Julia Child turns 100!

    Chefs, bloggers and bookstore owners are celebrating the centennial of the late, and great Julia Child this summer with 100 days of tributes.

Alfred A Knopf, Child's publisher, and her editor Judith Jones kicked things off by asking a panel of legendary chefs to choose their favorite recipes from Child's vast collection. Among the 100 recipes chosen: Beef Bourguignon, Reine de Saba and Chocolate Mousse. Check out Julia's Facebook page at : Facebook.com/JuliaChild.

** Cook up your favorite Julia Child recipe or throw a Child-inspired dinner party and post your photos, memories and more on the JC100 Facebook page (Facebook.com/JuliaChild).**

 Happy Birthday, Julia!

To Scratch or Not to Scratch...

                                                 Colleen (on left) with a friend

                          To bake from scratch, or not to bake from scratch...that is the  question. When birthdays come around in our family, which happens twelve times a year, I always consider making the special cake from scratch. After baking for this blog, (and my family) for the past three months, you may think that I would never succumb to using a package cake mix. Nothing could be further from the truth!
 Just today, when I asked Colleen what kind of cake she wanted for her birthday...she said a chocolate cake from a mix. I don't take this personally at all, even though I consider myself a pretty good baker of cakes. To be honest, a little part of me (the baker) is disappointed,but another part of me (the mother) is relieved. So, Duncan Hines Devil's Food cake it is! I can't wait to open the package, add the eggs, vegetable oil and water,mix it all together and fill the house with the heavenly scents of chocolate! No one in my family will ask why it isn't a cake from The New York Times Dessert Cookbook. In fact, they will probably be relieved that they don't have to give a review on it! 

The Art of Baking...

I came across a quote about baking yesterday in The New York Times Dessert Cookbook, and I'm having difficulty relating to this quote.

"I learn a recipe like I learn a score, and then proceed from memory. You just have to know how much room you have to interpret."  Richard Stolzman, concert clarinetist and baker

Maybe it is the strong reference to musical interpretation that throws me off in understanding this quote. I am not at the point in playing the piano where I can improvise. As for baking, I may leave out an ingredient, or not fully follow the recipe....but that is not improvisation, that is just being willful.

I know that professionals in any realm are able to take a theme, or idea, and just run with it, and in so doing, they create something new and magical. I'm not there yet. In all of my sewing, knitting, piano, and baking, I still follow the pattern, music, or recipe as closely as I can. I hope Julia Child isn't too disappointed in me.

Strawberry Sour Cream Shortcake #14

                                             Strawberry Sour Cream Shortcake (page 226)  6 servings

  4 Tbsp. cold unsalted butter                      * This is one large cake, not individual portions*
  plus 1 Tbsp. softened and
  1 Tbsp. melted butter

 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

 1 Tbsp. baking powder

 1/4 cup sugar, plus more
 for sweetening

3/4 tsp. salt

3 ounces cream cheese

1 large egg

1/2 cup milk

1 quart fresh strawberries, hulled and thinly sliced

1 cup sour cream

  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Grease an 8-10 inch round cake pan with soft butter.

 2. Into a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, 1/4 cup of the sugar and salt. Add the
     cream cheese and chilled butter. Using a pastry blender, or two knives, cut the cream cheese and butter
     into the mixture until it resembles coarse cornmeal.

 3. Break the egg into a measuring cup, and beat lightly with a fork. Add enough milk to make 3/4 cup.
     Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture, and stir. Knead the dough inside the bowl just until it
     is blended and cohesive, about 20 seconds.

 4. Shape half of the dough into the bottom of the pan. Pat the dough flat to the edges of the pan.
     Brush the top of the dough with the melted butter. Shape the remaining dough into another disc
    and place in the pan on the buttered dough, patting flat to the edges. Bake until golden brown-
   17-20 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

  5. Place strawberries in a bowl, add sugar to taste, and mix. Place sour cream in a small bowl, add sugar to
      taste, mixing well.

6. To serve, remove the cake from the pan, and use a large knife to pry the layers apart; they should
    split naturally. Place the bottom layer on a serving plate, and top with strawberries. Place the
    second layer over the strawberries, and top with sour cream. Serves six.

  

                                             The perfect dessert for an early summer evening!

Plum Compote #13

                                                          Plum Compote (page 357)


       3/4 cup sugar
     1 cup dry white wine
     4 whole cloves
     1 3-inch stick cinnamon
     zest of 1/2 lemon
     16 large, firm, ripe red or black plums, stemmed
     vanilla ice cream, frozen yogurt, creme fraiche, 
     or whipped cream for serving


 1. Combine the sugar, wine, one cup of water, cloves, cinnamon and lemon zest in a saucepan large enough to hold the plums. Bring the ingredients to a boil, and cook, uncovered, for 5 minutes.

2. Add plums, and bring mixture back to a boil; lower heat, and simmer plums
    for 10-20 minutes, depending on their ripeness, until they are tender, but still
    hold their shape. Some plums will be ready before others; remove them as 
    they are. Then when they are all cooked, return the plums to the syrup, 
    remove from heat and let cool.

 3. Chill plums in the syrup. Serve over vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt
     with some of the syrup, or serve with the syrup topped with whipped
     cream or creme fraiche.

Brownies #12

                                      Brownies from Village- a restaurant in New York's
                       Greenwich Village. It feels good to get back into
                       working with chocolate, after taking a break from it
                       for a few months.



                             Brownies a la Greenwich Village (page 159)
                                          Makes approx. 6 dozen brownie squares

               5 large eggs
            3 1/4 cups sugar
            1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
            1/2 tsp. finely ground espresso coffee beans
            1/8 tsp. salt
            8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
            8 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
            1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
            2 cups walnut pieces, toasted


1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line an 11 1/2 by 17 1/2 pan with parchment   
    paper, and coat with nonstick cooking spray. In an electric mixer, beat eggs, 
    sugar, vanilla, coffee and salt on high speed until thick, about 5 minutes.

2. Add butter and chocolate, and mix until combined.Add flour and mix lightly
    to incorporate. Add walnuts, and mix lightly until combined.

3. Spread batter in pan evenly with a rubber spatula. Bake until brownies have 
    set, and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean-about 18 minutes. 
    Do not overbake. Let cool in pan, then cut into 1-inch squares.

                       

Double Crust Peach Pie #11

                                                           Double Crust Peach Pie   (page 248)


   5-8 large, ripe freestone peaches
      peeled, pitted and sliced 1/2 
      inch thick

  1/4 cup cornstarch

  1 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened

  3/4 cup plus 2 tsp. sugar

 Butter pastry, chilled (page 520)


                        1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

                        2. Combine peaches with cornstarch, butter and 3/4 cup
                            sugar. 

                        3. Divide dough into two equal portions. Roll one on a 
                           floured surface into a 11-inch circle. Place rolled dough
                           in a 9-inch pie pan. Spread peach mixture in pan.

                        4.Roll second ball of dough into an 11-inch circle. Place over
                           top of pie. Crimp edges. Make six cuts on top of pie with 
                           knife. Sprinkle handful of sugar over top. 


                        5. Bake on bottom rack for 10 minutes, and then reduce heat
                            to 350 degrees and bake for 50 minutes longer. 
                            Serve warm or cooled. Serves 8.