Champagne Sighs

I just returned from France and a trip to Champagne country and the Burgundy region.
Stay tuned for highlights. Meanwhile, feast on this great quote of M.F.K. Fisher's in "How to Cook a Wolf":
I consider myself more fortunate than most women in that I know several good drinking companions of my own sex. They are for the most part well past seventy, a significant fact in the study of Alcohol in Modern Society, I imagine...the best of them, eighty-two last Christmas, has taught me much of both self-control and sensual pleasure from her enjoyment of a glass of dry champagne."

Sweet Thought

 

Halloween Treat: Candy corn and peanuts

Autumn brings many exciting sweets to the table. It is, of course, the season of candy corn. And as any good Minnesota mom knows, it is also the time to make up a mixture of candy corn and peanuts. When a handful of this sweet and salty mixture goes into the mouth and is chewed together, it tastes  like the Salted Nut Roll candy bar. (The recipe is basically: mix one jar of dry roasted salted peanuts with one bag of candy corn. If you like more peanuts or more candy corn, adjust accordingly.) I thought everyone knew about this sweet October delicacy. But when I discovered that there are some folks (mostly of the East Coast persuasion) who said they had not heard of the treat, much less the Salted Nut Roll, it gave me pause. Could it really be? So to those who already know, you can skip this part. And to those who do need explanation: the Salted Nut Roll is a sweet nougat center covered in caramel, then in peanuts, and made by Pearson's, a small candy company in St. Paul. They also make the famous Nut Goodie candy bar (I guess they're into nuts). And yes, this is the candy bar that Garrison Keillor has promoted and made famous. Years ago, I had the fun opportunity to tour Pearson's candy factory when I was on an assignment. (The factory is not open to the public.) This is one of the tiny candy companies we need to support--and I am happy to promote their sweet goods.

Cold Comfort: Re-living cool memories

As the days are sweltering here in Minnesota now with high temps and humidity, I've been cooling off by re-living cool days and nights from a recent road trip on the west coast. My sister and I met in Sacramento, proceeded thro the California redwoods and up the Oregon coast to Olympia, Washington. One of our first stops was the above roadside stand selling produce, flowers and yes, fresh blackberry popsicles which we loved.
In Trinidad, we stopped for lunch at the Seascape which overlooked the ocean and fishermen bringing in their fresh catches. I had quite possibly the best fish and chips ever. (We also had to wear our hoodie sweatshirts because it was so wonderfully cold.)

On our third night, we stayed in Pacific City, Oregon across from the ocean AND the Pelican Pub and Restaurant, very convenient. Great cold beer brewed on the premises. Great spicy mahi mahi quesadillas. And the people were all so super friendly, I told my sis I felt like we were in an ad promoting the Oregon coast.
The next day we stopped at Tillamook Cheese Factory which was a total zoo. Who knew a cheese factory could be such a tourist and family destination--almost like an amusement park. "Is it always this busy?" we asked the check-out clerk at the gift store. The answer: "Usually, busier. We have 3,000 to 5,000 visitors a day from Memorial Day to Labor Day." We think there must have been at least 10,000 people the day we were there. In fact, we had to have a double scoop of ice cream to de-stress after our shopping experience there. Out of many ice cream flavor choices, I narrowed it down to the marionberry pie and chocolate peanut butter. I couldn't decide and the people behind me were getting impatient, so I ordered both.

Paris for cooks: E. Dehillerin

One of the best parts about getting home after a trip to France is unpacking. I'm not talking about the dirty clothes part; I'm referring to the "buys" you have made! This time my treasures included some great purchases from one of my favorite stores whenever I'm in Paris: E. Dehillerin. This time I scored four mini souffle dishes, a gorgeous rolling pin, and a small carbon paring knife which kind of looks like a mini chef knife. I was planning on buying the small souffle dishes and rolling pin, but while I was at the check out (they have an interesting way of checking out--details on that later)there was a small knife laying on the counter (part of someone's stash of things to buy). Anyway, I picked it up to look at it because it suddenly occurred to me that I might need such a slick little knife like that. As I was inspecting it, a rather good looking and friendly French guy (it was his stash; I swear I didn't know)came over and I tried to explain I wasn't planning on taking it, I just was looking for one like it. When we understood each other, he went to find me the exact same knife, then showed me how it was printed with the word "carbone" on it, and told me with sign language, some English, never never to wash the knife in the dishwasher, and to dry it very thoroughly because it gets spots and can rust quickly. "But it eez the best knife, this kind!" he informed me. After I bought one (along with my other goodies), they wrapped everything up, and I never opened the package until I got home. That's when I discovered the sales person put the tip of the knife into a wine cork to keep it from poking through the wrapping I guess. Is that so French? They add style to everything!!PS My other "buys" included bags of seasalt (I was in Brittany), jars of caramel sauce, boxes of caramels, a cute pair of red shoes, some fresh rose and violet garlic (honest, officer, I forgot I had put it in there), a new grey jacket, and... mais oui... a beautiful scarf.

Sweet Shop: Billy's Bakery in Chelsea

How can you not love a place called "Billy's Bakery"? After seeing the Martha Stewart show in the heart of Chelsea, my friends and I happened on Billy's while walking to Pastis where we planned to have lunch. But how could you walk by? There was a guy in the window frosting cupcakes! The entire shop was not much bigger than a cream puff. And it was filled with delights--layer cakes on pedestals and under glass, lemon bars, peanut butter chocolate bars. Cookies. I bought a white cupcake with turquoise buttercream frosting that had little sprinkles on top and had it placed in a cute colorful square box with a handle (like a cupcake purse!)that cost extra (but was worth it). Many cupcakes are disappointments--they look so sweet and delectable but turn out dry and flavorless.
This little number was not one of those. It was delicious. Very delicious. Definitely worth a stop. PS Down the street (Ninth Avenue) was another little shop called Three Tarts. Another winner and worth another stop.

Sweet Thoughts: Reading a good book

There is nothing more lovely than having a good book to read! I have a stack by my bedside. Right now, I am in the middle of Palace Walk by Naguib Mahfouz. Winner of a 1988 Nobel Prize for literature, it was originally published in Arabic in l956. It's the first in the author's Cairo Trilogy--about life in post WWI Egypt. (Palace of Desire and Sugar Street are the other two.) I also have the book A Year in the World: Journeys of a Passionate Traveller by Frances Mayes nearby. I have already finished it, but still like picking it up and finding various lines that I love. Nice to read right before falling asleep.

"Travel pushes my boundaries. Seemingly self-indulgent, travel paradoxically obliterates me-me-me, because very quickly--prestissimo--the own-little-self is unlocked from the present and released to move through layers of time. It is not 2006 all over the world. So who are you in a place where 1950 or 1920 is about to arrive?"

Of course, I have a few bedside cookbooks as well. Viana La Place's unplugged kitchen is a personal favorite pre-summer cookbook read. Chapters have titles like: 'a late morning breakfast on a small Italian Island.' The menu lists: " blood orange juice, tender egg island style, ripe figs, caffe latte".

Instead of armchair travelling, I call it bedside cooking.

Art Credit: Quint Buchholz "Lesende Frau"
Aus Dem "Buchbilderbuch", Sanssouci Verlag