Summer

Spent an afternoon catching some pretty light around the ranch.

Ahhh, Spring!

I couldn't resist these radishes at the store yesterday. I also bought a couple of French baguettes at Model, and some local, fancy European style butter (and bresaola and pâté maison) at Fatted Calf, in another attempt to love radishes and butter on a baguette. With salt, I *like* radishes and butter on baguette, but frankly, I'd just as soon have butter on a baguette. I'll keep trying, though.

But aren't these radishes just gorgeous? I think when the Easter Egg radishes arrive, I'll buy another bunch just to gaze upon, and maybe try the recipe I saw in one of the food magazines (now, where was that...?) for roasted radishes. Or this one, for butter-braised radishes, from Orangette...

Also made the Lemon Pudding Cakes again. Turned out deeeelicious. This time, I used buttermilk instead of milk, and added a tablespoon of sugar to offset the extra sourness. I had the extra time before our guests arrived to cover and chill them, and this time, the pudding did separate out from the cake on top as promised. Topped them with whipped cream and more raspberries, and they were gobbled up before I could get a shot of them. Next time!

Spring Menu:
Baguettes, cheeses, butter, radishes and charcuterie
Asparagus risotto with whole asparagus
Grilled pork tenderloin with garlic and rosemary
Lemon pudding cakes with whipped cream and fresh raspberries

Road Trip!

After stopping off at the cemetery to see some relatives, we headed out to Lighthouse Point to visit some more of our loved ones.

Grandpa attempting to explain the finer points of Steamer's Lane surfing to Molly. She moves so fast, this was the only non-blurry picture of her!

Grandpa looking out over Capitola, the town of his youth, the next day.

A very nice young man named Matt invited us in to see the inside of the Cliff Avenue house that was purchased by my great-grandparents for $5,000 in 1939. This is Grandpa showing us the corner wall where he and his brother would have their height marked in pencil each year. He is demonstrating the fact that my great-uncle grew to be 6'4".

Our missions were accomplished, the weather was perfect, and a good time was had by all. Thanks, Molly, for doing almost all of the driving! (Sorry about the picture, but it was the only one where you weren't blurry or making a funny face.)

Ricotta Gnocchi, Part 1

Ricotta Gnocchi

3/4 c flour
1/4 tsp salt
Zest of one lemon
1/2 cup grated parmesan
(mixed together well)
plus
1 cup ricotta
1 egg

Mix ricotta, flour, lemon zest, salt, egg and parmesan together into a light dough that just holds together on a floured surface.


Cut into thirds and gently roll into 1" thick ropes. Chill ropes, uncovered, in refrigerator, at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.


Cut ropes into half inch pieces. Roll pieces across the tines of a fork and back onto floured surface.



To cook: Drop into boiling, salted water for 1 minute, use a slotted spoon to remove. Saute in a little butter until browned.

This recipe is from Micheal Symon. Further instructions for cooking and making a brown-butter sauce at this link. I'm making a mushroom-butter sauce with peas and parmesan tonight (also from Michael Symon) which I hope to be able to photograph before it is gobbled up!

Michael's recipe does not call for the traditional fork or paddle-rolled shape, but to me, it's not gnocchi without that. It takes a bit of practice, but can easily be mastered in one batch. They don't have to be perfect!

Pear Upside-Down Cake: Variation on a Favorite for Fall

This is a delicious Fall variation on the Plum Upside-Down Cake from a summer or two ago. Lighter and milder real maple syrup is substituted for most or all of the brown sugar in the topping. (Thanks, Monty!) I recommend experimenting with other types of pears and apples this time of year. Not too sweet, this little cake makes a pretty breakfast or tea cake as well.

Bartlett Pear Upside-Down Cake

For the topping
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted
1/3- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
(optional- add up to 1/3 cup brown sugar for a sweeter topping)
+/- 2 semi-firm Bartlett Pears

For the cake
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup milk

(vanilla ice cream as an accompaniment)

Make the topping:
This time, I melted the butter in a saucepan, then poured it into the cake pan, swirling it around to coat all surfaces. If using brown sugar, sprinkle into buttered pan. Pour in maple syrup. Slice unpeeled pears 1/4 inch thick and arrange in a pretty overlapping circle on top of the butter and sugar/syrup. Set aside.

Make the cake:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Into a bowl sift together the flour, the baking powder, the salt, and the cinnamon.

In another bowl with an electric mixer (or with a stand mixer, whisk, or wooden spoon) cream the butter with the sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy.

Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, and beat in the vanilla.

Add the flour mixture alternately in batches with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture and beating well after each addition.

Pour the batter into the pan, spreading it evenly, and bake the cake in the middle of the oven for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean, the cake is golden on top, and has pulled away from the pan edges a bit.

Let the cake cool in the pan on a rack for 15 minutes, run a thin knife around the edge if necessary, and invert the cake onto a plate.

Serve the cake warm (oh yeah) or at room temperature with the whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

The First of July Already?

I received a copy of this book for my birthday. Crawling my way through it and very much enjoying it. Reading it has revived my desire to wander out into the garden just before sundown and shoot some pictures.

Siamese twin crookneck squash!

Poor Forgotten Little Blog

Here are some of the things I've been up to in the last few months:



Vacationed on a distant island.


Had my eyes checked.


Picked some berries.


Drank martinis.


Cooled off.

Shopped for furniture.


Watched the vines grow.


Went to the seashore.

Met some princesses... and some frogs.

And still had time to read a few books.

Peachy Keen

Summer is glorious, isn't it? I know we're finally there when I can have these luscious peaches for breakfast, and fat, juicy slices of heirloom tomatoes on my sandwich at lunch.

At the Risk of Spoiling the Surprise...

I thought these fly-fishing flies were so lovely that I wanted to show them to you. I bought them as a his and hers set for a recently married couple I know. Shhhhh. Don't tell. I'm giving them their present tomorrow.

Assorted New Pictures

Here, in lieu of further discussion about my dog's psychological issues, are some recent photos. I'm proud to say that the only thing that I posted to facebook today was: "Tamara wears wool socks." One day at a time.

(Forgot to caption this earlier: Three weeks ago, I slipped on an icy cattle guard while running Pixie, and fell through it. I bonked my shin pretty hard, and the photo above is what my hand still looked like a week and a half later- bruised, discolored and puffy.)

My hero.



Below: After a recent visit to Michael Chiarello's new Yountville NapaStyle shop, I was inspired to come home and make and shoot a sundried tomato, cheese and arugula panini sandwich.


And that's it for now.

Drama Queen

Today, Pixie had her toenails trimmed at the vet's. The reason she had it done at the vet's is that we have escalated at home from a sweet, placid dog who snoozes while her nails are being clipped to a gnawing maniac dog who acts as though you've just suggested that as long you have her paw in hand, you're going to chop it off with an axe.

She continued to harbor this belief at the veterinarian's office. It was a traumatic experience for both the dog and the vet tech, who, though used to working with large, unruly animals, still came away with scratches. Pixie herself got a nosebleed afterwards. I've never in my life met a dog who had a nosebleed at all, much less after grooming.

I do not understand this. I do understand that I have somehow compounded the problem in the eight months that I've had her. Ever since my family's first dog, Cid, I have a psychological resistance to dog toenail trimming. It's always been a big event, involving every family member capable of holding down a limb. The dog is never happy, the trimmers never sharp or fast enough, and someone always ends up bleeding. There's got to be a better way.

Even my beloved, well-trained Shetland Sheepdog, Duffy, who would fall asleep and snore through meticulous, full-body blow-drying, was not a treat to trim. And I disagree with Cesar Milan's assessment about being the pack leader. Duffy hung on my every word, obeying all of my commands at a distance or by hand signal only. He worshiped me. But he begged to differ, with all due respect, as they say, about the nail trimming. Am I doing it wrong?

Should I buy one of these? (Be sure to stay for the video. Why do all the spokespeople sound like they were recruited from the Lubbock WalMart?)

Should I hire a dog trainer? Cesar Milan says to tire the dog completely out until she can barely move, then utilize an assistant and a towel and say "tsch!" a lot. The perky English woman suggests I should distract Pixie from the unpleasantness with a treat in her face whenever I approach her with the trimmers, but I only have two hands. I can't hold the dog, hold the paw, hold the trimmers AND hold the treat. So it goes like this: Paw. Good. Treat. Good dog. Trimmers up, treat away...paw away. Paw. Good. Treat. Good. Trimmers. Oh no, paw away. Paw back. Treat. Good. Paw. Good. Whoops! Repeat until you collapse or give up.

Another site I found suggested that to reassure a dog who has had a traumatic clipping experience, I should start slowly and progress over a period of weeks, maybe even months, feeding my dog a stream of her very favorite treats while initially touching her paw, then holding it, then touching one toenail with the clippers but not using them, then squeezing but not cutting, and on and on. Is this really what it takes? Isn't there some dog toenail-whisperer who can walk up to a dog, and with the force of his or her Robert Redford-like will, subdue a pooch into a state of calm submission and wordlessly do the deed?

I can't believe I'm here. I can't believe that I, a mature, college-educated person, can't figure out how to trick a dog into letting me groom her in peace. She takes bathing in stride. I could probably brush her teeth if I wanted to. But until I figure this toenail thing out, she will remain the queen.

(Please feel free to send your stories of toenail clipping success my way. No horror stories about dog nosebleeds, please.)

From the Vault

Lucille Williams' "Never Fail" Cake

1/2 c cocoa powder

1/2 c brown sugar

1/2 c water

1/2 c butter

1 c sugar

3 egg yolks
1/2 c milk

2 c flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

add egg whites beaten dry

This recipe was among the hand-written cards in the metal White King Flour recipe box given to me by my grandmother on a recent visit. This box, and the other boxes and binder that came with it, are a treasure to me. Some of the recipes in the box are my grandmother's, some my great-grandmother's (my grandfather's mother). Others are from their friends, neighbors, newspapers and advertisements collected over many years.

When I volunteered to bring dessert to some friends' house for dinner today, I thought it would be fun to pull one from the vault and try it. Looking through the neatly filed cards, I thought of all of the women who had carefully written, typed, taped and glued the recipes together.

Lucille Williams' cake may have been "Never Fail" because she knew the recipe so well, or because back in the 30s or 40s or 50s or even 60s, whenever this recipe was placed in the box, everyone knew how to make a cake from scratch. The recipe consisted only of ingredients. No directions, not even an oven temperature. The only thing that was indicated (thank goodness) was that the first three ingredients should be cooked together.

I had all of the ingredients already without having to make a trip to the store, and I was intrigued to find out if the cake's name would hold true, so I guessed at the method and went for it.

Here is what I did: (Preheat oven to 325º)

1. Cook brown sugar, cocoa and water over low heat, stirring until smooth and melted

2. Cream butter and sugar, separate eggs and set aside whites, add yolks one at a time

3. Add chocolate mixture

4. Add dry ingredients (flour sifted and bp, bs and salt mixed in), alternating with milk

5. Beat egg whites until dry, fold into batter

6. I lightly sprayed and greased a 9" straight-sided cake pan and had a second at the ready.

Once filled, it didn't look like I could fill another whole cake pan, so I filled two 4" porcelain ramekins. This worked well for post-bake testing of the cake to make sure I didn't need to punt with a last-minute apple pie in case of cake failure.

7. Bake at 325º for approximately 50 minutes, or until a sharp knife comes out clean.

The cake was fairly moist, cocoa-y and not too sweet. I did feel that it needed a glaze or icing, so I chose one from the box as well, which I will post later.