November 1st, 2010 / Comments 0
A couple of weeks ago, I was missing my son Matthew who lives in Brighton, England.
I made a batch of English scones, whipped some cream, dished out the strawberry jam and nibbled on them while we chatted on the phone. Here’s how I did it: … read more
October 27th, 2010 / Comments 1
I have never been a fan of the traditional American breakfast. Although I enjoy frying, poaching and scrambling eggs for others, I don’t like eating them. One of my most memorable breakfasts was served in the dining car of a Russian train as we headed from Mongolia to Siberia. When I saw that everyone around me was eating crispy fried eggs, served in shallow metal bowls, I asked the waiter if there was anything, other than eggs, that I might have for breakfast. The waiter shrugged and said that there was only chicken soup. Chicken soup sounded great to me, and since I was in Russia, I asked if there might be some caviar as well. He nodded and returned with my soup and a plate with a lump of caviar and a slice of bread. This unconventional breakfast was the best meal I had in Russia. If I can’t have caviar and chicken soup for breakfast, a minimal meal of a sweet pastry and a cup of tea and gets my day started with a smile.
With a supply of scones in the freezer, pulling breakfast together is as quick as brewing a pot of tea and zapping a scone in the microwave. This week, I added fresh cranberries and pecans to the batter. These scones are sweet, have the texture of cake and are the American cousins of English scones that are often dotted with currants and served with clotted cream and jam. Here’s how I did it:
August 9th, 2010 / Comments 1
May 5th, 2010 / comments 6
Last May, I made a perfect Mother’s Day brunch even though I had forgotten that it was Mother’s Day. I had found strawberries and local yogurt at the market and decided to make a sweet Yorkshire pudding for Sunday breakfast for our friends Annie and Andre who were spending the weekend with us.
Andre and Charles had shared an office and architectural practice in Washington, DC, and Annie and I were pregnant at the same time. We talked late into the night about Annie’s current theatrical role, Andre’s newest project, Charles writing, my blog and shared the latest news about our children. Bleary eyed, we agreed to continue our conversation at breakfast.
We began with cups of tea and coffee and considered how we would spend the day. Breakfast was a cooperative affair – Annie set the table, Andre worked a Sudoku puzzle, Charles cleaned the strawberries and cooked the sausages, and I made the sweet Yorkshire pudding.
It was easier than making a traditional breakfast of eggs and bacon, pancakes, or omelets, and more festive than bagels and cream cheese. The batter, a combination of eggs, milk, and flour, is similar to a crepe batter and not temperamental. It will wait patiently until everyone is awake, showered, coffee’d and ready to eat, to be put into the oven to bake. Half an hour later – breakfast is served!
Here’s how I made it: … read more
April 29th, 2010 / Comments 0
With Julia’s method, I was able to sauté mushrooms to add to omelets, soups, pastas, pizzas and more.
I made a mushroom soufflé for lunch to thank a friend who took care of my mail while I was away. We chatted about my adventures in Italy and her experiences with late winter in Vermont while the soufflé baked. A soufflé sounds complicated but it is just a seasoned white sauce lightened with egg whites that is baked. Here’s how I made it: … read more
April 28th, 2010 / Comments 0
The first mushroom I knew about was the red one with white spots that killed the king of the elephants in The Story of Babar.
Then, there were those stories that included frogs, toads, toadstools, kissing and princes, yuck! When my father’s friends gave us wild mushrooms, their promises that none were poisonous did not encourage me to try the black, slimy concoction they became. Mushrooms, no thank you!
The turning point in my relationship with mushrooms came when I saw Julia Child cook them. Her method was simple and the lightly browned mushrooms could be served at any meal. After all the ricotta pastries I had enjoyed in Sicily, I wanted to make a low fat, high flavor, savory breakfast in my Vermont kitchen. Sautéed mushrooms served with whole-wheat toast and a pot of tea would be perfect. Here’s how I did it: … read more