But I Digress… | a blog by mari gold, on food, travel & life

Three Isn’t Always a Charm

Posted on September 15, 2013 by marigold

My husband is not well and being cared for by aides, some great and others less so. That’s one. Last Monday night walking to my book club, I tripped over a big, uneven piece of pavement and went down like a giant Redwood, breaking—yes, again—my right wrist. In the course of a twelve-hour stint in the New York Hospital ER, the wrist was set by two orthopedic residents using a procedure that seemed straight out of Civil War medicine: “just smell this brandy cork while we cut off your leg.” Hard to believe that in 2013 there isn’t a more humane approach. That’s two.

In keeping with this Calamity Jane saga, a day later I broke a tooth, innocently biting into a pecan Danish. This one promises to hurt more in the wallet. Bingo, the magic three.

But enough about my travails (for which I’m sure you’re grateful.) It’s Fashion Week in New York so the airways and newspapers are full of coverage of designers, models and clothes, most of which are entirely unsuitable for any woman who doesn’t live life on Project Runway.

I tried finding a poncho-esque item that will go over my elbow-length cast but ended up cutting the sleeve off a t-shirt, planning to top it with a black bat-wing sweater, adding my down vest as a final layer. Perhaps this look will inspire a trend and Bill Cunningham will include me in a future Sunday Times fashion spread.

Bill Cunningham

Given one of the threes, as well as the recent chill in the air signaling the approach of fall, thought I’d follow with a recipe for bones. These deviled delights make a great dinner with any starch and vegetable or a salad.

Deviled Short Ribs

Serves 2 generously. To increase, double amounts (in case I posted this recipe previously, mea culpa.)

4 lbs. beef short ribs, the meatier the better (cut into 3” or 4” lengths)

1 c. flour

1 tsp. Paprika

Salt to taste

1 tsp. freshly ground pepper

2 Tbs. Corn or vegetable oil

3 Tbs. Dijon mustard

1 Tbls. dry white wine

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 ½ c. bread crumbs (buy the kind labeled Italian seasoning)

Preheat oven to 375. Put ribs in mixing bowl. Blend flour, paprika, salt to taste, pepper, add oil and toss ribs to coat well. Select baking dish big enough to hold ribs in single layer so they don’t touch. Place in oven and cook about an hour, turning pan so ribs cook evenly. Turn the pieces.

Reduce oven heat to 350. Continue baking 20-30 minutes. Pour fat from ribs off.

Blend mustard, wine, and Worcestershire sauce in a bowl. Brush mixture all over ribs. As they are brushed, using your fingers, sprinkle liberally with bread crumbs. DON’T dip ribs into the crumbs or they’ll get soggy. As ribs are crumbed, arrange on baking rack inside pan and bake another 20 minutes or so or until somewhat brown. If they brown too fast, cover with foil.

Good the day they are made and they hold well in fridge for several days.

Watch where you’re going!

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Bill Cunningham, book, Project Runway, redwood, short ribs | 4 Comments

Madison County Trifecta

Posted on August 10, 2013 by marigold

The actual bridge

I found “The Bridges of…” a sloppy, sentimental book and did not love the eponymous movie despite the incredibly talented Ms. Streep. So now there is a musical, premiering at the Williamstown Theater Festival. It came off as a poor man’s State Fair minus the charm and wonderful Rogers and Hart score. The production I saw (still a work in progress) ran three—count ‘em—three hours and included far too many set changes, meaning that the fridge, countertop and kitchen table, as well as the bridge itself were rolled in and out over and over. Finally, just when I anticipated curtain calls, there was a coda, another scene, another coda, a final scene. IF many songs were cut as well as some dialogue and several unnecessary scenes, the show just might have a shot. Or, maybe not.

Poor Larry Hart, short, in the closet, alcoholic and depressive.

Lorenz (Larry) Hart

Despite a tough life, he wrote many memorable songs including Blue Moon, My Funny Valentine, The Lady is a Tramp and Thou Swell before his death at the young age of forty-eight. In the (very) old movie, Words and Music, produced by MGM in 1948, Hart’s personal story is heavily edited.

A happier note was the pre-theater meal at Hops & Vines in Williamstown that began with a terrific vodka sour. The Wellfleet oysters were delicious and the heirloom tomatoes both beautiful and juicy. One companion raved about the roast chicken over a summer veggie medley while another enjoyed what looked like a stunning piece of halibut.

Barbequed Portabella Quesadilla

Barbequed Portabella Quesadilla

This recipe makes a great lunch with very little work. It is not something that would have been served in Madison County c.1965. Maybe not even today. This serves 2. To increase double all ingredients except the chili in adobo–just increase this judiciously– and buy more tortillas.

1/2 cup prepared barbecue sauce

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, minced.(Note: This comes in a can or jar. Put the rest in a jar in the fridge. It will keep for a long time.)

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons canola oil, divided (I used olive oil)

1 pound portobello mushroom caps, (about 5 medium), diced

1/2 medium onion, finely diced

4 whole-wheat tortillas

3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Combine barbecue sauce, tomato paste, vinegar and chipotle in a medium bowl.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms onions and cook, stirring occasionally until the onion and mushrooms are beginning to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to the bowl with the barbecue sauce; stir to combine. Wipe out the pan.

Place tortillas on a work surface. Spread 3 tablespoons cheese on half of each tortilla and top with one-fourth (about 1/2 cup) of the filling. Fold tortillas in half, pressing gently to flatten.

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in the pan over medium heat. Add 2 quesadillas and cook, turning once, until golden on both sides, 3 to 4 minutes total. Transfer to a cutting board and tent with foil to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining 1 teaspoon oil and quesadillas. Cut each quesadilla into wedges and serve.

You could whistle something from the Bridges musical but there isn’t an appropriate piece of music. Instead, pour a pretentious beer and whistle Thou Swell.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged cheese, Madison, musical, Portabella, Streep | 3 Comments

My Mother the Car

Posted on August 3, 2013 by marigold

Does anyone remember a TV program of this name? All I recall is that the mother was a VW beetle and there was a catchy theme song. The concept fit all to well the other day as first I hit a pothole with jagged edges and heard my (brand new) front left tire explode. Driving to the first place I could get off the roaring, NJ highway, I summoned AAA who turned up in under twenty minutes, put on the “doughnut” spare and sent me on my way. Well, not exactly: it took two and a half hours to get into and through the Lincoln Tunnel.

Much better

Uh uh

Subsequently, a new tire of the exact size and brand was located (not so easy in Manhattan) and put on. In the course of the event, I managed to switch garages (I can hear those of you who live elsewhere sighing—a NYC garage is crazy expensive but it’s the only alternative) so the car has a much nicer new home.

I’ve logged a lot of windshield time lately, between trips to Vermont, New Jersey and more. Too bad you can’t drive and cook simultaneously although there was a report on NPR a while back about putting a piece of meat wrapped in foil in some part of the engine and voila! Upon arrival it was cooked. I think not.

Instead, try this easy- to- make and delicious tabbouleh that a friend put together. It enhances any meal and makes a nice accompaniment to a sandwich lunch. Oh, and it’s vegetarian for the non-meat faction.

Tabbouleh

1 cup bulgur

1 2/3 cups boiling water

1/3 cup olive oil

1/3 cup lemon juice

1 cup chopped green onions

1 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/4 cup chopped fresh mint (I omitted)

3 tomatoes, chopped

1 cucumber – peeled, seeded and chopped (or simply peeled and chopped)

1 teaspoon salt

ground black pepper to taste

In large bowl, combine bulgur and hot water. Set aside and let it sit for one hour.

Then, add all the other ingredients. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate for an hour. Let it come to room temperature before serving to maximize the taste.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged car, doughnut, olive oil, Vermont | 4 Comments

Flowers in Disneyworld

Posted on July 22, 2013 by marigold

Weeding can be relaxing because it’s so mindless but there are times when it’s just another chore to be done (or ignored.) People whose gardens are impressive enough to be included on large-scale, organized tours probably don’t weed themselves because their grounds are too extensive.

On such a tour, the first garden we visited was very traditional with masses of beautiful perennials, vegetables, and a terrific chicken coop housing six busy hens and a little door where the eggs are collected.

Ah but the second garden! This one had masses of ironwork including the frame of a grape arbor and eight “water features” with spouting children, turtles, frogs and more.

Look Ma–No Hose!

There is a putting green and a lawn bowls area next to an “Alice” garden with huge chess pieces and statues of Alice and the White Rabbit. One area is a checkerboard alternating plants. A dry river bed crafted of stones leads to a pagoda; elsewhere, there are cacti, olive, banana and lemon trees—just what you think of in Vermont! The “program” (no kidding) lists not only the staff but also the many suppliers of metal, irrigation tools, tractors and other equipment. The whole experience is truly one of a kind.

Later, we returned home where we ate this simple appetizer to stave off hunger pangs before a late dinner.

Tomato and Ricotta Toasts

Crusty bread

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

Olive oil

Red pepper flakes, thyme, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar

Ricotta cheese (fresh would be nice but I used a supermarket brand)

Preheat oven to 325. Put tomatoes in a pan and drizzle with olive oil (about 2 Tbls.) Sprinkle with the red pepper, thyme, vinegar and brown sugar—roughly 1 Tsp of each

Bake tomatoes for about 25 minutes, turn and bake another 20 minutes or so—the idea is to have them melt down and start to caramelize. (Do this way ahead of time. Either take out of fridge to bring to room temperature or nuke briefly when ready to serve.)

Cut the bread into smallish slices and toast. When done, slather with the ricotta and top with the tomatoes, about 3 halves per slices. (You will have tomatoes left over; save and repeat the process another time.) You could, I suppose, garnish the plate with weeds but parsley also works as does nothing.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged garden, hen, tomato, Vermont | 3 Comments

Liberté, Egalité, Macaroons

Posted on July 14, 2013 by marigold

60^th Street in Manhattan closes from Lexington over to Fifth Avenue every year on Bastille Day. In all honesty, it’s a typical hot, crowded street fair but with some French twists including many stalls selling macaroons and crepes; a stall with French books, previously-ordered picnic lunches; information on the Alliance Français housed on 60^th, and French magazines. I overheard a young woman on her phone who either missed history class or Les Mis (book, Broadway, movie) telling someone “It’s some kind of French day here.” So much for “to the barricades.”

The Alliance is a great place that shows French films, displays art; offers excellent French language classes and has children’s programs including a preschool that combines French and American teaching methods. There is also a wonderful library, said to be the leading French library in the U.S.

Much as I love Paris, it wouldn’t be wonderful in today’s heat which is in the nineties. Lately it’s been raining suddenly and violently all over the Northeast as it does in the tropics; now apparently we’re in for a major heat wave. The idea of cooking becomes less appealing as the temperature soars so cold soup made quickly in a blender is in order.

This recipe serves eight generously but you can easily do the math and cut down the amount. It’s deliciously tangy and a beautiful color. The last time I served it, I used mugs; if you have glass cups or bowls, they would show off your efforts well.

Cold Avocado Soup

1 seedless cucumber, chopped

2 medium avocados, peeled and pitted

2 shallots, chopped

4 tablespoon(s) plain yogurt

4 tablespoon(s) fresh mint (or less)

More fresh mint to garnish

8 teaspoon(s) fresh lime juice

1 teaspoon salt (probably not enough— start with one and add after tasting)

1/2 teaspoon(s) ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon(s) ground cumin

2 radishes, chopped

Place the cucumber, avocado, shallot, yogurt, 2 tablespoons mint, lime juice, salt, pepper, cumin, and 1 cup cold water in a blender, and process until smooth.

Chill for at least 1 hour. Serve garnished with the chopped radishes and remaining mint leaves. (Note: the amounts of some ingredients are left vague so you can adjust to your taste. I upped the yogurt in the soup and added a dollop under the chopped radishes on top, skipping the additional mint.)

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged avocado, French, Paris | 4 Comments

Look Pheasant, Please

Posted on July 2, 2013 by marigold

Manchester, VT has a spiffy new store featuring beautiful, pricey clothes that would look right at home at Downton Abbey. The shop also sells guns, the kind that sportsmen carry, as well as jewelry, a smattering of Englishy home goods and boots that would be useful for walking the moors. (Walking anywhere here has been moot lately as, like many parts of the northeast, we’ve had a really long patch of rainy weather—the ground is saturated and both the hay and corn crops are in serious trouble.)

As a marketing gig, last weekend, the shop held an event complete with hunting dog demos (a pointer demonstrated his repertoire),

Pointer doing nothing but looking good

a bagpiper piped and a very nice spread was laid out on tables in front of the store. (Mercifully, this was one of the rare days that had a long dry spell.) The shop has a “shooting grounds” fairly near Manchester where it’s possible to shoot clay pigeons or pheasant so one of the dishes offered was grilled pheasant on skewers along with cheeses and crackers, wine, sparkling water and various sweets.

Pheasants originally came from Asia and are now found all over. The idea of shooting these beautiful birds repulses me but, in fairness, I did sample the grilled offering.

One of the guests was this dog, a very Great Dane named Achilles. He’s as gentle as he is large and fit in with the surroundings perfectly—aristocratic to the max.

Rather than deal with cooking pheasant, I’ll stick with an easy July 4^th dessert. My own rendition will probably be less fancy but strawberries, biscuits or shortcake and whipped cream tend to be pretty well accepted. (FYI, if you’re planning on strawberries, get going. The rain is also taking a toll on this crop.)

July 4^th Cake

1 regular package yellow cake mix

1 cup heavy cream, whipped

1 pint blueberries, rinsed and drained

2 pints strawberries, rinsed and sliced.

	Prepare cake according to package directions and bake in a 9×13 inch pan. Cool completely.
	Frost cake with whipped cream. Place blueberries in a square in the corner, and arrange sliced strawberries as stripes to make an American flag. Chill until serving. Garnish with sunshine and a smattering of fireworks.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Downton Abbey, July 4th, pheasant, strawberries | 3 Comments

Very Gneiss

Posted on June 23, 2013 by marigold

Green Mountains

I learned more geology in a few hours on a beautiful summer afternoon than in an entire course at college. Paul Meyers, a professional geologist now retired, led seven people on a tour of the greater Manchester area with stops at Hildene (to see the valley resulting from a thrust fault in (probably) the Triassic period); East Dorset (Cambrian Dolomite and Basalt Pike) and a stop on Rts. 11/30 to scramble across the mountain road to get up close and personal with some Precambrian Gneiss.

Gneiss

We made a stop at the East Dorset General Store for much-appreciated “conite”, i.e., soft ice cream (Dr. Meyers is a big ice cream fan having managed eighteen Dairy Queen stops in a geology trip out west that lasted something like two weeks.)

Geology was thrust on me at college to fulfill some arcane science requirement. I remember “completing “a map of an on-campus lake that was a joke and almost falling down a very steep hill into a creek below, only to be halted by the foot of one of my friends. Paul Meyers would make the phone book an informative read and I bet all his former students thought so as well.

The day before was the first annual Grafton Food Festival. Vendors gathered under a tent promoting their pickles, jams, cheeses and so on and we ate wonderful sandwiches at Mac’s Place, opposite the Grafton Inn. Food demonstrations were part of the festival –one featuring cheese gourgieres, those delightful puff pastry morsels that would wow cocktail visitors. (Or dessert lovers—if you omit the cheese and other savory ingredients, you have simple pate a choux (classic French puff pastry) which can be turned into profiterole by slicing off the top, filling the center with ice cream, putting the top back on and drenching the whole with the best chocolate sauce you can find or make.

Gougieres

Gougieres

1 cup water

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup unbleached all purpose flour

4 large eggs, chilled

1 cup (packed) coarsely grated Cheddar cheese (about 4 ounces) (Since we were in Grafton, the chef used 5 year old Grafton cheddar but any good Cheddar will do.)

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

(Note: the chef at the Grafton event added Parmesan and summer savory but I have no idea how much of each. Am thinking about ¼ cup Parmesan and 2 T. savory would work fine. You could also use any other herb you like or skip the whole thing.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line two cookie sheets or do yourself a big favor and invest in one Silpat, a special baking sheet that makes removing baked items a cinch. If you buy one Silpat, bake this in two batches.

Bring 1 cup water, butter, and salt to simmer in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat, whisking until butter melts. Add flour; stir rapidly with wooden spoon until flour absorbs liquid and forms ball, pulling away from sides of pan. Stir vigorously until film forms on bottom of pan and dough is no longer sticky, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Remove pan from heat and beat in eggs one at a time. Stir in cheese(s), pepper and herbs, if using.

Drop rounded tablespoonfuls of dough onto baking sheets, spacing about 3 inches apart. Bake gougères until golden brown somewhere between 15 and 30 minutes depending on how hot your oven is. Serve hot or warm.

Posted in Uncategorized | 6 Comments

Out for a Stroll

Posted on June 8, 2013 by marigold

But I wasn’t doing the walking. The annual Stroll of the Heifers is a major early summer event in Brattleboro, VT and it’s a lot of fun. The stars of the show are—surprise—the heifers, (young female cows who have not had a calf), their necks wreathed with garlands with each on a lead.

The sides of Main Street were thronged with kids, many waving black-and-white-spotted balloons and/or wearing cow ear headbands. After the heifers pass by there are bands, goats, llamas, donkeys and civic groups. Little girls dressed as pink fairies pranced; there was a New Orleans style marching band and many salutes to the environment.

After the parade, most people headed up Main Street to the Expo area. En route, I stopped at the quilting exhibition in a church lavished with stained glass windows. The quilts were fabulous, especially this marvel where a woman wearing gloves turned it back to show the flower embroidery that goes all the way through.

At the Expo there were “exhibits” where kids could enter a pen and pick up incredibly calm hens

This hen will lay eggs laced with Zoloft

or pat very young kids penned with the mamma goats or learn about birds. Guys patted tractors. I couldn’t find the Goat Olympics. Local dairies handed out samples of their organic milk; nurseries sold plants in pots made from compost; Birkenstocks were much in evidence—very Vermont. Amazingly, it was warm and sunny after a day of rain that has caused our brook, usually dry by now, to roar.

No trip to Brattleboro would be complete without a visit to the Coop, long renowned for its organic food and cheese sections. What used to be a slightly seedy space has been renovated into a gorgeous temple to food. I bought black bean and corn salsa to accompany tonight’s lamb chops as we christen our new grill (if the next round of rain holds off.)

Corn and Black Bean Salsa

Corn and Black Bean Salsa – adapted from Rachel Ray

1 14 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups frozen corn kernels
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons hot sauce, or so (if you are anti-spice, omit—if you can’t get it hot enough add this amount, taste and add more)
1 lime, juiced
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Parsley chopped stirred in and as garnish

Let corn defrost. Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Let it stand at least 15 minutes—an

hour is better–for flavors to combine, then toss and serve. Toss on parsley.

Note: most recipes for this salsa include cilantro, an herb I don’t like. If you do, by all means add it, chopped. You can also add chopped avocado.

Serve with practically anything. Moo.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged cow, goat, llama, salsa, Vermont | Comments Off

Memorial Day 2013

Posted on May 27, 2013 by marigold

We spent the weekend in Cornwall, CT where a friend has a great old house. All of Saturday was a mess of pouring rain and freezing cold. Some years, Memorial Day calls for shorts; this year’s would have been better served with a down vest or a parka which is what some of the guests wore to the lovely dinner our host mounted Saturday night. (So much for those who diss global warming.)

The Cornwall Memorial Day ceremony is very similar to that of the one in Dorset, VT, i.e., a medley of dogs,

kids in wagons and on bikes, a school band sitting on bales of hay in a wagon and group singing of America the Beautiful and the National Anthem. The Cornwall speaker was a former Lt. Commander who now teaches school in Florida. She gave an especially moving and simultaneously delightful talk followed by a gun barrage (scaring many dogs) and then taps was played with the requisite echo. It’s lovely to think that similar ceremonies were taking place all over the U.S., especially in small towns.

As I am still in a cast, (although the earlier large one has been replaced with a smaller one in bright pink), this post is a quickie.

The recipe comes courtesy of my cousin, Peter. I have titled it Sour’s Lemon (his last name is Sour as was mine before I married, back in the days when changing one’s name when one married was standard issue.)

Sour’s Lemon

Put a washed lemon in the freezer section of your refrigerator. Once the lemon is frozen, get a grater and shred the whole lemon (no need to peel). Sprinkle the end result on practically any food– vegetable salad, ice cream, soup, cereals, noodles,
spaghetti sauce, rice, sushi, fish dishes, and even instant cup noodles.

It gives everything a great taste and has the bonus of super health. It’s said to even destroy many types of cancer cells but is worth using for the taste sensation. Onward with summer!

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged dogs, lemoon, summer | 2 Comments

It’s All in the Wrist

Posted on May 15, 2013 by marigold

Actually, yes. While in Vermont enjoying glorious, warm, weather, I ventured out on the deck. Looking at the sky, I managed to not see a large, metal umbrella base and tripped over it landing on my right side. Although I realized I’d done something to my right wrist, I assumed a sprain as, happily, there was very little pain albeit a lot of swelling. I drove home a few days later with no trouble but then, as the swelling refused to abate, decided to have the wrist seen by an orthopedist. Cutting to the chase, spent many hours in New York-Presby waiting room and, once it was clear the radius, (one of eight wrist bones), was broken, a young doc straight from Central Casting in terms of eye-candy, um, cast it.

My doc makes him look like Quasimodo

No more ortho details other than my hope that cast is made smaller next week. That should allow for easier typing (and dressing).

In keeping with the bones theme, here’s a recipe for braised lamb shanks. (A shank is not a wrist but I’m taking literary license.) It’s more suited to cooler months but you can file for the future.

Braised Lamb Shanks

4 lamb shanks, roughly 2lb. each
Salt and pepper
2 Tbls olive oil
1 medium onion, sliced
½ cup sliced celery
1 clove garlic, minced
½ cup ketchup
½ cup water
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Lovely Lamb shank

Preparation:

Season shanks with salt and pepper. Using heavy skillet over medium heat, brown shanks in olive oil on all sides. Put them into a dish with a lid. Add onion, celery, garlic, ketchup, water and Worcestershire sauce.

Cover and simmer in oven at 350 for 1 to 1 ½ hours or until meat is tender. Skim off excess fat before serving.

And to drink– Got milk?

Posted in Uncategorized | 9 Comments

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