Category: Literature

Grimm’s Dairy Tales

3 Comments

This week I’ve been working on a freelance piece about avoiding surface cracks in cheesecakes. Blessedly, the life of a food writer requires testing subject matter at home. And while this prospect seemed very appealing at the start, heaps of batter and billions of calories later have left me feeling a bit worse off than when I started. This same fate befalls anyone who reads “Grimm’s Fairy Tales.” Those who are looking for a breezy encounter (as these tales are portrayed in Disney films) end up feeling very weighed down.

Like the tales of these Brothers Grimm, cheesecake – despite its unfailing heaviness – has endured the test of time. But by portioning into these individual ramekins, you will serve up something closer to the Disney versions – sweet, light, and always a happy ending.

SONY DSC

(Pumpkin Cheesecake Terrines)

Crust:

3 ounces chocolate graham crackers

4 tbsp. salted butter, melted

Instruction:

1. Pulse graham crackers in food processor until fine crumbs. Remove blade and add melted butter, mixing until mixture has “wet sand” consistency.

2. Pack even amount of mixture into ramekins, pressing down with fingers to make an even and compact layer.

3. Bake at 325 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove and let cool.

Cheesecake filling:

12 oz. cream cheese

3/4 cup canned pumpkin puree

1/4 cup sugar

Pinch of salt

2 whole eggs and 1 additional yolk

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup heavy cream

Instruction:

*Note: All ingredients should be brought to room temperature before beginning!

1. In standing mixer, beat cream cheese, gradually adding in sugar. Add pumpkin, vanilla, and salt, and eggs (all gradually, and at medium-low speed). Finally, add heavy cream and beat until mixture is completely smooth. (You may need to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a silicon spatula.)

2. Pour mixture evenly into ramekins with cooled crust. Create water bath by placing ramekins in roasting pan and pouring boiling water halfway up the sides.

3. Bake for about 45 minutes at 325 degrees – centers should still wobble slightly. Pull out of the oven and leave in water bath on stovetop for about 45 minutes. Transfer to wire rack and cool for another 45 minutes. Finally, transfer ramekins to refrigerator to chill for about two hours. (At this point, you can optionally add your mousse layer – see below.)

(Optional)

Bailey’s cream cheese mousse:

8 oz. cream cheese

1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree

1/4 cup sugar

Pinch of salt

1/2 packet gelatin

1/4 cup water

1/4 Bailey’s

Instruction:

1. Whisk together sugar, salt, and gelatin. Bring water and Bailey’s to a boil and pour immediately over dry ingredients, whisking until dissolved.

2. In standing mixer, beat cream cheese and pumpkin puree. Until smooth. Gradually add gelatin mixture in on medium-low speed. Pour over cheesecake right before the refrigeration phase. Chill cheesecake ramekins for several hours, allowing gelatin to solidify.

Enjoy individual pumpkin cheesecakes with Grimm’s Fairy Tales, and check in at http://warandpeach.com for future recipes and book reviews!

Advertisement

Char-Latte’s Web

1 Comment

When I was a child, my family owned the VHS of The Sound of Music. It’s such a long film that it was separated onto two tapes, the first of which conveniently ending with Maria and Captain Von Trapp’s wedding. My parents never put the second tape on, so until embarrassingly recently I had no idea the second half was filled with close escapes from the Nazis.

I don’t like sad endings or moments of distress in stories. Though E.B. White’s Charlotte’s Web is filled with pleasant farm animals and adorable friendships, there looms the theme of death and loss. But I understand the importance that there can be beauty in seemingly heavy things. The passing of Fern’s dear spider friend also reminded the young girl of the wisdom and joy Charlotte brought to her life. It is the same semi-sweet darkness that adds such richness to this summer drink (this time, in chocolate form).

There are some realities of being an adult that are necessary to accept. One is that sometimes we lose dear friends in the stories we read. Another is that we sometimes need to run through the Alps with our seven children while also singing in perfect harmony. And finally, one of the more pleasant realities to accept as an adult is that Bailey’s can really transform a coffee smoothie from good to great.

DSC02253

Smoothie:

 

1 cup strong coffee, ideally cooled to room temperature

1/2 cup Bailey’s (or other irish cream)

3 scoops mint chocolate chip ice cream

2 tbsp chocolate syrup

1 cup ice

 Instruction:

1. Just blend it all together!

Enjoy a Bailey’s mint mocha smoothie with E.B. White’s Charlotte’s Web, and check in at http://warandpeach.com for future recipes and book reviews!

Ladle Women

1 Comment

My father and uncles have a summer garden at my Grammie’s house. Rows of eggplants, jalapeños, zucchinis, cherry and plum tomatoes are poking out of every corner of the little plot of land. It’s an exploding tangle and a bit hard to tame.

However, sometimes the things that appear wildest can be the most beautiful. As Jo March, the most dynamic sister in Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women, demonstrated, a sprawling landscape can also mean endless possibility and direction. The overflowing tomatoes in the Grammie garden are wonderfully flavorful and have so much complex depth.

Take this colorful soup, for instance. Like adventurous Jo, this dish breaks boundaries. Crossing the seasonal expectation of autumnal and wintry soups, the garden fresh flavors keep this soup light and summery. The hearty tomatoes, bright basil, and tangy goat cheese garnish take something seemingly overwhelming like an untamed garden and turn it into an absolutely delightful experience.

Screen Shot 2015-08-19 at 2.20.21 PM

Roasted Tomato Basil Soup:

8 ripe tomatoes

1/2 onion

5 garlic cloves

2 cups chicken stock

1 tbsp dried oregano

2 tbsp dried basil

1/2 cup fresh basil

2 tbsp olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Instruction:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Core tomatoes and slice in half. Toss in olive oil, dried oregano, dried basil, salt and pepper. (Leave a bit of the herbs, spices, and oil to the side.) Spread in baking dish.

2. Make a small tin foil pouch. Toss garlic cloves and remaining herbs, spices, and oil together; seal in the pouch and tuck in a corner of the baking dish. Roast tomatoes and garlic for about an hour.

3. When tomatoes and garlic are finished roasting, set aside to cool a bit. In the meantime, in a large pot sauté onion in olive oil and a bit of salt until softened.

4. Add tomato, garlic, and all of the liquid, herbs, and spices from the baking dish. Add chicken stock and bring contents of pot to a boil. Reduce to simmer and let cook uncovered for about fifteen minutes.

5. Turn off heat, and ladle the solids out of the pot into blender. (Save liquid, as consistency of puree will vary.) Add liquid as necessary – the soup should be moderately thick.

6. Strain through a sieve for an extremely silky texture.

Whipped Goat Cheese:

150 g goat cheese, room temperature

1/8 fresh basil, chopped finely

1/2 tsp salt

Instruction:

1. Using an electric beater, whip goat cheese, basil, and salt for about 30 seconds, until creamy and combined.

2. Use a cookie scoop to dollop goat cheese onto each bowl of soup. Garnish with fresh basil.

Enjoy roasted tomato basil soup and herbed goat cheese with Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women, and check in at http://warandpeach.com for future recipes and book reviews!

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkebabs

Leave a comment

I always associate the Harry Potter books with late summertime. My family proudly likes to claim that we were the first people in the USA to “discover” the beloved series, and I have vivid memories of my mother reading the first two books to me on hot nights in the only air-conditioned room in my childhood home.

However, my mom gave up on the series after book #2, claiming that “the weird weasel-y character” (Dobby) freaked her out. If she only could’ve continued on to the third, my favorite of the series.

As the summer quickly draws to a close, these chicken satay skewers are the perfect complement to a hot evening outdoors. Like Harry Potter’s beloved godfather, Sirius Black, the peanut sauce seems spicy and potentially dangerous, but after several bites the smooth, silky, sweetness takes over and wins all hearts.

Screen Shot 2015-07-29 at 5.49.33 PM

Grilled Chicken Satay:

4 chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes

Marinade:

Pineapple yogurt (or plain if you prefer)

1/2 cup olive oil

Zest and juice of 3 limes

Plenty of salt and pepper

Instruction:

1. Whisk all marinade ingredients together. Coat cubed chicken in marinade, cover with cling film, and refrigerate for several hours (at least 2).

Peanut sauce:

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup brown sugar

3 tbsp soy sauce

Zest and juice of 3 limes

1/4 cup boiling water

1 garlic clove

2 shakes red pepper flakes

2 shakes chipotle powder

Salt and pepper

Optional: scallions to garnish

Instruction:

1. Combine all ingredients in blender (adding hot water last). Blend until smooth.

*If sauce is too thin (depending on juiciness of limes), transfer to saucepan and simmer until thickened to syrupy consistency.

2. (Optionally) top with chopped scallions.

Assembly:

1. Soak skewers for at least an hour in water. Then skewer four or five chicken cubes, allowing excess marinade to drip off.

2. Place skewers on grill set to medium-high and lightly coated with cooking spray. Cook on one side for about 5 minutes, then flip and cook other side for 4 minutes. (This will vary depending on strength of grill and size of chicken cubes!) Serve with spicy peanut sauce.

Enjoy chicken satay kebabs with J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, and check in at http://warandpeach.com for future recipes and book reviews!

The Chronicles of Naania

Leave a comment

Last week I spent several days with my dear friend Allison. It was just the sort of spontaneous visit that we both needed. We had both been feeling pretty restless in our summer downtime, and the mini-vacation filled with cooking, wine, and a bit of gossip really hit the spot.

To get out of our late-July slump, we decided to enter into a completely magical land in the kitchen. Like young Lucy in The Chronicles of Narnia, we were seeking something exciting, and we found it by daring to try something foreign and new. In making this chutney and naan combination, just as Lucy found when she climbed through the wardrobe, the most interesting parts were the unfamiliar. We paired spices whose uniqueness created perfect complements. Some of the color and flavor was completely accidental, as when the lid fell off the curry powder and a heaping amount turned from a mistake into a brilliant innovation.

The result was delicious, and Allison and I contentedly parted ways with renewed spirit (and palate)!

Screen Shot 2015-07-28 at 8.36.48 AM

Mango ginger chutney:

3 mangos

1 red onion

~1/4 cup fresh ginger root

1/2 cup lemonade

1 tsp olive oil

1/4 cup brown sugar

Spices (about two shakes of each): ground ginger, garlic powder, curry powder, cumin, chile flakes, cinnamon, salt, pepper)

Instruction:

1. Peel and slice mangos, discarding of pit. Thinly slice red onion, and finely chop fresh ginger root.

2. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a saucepan. Add all spices and onion, allowing the latter to soften for about five minutes. Stir in brown sugar, ginger root, and mango. Allow sugar to melt – about two minutes.

3. Add lemonade and bring mixture to boil. Lower heat to a simmer and leave (uncovered) for about 45 minutes. Turn off heat and leave chutney in pan – letting it come to room temperature.

Naan bread:

2 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp yeast

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp curry powder

1/2 tbsp cumin

3 tbsp olive oil

¾ cup whole milk

1 egg yolk

Instruction:

1. Whisk olive oil, milk, and egg yolk. Set aside.

2. In food processor, pulse flour, yeast, sugar, salt, curry powder, and cumin. Begin to process while gradually adding wet ingredients. Stop when dough has just come together (about five seconds after all ingredients have been added).

3. Turn out onto floured surface and knead until smooth – about two minutes. Transfer to oiled bowl and cover with tea towel. Leave in a warm place for about two hours.

4. Punch air out of dough and knead again. Divide into four equal parts and form each part into a smooth ball. Transfer to a lined baking sheet and cover with tea towel again.

5. After another hour, roll each ball out into a disk – about quarter-inch thickness. On very hot grill (about 450 degrees), place each disk, grilling each side for about two minutes. Serve warm with chutney.

Enjoy naan bread and mango ginger chutney with C.S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia, and check in at http://warandpeach.com for future recipes and book reviews!

The Shrimportance of Being Earnest

Leave a comment

This week I said (a hopefully temporary) goodbye to London and moved back to my hometown of Bryn Mawr. Like Jack Worthing in The Importance of Being Earnest, I have come to regard London as a place where I can be someone else – someone more adventurous, more active, more exotic, even. (Suddenly having an American accent makes me of much more interest!) However, as this summer recipe proves by crossing the boundaries of hamburgers and fish cakes, it is indeed possible to incorporate two seemingly different ideas into something uniquely beautiful. I will keep this in mind as I try to retain aspects of my London life (with hopefully less farcical results than Oscar Wilde’s characters).

Screen Shot 2015-07-20 at 9.07.02 PM

Citrus Shrimp Burgers:

1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/4 cup breadcrumbs

1/2 cup mayonnaise

5-6 scallions, sliced thinly

1 lemon (both zest and juice)

1 lime (both zest and juice)

Pinch of cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

1 tbsp olive oil

4 ciabatta rolls

4 leaves romaine lettuce

Instruction:

1. In food processor, pulse shrimp about 10 times (until a chunky paste consistency).

2. In medium-sized bowl, combine breadcrumbs, mayonnaise, scallions, lemon zest, lime zest, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Fold in pulsed shrimp until just combined. (Do not overwork the shrimp; otherwise it will become tough.)

3. Form four patties and refrigerate for at least twenty minutes.

4. While patties are chilling, slice ciabatta rolls in half using serrated knife. Drizzle with olive oil, then toast at 350 degrees for ten minutes.

5. Heat olive oil in sauté pan over medium-high heat. Brown patties for about two minutes on each side. Transfer to oven and cook for another ten minutes.

6. Combine mayonnaise, lemon juice, lime juice, and a dash of salt and pepper. Spread mayo mixture on both sides of ciabatta. Add a leaf of lettuce and shrimp burger. Serve with a fresh summer salad.

Enjoy shrimp burgers with Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest, and check in at http://warandpeach.com for future recipes and book reviews!

Braised New World

2 Comments

As many of you know, over a year and a half ago I moved to London to attend culinary school. Many people questioned my choice to study cuisine in Great Britain – a place not known for its national foods. However, like several characters in Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World, I have always regarded London as a sort of dream world – different and modern in many ways. Thankfully, my experience with the city has been much more pleasant than those of Huxley’s account. Every day I take delight in the people, history, and – the reason I originally moved here – food.

Though culinary school perfected my butchery, seasoning, and knife skills, there is still one aspect of my repertoire that feels very shaky: cooking meat to perfection. It terrifies me that the difference of two minutes over high heat could determine whether a pork loin is meltingly moist or tough as rope. However, there is one flawless method that – by leaving a substantial time and temperature margin – a chef can ensure a gorgeous outcome every time: braising. By cooking almost any meat cut low and slow, a chef can break down the fats, tenderize the meat, and serve a dish whose smoothness barely requires its beholder to chew.

And, with the barbecue flavorings melding for six hours in the oven, I can go about my London-y day and return home to some of my “old world” American flavors.

IMG_0410

Pulled Pork:

1 pound pork shoulder

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup ketchup

1 onion, sliced

2 tbsp cinnamon

2 tsp paprika

1 chicken bouillon cube

500 ml water (or enough to cover pork)

Salt and pepper

1 tbsp olive oil

Instruction: 

1. Season pork with salt and pepper. In a Dutch oven, over medium-high heat, brown pork on all sides in olive oil.

2. Remove pork and reduce heat to medium. Add sliced onions and sautee until translucent. Add cinnamon, paprika, brown sugar, and ketchup; whisking until smooth. Add pork back in, then add bouillon cube and water (enough to just cover pork). Bring to a boil, cover, and put in 300-degree oven.

3. The pork will cook for about 6 hours, but check every two hours to see if all of the liquid has evaporated. If so, add about 100 ml of water. The goal is to finish after six hours with a glazed consistency, so don’t add too much water at a time.

4. After six hours, remove from oven. Shred pork using two forks, and if needed, reduce the liquid over medium heat until it reaches glaze-like consistency. (I did not need to do this when I cooked it, because most of the liquid was gone after six hours!)

5. Serve with bread or Grammie’s coleslaw.

Enjoy sweet burnt pulled pork with Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World, and check in at http://warandpeach.com for future recipes and book reviews!

The Bun Also Rises

Leave a comment

I am currently fulfilling a lifelong dream: being – and living – in London during Wimbledon. Though I love watching all of the big tennis tournaments, the traditions surrounding this particular one take it to a heightened, magical level. The all-whites rule is one that I believe should extend beyond the tennis courts. (Wouldn’t we all get along so much better in immaculate, dazzling apparel?) The strawberries and champagne diet should apply all year round. But ‘Breakfast at Wimbledon,’ the time in which the nation wakes up to a cup of tea and a quick gab about the day to come, is the best part of all.

Such morning gossips are made extra sweet by a plate full of cinnamon buns. But often times one is deterred from making them, because any yeast-based product requires so much patience. As the young protagonists in Ernest Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises demonstrate, waiting often seems impossible. Just as the sun will always return after a dark night, yeast will always activate if left overnight. But sometimes a catalyst is necessary to speed up the plot. For Jake Barnes, that was a few drinks at a bullfight. For these cinnamon buns, it is the combination of yeast and baking powder. You’ll be finished in plenty of time for the first match on Centre Court!

IMG_0389

Glaze:

3 tbsp buttermilk

3 tbsp cream cheese

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tablespoon melted butter

1 1/2 cups icing sugar (or enough for glaze consistency)

1/4 teaspoon salt

Filling:

3 teaspoons cinnamon

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons melted butter

Pinch of salt

Dough:

6 oz all-purpose flour

1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons yeast

1/8 cup plus 1/2 cup semi-skimmed milk

1 tablespoon sugar

3 tbsp unsalted butter

1 tsp vanilla extract

Instruction:

1. Heat 1/8 cup milk to barely a simmer. Take off heat, whisk with yeast. When yeast is dissolved, let sit for five minutes (letting mixture become frothy).

2. Sift flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in medium bowl. Add rest of milk, yeast mixture, vanilla extract, and butter to form dough. Knead dough on a floured surface until a smooth ball is formed. (If dough is too sticky, add flour several tablespoons at a time.) Let dough rise in a greased bowl covered with a tea towel.

3. While dough is rising, combine cinnamon, brown sugar, and salt. Pour melted butter over the mix to create a paste.

4. Roll dough into a 6×9 (approximately) rectangle. Spread filling evenly, leaving a half inch border. Roll (beginning with the shorter length) into a tight cylinder. Pinch at the seam. Cut into six even rolls and place in greased muffin tin. Cover with tea towel and let rise for at least half an hour.

5. Bake buns in a 350 degree oven for 10-12 minutes (until golden brown). While the buns are baking, whisk together cream cheese, buttermilk, vanilla extract, (all at room temperature) and salt. Add icing sugar in batches, whisking until smooth. When glaze consistency is reached, finish with melted butter.

6. Allow buns to cool for five minutes. Drizzle with glaze.

Enjoy cinnamon buns with buttermilk glaze with Ernest Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises, and check in at http://warandpeach.com for future recipes and book reviews!

20,000 Leeks Under the Sea

1 Comment

IMG_9892

As brunch grows in popularity, particularly amongst twenty-somethings in big cities, booking a table becomes increasingly difficult. Reservations fill up sometimes weeks in advance, leaving many hungry and housebound on late Saturday mornings. But with very few flavors, our generation’s favorite mealtime can be easily recreated at home. Instead of organizing each guest’s individual order and trying to coordinate an assembly line in a cramped kitchen, why not make a one-stop spread in advance that packs all the flavors of brunch into one bowl.

This dip makes smoked salmon more accessible than ever. Each creamy, citrusy bite is carried by the luscious fish flavor. Like Captain Nemo in Twenty-Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, you can freely explore the wonders of the sea in an up close and personal way. When you wow your friends with this easy bagel brunch, they’ll want to reserve a place in your apartment months ahead of time!

IMG_9881

Leek and smoked salmon spread:

3/4 cup cream cheese (room temperature)

1/2 cup sour cream

3 leeks

(Juice of) 1 lemon

~4oz. smoked salmon, in bite-sized slices

Salt and pepper

Dash of olive oil (for pan)

6 bagels

Chives to garnish

1. Chop leeks, then sauté in olive oil over medium heat until softened (about 5 minutes).

2. In food processor combine cream cheese, sour cream, lemon juice, leeks, and a bit of salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl, and fold in smoked salmon. Season further to taste. Refrigerate for at least half hour, then spread on toasted bagels. Garnish with chives.

Enjoy leek and smoked salmon bagel spread with Jules Verne’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, and check in at http://warandpeach.com for future recipes and book reviews!

James and the Ginger Peach

Leave a comment

“My dear young fellow,” the Old Green Grasshopper said gently, “there are a whole lot of things in this world of ours you haven’t started wondering about yet.”

When I created this blog, it seemed like a very big stretch to combine so many different passions of mine. To somehow jam cooking, reading, creative writing, and corny word playing into every single post felt a bit scattered. But often times, a person’s individual and seemingly unrelated interests create a more dynamic whole.

This is a notion my father has instilled in me from the start. He taught me to love cooking by filling the kitchen with irresistible smells each Saturday night when I was growing up. He taught me to love reading by introducing me to books that – like so many of the characters that Roald Dahl invented – celebrate what makes each person different.

Happy Father’s Day weekend to my dear old dad, who has given me a great sense of wonder.

IMG_0356

Ginger Peach Shortcakes

Filling:

2 tbsp fresh ginger, finely chopped

1 8 oz. can of peach slices, drained (or equal amount of fresh peaches)

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1 tbsp sugar

1/2 cup whipped cream

Shortcake batter:

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon sugar

Zest of 1 lemon

Pinch of salt

1 1/2 cups double cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instruction:

1. Toss ginger, peaches, lemon juice, and sugar in a bowl. Let peaches macerate while making shortcakes.

2. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, salt, and lemon zest. Add vanilla extract and buttermilk and stir with wooden spoon until just combined.

3. In a greased muffin tin, fill each cup about halfway with shortcake batter. Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes (until shortcakes have risen and are golden brown).

4. Allow shortcakes to cool for five minutes. Using a serrated knife, cut cakes in half. On the bottom halves, spoon peach mixture and whipped cream– then finish with top half.

Enjoy Father’s Day ginger peach shortcakes with Roald Dahl’s James and the Giant Peach, and check in at http://warandpeach.com for future recipes and book reviews!