Dreaming of France

     On Sunday I took my boyfriend to the airport for his month long trip to France.  He'll be cooking in a restaurant in Paris for 2 weeks and traveling around northern France for the other two.  Four weeks of incredible food, wine, and exploring a beautiful country.  Well, I'm pretty darn jealous, and I'm missing him a lot.  So, I decided I needed to have my own small food adventures around town while he is gone.
     This morning I went over to An Xuyen Bakery on 54th and Foster.  I'd read great things about their  French and Vietnamese breads and pastries, and I've been craving a Banh Mi sandwich...it was calling my name.  The tiny shop was overflowing with beautiful pastries, breads, and buns.  They also make specialty cakes and wedding cakes.  I purchased a traditional banh mi, a baguette, a Walnut Crisp (basically a flat round of puff pastry covered in sugar and studded with walnuts), and a guava cookie.  $5.23!  What a steal.
Shiny display case, great prices, they're really winning me over.  And the taste followed through.
The banh mi was nice- crunchy vegetables and spicy mayonnaise.  The crisp would be perfect with an espresso with a bit of cream.  I'm a sucker for the flaky layers of butter and sugar.  But it's this guava cookie that really sealed the deal.  I'd like to go back and get ten more.  I didn't realize what I was getting.
It just looked like a sugar cookie with bits of guava flecked through it.  Boy was I wrong.  The most tender, buttery crumb opened to a gooey, deep rose, guava jelly interior.  It was so delicate that it barely held together as I bit into it.  This is the best mood I've been in since my blues began on Sunday morning.
So, this will just have to be a month of food finds, new restaurants, and experimenting in the kitchen.  Maybe I'll learn something fabulous too.

Batter Fried Chicken

     Eric loves to tease me about my accent, which he does by attempting to imitate me.  We've been working on the subtle, yet important, differences between country and southern accents.  Lately, I find his mimicry to be very similar to that of the characters in the Country Bear Jamboree  ride at Disney World.  Exaggerated is an understatement, but this is really a vast improvement.  However, I thought I'd indulge him a little and stick to my southern roots by making some fried chicken for dinner.
      Last summer my mother and I used a batter recipe from a Cook's Country issue, and it was far superior to other fried chicken in my vast fried chicken eating experience.  Needless to say, I went that route again Tuesday night.  The chicken goes into a quick brine while the batter is whisked together  and rests in the fridge.  The batter is a simple combination of flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, pepper, paprika, cayenne, and cold water.  The chicken is patted dry, dipped in the batter, and dunked straight into the hot oil.  The oil is heated to 325 and each batch takes between 12 and 15 minutes.  Couldn't get much simpler. No extra long soaking times necessary, and the chicken is incredibly moist and juicy.  I love that the batter is spicy, light, and crispy.  I don't feel weighed down like I do with heavily breaded fried chicken.  Plus, with my handy countertop fryer, I got out of the deal without greasy splatter and stink all over me and the kitchen.
      We ate our chicken with big, fluffy cheddar biscuits.  Their golden, crunchy tops and soft crumb were perfect for spreading on butter and honey.  And even though it was a little out of place with the rest of our meal, we thought the biscuits were just begging us to try the new, expensive French butter Eric found recently at a local specialty market.  Yea, that was a winner.
      I also made my favorite baked beans in individual cast iron pots.  I crave this recipe of my mom's from Our Country Cookin', and it was always my request at any meal worthy of baked beans.  And with some fried 'taters on the side, we were more than full.
      So, Eric can laugh about the southern accent all he wants, but he clearly can't deny the food that comes with it.  He managed to eat all the leftover chicken for both lunch and dinner yesterday.  I think he liked it.

Taking Time

     Moving is never fun.  I've moved a lot in the past 6 years.  In fact, my current move marks number ten;  you'd think I'd be an expert by now.  I am more efficient, but it never gets any easier.  Stuff tends to accumulate, and since what I collect generally falls into the categories of Kitchen and Cookbooks, my loads are not exactly lightweight.
     Yesterday I moved quite a few of these heavy loads....one.at.a.time.  I must have looked ridiculous scurrying back and forth from the car, across the courtyard, to the front door of the apartment building.  And thanks to the cold I've had the last few days, I was producing quite the attractive wheezing sound.  I'm just grateful the weather here in Portland is sunny and beautiful right now.
     All this to say that getting home and cooking a warm and satisfying meal was precisely what my body needed.  I made a barley risotto with cara cara orange, arugula, crème fraîche, and toasted walnuts.  After sautéing the onion, shallot, garlic, and toasting the barley, I just pulled a chair right up to the stove while I added the liquid.  I turned on some music, grabbed my book, and for forty minutes forgot all about my list of packing chores as I slowly stirred my risotto.  There is something mesmerizing about watching grains gradually puff and become tender and creamy.  I love that I can listen to the bubbling of broth, watch simple ingredients transform into my delicious dinner, and suddenly feel totally relaxed. 
     I was nourished by this meal, in a way that eating a quick bite standing up in a restaurant never allows for.  I have neglected to spend that long cooking at home recently.  I've been letting another move across town stress me out, and this was all I needed.  A calm hour alone in my kitchen to put things back into perspective and remind me that taking the time to take care of myself is every bit worth it.  
      

A Love Letter to Pumpkin Rolls

     Yes, it is just the standard cake and icing roll that's in every Junior League and Betty Crocker cookbook.  They come in plenty of flavor combinations, but the pumpkin roll with cream cheese icing is the one I wait patiently for all year.  I realize I could make one myself, but then I'd have a whole cake in my possession...that's dangerous.  I have visions of the episode of Sex and the City when Miranda tries to throw away the remainder of a cake she has almost entirely devoured, and then just eats it out of the trash.
That could easily be me.
     So I did not make one myself, and I also missed out on this treat at both Thanksgiving and Christmas.  However, I requested that out of the slew of pumpkin rolls produced at the Crazy 8 Cafe over the holidays, one be tucked safely away in the freezer for when I finally made it back to Chickasha for a visit.  In the weeks before my arrival in January, I checked in on the status of my pumpkin roll multiple times.  I didn't want it to accidentally be served to paying customers....that would be silly.  They couldn't possibly appreciate it as much as me.
     Well, somehow my week at home passed by without eating the pumpkin roll.  (Perhaps because of all the other food I was eating- see previous post)  I was sitting at my mother's cafe only hours before my flight when I remembered my little bundle of joy and flew out of my chair to retrieve it from the freezer.
So, there I was, toting pieces of pumpkin roll across the country wrapped tightly in plastic and foil.  I was mildly concerned airport security might wonder why I had so much foil in my carry-on.  But all went smoothly and I had the perfect welcome home gift before I headed back to a week of work.
     Moist pumpkin cake, sweet and tangy cream cheese icing, crunchy bits of pecan, and the glory of the roll itself- cake and icing enjoyed equally in every bite.  Because to me, uneven proportions of components is the downfall of most cakes.  Picture used plates at parties- the icing and half the cake are gone, with half a piece of crumbled cake mushed all around and destined for the trash.  Not a problem here!  I ate each piece as slow as possible, scraping every morsel off the plate with the edge of my fork.  I was a pretty happy girl, and I had to make those bites carry me through to the end of the year.

A Tasty Trip Home

     I finally made it back to Chickasha, OK for a visit with my family, and it was just the vacation I needed.  As is typical of my visits home, I did a lot of eating.  Between the old favorites I crave from my mom's kitchen, my favorites from her cafe, getting my fix of BBQ and burgers from the local joints, cooking new dishes with my mom, and gathering with family and friends over meals, I had quite a lot to check off my list in 6 days.  I think I won the challenge.
     My first night home we had a tasty stuffed pork loin, and most importantly, what I always request, garlic green beans.  It's a silly thing to love so much, but I don't care.  And it's clearly not seasonal in January, still don't care.  Whole canned green beans, cooked in butter, garlic, and brown sugar...lots of it...as in swimming. If ya wanna get fancy, you can make them into little green bean bundles wrapped in a piece of bacon; we usually save that effort for the holidays.  I've been teased for my excitement over these beans, but they make me truly happy.
     The next night was dinner out with my parents' best friends and their kids.  Rich lamb ragu, spicy pasta, braised short ribs, risotto, pizza, and wine were all shared over a dinner full of laughs with the Haney family.  To really top it off, we stopped for frozen yogurt at Orange Tree.  This place has more yogurt and topping options than any other frozen yogurt store I've seen.  I was giddy.
     I had my much beloved chocolate chip bread pudding with warm caramel sauce at the cafe.  Oh man...that stuff deserves its own story.
     Then there was Roy's BBQ night:  chopped beef sandwich and waffle fries.  I love good barbecue, and this is number one for me.
     My mom and I made tender and juicy braciola one evening.  A rolled steak filled with herbs, seasoning, prosciutto, and provolone; we braised it in a tomato sauce and served it all over spaghetti.
     I was able to join my mother's side of the family for their new tradition of Souper Sundays they've begun this year. A simple supper of a soup, bread or side, and dessert is an easy way to gather for a couple hours every week.  We tried a version of Argentine locro.  Spicy and thick vegetable and sausage stew, topped with cilantro, cotija cheese, and crunchy roasted squash seeds.
     And perhaps my big winner for the week- homemade brioche doughnuts from a Cuisine at Home book.  It was a beautiful brioche dough I spent several hours with on Saturday and then chilled overnight.  On Sunday morning I rolled it out, cut my shapes, and fried 'em up.  I covered most with a pomegranate glaze, and treated a few to a cinnamon sugar coating or a chocolate butterscotch glaze.  Well, brioche already makes my heart pitter patter, and what's not delicious fried?  Golden brown and crispy, warm, buttery and soft inside... I preferred to eat mine plain.  Too easy to pop the little doughnut holes in my mouth as I stood there frying.  I also satisfied my craving for a hot and fresh doughnut.  I'm a firm believer that doughnuts are a waste of time if they're not hot, and these were just as good re-warmed the next day.  My dad said they were the best doughnuts he'd ever had, and I think I must agree.

    

Holiday Ham

     This Christmas marked a milestone in my life:  I cooked my first holiday ham for just my boyfriend and me.  I was quite pleased with the entire experience.
     I ordered my ham from Gartner's Meat Market here in Portland.  I'd never made the drive out to 74th and NE Killingsworth, and what an adventure it was. I got there a bit before they opened at 10:00 a.m. on the Sunday before Christmas, and thank goodness.  There was a line outside the locked doors as if people were headed into a rock concert.  The parking lot was even equipped with a traffic controller.  These people are serious about their meat.  I  had ordered a fresh ham because I intended to use my own brine and smoke it.  Unfortunately, there was a mix up on their papers and I received a partially smoked ham.  The employee that helped me was kind enough to call later when he realized the mistake. Great customer service, but I didn't have the time to head back across town and trade.  No worries, I just switched gears and decided to cook my ham with my mother's delicious glaze.  I'm glad I did.
    I needed that old familiar comfort of her ham.  Smelling the brown sugar and mustard glaze bubbling on the fat, sneaking all the crispy sweet edge pieces for myself, and that first juicy bite of deliciously moist ham. What a fantastic thing to pull out of the oven as it glistens and steams, practically begging to be eaten.  We sat down to a Christmas night dinner of ham, homemade apple chutney, roasted brussel sprouts, and his own potato cake-like creation (which I'm actually craving this very moment).  My Christmas season finally stopped feeling like I was missing out on my family traditions; I was creating my own with someone I love.  
    And then, what I was perhaps looking forward to most: a leftover ham extravaganza.  Oh ham, for days and days... and then more ham.  Ham in omelets, salads, soups and a slew of ham sandwiches.  Pressed into a panini with hot mustard, cheese, and spicy pickles.  On jalapeno cheddar bagels or blue cornmeal bread.  Or pressed with chutney and hot sauce.  The options are endless.  I finally got around to cooking a big pot of white beans with the ham bone and extra shredded meat.  Butter, garlic, onion- so simple, but I can't seem to put the spoon down.
     I feel like I need to thank the pig that provided us with such a bounty of food.  An 8-pound ham was food for two for weeks.  The cooking technique or glaze I use may change each year, but a tradition of a holiday ham is one I plan to keep.

    

Christmas Cookies

     It's a cookie factory in my kitchen!  I've set about making 9 cookies/candies for the 2009 holiday season.  That sounds like a fairly reasonable amount, right?  Enough for a beautiful cookie tray with some nice variety....a great gift for friends, family, neighbors, teachers, etc.  Except, I don't have family or a lot of friends here in Portland yet; who is going to eat all of these cookies??

     Then again, making cookies is about more than the final product for me.  I'm able to turn on Christmas music or movies while I bake and get into the holiday spirit.  Spending time in the kitchen always makes me happy, and rolling dough, cutting shapes, icing, and decorating is even more fun. This first year away from my family is pretty weird.  It's Christmas in the stores and on the streets, yet I'm without the things that usually signal Christmas for me.  Baking cookies gets me closer.  I may not get to share these treats with some of the people I love and care about, but they're all on my mind.

      The list:

Lebkuchen- This traditional German cookie has all the warm spice I love in gingerbread, but it's soft.  A winner for me because there are very few crisp cookies I enjoy, and therefore don't like the standard gingerbread man.

Pistachio Linzers- Gotta love the jam experience in a linzer cookie, and the ground pistachio in this dough just takes it up a notch.

Rosemary and Nut Shortbread- I made this shortbread dough with brown sugar, walnuts, pine nuts, rosemary and lemon zest.  I love rosemary and these are a perfect not-too-sweet cookie.  They have just the right amount of chew and crunch.

Sparkling Ginger Chip Cookies- A recipe from 101 Cookbooks that were too pretty to pass up.  Still on my to-do list, and I'm looking forward to this one.

Triple Chocolate Cherry Cookies-  Well really, how could I not have a least one cookie that was a chocolate overload.  It was a must.  Both cocoa powder and melted chocolate for the dough, and dark chocolate and white chocolate chips stirred in with the dried cherries.  Yum.

Carrot Cookies- A nod to Grammy.  I love it when she makes these, and had to try it myself.  One of my favorite little recipes from the Junior Social Workers' cookbook.

Cream Cheese Brownies- A request from a special someone for tradition's sake.  Hope this version is everything he remembers.

Coconut Joy Candies-  Coconut had to be on this list somewhere.  Bite size candies...that can be dangerous.

White Chocolate Popcorn-  This is a stupidly easy thing to do, but the salty sweet is addictive.  Great for munching on while cooking a Christmas meal.

That's the rundown.  I'll let my friends choose they're favorites once they're all ready.  For now I'm enjoying the baking.