization. Taste the difference between various caramels, develop a taste memory for salts and dairy seasonings, and walk away with a caramel swagger.

*

Who loves flaky dough? How come some doughs call for ice water and chilling and others can be used right away? What do you do with a cookie dough that gets too sticky to roll? How come sometimes your pie dough shrinks or melts? How come your galettes are soggy and or under-baked in the middle? How does dough become tough?

PASTRY


will be discussed, touched, listened & paid close attention to, rolled, baked and eaten in my second April class. Think buttery shortbread, pie and galette dough.

As great as cookbooks and blogs are, some baking subjects and techniques need hands-on learning. Body memory is created in my classes and personal instruction guarantees your strengths and weaknesses are addressed on the spot.

The Important Details:

PASTRY
Saturday April 12, 2008
12 Noon - 3 pm

$125*

Paulding & Company Kitchen
Emeryville, California

*

CARAMEL
Saturday April 19, 2008
12 Noon - 3 pm

$125*

Paulding & Company Kitchen
Emeryville, California

Payment Information:

There is a direct Paypal link in eggbeater's upper right hand column, right under the "What's Next? San Francisco/Bay Area Baking & Culinary Classes on the Horizon: A Calendar" link. If you prefer to send me a check, send an email and request and address. **Please be specific about which class you are signing up for.**

*There are 2 spots in each class reserved for "assistant" positions at $65 each. These positions are offered to those people who might not be able to afford the class otherwise. Please email me directly if you feel you qualify-- do not register at this price unless you've emailed me first. You will come early to set up and stay late to clean up. You do not need previous or professional experience.

These classes will max out at about 15 people. Please check back in here to make sure you're not paying for a class that is closed. If, for any unforeseeable reason the class needs to be canceled, you will be paid back in full minus whatever fees Paypal takes. There are no refunds.

*

Yes, my classes are thorough. Yes, I answer all your questions and some you don't even know you have.
Yes, I will be teaching more classes in the upcoming months
Yes: if you can't make it to these classes I will teach these subjects again, BUT I can't guarantee when.
Yes, I take suggestions for subjects!

YES, I CAN TEACH IN YOUR CITY. Contact me directly if you want me to teach near you.

Yes, you'll miss out if you keep saying, "I'll take the next class..."

If these classes filled up before you even knew about them--
Yes, please: sign up on my personal private mailing list by emailing me and asking. It's that easy to know first!

come one, come all, come hungry to learn!

Homemade English Muffins

Are The Best Gift.
And they are only made better if homemade orange & grapefruit marmalade comes with it.
The jam & marmalade faeries must have been paying attention to my thoughts because 2 people gave me citrus marmalade on Saturday.

My collection was looking slim.

It's been a while since I made english muffins at home. But thankfully I live very close to a person who makes them with extreme frequency. You might remember that we joined forces and made them together one late April day last year...

And after much experimentation I will say this: even if your first batch does not come out exactly as you wish them too, eating imperfect homemade english muffins is far better than the store bought version. {Although I will admit to cheating & loving Rudi's spelt english muffins. But shhhhh, don't tell the Wrangler!}

P.S. By doing a search through Food Blog Search, I came up with all these other fine folks who have seen the light as well...

what dies to begin anew.

brain is mush.
want to sleep.
got sick after the festivities.
too much mirth, too much happiness.
the smiling headache stayed past the time it was supposed to.

and then the car got sick too.
but someone told me about the best autoshop ever and everything is going to be alright.
and i got to spend all day and all evening sunday with one of the best people that ever there was and so i can hold onto that when i'm drinking my liquids and sweating and aching. she came all the way from alabama to spend my 40th birthday with me!
and today i talked to my dad about the impending presidential election.
and
in a few days i will be announcing some april classes.

so i'm sorry if the brain has few verbs in it. or adjectives.
i want to tell you about snickerdoodles.
i want to tell you about one of the best, most generous gifts i was given, by all my friends and family, on saturday.
i want to       remember what i wanted to tell you about.

but in a few hours, before light washes over the east bay, i should be on my way to a small kitchen to bake pot de creme and make cookies and test chocolate things. and then i will see some of the foodblogging folks and they will eat some of my most simple desserts and all will feel at least a bit better.

ps. if you haven't noticed-- there are some new & intriguing links in my "blogs i have a crush on" column. take a look-see at 'em. thank you to those people who pass on the chef blogs when you find them... one day we will take the world. heh.

in herbal tea and crunchy veg salad,

my 40th birthday party.

a spectacular weekend of celebrating, cooking, shopping, baking, prepping, laughing, carousing, visiting, eating, snacking, churning, whisking, visiting, crying, talking, cleaning, remembering, loving, tasting, stirring, joking, poking, frying, hugging, sweating, smiling, driving, photographing, and general mirth making has gone on this weekend. if you're interested in seeing a few of the photos from last evening's party-- they're right here.

Brown Sugar Kitchen. Oakland, California

Any particular reason why you're waiting to go?

Go here if you love:

Biscuits, blue bottle coffee, beautiful waiters, real grits, fried chicken, Blue Chair Fruit Jam, and a dynamic atmosphere.

Brown Sugar Kitchen
2534  Mandela Parkway
Oakland, CA
510-839-SOUL  (7685)

Tuesday - Saturday
7 am - 3 pm

p.s. I worked with the chef, Tanya Holland, in NYC, about 15 years ago! Yes, the world is small.

40.

40

years ago my I have a feeling my mother was really happy to finally eject me.
I was a month late.
and after Bob Dylan, many puzzles put together every day, and eating a lot of fucking chocolate cake,

later

I was born at this time, on this fine day

{ The First Day of Spring. Every year. And don't argue with me. No. Shhhh, it's rude to argue with the birthday woman. }

in San Francisco General Hospital.

I was born with a full head of hair and, as the story goes, my mother looked down at me and said,

"Where did this Eskimo baby come from?" I was a big 'un.

And then she named me something besides the name you see here.
No.      /I've said too much already. 
But a few hours went by and she looked down at me and said, "You're not a ________, you're a Shuna.

And there I became.

/hopefully my father will speak for himself in the comments. Hey Dad-- what was the first thing you said? Come on now, it's time for one story-only-you-can-tell from March 20, 1968!

Arriving right on the cusp, between the final and first sign,
and, perhaps having something to do with an initial name change, I was destined to confuse people.

Keep them on their toes. Live Outloud.

TODAY.

40

years later
I can say that my life is full.

Like Persephone, I feel Spring is my season and my duty, to bring in, notice, and celebrate. Even the Persians know it's my birthday. Look at all that feasting they're doing!

40

Years later I'm back in the Bay Area, living moments from some of my first homes. I live in the best treehouse in Northern California. I have the best, most loving, absolutely funny & honest & real friends a fish could ever want.

Ten years ago on this day, at 30, a man I greatly admire shook my hand and said, with slightly raised eyebrow, but much gravity,

"Welcome."

And then I bought my first non-ironic pair of old school adidas,
and I've never looked back. Will forty be different? I think so. As someone said to me recently,

"At forty there's no denying you're not young anymore."

It's a good thing the number 4 is my favorite number, that's all I'll say. I've always knew that four was strong, had good posture, could sustain a high level of levity mixed with firm seriousness, and, best of all,

the number 4

is orange. Yes. I'm sure of it. It's not like 5 which can sometimes be black or lipstick fire engine red.

4

has always been orange.

And so I'm happy to be entering my 4 tieth year because it just means that I have a lot of lovely, delicious, striking shades of orange to be introduced to.

And it means that it will help me get used to this very large number. 40. I figure if I write it down enough I'll get used to it. Yes. That's what I'm saying to try and convince myself. Please don't argue with me. No, stop it.

I'm ok.

In fact I'm so happy to be turning forty I decided to celebrate by allowing someone to make my birthday cake for me this year. And I am being gracious by allowing 4 of my friends to take me out to eat one of my favoritest people's food. One of the best people there ever was has come all the way from Alabama and I'm going to put a big smile on my face and force her to make biscuits.

/and to start the day out right, a few of us crazy chickens are going to a little place in Oakland for anything, because it's all delicious, if not dangerously so.

I'll be with the people I love most in the world. Except for the London holdouts. And the Portland family. The Seattlites all have stories that check out... The Floridians say I should just get there for Passover. A fabulous cousin in Australia said she missed the one non-stop train and there all those New Yorkers who are always complaining about how busy they are. Not to mention the NYC to LA transports. Whatever. It's not like you haven't had a save the date in your calendar for, like, 10 years.

I'm only going to turn 40 once.

And thank goodness for that, right? Next year I'll be even wiser.

*

Happy First day of Spring Ya'll!
Celebrate today with wild abandon! Kiss and tell! Dance in the streets!

40.

yes.

 

 

The Secret Pastry Delivery Service

I call an old friend. I haven't called him in maybe 14 years, although I ran into him at a friend's party last year. He's a carpenter and I'm looking for a custom job.

He's very surprised to hear from me. I say who it is and he says,

    "Well I was wondering who this could be. I thought it might be a man who speaks Spanish asking me about an old car I'm selling. But it's not, it's you. Are you making pastries these days?

    Are you calling because you're going to bring some pastries to me?"

"Right now?" I say.

    "Well, yes, right now. Isn't that why you're calling?"

"You mean like a Secret Pastries Delivery Service?"

    "Yes." He said.

can memories be composted?

what is the color of unrequited love?
where do memories in limbo go?
what if you miss something you shouldn't?
can you mourn something that was never yours?

        last night i dreamt of that kitchen. in it every object, every ingredient was on a table, a surface, in the whole house, the entire restaurant was covered in silent auction bids. although in real life there was never a waffle machine there I wanted that more than anything else and i topped the bids out at $2.25. people were packing cars. she who stole my name was going home again, to write a book about gingerbread houses. we moved around the space like familiar strangers, curt and.   
polite, if you could call it that.

can memories be composted?
what if a thought identifies as two opposing camps? can someone play for both teams?

    this is what you don't know. that in my dreams all is exposed, all is uncovered. in my dreams no one can lie.

who are you if you are not who you say you are?
are imposters compostable?
what if you stole something i couldn't let go of?

    one cheek slapped, and for the other, a kiss.

who labels blessings and who pens curses?
            g-d is doing for us what i cannot do for myself.

    in the dream i feel the steam in me letting. i am happy in that kind of exhausted way. my stomach empty. in the dreams of past kitchens they are always dark. quiet. i have these thoughts, these memories, all these things i want to say

    but it's all gone and there are only lines and bids and people's handwriting and we are milling about, barely looking at each other and looking down and bidding. hoping to take home something that will remind us. of what has been lost, what has been

     what has been someone's expensive toy, what has been someone's joy for the moment.

and where do i take those memories now?
will you compost them for me?
can't they make earth black and seeds warm and fruit grow?

deflated.

who will sail my wandering boat ashore?
who will bury my anguishes?

where do unspoken memories go?
can they be composted?