Just a Few Thoughts that Flowed Freely

Is that you, Spring?

Is that you, Spring?
The morning dove is cooing at the sun that wakes me early.
Silent soil’s moving at the plumping of the seeds.
My skin is warm at rising without blankets or arms wrapped right
Earthy tang wafting over porch, over me

Have you come to call on the buds, the blades, the nest builders?
I’ve been awash in expectation since I tucked the flora into bed
While I donned a coat and suffered still from shivers
Watching rain, then sleet, then snow cover my stepping stones
Soothed myself with the wisdom of your patience to see ahead

While the coolness tempered the ground
And the rest built strength in roots
Snow obscured nature’s fermentation
The earth is not lonely, but I am
I delight this morning to hear the soft announcement of the dove

And there she is calling to me
To dig, to nurture the roots, to feel the staleness leave on a breeze
Cobwebs wiped down and spirits hoisted up
The tiniest seed in my hand, some I cannot even see for the size
I say good morning to the rain, the dirt, the birth of a fresh start.

Written by Yours Truly

I Was Obsessed Even Then

I was looking through some old memorabilia with my Mom yesterday. It was snowy and we didn't want to think about it, so we were off to the basement to put our heads in the old boxes. We saw all sorts of things but the one that made me laugh out loud was a note I wrote to her. I was living in Japan and took a trip with my husband to Tokyo. I wrote that I had seen a very old place of worship and I even got to have a nice Japanese dinner with my then brother in law. Then I ended the note with this line, "The thing that impressed me most was the double chocolate mousse cake that I got from room service". I am certifiable.

I was not yet a pastry chef. Indeed, I was fourteen years from it. But this seems to be the running theme in my life. I remember the rum soaked cake in Paris, the fois gras that I ate every day the second time I went to Paris and the little sandwiches I had in London at the Ritz. I have as many pictures of food as I do people. I took pictures of the mignardise tray at Daniel in New York, of the ladies room (not food, but weird and I thought that they might slap me where I sat if I had tried to photograph the food) at Alinea and dozens at Le Francais where I worked. I had to stop in the park near the shops Laduree and then again near the patisserie Fauchon in France to take the petit fours out of the boxes so I could photograph them. I only took a bite of each. Eating them wasn't the whole point. They were beautiful little babies and I needed to really look at them. And so it goes that I count the moments of my vacations not by days but by meals. My husband will actually say to me, "You only have 4 meals left", because he knows they count with me. I don't like the "quick bite" here or there. I like to think about it, plan it and even check out the menu first. It's an event for God's sake. Respect it.

So, anyway, I admit I am single minded some times. I could be in a place that means a lot to you or that you think should mean a lot to me and I will most likely not be thinking about what you might expect. Even if I am not hungry, I am thinking about what to make you or for me when I AM hungry. I've done it in church, while I'm mowing the lawn or when I am at the doctor's. I cannot stop it. Who would want to stop it? I have been thinking food since I was very very small and I think I will be thinking it until I am very very big.

The Oreo Dilemma

This here is an Oreo cake. For the last two years my daughter has requested this cake for her birthday. It is a no-bake, layered cake. It is normally made in a big pan and you scoop it out with a big spoon. I layered it in a cake ring (actually two seeing as it made enough for an army) and topped it with chocolate covered oreos. I tried my damndest to make it pretty or to look like something special. Out of all the things I could have made for this girlie, she chose a cake that took me no time and no skill. And no smell. It doesn't even smell like anything at all. But she loves it, so there it is.

Really?

Okay, I was walking through a local grocery store and was meandering down the aisles. It is the type of store where I have found many unexpected items. My last favorite was the Abuelita Hot Cocoa. I bought it for my sister who just had a new grandbaby. Since this child was a millionth Mexican, I was calling my sister Patti "Abuelita", which is grandmother in Spanish. I know this from reading the highly esteemed http://www.dlisted.com/. The best part was that the grandmother on the front of the box looked more Polish than Mexican. We are also Polish, so I think the box was meant for me.

Yesterday, I went to this same store because they carry the european butter, Plugra, that I use in all of my baking. I also needed to shop the cookie/cracker aisle for a combination to use in a cheesecake crust. I always mix it up so it actually has some flavor and doesn't taste like a robotcouped cardboard box. I saw these cookies and passed them up for one, two, almost three steps before I realized their value. Morning sticks? Really? And they are in a new shape, shall we say? Who eats graham crackers for breakfast anyway? Well, I bought them so I could do a half and half mixture between them and some ginger cookies. I actually hid this box from my teenage daughter because I know her and this subtle humor would not be lost on her. I didn't show them to my husband because the endless "I'll give you a morning stick" would get old for me in half a second, however he would continue to enjoy it for far longer. Oh, and I love that they are honey flavor. Maybe I should call the dessert "The Honey Morning Stick Cheesecake".

These Cakes Are Awesome!!

I was looking around at pastry sites and ended up finding this gem. These are cake disasters, mistakes, and other assorted cake issues. I was laughing so hard that my Mom came in from the other room to see what had me in stitches. This fireman "design" was our favorite out of the bunch.

To see more cakes and to read the story behind this darling of a cake, go to http://cakewrecks.blogspot.com/2008/05/this-made-me-laugh-til-i-cried.html and enjoy a little cake without the calories. Oh, and I don't recommend ever eating a cake that is entirely colored with black frosting.

If This Tree Fell in the Woods, You'd Hear Me Crying

This is a wild cocao tree in the Amazon region of Bolivia. They do not all look like this and they are not all lucky enough to produce this top notch pod. This is rare stuff. It is picked by locals and they trek it through the jungle to where it can be processed. The beans inside need to ferment, then dry in the sun (real high tech) and then are transported during the rainy season in small boats out of the remote location. They travel in ships to Europe. they are then roasted and conched to bring out their individual flavors and nuances.

So, next time you are biting into a luscious bit of chocolate, consider the journey it took to get to your pearly whites. I order my chocolate from the company that goes through the trouble to get to this remote Bolivian forest. If your chocolate treat is from me, it has made a trek from somewhere wonderful like Bolivia, Venezuela or Ecuador.

For The Love of Chocolate 2009

To say it was fantastic would be an understatement. We were greeted with a bellini from Barefoot Bubbly and given our passport to collect our stamps from each area. The jazz was live and the bon bons and cookies were a delightful way to begin the evening.

We took the elevator to the second floor where we found the second area with the savory chefs. Another bar, like in every area and a row of tables with chefs and their assistants serving spanish mole, shortribs, breads, duck confit, and savory strudel. The next stop was a darkened room reached by going through a draped off hallway. The candles were lit and the dj was spinning a combination of old and new, which worked. The tables were filled with delectables. A fully constructed plated dessert from The Peninsula Hotel that included banana noodles, chocolate, tiny nut biegnet type pastry and a curry accent that worked. A woman offered us a selection of liqueurs, and I chose a B & B. I chose it again 2 more times. Wow. I've had it before, but the temperature was right on this occasion and was smooth. I also had a chocolate martini and am still surprised that I wasn't suffering the next day.

The next room was a surprise with the music of Chris Freeman who was playing for the belly dancers. The hookah pipes were busy and the bar was busy. We watched for a dance or two and then followed along the path to the cocoa sutra room which was again filled with chefs supplying samples of macarons, mousses, bon bons and cakes interspersed with sculptures and flowers.

Another room had plates of truffles sitting on the end tables, all shiny and perfect. I really couldn't fathom eating anything else. As it was, Christian and I were sharing tiny bites of things. I felt disrespectful of the effort of the chefs, however, I can only take so much. There was tea and it was a welcome palate cleanser. It was also chocolate, but light in flavor. This is where we saw a model in chocolate attire. I don't know how it wasn't melting, but I thought she had probably been asked so many times that I skipped inquiring.

We took to dancing around 930 when the dj played some old school rap we hadn't heard since we were dating. It was fantastic to dance and see everyone around enjoying the pastries and music. We finished up around 1030 and turned in our passport. In return, we were given a gift basket with brioche and a chocolate spread. In the brioche there was a chance of winning a prize. A trip to Paris! We didn't win it, but it was cool. We thought it was so well done and plan on returning next year.