Rick O’Connell’s Pear and Polenta Tart
Good Intentions
“Back in her room he said, “Didn’t have no apples. He said this was a good pear.”
East of Eden, John Steinbeck
Inspiration
One of the things I intend to do each year is to bake recipes I haven’t tried before. I’ve had this recipe from The Fannie Farmer Baking Book on my list to try for years and decided it would be my first good intention of this year. This quote from Marion Cunningham always captures my imagination. “Not truly a tart, but a wonderful creation! The yellow cornmeal crust covers pear halves, which make little hills all over. This is an outstanding recipe in every way.” The line drawings of the tart with hills made of pears are just as scrumptious as the recipe description. Just in case there were any thoughts about the worthiness of this recipe. Mr R said he could eat this tart all day long. That is quite a statement since there is absolutely no chocolate in the recipe.
Rosemary Shortbread Trees
The Best Gift
“Adam was pleased. Not even Christmas and we have presents. I wonder what it can be!”
East of Eden, John Steinbeck
Inspiration
I dream of the gift of world peace and the end of hunger. I wish for more kindness. An end to the relentless scramble to be better than, to have more. A time to be happy. If just for a moment, to pause, and be pleased with our lives. It is possible, especially if you give the best gift of all. The gift can be expensive and it takes time too. It was for me.
Yeasted Waffles with Whole Wheat and Maple Roasted Figs
The allure of a famous recipe
“Gradually a perfectly natural thing happened.”
East of Eden, John Steinbeck
Inspiration
Weekend mornings are made for Marion Cunningham’s yeasted waffles. With an easy prep the night before the batter can be finished while the waffle iron heats in the morning. I have made the recipe so many times that I now take short cuts, deviating from her famous recipe. Adding an extra half cup of flour to the original recipe makes a thicker waffle that still has the famous crispy exterior yet has a soft, pillowy inside. Simply voluptuous breakfast material. For the original crispy thin waffle, make a thiner batter with a total of two cups of flour. The nutty taste of browned butter stands tall in flavor with whole wheat flour and makes an appearance in these waffles. Dissolving the yeast in warm water and warming the milk are just extra steps in the original recipe. Mix cold milk together with the yeast and proceed with the recipe. It yields a batter with the same volume and texture as the original recipe. Make the recipe in a very large bowl as the batter at least doubles in volume. When the eggs and baking soda are stirred into the bowl the next morning a silky smooth batter is waiting for the hot waffle iron.
Chocolate Chip Cookies with Sunflower Seeds
The seeds of inspiration: Marion Cunningham
“If one were properly to perform a difficult and subtle act, he should first inspect the end to be achieved and then, once he had accepted the end as desirable, he should forget it completely and concentrate solely on the means. By this method he would not be moved to false action by anxiety or hurry or fear. Very few people learn this.”
East of Eden, John Steinbeck
Inspiration
Many years ago I was given a copy of the The Fannie Farmer Baking Book written by Marion Cunningham as a birthday present. It is the 1984 edition which includes over 800 baking recipes. Holding a place of prominence on my bookshelf, it is a cookbook that has stood the test of time. My daughter now uses this cookbook. My favorite scone recipe is here. I have tried other scone recipes, but I always return to Marion Cunningham. My daughter uses the The Fannie Farmer Baking Book for “Soft Oatmeal Cookies” and the recipe I adapted for this post “Chocolate Chip Cookies”. She likes this recipe with peanut butter; just hold the peanuts. For years it was the only baking book I used. I was busy, working full time while raising a family. When I baked I needed to be sure the final product was a stellar success. There was no time to experiment. This is the book I used.