Alleyway in Down-Town Olympia

We drove Taraz down to Vancouver, stopping in Olympia for a stroll through some of his favorite haunts, one of which is this alleyway. It has been painted with murals.

The abundant snowfall has melted and there are warnings about flooding and unstable mountainsides. The ground is soggy and unpredictable.

I've been shut in for over two weeks, reluctant to drive in the crusted snow. Here in Tacoma the main thoroughfares are plowed, but none of the side-streets. Parking lots were horrendous, with cars getting stuck. Unfortunately, people still had Christmas shopping to do so they ventured out.

A few days ago I finally drove to Metropolitan Market, to get a few specialty items for my pantry. Since we don't really celebrate Christmas, I gave myself a little gift of taste thrills: A fresh pineapple, a tiny box of raspberries for crepes, salmon bisque, Droste cocoa powder, Israeli couscous, some spicy tamarind dipping sauce, and Mexican mole.

While I was there I bumped into two people that I know (always a delight), doing some last minute shopping. The market was packed with shoppers as it was Christmas eve, yet we lingered over conversation, enjoying the festive energies, the wonderful aromas of the deli, the bakery, and the table displaying holiday cheeses and fruit.

I bought a few items for our Christmas meals and planned my menus:

A Moroccan tagine with couscous and fried Greek bread.

Orange-Poppy-seed Salad with Pine-Nuts, Currants and kumquats.

Miniature Raspberry-Huckleberry Crepes.

Millet pancakes, bacon, eggs, and chorizo-onions.

Chickpeas and Rice, Rye Bread and Mozzarella.

Focaccia, my first attempt, using dried tomato and Italian herbs.

Borders had a 40% off sale a few days before Christmas. I went over. The place was just packed. I enjoyed seeing all the customers (being shut-in for over a week) and spent $9.00 on "The Shipping News", which is so wonderfully written with all the local idioms and colloquial language.

While I was there I saw several books I'd love to have, but they were costly: Poopa Dweck's "Aromas of Aleppo ~ The Legendary Cuisine of Syrian Jews". Another was "Turquoise ~ A Chef's Travels in Turkey" by Gary and Lucy Malouf. Both these books are written the way I like, with abundant photos of the country, the markets, the people and the food. Recipes are almost an after-thought, as the writers feature old ancestral photos and the fascinating cultural details that define the particulars of the cuisine.

I was so hungry for this type of experience that I taped the reruns of Andrew Zimmern's travels through India, Ethiopia, and Morocco and played them while I did my cooking! It was almost like I was transported there, with flavors coming from my own kitchen to enhance the programs ~ The Market in Marrakesh, with its mounds of turmeric, cumin, and red pepper; the goats and camels slaughtered for market; the souk with its shops and eateries.

I would have loved to roast a bit of lamb for Christmas, but most of the wrapped meat at our local market was around $23.00 for the choicest cuts, and with just the three of us I settled on one pound of ground turkey and another pound of chorizo.
Seasoned with fresh ground spices, they enhanced my tagine, shown here before I simmered everything for several hours. Only one day of left-overs, unfortunately.

With Taraz gone, we'll get ready for a visit from Ruhiyyih, who arrives from Washington D.C. on Wednesday. She'll be here only through the weekend, spending most of her time with Matt and his family, but I've got to clean the guest-room and check my pantry.

I've got a couple of good books to read: "In a Hundred Graves ~ A Basque Portrait" by Robert Laxalt. It has a lyrical writing style, featuring the sheep-herders in the Pyrenees and the local paysans. And, "A Place to Live" by Natalia Ginzburg. It's about her life in Turin, Italy. Both, exactly the kind of writing I enjoy and beautifully done.

Mocha Cream Puffs

I'll always associate these bite-size cream puffs with my son Taraz, who has been stranded here for a few days due to the snowstorm.

I was reviewing a food magazine from Metropolitan Market that featured holiday desserts - all of them featuring chocolate - he saw a photo and said, "Oh Mom, could you make those?" The photograph showed a French croquembouche, a tower of puffs all glued together with frosting. With a little modification, I knew Taraz could have a taste thrill that evening ... if I only had whipping cream, powdered sugar, unsalted butter, and Droste Cocoa Powder.

When Taraz asked if we could make them I knew someone was going to have to go to the store for the ingredients. We were in the middle of a winter storm, with a good six inches of snow on the ground, streets unplowed, traffic almost at a standstill.

George was recovering from a bout with the flu over the weekend, but he and Taraz went to Fred Meyer to get the ingredients. While they did the shopping, I tidied up the kitchen, did some dishes, read the recipe thoroughly and underlined some key words.

It has been years since I made cream puffs, and to get them to puff requires careful attention to procedures and details. I'll post the basic ingredients here:

Cream Puff Pastry:
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup whole milk
1/2 stick unsalted butter
2 Tbs sugar
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup plus 2 Tbs flour
2 Tbs unsweetened Dutch Process Cocoa
4 large eggs

Coffee Whip Cream:
1 cup cold heavy cream
2 tsp instant coffee granules
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Chocolate Glaze:
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 stick butter, unsalted
3 Tbs corn syrup
2 oz chocolate unsweetened
1 tsp vanilla extract

I'll post this recipe for baking directions. I discovered variations in some of the procedures when I researched a variety of recipes. To get the maximum lift to the dough it is important to have a very hot oven for the first 10 minutes, then a lower temperature to bake them to a nice shiny brown.

I sure had fun making them, and I froze a few for New Years, when Ruhiyyih will be home for a few days.

Of Snow, Food and Shelter

Our two youngest sons are staying here for a few days ~ stranded by the snow. Taraz had hoped to take a bus down to Vancouver, but southbound traffic was stalled yesterday for hours. I told him just to hunker down here! Rahmat lives in a nearby community but works in Tacoma. He rides his bike to work, even in the snow. I imagined spinning wheels and cars sliding on the streets. So, he stayed over too. Having them here offers an exquisite enjoyment ~ cooking in the wintertime.

One of the fantasies that I entertain is an image of an old battered dwelling out in the country, in Newfoundland. Although it is nestled in deep snow, in scanty woods, there is a slight proximity to a community. Killick-Claw, the town in 'The Shipping News', inspired the image - a harsh place of winter storms, rugged coastline and blustery winds.

In the fantasy I've imagined living in a home with none of the modern conveniences. No electricity or plumbing. Wood stove heating, baths in round metal wash-tubs. Yes, I know it would be challenging to cook for a family with such conditions, but that is what I imagine doing. And, as all my children are grown and 'gone', I imagine caring for old people who have nowhere else to go, no family, and I make sure they are warm, comfortable, well-fed, clean and happy.

I try to figure out all the details ~ how I'd grow the garden and keep the woodpile stocked, provide structure and purpose-filled days with everyone contributing something. Keep in mind this is a fantasy ~ I've never chopped wood! I try not to have my contemporary thinking interfere with the practical details of long-ago. You wouldn't be hearing the me say to one of my tenants, "Do some stretching exercises to reduce your cortisol levels; that'll bring your insulin down, and you'll be able to manage stress better." I think in the old days they just brought out the whiskey jug. So, there are some major incongruities.

I told Taraz about this fantasy while we were sharing a cup of tea today. He brought out a mixture called 'Magic Mountain'. It is a personal blend of Hoi Chai, a roasted green tea, oak moss, and a special tea he purchased this summer in Denver. It has twigs in it, and the infusion gives it the fragrance of a forest.

These are my oatcakes, served with white cheddar cheese flavored with malt whiskey. This cheese is unbelievable, so fragrant and robust. The salmon spread is a good treat for back-packing.

This dark Muscovado sugar was blended with a little molasses and cloves for coffee cake. Applesauce and cranberries, oat bran and whole wheat flour. Great with a little yogurt.

Taraz asked for a pie, so I made something similar to 'Black Bottom Pie' ~ chocolate, a little molasses and pumpkin. Left out the rum and heavy cream. Added the crumbled gingersnaps and orange-chocolate biscotti to the top for a little crunch. This pie was mouth-watering and rich, best served warm to bring out the flavors.

George has been home sick today. He's spent all day sleeping, and asked for some soup. Now, you'd think Campbells Chicken Noodle, right? Nope. I made White Fungus Soup, one of his favorites. The dried fungi (tremella) are a Chinese delicacy ( I think they are like rubber). A simple beef-pork bullion is necessary, and I added tiny slivers of beef, vegetables, and noodles.

When Rahmat returns home from work, I have a lasagna ready for him. I made only a small amount, using a bread-pan. That way there are very few left-overs. I've got mustard greens ready in the fridge. George picked the last row before the snow came down!

When I'm cooking in the kitchen the whole house gets heated up, and I enjoy the aromas, the sizzling of onions and garlic, pulling things out of the oven to cool, chopping and slicing. It gives a creative yet practical thrust to my day.

It has been so cold outside that I haven't ventured out into the snow. Fortunately, the temperatures have not been too bad. We've been running our propane fireplace in the mornings to heat the house up quickly.

Ruhiyyih, I just couldn't do any better than this for a snow picture. Your Uncle Frank sent it a few days ago. Sure is cute.

Our son Rue, his wife Annie, and their daughter Daisy moved into their new home this weekend and all of us helped them move.

I started the day early, about 6:00, making chocolate muffins and a hearty pizza for lunch. I packed up a salad and a little fruit, and we drove over to Gig Harbor. We started loading up the U-Haul at 10:30, and finished about 4:30. As we brought boxes to George, he loaded them, making everything secure and tight. Taraz, Rahmat and I helped run all the boxes down to the truck.

I cleaned the kitchen and vacuumed everything while the guys finished up, and we drove to the new house - a four bedroom ranch-style home out in the country. Then, we unloaded everything which went very fast because we didn't have any stairs to climb! Annie brought home some deli salads and chicken, and we ate dinner before we headed home about 7:30.

I took this photo just as we were in the middle of loading up the U-Haul. Just acting goofy, with Taraz in one of Daisy's old Smurf shirts and Rue wearing a Halloween wig. I sure appreciated their attitude because by the end of the day all of us were really tired.

I couldn't help but think off and on all day today about Rue and Annie's new home, and how exciting it is to wake up that first morning in the new place. Such a wonderful milestone.

Caribbean Black Beans & Jalapeno Foccacia

I fixed this meal for lunch yesterday. I soaked the beans overnight the day before and used them in salads, so what was left I turned into Caribbean Black Beans.

This is a slightly sweet, hot and flavorful dish, with limes and orange juice, hot pepper sauce, brown sugar and cumin. Add a little onion and garlic, a tablespoon or two of red wine, a few tablespoons of tomato paste, and simmer it awhile. I added left-over lentil soup to the mix, which made the broth a little more thick and substantial.

I served the black beans with store-bought jalapeno foccacia, topped with cheddar and peppers. Served warm, it's jalapenos compliment the condiments in the beans.

I chopped a high-fiber slaw, drizzled just a touch of Tuscan dressing, and added a fresh fruit salad to the meal - pink grapefruit, mango, orange pulp, currants, grapes, and banana, with a sprinkling of cinnamon. This meal is a nutritious high fiber meal, perfect for an afternoon when I have a desire for carbs. I'll post my recipe, as I've not found anything online that is similar:

Caribbean Black Beans

1/2 cup chopped onions
2 Tbs minced garlic
2 Tbs red wine
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 tsp cumin
2 cups cooked black beans
2 rounded Tbs tomato paste
2 Tbs lime juice
1/3 tsp hot pepper sauce
brown sugar and salt (to taste)

I also made a double-crusted Chocolate-swirl Pumpkin Pie for Taraz who is visiting for a few days. He is down with a cold and is craving 'comfort foods'. I got him some fruit popsicles, ice cream bars and a package of Thera Flu. Although I wish he'd eat better, when someone is sick I give them exactly what they ask for. They are in misery! I know that when I'm not feeling well, I like a fluffy cake doughnut with a cup of hot tea. That's it.