I absolutely adore pumpkin pie, or as Mr.S calls it good ole punkin pie. I probably don't have to describe its silky and lush creaminess to anybody, as most probably everyone and their uncle has eaten a slice (or three) around this time of year. But buyer beware. Do not, and I repeat, do not fall into the trap of buying a glossy, prebaked, boxed pie from the bakery section at the grocery store. When really, all it takes is a couple of cans of shelf stable ingredients, lots of cinnamon, and a pre-baked pie crust. Trust me, because I just spent almost 4 hours baking "the perfect pumpkin pie" from scratch, and in a double-blind taste test, it sure didn't beat a Libby's pumpkin pie that took only 15 minutes prep time.


Why Libby's recipe is heads above the rest...

1. no messy pumpkin cleaning...all those seeds, skin and stringy slime
2. the total cost of ingredients is less than $4.50!!
3. I can prep one of these babies while cooking 2 other dishes, writing a paper, and with 1 eye closed... ok so i exaggerate...
4. ...but yes, it is that easy!
5. the finished product is a bright golden orange that sure beats a dusty looking brown thing, made from scratch
6. it tastes like heeeaaven

So instead of posting a less-than-perfect recipe for pumpkin pie, here is Libby's, a tried and true favorite, with a few touch-ups made by yours truly.

"Touched Up" Libby's Pumpkin Pie
yields 8 servings

1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
2 large eggs
1 15-oz. can Libby's pumpkin puree
1 12-oz. can evaporated milk
1 9-inch frozen deep-dish pie shell

1. Heat oven to 425F. Pre-bake pie shell for 10 minutes. Remove and set aside, on a baking sheet (for easy transfer into the oven later).

2. In a large mixing bowl, stir together all the ingredients until well blended. Pour into the pie shell.

3. Bake at 425F for 15 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350F. Bake for 25-35 minutes more, or until given a light shake, the center does not jiggle but is set. Remove and let cool for 2 hours.

4. Serve chilled or at room temperature, with fresh whipped cream.

egg custard tarts

I ran some errands in Chinatown today, and as a reward, treated myself to a box of dan ta, or egg custard tarts. These were my favorite Chinese dessert as a kid. The custard is a brilliant shade of yellow... creamy and subtly sweet. I prefer the bright yellow ones, a sign of a healthy dose of yolks used.

Equally good is the crust. Somewhat salty, it's similar to a good pie crust. It must be flaky (as a result of lard as one of the key ingredients and very delicate.

These were delicious, from Golden Gate Bakery. They were wrapped up for me still warm, with a buttery flaky crust.

i love new york (no, not the show)

Oh, New York City at Christmas time, especially when it snows, just makes a girl glow with happiness. What a workout for our feet, and not to mention our wallets. Mr.S and I hit the city two weeks back for some holiday mayhem, and catching, just in time, the first snow of the season. At the end of the day, we rode the train back to Baltimore, tired and sore, only to be faced with 4 inches of ice and snow piled up on my car! No matter, since we returned with a fine collection of loot, treasures from our favorite stores...here is a quick rundown of what's on our NYC hotlist:

For a small space, Kid Robot packs a big punch. It's a unique toy store that carries vinyls and collectables, figurines and imports. We always walk out with a bagful of blind-box toys. I love the Ugly Dolls. Celebrity sighting #1: Timothy Roth.

French clothier A.P.C. is minimal with clean and classic silhouettes. Mr.S raves about their durable and well-fitted denim. I have my eye on a navy wool capelet and a belted white trench coat. Their Soho store is their first in the U.S.

I am in awe of Uniqlo, a Japanese H&M-like, but more upscale store. They are not afraid to use color and bold shapes, and are always on the cutting edge of what is trendy, with this season being skinny tapered jeans (of all sizes and washes) and oversize cashmere sweaters. The best deal ever: FREE tailoring and alterations, ready for you within an hour!

Mr.S adores Japanese import MUJI, a lifestyle store (once only available at the MoMA Store) that boasts a simple, minimalist design in the truest Japanese ways on everything from stationery to housewares to cotton tees to furniture. Everything is simple and functional, with clean lines. Check out the porcelain noodle bowls and soy sauce dispensers, perfect for a dinner of hot soba soup.

Next door to Muji is CB2, otherwise known as Crate and Barrel 2, a younger, hipper, even more affordable version of its original counterpart. Adorable design meets functionality, meets well, damn cheap pricetags! I walked out with olive platters, crescent-shaped appetizer plates, and simple porcelain oblong trays.

Who doesn't love ultra-trendy sportswear with an 80's gym-like flair? Co-owned by actor Jason Lee, WESC stands for WE are a Superlative Conspiracy. You'll find many an urban-chic sweatshirt, logo-emblazoned, and filmy tees with geometric designs and textiles.

And next door to WESC is Supreme, a small skate and bike shop with hard to find designer Nikes and one-of-a-kind boards. Definitely a boys club of sorts. Mr.S had his eye on a pair of gold Oakley Frogskins.

Even better than Sur la Table! And that's saying alot. I love Broadway Panhandler mecca for an emerging young chef or baker. In my cart at the end of the night were French casserole dishes, an egg topper, a slurry of miniature fluted pastry molds, uniquely shaped for its amazing selection of everything-you-would-ever-need cooking and baking supplies. A true cookie cutters, ring molds, loaf pans, and gold and silver leaf. Next time, I will go back for the Global cleaver and magnetic knife rack....drool. Note: BP has moved from Soho to the East Village. We mistakenly went to the original location...but we did find Celebrity sighting #2: Willam Dafoe.

Think eclectic, homey, upscale comfort food. Prune is the mastermind of chef ... , a collection of meals and dishes from her childhood, radishes with butter, roasted marrow, golden merveilles. I love quirky, heart-warming eateries that are innovative without trying so hard.

I was cold and hungry, and Balthazar provided a warm haven for lunch. Alas, it was not to be, since the Wednesday lunch wait was 2.5 hours! We walked away sad and disappointed, with the lingering image of golden pan-fried skate with brown butter and hazelnuts, and warm frites on our minds.

And so we stumbled upon another little treasure around the corner, the French Culinary Institute Restaurant, a teaching restaurant for the students in training of the famed school. The menu changes daily, with traditional and contemporary French dishes. The amuse bouche was a bite-size crabcake with a nice remoulade. I ordered the poached cod with braised leeks and smoked cod cheeks. The technique was perfect, but overall the spices and salt somewhat restrained, as the fish was merely bathed in cream...how very French. Mr.S had the pan-seared pork chop with roasted tomatoes and wilted spinach. Good, but yet again, very much "culinary school"-esque.



My favorite bakery in Chinatown is Fay Da Bakery. I have an ongoing list of pastries to try, but some must-haves are chestnut buns, cha shao (roast pork) buns, flaky taro pastry balls, coconut and green tea mochi balls, pineapple kaya buns, and all the bubble teas.

For dinner, Mr.S took me to Haru, a popular sushi spot with a few locations through out the city. Celebrity sighting #3: The Apprentice's Carolyn Kepcher. The lychee cocktail is a classic. The crispy duck appetizer could have been crispier, but still quite good, with a flavorful teriyaki-hoisin sauce over soft pancakes. The generous cuts of sashimi are fresh and well worth the price. The wait staff is attentive and a trip, our server was a young Laotian man who went by the nickname Captain Jack Sparrow.

french apple tart

Yesterday was my dad's birthday. I won't broadcast his age, but I can say that he still looks like a vibrant 45, with the athleticism of a 30-something year old. I hope those good genes run the family! He and my mom have logged almost 250 miles hiking this year! We went out to one of his favorite restaurants, Sweet Water Tavern, an upscale brewery that serves up eclectic southwestern dishes with a flair. We skipped dessert there, since I made everyone a special tart from all the apples that are sitting in the fridge from my apple-picking foray.

This is a recipe that produces a thin and buttery, lightly sweetened tart. It's not the best way to use up a lot of apples, definitely the opposite of a mile-high American apple pie. But it is a beautiful sight to behold, and so ethereally light on the palate.

We sat around the kitchen island, drinking tea and eating dessert, as we caught up on everything that happened this past week. It's been hellishly busy (hence why I have been blog-absent for the past week) with me logging many long distance miles on my car, attending a wedding, working on applications, tutoring, and planning my upcoming trip to China next week. So much to do, so little time to cook! It did calm me to get back in the kitchen to make this tart, peeling and slicing the apples, making the pastry...all so methodical and soothing for me. Kitchen therapy. Let's all try it.



French Apple Tart
adapted from Le Cordon Bleu Dessert Techniques

Pâte Sucrée:
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 sugar
3/4 cup unsalted butter, chilled (1 1/2 sticks)
2 egg yolks
pinch salt

3 baking apples (Granny Smith, Cameo, etc)
2 Tbsp melted butter, for brushing
1/8 cup sugar, for sprinkling

apricot jelly, for glaze

1. For the pastry dough: Mix together flour, sugar and salt. Cut the butter into small cubes and add to the dry mixture. With a pastry cutter, cut the butter into the flour, until it is evenly incorporated and the size of the small peas throughout. Make a well in the center of the mixture, add the yolks, and use your hands to work into a crumbly dough. Form into a ball, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, peel and core the apples. Cut into thin slices, about 1/8" thick. Toss with a few drops of lemon juice to stop them from browning.

3. Preheat the oven to 375F.

4. Roll out the dough between 2 sheets of plastic wrap or wax paper. Drape over the tart pan, gently press into the fluted sides, and trim the excess dough off the rims. Arrange the apples in a circular pattern in the tart. Brush with the melted butter and sprinkle on the reserved sugar. Bake for 45 minutes, or until golden.

5. Let tart cool completely to room temperature. Melt the apricot jelly with a bit of water in the microwave. Brush over the apples for a sweet glaze, and let it cool to set up. Cut and serve.

free-form fig galette

You know those distinct moments when you tasted a certain food for the first time, and it was a revelation for your tastebuds, not only in terms of flavor, but texture and the feelings it conjured? It was like... crack. For me, figs fall into that group, along with avocado, butternut squash, black truffle, lardons, toro, browned butter,etc etc....

Soft, sweet and complex. The black mission variety were on sale (!) at Whole Foods last week, 3 pints for $5. Half of it I ate, fresh and raw, standing barefoot in my kitchen. The other half I decided to roast, in a dessert dish, with leftover pate sucree pastry dough from my freezer. Of course, you can use any type of pastry dough you like, or even puff pastry and phillo.

Caramelized fig, on its journey to my mouth

Fig Galette

pastry dough of your choice, rolled into a disc, 8-9" diameter, 1/16" thick

1/2 pint figs, stemmed and halved
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract

Gently use your fingers to toss the figs with sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla. Arrange in the center of the dough, in concentric circles. Fold the edges of the dough in, slightly covering the outermost layer of figs. Bake at 375F for ~25 min, or until golden.

Cool on a wire rack. Dust with powdered sugar and serve.

golden kiwi and strawberry tarte

Somehow when fresh fruit is added to a dessert, it helps to negate a portion of the calories...it just doesn't seem as bad for you anymore, does it? That's exactly how I feel of fruit tartes. The eggy custard of the creme patissiere and the rich buttery crust can't possibly be that fattening since the layer of fruit on top is sure to clean out your arteries!

I made this favorite dessert of my mom's for her recent birthday dinner. I forgot how nice it is to work in a big spacious kitchen, especially when doing pastry work. My parents have 2 kitchens, one for Chinese heavy-duty stir-frying where the exhaust hood can literally suck the shirt off your back, and one for light cooking and entertaining. Even then, it still boasts a 5-burner range top, 2 ovens, and ample marble countertops. And they hardly use all this! Nevertheless, I took full advantage and got down and dirty with my dough.

Pastry work is extremely soothing for me. It's methodical- certain steps must be followed and each step involves using your hands, either gently or with force, but always with some degree of precision. The crust in this recipe is the most time consuming, but if you are up for the challenge, you will be well rewarded with a delicious crumbly piece of delightfulness.



Fresh Fruit Tarte- Golden Kiwi, Strawberry, Creme Patissiere
adapted from Baking Illustrated

Equipment
oblong fluted tart pan, with removable bottom
pastry board
rolling pin
fine mesh sieve
pastry brush

Tarte Pastry
1 egg yolk
1-2 tbsp heavy cream
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
2/3 cup confectioner's sugar
pinch salt
8 tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Pastry Cream
2 cups half and half
1/2 cup sugar
pinch salt
5 egg yolks
3 tbsp cornstarch
4 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 tsp vanilla extract

Fruit Topping
strawberries, hulled and sliced
golden kiwi**, peeled and sliced
2 tbsp apricot jelly
1 tbsp brandy

1. For the Tart Pastry: Whisk together yolk, cream, and vanilla in small bowl; set aside. Pulse to combine flour, sugar, and salt in bowl of food processor. Scatter butter pieces over flour mixture; pulse to cut butter into flour until mixture resembles coarse meal. With machine running, add egg mixture and process until dough just comes together, about 25 seconds. Turn dough onto sheet of plastic wrap and press into a small brick. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at about 1 hour.

2. Remove dough from refrigerator. Unwrap and roll out between lightly floured large sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap to 6x18 inch rectangle. Transfer dough to tart pan by rolling dough loosely around rolling pin and unrolling over tart pan. Working around the edge of the pan, press dough into fluted sides of pan. (If some edges are too thin, reinforce sides by folding excess dough back on itself.) Run rolling pin over top of tart pan to remove excess dough. Freeze for 30 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375F. Set dough-lined tart pan on baking sheet, press foil inside frozen tart shell and over edges and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes, rotating halfway through baking time. Remove from oven and carefully remove foil and weights by gathering edges of foil and pulling up and out. Continue to bake until deep golden brown, 5 to 8 minutes longer. Set baking sheet with tart shell on wire rack to cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.

4. For the Pastry Cream: Heat half-and-half, 6 tablespoons sugar, and salt in medium saucepan over medium heat until simmering, stirring occasionally to dissolve sugar.

5. Meanwhile, whisk egg yolks in medium bowl until thoroughly combined. Whisk in remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and whisk until sugar has begun to dissolve and mixture is creamy, about 15 seconds. Whisk in cornstarch until combined and mixture is pale yellow and thick, about 30 seconds.

6. When half-and-half mixture reaches full simmer, gradually whisk simmering half-and-half into yolk mixture to temper. Return mixture to saucepan, and simmer over medium heat, whisking constantly, until 3 or 4 bubbles burst on surface and mixture is thickened and glossy, about 30 seconds. Off heat, whisk in butter and vanilla. Press the custard through a fine mesh sieve to remove any lumps. Transfer mixture to medium bowl, press plastic wrap directly on surface, and refrigerate until cold and set, at least 3 hours or up to 48 hours.

7. Assembly: When tart shell is completely cool, spread cold pastry cream over bottom, using offset spatula or large spoon. Arrange fruit on top of pastry cream, following a design of your choice.

8. Microwave jelly for ~20 seconds. Stir in the brandy. With a pastry brush, gently dab and brush on fruit to glaze. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes to let set up. Remove outer metal of tart pan, slide thin metal spatula between bottom of crust and tart pan bottom to release, then slip tart onto erving platter; serve.

**The kiwi originates from Southern China. Seeds of the fruit were first introduced to New Zealand circa 1908, where it later flourished. The golden kiwi variety is man cultivated. The taste is sweeter and far less tart than its green brethren. You can find them here in the U.S. during the summer months. They are lighter brown in color, with appreciably less fuzz, and have a characteristic funny little nub at one end.

retro recipe: lime fluff

With a population of less than 400, Smith Island, Maryland, lies in the Chesapeake Bay, accessible only by boat. It remains isolated from the rest of the world, yet preserved. Crabbers and fishermen still carry on the 300 year old tradition of harvesting from the water to support their families and their small community. Generations of fishermen's wives toil away in their kitchens, making the most of the abundance of the bay, passing on family recipes and traditions.
Ms. Frances Kitching, an island native, owned one of the most loved inns and restaurants on the island. Her recipes are passed down from her grandmother. Her fame began when in the 1950's she volunteered to cook for workers installing electric lines on the island. She later published a compilation of her recipes in 1981 simply titled Mrs. Kitching's Smith Island Cookbook. Some of these time-honored dishes include stewed crabmeat and dumplings, pan-browned wild duck, cracker pudding, Smith Island ten layer cake, and pickled watermelon rind.

For the Food Maven's Retro recipe challenge, finding a "wobbly" recipe (gelatins, aspics, molds, etc) from before 1985 was in order. I decided to make Mrs. Kitching's Lemon Fluff. It's ethereally light; it melts on your tongue! More so than ever, I found myself enthralled by the wonders of Jello.

When I recreated this recipe, I used lime Jello instead of lemon for a bit more tartness. The color reminded me of seafoam. The texture was that of mousse, but even lighter, and just as creamy. Best yet, the recipe is incredibly simple, my pet monkey could make it! This challenge definitely forced me to park myself in front of the Jello shelf (for the first time ever) in the baking aisle at the store. (When did there get to be so many flavors?? Anyway I'm certain I'll be making more frequent stops here.) Most importantly, retro recipes are really just snapshots of a moment in time, the mood and the trends of the people of that era. It teaches us the origins of many of the dishes we eat today, and recipes like Mrs. Kitching's teach us about good honest American food.


Lemon Fluff
From Mrs. Kitching's Smith Island Cookbook

1 3-oz. package lemon jello (I used lime)
1 cup water
1 13-oz. can evaporated milk
1 cup powdered sugar
2 Tbsp lemon juice
vanilla wafers

Chill evaporated milk. Dissolve jello in one cup water. (my recommendation: use hot water) Let gel slightly. Whip evaporated milk (after chilling) until stiff. To milk, add sugar, lemon juice, and jello. Line shallow baking dish with vanilla wafers. Pour jello mixture over top. Crumble wafers on top and refrigerate until firm.

lemon, ricotta, pinenut cake

I really need to start making more savory dishes, but when a recipe is as beautiful and elegant as this, I could not resist. This lemony cheesecake comes from Italian Two Easy: Simple Recipes from the London River Cafe (see previous post). This is a Tuscan variation of Torta della Nonna, a traditional Italian cake made at Easter with raisins and pastry. This recipe utilizes simple and wonderfully-rich ingredients to yield a creamy, tangy, delicious cake.

Lemon, ricotta, pinenut cake
Adapted from Italian Two Easy

lemons 3
white bread crumbs 1/2 cup
ricotta 2 1/2 cups
sugar 1 cup
eggs 3 whole + 2 yolks
creme fraiche 1 cup
mascarpone 1 cup
vanilla extract 1 tsp
pine nuts 1/3 cup

Preheat the oven to 350F.
Butter the sides and bottom of a 10-in springform pan.
Grate zest from lemons, squeeze out the juice, and mix together.
Drain the ricotta using cheesecloth.
Beat ricotta with sugar until smooth. Add the eggs and yolks, one at a time. Still beating, add creme fraiche, lemon mixture, mascarpone, and vanilla extract.
Shake the bread crumbs in the pan to coat the sides and bottom evenly. Pour in the batter and scatter the pinenuts on top. Bake for ~45-50 min, until egdes are slightly browned and center is slightly wobbly.
Let cool, and unmold.

on clafoutis, crumb cakes, & other such matters

I'm going through a phase in which my sweet tooth seems to have a hollow center! Let's call it a dessert baking binge of gargantuan proportions. Maybe it's that it is summer and with the hot humid temps, we tend to crave more for nibbling on sweets than on eating large savory meals. Summer cooking is super inspired by the freshness and locality of ingredients. Some of my favorites are strawberries, cherries, peaches, watermelon, heirloom tomatoes, ohh I just love them all!

I bought this pint of fresh strawberries from a local farmer who brings his produce to a retirement community every weekend. Beautiful, and many still with their long stems.

It was actually more than a pint, as I had enough to make a sweet puree for my homemade strawberry ice-cream (will post later about this), and with the remaining, a strawberry clafoutis, a dense buttery thick fruit pancake baked in the oven. I used this recipe from the Barefoot Contessa, in which I substituted the pears for strawberries. I found it to be more custard-like than cakelike. Then again, the recipe calls for a shockingly large measure of heavy cream! But, who's complaining? It turned out beautiful, and was relatively quick and easy.

Peaches have a greatly intoxicating aroma. I've always loved them, and have a particular weakness for big juicy white peaches, a relic of my childhood. I had about 2 hours time yesterday at home in between work and lsat class, and thought, what could I prep and bake up in such time? All day I was craving sinking my teeth into a soft coffeecake, so I incorporated the peaches on my counter into my recipe.

The cake has 3 layers: the buttery cake base, sliced peaches tossed in apricot jam, and the sugary walnut crumb topping. What an indulgent way to end a hecticly busy day with a big piece of this cake, a glass of milk, and watching a rerun of Tony Bourdain's No Reservations.

I will post the recipe later tonite, as I am running late for work!! :)