a thanksgiving feast

the time between the day before thanksgiving and christmas day is my favorite time of year. i guess it is for a lot of people, but here’s why it is so magical to me.  a) it is a state of pure joy. i love spending time with family and friends, being hectic, listening to music, and feeling cozy. b) i get to obsessively watch home alone two-three times a week without seeming crazy. c) i obsess over recipes. what to make? what to eat? what to bring to people’s apartments, houses, and holiday parties? the food options are endless this time of year! and it kicks off with thanksgiving.

here are a few photos:

the turkey (after years of being a white meat eater, i have started to absolutely crave dark meat)

brussels sprouts with bacon

cranberry sauce with dried cherries (recipe from everyday food)

cauliflower au gratin (recipe from barefoot in paris, by ina garten)

thinly sliced, roasted sweet and white potatoes with butter, salt and pepper

the stuffing! my uncle’s stuffing was excellent, and super flavorful

we took a quick breather before we hit the dessert table…pumpkin pie (without the added toppings, apple pie, chocolate crackle cookies, and almond cake (which i have no other photo of, but i LOVED)

bobby flay’s pumpkin pie with cinnamon crunch (the “crunch” gave some great added texture to the creamy pie)

my aunt and cousin’s traditional apple pie (with picture-perfect crust!)

an always-requested hit, chocolate crackle cookies

yabba dabba doo: blum’s coffee crunch cake

i’m an enthusiastic novice baker.

my kitchen is 86 x 62 inches.
the free space is closer to 3 feet by 2.

i try not to let its compact size suppress my ambition too much, but having a small space (and not much extra storage) means i can’t go crazy with tools and gadgets. so if a dessert can’t be made with a hand mixer and the pans i’ve got right now, then it can’t be made.

***

WOW is what i said the first time i saw a photo of blum’s coffee crunch cake–i can’t recall how i found my way to the valerie confections site, perhaps via daily candy? and i was thrilled to discover that martha stewart had made the recipe available on her site. i consulted the ladies in my family to see if i should attempt it for our next family get together. the photo inspired big eyes and big thumbs-ups from everyone (though i’m sure we all new the chances of success were…even). and i’m sure no one would have blamed me if i punted at the last minute and tried something a bit less intimidating.

but my philosophy was, if not this thanksgiving day, then when?

it was a pretty successful and pleasing first attempt–here are a few notes, in case you’re feeling inspired, too.

the strategy for me, since i had to get it nj on thursday morning, was to bake the cake and make the crunch topping the night before, and save the whipped cream icing and final decorating until thursday.

part 1:  cake and crunch

this recipe was less tricky than you might think, but it assumes a level of experience, i.e. when making this batter (essentially a lemon chiffon) you’ll know how long it takes for egg whites to form stiff, glossy peaks (for me, this was somewhere between 10 and 12 minutes).

same with the making the coffee crunch. there’s no timing given–just a temperature reading on a candy thermometer (which i don’t have).  i’ve become skilled at discerning the right amber color when making caramel, but my eyes weren’t much help here-the color of this mixture  was already dark brown. after the mix hit the boiling point and  i started to smell slightly burned coffee i panicked, and cut the cooking time short, to only a couple of minutes.

and to be honest, i may have added a bit too much corn syrup than the recipe called for (i’d had a glass of south african pinotaaage, whilst baking. it was the holidays after all!). the first batch looked butter-y. it had neither the look or taste of coffee. but it was densely sugary and it crumbled softly under my fingers, which was a relief.

but still, i had a feeling it was not quite right. since i had enough ingredients, i decided to try for round 2.

for the second batch, i paid closer attention. i was careful in measuring the sugar and corn syrup.  and i decided to use other candies i’d made as a guide and leave it to boil for 6 minutes, unless the i’m burning smell became really pronounced. the result was a darker caramel color, and a harder, truly brittle candy, with lots of good air pockets.

even if this wasn’t perfect, i suspected it was closer to what it should have been.

as to the cake itself, because i used a round pan rather than a tube pan, i needed to add an extra 5 minutes to the baking time–and that might have been a bit too much. next time i will divide the batter between 2 pans (or borrow a tube).

part 2:

the single, but universal criticism of this first attempt ? more icing. not really a criticism, more like a suggestion.

i will double the icing next time.

as far as the decorating, the application of the crumbs, it seemed to work out well, that i had two different batches of crunch. it added more interest, from a visual and taste/texture perspective.

my sister, my mom and my aunt all participated in the decorating. we had a disagreement when it came to breaking up the candies—i was convinced, based on the “martha” photo, that the candy pieces should be big shards. my sister and aunt were much more practical—how would you really cut the cake if the pieces were that big? and then, imagine what it will be like to eat?
they had a point. so we went with smaller pieces.

we tried a few different techniques for the application,
the gentle pat
the sprinkle
the errant toss (my favorite).
it’s not a neat affair, but it is FUN.

AND DELICIOUS.

it’s like something out of the flintstones, yes?

***
one last note: we finished decorating a few hours before dinner. mom was nervous about the whipped cream sagging or spoiling, and i was afraid a stint in the refrigerator would mar the texture of the icing or the crunch. our compromise was to leave it outside, in a carrying case. which is essentially, a fridge.

the candy did soften, but it wasn’t enough to ruin things. but next time, i’d leave it at room temp and prepare it at close as possible to serving time, just to preserve the “crunch.”

home style: thanksgiving, 2010

i have always had a tendency to downplay our family thanksgiving celebration.

when i was growing up, the holiday was positively traumatic, for one reason: no turkey at our table. we had ham. i used to mope about how un-american it was. (the fact that my family was not american, not by birth anyway, except for me, didn’t make a difference. we lived here.)

as our family grew, and my american-born cousins were old enough to collect their loud voices over “the turkey situation,” our table started to take on the appearance of something more traditional. turkey is now a standby, next to the prime rib and the pork lechon and the barbeque skewers (yes, my people enjoy bbq skewers all year long). we made room for more dishes with potatoes (even the sweet ones) and green beans and brussels sprouts. we now have pies filled with apples and they sit next to pear tarts and flans and fried bananas (and other weird filipino treats).

but i’m still sometimes guilty of judging this holiday, more than any other, on ideas of what it should be, based on lore, rather celebrating what it is.

for us, thanksgiving is more often than not a very full house, a game of musical chairs (the music being the meal). we attack the table in waves, and shift from chair to couch to standing spot, while stories and jokes are told at a loud and fever pitch in two languages (so amid all the laughing, some of us get a little bit lost. we laugh more, anyway). and then eat more.

not sure a thanksgiving gets much better or happier than that.

here are a few photos from this year’s good time.

homemade lumpia

lechon

filipino bbq

me, with jason (and a skewer)

prime rib

does this count as a vegetable?

pancit - my aunt makes this better than any restaurant could

see, we had a turkey (not for long)

cornbread stuffing–this one might be my new favorite, love the sweetness of the bread

***

my contribution this year: blum’s coffee crunch cake

jen’s award winning apple pie

apple tart

pear tart

turon! fried bananas, drizzled with caramelized sugar

abc kitchen

abc kitchen, the newly opened farm-to-table jean-georges vongerichten restaurant in the flatiron/union square area (it’s on the side entrance of abc carpet & home) promises to deliver only the freshest, local and organic fare prepared with the jean-georges touch. and it delivers.

the plates? all handmade by local artisans. the silverware? all vintage silver. the floors? whitewashed wood that created the farmhouse feel that makes the restaurant seems miles away from a bustling city. the staff uniforms? thrift store purchases. the food? excellent.

we started with these two appetizers, the white bean toast and the cauliflower soup. the white bean toast was as decadent enough that it didn’t even feel like a “bean toast.” it was smothered in a creamy puree of white beans, parsley, olive oil and herbs, and laid atop a crisp piece of grilled bread.  the cauliflower soup was also just as creamy, and was topped with delicious garlic croutons and a few splashes of olive oil.

next came the entrees. we had the artic char and the grilled portabello sandwich. the char was not under or overcooked at all, and still soft and moist inside. it was served over carrot puree and roasted root vegetables that melted in our mouths. the portabello sandwich was served on a ciabatta roll with arugula, lemon mayo, parmesan and jalepeno. the sandwich itself was good, but not great; however, the fries that came with it were wonderful (definitely double cooked – so crisp!). 

last stop: the desserts. the salted caramel ice cream sundae was superb (and so beautiful)! two scoops of super creamy, salted caramel gelato topped with caramel popcorn, whipped cream and bathing in a pool of chocolate caramel sauce. heaven! the concord grape tart was slightly less invigorating. the grape flavor was so muted, and the crust lacked that buttery flakiness that i thought was guaranteed with a tart that looked this great. still, the overall meal and dessert experience was excellent, and abc kitchen definitely deserves a trip for dinner.

- abc kitchen: 35 E 18th St (between broadway and park ave), New York NY 10003

- reservations can be made through open table

austin: part 2

day two of austin was filled with just as much food goodness as day one. we went downtown to south congress street where most of the awesome food trucks set up shop. the food trucks are parked in the same location each day, so they’re basically like brick and mortar shops with wheels. later in the day, we stopped for dessert at chez-zee. evidence below..

crepes mille:

from top to bottom: pork floss crepe (pork confit, sweet/spicy sauce), chicken burgundy crepe, pepperoni pizza crepe.

unfortunately, this little breakfast truck, “the local yolk,” was closed when we visited, but look how cute it is!

finally, some desserts from chez zee. each one was excellent, although my personal favorite was the highly recommended lemon rosemary cake (far left). also pictured, the coco leches cake and the double chocolate gooey cake.

austin: part 1

i can’t even begin to describe how much i loved the food in austin, but i will try my best to show it. below are some photos from our eating adventures.

tacos from taco deli:

it sickens me that we don’t have breakfast tacos in new york. richard and i seriously considered opening up a breakfast taco truck when we got back…

taco #1 is the “otto” (eggs, black beans, bacon, avocado and cheese) and taco #2 is the “vaquero” (eggs, grilled corn, roasted poblano and red peppers and monterrey jack cheese)

salt lick bar-b-que:

this bar-b-que was so good, and so far beyond any bar-b-que i’ve ever had, it made me question if i had ever actually had bar-b-que before. the meat was unbelievably moist and tender, the sauce divine and the pecan pie the best i’ve ever tasted (the secret ingredient: butterscotch).

below: pork ribs, brisket, turkey, sausage, potato salad, cole slaw, pecan pie

peels: breakfast

who wouldn’t want to kick the day off with some breakfast treats from peels? how about some sticky cinnamon pecan buns, egg and cheddar on a biscuit or a butternut squash savory scone? and guess what! they carry stumptown coffee, too!

on a breezy fall morning (early, i might add), we planned on visiting peels (the new fried chicken/biscuits/pies spot from the freeman’s crew) for brunch, but the crowds had already jam packed the lobby, so we decided to pick up a few things to go. the biscuit with egg and cheddar was superb; the biscuit itself was buttery, flaky and baked to perfect done-ness, while the scone was a little dry.

the sticky cinnamon pecan bun was absolutely divine, and although very cinnamony sweet, not too sugary. the pecans were glazed in a cinnamon sugar syrup that formed on top of the buns when baked, and they were still warm when i tasted them. my dad tried the 3-cream pie (banana, chocolate and coconut cream pie all in one, with a very crisp, buttery crust on the bottom and a mound of whipped cream on top) and it was one of the best pies i have ever tasted! it was gone too quickly to take a picture. i am not exaggerating.

i cannot wait to try the dinner menu at peels. and hopefully take home some cinnamon buns for the morning.

peels: 325 bowery (corner of 2nd st.), new york, ny

financier

nutella napoleon. pumpkin torte. mango macaron. coffee macaron. my heaven. and the cute green and white striped packaging doesn’t hurt, either.

as delicious as they are beautiful, the pastries from financier are unique in both taste and composition. the nutella napoleon, glazed with a chocolate ganache, some crunchy hazelnuts and stuffed with a light nutella flavored cream, was one of the best napoleons i’ve ever tasted. the mini pumpkin torte was loaded with a creamy pumpkin pie filling and a dollop of spiced whipped cream on top. its only downfall was the uncrispy torte shell. the two macarons were equally amazing; both light and fluffy, not too sweet, and slightly larger than the normal small-cookie size macaron. i particularly loved the mango (the mango flavor was faint, but for some reason, i couldn’t stop thinking about it).

i cannot wait to try some of the other pastries from financier, namely the marjolaine (coffee buttercream and chocolate ganache layered with almond meringue and covered in toasted almonds) and the chocolate caramel dome (chocolate cream, caramel mousse and vanilla biscuit). i’m definitely ready for round two.

lick (it’s real good)

ok, i’m not really a bossy girl, but…

if you are ever in hudson, new york, you must, you must, you must…

go to lick…

and…

order the fig and sweet cream ice cream. (what did you think i was going to say?)

even if you think you’re not a fig person, order it. one scoop. or make it a swing scoop (that you share with someone you want to love you forever. it’s that magical.)

the first, best thing you will discover is gently sweet, fully fresh, cream. (consider: is it not what ice cream is truly meant to be?)

and then what? not chunks of dried fig, violently thrown into the mix, a chewy reminder of the flavor i made you order, but fruit so delicately blended, it’s practically an end note.

ok, ok. there are other flavors, equally tempting and probably very good. if you go and order something else, like the “killer chocolate,” “butter pecan,” or “coffee brickle” and you think they might even be better, send an email. boss me around right back.

a final note: you won’t have to go all the way to hudson for a good lick–the shop’s ice cream is supplied by jane’s ice cream of kingston, new york. for a full list of all the fine establishments in the state of new york–and new jersey– that serve jane’s ice cream, click here.

***

lick is at 253 warren street, hudson, ny.

they’re open from 1-10pm, 7 days a week.

a southern feast

planning for a recent family birthday party quickly turned into a “what recipes have we been dying to try” gathering, as my sister-in-law and i reviewed all of the recent magazine clippings and dvr’d food network segments that we had stored. we settled on a southern theme and decided we’d need amped up versions of the classics: baked beans, pulled pork sliders, cole slaw, peach pie and a lemon pavlova (ok, that’s not southern, but we were all salivating at the thought of it).

all of the recipes were a success on their own, but together, they resulted in a divine southern feast. nothing hits the spot like a tangy, sweet, slow-cooked pulled pork, and tyler florence’s easy recipe certainly didn’t fail. we topped each toasted potato roll with a mound of pulled pork and a thin slice of cheddar cheese. also, i’ve never made pulled pork before, and i couldn’t believe how economical it was! the 7-lb shoulder only cost $8, and it easily fed 6 (plus leftovers)! 

the root beer baked beans from bon appetit were a little plain, but definitely hit the spot; however, next time i would use only half of the root beer, since the dish wasn’t as thick as i would have liked. the sweet and spicy cole slaw, on the other hand, took the sometimes too-mayonnaisey dish to an entirely new level! the recipe came from the blackberry farm cookbook, which was developed on the blackberry farm estate, a beautiful farm in tennessee famous for it’s award-winning food, cooking classes, and almost unimaginable picturesque setting.  their sweet and spicy foothills coleslaw carried far more flavor than it did mayo, and the kick from the spicy mustard, the sweetness from the brown sugar, and the tanginess from the malt vinegar just gave this dish so much life. and using both kinds of cabbage just made it look so beautiful!

as stuffed as we were from this feast, we all must have saved some space for dessert, since we each seemingly pretty decent sized slices of the lemon pavlova and the peach pie. the peach pie is a family recipe from my sister-in-law, jen, and the crust is just perfect! it’s salty, sweet and crumbly all at once, and can really be paired with any fruit. the lemon pavlova recipe she made, though, looked like it has been bought for sixty euros at a french bakery or something — it was gorgeous, and equally delicious! thin layers of lemon meringue over creamy lemon curd custard. the best dessert for any lemon lover. this photo does not even do the dessert justice.

now, i’m just wondering what the text themed dinner should be! any suggestions? greek? indian?