Hubba, Hubba....hard at work...

So, I have been lacking in any baking posts lately because I have been a busy bee in the kitchen at home and at work. I plan on posting more about my Christmas baking adventures..after the New Year...

These last two weeks have given me many projects, from the Saucy Eggnog that almost sprouted hairs on my chest to some Cupcakes for the big O's #1st Birthday ...with some secret surprise Christmas goodies in between...

....My die hard Sausalito reader might be familiar with one of these :)

For now, go eat and drink and be merry.

-S


 
 
 
  

Winter Storm ’06, again….

 


Geez, here I thought this was a food/travel blog, and I am finding that I want to post about the weather, again.

This post was supposed to be about the Apple Bread I made last weekend, reminiscent of the ol’ Crusty Loaf Bakery…may she rest her soul..but, instead, I am drawn to the fact that we pretty much had a Hurricane the other night.

Yesterday morning, I was less than smart, but a damn devoted employee. I decided to get an earlier start on my workday. It has been crazy busy and on Friday we were supposed to have a luncheon. Since business has been booming so much, the kitchen has like 20 new hires…well, more like 3…but the space is so narrow, that once the inflow of people commences, I find that I am squeezed out of my little corner of counter space, out of the ovens, moved from the range…it is a hard transition sometimes. I get so used to having the whole kitchen.. a place to spread out my doughs, mixers and tools…but, come noon, these beloved spaces fill up, and then, the spaces in between those spaces fill up too. My level of productivity seems to halt, when I find that I am skirting between, behind and below everyone, just to grab a mixing bowl, or just to get into the oven to grab a bubbling Pear Crisp.... SO, lately, every once in a while, I wake at an ungodly time (4:08am to be exact) just so I can have peace and space for that much longer, before the big guns come to squeeze the little pastry lady out..

Maybe I should prelude a bit now. So, on Thursday night, there was a Hurricane.
Well, maybe not a hurricane to be exact, but in some areas in the state, they did track ‘Hurricane Force’ Winds. There was a bit of wind, and some areas were hit worse than others. Luckily, we were spared in many ways. The two LARGE trees in our back yard didn’t come tumbling down, our basement wasn’t flooded and we didn’t lose our power. We were lucky. So, when I woke up on Friday, I didn’t really think anything was amiss. I preceded to get ready for my day, and then headed out the door to work..

I think I realized that something wasn’t quite right, when I drove about a block, and I realized that it seemed really dark out. Yes, I realize it was only 4:30, but it was SO dark. There were no streetlights on. Then, when I approached what normally is a stop light, it too was out. I turned onto a main throughfare, one that is usually tackily lit with signs for car dealerships, seedy bars, strip clubs and the like…and the eeriest thing, it was all dark. And, so I drove to work, in the dark, never having to stop once for a red light…or any light for that matter.

I turned onto the woodsy and curvy road that I normally take and when I saw a large tree completely blocking the left side of the road, I started to wonder if this ‘storm’ hadn’t been a little more serious than just a few non functional street lights.

I think that what I encountered next was something beyond anything that I have ever seen before. I can’t say that I have been in areas where many natural disasters have occurred before, (aside from the ’89 San Francisco earthquake)
but what made this so eerie and scary to me was that I felt like I was one of the first people to come on the scene of the storm aftermath. As I drove up the hill, I could barely see the road. It was completely blanketed with pine needles and tree branches. Every block or two, a downed tree would be blocking part of the roadway, and I would have to maneuver my way around it. I think what scared me the most was seeing the downed power lines just hanging limply on the side of the road, swaying in the wind. I then came to an intersection where the power lines were literally hanging about 10 feet above the ground. It was at this point that I knew that I was crazy. I mean, shit, I couldn’t believe what I was doing, just so I could get to work a little earlier, just so I could make a few cheesecakes and some bread. It really made me think. What I was going to do was really so trivial, compared to the fact that I was quite possibly putting my life in danger, just to get there. I pulled over into a parking lot at this point, because I really thought about just turning around. It so wasn’t worth it to be electrocuted, was it? I let a car pass and saw that he cut through the parking lot and was able to maneuver around the downed lines, and when I saw that he was ok, I followed suit. When I drove on, I continued to pass many downed power lines and fallen trees, and then many huge trees that had fallen and were literally suspended in the power lines. This, too, was pretty scary. The thought that the lines could break at any moment, and the tree would come crashing down.

So, I wasn’t in the least bit surprised when I arrived at the restaurant, that we had no power. That was yesterday. And, this morning, after retracing my steps and finding that the power still hadn’t returned, it has left me feeling lucky that I have the warmth of my house, not too mention, a Saturday off.

I feel very fortunate. 

Early to Rise and Ready to attack (the mall)...

On Sunday, I wanted to beat the crowds to the mall, so I headed out early...
With no traffic on 520 and views like this, even if between clouds of gray and drizzle, I realize just why I love it here..

 

Upon arrival in Bellevue, I headed to my new favorite spot. Koots Green Tea. Watch out Starbucks. Koots is a Japanese Tea House that has begun its spread to the U.S., with its first store in Bellevue and another soon to follow, which will be located above the NEW Whole Foods!

I am a big fan of this place. The first time I went, I had a Jasmine Bubble Tea, which was so good and not too sweet, like some of those teas can be. On Sunday, I branched out and tried this nuclear thing...

 

It may look cancer inducing, but it is actually a 'cancer fighting' Matcha Tea Latte, with just a hint of White Chocolate. It may sound strange, and I think that it took me a few sips before I decided that I really did like it.

So, the next time you are in Bellevue and need a little green fix, try this. 

Where in the World?

This is a silly thing, but it is relevant to the next entry that I wanted to post. I know that I have some readers out there, but sometimes I am not so sure....in a baking quandary? do you have an excess amount of egg yolks and you just dont know what to do? I want to hear from you! or, if you prefer, indulge in my map game....

Winter Storm ‘06

I love Seattle. I love that the newscasters here are so dramatic. Whenever a big storm front drops buckets of rain, the news begins with the heading like a horror flick…….. enter, scary music…..Winter Storm 06’…..then the footage rolls, flashing the carnage, or well, the floods, followed by the snow and ice and all the stranded drivers, stopping to put chains on, in less than 1 inch of snow. I will admit and give Seattle credit; I mean, we don’t usually get snow, so most people don’t know how to handle it, and I was one of them until this year, now that I have an Ithaca winter or two under my belt. I wouldn’t say that I am an experienced snow driver, but I have to laugh, in the land of SUV’s and Subaru AWD’s, when I see that people have chains on, when really, there isn’t much snow at all on the roadways…just a little ice.

The other morning, I was driving very cautiously to work and I passed car, upon car, upon car…abandoned haphazardly on the side of the road. Schools have closed, and at the restaurant, reservations were cancelled, staff members were MIA…and, today, the restaurant declared a snow day*. This never happened in Ithaca, even when I drove to work in the morning after a night of blizzard. I remember even trying to manuever into a parking space at Pangea, before the snow plow had come. I parked and literally had to dig myself out of the car and to the back door to the kitchen. It is interesting to think of how life goes on in certain places, how so much snow can be an everyday normality, and in other places, the city just grinds to a halt. I have to say that I like it though. That the city grinds to a halt. In the winter when snow shuts down the roads, I have fond memories of sledding down Queen Anne Hill on a slab of cardboard while the rest of the Queen Anne residents partook in some skiing, couch sledding or just watching with Hot Chocolate in hand. It is on these kinds of days that I feel such a sense of community. Every one comes out of hibernation and is having fun. It seems to create a bond between people, especially in the winter months, which can be so dismal here. I think too, that people here just welcome a change in weather from the typical Seattle winter. It is nice to have a break from the rain, especially this month, where we are ever so close to breaking the 1933 record for the most rainfall in one month..EVER. (15.33 inches)

*So, back to the fact that I have today off.. I have already made my rounds for the day..a little window shopping, a hot chocolate, an afternoon jog that I havent gotten around to just yet….and, I really am in the mood for some warm and freshly baked Molasses cookies.

I think that jog might have to wait.


  

Tis the Season...

 

Since it is now officially Christmas Season, kicked off by the
annual stampedes of crazed Walmart Shoppers, I was recently inspired to make my favorite Ginger Stout Cake. I love this cake. It is adult in nature due to the Stout and the dark Blackstrap Molasses, and like many oil based cakes and quick breads, it tastes even better on day 2.

I had this grand idea of ‘spicing’ it up a bit, and I thought how great it would be to add some cranberries, candied ginger, and make it into a cranberry upside-down cake, baked in a bundt style pan.

So, I very generously greased the pan with butter, added a hefty dose of some cinnamon sugar, then I piled the cranberries on top, and I poured in my cake batter. What happened next was no longer in my control, but I had to roll with it. The cranberries which were supposed to remain on the bottom nestled in my sugary buttery mixture, quickly bobbed to the top of the batter….not exactly what I was expecting…

I baked the cake anyway, and when I unmolded it, I was amused to find that the candied ginger, that I had anticipated would be flecked throughout the cake, had made its way to the bottom, nestled in that buttery sugary goodness, while the cranberries stayed suspended at the top.

Umolded and upside-down, the ginger, cinnamon sugar and butter created a nice crunchy chewy texture on the top of the cake, while the cranberries, now pooled at the bottom, created a nice tart contrast to the cakes subtle sweetness.

I think a new cake has been born.


  

The Forgotten Jewels.

 


Persimmon.

Growing up, I think that I disliked Persimmon, even though I never actually tried it. I know, that is just not fair. I think the slimy flesh never did it for me; and for some reason, we always had a loaf or two of persimmon bread from the holidays, hidden in the depths of our freezer,only to be rediscovered come July.

To think that all these years have passed and I never once gave it a chance.

Thanks to our new produce delivery, we received two Fuyu Persimmons in our basket last week. Curious, I cut one open the other night.

I actually really liked it.

It has a very mild flavor, a mild sweetness, and sort of resembled an avocado flavor to me, but in a fruitier way. I have to say, I feel sorry for the Persimmon. Because of people like me who never give it a chance, it may never get its time to shine. But, at our house for those two nights, it shone. In two very good salads, accompanied by walnuts, pears, feta and mixed greens, it did very well.

I would say that the Persimmon stood its ground.

My next Persimmon encounter will be at work this week when I will attempt to forgo my stereotype of turning it into pudding or bread.

Persimmon, I hope to have loftier plans for you.

*Update…Two days later and I have made a couple Persimmon discoveries.
First, it makes a pretty decent Sherbet, with a mild sweet flavor and lovely color. Second, when I attempted to make a cake with it, its subtle flavor was all but drowned out. Funny, the cake was nice and moist, but it reminded me of a very bland pumpkin bread. Needless to say, my debut Persimmon cake didn’t land on the dessert menu tonight, rather, it made a tasty treat for the staff family meal….

* a note about Persimmon. For use in puree's or in breads or cakes, be sure that the fruit is VERY ripe. The slimier the better. If you want to use sliced in a salad, use a slightly less soft (tomato shaped) FUYU Persimmon. Fuyu Persimmons aren't Tannic, so they can be eaten when slightly more firm. The Hachiya Persimmon (acorn shaped) on the other hand, and very Tannic, and they have to be very soft before eaten.


Forgotten Jewels, Part 2.
Quince.

I admit, up until a few years back, I don’t think that I had ever really seen one, let alone use it in a dessert. It is a funny looking thing, the Quince. It resembles a cross between a Pear and an Apple, yet it seems like an antique somehow. It looks like a fruit that has been around for a while. While in the Pear and Apple family, the Quince is a bit like an Apple on Steroids, in some cases nubby and nobbly…and in other cases, covered in a loose fuzz.

Hmm, sound appealing?

I think the first time I realized the potential in a Quince was when I smelled a very yellow one.

It smelled beautiful.

I think that Quince scare people because you cant just bite into one, or eat it raw in any case. (you can, but you don’t want to.) For the beautifully floral and honeysweet flavor to come out, you need to poach it. Yes, it may be a little more consuming, but believe me, it is worth it.

Vanilla Poached Quince

1 Quince, peeled cut and cored

Bring to a boil with,
2 cups water
1 cup sugar
½ vanilla bean
Zest of one lemon

Reduce heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes, until tender.
*it helps to lay a paper towel across the poaching liquid, to keep the Quince submerged, so it poaches evenly.

Here is hoping this post will aid in convicing my dad to throw a few poached Quince into his world famous Holiday Apple Crumble....