Aspen, Bears & Bread

We have just returned from Aspen and the raw beauty that makes Colorado so special. The fall foliage was in its full glory. Surprisingly, after all of the time I have spent either living or visiting Colorado, I’ve never experienced Autumn in the high country.

I was in state of awe at the sensational gorgeousness that welcomed us as we drove over the Continental Divide and made our way through the spectacularly colored Vail Valley.

We arrived in Aspen as the sun was setting so we caught a only a glimpse of the beauty that awaited us.

We awoke to a brilliant sight of the mountains covered in the brightest shades of yellow, gold, red and green. Really, it took my breath away.

We went for a hike at Hunter’s Creek and biked along the Rio Grande trail.

There were bears in trees all over town, seemingly uninterested in all of the onlookers, instead, paying attention to the trees overflowing with crabapples that they were gobbling up as fast as they could.

It was a magical visit for sure. Romanic as it always is to be in the mountains with the wood fireplace burning as the first snow of the season was dusting the tops the high peaks.

Before we left for Aspen, I made the simplest, no knead bread recipe ever.

This was hands down the best loaf of bread I have ever made and while the dough needs to sit for 12-18 hours, if you mix the dough in the evening, it will be ready to shape, rise and bake in the morning.

The recipe was published by the NY Times in 2006 and you can find the archive here.

Enjoy!

A Cool Fall Morning and a Chili Cheese Omelet, Charlie's Style

There is a little restaurant in Newport Beach, California, right at the bottom of the Newport Pier that serves up one of the meanest breakfasts that can be found. Charlie's Chili, a Newport Beach landmark, serves breakfast all day to local surfers and tourist alike.

We don't have a Charlie's Chili here in Colorado but I do have a killer chili recipe which I made the other night, so I decided to treat my husband to the omelet that made Charlie's famous, a chili cheese omelet.

Using 2 eggs and 2 tablespoons of milk whisked together for the egg mixture, I slowly cooked a thin omelet on one side. I then layered about a heaping 1/4 cup of heated chili on one half of the omelet, sprinkled the chili with grated colby jack cheese, fresh chopped cilantro and a few sliced scallions.

I then folded the omelet in half and slid it onto a plate, garnishing it with a bit more cheese, cilantro, scallions, sliced avocado, a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of smokey paprika.

All that was missing was the salty breeze and the sound of the crashing waves.

Crumbles + Plums = Plumble

"Plumble" is the name my husband gave this cake. A sour cream coffee cake with a layer of moist plums in the middle and a cinnamon crumble topping. It is sooo good!

I've made it here in a 9 inch spring form pan which makes it easy to remove. I also like to make individual tea cakes using jumbo tulip cupcake wrappers (makes 12), either way, scrumptious!

For the crumbs

1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1 cups flour
1/4 cup almond flour

For the cake:
2/3 cup sour cream
2 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons almond extract
1 1/3 cups flour
2/3 cup almond flour
2/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) softened butter, cut into 8 pieces.
3 tablespoons cornstarch for dusting the plums
4-5 medium to large plums, sliced into 8-10 wedges each depending on the size of the plum

Preheat oven to 335 degrees.

Grease a round 9-inch spring form pan.

To make crumbs:

In a large bowl using a fork, mix the sugars, cinnamon and salt into melted butter until smooth. Then, add flours with a spatula or wooden spoon. It will become thick dough. Set aside.

To prepare cake:

In a small bowl, stir together the sour cream, egg, egg yolk, almond extract and vanilla. Using a food processor, mix together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add butter and the sour cream mixture and pulse a number of times until the flour is combined. Scoop out about 1 1/2 cups batter and set aside. Spread the remaining batter into the bottom of the cake pan.

Toss the sliced plum wedges with the cornstarch and then spread the plums over the batter in the pan. Spoon the set-aside batter over the plums and spread it over the plums.

Don’t worry about covering all of the plums, as it isn’t necessary. Next, using your fingers, break the crumble topping mixture into big crumbs and sprinkle over cake.

Bake cake for 55 to 65 minutes (cover with foil and continue to bake if it begins to get too brown on top). Cool completely before serving. Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar if desired.

8 to 10 servings.

The Misunderstood Fig and the Sweet Tart

Not everyone is a fan of the fig, but I love them and I think a lot of people just don't know what to do with them. True, they are delicious eaten fresh on their own or simply cut and served on a cracker or bread with blue cheese, but for me, when these beauties are baked is when the best of what they have to offer is released.

These little fig tarts are as gorgeous as they are delicious to eat. Made with an almond custard and finished with a drizzle of honey, they make a lovely dessert to share with guests or to munch down anytime!

FALL FIG TART

For the crust:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F

2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup of unsalted butter (1-1/2 sticks) cut into small pieces
1/8 teaspoon salt
3-6 tablespoons cold water

In a food processor, pulse the flour, butter and salt until it resembles a coarse meal (you should be able to feel small pieces of butter when you rub the mixture between two fingers). Drizzle in ice water, one tablespoon at a time, just until it holds together. Divide the dough into 10 balls, wrap in plastic wrap or wax paper and chill for 30 minutes to an hour.

Roll each ball out to a 6 inch circle and carefully press into tart tins and then cut the excess off of the edges. Lightly prick the bottom of the tarts with fork and place in the freezer for ten minutes. Carefully, line the filled tart tins with parchment and fill with weights, beans or rice.

Bake in the 400 degree oven for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and carefully remove parchment and weights and then continue to cook for an additional 5 minutes or until the crust begins to get a pale golden hue to it. Remove from oven and cool while you prepare the custard.

For the Almond Cream:

2 cups almond meal (almond flour)
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter at room temperature
Pinch of salt
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons whole milk or half & half
1 teaspoon almond extract

With an electric hand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar on a medium speed until well combined. Add almond meal and almond extract and beat until thoroughly mixed. Add the salt, eggs and milk or half & half and mix until light and fluffy.

Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.

You will also need:
18-20 figs, quartered lengthwise (I used black figs here)
1 cup apricot jam
Honey to drizzle

To assemble:

Place the partially baked shells on a sheet pan. Divide both the apricot jam and the almond custard amongst the tart shells, first spreading the jam on the bottom of the shell and then layering the custard on top of the jam. Then place the quartered figs, cut side up, in the tart shells, pressing them lightly into the custard.

Bake for 30 minutes, until the custard is puffed and golden brown.

Drizzle with honey and serve warm.

Enjoy!

Charlotte's Organic Peach Cobbler

Summer may be coming to an end in a matter of weeks, but the last of those amazingly delicious tree ripened peaches are still available at many of the farmers markets and stores. Here in Colorado we were able to pick up of a flat of organic Palisade peaches at our local farmers market.

After a long hike in the mountains, we came home and treated ourselves to a healthy dinner, and then Ric's mother made this insanely good peach cobbler with the organic peaches. How could we resist? This recipe is simple and utterly divine.

All of the ingredients that we used to make this were organic. Obviously, you can make it with non-organic ingredients, but in my house, you will only find organic.

CHARLOTTE'S ORGANIC PEACH COBBLER

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

For the filling:

10 ripe organic yellow peaches
2 tablespoons organic all-purpose flour
1/2 cup organic sugar

Pit the peaches and cut each one into 8 wedges. Place them in a large bowl and toss with the flour and sugar.

Butter a 9 x 13 inch baking dish (I used a couple of small cast iron pans which worked well). Place peaches in the baking dish, cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

For the crust:

7 tablespoons of organic unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup organic sugar
2 organic large eggs
1 teaspoon organic vanilla
1 cup organic all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

While the peaches are baking, cream together the butter and sugar for 2 minutes. Add the eggs and beat until light and creamy, approximately 2 minutes. Add the flour baking powder and salt and mix until combined.

Remove the cooked peaches from the oven and place four dollops of the topping over the peaches, then spread evenly with a spatula or the back of a spoon. Return the cobbler to the oven and bake for 1 hour.

Baking note:
Check on the cobbler after it has baked for 30 minutes. If it is browning too quickly, cover with foil and then continue to bake for the full hour.

10-12 servings.

Serve with a scoop of lightly sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Enjoy!

Southern Hospitality and One Bad-Ass Cat

So many birthdays in August that it seems as if we have been celebrating and traveling all month! Actually, we have traveled to thirteen states in thirty days!

A couple of weeks ago we were back in North Carolina.

We were met in the driveway by Nate, one bad-ass southern cat.

Visits with family seem a more precious now that we live further away. Whether taking a dip in Steve and Fran's pool, Steve treating us to the latest "granola" coffee-house (he thinks I'm a little, um...earthy?), or the larger gatherings with the kids playing badminton in the yard and food and drink flowing freely, I cherish these times.

Sitting in Charlotte's kitchen sipping a cup of French pressed coffee while watching her prepare a big spread for a big family birthday celebration. She and her husband Bob, her sous-chef, didn't need my help so I enjoyed the southern hospitality, kicked back and relaxed.

One of my favorite southern dishes that I look forward to while visiting Charlotte are the divine grits she cooks up.

Over the top rich and creamy, this is not something I would indulge in often, but as I am a believer of all things in moderation, I enjoyed this tasty treat without guilt.

GARLIC GRITS (Recipe given to Charlotte by her Grandmother Bruton, Christmas 1963)

INGREDIENTS

2 cups grits (I love Bob's Red Mill Organic Corn Meal)
1 1/2 quarts water
1/2 cup milk
3/4 of a 16oz block of Velveeta cheese(12 oz), cut into small cubes*
1/8 tsp garlic powder
4 eggs, beaten
1 stick butter, cut into small cubes*
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

* See chef's notes at bottom of post.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Bring water to a boil. Slowly, add grits to boiling water and cook until thick. Add milk, Velveeta, and garlic powder until combined. Mix in eggs and butter, season with salt and black pepper to taste.

Pour into a buttered 9 x 13 casserole dish. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and bake for 35 minutes.

8-10 servings

Notes: Trying to cut down the fat in this recipe, I made it with half of the butter and used a mixture of cheddar and colby/jack cheese (1-1/2 to 2 cups of grated cheese) instead of Velveeta. I also added a couple of tablespoonfuls of diced green chiles.

Trains, Planes and Diners ~ Grilled Cantaloupe & Gorgonzola Salad

Leave it to my son to lead us to an unexpected jewel in Williamsburg, New York. For those of you who wouldn’t think of crossing the river from Manhattan to Brooklyn, you are missing out on an extraordinary culinary scene that you won’t find in the city.

Stepping off the plane at La Guardia, we were hit by the humid air and the crush of travelers. We hopped in a cab and headed to Williamsburg and then over to the über hip joint called "Diner".

No menus here, the server with the big smile and bright red lipstick popped herself down at our booth and described each dish as she wrote the day's offerings on a stretch of butcher paper laid across the table. She was intimate and attentive, admitting that she had mixed up two of the sauces all night, telling guests that the wrong sauce went with a particular dish.

This was anything but the average diner food you might expect. It was complex, beautiful and amazing. The servings were not too large, just enough for everyone at the table to have their fill and share a bite with each other.

As a platter of assorted desserts passed by us mid meal, my son announced, "we are having one of each of those", and we did.

A cluster of delicacies pushed to the center of the table, we dove into one and all, critiquing each one with our oohs and aahhs.

After dinner we walked down to the river where the Williamsburg Bridge crosses over to Manhattan and then stood in the quiet Tuesday night streets wondering if a taxi would ever wander by.

Eventually, one did.

With the windows rolled down, we made our way to Manhattan to our room with a view of Lady Liberty.

The next morning we strolled through Central Park on our way to visit the Museum of Natural History.

Leaving the museum, we made our way around the city to a number of specialty food stores for a little product research (more on this soon).

New York in the August heat is always a bit of a challenge for me. I love the city but I can feel overwhelmed by the humidity, throngs of tourists, noise level and smells that range from delicious to disgusting in a matter of seconds.

A stop at a Japanese sweets shop in Rockefeller Center called Minamoto Kitchoan brought a moment of serene calm. Beautifully packaged, these pastries that are made with bean pastes, fruits and jellies, are delicate and unusual in both appearance and taste.

French Macaroons in Boucheron Bakery.

Stormy skies with thunder and lightning looming overhead didn't seem to faze the city strollers.

A little entertainment between subway stops.

And then into Dean & DeLuca in Soho.

I so wanted to try all of the cheeses...

...and these too!

I ♥ NY!

Here is my very simple interpretation of a salad that we were served at Diner.

Grilled Cantaloupe & Gorgonzola Salad

4 cups Mache or other salad greens
1/2 small cantaloupe, sliced into 8 wedges with skins removed
1/4 red onion, sliced paper-thin
1/2 cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese
Aged Balsamic Vinegar to drizzle or any basic vinaigrette

Arrange the greens on four plates and top with red onion slices.

Place the slices of cantaloupe on a hot grill or panning maker that has been brushed with some oil. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side - just enough to warm and soften it a bit and yet still remaining firm.

Lay 2 slices of grilled cantaloupe on each plate on top of the greens, drizzle with balsamic vinegar, sprinkle with the gorgonzola and serve immediately.