Jewish Apple Cake In Remembrance Of A Dear Friend

Just recently I had posted a book review for Handwritten Recipes by Michael Popeck for work.  Popek is a used book seller from New York who has rescued recipes found in various books that have found their way into his shop.  In his book, snapshots of these culinary bookmarks are arranged with a photo of each book in which it was found, telling a story of things forgotten between the pages.

At the library, where I work, we are constantly finding all kinds of documents and forgotten scraps deposited between book pages. There are photographs, loving notes signed from Gramma with love or cards from a special aunt.  Medical appointment memos, bills yet to be paid and yes, sometimes we have even found cash.  All the before mentioned are returned to their rightful owners.

Sometimes things get missed at check in and they remain in the item long after a previous user can be found.  These things go to lost and found, other personal information that is unclaimed is always shredded and the orphaned photographs are saved by a staff member with the hopes of someday recognizing the person in the library.  So far, not one of her growing gallery of pix has not been successfully reunited with their kin.

The Story of Clementine Paddleford

Hometown Appetites 

by Kelly Alexander and Cynthia Harris

Anyone interested in culinary history should not miss this book. Hometown Appetites is the story of Clementine Paddleford and her career as a traveling food writer. This Kansas farm girl, born in 1898, left her home state and used her journalist skills in a career that spanned 4 decades - from 1920s to the 1960s. How on earth did I not know anything about someone who was so well respected in her field and was instrumental in chronicling region American food? It seems that as Time Magazines – “Best Known Food Editor “of 1953, her fame rivaled Julia Child and James Beard but after her death in 1967, she slipped from view in the food world.  Her writing helped elevate how the American housewife thought about food. 

Stories and Recipes from the Kitchen Table

ISBN: 978-1416551058

In A Homemade Life contemporary food writer, Molly Wizenberg lovingly shares memories of her parents and the recipes handed down to her. If I could use just one quote or passage to sum her philosophy it would be “Food is never just food.” She explains that every time we sit down to a meal we bring with us our mothers and fathers, friends, and relatives and that the kitchen table that has nourished us. On this point I happen to agree, that in our dinner plates we could see a reflection of who we are, where we come from, and if we look closely enough where we are going.

Her father, whom she calls Burg, had a huge influence on her life and she recounts many shared experiences involving favorite foods--including many recipes, her first trip to Paris, and other family memories. Her mother is also an ever-present, even iconic, figure and is a wealth of support, companionship, and encouragement after Burg’s death. We also catch a glimpse of Molly’s first romance and a move to Seattle. Her life reaches another pinnacle before taking that next loop in its cycle and we meet the man she will ultimately marry.

And This is Where the Magic Happens

ISBN: 9781416551607

The Dirty Life is a story of what happens when a couple from different backgrounds falls in love, learns to compromise, and learns new life skills to survive. 

Like the old sitcom Green Acres--minus the friendly pig, crazy neighbors and ball gowns--city slicker/freelance writer Kristin Kimball meets educated organic farmer Mark and magic happens. She gives up life in NYC and moves to the country. While tending their growing relationship they search for the ideal farm location to institute their ideas of providing a whole foods concept for farm shareholders. What I mean by “whole foods” in the farm-to-table experience is that they not only raise fruits and vegetables but they additionally harvest maple sugar, keep bees for honey, and raise animals that supply dairy and meats that are sold in farm shares. By utilizing back to basics farm practices, such as using draft horses to plow instead of tractors, milking by hand and relying on their neighbors for help and support, they scratch a living out of the ground for themselves. 

Is Your Table Dressing Up this 31st?

Halloween is swiftly approaching!  Are you looking for quick, easy, and economical ideas for your Halloween party?  Moi aussi, mes petits potirons!

I suppose you could say that I have too much free time on my hands, because I find myself in my spare time cutting out bats and spiders from construction paper for my walls and our Halloween tree.  There is something very zen about cutting bits of paper or really, anytime you delve into making crafts from your childhood.  My preschooler (Glue Stick and Googly Eye Expert) and I have had a great time working together on our decorations while listening to Halloween music.  

Cash in One's Chips with Panache/Ganache

This is another recipe from the previously reviewed book Sprinkle With Murder. This recipe says it makes 12 cupcakes.  I was making this for a coworker's birthday and knew 12 would not be enough so I doubled the recipe.  I ended up getting 36 cupcakes from that.  

I only made a single recipe of the chocolate ganache.  That was a very good thing since it was more than enough.  You could even halve the ganache recipe and probably still have some leftover.

There are no in process photos but here are some of the finished product. These cupcakes are very rich and decadent. I baked them in the Reynolds Staybrite baking cups in a muffin tin.  I found I had to adjust the baking time by adding a couple of minutes.  The Staybrite are foil lined and heavier than normal liners. The packages says you don't even need a muffin tin, they can be placed directly on a baking sheet.  

I found the recipe to be accurate and easy to follow.  There is some planning ahead involved since you need the butter and eggs to be room temperature.  The ganache needs to cool to room temperature also but you can let that sit while the cupcakes cool.  

Now I just need to find something to do with the leftover ganache, that is other than just eating it with a spoon.  Yum.  Recipe's after the jump. 

The Whole Kit and Caboodle

I like cooking with my granddaughter and we usually make things such as brownies, cookies, and cupcakes.  I have been looking for an alternative to the sweets and this summer we made a lot of smoothies. Recently when I was at Harris Teeter I saw this cheese making kit.

The container says you can make a pound of mozzarella using only the kit and one gallon of milk in under an hour.  The kit will make up to four pounds of cheese.  I thought it sounded different and fun.

 

Click on the label above for

complete details and instructions.  

In the container you will find instructions, a thermometer, plastic gloves, a package of citric acid, a package of “cheese salt” (I think it is just coarse salt), and a rennet tablet.  

Be sure to thoroughly read directions before you begin.