Creative cooking and living in the fertile Salinas Valley, east of Eden, along California's central coast
“Some things don’t ever change their value, he said.”
East of Eden, John Steinbeck
Be kind, be gracious, a new year is arriving and we have dessert for the celebration! Vanilla was nudging me. Past the river of chocolate and butter of Christmas. Clean, fresh, sweet, a refreshing bath of flavor to begin a new year. It tugged and melted into a pool of bright silver light worthy of a celebration. Happy New Year!
“It’s not Christmas. No, said Cal, it’s better than Christmas.”
East of Eden, John Steinbeck
This Christmas cookie has been splashed across the internet and a version of the recipe can be found in every cookbook that has cookies as its theme. Of all the Christmas cookies I make this is the most requested. Russian Tea Cakes are the first holiday cookie of the season. A nutty shortbread cookie rolled in powdered sugar, simple to make and even easier to devour. There are many names and variations for this cookie, Mexican Wedding Cakes, Polvorones, made with cinnamon, pecans, walnuts or hazelnuts. I use the recipe my mom used. Changing a family favorite can be treacherous, especially at the holidays. I wouldn’t dream of adding cinnamon, although I imagine it would be fabulous. Over the years I have made a few tweaks. We grew up with cookies made with margarine and walnuts as butter and pecans were too expensive. I migrated to butter, added another handful of walnuts and toasted them before adding to the dough. With my changes the Russian Tea Cakes must taste better. But childhood memories can’t be argued with. Even though I know butter tastes better than margarine the best cookies I’ve ever had at Christmas were the ones my mom and I made together. That’s an ingredient you can’t buy at the store or include in a recipe, even though that’s what we’re all looking for at Christmas.
“You couldn’t buy flour, white flour, any more without taking four times the quantity of brown flour. Those who could afford it ate bread and biscuits with white flour and made mash for the chickens with the brown.”
East of Eden, John Steinbeck
Bakers of bread, owners of bakeries, farmers of grain and millers of flour gathered in Burlington, Washington at the WSU-Mount Vernon Research Center in September to share all things that make a better bread. Kneading Conference West was a dough filled weekend stuffed with learning and floury experiences in whole grain breads. Workshops, panels and presentations, field trips, networking and bread fresh from the oven are few of the highlights of the conference. Wood-fired bagels for breakfast, challah warm from the oven, tangy sourdough fruity and sweet with raisins and apples and a thrilling heritage wheat puff pastry all were part of the experience.
“Do you have many books? Not many here–thirty or forty. But your are welcome to any of them you haven’t read.”
East of Eden, John Steinbeck
Grasping with all our might we hold on tightly. Until we don’t. We let go. I came stuttering into fall. Didn’t want to let our Indian Summer go. September, early October, I rebelled against all things pumpkin and spice. Late in the afternoon I find myself in the garden searching for straggling, late season tomatoes. They aren’t very good tomatoes; mushy, without gloss, yet sweet. They are not slicing or galette making tomatoes. I tuck them into a full-bodied sauce or hearty soup that’s already simmering and feel good about using them. When I’m in the garden the late afternoon sun warms my shoulders, reaching past my sweatshirt to caress and soothe. The warmth eases the grip I have on the day. My hands loosen, relax as they clammer past the tangle of a busy day for one last tomato. That’s what I’m not ready to give up. But I will let go.
“Kate, when you close, you tap on my door. I’ll have a little surprise for you. What kind of surprise? Oh, a secret surprise.”
East of Eden, John Steinbeck
A chance connection made at this year’s PMA Foodservice Conference with Gourmet Trading Company led to gorgeous purple, white and green asparagus arriving at my doorstep for recipe testing. I am fond of cooking with vegetables that are in season but a craving for asparagus can’t always wait! Especially when this Asparagus Goat Cheese Tart would be a stunning addition to any upcoming holiday party. Working with three colors of asparagus was such a treat. One night I made pasta with a heaping tablespoon of garlic and sausage and then the next day a lentil salad with roasted shallots and a red wine vinaigrette. But the cornmeal tart filled with creamy goat cheese and ricotta was too just special not to share.