Archive for November, 2008

Memory Jog

Friday, November 21st, 2008

Earlier this week I was running down Oak Park Avenue and was overtaken by the smell of cinnamon bread. I had to start walking, simply to savor that wonderful scent. If I had some cash on me, I would have immediately walked into the bakery to buy a couple of loaves. I am an easy target for bakeries and restaurants that propel out their sugary aromas. One time the smell of donuts prompted a $15 minimum charge on my debit card. I came home with a cake, cupcakes and the lone donut. Actually the donut never really made it home—it was finished off on the car ride home. For me, cinnamon bread is so comforting—sometimes I wish I could just roll myself up in one. Food transcends memories. I guess I love the smell of cinnamon bread so dearly because it reminds me of my Grandma Pfister – or Little Grandma as we used to call her. She made the most outstanding cinnamon bread. Little Grandma lived in Cincinnati, was originally from Ireland, and always made her special delicacy upon our visits. As a kid, all was good in the world when you walked into Grandma’s house and sensed the cinnamon bread baking. Our family made a regular habit of visiting Cincinnati over the Thanksgiving weekend. I am not sure if anyone else in the family has been able to master the much-admired recipe, so it was a real treat to enjoy the sweet aromatic wave right before the upcoming holiday.

One recipe that can easily been mastered and certainly captures the fragrance of the season is my mom’s cranberry chutney. This is the perfect fare to bring as a guest to your Thanksgiving feast. This crowd pleaser is a great for: replacing/adding to the Thanksgiving canned cranberries, topping your Friday turkey sandwich; or save and cook with some roasted pork tenderloin, or serve over a soft cheese.

Cranberry Chutney

from Noteworthy – A Collection of Recipes from the Ravinia Festival

12 oz fresh cranberries

1 cup sugar

½ cup packed brown sugar

½ cup golden raisins

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ground ginger

½ tsp ground cloves

¼ tsp allspice

1 cup water

1 cup yellow onion – chopped

1 cup granny smith apple – peeled and chopped

½ cup  celery – chopped

Combine the cranberries, sugars, raisins, spices and water in an uncovered saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the cranberries pop! Reduce the heat. Stir in the onion, apples, and celery. Simmer uncovered 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Chill.

**Give as a gift in a cute jar!

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Something Old, Something New

Friday, November 14th, 2008

This Tuesday, Brian and I celebrated our second anniversary. Celebrating on Tuesday equated to attending class until 11pm for me and dinner with his mom and siblings for Brian. We were aware of this absent anniversary day, so we celebrated last Friday. We dined at a restaurant called MK; it proved to be completely out of our league, but the food was incredibly delectable. Knowing it was our anniversary they treated us like big shots—presenting us with a complimentary appetizer of swordfish, an extra dessert, and even an exclusive visit from the Chef. A small vacation could have been voyaged with the amount of money that was spent on dinner.  But, the two-and-half-hour food journey was trip enough for me! Fine dining happens just once every two years for us, despite Brian telling the MK wait staff we would soon return. I will try to make up for it by cooking simple gourmet treats at home.

In class this week, crepes were on the practicum syllabus. I was not particularly interested in this skill, thinking the technique would be well beyond my abilities. I was thrilled and surprised to find out that I rocked the crepe! This French classic is the type of dish that can make an impression—I suggest sharing it with your sweet one! I took my new technique and paired it with an obvious old classic—Nutella, but you can certainly add any type of filling.

Crepes

2 Eggs
pinch of salt
pinch of sugar
2/3 Cup flour
1 cup of milk
butter to coat the pan

First crack the eggs into a large bowl. Add the salt and sugar and then whisk together. Add the flour and whisk again. Finally add the milk, add until the batter is light and thin (add more milk if needed). Heat a small nonstick pan; fold up a paper towel and pick up a small piece of butter—rub to coat the pan. Use a ladle to add the batter into the pan; lift the pan and swirl the batter. As soon as the edges start to have some “give,” use a spatula to lift and flip the crepe. Crepes cook very quickly, so be ready to flip. Cook the opposite side for 15-20 seconds. The crepe should be soft and pliable. Fill the crepe and serve immediately, or save to reheat.

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