It never fails, when I want to go outside to clean up my garden, the clouds darken in the sky, and we get a persistent slanting rain that thwarts my best intentions to get out. Patio, side yard, flowerbeds all wait while it rains. I made coffee and lingered with a book on Greece, and specifically the islands of the Cyclades: photos of charming stairwells and walkways; of octopus sizzling on charcoal grills at the entrance of vine-covered 'psarotavernas' (fish-markets) in leafy back alleys. Wonderful coffee houses and food shops nestled in back alleys, and a cornucopian abundance in the local markets. Nikos Kazantzakis, the writer of Zorba the Greek, lived in these islands and said "From the moment I set foot in Aegina I've become another man. Exhilaration, almost happiness, sea, solitude, there is no more perfect climate for my spirit." (Flickr photo by Jessie.)
I put the book down, looked out my window at our dreary rain, and decided my day could be considerably brighter if I got busy. In the kitchen. Now, I apologize to any Baha'is who might be reading this post, as now is the time of the Fast. And, my apologies to anyone else reading while at work, waiting for the 10:00 coffee break. (Ruhiyyih, I'm thinking of you.)
I'm also reading a cookbook featuring phyllo dough, and when I discovered how complicated the folding and refolding of this delicacy is, I just decided to purchase a few varieties, and fill them with my own taste-thrills, one of which is wheatberry salad.
This is made with currents, apricots, apples, celery and onion, cranberries, nuts, and a zesty dressing of oil and raspberry vinegar. The deli at Metropolitan Market had small portions of wheatberry salad packaged up, so I purchased some for the phyllo cups. They are served chilled and are a delectable little taste thrill, prepared in an instant.When I am reading in the morning I use a yellow highlighter, to underline anything I wish to look up on Flickr. (Most people use underlining for a substantial thought, I want images, to see what something looks like.) While I've been reading about Portugal in Francis Mayes "A Year In The World", I highlighted the Cafe Brasileira, the Alfama, butterscotch flan, 'gelato' with confit of lemon, goat cheese wrapped in gauze, almonds suspended in honey, Portuguese mustard, the cataplana, 'rissoles', and then THIS: Walnut Cake with Caramel Frosting!
The author and her husband were dining in a little 'tasca' with everyone seated together at crowded tables. As they waited for their meal, Francis noticed a gentleman across from her enjoying the cake. He sees her, then reaches over, picks up her fork, and hands back to her a large piece of cake. I was simply delighted to imagine this moment of sweet generosity! I had to make the cake, but with a few variations.
Francis shared a Walnut Cake with caramel icing; I wanted to build a two-tiered Espresso-Walnut Cake, with creme cheese frosting.
I wanted to play, like a child at the beach, with buckets of sand. Lost in the bliss of creating, I puttered, revised the recipe, adding rum extract, a little more cinnamon, and 'cleaned out my refrigerator', adding yogurt, eggs, whole milk, and cinnamon-pecan streudel from last week.
It turned out better than I could have imagined. Easy to slice, just slightly sweet. (Recipe here.)I then got busy chopping up the remainder of my flaxseed bread and some potato bread, and made bread pudding.
This can be warmed up in the microwave, for a quick mid-morning snack. Light, moist, with a dash of honey yogurt, it melts in your mouth, and just begs for a cup of fresh coffee.When I was growing up, meat and potatoes were a daily thing, generally a rump roast and boiled potatoes that my dad would mash into fluffiness, adding milk and butter. Mother was not interested in cooking, so we rarely had any variety, and I grew up fairly disinterested in meals. When I married George, he took over the kitchen (much to my delight), and kept our kids alive on Top Raman and Cheerios, stir-fry and peanut-butter and jelly. We all ate on the run, and I remember eating my dinner at Park Rose Care Center for 10 years, where I worked in the kitchen. I had more mashed potatoes (this time with packaged gravy) for ten years.
Breakfast for me was often rice, canned corn and green beans with a dollup of canned stewed tomatoes and green onions. That was as good as it got...with peanut-butter and jelly sandwiches for lunch. I simply never thought much about meals.
Now that I'm retired, I enjoy spending a morning in the kitchen. I also enjoy putting away my culinary experiments and getting down to the basics - good ole mashed potatoes and gravy. The comfort foods of my youth.
This time, with meatballs and a sparkle of shredded hashbrowns on the plate, to add a new twist. It could have used a slice of bread, to mop up the gravy, but it got used up in the pudding. I forgot that little detail.
