My Personal Best of 2012

Best Place I Went: Key West

Best Thing I Made: Beouf Bourguignon

Best Photo I Took:

Other Best Photo I Took:

Why yes, that is a head shot of Patrick Duffy binder clipped to a cut out of Justin Bieber.

Best Album I Bought: Babel by Mumford and Sons

Best Funny Book I Read: How To Be A Woman by Caitlin Moran

Best Free Book For Kindle I Read: Anna Karenina by LEO TOLSTOY

Best British TV Series I Watched On Netflix: Shameless/Peep Show/ That Mitchell and Webb Look/ Green Wing (four way tie)

Best Masterpiece Mystery Programme I Became Obsessed With: Sherlock

Best British Actor I Became Obsessed With As A Result: Benedict Cumberbatch

Best Lincoln Movie I Saw: Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (haha kidding!)

Best Brunch I Ate: Firebox

Best Concert I Went To: Peter Gabriel (no contest)

Best Thing I Wrote (In My Opinion): Anne, The Overlooked Bronte Sister

Christmas Attack Zone

Well, the world didn't end so it looks like I still have to do final grades. As usual, the last couple weeks have been crazy busy for me. The semester is at a close and I managed to survive, even with lingering bronchitis. Of course, there's still Christmas to get through. Sadly, I didn't have time to make christmas cookies this year. Looks like I'll have to make New Year's Eve cookies instead.  It's ok. That's a thing. I also tried wrapping a couple presents using some of the millions of paper bags I've accumulated (Go Green!) I think they came out pretty good 

I've just finished shopping, but I have some more wrapping to do before heading down to NYC tomorrow. Like last year, I'll be helping out my aunt and uncle with their kids while they sing at various church services throughout the city. This time though James will be joining me for a night. We booked a hotel room for Sunday night and have most of the day Monday to spend wandering around. The next couple of days are going to be a whirlwind of activity, but I should have some good stuff to post when I get back!

Holiday Activities In Connecticut

You know what puts a damper on your holiday plans? Bronchitis. Do these (vaguely Victorian) activities because I can't:

                                         Credit: Mark Twain House & Museum

Attend Stowe & Twain’s Olde-Fashioned Christmas at the Mark Twain House

Check out the Wadsworth Atheneum's annual Festival of Trees (quick, It ends on Sunday! But also, Jazz Brunch!)

See the Nutmeg Ballet's performance of The Nutcracker at The Bushnell

Take a spin on The Bushnell Park Carousel during Winterfest

Go on Mystic Seaport's Lantern Light Tour 

Check out the New Britain Museum of American Art's Community Holiday on Dec. 9th. Free admission! 

Got any ideas?

Sunday Brunchin' At Firebox

Hey, want to hear something awesome? Of course you do. I found my new favorite brunch place in CT: Hartford's Firebox. I've been wanting to go to this place since it opened a couple years ago, but like so many other things in my life, it took awhile to make it happen. But, I am so glad I didn't give up. Everything from the food to the atmosphere is great. See that? That's a DJ! At brunch! In Hartford! It's the kind of place you'd expect to find in a city like Boston or New York, but unlike those places there isn't a 40 minute wait for a table and the prices are reasonable. Firebox is a part of Billings Forge and is housed in a beautiful, old brick building. They are part of the farm to table food movement and grow a number of ingredients in their garden out back.

Doesn't the word 'tavern' make your mouth water? No? Just me?

I had the eggs benedict with salmon pastrami and James had some egg and sausage thing served in a personal-sized cast iron pan. The hollandaise was so friggin good. Next time we go I'm asking for an additional side of hollandaise because I am gross and the accompanying heart disease is well-worth it. Also, salmon pastrami? Did you know this was a thing? I had never heard of it before I ordered it, but needless to say I am now a fan. In the middle is our order of homefries accompanied with a dollop of smoked paprika aioli. I have recently been introduced to the wonder that is smoked paprika, but this aioli took my adoration to a new level. Yet another thing to speed along that heart disease.

 All in all, it was a wonderful, relaxing meal that I'm sure was helped along by the two mimosas I had. It was also really nice to see how they incorporated other Hartford-area businesses and foods into the menu when possible. The toast my benedict came with was from the good ol' Hartford Baking Company. Basically, this is the kind of place that makes you go "Yeah! Hartford could really be something!" but then you look around and realize there's only six people in the entire restaurant on a gorgeous Sunday. I guess the place is pretty hopping during the weekend and happy hour, which is encouraging because this is the kind of place that Hartford needs.

An Afternoon at The Hartford Baking Company

This month I'm participating in NaNoWriMo, National Novel-Writing Month, where participants attempt to write a 50,000 word novel during the month of November. It is my first time doing this and am happy to say that I am currently on track at approximately 21,000 words--though I'm expecting to fall behind by the end of the week. As such, I have been neglecting the blog. Between teaching, tutoring, and writing a "novel" I haven't had much time or energy to post. My students are busy working on their research papers, which is always a stressful time for them (and me). 

Lately, I've taken to reviewing drafts and grading revisions at cafes in the area that provide a nice atmosphere, good eats, and don't mind an adjunct settling in to grade forty papers. I used to never understand how people would get work done in cafes, but there is something about grading that makes it the perfect activity to do in public. Plus, it makes me feel like I'm still living in a city. I know that probably sounds stupid and nonsensical, but so much of living in the 'burbs is done in private. It's kind of nice to do something as solitary as grading in the presence of others.

Last week I paid a visit to The Hartford Baking Co. while I tackled some drafts.The outside is nothing to write home about--it's located in a strip mall. But don't let the lackluster exterior deter you. Inside it's bright and cheery with a kind of industrial/minimalist decor and an open kitchen. More importantly, this place is serious about their coffee and baked goods.

Let me just say something: This is the best scone I have ever had. Ever.  Granted, I've never met a scone I didn't like, but this one surpasses all others in terms of flavor and texture. So flaky, so buttery, so orange-cranberry-ery! Buy two. One for now, and another for later. You'll thank me for this tip.

Next time: Christmas everything!


 

Culinary Time-Travel: Heirloom Apples

Last week, James and I made our annual pilgrimage to Belltown Hill Orchards in Glastonbury for apples, donuts, and more. I was thrilled to see that they had a variety of heirloom apples for sale and picked up a few.

Clockwise from top: Cox's Orange Pippin, a dessert apple that originated in England in 1825 and perfect for pie-making, the lovely, sweet, red Honeycrisp developed in 1960, and the tart, green Newtown Pippin, allegedly Thomas Jefferson's favorite apple.  

I first learned about heirloom apples last year while doing research for the book and loved the idea of cooking heirloom recipes WITH heirloom ingredients. It's culinary time travel! Luckily, heirloom fruits of all kinds seem to be having a moment right now, if NYT trend pieces are to be believed.  And really, considering that most grocery stores only stock around three varieties of apples out of the 7,500 available, one of which includes the abhorent Red Delicious, we could all benefit from a little more apple variety.

I first made a pie using a mixture of heirloom apples and a recipe for Blue Ribbon Apple Pie from my Cook's Country cookbook, which is filled with lots of old-fashioned, classic, "heirloom" American recipes.

Mmmm tastes like history!

Then on Saturday I made yummy vegan pancakes with warm apple topping from the Post Punk Kitchen. Not quite culinary time travel, but delicious all the same. So whether you're making an old fashioned apple pie, or just looking to spruce up an old recipe, heirloom apples are a great addition. Keep an eye out at the farmer's market or, if you're lucky, your grocery store for heirlooms.

 

French Yogurt Cake

I know what you're thinking: "Yogurt? Cake? That's gross! I'm not clicking on that link!" But hear me out! I feel like yogurt gets a bad rap in the states and given some of the offerings (I'm looking at you, Dannon) I completely understand. We seem to equate yogurt with 'healthy' food, which we all know = bleh. But, if you've spent any time in Europe or even Whole Foods, you know there's a great big world of yummy yogurt out there! Even still, it can be hard to associate yogurt with anything remotely fun and non-yogurt tasting. 

I myself was guilty of prejudging this recipe when my step grandmother Fran made it during a recent stay at her home. It didn't really help that she then described it as moist, but I wanted to be polite so I tried some. It didn't taste like yogurt at all, just really yummy, moist cake.  She sent me home with the recipe, since I ate the remaining cake, and I finally got around to making it earlier this week. Not only is it delicious, it's also super easy. I've been eating a slice in the morning for breakfast (and maybe another at lunch or dinner) and it goes perfectly with a cup of coffee or tea.

Fran found this recipe in the book Lunch In Paris, which was an adaptation of Clotilde Dusoulier's original recipe--though they both state that this is a very popular cake in France that is usually the first thing children learn to make themselves. This tidbit will also serve to make you feel bad about yourself if you screw it up. Little French children can make this! What the hell is wrong with you? Additionally, Clotilde's has slightly different measurements that I plan on trying out next time I make this cake, which will probably be this weekend since I can't get enough.

I enjoyed the mixture of berries in Fran's cake so much that I stuck with that this time, but this cake is really adaptable to whatever fruit, nuts, or other seasoning you'd like to include. I feel like it would be perfect with some chopped apples, nutmeg, and cinnamon with a little streusel topping.

Gâteau au Yaourt

2 eggs
1 cup whole milk plain unsweetened yogurt (I used 1% here)
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
a good pinch of salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Zest of one lemon
1-2 C mix of frozen raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries

Preheat the oven to 350° F, line the bottom of a round 10-inch cake pan with parchment paper and grease the sides. In a large mixing-bowl, gently combine the yogurt, eggs, sugar, vanilla, and oil. In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the flour mixture into the yogurt mixture, and blend together -- don't overwork the dough. Stir in lemon zest. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan, top with frozen fruit, and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a cake tester comes out clean. Let stand for ten minutes, and transfer onto a rack to cool.

Euro Cuisine 2-Qt. Yog...$50.99 Kohl's

Fall Favorites: Poached Quince

                         No Spring nor Summer Beauty hath such grace
                                  As I have seen in one Autumnal face.
                                                    John Donne

There is a lot of things that I love about fall: my birthday, Halloween, apple picking, cute jacket weather, pumpkin everything. It is also a wonderful time for cooking, baking, and, of course, enjoying seasonal treats. After learning about quince last year during research for my book, it quickly became one of my fall favorites. Thus, I happily took a few off of James' dad's hands when his quince tree was overloaded with fruit a couple weeks ago. 

James' parents are from Greece and quince trees abound there, but James had only ever eaten the fruit raw, which is really hard and tart. Naturally, he was rather skeptical when I told him how delicious quince can be. However, I think I've finally converted him this past week when I made poached quince and quince jelly. 

I followed David Lebovitz's simple recipe for rosy poached quince, though I find that mine never gets as rosy as his. I have quince envy. I also followed his suggestion to reduce the leftover poaching liquid to create a nice quince-infused syrup. 

However, I ended up boiling mine a bit too long and ended up with quince jelly. Not to worry though, it was delicious. I almost skimped on the vanilla bean because they're pretty pricey, but I'm so glad I didn't. Quince jelly dotted with flecks of vanilla bean smeared on toast is a new obsession.  

Leftovers, Fall Cold Edition

~I've been suffering from a super draining fall cold for the past week, which has contributed to my lack of posting. Right before I got sick I went up to the Cape for a night and took this picture:

Now I stare at it and try to remember the good times, before the sickness.

~Also contributing to my lack of posting? This: 

 ~I did manage to make it to the Big E though, where I ate everything and saw super cute animals like this little lambykins:

~On the food front, James' father gave me some homegrown quinces last week that I'm hoping to put to good use once I'm feeling better. 

~On the life front, my birthday is on Thursday but I've already received the BEST PRESENT EVER from my aunt: 

 ~On the work front, it's been a week of near misses. I found out that a screenplay I wrote was chosen as an 'Official Finalist' for the New York Screenplay Contest. They're mailing me a certificate. I also got a very sweet and encouraging email from a literary agent about my book proposal. Sadly, she is leaving the profession at the end of the month. Don't worry though. When I inevitably become a Big Deal, I won't forget about you, the little people.

Daytrippin' in Litchfield County

As my mother says, "Litchfield County is a lovely part of the world" and, even though it's only half an hour away from my home, it feels like another country. Sometimes I get so caught up in planning far away trips that I forget how restorative it can be to simply get away, even within state lines. So, after a busy week where we barely saw each other (thank you, new school year) James and I decided to take a long lesiurely drive down to New Milford, CT to visit our friend's farm.

Sullivan Farms (sadly, no relation) sits on 100 acres of beautiful Connecticut farmland and managed by our friend Joey, pictured here eating an apple.

All kinds of seasonal produce can be found at their farmstand, as well as other local products like honey, soaps, and maple syrup.

But we enjoyed simply wandering around the farm and taking in the scenery.

A girl could get used to this.

The Last Gasp Of Summer

On Monday James and I were supposed to go to a Red Sox night game. A nice way to wrap up summer, right? Well, turns out that it was actually a day game but James didn't realize this until the last minute. I couldn't go because I had to work and he didn't feel much like driving for two hours to sit in the hot sun by himself. So, to cheer him up, I suggested we head down to the shore and enjoy the beautiful weather. It would give us something to remember fondly in five months when we're trapped inside because it's too damn cold to go anywhere.

I wanted a shore dinner and I wanted to sit outside, so we made our way to Bill's Seafood in Westbrook. It may not have been Fenway, but it sure was cheaper. Plus, some scavenging seagulls provided surprisingly compelling dinner time entertainment.

James waiting no so patiently for his fish and chips--or being mad that I took his picture. Whatever.

You know what makes fried calamari even better? Jalapenos.

The hot lobster roll is a traditional Connecticut thing, and kind of goes with our whole upper crust snobby WASP vibe. Mayonaisse is simply too gauche, darling. Bill's wasn't as good as Abbott's, another CT institution, but lobster is still lobster.

After stuffing our faces, I suggested we take a walk on the beach to aid in digestion. We parked at the nearby Clinton town beach. Sometimes I forget how beautiful Connecticut can be.

....It's still boring though.

Learning To Love Pears

As I mentioned in my last post, James' parents gave us a bunch of pears from their pear tree. Generally speaking, I am not a big fan of pears. It's a texture thing. An overripe pear is completely disgusting and has no redeeming qualities. It also seems nearly impossible to catch a pear at perfect ripeness, though I'm told they're quite good if you do. Despite these culinary drawbacks, James was insistent that I make pear pie. (Even just typing that out made me gag a little). However, all I could imagine was pear mush encased in a pie crust. After doing some research I came across pear tart tatin, an alternative to the traditional apple tarte tatin. 

I can still remember the first time I had a tarte tatin. My mother and I had gone apple picking and then went back to her friend's house and made this incredible dish. The whole thing just tastes of fall. Ok, now I was on board.

I used this recipe from Williams-Sonoma. It doesn't involve making a thick caramel sauce on the stovetop that more traditional  tarte tatin recipes call for, so the result is more of a syrup, but it's certainly much easier and still tasty.

Pear tart tatin, before the all important flip.

I neglected to place the pears core side up, but besides that minor snafu I'm pleased to report that not only did I eat pear tarte tatin, but I also enjoyed it. The pears didn't get mushy, perhaps due to the carmelization of the sugar and butter, so the natural flavor of pear is on display. I still think apple tarte tatin is the best, but that will have to wait for apple-picking season. Also, I should note that the crust was amaaaaazing. So. Good. 

I guess I'm now obligated to attempt a pear pie...

A Gardener's Bounty

That's the tricky thing about gardening, sometimes you end up with a ton of ripe zucchinis or tomatoes that need to be eaten within the week. Then it's a challenge to figure out how to use everything in tasty and creative ways. I mean, I like zucchini bread as much as the next person, but after a couple of loaves enough is enough. I thought about canning the tomatoes, but that seemed like a waste. A ripe, in season tomato should be enjoyed in the moment, like nature intended.

When I need new food ideas I usually check out Bon Appetit.com. This recipe for stewed zucchini may not be photogenic, but it is really simple and easy to pair with anything. It also involves mint, which I've just realized is my favorite herb.

Since my mint is still in the baby stages, James' mom was kind enough to give me a bunch from her garden. Thus, I've been able to spend the week eating home-grown tomato sandwiches topped with fresh basil, mint, and this nice cheese from Beaver Brook Farm called pleasant cow. It may not be the most imaginative tomato dish ever, but since I refuse to eat tomato sandwiches the rest of the year I figure I should get my kicks in now before the season ends.

Next up: I decide what to do with the six pears James' dad gave me.

Sunday (Farmers) Marketing

As long time readers of this blog (all three of you) know, I love farmers markets. When I lived in Boston, it was a weekly ritual of mine, but since moving back to CT last year I confess I haven't gone marketing as often as I should, despite there being a number held in the state. The biggest one in the state is the Coventry Farmers Market, held on Sundays at the Nathan Hale homestead. It's a bit of a drive for me, but the variety of vendors and other activities made it well worth the trip. Plus, my friend Alicia drove.

Nathan Hale, Revolutionary War hero and local food enthusiast.

 Since there's only like, five cool things to do in Connecticut the place was packed. I really wanted some crepes from Le Petite France's truck but the line was too long. I settled for a delicious apple cider doughnut instead. First of the season!

In addition to the normal farmer's market activities, Kelly Farms was hosting a free pickling workshop. Alicia has been dying to learn how to pickle, so we checked it out.  

Some things I learned: 
This guy is obsessed with pickles.
Any part of a dill plant can be used for flavoring.
Apple cider vinegar is the best to use for pickling.
Shove as much as you can into the jar.
That's it.

There was also an old-fashioned fife and drum muster going on, which, from what I can tell, involves lots of marching in costumes and camping in one of these:

Rather cozy, if a bit rustic. 

  
Though I'm not sure this haircut is historically accurate...

All in all it was a lovely afternoon. We'll definitely be back for the Brews and Blues event on Sept 2nd. Until then I'll be checking out some other Sunday markets. This week: The Hill-Stead Museum's Farmers Market.