My family, particularly my father and uncle, is a bunch of garlic heads.  No matter what we make, there is never enough garlic.  Growing up in Phoenix, my Chicago-raised Polish father was never happy with the quality of polish sausage we could find so we started making our own.   Every Easter, he’d lug out the heavy hand grinder, cranking away as I would add head upon head of garlic cloves, a shocking amount really.  He’d pan fry up a little taste and declare “No, not enough.  More garlic!”  The rest of us would groan but we kept cranking.  At some point, as the garlic-to-pork ratio increased, I think it ceased being Polish sausage and became something else entirely.  Whatever it was, it was certainly delicious.  And pungent.

I often think of those sausage making bouts when I’m in Asian markets and see large bags of pre-peeled garlic that would have made my life so much easier back in the day.  I’m always amazed at the casual manner the Asian shoppers fling enormous 5 pound bags of peeled garlic into their carts.  I’ve yet to figure out what they possibly cook that uses that much garlic.  Then I pause for a moment …. I bet my Dad could go through that bag in no time.  He’d fit in with this crowd perfectly.

Last Christmas, I had a special gift in mind and thought about those bags of peeled garlic. I’d recently come across a pickle recipe and thought if I made it spicy I’d hit on my Dad’s personal trifecta:  garlic, spicy, pickled.  A perfect gift.  So the night before my flight left for Phoenix, I whipped up a few jars in a hurried frenzy.  With the pre-peeled garlic and some pantry ingredients, it came together rather quickly.

We opened one jar for Christmas dinner and those tender cloves were pretty delicious – the pickling had mellowed the inherent sharpness of the garlic, the chile flakes gave it a little kick and the brine had a nice sweet counterpoint.  It was a lovely addition to the traditional relish tray.

I’ve tweaked the recipe a bit since then and have landed on a balance I particularly like.  I’ve scaled down the batch size to make only 1 pint so it’s a quick and easy one that won’t overwhelm with endless jars.  But if you want to crank out several jars, by all means, increase away.  I highly recommend scouting out your local Asain market for a big bag or even just a small container of the peeled garlic.  I purchased enough for this recipe for the low low price of $1.82.  I generally don’t go for the pre-peeled stuff in grocery stores but in Asian markets, there’s so much turnover the inventory is always very fresh and let’s face it, peeling a ½ pound or more of garlic is a pain in the butt.  Plus it’s pretty cheap so it’s a shortcut I don’t mind taking.  But if you want to peel all that garlic yourself, try this method.  I swear it works.

Below I give directions for water processing so the jar is shelf stable until opened but you can skip that part if you store in the fridge.  Still boil the jar for 10 minutes to make sure it’s throughly clean or use one hot right from the dishwasher, pour the brine over the garlic, top with the lid and let cool down a bit then store in the fridge for up to 2 months.

STRESS THERAPY BAKING FACTOR: SPICY PICKLED GOODNESS.  I have no proof for this but I swear this stuff is good for you in some way.  I like to think it lowers my cholesterol.  Garlic, spicy, pickled?  Has to be healthy-ish in some way right? But let me tell you where it really shines … Bloody Mary’s.  Oh yes, add it to that delicious skewer of tasty bits you know you love.  In fact, at this very moment, I’m on my way to a Wisconsin cabin where many many Bloody Mary sessions will ensue.  You can bet I’m bringing along a big jar.  A really big jar.

On this blog three years ago:  Rosemary Foccacia
On this blog two years ago:  Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies
On this blog one year ago: Pear Frangipane Tarts

SPICY PICKLED GARLIC - recipe adapted from one in “Canning for a New Generation” by Lianna Krissoff
Makes 1 pint

9 ounces whole peeled garlic
1 ¼ cups white vinegar
1 ½ Tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt

for the spice mix:
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
¼ teaspoon coriander seeds
¼ teaspoon cumin seeds
¼ teaspoon whole black peppercorns

1. Place the jar in a pot with water to cover by at least 1” to cover and bring to a boil.  Boil for 10 minutes then turn off the heat and let sit until needed.  Place the jar lid and ring in a heatproof bowl and set aside.
2. Bring another, smaller pot of water to a boil and blanch the garlic for 1 minute. Drain and let cool.
3. In a nonreactive pot, combine the vinegar, sugar and salt and bring to a boil, stirring until dissolved.
4. With tongs, remove the jar from the large pot and pour the hot water from the jar on top of the lid and ring (the hot water will soften the lid seal.)
5. Place the hot empty jar on a towel to catch any drips.
6. Place the spice mix – crushed red pepper flakes, coriander, cumin seeds, peppercorns – in the jar and pack tightly with the blanched garlic, leaving 1” at the top.
7. Pour the hot vinegar over the garlic, leaving ½” space at the top.
8. Use a chopstick or the non-pointy side of a skewer to remove any air bubbles then wipe the rim clean with a slightly damp paper towel.
9. Top with the jar lid and ring, screwing “finger tight” (What does this mean, you ask? Screw the ring on but don’t crank it. You don’t want to look for the pliers when it comes time to open the jar.)
10. Return the filled jar to the pot, making sure there’s at least 1” of hot water to cover, bring to a boil and set the timer for 15 minutes.
11. Remove the jar to a wire rack to cool completely for several hours or overnight.
12. After an hour of cooling, check the seal by pressing down on the center of the lid.  If it pushes down, the jar isn’t sealed and must be stored in the refrigerator and consumed within two months.  If it’s sealed, it can be stored, room temperature, for up to 1 year.  Once opened, store in the fridge.

In Chicago, we eagerly await that first outdoor farmers market as the unofficial start of spring. While other parts of the country have been sunny and bright for weeks, even months, we’re often still plagued with bouts of late season chills, overnight frosts and torrential downpours. That first market is often rainy and generally not the beautiful sunny day of our dreams. BUT it does serve as a harbinger of better things to come, of berries and stone fruits, of tomatoes and peppers, of things other than the root vegetables and onions that have sustained us through another gray, dreary winter. And we know that those first few markets will contain the beautiful stalks of green and purple asparagus and maybe other highly seasonal finds like ramps and green garlic. And we know that close on their heels will follow rhubarb and then their fat red partners in crime, strawberries, for a fleeting but delicious few weeks. And that folks, is what keeps our hopes alive.

As usual, I pounced upon those big, beautiful piles of asparagus like a drowning man grabs a life preserver. I needed their brightness, their freshness to lift me from this ever present winter funk. I bought too much, more than one person could possibly consume in a few days. Then I went back three days later and bought some more. Couldn’t help myself. For the most part, I ate great heaps simply roasted with olive oil, salt and pepper. I worked some into a fresh pasta with a ramp green pesto. And then I spied a rather large chunk of Stilton tucked in the back of my fridge and had an idea.

This time I made a lovely little Stilton sauce for my roasted asparagus and with a quick red onion marmalade for a sweet-sour contrast. It was so delicious and simple I made it three times in quick succession. I’ll probably make it three more times too, as long as that market asparagus holds out. I figure I’ve got a week or two left.

STRESS THERAPY BAKING FACTOR: PUTS A SPRING IN YOUR STEP. I know I say this often, but this is a good one. And really, would I lead you astray? It’s simple enough for a weeknight meal yet impressive enough for a dinner party. As written, it will serve 2 heartily or 4 as a side though it doubles easily. Who doesn’t want a recipe like this in their back pocket?

On this blog three years ago: Rosemary Foccacia
On this blog two years ago: Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies
On this blog one year ago: Banana Fudge Cake
Other spring recipes: Pickled Ramps, Ramp Green Kimchi, Popovers with Strawberry Butter, Rhubarb Custard Pie, Puff Pastry Asparagus Spears, Asparagus & Roasted Tomato Quiche, Late Spring Pea Soup, Rhubarb Syrup for cocktails, Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble Pie

ROASTED ASPARAGUS WITH STILTON BUTTER AND RED ONION MARMALADE roughly adapted from this recipe
Serves 2-4

for the red onion marmalade:
½ medium red onion, finely diced
1 Tablespoon dark brown sugar
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
3 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
¼ cup water
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
good pinch each of kosher salt and ground black pepper

for the asparagus:
1 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed (about ½ pound)
olive oil

for the stilton butter:
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
¼ cup crumbled Stilton or blue cheese (1 ¼ ounces)

1. For the marmalade: place all of the ingredients into a small saucepan, bring to a boil then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 25 minutes until the onions are tender with a bit of texture and the mixture is fairly dry. Try to simmer on the lowest heat possible; if the mixture becomes too dry too soon, add a Tablespoon or two of water.
2. Transfer the marmalade to a small bowl and allow to cool.
3. For the asparagus: Preheat oven to 450°F.
4. Trim the asparagus by bending each stalk near the bottom until it naturally snaps – throw the tough ends away.
5. Place the asparagus on a foil lined sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil and roll the spears around to coat. Top with a good pinch of salt and a grind or two of pepper.
6. Roast until asparagus is just tender, about 8 minutes for thin spears, longer for thicker spears. (Can be prepared 3 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)
7. For the stilton butter: In a small pan over low heat, melt the butter then add the crumbled Stilton. Stir gently until melted and smooth.
8. When ready to serve, place the asparagus on a plate, drizzle the warm Stilton butter and top with the red onion marmalade.

Last fall, I took part in a fantastic weekend adventure and it all centered on meat.  Butchery to be specific, both pork and beef, with side forays into charcuterie, sausage making, bacon smoking, a lot of cooking, more eating and wonderful camaraderie.  It was part summer camp, part serious food skills and part female empowerment.  My French friend Kate (a bit of a misnomer as she’s actually an American living in France) concepted the idea of a Grrls Meat Camp where woman in the butchery field, culinary world and farming realms could gather, discuss their challenges and begin to build a support network in a field where woman are few and far between. Which is how 17 of us found our way to a little lodge at a YMCA camp in northern Illinois.

Kari Underly assessing her knives

We trickled in from all over the country … butchers from Chicago and Los Angeles, a Michigan pig farmer.  Chefs from as far as Boston and Alaska.  Farm workers, charcuterie enthusiasts, cooking teachers and a few in between; we were a diverse crowd with a shared interest:  to learn more about the art of meat cutting.

And then there was me.  The pastry chef.  On the surface, yes, it was an odd connection.  What was I doing in a roomful of butchers and what could I possibility contribute?  Though I’ve watched several people break down pigs, including members of my own family, I was by no means an expert.  Far, far from it.  Though I organized the details of the event, the actual butchery part I left to those far more experienced then stood in the back and watched.

Kate Hill, Erika Nakamura, Kari Underly & our pig

And yes, I was maybe a little bit insecure of my place in the room.  So I did what I did best:  I baked.  A lot.  I overcompensated for my insecurities by baking fresh bread daily, making coffeecakes, cookies and brownies.  I kept everything organized as best I could and made dessert, sometimes two, for every meal.  While that 205lb Duroc pig was broken down into primals, I stood in that back so I could babysit the canneles in the oven.  My bread dough calmly rose in bucket not far from where rockstar butcher Kari Underly broke down a massive beef forequarter. I smiled as the vanilla sablés went into the oven while everyone gathered ingredients and created fantastic sausages – 7 different kinds – and marveled at how fast they were turned into perfect fat links.

hams!

The first night I was asked to make a cake to celebrate a few birthdays.  A cake? But I didn’t have my equipment, my gear, my kit!  No KitchenAid, no cake pans, no piping bags or offset spatulas!  How could I possibly make a birthday cake without my stuff?  While I brought up most of my kitchen equipment to stock our little cabin for the weekend, I left my pastry tools at home.  You can only fit so much into a Mini Cooper after all and I didn’t think I’d need them at, you know, Meat Camp.  I looked at my new friend and calmly replied that I would figure it out.  A slight panic attack ensued.  I took a few deep breaths and got to thinking.

Melody, the Michigan pig farmer

Just because my typical birthday cakes are rather complicated and include multiple components, doesn’t mean I couldn’t simplify.  Of course, I could make a fine, wonderful even, cake with what was on hand.  A favorite chocolate cake recipe could be made without the benefit of a mixer, with just a little vigorous stirring.  It could be baked in a standard sheet pan, of which there were plenty, and cut into strips for a rectangle cake.  The icing could be simple too – a favorite sour cream ganache that contains two ingredients and a little elbow grease.  I could do this.

Most importantly, I took some inspiration from my surroundings.  Rather than the usual vegetable oil in the recipe, I used some of the gorgeous lard one of the gals brought, heated just until it was liquid.  Instead of the typical vanilla, I opted for a healthy glug of bourbon, apropos for the weekend.  There was plenty of that around.  Since I didn’t have my favorite icing spatula, I used what was nearby:  my friend Molly’s boning knife.  I’m certain this was the first time this butcher’s knife had ever been used for such a task but I have to say, I’ve never iced such perfect corners on a square cake before.  I may temporarily sullied her favorite cutting knife with ganache but it worked so well, I’m rethinking my approach for future cakes.

In fact, I’m rethinking the whole cake.  The lard added a suppleness, a richness, and incredible density that I didn’t detect at first but have come to admire in subsequent cakes (I’ve made this three times since.)  It’s a decadent cake, extremely chocolaty, and rather fantastic.

I also came to have more faith in my skills and am confident that I can pull anything off on the fly.  It was always there, I just needed a group of female butchers to remind me how strong my pastry skills really are.  A steady supply of lard, bacon, excellent homemade charcuterie and bourbon certainly helped too.

STRESS BAKING THERAPY FACTOR: SHOWSTOPPER.  In the last post I spoke about the importance of lard.  Before the days of vegetable shortening, lard is what people used as their fat of choice.  I think we need to get back to that in certain instances.  Like this one.  Now the lard I used here was amazing – beautiful rendered leaf lard brought to the camp by the woman who raised the pig.  It was pretty spectacular and I made certain that any leftover made it into my bag but I’ve had equal success with purchased lard.  This is a really good cake and I highly suggest you make it – though if you don’t have lard, vegetable oil is a fine substitute but keep in mind you won’t have quite the same texture or richness with the oil.  But do try to find lard.  You’ll be happier for a little pig fat in your diet.

To learn more about Grrls Meat Camp, the purpose, events and future camps and workshops, Kate Hill’s blog or Twitter feed are the best place for updates.
Other recounts from that October weekend:
- Cathy Barrow, aka Mrs. Wheelbarrow, did a series of posts for the Washington Post on the 2011 Grrls Meat Camp in France and a quick recap on her blog
- Carri Thurman of Two Sister’s Bakery in Homer, AK did a great recap of the weekend
- Ally Turner Kirkpatrick’s recap
- Nina Barrett did a fabulous piece on this camp for Chicago’s public radio station WBEZ and our story was part of her program “Fear of Frying” that won a James Beard award a few weeks ago for radio show/audio webcast.  Yeah Nina!

On this blog three years ago:  Cooking for Frank Lloyd Wright
On this blog two years ago:  Smoky Bacon Ginger Cookies
On this blog one year ago:  Banana Fudge Cake
Other lardy recipes:  Southern Coconut Cake,  Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble Pie, French Apple Tart, Sour Cherry Slab Pie, How-to Render Leaf Lard

CHOCOLATE LARD BOURBON CAKE
Makes one 6”x12” 3-layer cake that serves at least 12 depending on how you cut it.

For the cake:
1 ¾ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
¾ cup Dutch process cocoa powder
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
½ cup lard, heated until liquid but not hot
1 Tablespoon bourbon
1 cup boiling water

For the sour cream ganache:
1 ½ pounds bittersweet chocolate (64%+ cacao), finely chopped
4 cups sour cream, room temperature (32 ounces)
1 Tablespoon bourbon

1. for the cake:  Preheat the oven to 375°F and place a rack in the lower third.
2. Spray a standard 1” rimmed sheet or jelly roll pan with cooking spray and line the bottom with a piece of parchment trimmed to fit.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar until combined.
4. Whisk in the eggs, milk  and bourbon until well blended.  The mixture will be quite thick at this point.  Feel free to switch to a rubber spatula at any point if it’s easier.
5. Whisk in the liquid lard in a thin, steady stream until well combined.
6. Finally, add the boiling water, carefully mixing until well combined.  The batter will be quite liquid.  This is perfect.
7. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and carefully transfer to the preheated oven.
8. Bake for 15 minutes (25-30 minutes for 1 10” round pan) until the top is firm with a bit of a spring and a toothpick inserted just off center comes out clean with moist crumbs.
9. Cool completely on a wire rack.
10. For the sour cream ganache:  melt the chocolate (the finer the chop, the quicker it will melt) either over a double boiler or in the microwave in 45 second bursts at 50% power, stirring between bursts, until smooth. Allow to cool slightly.
11. Add the room temperature sour cream (the temperature is important – if the sour cream is too cold, it will cause the chocolate to seize and stiffen) and stir with a spatula until smooth.
12. Stir in the bourbon and set aside.
13. To assemble:  with a sharp knife, cut the cake away from the pan sides if necessary and slide the cake, parchment side down, onto a work surface.
14. Cut the cake, width-wise, through the parchment into three even pieces about 5 ½” wide (use a ruler.)
15. On a piece of cardboard/cakeboard or a platter at least ¼” larger than the cake slices (about 12” x 5 ¾”) place a dab of ganache to hold the cake in place and top with one slice of the cake, parchment side up.
16. Remove the sheet of parchment and top with a little less than 1/3 of the ganache.  Smooth the ganache into an even layer.
17. Top with the next slice of cake, parchment up.  Remove the parchment and smooth a little less than 1/3 of the ganache on top.
18. Top with the final piece of cake, parchment up, and remove the parchment.  Use the remaining ganache to evenly coat the top and sides.  A boning knife works quite well in making nice, tight corners and edges.  If you have any leftover ganache, transfer to a piping back and pipe decorative dots or swirls along the edges.
19. The cake is best served at room temperature and keeps very well for several days if tightly wrapped.

Over the last few years, I’ve become a big lard fan.  All hail pig fat!  It makes a fantastic pie crust, a delectable biscuit and a surprisingly tender cake.   I was at a pig butchery demo not long ago with Brian Polcyn and Michael Ruhlman and the subject of lard arose.  In the middle his demo, Chef Polcyn held up a large piece of pure white fat, the leaf lard surrounding the kidneys, and said something to the effect of “if only pastry chefs understood the power of lard.”  Ahem.  I, of course, spoke up in my brethern’s defense.  Oh buddy, we are well aware.  Little did he know at the time that I had 7+ pounds of unrendered leaf lard back home in my freezer.

I’m fortunate in that I can find a quality rendered lard, with a little bit of effort, in the city or on my frequent road trips through Wisconsin.  For a few years, I was picking up 3lb tubs of organic lard every summer when I passed through Black Earth, WI on the way to or from a friends cabin.  Then it suddenly disappeared.  I assumed Black Earth Meats was simply out – it was fantastic stuff, it was a holiday weekend, there were pie emergencies or there were simply other folks who were aware of the treasure tucked into the back of the cooler. I shrugged it off and hoped for better luck next year.

Then last summer after loading the counter with freshly made butter, sausage and cheese, I inquired again about those beautiful tubs of fat.  This time, I spoke with one of the owners who told me that though they slaughtered and butchered on premise, the health department did not allow them to cook on premise so they were unable to render lard as they’d done in the past.  I must have looked crestfallen because he tilted his head and said “but I can sell you some fresh lard to render yourself.  It’s easy.”

My eyes lit up and then reality set in.  We were on our way to a friends cabin for a long holiday weekend with limited refrigerator space.  It wasn’t terribly practical.  I politely, and a little sadly, declined but my good friend Amanda spoke up.  “Do it.  C’mon you know you want to.  We’ll find room.”  That’s all I needed.  The man disappeared and came back shortly “It’s you’re lucky day … we slaughtered a few hogs this morning so I have leaf lard for you!”

I was stunned.  Leaf lard is the pastry ideal – pure, mild and snowy white, it makes beautiful flaky things.  I’d always assumed it was difficult to find.  He handed me a large, heavy bag and after discussing the best ways to render these beauties, I headed out the door a touch giddy and with a spring in my step.  It wasn’t until hours later at the cabin that I realized I was so damn excited about pork fat that I left our other treasures – the butter, sausage and cheese – on the store counter.  Ooops.  It became joke fodder for the rest of the weekend.

And this is how 7+ pounds of pure pork fat sat in my freezer for months.  I just didn’t have time to deal with it then.  A few weeks ago, desperately needing freezer space, it was time.  The fat stash had to go.  As I mentioned, leaf lard is the highest quality of lard options and is obtained from a large pocket of “soft” fat surrounding the kidneys just inside the loin.  It is fairly pure with no veins or nodes and isn’t particularly “porky” in flavor resulting in a very pure snowy white fat, perfect for pastries.  There are other grades of lard, the most common obtained from fatback, the harder fat between the back skin and muscles of the pig and while this is fine for baking, the porky flavor is a bit more pronounced and the product not as pure.

Since this was my first time diving into the rendering pool, I did a lot of research and asked a lot of questions.  Too much information.  I was paralyzed, not really knowing where to start. I wavered.  Finally, my butcher friend Dani told me to relax.  “Chop it up, put it in a big pot with a little water and slowly cook it down on the stove or in a low oven until it’s melted.  Then strain it.  It’s easy.  But it might smell up the place a little.”  Gotcha.

So that’s what I did:  I chopped the fat into small pieces.  (I’d read somewhere to grind it and I think the smaller pieces would have rendered more quickly so I may do that in the future.)  Then I put all this greasy goodness in my largest dutch oven with enough water to lightly coat the bottom of the pan.  The water helps prevent scorching as it takes quite a while for all that fat to melt.  Some admonish that you don’t need the water if you watch closely and it only lengthens the process but I liked the saftety net, no matter how small.  A friend has since recommended using a slow cookier on low and I might try that next time.

Then I put the pot in a 300°F oven for several hours, stirring every 15-30 minutes or so.  For the first hour or two, it seemed like little was happening but everytime I stirred, it was a little easier, a little more liquidy.  The whole process took quite a while – about 2 ½ hours to render 7 ½ pounds of raw fat.  I read that the lard is fully rendered around 225°F and when the cracklings – bits of impurities that will not render – sink to the bottom.  At 225°F mine was nowhere near done so I kept going and kept and a close eye one the pot.  I suspect this was due to the large quantity I was working with.

To my delight, it didn’t really smell.  I think this had a lot to do with the quality of lard I was using.  Less impurities = less smell.  At this point, I was pretty happy but I had been lulled into a false sense of comfort.

What came next was completely unexpected.  For some reason, I had not come close to anticipating the disaster I was about to create.  It never occurred to me that pouring warm fat from one container to the next and using every spoon and strainer I owned would create such a mess.  All those crackly bits had to be fished out and the melted fat had to be strained and transferred to storage containers.  There were schmears of fat everywhere, greasy crackly bits strewn across every surface, wads of paper towels in every corner.  I was thinking that the bits would be crisp and delicious, like chicharones, but instead they were an unplesant combination of soft, crispy and greasy.  Not delicious at all, so that was a bummer.  I’m sure I did something wrong here but I just wanted to be done with this, so I didn’t give those sodden bits another thought and left them to congeal on a sheet pan.  Next!

Because there was residue and impurities in the bottom of the pot that I didn’t want in my rendered lard, I strained the hot melted lard through a coffee filter.  I didn’t like the idea of dealing with sodden cheesecloth so I put my drip coffee filter into service, placing a filter inside and straining the liquid lard into pint deli containers.  It worked but was slow as hell, especially went it dawned on me that the rendered lard was cooling and frequently clogging the paper filters.  Ugh.  I’m apologizing in advance to my next few sets of dinner guests who will probably wonder why their coffee is reminiscent of bacon.  I’m not too sure how long it will take to get that filter holder thing completely clean.

Once I got through this harassment and did some major scrubbing, I stepped back and exhaled.  There on the counter were 6 beautiful pints of golden melted lard that turned a beautiful snowy white as they cooled.  I had the makings for numerous beautifully flaky pie crusts, gorgeous biscuits and maybe a delightful cake or two (stay tuned for the next post.)

Now why, you may ask, would you go to all that trouble when there are big green square packages of Armour lard at the grocery store?  Well friend, because that stuff is hydrogenated, gross and all kinds of awful.  My lard, from a happy pig, is 7000 times better, tastier and will make amazing things that questionable square of junk can’t possibly.  That’s why.  And to say I did it.  Check.

STRESS BAKING THERAPY FACTOR:  PRAISE THE LARD.  Yeah, this was a colossal pain in the rear but it’ll be easier the second or fifth time I do it.  And yes, if I found those 3lb tubs again I’d snap up a few.  Truth is, it’s much easier (and neater) if someone else does it for you but the satisfaction that comes from doing this type of thing yourself is unparalleled.  And this is far and away better than nearly anything you can buy.  The only thing better would be to raise the pig yourself.  For me, I’m sure that’s just a matter of time.

On this blog four years ago:  Strawberries that taste like strawberries – Chino Farms
On this blog three years ago:  Almond Tea Cake
On this blog two years ago:  Smoky Bacon Ginger Cookies
On this blog one year ago:  Ramp Green Kimchi
wonderful things to do with lard:  Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble Pie, French Apple Tart, Southern Coconut Cake, Sour Cherry Slab Pie

RENDERING LARD

1. Cut the lard into small pieces, or grind with a meat grinder using the large plate.
2. Preheat the oven to 300°F.
3. Place the chopped fat into a heavy wide pan, such as a roasting pan or a large Le Creuset type dutch oven.  Something high sided is better.
4. Add a small amount of water – just enough to cover the bottom of the pan by ¼” and place uncovered in the oven.  (This is optional – you can skip the water but have to keep a closer eye on the pan in the beginning to avoid scorching.)
5. Stir frequently, about every 15-30 minutes.  As the water evaporates the temperature will rise.
6. As the lard renders, the cracklings (brown bits of impurities and tissue that do not render) will float to the surface.  When the lard is almost fully rendered, the cracklings have lost most of their moisture and will sink to the bottom of the pot.
7. When the temperature reaches about 255°F, remove the pan from the oven and allow to settle and cool slightly.  (The lard will be golden in color, but  will turn white as it solidifies.)
8. With a slotted spoon, carefully transfer the cracklings to a strainer set over a bowl to catch any drippings.
9. Carefully strain the liquid lard to remove any residue – you can use coffee filters or several layers of cheesecloth lining a sieve.  The lard will thicken as it cools so rewarm slightly on a low burner if necessary.
10. Store in the way that is easiest for you – pour into plastic containers, ice cube trays, muffin tins or Ziploc bags.
11. Cool quickly, and then freeze for longer storage.  Rendered lard will keep in the refrigerator for several months or in the freezer for up to a year.

Sometimes you just want something quick and easy for dinner.  No fuss, no muss.  It’s much better if someone else makes it for you but that’s not always an option, especially if you live alone or the rest of your family is asleep on the couch.  While working in Southwest France for my friend Kate last summer, I often spent the day cooking, working around the property and running errands.  By dinnertime, we were all hungry, dirty, tired and pretty much mentally over being in the kitchen.  It didn’t take Kate and her trusty Guy Friday, Felix, long to introduce me to the perfect solution for  these situations:  scallion pancakes.

Now it may seem a little funny to be making an essentially classic Chinese recipe in the middle of the French countryside but I had many such cross-cultural moments like this.  This Arizona girl also made carnitas with beautiful French pork and homemade tortillas in that kitchen.  A great idea is a great idea regardless of it’s orgin.  The scallion pancakes were a brilliant discovery and paired perfectly with a cold glass of rosé for those wonderful apero moments, or rosé-o’clock as we called them, when a quick salty snack is a necessity with a glass of wine and a comfortable chair.  Add a salad or some charcuterie and you can easily call it dinner.  And we did.  More than once.

These pancakes are easily made with ingredients readily on hand:  flour, water, some sort of flavoring and some sort of fat.  Most of the time we used scallions, sometimes we worked in chiles or a little garlic.  A dash or two of spices, say a little piment d’esplette or a nice curry blend would be interesting.  No scallions?  How about some finely minced onion, shallot or garlic?  I’m particularly fond of finely diced Chinese chives.  No sesame oil?  Regular vegetable oil would work, or if you happen to find yourself in Gascony, duck fat is a fine substitute and a rather delicious one at that.

The recipe is simple but it’s the technique that really makes these spectacular.  Brushing a dough with fat and folding is a tried and true technique for a great flaky pastry called “lamination”.  The folks at Serious Eats took this a step farther than we did by doing the rolling/coiling process an additional two times.  It makes sense as the more you roll, the more flaky layers you create.  The author, J. Kenji Lopez-Alt, has a lovely chart that explains it all if you care to take a gander.  I found that this little bit of extra effort made a big difference in the overall texture of the pancake but if you’re feeling a bit lazy, one roll/coil produces a very nice pancake.  Since I was pressed for time and low on energy, the pancakes photographed here are rolled only once after filling.

For the dipping sauce, I went with my old standby – soy, rice vinegar, hoisin and garlic chili paste jazzed up with a bit of additional ginger and scallion.  While you could eat these pancakes plain, hot out of the skillet, I think they’re much better with something to dip into.  But isn’t that always the case?  In France we used a variety of chutneys and chili sauces from the pantry but use what you have, what you like.

The good news is you can roll these out several hours in advance, kept tightly covered to prevent drying and pan fry  just before serving.  The recipe noted below makes two pancakes but this can be easily halved, or doubled.  We were eating them hot out of the pan and it seemed like Felix could never cook them fast enough but for appertifs, though 2 seemed to work well for the 3 of us when snacking.  On more than one occasion we made the four pancakes and called it dinner.

STRESS BAKING THERAPY FACTOR:  Think of this as a mini lesson in laminated doughs (the process of rolling and folding a dough around layers of fat.)  Do this and the next step is croissants.  I swear, it’s not that far of a leap.  As a snack or quick meal, it’s a very good one.

on this blog four years ago:  Chino Farms Strawberries – field trip
on this blog three years ago:  Peterson Garden Project – the start
on this blog two years ago: Pasticceria Natalina
on this blog one year ago:  Buttermilk Biscuits

SCALLION PANCAKES WITH SOY DIPPING SAUCE
Makes 2 pancakes; serves 2-4

for the pancakes:
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour, plus a little extra for dusting work surface
½ cup boiling water
1-2 Tablespoons toasted sesame seed oil
1 cup thinly sliced scallion greens (or whatever you choose)

For the dipping sauce:
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
1 Tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon hoisin sauce
½ teaspoon garlic chile paste
1 Tablespoon finely sliced scallion greens
½ teaspoon grated fresh ginger

To cook:
vegetable oil
Kosher salt

1. For the dough:  Place the flour in a large bowl and add the boiling water.
2. Stir into a soft dough with a wooden spoon, then begin mixing with your hands.
3. Turn out onto a floured work surface and knead for 5 minutes until smooth and satiny. (Alternatively, you can do this in a food processor and I’ve used the Kitchenaid with the paddle attachment as well.)
4. Transfer to a bowl, cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap, and allow to rest for 30 minutes at room temperature, or up to overnight in the fridge.
5. To shape:  Divide the dough into two even pieces and pat each into a smooth disc.
6. Working with one piece at a time (keep the other covered to prevent drying), roll out into a roughly 8”x10” rectangle on a lightly floured surface.
7. Spread a very thin layer of sesame oil over the top of the disk with a pastry brush or your fingers (in Gascony we used duck fat because that’s just what you do.)
8. Sprinkle the ½ the chopped scallions evenly over the top.
9. Roll the square up like a jellyroll, then coil into a tight spiral, tucking the end underneath.
10. Flatten the coil gently with your hand and re-roll into an 8” disc.
11. At this point, you can go ahead and cook the pancake or if you like, roll again:  paint the surface lightly with sesame oil, roll up jelly roll style, coil into a spiral, flatten gently then roll into an 8” round.  They are better if you do the second roll but it’s your call ultimately.
12. Repeat these steps with remaining piece of dough, stacking the rolled pancakes between sheets of parchment to prevent sticking.
13. For the dipping sauce:  Combine all the sauce ingredients and set aside at room temperature until needed.
14. To cook:  Heat 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil in a large cast iron skillet or griddle (I used my underutilized paella pan to great success) over medium-high heat until shimmering and carefully slip pancake into the hot oil.
15. Cook, shaking the pan gently, until first side is an even golden brown, about 2 minutes.
16. Carefully flip with a spatula or tongs and continue to cook, shaking pan gently, until the second side is even golden brown, about 2 minutes longer.
17. Transfer to a cutting board, season with salt and cut into 6-8 wedges. Serve immediately with sauce for dipping.
18. Repeat with the remaining pancake(s).

Last year, coincidentally, Cinco de Mayo fell on the same day as the Kentucky Derby making for a very fine fiesta. My friend Chris threw a “Cinco de Derby” party and I spent a great deal of time at the dollar store conceptualizing the perfect party hat. Onto a big straw chapeau that looked a little too Huck Finn to start, went red, white and green ribbons, a bouquets worth of fake red and white flowers and to really make it special, I glued on a big plastic horse because nothing says “derby” like a large equine sculpture on the side of your head. It was heavy and lopsided due to that horse but I looked rather fantastic. Since the 2013 Kentucky Derby is Saturday May 4^th and Cinco de Mayo is Sunday May 5^th I think my hat may come out of retirement. It will perfectly compliment a big melted mass of cheese.

Is there anything better than melted cheese? I think not. The Mexican version, Queso Fundito, is a damn near perfect dish. Found in certain Mexican restaurants across the country in the “appetizer” column, I order it every single time At my little corner joint I often eat far too much, gooey and stringy, wrapped in warm tortillas. By the time my entree arrives, I’m usually too full to take more than a few bites so it’s not unusual to leave with my nearly untouched dinner in a takeout box. It’s a scene repeated at tables across the country. We – ok, I – never learn.

Queso Fundito is a deceptively simple recipe, just melted cheese and some warm tortillas. You might find versions with a little something extra, like roasted poblanos or chorizo but that’s only if you feel like it. That’s pretty much it. Couldn’t be easier and exemplifies how a simple dish, made well, doesn’t need to be overly complicated to be good.

The basic assemblage is a 2 minute recipe – shred the cheese, throw it in a dish, pop it in the oven to melt and warm some tortillas. But to start, you need the cheese. The best option is Chihuahua, no question. If you live anywhere near a Mexican community, this is no problem though a fine substitution are other Mexican melting cheeses such as quesadilla or asadero. But if you don’t live near a hispanic community, you probably won’t find those either. If this is the case, I’ve heard Monterey Jack or Colby works but I’ll admit, I’ve never tried it. If you can, seek out the Chihuahua – I find it in my regular ‘ol grocery store – and get the chunk rather than pre-shredded. The shredded stuff is tossed with anti-caking ingredients (corn & potato starches) and it doesn’t melt as nicely.

Plain cheese with a pinch of oregano is perfectly wonderful but you could jazz it up with some deliciously oily chorizo, cooked until crispy and bright red in a frying pan. Or you could roast some poblanos, in the oven or right over gas burner until dark and blackened. Scrape off the charred skin and seeds, cut into little strips and you’ve got “rajas”. Mix these beauties together in a dish then bake until bubbly and golden brown. That easy.

Next up is the tortillas. If you have a tortelliria nearby, this is no problem. Count yourself amongst the lucky. For the great majority of us who do not have this luxury, we have to rely on the local grocery store. Purchase packages that are fresh and pliable; corn or flour is completely up to you. I tend to go back and forth depending on my mood and what looks good. When the corn tortillas on the shelves are still warm, I have a hard time resisting.

You can heat the tortillas a couple ways – right on a gas burner until warm, pliable and ever so slightly blackened is my personal favorite. But for large quantities, like for a party, it’s much easier way to wrap stacks in foil and warm them up next to the melting cheese.

Serve this up pronto, while it’s hot, oozy and bubbling letting your guests dig in, wrapping the cheese in the warm tortillas in little taco-like packets. Personally, I adore the crispy edges and will fight you for them. If the cheese cools too quickly, simply pop it back in the oven for a few minutes to remelt. Or better yet, since this can be assembled far in advance, make several smaller dishes and stagger the baking times so there’s a steady stream of hot oozing cheese. I really like the sound of that.

STRESS THERAPY BAKING FACTOR: OOZY GOODNESS MAKES YOU HAPPY. Melted cheese. Nothing much else needs to be said. Here’s a hint: make more than seems feasible. I’ve learned that once people start digging in, they don’t stop and your dish is suddently scraped clean faster than you can get your own tortilla into the fray. Besides, what’s a few clogged arteries between friends? A margarita, or perhaps a mint julep depending upon the day, will help too.

On this blog three years ago: Kentucky Derby Tarts
On this blog two years ago: missing Pasticceria Natalina
On this blog one year ago: Homemade Cultured Butter

QUESO FUNDITO
Serves 4-6 as an appetizer

½ pound Chihuahua cheese (or other Mexican melting cheese such as quesadilla or asadero)
¾ teaspoon crumbled dried oregano, preferably Mexican
12 corn or flour tortillas

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. If you’d like to add chorizo or roasted poblano rajas, see the variations below.
3. Check the tortillas to make sure they’re not stuck together then wrap in stacks of no more than 6 in foil, sealing the edges tightly.
4. Place the shredded cheese in a 8” baking dish. If you’re using chorizo or poblano rajas, place those in the dish first then top with the cheese.
5. Place the cheese in the oven and set the timer for 10 minutes.
6. When the timer goes off, add the tortilla packets alongside, directly on the wire rack, and set the timer for another 5 minutes.
7. Bake until the cheese is just melted and golden but has not begun to separate or look greasy and the tortillas should be warmed through. You may need an additional 5 more minutes .
8. If the top of the cheese hasn’t quite browned, run it under the broiler for a few minutes until golden and bubbly.
9. Sprinkle with the crumbled oregano and serve immediately, accompanied by the warm tortillas.

Variations:

Chorizo:
½ pound Mexican Chorizo

1. in a heavy skillet over medium-high, fry the chorizo in a dry skillet until it gives off it’s oil and cooks through, breaking up the large chunks as you go.
2. With a slotted spoon, transfer the chorizo leaving the oil behind, to the baking dish.

Poblano Rajas:
2-3 fresh poblano peppers

1. Roast the chiles: you have a few options -

• over a burner: place the chilies on an open flame and rotate frequently with a pair of tongs until the skin is evenly blistered and blackened – about 5 minutes.
• in the broiler: Roast the chilies a baking sheet 4” below a very hot broiler, turning regularly until the skin is evenly blistered and blackened, about 10 minutes.
• over a grill: preheat a grill to high, place the chilies on grate and rotate frequently with a pair of tongs until the skin is evenly blistered and blackened – about 5 minutes.

1. Place the roasted chilies in a bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap and set aside for 5 minutes to steam and cool.
2. When cool enough to handle, rub off the blackened skin with the back of a paring knife, then pull or cut out the stems and the seed pods and discard.
3. Tear the chiles open and scrape out stray seeds and any remaining bits of skin.
4. Cut into strips ¼” wide x 2” long.

My mother and I spend a great deal of time planning our holiday meals.  Christmas Eve is always a big seafood extravaganza, our own version of the Italian “Feast of the Seven Fishes” and though much of the menu stays the same, we’re open to new ideas.  Throughout the year we keep an eye out for something that might work into the menu.  If something piques our interest, we’ll make a little mental note and have lengthy discussions.  Oysters on the half shell, steamed clams and king crab legs with lots of lemon and garlic butter are fixed, no question.  But we’ve also tried shrimp cocktail, steamed mussels, BBQ shrimp, a horrendously failed attempt at grilled calamari, stuffed mussels and a cold seafood salad at one time or another.  While all were good, except that calamari which I refused to serve, neither of us was in love with any of them.  So I was on the lookout.

And then it happened through the beauty that is Twitter.  Last October, I was perusing my twitter feed and noticed this come through:

Ceviche love indeed.  Of course!  The simplicity of the tweet made me smile.  Everything I needed to know was right there, in less than 140 characters.  A nice, fresh ceviche would add a much needed layer of acidity to the rather rich menu, could be made ahead and was pretty low fuss.  It was so obvious.  My mom loved the idea and we had our shortest menu discussion to date.  That it was from Chef Mark Mendez was even better.  This guy knows his ceviche and has a fantastic Spanish restaurant, Vera, in Chicago’s West Loop (really, you must go.  Now.)

I’ve made ceviche many times and while it was always good, it never really bowled me over.  This simple ratio of lime, lemon and orange was perfect.  The orange has a way of balancing the acidity of the lime and lemon juices, adding a lovely touch of sweetness.  It was easily the best version I’d made and it went over like gangbusters with the family.

With Cinco de Mayo around the corner, this is an easy and delicious one to whip up.  The key is the seafood.  Be sure to get impeccably fresh seafood.  You need to make an effort here because what you’re essentially eating is raw fish – and sorry to say, you will not likely find this at your average grocery store.

I happen to like scallops and had some big fat Alaskan beauties in the freezer from my friend Carri, the wonderful proprietor of Two Sisters Bakery in Homer, AK.   (Do I need to say it?  If you find yourself in Homer, go!)  I’d been saving them for just the right thing and this was it.  If scallops aren’t your thing, shrimp or a firm white fish works very well too.  Again, freshness is key so be sure to ask your fishmonger what they have that will be ok to eaten raw.  They’ll tell you.

Marinating fish in citrus juice is a classic South American method and is often referred to as “cooking” the fish.  This isn’t entirely true.  As Harold McGee writes in On Food and Cooking, the period of marination in citrus juice “changes both the appearance and texture of the fish: in a thin surface layer if it lasts 15-45 minutes, throughout if it lasts a few hours. The high acidity denatures and coagulates the proteins in the muscle tissue, so that the gel-like translucent tissue becomes opaque and firm: but more delicately than it does when heated, and with none of the flavor changes caused by high temperatures.”  So it’s imperative you have some good, fresh seafood.  Also be aware that this needs 2 hours minimum to marinate and no longer than 12.  The longer in the marinade, the firmer the fish will become, however, at some point the citrus juices will start to break down the fish and turn it mushy. Be aware.

To the citrus-fish mixture, I like texture and color so into the bowl goes some tasty, crunchy colorful bits and a little bit of heat from some finely diced serrano but you could use jalapeno or a touch of habanero.  It’s quite a showstopper – it’s not often you can serve something so pretty and elegant that is so easy to put together.  Serve with warmed corn tortillas for little tacos, with crunchy tortilla chips or go full on Peruvian and garnish with some popcorn.  No, really.

STRESS BAKING THERAPY FACTOR:  WHAT STRESS?  Start pouring margaritas and kick back.  This is the perfect summer dish – bright, colorful and refreshing. Better yet – it has to be made ahead.  Hooray!  It’s a party in a glass, and a pretty one at that.  Just perfect for Cinco de Mayo.

on this blog three years ago:  Homemade Saltines
on this blog two years ago:  Homemade Crème Eggs
on this blog one year ago: Popovers with Strawberry Butter
other Twitter recipe experiments:  Chocoflan!
other Cinco de Mayo recipes: Avocado Lime Popsicles (and check back Friday for another one!)

SCALLOP CEVICHE - based on a tweet from Chef Mark Mendez of Vera
Serves 6-8 as an appetizer

1 pound fresh sea scallops, quartered (or shrimp or a firm white fish)
6 Tablespoons fresh lime juice (3 ounces)
4 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice (2 ounces)
2 Tablespoons fresh orange juice (1 ounce)
½ small red onion, finely diced, about ¼ cup
1-2 serrano chilies, seeded and finely diced
1 celery stalk, minced
½ red pepper, finely minced, about ¼ cup
2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro, finely minced
kosher salt
freshly ground pepper

1. Combine the scallops and citrus juices with a good pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper in a glass or other nonreactive bowl and stir to mix well.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine.
3. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, and up to 12.
4. Taste and adjust the seasoning, salt and pepper, if needed.
5. To serve, spoon into small glasses and garnish with cilantro leaves alongside warmed corn tortillas or tortilla chips if desired.

I was playing around with a new book and came across a recipe for Avocado-Lime Paletas.  Very interesting.  We were heading up to a friends cabin and I thought I’d throw my molds into the bag with the waffle iron, ice cream maker and other ridiculous things I lug up there.  I typically bring random items and food experiments along with me, so what was one more?  I mixed up a few batches ahead – a half batch of the avocado and a full of sour cherry to freeze upon arrival.

One sunny afternoon, I broke them out asking “Sour Cherry or Avocado?”  I was stunned the avocado went first. I’d added a good hit of lime juice, a bit of salt and a shot of tequila, just for fun.  They were smooth, creamy and incredibly delicious, to all of our surprise.  If you know anyone with dairy issues, give it a try.  And be ready for the color – it’s a quite shocking shade of khaki green.

With Cinco de Mayo just around the corner, I’ve got a few batches in the freezer ready to go and plan on bringing them back to the cabin this summer due to popular demand.  But I’ll make a bigger batch this time.  I also found these fun things, which will be easier to deal with up at the cabin.  I’m pretty sure none of us have ever had Avocado Otter Pops before.

I’m a skeptic no more.  Maybe one of these days I’ll try that mousse.

STRESS THERAPY BAKING FACTOR:  OLE!  These are fun and perfect for any summertime parties.  They’re completely unexpected in color, flavor, texture and ingredient and will catch everyone by complete surprise.  Plus they’re dairy free so those with issues can enjoy without concern.  Without the cream I’d usually use, I imagine they’re lower in calories but are by no means low fat.  Regardless, I’m going to call these “healthy” in my head.

On this blog 4 years ago: Roasted Tomato & Asparagus Quiche
On this blog 3 years ago:  Bleu Mont Dairy Field Trip, Homemade Saltines
On this blog 2 years ago:  Garlic Roasted Potatoes, Homemade Crème Eggs
On this blog 1 year ago: Pickled Ramps, Popovers with Strawberry Butter

AVOCADO LIME TEQUILA POPSICLES - based on a recipe in Fany Gerson’s Paletas
Depending on the size of your molds, this will make about 10 popsicles

1 cup water
½ cup sugar
zest of 4 limes – about 2 Tablespoons
5 ripe soft avocados
1/3 cup lime juice (about 4-5 limes)
2 ½ Tablespoons tequila
½ teaspoon kosher salt

1. Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan and boil until the sugar is fully dissolved.
2. Add the lime zest and let cool to room temperature.  Strain into a bowl (to remove the zest) and for best results, chill for several hours.
3. Cut the avocados in half and remove the flesh.  Add to a blender with the lime juice, tequila and salt and process until smooth.  If you need a little more liquid to get things moving, add some of the lime simple syrup.
4. Add the avocado mixture to the simple syrup and stir until well blended.
5. Pour into popsicle molds and freeze until solid, at least 4 hours. To remove from the molds, run warm water along the outside and carefully ease out of the cavities.
6. For longer storage, remove from the molds, wrap individually in plastic wrap, place in a large Ziploc bag and store in the freezer.

Last year, about this time, I did a real jackass kind of thing. I invited myself along on someone else’s vacation. It was St. Patrick’s Day, we’d been enjoying all that Chicago has to offer on a gorgeous, unseasonably warm 70 degree day where everyone is Irish. My friends mentioned they were going to Napa and asked for recommendations. I then say “What? I’m going with you! You need me with you! I know people.” Obnoxious, right? I immediately apologized the next day and gave them an out, which they declined and invited me along anyway. That’s good friends for you.

Fact is, I wasn’t lying. I do know some very good people in Northern California and we had a fantastic time on that trip. Such a great time that another group of friends, after seeing the pictures on Facebook, wanted to plan a similar trip. OK. I can make that happen. Text and emails were sent and on a very rainy Thursday two weeks ago, we met at O’hare and immediately commenced with a few celebratory margaritas while curiously watching a troupe of German dancers in traditional costume. It was a bit surreal. Turns out American Airlines was launching their Chicago-Dusseldorf route that afternoon with this odd sort of launch party. It was the perfect start to a hilarious weekend, let me tell you.

California wine country, particularly the Napa and Sonoma valleys are quite spectacular and a little intimidating. According to this, there are over 450 wineries in the Napa Valley alone and maybe half as many in the neighboring Sonoma valley. I am lucky in that I have friends in the area to help me sort it out but visiting blind can be challenging. I recommend starting with the vineyards that produce the wine you like and go from there. Ask around, see what others recommend. Your best resources are other wine people. Deciding where to go can be mind-boggling, intimidating and expensive as wineries, rightly so, charge for tastings anywhere from $10 to $75 per person. Do a little research and book ahead as many places require reservations. Plus there’s the issue of having a designated driver, a necessity when you can’t quite grasp the difference between “tasting” and “drinking”. If you don’t have a DD, consider hiring a driver. Believe me, that couple hundred dollars is money well spent if you want to have a fully worry-free day. Also, this is not the place for large, raucous groups. Wine tasting is best enjoyed in small groups, a carload at most. I have to tell you that one of the best times I ever had was a solo tasting tour of Sonoma. In my experience a lone taster, especially a female one, is well looked after. Just be sure to pace yourself. It was during that trip 12 years ago that I decided to change the course of my life and become a pastry chef. Maybe I’ll tell you about that one day.

The good news, for me, is I have a dear friend who lives in St. Helena on the Napa side of the valley. Laurel was the sommelier at a restaurant group we worked for and bonded in a way that only people who open restaurants together can. She moved west about 5 or so years ago to be “where the wine was” and has transitioned quite nicely to the wine making side of things. I’m so proud of her. Whenever I come to visit, she really rolls out the red carpet. Laurel is a kind and gracious host, taking over the driving and planning duties. She puts together spectacular visits, tours, tastings and lunches with her large network of friends to places that I love and kindly avoids the mega-super-touristy places I dislike. And she is beyond hilariously entertaining. I miss her.

This year, I rounded up my Sunday Lunch crowd and we met up with a dear college friend also in town with her husband and a few friends. Remember what I said about big groups? Well, yeah, we may have pushed that aside for the first day but we also had winery friends that were greatly accommodating. After leaving rainy, cold and soon to be snowy Chicago, it was a delight to pull up to my friend Wells Guthrie’s beautiful winery, Copain, in Healdsburg. Collapsing into those Adirondack chairs overlooking the vineyards on a gorgeous sunny day was exactly what my weary soul needed. A glass of his wine in my hand certainly helped too. Our fantastic guide, Hollie, had ordered lunch and took us through the line-up. If you haven’t had Copain wines, seek them out. They are some of my favorites, especially if you enjoy pinot. Wells always warrants a visit when I’m in town. I like to see what he’s been up to in the last year. Copain Wines 7800 Eastside Rd Healdsburg, CA 95448 (707) 836-8822

our post-lunch tasting table at Copain

In the effort of full disclosure, let me just say that I am by no means a wine expert, or even a good amateur. Let’s say I’m a “wine enthusiast”. I have a head for food, no question, and can remember the smallest technique or detail. But wine is a different matter entirely and I can’t quite explain why I don’t retain wine knowledge details as well. Thanks to many dinners and tastings with Laurel, I know what I like and what I don’t but I’m not sure I’ll ever reach a high level of knowledge. I tend to defer to the many people in my life that are much better at this kind of thing than I am. Luckily, I know a lot of them.

barrel tasting at Pride Mountain

I am also aware that I am a very lucky person who has very amazing friends. Laurel, god love her, put out the call and her friends responded kindly and generously. Each and every place we visited was full of surprises, amazing experiences, interesting facts and above all, some really great wine. We sat at beautiful tables, wandered among hundreds upon hundreds of oak barrels in numerous caves, tasted wine from bottles and barrels, lounged on comfy couches in fancy hidden rooms, picnic tables overlooking budding vines and stone walls next to stunning vistas. All the while with a glass of something delicious. I’m already thinking about my next visit.

Here are some highlights of this spectacular weekend and I recommend each and every one:

Preston Vineyards: love this winery with it’s rustic farm charm. Great tasting room full of interesting stuff – unique tchotckes, books and food items from the farm like fresh eggs, olives and olive oil. Big fan of their rose and zinfandel. 9282 West Dry Creek Road, Healdsburg CA 95448 (707)433-3372

Hailey and her quiche at Macauley

Macauley Vineyards: Laurel’s friend Hailey is lovely and took the time to organize a breakfast tasting for us. She baked a delicious fresh spinach and goat cheese quiche herself that paired wonderfully with their Tocai Friulano. She also picked up some amazing english muffins at Model Bakery (info below) and Laurel brought some rhubarb jam she had made. Pretty great, right? The lovely little cabin where they conduct their tastings is adorable, comfy and intimate. It was just us, that amazing quiche and their delicious wines; it was a great way to start the day. 3520 Silverado Trail St Helena, CA 94574 (707) 963-1863

Barnett Vineyards: There was a party for wine club members in full swing when we showed up so we joined right in, finding a spot up on the deck. Overlooking the gorgeous valley with a glass of cold rose, it was pretty damn near perfect. The subsequent tasting in the cellar room was pretty perfect too. 4070 Spring Mountain Rd St Helena, CA 95404 (707) 963-7075

the whole crazy lot of us at Barnett

Terra Valentine: Another friend, Lindsay, got us started with a glass of sauvignon blanc on the balcony overlooking a gorgeous valley then proceeded into a tasting room that felt like something out of Excalibur. The walls were lined with paneling from Hearst Castle and light streamed in from a giant stained glass window. Simply gorgeous. There was a small plate of cheese and chocolate and tasting the dark chocolate and one of their cabernets, side by side, was a bit of a revelation. 3787 Spring Mountain Rd St Helena, CA 94574 (707) 967-8340

another spectacular view at Terra Valentine

Pride Mountain Vineyards: I’ve been here before but the day was foggy and I didn’t realize what I’d missed. As the saying goes, on a clear day you can see forever and what a view it was. Her friend Jake took us through the cellars, poured a tasting directly from one of the barrels and showed us a not so secret room where we sat and soaked up the environment. And the wine. Mighty fine wine. 4026 Spring Mountain Rd St Helena, California 94574 (707) 963-4949

Robert Sinskey Vineyards: Today we started the day on Laurel’s home turf. She’s worked here off an on for years and is currently assisting in the wine making process. She does an amazing tour and though she was answering all our random questions over the course of the weekend, filling in the bits and pieces of our severely lacking knowledge, here is where she really excelled. After touring the gardens and the wine cave with its endless rows of barrels, we sat outside at a beautiful table, overlooking their gorgeous vineyards and Laurel walked us through the Sinskey line-up focusing on their excellent pinots. There was a wonderful moment when we all looked up from our glasses and simply exhaled, thankful to be there, amongst the company of such good people. A few wineries do food pairings with their tastings and Sinskey does it particularly well. You taste the wine then you take a nibble of something and taste again, noticing the subtle differences of how food and wine effect and play off each other. I especially like the rose here, by the way, and highly recommend seeking it out. 6320 Silverado Trail Napa, CA 94558 (707) 944-9090

Miner Family Winery: next up was this gem where we were greeted and served with great enthusiasm by Scott, another FOL (friend of Laurel). Miner is interesting in that they don’t own vineyards rather, buy their grapes, so the wines from year to year may vary based on what they buy or what they’d like to make. They have a fairly large portfolio and it was great fun to taste and compare. We also toured their cellars and Scott did a barrel tasting where wine was siphoned directly from the barrel into our glasses. It was interesting to compare this glass to the bottled version from a different year that we tried back in the tasting room. 7850 Silverado Trail, Napa, CA 94558 (707) 944-9500

Darioush Vineyards: we went here for one reason – the building is stunning. I knew that my friend Mark would get the vapours upon arrival. I was right. Built to resemble a large Persian palace with large columns and fountains at the entrance, the place is gorgeous. And the wines are pretty good too. We did everything wrong here – we didn’t know anyone, our group was too large and we didn’t call ahead. All big tasting room no-no’s, but the staff was kind, gracious and extremely accommodating. 4240 Silverado Trail Napa, CA 94558 (707) 257-2345

Yep, that’s what a Persian palace looks like

And believe it or not, that was it from a wine tasting front. Oh – did I mention that we ate extremely well too? Here are my recommendations:

Bravas Bar de Tapas: Delicious and great for a large group. Many, many small plates that easily accommodated everyone’s food allergy issues. The cocktails were delicious, the wine list good and when I was apologetically told they could only accommodate a group of 12 outside on the patio, I was thrilled. Outside! I hadn’t eaten outside in months! 420 Center St Healdsburg, CA 95448 (707) 433-7700

Bouchon Bakery: I don’t think I need to say much about this place other than this: GO. Be prepared to wait and especially be prepared to drop some coin. It’s worth it. 6528 Washington St Yountville, CA 94599 (707) 944-2253

Model Bakery: hands down the best English muffins I’ve ever had. Locations in St. Helena and next to Fatted Calf in Napa’s Oxbow Market.

La Condesa: great mexican food, great tequila, great cocktails. What more do you need? 1320 Main St St Helena, CA 94574 (707) 967-8111

Woodhouse Chocolates: I know my caramels and these are damn good caramels. Interesting custom crafted chocolate bars and truly beautiful chocolates. 1367 Main St St Helena, CA 94574 (707) 963-8413

Goose & Gander: OK, I bailed early and didn’t make it to this place BUT my friends that did said it was great with wonderful hand crafted cocktails. About as hipster as you’re going to get out here. 1245 Spring St St Helena, CA 94574 (707) 967-8779

Farmstead: I love this farm-to-table restaurant especially the mini ham biscuit sandwiches and the grilled artichokes. Just delicious. 738 Main St St Helena, CA 94574 (707) 963-9181

Fremont Diner: another big favorite of mine. Have to say I prefer breakfast to lunch (though still fantastic) probably because I never get a chance to really sit down and enjoy breakfast. Everything is just so delicious. I’ve never been here for dinner but I hear that’s very good too. They serve eggs from the chickens that roam freely in the back and make a mean biscuit. 2698 Fremont Drive Sonoma CA 95476 (707)938-7370

Oxbow Market: great place to pick up supplies – there’s cheese, coffee, produce, bread – everything you need for a nice little picnic. Any I have a real thing for the sweet corn cake sandwiches at PicaPica even if they couldn’t get their act together and open on time when I was there. That was annoying. This may be the motivation I need to finally figure out this recipe myself. 644 1st St Napa, CA 94559 (707) 226-6529

Sunshine Foods: another great place to pick up picnic supplies. Now, I know my grocery stores and love to wander a good one. This place is small but fantastic – packed with really great stuff. You can pick up snack-y things or the guys will make sandwiches to order and they have a really thoughtfully stocked butcher case if you get the urge to grill. 1115 Main St St Helena, CA 94574 (707) 963-7070

Fatted Calf: a must stop for artisanal charcuterie next to the Oxbow Market and conveniently, next to Model Bakery. A really great place and another friend of Laurel who put together a lovely tasting plate and gave us a tour. Nice people and you can pick up my favorite Rancho Gordo beans here. 
644 C First Street
 Napa, CA 94559 (707) 256-3684

Oh, if you’re looking for a place to stay, the El Bonita Motel in St. Helena is perfect. Comfortable, clean if overly wine-themed decor, the rooms have mini-fridges and coffeemakers, are comfortable and there’s a nice pool if you need a break from the enthusiastic activities. We didn’t find the time but it looked lovely. Also, for the area, it’s priced reasonably. Let’s face it; this is by no means a budget vacation. But it is a great one.

There’s something so bright and refreshing about lemons.  I might even say bracing.  They make me happy.  The bright color and perky flavor is exactly what I need during this gloomy, grey and wet time.  If you live somewhere sunny then you probably don’t know what I’m talking about but think about this.  Last week I was wearing shorts and a light sweater.  Four days later it was cold and drenching wet.  Three days after that it snowed.  I’ll take any bit of brightness I can get and if that’s in the form of some grocery store citrus than so be it.

Lemon anything is always on my top 10 list.  I think I get that from my Dad.  Every year for his birthday, he’d ask for two things:  a lemon meringue pie and “some god damn peace and quiet.”  I never understood that later but I certainly appreciated the former.  My mom would make a pie with, I think, some Jell-o product topped with a big pile of fluffy white meringue.  As a kid, I didn’t understand meringue and was always perplexed when it didn’t taste like marshmallows.  It certainly looked like marshmallows.  What gives?

I’ve had a lot of lemons pass through this joint lately – 4 rounds of Shaker Lemon Pie and endless batches of candied lemon slices will do that.  After all those pies and tarts and cookies, I had an urge for a buttery rich pound cake so I made the Lemon Loaf Cake from Baking with Julia, a favorite of mine.  It was good.  But I wanted so much more.  More pucker, more punch, more sunshine.

I wanted an intense pop of puckery lemon and this just wasn’t delivering.  So I made it a few more times, adjusting this or adding that.  It’s challenging to pump up that lemon flavor without adding a bunch extracts that taste like furniture polish so I decided to go another route.  I focused on adding flavor from the outside in.  A warm lemon syrup poured over the hot cake then once cooled, slicked with a thick tart glaze.  Bingo.  A tender lemon cake with a big puckery punch of lemon around the edges.  It’s right at home in a sophisticated lunchbox or with a cup of tea.  I may even have a few slices stashed in the freezer for those gloomy day emergencies I am sure will come.

STRESS THERAPY BAKING FACTOR:  INSTANT PICK ME UP.  Slice off a piece (or two) and hunker down under a blanket with a good book and a hot cup of something.  This is a downright slice of sunshine.  Be prepared, the topping packs a bright punch but sometimes you need that.

On this blog four years ago:  Brown Butter Banana Bread
On this blog three years ago:  Peanut Butter Bars
On this blog two years ago:  Peterson Garden Project – round 2
On this blog one year ago:  Strawberries in Hibiscus Syrup
Other lemon desserts on this blog:  Shaker Lemon Pie, Classic Lemon Tart, Candied Lemon Cookies

REALLY LEMONY LOAF CAKE – based on Norman Love’s recipe in Baking with Julia
Serves 10
I’ve added pure lemon oil to punch up the flavor in the cake – I much prefer the oil to the extract.  But use a light hand; too much and the cake will taste like Lemon Pledge.

for the cake:
1 ¾ cups cake flour
½ teaspoons baking powder
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 1/3 cup sugar
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Zest of 3 medium lemons
¼ teaspoon pure lemon oil
½ cup heavy cream, room temperature
5 ½ Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature

for the lemon syrup:
juice of 2 lemons – about ½ cup
about ½ cup sugar – measure equal to the lemon juice

for the powdered sugar glaze:
2-2 ½ Tablespoons fresh lemon juice (a bit less than the juice of one medium lemon)
1 ¼ cups powdered sugar
pinch of kosher salt

1. For the cake:  Preheat the oven with a rack in the center to 350°F; line a 9”x5” loaf pan with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour and baking powder and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar, and salt until foamy and just blended.
4. Whisk in the lemon zest and lemon oil.
5. Whisk in the flour in thirds, mixing lightly until just barely incorporated.
6. Whisk in the heavy cream.
7. Switch to a rubber spatula and quickly fold in the cooled melted butter.
8. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
9. Bake for 50-60 minutes until golden brown, the top is firm to the touch and and a toothpick inserted just off center comes out clean.
10. For the hot lemon syrup:  5 minutes before the cake is done baking, juice two of the zested lemons, measure and combine with an equal measure of sugar in a small saucepan (typically ½ cup for a medium sized lemon)
11. Bring to a boil to dissolve the sugar.
12. Remove the cake from the oven, place on a wire rack and pierce all over with a toothpick or skewer.
13. Pour the hot lemon syrup over the hot cake and let cool completely.  If the syrup puddles around the edges, let it cool and thicken a little then use a pastry brush to redistribute the syrup.
14. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
15. Gently tug at the parchment paper to release the cake from the pan; you may have to run knife along the short sides of the pan to help loosen.
16. Remove the parchment paper and set the cake on a wire rack set over a sheet pan or another piece of parchment or foil to catch drips.
17. For the lemon glaze:  in a medium bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, powdered sugar and salt to form a thick pourable glaze.  If needed, add more powdered sugar to achieve that thick pouring consistency.
18. Pour the glaze over the cooled cake and let sit, uncovered at room temperature, until the glaze sets and hardens – at least 1 hour.
19. The cake will keep at room temperature, tightly covered, for several days.