Lesson 5 -- April 4-5, 2010
We get off to a bad start because I break a fundamental rule: never send anyone shopping for you. Donna hits a wall quickly as Kings has no whiting or trout (see Cassoulet de Poissons below). I give her several alternative suggestions and the guy working the counter tells her "you know there's a big difference between tilapia and whiting, right?" She'd better love this dish.
Summer Harvest Salad -- Artichokes! I now know why I should have considered myself lucky in avoiding working with them for all these years. This is a mean-ass plant! The spikes on the end of these leaves defend themselves to the last (in clean-up the next morning, I am stabbed again from hell's heart by an artichoke burr hiding on the floor). But my wife loves them. It garnered me nothing (save the gratitude of an aging but still cute woman and half a dozen holes in my hands) but it was tasty. The big improvement here is in my mayonnaise-making skill. I've been working this concoction for years, but for some reason became hooked on blender mayo. This time, attempting to be faithful to the book, I go back to hand-made. Wow, it's clearly better! And my track record of blender mayo, no disrespect to my wonderous Cuisinart high capacity pureeinator, is 50-50. Half of the attempts separated. I do the whisk-work and am reminded that I can do this successfully 100% of the time. Now, it's wrist-breaking work, but as someone who has been working his right hand on a steady regimen since age 13, I am up to the task (sorry for the reference in the middle of a mayo discussion).
Fish and Bean Stew -- I substitute black-eyed peas for great northern white beans. A deft use of a pantry item, but a mistake as these beans shed and break up under heavy cooking. As the tilapia also breaks up, I wind up with some sludge. Very tasty, though. Deidre likes it. Andre loves it. LFP was a no-show. We get lots of leftovers and I freeze four portions (an update will come after the thaw).
Sponge Cake with Creme Anglaise -- I am keeping my commitment to dessert. It keeps the Fuss Pots engaged with my cooking exploits, if not bought into every production. This one goes over like a sister-kiss
Time: 4 hours Complexity: 10 (of 10) Cost: $76.59 Mess: 9
Lesson 6
Onion Tart -- delicious, and a double winner. The first win is that four of the five of us love it. The second: my wife is now convinced that our friend, who recently made a similar dish, used a store-bought crust. It's a rare feat to get a victory from a couple of jagged, overbaked edges. This keeps nicely in the fridge and would be a good choice for Donna's future luncheon meetings where she needs food she pretended to make for her fellow charity moms and board members. The crust was slightly overworked.
Mussels with Wine and Cream Sauce -- deferred.
Vanilla Bavarian Cream with Coulis -- (substituted blueberries we have in the freezer for raspberries called for in the book). This came out perfectly. I used a small spring pan and got a beautiful looking, delicate tasting dessert. Even LFP loves this one, though my attempts to get her to mix in blueberries (which she loves separately) fail. Some future therapist is going to have a yacht from the fees this kid will have to pay.
Time: 3 hours Complexity: 5 (of 10) Cost: $40 Mess: 6
Monday, May 31, 2010
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Happy 50th Anniversary, Norma and Anthony
May 30, 1960
Though it predates my existence by 28 months, the first half of 1960 was a seminal time for me. Events were unfolding that would alter the world permanently:
The world would never be the same again. Race Relations would become a permanent part of the American lexicon. Spheres of Influence would drive governments to do things that, in retrospect, just look stupid. Perhaps there is some poetry in the fact that Emily Post, the Queen Mother of politeness, died this year.
But the impact on my life and the lives of my family was even greater. Best friend Michael was born in March. And, even more importantly, Anthony Angelo Tursi married Norma Marie Esposito.
This is a classic couple who fill each other's voids. Norma is the Yin to Anthony's Yang. They support one another in the way you would expect a loving couple to do, but they also balance each other. She is high energy, he is a controlled burn. She is turbo-charged acceleration, he is cruise control. Norma is naturally caffeinated. Anthony is herbal tea. He is the tortoise to her hare, but it's not a competition -- together they have won every major challenge they've faced.
Some photos and observations as we reflect on their remarkable (first) 50 years:
Anthony was a handsome young man. (Notice the upolstery of the day -- polyethylene.)
Norma was a cute tomato...and thanks, Mom, for passing that body on to your daughters ; )
They made (and continue to make) an elegant, classy couple.
Here's a shot from 1957 at the Jersey Shore. Nice guns for an accountant, Dad!
No moss grows on Norma. As beautiful and nostalgic as that muscle photo on the beach may be, when a pudding recipe came her way, the back of the picture had to be sacrificed. A word to the wise -- don't sit still around Mom...you could find yourself inside her vacuum cleaner bag or in a box in the basement.
They started their relationship where they grew up -- the Italian Market section of South Philly. They lived atop Attilio Esposito's Meats (Norma's family's store, founded by her father):
Dad respects Mom's parenting of the four girls, even when the transactions work against their long term interest (as seen here, Mom is shaking youngest daughter Carol's hand, agreeing to cook for her for life):
For all of the challenges they faced in working, making a home, raising the girls, they always made time to focus on their relationship. Here they are renewing their wedding vows in 1985:
Like any couple, through the years there was some abuse -- witness this hairdo Mom forced Dad to wear on a cruise:
On the boardwalk in Ocean City, Anthony had better be smiling, sitting with three beautiful girls in the summer time! Of course, this belies the pain they both went through when all four girls were dating (Dad's only comment to me about this time in their relationship was "Parade of idiots"...of course, I have always assumed that the parade ended before I marched into Donna's life)
In a more elegant time, a very elegant couple. They could pass for Hollywood royalty:
Dad was not a slave to fashion, but he willingly went along with the trends of the day. Unfortunately, the cameras during the leisure suit era continued to function normally:
Here they are in the '60s in Ocean City, NJ. Mom was kind enough to put a foot on the pedal for this picture so that future generations would believe she helped pedal.
This is one of my favorite shots of them -- a shared smile that says everything about their relationship: the fun they shared, the inherent trust:
Though it predates my existence by 28 months, the first half of 1960 was a seminal time for me. Events were unfolding that would alter the world permanently:
- John F. Kennedy was on his way to winning the presidency of the United States.
- A race riot broke out at the normally tranquil Newport Jazz Festival.
- The Cold War was many degrees north of chill.
The world would never be the same again. Race Relations would become a permanent part of the American lexicon. Spheres of Influence would drive governments to do things that, in retrospect, just look stupid. Perhaps there is some poetry in the fact that Emily Post, the Queen Mother of politeness, died this year.
But the impact on my life and the lives of my family was even greater. Best friend Michael was born in March. And, even more importantly, Anthony Angelo Tursi married Norma Marie Esposito.
This is a classic couple who fill each other's voids. Norma is the Yin to Anthony's Yang. They support one another in the way you would expect a loving couple to do, but they also balance each other. She is high energy, he is a controlled burn. She is turbo-charged acceleration, he is cruise control. Norma is naturally caffeinated. Anthony is herbal tea. He is the tortoise to her hare, but it's not a competition -- together they have won every major challenge they've faced.
Some photos and observations as we reflect on their remarkable (first) 50 years:
Anthony was a handsome young man. (Notice the upolstery of the day -- polyethylene.)
Norma was a cute tomato...and thanks, Mom, for passing that body on to your daughters ; )
They made (and continue to make) an elegant, classy couple.
Here's a shot from 1957 at the Jersey Shore. Nice guns for an accountant, Dad!
No moss grows on Norma. As beautiful and nostalgic as that muscle photo on the beach may be, when a pudding recipe came her way, the back of the picture had to be sacrificed. A word to the wise -- don't sit still around Mom...you could find yourself inside her vacuum cleaner bag or in a box in the basement.
They started their relationship where they grew up -- the Italian Market section of South Philly. They lived atop Attilio Esposito's Meats (Norma's family's store, founded by her father):
Dad respects Mom's parenting of the four girls, even when the transactions work against their long term interest (as seen here, Mom is shaking youngest daughter Carol's hand, agreeing to cook for her for life):
Mom holds Dad in the highest esteem -- for example, she has always complimented him on his elevator summoning and other hotel/casino navigation skills.
For all of the challenges they faced in working, making a home, raising the girls, they always made time to focus on their relationship. Here they are renewing their wedding vows in 1985:
Like any couple, through the years there was some abuse -- witness this hairdo Mom forced Dad to wear on a cruise:
On the boardwalk in Ocean City, Anthony had better be smiling, sitting with three beautiful girls in the summer time! Of course, this belies the pain they both went through when all four girls were dating (Dad's only comment to me about this time in their relationship was "Parade of idiots"...of course, I have always assumed that the parade ended before I marched into Donna's life)
In a more elegant time, a very elegant couple. They could pass for Hollywood royalty:
Dad was not a slave to fashion, but he willingly went along with the trends of the day. Unfortunately, the cameras during the leisure suit era continued to function normally:
Here they are in the '60s in Ocean City, NJ. Mom was kind enough to put a foot on the pedal for this picture so that future generations would believe she helped pedal.
This is one of my favorite shots of them -- a shared smile that says everything about their relationship: the fun they shared, the inherent trust:
You gave me gifts I can never adequately thank you for; imparted happiness I can only hope to pass on to others; created a debt that I can never repay. Without you, there would be no Deidre, no Alaina, no Christopher and no Brandon. Andre would be living in Russia, hoping that someone would care for him. And my life would have no purpose. We respect you deeply and love you intensely and we always will. Happy 50th Anniversary, Mom and Dad!
Pratique de Base -- Lessons 3 and 4
Lesson 3
Gratin of Hard-Boiled Eggs -- one of the oldest recipes known in France (cookbook claims there are copies from the 17th century), this is simple and elegant. The problem is that my family has preconceived notions about eggs -- what they should look like, when to eat them, etc. Their closed minds meant my intake went up (along with my cholesterol). Delicious, but not even The Boy liked them.
Poached Swordfish with Pearl Onions and Mushrooms -- A variation on the veal chop recipe (my concession to Donna's insistence that we limit meat intake). This is delicious! BFP pushed aside the pearl onions, but loved the 'shrooms and fish. Donna and Andre loved the whole thing. It was fabulous. LFP was a no-show.
Time: 3.5 hours Complexity: 6 (of 10) Cost: $76.59* Mess: 7**
Lesson 4
Smoked Salmon Crepes -- Wow! A big winner all the way around. Macerating the salmon (soaking in milk for 2 hours) made it really tender and less "fishy". Disclaimer: I am intensely annoyed by the non-specific complaint "it's too fishy". When's the last time someone complained that a t-bone was "too meaty". It's a stupid comment that should die a quick and unhonored death. However, this maceration method will help certain people with the designation FP (Fuss Pot) transition into more fish consumption. LFP ate the plain (but homemade and nicely prepared) crepes. For the rest, it cut like a sushi roll. A big winner that should be repeated. Leftovers were (nearly) equally good. Update: Deidre has made this dish the buzz of Mendham Township Elementary School, Grade 3. Julia Neihoff tells Deidre: "I hate salmon, but I want to try it!" Confidence is low.
Roast Leg of Lamb -- Another bastardized recipe (hey, no one in France is actually reading this -- which reminds me: Deidre, Alaina and their friend Grace Shin call me "Uncle Fritz" for reasons which escape/do not interest me. Andre looks at me and says "Hi, Uncle France!" Ok, I'm Uncle France.) I used a yogurt marinade (Donna gets an endorphin rush when I use already purchased ingredients from the 'fridge), including thyme, oregano, garlic, marjoram, lemon juice and sliced onions. Will definitely do this again, but four hours was not enough -- this is what will now be referred to as a Spitzer -- it's an overnighter. Convection roasted it for about 50 minutes (6 lb. leg) and it came very rare.
Swiss Chard Gratin -- Another surprise winner! First time cooking chard -- it's expensive (about $8 for two servings for the family). Difficult to work with the white part (it's stringy and needs to cook a while) but the greens, after blanching, baked up deliciously. I screwed up by layering too much gruyere cheese (12 ounces, grated) thinking that would be a selling camouflage for the kids. Turns out they would've been fine with half that much. Good for leftovers.
Chocolate Mousse with Hazelnuts and Whisky -- (substituted for Pineapple Sorbet, as I find non-machine-made ice creams and sorbets to be slushy ice baths...the kids enjoyed fresh cut pineapple much more than they would have liked the sorbet). I need to work on this one -- sugar did not dissolve properly. I skipped the hazelnuts (forgot to buy them) and that would have covered up the crunchy granules of sugar. Kids were ok w/it, but it wasn't ready for a more sophistimacated palate. Oh, and I was out of whisky, so I used dark rum instead. It was a good substitute.
Time: 3 hours Complexity: 5 (of 10) Cost: $62.65 Mess: 7*
*- Why do roast pans with drippings drive Donna crazy? And what possesses me to leave them crusting on the counter until the next day...every time?!?
Non-Lesson Meal
Grilled Swordfish (marinated in soy sauce, garlic, ginger, sesame oil and olive oil) -- wonderful! 5 minutes/side undercooked the fish...needed about 7 minutes/side to do the trick on the giant Weber grill.
Hamburgers -- again, a freezer leftover item that just sent Donna into happyland that we used it. I could smell the estrogen from across the room (but it resulted in nothing as I ruined the romantic mood by making her watch Hurt Locker...big Pollack dummy).
First day this year we were able to eat outside. Deidre and I had planned an April Fools joke to play on Donna (telling her I was taking a job in Taipei and she should start learning to speak Mandarin now...Deidre was ready to say "wo bu mingbai" -- I don't understand...Donna's key foreign language phrase) but we didn't get it done. I substituted with a trick on Deidre -- she cut her toe and I put a giant bandage on it, covered it with a plastic bag and told her she had to hold it up in the air all night. I even offered to get rope and tie it to the ceiling light in their room to help. She fell for it, but said afterward she was humiliated. She has such a good heart, she can't believe anyone would ever lie to her. I am a bad person.
Gratin of Hard-Boiled Eggs -- one of the oldest recipes known in France (cookbook claims there are copies from the 17th century), this is simple and elegant. The problem is that my family has preconceived notions about eggs -- what they should look like, when to eat them, etc. Their closed minds meant my intake went up (along with my cholesterol). Delicious, but not even The Boy liked them.
Poached Swordfish with Pearl Onions and Mushrooms -- A variation on the veal chop recipe (my concession to Donna's insistence that we limit meat intake). This is delicious! BFP pushed aside the pearl onions, but loved the 'shrooms and fish. Donna and Andre loved the whole thing. It was fabulous. LFP was a no-show.
Time: 3.5 hours Complexity: 6 (of 10) Cost: $76.59* Mess: 7**
Lesson 4
Smoked Salmon Crepes -- Wow! A big winner all the way around. Macerating the salmon (soaking in milk for 2 hours) made it really tender and less "fishy". Disclaimer: I am intensely annoyed by the non-specific complaint "it's too fishy". When's the last time someone complained that a t-bone was "too meaty". It's a stupid comment that should die a quick and unhonored death. However, this maceration method will help certain people with the designation FP (Fuss Pot) transition into more fish consumption. LFP ate the plain (but homemade and nicely prepared) crepes. For the rest, it cut like a sushi roll. A big winner that should be repeated. Leftovers were (nearly) equally good. Update: Deidre has made this dish the buzz of Mendham Township Elementary School, Grade 3. Julia Neihoff tells Deidre: "I hate salmon, but I want to try it!" Confidence is low.
Roast Leg of Lamb -- Another bastardized recipe (hey, no one in France is actually reading this -- which reminds me: Deidre, Alaina and their friend Grace Shin call me "Uncle Fritz" for reasons which escape/do not interest me. Andre looks at me and says "Hi, Uncle France!" Ok, I'm Uncle France.) I used a yogurt marinade (Donna gets an endorphin rush when I use already purchased ingredients from the 'fridge), including thyme, oregano, garlic, marjoram, lemon juice and sliced onions. Will definitely do this again, but four hours was not enough -- this is what will now be referred to as a Spitzer -- it's an overnighter. Convection roasted it for about 50 minutes (6 lb. leg) and it came very rare.
Swiss Chard Gratin -- Another surprise winner! First time cooking chard -- it's expensive (about $8 for two servings for the family). Difficult to work with the white part (it's stringy and needs to cook a while) but the greens, after blanching, baked up deliciously. I screwed up by layering too much gruyere cheese (12 ounces, grated) thinking that would be a selling camouflage for the kids. Turns out they would've been fine with half that much. Good for leftovers.
Chocolate Mousse with Hazelnuts and Whisky -- (substituted for Pineapple Sorbet, as I find non-machine-made ice creams and sorbets to be slushy ice baths...the kids enjoyed fresh cut pineapple much more than they would have liked the sorbet). I need to work on this one -- sugar did not dissolve properly. I skipped the hazelnuts (forgot to buy them) and that would have covered up the crunchy granules of sugar. Kids were ok w/it, but it wasn't ready for a more sophistimacated palate. Oh, and I was out of whisky, so I used dark rum instead. It was a good substitute.
Time: 3 hours Complexity: 5 (of 10) Cost: $62.65 Mess: 7*
*- Why do roast pans with drippings drive Donna crazy? And what possesses me to leave them crusting on the counter until the next day...every time?!?
Non-Lesson Meal
Grilled Swordfish (marinated in soy sauce, garlic, ginger, sesame oil and olive oil) -- wonderful! 5 minutes/side undercooked the fish...needed about 7 minutes/side to do the trick on the giant Weber grill.
Hamburgers -- again, a freezer leftover item that just sent Donna into happyland that we used it. I could smell the estrogen from across the room (but it resulted in nothing as I ruined the romantic mood by making her watch Hurt Locker...big Pollack dummy).
First day this year we were able to eat outside. Deidre and I had planned an April Fools joke to play on Donna (telling her I was taking a job in Taipei and she should start learning to speak Mandarin now...Deidre was ready to say "wo bu mingbai" -- I don't understand...Donna's key foreign language phrase) but we didn't get it done. I substituted with a trick on Deidre -- she cut her toe and I put a giant bandage on it, covered it with a plastic bag and told her she had to hold it up in the air all night. I even offered to get rope and tie it to the ceiling light in their room to help. She fell for it, but said afterward she was humiliated. She has such a good heart, she can't believe anyone would ever lie to her. I am a bad person.
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