Pilot, er, cooks error...

Not everything I cook turns out lovely...

After the Pots de Creme recipe, I had 8 egg whites staring at me each time I opened the fridge...plus I want more Pots de Creme and I just couldn't until the other egg whites were gone! So, before grouting the new tile last night, I got out my trusty Julia Child's "Mastering the art of French Cooking"! Sure enough! "Souffle aux Blancs D'Oeufs" translated: Cheese Souffle with Egg Whites Only. Perfect! Page 173 of the cookery book (I'm not posting the recipe, but if you want it send me a comment and I will be happy to send to you!) and I got started! I did not have any Swiss cheeses in the house, so I used Cotswold, English Double Gloucester with Onions and Chives, in replacement. Cotswold is very popular at The Market, it's tasty and versatile! I also used heavy cream instead of "simmering light cream" with just a bit of water added.

Then something happened...not a good something. The butter/flour/cream sauce got all funky. So, I folded in the egg whites anyway and it was delicious...not beautiful or very light, but tasty! I might have used the wrong size souffle dish as well...seriously, my cabinets only hold so much! I did not take pictures...(too busy shoveling the souffle into mouth) who wants to see an ugly souffle?! I did not have time to regret not doing photos...that grout was screaming my name (I still have 2 more days of it, and it looks darn good!)! Here's hoping YOUR souffle turns out beautiful! Maybe I should have put on a "Julia" apron and said Bon Appetit first?

Rhubarb + Booze = Bliss

Nothing symbolizes Spring like Rhubarb. From the first scary bumps poking through the soil, to the huge leaves unfurling with a peek of bright magenta stalks. While I love the first 3 recipes I make with it, near the end of the season, I've had enough and the rest gets chopped and thrown into the freezer or this recipe courtesy of Nigella Lawson.

1 1/4 lb rhubarb, cut and trimmed to 1 inch cubes
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 liter vodka

Coat Rhubarb with sugar in a large jar with tight fitting lid. Pour Vodka over and shake. Shake every other day for the first month or so then store in a cool dark place for at least 6 weeks and up to 6 months. Strain through cheesecloth before using.

I absolutely love Nigella's cookbooks! (I have all of them) Her approach to being creative with her recipes paired with enthusiasm for food and cooking, are all the things I love about cooking! I also love the fact she's not so fussy about putting things together (it's all about the flavor!) and yet they turn out great!


John and I especially have fun making fruity cocktails in the summer, but I also love to pour a shot of boozey flavor onto sponge cakes or into marinades and sauces! This works perfectly, as it is not too sweet! A "Rhubarb-tini" is mighty fine in the dog days of summer!

Rainy day projects...

I'm not on a quest for "House Beautiful", I would be happy with "House Nice"! So the rainy days have gotten me busy. This week's mission is to repaint the living room and trim. For the record, I hate painting trim. It's a thankless, ugly job that takes so much time, just to be scuffed and dusty in 2 weeks or less! But I'm doing it...ugh!

John created supper last night (I was exhausted, see above) and it was delicious! The salad was the star of the show; Greens, smoked cheddar, sliced apples and walnuts with the best dressing of:

1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/3 cup Sherry Vinegar
2-3 Tablespoons Maple Syrup (the real stuff, we have local at The Market)

Put all ingredients in a glass jar and shake until emulsified!

Next on the agenda is decor...are cookbooks considered decor? The household says "NO!" So today I may try my hand at oil painting all these rainy day colors into a masterpiece.

By the way, the photo is not representative of the living room...I went with a green color. Feel free to leave comments on the plum, it's for the dining room! The tile is the new kitchen backsplash!

Pots de Creme au Chocolat

Three days of beautiful sunshine has gotten me moving! On the "list" this month has been getting the deck in shape. In previous years, a transparent stain has been great...this year we have moved to "full coverage". (I understand this feeling all too well. I, too, am at a full coverage stage!) "Patina" does not describe the condition of my old friend, the potting bench...it too needed attention. So a lovely coat of chocolate brown, semi-transparent stain got me aching for real chocolate! The deck is finished, the potting bench ready to bring forth many containers of happy plants and I have Pots de Creme au Chocolate to eat and enjoy the fruit of my labors!

While in France, we could not believe the yogurt containers! Terracotta, glazed and glass pots full of fabulous full cream yogurt studded with vanilla beans or fruits. We ate them as late night snacks, dessert and breakfast! John thought I was a teeny bit crazy for bringing home all of the containers...until he ate these pots full of deliciousness!

You can make Pots de Creme without chocolate by adding vanilla beans or extracts (like lemon or orange) or even instant espresso powder! I used Callebaut bittersweet chocolate, that we sell at The Boulevard Market by the pound. It was the perfect balance of rich chocolate to sweetness.

I love individual desserts, it creates the feel of something special and restaurant like! Serve with a dollop of whipped cream and fresh blackberries and demitasse spoons for a French cafe ambiance!


POTS DE CREME AU CHOCOLATE

2 cups milk
1 cup sugar
1/2 pound best quality Bittersweet Chocolate (chopped)
8 egg yolks
1 large egg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large saucepan, bring milk and sugar to a boil, add chocolate pieces and return to boil, stirring constantly until chocolate has melted.
In an extra large measuring cup (easier for pouring in next step) whisk egg yolks and eggs together and gradually add hot chocolate mixture.
Pour into 8- 1/2 cup ramekins and place in a larger pan filled with enough hot water to come halfway up the ramekins. (I used a 9X13 pan)

Bake for 20-30 minutes until chocolate is set.

Cool and refrigerate until ready to serve. Garnish as desired!

Gardening in the south bed

Doesn't it sound like I have an estate in England when I say that? That is not the case! (Today commenced the first day of "Graduation Party in 2 months, countdown nightmare".) My south bed is about 30 feet long and 15 feet deep and used to be a really sunny spot in my yard with many perennials. Time has passed and trees have shaded this bed, perennials have disappeared and some shrubs have been added. It was time to do an overhaul with what I had on hand.

I dug and hauled, replanted and moved, sat back and looked...not too shabby! The Clematis, roses, hydrangea, butterfly bush, red bud and wiegela are my anchors and everything else is filling in. I moved an immense amount of hollyhocks (cross your fingers they are happy) and dug out tons of lemon verbena.

I think I can add a few pots of creeping annuals around the rock border and viola! I do need new lavender plants, mine did not make it this winter, and I love them to bake and cook with it.

It was such fun to play in the dirt surrounded by blooming tulips and phlox, listening to the bees in the blooming redbud tree. I made fresh lemonade, put up the patio umbrella and listened to John swear at the rototiller! The sweet life!

Thought you might like our favorite lemon verbena recipe:

Raspberries in Lemon Verbena Gel

2 1/2 c water
1/2 c sugar
1 cup lemon verbena sprigs, lightly packed
2 tsp unflavored gelatin (that’s 1 packed minus 1/2 tsp)
1/4 c fresh lemon juice
1 pint fresh raspberries

1. Heat 2 1/4 c water with the sugar in a small saucepan.
2. As soon as it comes to a boil, remove from the heat, stir in the lemon verbena and cover and steep for 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, sprinkle the gelatin over the remaining 1/4 c water and let it swell.
4. Strain the verbena syrup.
5. Stir the gelatin into the hot liquid until it dissolves.
6. Cool to room temperature.
7. Stir in the lemon juice.
8. Arrange the berries in dessert glasses.
9. Pour the gelatin over them and chill until firm.

These look beautiful in martini glasses, tall shot glasses or small, clear ramekins. Sliced fruit didn't make as nice of a presentation, but still tasted great!

French dish a la Erika!

At my birthday supper, in Paris, Gina and Jamie ordered a dish something like this for their appetizer (entree, I know, very confusing!). Theirs was made with St Marceillin cheese, but I chose Reblochon cheese for this dish!

It was delivered in beautiful little terracotta crocks, steamy, creamy and rich! You can alter any vegetable for the mushrooms and play around using whatever ravioli and herbs you have on hand. Feel free to put it in a medium casserole dish, or individuals!

1 1/2 cups Dry cheese filled Ravioli (in the pasta section)

3 Tablespoons butter
1 cup sliced mushrooms

3 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons flour
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
2/3 pound Reblochon Cheese (remove rind)
1 Tablespoon fresh chives, chopped
salt & pepper to taste

Cook ravioli according to package directions.
Saute mushrooms in butter until lightly browned.
In a medium saucepan, melt 3 T of butter, add flour and brown. Slowly add cream, bring to a boil and boil until sauce has thickened slightly. Add cheese and stir until melted.

Pour into a casserole dish, or individual casseroles, bake at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes.

I served ours with grilled chicken drizzled with Extra Virgin Olive Oil with Lemon and minced Chervil and a green salad.

Sunday Sights; Eiffel Tower

Sunday Morning we braved the metro, it was very simple and we listened to a man playing his trumpet for a bit of change! On our way to Paris' most beloved sight of the Eiffel Tower. It was magnificent! We entered from the south and walked up through the grand gardens, with people having picnics, walking dogs and hanging out. The closer we got, we realized the structure is absolutely huge! We decided not to go up, as the top floor was closed and the lines were tremendously long, so we wandered around the perimeter, enjoyed a beautiful garden with a waterfall and soaked up the sun!

Lunch was at a small cafe several blocks south of the tower, on a lively street with a market and throngs of people! I was in the mood for pasta, but you can imagine my surprise when my "Carbonara" was delivered to the table! What to do? I stirred it up and ate it! In the wise words of my 15 year old daughter, Jamie, "MOM, they are probably from a farm!"

The carbonara was delicious, and I forgot about the raw egg as soon as I had a sip of the Sauvignon Blanc sitting to my left!

Don't you want to try this at home?!?!?!