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Posts from the ‘Desserts’ Category

Dec 19

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Awesome New Life food: filled cream wafers and roasted sunchokes, among other things

So. Friday was my last day at work. There’s quite a bit I could talk about here – like the heart-warming, breath-taking support I saw from my coworkers and friends at the college over the past few weeks. Or how exhilarating and terrifying it is to up and jump off the professional path I’ve been on for more than a decade. Or how exciting it is to be sitting here writing this, in the middle of the day on a Monday, at my favorite coffee shop – watching people, watching the weather, watching the Christmas lights twinkle at the cleaners across the street, watching whatever I feel like I want to watch. Not every day will be like this one, but I love knowing that unscheduled days like this one will come along more often, giving me the time to reflect, to experiment, to slow down a little.

Some_crust

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Nov 18

A tale of two cakes

I’ve been trying to write this post for days.

I have things I want to say, but I just can’t figure out how to get them out. I’m a little exhausted, and a little scattered. It’s like how going on a trip is fantastic, but those few days ahead of time are chaotic, and stressful, and you can’t figure out how to pack less than five pairs of shoes, and you’re sitting on the floor surrounded by a monstrous pile of sweaters, and then you’re raising your voice to your husband. “Why don’t I have shoes that go with things? Why are all my shoes so awful? Why don’t I have anything nice?! Why is life so miserable and WHY AM I SO BAD AT IT?!” And he says “here, love: you should drink a little of this bourbon.”

(Two points: 1. Packing gives me major anxiety, and 2. Brett is pretty awesome.)

You could say I’m kind of in a trip preparation period right now, but it’s lasting for weeks instead of days. And I’m organizing time and emotions and energy and focus instead of socks and pants and sweaters and shoes. (Side note: Seriously – why don’t I have shoes that go with my clothes? It can’t really be this hard. Can someone help me with this, please?) And instead of a trip to somewhere far away, it’s more like a trip into a different everyday life. What comes next will be fantastic, but in the meantime there’s much to do and lots of focus on at once, and I’m one foot in this life and one in the next.

Two more points: To deal with stress, we should eat some cake. And then some more cake.

Deal?

Ginger_pear_cake

Cheesecake

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Nov 7

Chocolate pudding and kitchen memories

When I was young, I spent early mornings before school and many afternoons after school at my great-grandmother’s house.  I knew that split-level house and its uneven, blocky yard inch by inch, from the green shag carpet in the living room, constantly littered with pine needles and ornament hangers from last year’s Christmas, to the exact best place to roll down the hill behind the house, to the back utility closet that opened onto the deck and that served as a clubhouse/office/hideaway for my best friend and me through the early years of elementary school.

GG_house

All of my earliest kitchen memories are from this house.

GG_2

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Oct 31

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Slowing down, preparing for change – Brown sugar apple crisp with rum-soaked currants

Being in the kitchen can be a great way to deal with everything else going on in your life. Need some excitement in your life? Douse something with brandy and set it on fire. Need to get out your aggression? Smash some candies for peppermint bark. Feeling disconnected or homesick? Chocolate chip cookies.

Having trouble focusing? Peel some apples. Need to slow down a bit? Soak some currants in rum for at least a day.  Feeling a little frantic? Bake them together, slowly, with crunchy bits of brown sugar crumble on top. Serve it warm, with a rather large dollop of softly whipped vanilla cream.

Apple_crisp

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Oct 3

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Mambo Italiano, part II

Lately I’ve found myself particularly drawn to the idea of themed meals. Some recipes, a carefully chosen cocktail, a bottle of wine, and appropriate music, and my kitchen is transported to another time and place.  This stems from the same sort of enjoyment we all get from looking at our glossiest cookbooks; those pictures provide a glimpse into the lives, the culture, the stories, and the rest of the context inextricably linked to the recipes and other food writing in the book.

I’m about to share with you another Italian menu, and it’s no secret that I’ve been spending a lot of time with our growing collection of Italian cookbooks.  It’s hard to stay away from scenes of sun-drenched hillsides, freshly caught seafood, rolling vineyards as far as the eye can see, and the ruddy, proud, happy faces of people engaging in the food traditions of their ancestors. It’s also really hard to stay away from this food.

Carbonara
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