Almond-Lemon Tea Cake

Ta da!  Here's the cake.  It's the second time The Baker has made the recipe.  There are many, many recipes for lemon tea cake out there.  I've baked more than a few.  This, however, was the best I've ever tasted so I asked him to bake another one for the birthday gathering.  Alas, it stuck to the pan.  We've both tried to figure out what happened.  Personally, I think he may have been distracted and didn't properly butter and flour the bottom of the pan.  We'll never know for sure what happened because the evidence has been destroyed every last delicious crumb has been consumed.

The delicious glaze is a little unusual in that the juices and sugar are not heated and are stirred together just as you take the cake from the oven.  In turn, the cake needs to be warm when you brush the glaze over.  This gives a pretty crystalized finish to the cake.

Lemon-Almond Tea Cake from Tartine

3/4 cup cake flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/8 tsp salt

5 large eggs, beaten

1 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 cup of almond paste

1 cup sugar

1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature, cut into tbsp-sized pieces

1 tsp grated lemon zest

1 tsp grated orange zest

1.  Position the oven rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.  Lightly butter and flour a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan.

2.  Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.  

3.  In a bowl, combine the eggs and vanilla and whisk together just to combine.

4.  Place the almond paste in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat on low just to break up the paste.  This can take up to a minute using the paddle attachment.  Slowly add the sugar, beating until well incorporated.  If you add the sugar too quickly, the paste will not break up as well.

5.  Add the butter, one tbsp at a time until all is incorporated.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat on medium speed until the mixture is light in color and fluffy--3 to 4 minutes.  

6.  With the mixer still on medium speed, add the eggs in a slow and steady stream until incorporated. Again, scrape down the bowl, turn the mixer to medium speed for another minute.  

Stir in the zests.

7.  Finally, add the flour mixture in two batches, stirring after each addition until incorporated.

8.  Spoon into the prepared pan and smooth the top.

9.  Bake until the top springs back when lightly touched and a cake tested comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes.  Let cool on wire rack for 7 to 10 minutes while preparing the glaze.

              

Citrus Glaze

3 tbsp lemon juice

3 tbsp orange juice

3/4 cup sugar

1.  Stir all together in a small bowl just before taking the cake from the oven.

2.  Place the cake on a wire rack, cool in the pan for five minutes, remove from the pan and immediately brush the room temperature glaze onto the hot cake.

3.  Allow to cool completely before carefully moving to a serving plate.

ENJOY!

Tartine

When we were in California last spring, Tartine Bakery and Cafe was high on our list of places to visit.  In fact, we could hardly wait to enjoy a late breakfast or early lunch.  Thinking we were being smart with the timing, we arrived at the geographic center of San Francisco (18th and Guerrero Streets) at 10 a.m. to find a line snaking out of a non-descript building.  Four and five abreast, it meandered at least a block.

Had we not been left on the street by our son, off to find a nearly impossible parking space, we might have been inclined to find another option for our meal.  He was beyond recall so we got in line and waited and waited and, well, waited.  The closer we got, the more delicious the aromas became.  After awhile, nothing could have stopped us from staying on the quest for a table and food.  Some folks were going in and coming out with steaming cups of coffee to sip and wait.  As I recall, it took us about half an hour to finally get inside.  Every table was filled.  Adam still wasn't back from parking the car.  Undaunted, we grabbed a menu and got in line.  Of course, the line halted right in front of the bakery case.  Oh my goodness!  We were faced with an array of lovely breads and sweets.

I kept an eye on the door for Adam who was still not back from parking the car.  He walked in the door just as we got to the spot to order.  After we gave our order, three spaces at a table appeared.

I couldn't resist the Croque Monsieur.  The open-faced Niman Ranch ham and gruyere sandwich was topped with perfectly cooked asparagus and napped in a bechamel sauce.  It was delicious!

The Baker had the same sandwich and a side of a beautiful and delicious croissant.

This was Adam's treat.  I can't remember what it was.  I can remember it was delicious!

Of course, our special treat was spending time with this boy!!

I'll be back later in the week to give you the recipe for my delicious birthday cake that The Baker made for me from the Tartine cookbook.

Herb and Three-Cheese Quiche

When we lived in La Jolla, Piret's, George and Piret Munger's delightful restaurant in San Diego, was one of our favorite places to dine.  We frequently used it for "date" nights when we could secure a babysitter for our toddler and infant.  On occasion, I'd strap the little boys into car seats and head over to pick up slices of their herb and three cheese quiche.  On one visit, I picked up their cookbook and, happily, found the recipe.  It has been a favorite ever since.


We prefer our quiche in the French style--a little less than an inch thick so the custard bakes instead of steams.  However, it works well in an American-style 9 inch crust.  If you use the deeper pie shell, it may need to bake a bit longer.


It proved to be a hit with the birthday ladies and I hope you'll enjoy it as well.

Herb and Three-Cheese Quiche from Piret's

1/2 pound cream cheese

3 Tbsp flour

4 eggs

1/2 cup sour cream

1 cup milk

1 cup light cream

4 ounces Swiss cheese, grated

Salt and pepper to taste

1 bunch chives, finely chopped (about 3 Tbsp)

1/2 cup chopped parsley

1/2 cup chopped scallions

3 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

1.  Blend the cream cheese, flour, eggs, sour cream. salt, pepper, milk and cream until smooth.  Set aside.

2.  Sprinkle the Swiss cheese, chopped herbs and Parmesan in a pastry-lined (I did a classic pate brisee because I have better luck than with a classic American pie crust) 11-inch quiche pan. 

3.  Fill with the custard mixture and bake in a pre-heated 375 degree oven until the custard sets, about 45 minutes.

ENJOY!

The Patriots, Giants and Citrus Terrine

Other than soccer, we've not been big sport fans in our household.  The Baker played soccer in boarding school and came to love the game.  Both of our boys played in elementary school and we attended every game.  There's not much opportunity to watch soccer on television.  Gathering around the set on weekends has never been a part of our lives.  I always found it interesting that The Baker and the boys could hold their own when engaged in conversation about team rankings and games just played.

Now that The Baker has retired (well, semi-retired), he has more time and, this weekend, decided that we should watch the two games played to determine which teams would be in the Super Bowl.  I agreed thinking it wouldn't be much fun for him to watch them alone.  Besides, I had quite a bit of my current book to finish and figured I could do both, glancing up at the television when the crowd roared.  Little did I know that the "roar" is pretty constant no matter what.

Here is a bit of our conversation during the games:

Game no. 1

Me:  "Which team are you rooting for?"

He:  "I'm not sure."

Me:  "How do we know when to cheer?"

He:  "We don't need to cheer but  I think we should probably root for the Patriots."

Me:  "Why?"

He:  "Because Stefan (our New England son) probably is."

Me:  "Oh, O.K."

Game 2

Me:  "Are we rooting for San Francisco?"

He:  "Yes.  Adam (our Bay Area son) probably is."

Me:  "Well, if SF wins, who will we root for in the Super Bowl?"

He:  "Good question!"

Personally, I thought all teams were great and hated to see any of them lose after coming so far.

What does all this have to do with the citrus terrine?  Absolutely nothing!

As promised, here's the recipe.  According to a note on the page, I made it the first time in 1991.  It was a hit then too.  I've never had a failure with any of Sarah's recipes and return to them quite often.

Citrus Terrine from Sarah Leah Chase's Cold-Weather Cooking

8 large navel oranges

4 large pink grapefruit

1 cup fresh whole raspberries (Sarah uses 1/2 cup frozen)

Fresh orange juice as needed

1/3 cup sugar

1 1/2 Tbsp unflavored gelatin

1/2 orange-flavored liqueur 

1.  Up to three days before serving, line a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan with plastic wrap leaving a 3 to 4 inch overhang.

2.  Over a large bowl to catch the juices, carefully peel the citrus, scraping away all the pith.  Cut the sections out of the membrane that separate them.  Squeeze the juice out of the membrane before discarding.  Combine the raspberries with the citrus.

3.  Measure the juices and, if necessary, add fresh orange juice to make 2 1/2 cups.  Pour the juice into a saucepan, add the sugar and bring to a boil.  Lower the heat to a simmer and reduce by approximately 1/3.  This will take about twenty minutes.

4.  While the juices are reducing, stir the gelatin into the orange liqueur and set aside.

5.  Once the juices are reduced, stir the gelatin mixture in until completely dissolved.  Add to the fruit and stir well.

6.  Pour the mixture into the prepared pan.  Fold the plastic wrap over the top and then add another layer to completely cover the top.  Freeze overnight or up to 36 hours.

7.  About two hours before serving, turn out onto a cutting board using the plastic wrap overhang to help you.  While still frozen, cut into 1/2 inch slices and arrange on a trap.  Refrigerate.

8.  Serve cold but not frozen.

ENJOY!

The Party!

January 19, 2012

held a promise of snow.

Would the party happen?

The guests were scattered 

and in the snow's path.

Hopeful,

I prepared the table.

They made it!

Each birthday lady found a flowered bag 

on the back of her chair

in which

to tote her party gifts home.

Flavorful Favors

Herb and Three Cheese Quiche

and

Citrus Terrine

(recipes to follow)

The delicious disaster of a birthday cake.

(recipe and explanation to follow)

I'm so very grateful for my dear friends.

They warm my heart and soul.

The Vichyssoise....

...delicious was!  Or so said my Aunt Peg.

Aunt Peg was the beautiful and lovingly spoiled youngest of seventeen siblings.  She was my mother's sister.  My sisters and I adored our huge family of aunts and uncles.  They were all clever and witty with a great sense of comedic timing.  With a good agent, most of them could have hit the big time from vaudeville to Saturday Night Live.

We looked forward to spending time with Aunt Peg on our annual October visit to Virginia.  It became even more import after our mother died.  We had lists of questions to ask her about the family and she obliged the answers which were usually spun into stories.  One day at lunch, she ordered a bowl of potato and leek soup.  After extolling it's tasty preparation, Aunt Peg said:  "I'm so glad it's hot.  I had this once at dinner with Jack Kennedy".  Jack Kennedy?  She went on to say that she was, indeed, talking about JFK.   She also said that the soup was served cold and that neither of them really liked it much.

We were filled with questions but Aunt Peg was on a roll and we wanted to let her get the story out.  She spoke of taking the train to Washington D.C..  She told us she was quite stunning in a new "tomato red" suit.  She sat beside JFK at a luncheon.  Or, was it a dinner?  It was before he became president.  She couldn't remember the function.  After all, she was in her mid-eighties when she told us this story.   We did wonder, since this occasion would have been prior to 1960 when all the siblings were still alive, why it had never been spoken about in the family.

True or not, it's a great family memory.  It came to mind as I prepared "hot" Vichyssoise for our lunch recently.

Leek and Potato Soup

4 to 5 medium-sized leeks, dark green tops removed, thoroughly washed and thinly sliced

2 Tbsp butter

Salt to taste

4 medium potatoes, peeled and diced

1 quart of chicken broth (or vegetable broth)

1 cup of half and half

1 cup of milk

Pepper to taste

1.  In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter.  Add the leeks and a little salt and cook for five minutes, stirring often.  They should just sweat out their juices rather than brown.  Decrease the heat to low and cook until the leeks are tender--about 15 minutes.  Stir occasionally.

2.  Add the potatoes and the broth.  Increase heat to medium high and bring to a boil.  Immediately reduce the heat to low, cover, and gently simmer until the potatoes are soft and falling apart.  This will take about 35 to 40 minutes.

3.  Puree the mixture in batches in a food processor or use an immersion blender until smooth.  Stir in the half and half and milk and adjust the seasonings.

4.  Serve hot or cold.

ENJOY!

Savory Tomato Soup and Mustard Puffs

NOTE:  I'd planned to post this January 4, 2012.  It's still frigid around here but Adam has been back to the west coast for two weeks.  

I have cookbooks.  Lots and lots and lots of cookbooks.  They follow me home from bookstores.  They arrive in my mailbox.  They hop into that big paper fill-it-to-the-top bag at library book sales.  Shelved neatly or stacked on flat surfaces, they are everywhere.  I search them, read them and cook from them.  Thanks to my excellent foodie blogging friends, my computer Bookmarks section is now sagging with saved recipes.

Yesterday's frigid temperature called for soup.  Our son, Adam, was still here and working from his childhood bedroom.  I jumped at the chance to prepare him a hot lunch.  Serving an old favorite of vegetable soup and a PBJ sandwich crossed my mind.  However, two recipes I'd been wanting to try called out to me.  I had all the ingredients on hand for the soup and had pre-done the Mustard Savory Puffs and frozen them.

Adam enjoyed his lunch and asked about the puffs.  I told him to check out my blog when he got back to the west coast--I'm always soliciting "visitors"!

These delicious recipes came from two three of my favorite food bloggers.

Sun-Dried Tomato Soup

from Mary at One Perfect Bite

I couldn't link directly to the recipe so

you'll have to search her blog (click on "soups)

and go from there.  You'll be glad you had to search

as you'll find many recipes with which to "stock" your

Bookmarks.

Susan's Mustard Puffs

from Barbara at Moveable Feasts (check out mid-December)

who got the recipe from

Susan at Savoring Time in the Kitchen 

who adapted a recipe from

Dorie Greenspan's latest and amazing cookbook,

"Around My French Table"

If you haven't visited with Mary, Barbara and Susan, you are in for a delicious treat.

If you don't have Dorie's "Around My French Table", you need to get to the

bookstore!