The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley

This is the beginning of what I do in January, which is to look at what other people thought were great books to read that were published the year before and then read a few of them. I had a particularly good year as a reader in 2009, but I managed to miss reading almost everything that came out that year that received critical acclaim. That is what 2010 is for apparently.
I made a prelimary list and went to the library and got what they had in, and this is the first book I finished, and if there is anything to momentum on a task, this book is a great place to have started. I really loved this book. It is a simple story, told by a mature 11 year old, and told well. Alan Bradley is a 70-year old first time novelist (older than I am, you see), so I am particularly enamored with he, as well as his tale.

The story's heroine is Flavia de Luce, a British girl in 1950, living in an unforgiving family that have encouraged her to be independent and resourceful. Her mother died when she was just a toddler, and Flavia is forever finding her things, and incorporating who she thinks her mother was into her everyday life. This is particularly funny, because Flavia reminds me quite a lot of harriet the Spy, and Flavia's mother's name was Harriet.
The mystery involves a corpse, a stamp, and a bird--each of them has a history (the corpse and the stamp rather more so than the bird) and the story unfolds with the interconnections between the three items, the people in her life and community that have links with them, and finally a solution to the crime, and all its component parts. Flavia is a budding chemist (I like the new trend towards science in literature for children--see the Simon Bloom books by Michael Reisman for another precocious 11-year old, this one with the secrets of physics at his fingertips). The thing I liked best about this was the protagonist's sense of humor, and her ability to find humor in most of her life, even the times of adversity. She's not exactly a good role model, but she has real joyeux de vie.
I would say you could read this starting at age ten on up to adulthood and it is highly recommended.

Happy New Year

I am somewhere between superstitious and cautious. I wouldn't plan a New Year's dinner around 'lucky' food, but when my husband got out a chicken to roast, I felt I had to draw the line. Chickens are thought to be unlucky because they scratch backwards, and birds are to be avoided because luck could fly away. Why tempt fate? The year that has just passed was on balance a good one, but it wasn't a great one. Events over the year contained a mix of good, very good, great, but also a number of challenges and some outright bad news. So avoiding chicken seemed to be playing it safe, if not exactly rational.
Instead of fowl, I opted for a New Year's version of corn chowder--with black eyed peas and ham for good luck.

Corn Chowder
1 onion, diced
10 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. olive oil
2 lbs. potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 lb. corn
8 c. stock
1-2 c. milk
salt and pepper to taste
garnish with sliced scallions
Sautee onions and garlic in olive oil. Add stock, corn, potatoes and simmer until potatoes are soft (at this point I added a can of black-eyed peas, and a cup of cubed ham). Add milk, salt, peper to taste. Garnish with something green when you serve it.

New Year's Eve Nostalgia

I'm gonna wait 'till the midnight hour
That's when my love comes tumbling down...

I spent many a New Year's Eve in my youth in the Bay area at Grateful Dead concerts. Once I had children, my parents babysat. That didn't stop me. Moving away and finally Garcia's death changed the routine. The annual string of shows around Chrismas, ending in the New Years Eve show was always a great party. It was usually not a particularly good musical event, but it was rarely a bad one. Occasionally it was phenomenal.

The quality of the pre-NYE shows musically was usually excellent, which made up for the NYE show being less than perfect. Most of the shows were general admission, and by the mid-1980's, tickets were available via mail order, which made the whole process fairly painless. The ritual began with arriving at the venue mid-day, sitting in line with friends, meeting new people in the crowd around us, perusing the offerings of T-shirts, food, and handmade crafts for sale, all of which made the hours before the doors open pass comfortably. We rarely sat on the floor, , so we had no real rush on entering. I preferred the Phil-side balcony location for both sound quality and view. Friends could find us there, we could people watch before the show began, and while concerts lasted 4 hours from start to finish, the experience was an all-day event, and one that I thoroughly enjoyed 9 times out of 10.
The New Years Eve show was another kettle of fish. There were tables of hats and party favors on tables as you entered the venue. Everyone was clad in tie-dye and a Happy New Year tiara, blowing a noise maker occasionally for good measure. We all looked very silly, which made it festive. Someone usually smuggled in some champagne. Clothing was loose, Indian skirts prevalent, and security a little lax, so swinging a bottle of champagne on a chord between your legs was not the impossibility it would be today. The show would open with other bands, and the Dead would come out and play two sets before midnight. Then things usually were not as planned--there was a midnight float that would usually have some kind of major malfunction--either mechanically or because of fan-intervention, and the band would come out for the third set amidst the chaos, never quite getting their rhythm back. Amidst the chacophanyk, lots of confetti would fall, there would be lots of jumping and dancing and kissing and screaming, and I miss it.

Feuerzangenbowle

Better known perhaps as fire-tongs-punch....or maybe not. Better known that way, I mean. It does translate to fire-tongs-punch. The Germans have a way with words. Not an inviting way. Kind of a straight forward yet circuitous way. Includes all elements equally rather than going for a way to convey the spirit of the thing. The set up is also decidely German in it's attention to detail and the specially and precisely designed tools involved. Scandinavians would call the final product Glögg--just mix it all together on the stove and serve it up. The name might derive from the sound one makes when ingesting it. Glögg, glögg, glögg all the way down the gullet. Feuerzangenbowle starts with mulled wine, which is placed in a set up much like for fondue--a pot on a rack over an open flame below. The feuerzangen, or fire tongs, is now replaced with an elegantly designed grate that holds the Zuckerhut, a large conical sugar "cube", that rests on the rims of the pot of mulled wine. The Zuckerhut is dowsed with high alchol content rum and set afire. It is gorgeous to watch and the pomp is well worth it. But there is a utilitarian aspect to the process--setting the sugar afire with rum serves to add carmelized sugar and fortification to the mulled wine below, delicious components of the taste of the final product.
We attended our second annual Feuerzangenbowle celebration of the upcoming New Year tonight, and it is definitely cool to watch, in a pyromaniacal sort of way. We had the traditional cookies with it, as well as fruit and nuts. It is a very festive way to celebrate a winter event.

Shake It Up

There are occasions when I read something that gives me an 'aha' moment, that succinctly crystalizes many pieces of information into a significant and new conclusion. Mark Bittman's column on becoming your own mixologist in a June, 2008 Minimalist column was just one such piece of writing (reminder--if there is a link associated with a blog post, you can just click on the title of the blog and it will take you there--which is the way to get to the Bittman piece in this case). It simplified the art of mixology down to it's componenet parts. It goes something like this: there is the alcohol of choice (rum, scotch, bourbon, , then there is achieving the perfect blend of the sweet and the sour elements to ones taste. So take bourbon for instance. You can add bitters and sweet vermouth for a Manhattan, or you can lemon and simple syrup for a Whiskey Sour. The proportions of the sweet to the sour matter, and are subject to individual preference. Bittman suggests that the key to mixing dozens of drinks rewquires nothing more than the raw ingredients and a knowledge of ones personal ratio preferences, and a can of a clear carbonated beverage to rectify the occasional error in judgement.

My children are moving out of our house and we are in the process of re-evaluating what we have two of that they could have one of, as well as what we have that could be upgraded to an improved device. In the pursuit of the perfect in-home mixologist, I got my husband a new cocktail shaker for the holiday season. I have already conceded that the position is unlikely to be filled by myself. I purchased the Metrokane Flip-Top Cocktail Shaker, and it has a number of improvements over the one we have been using--no lid to lose (that loss led to the demise of our 1950's shaker), insulated (so the drink does not get diluted too quickly), shapely and pleasing to the eye. A good addition.

Lessons Learned

It seems obligatory to do some kind of reflection on what has and has not been learned over the last twelve months this week, as one year winds down and another is beginning. this has been a year of change--I have a new job, and the kids have moved onward and upward in the developmental ladder, travels have been undertaken, and new places always come with new experiences.
In no particular order, and without attribution as to where the lesson was learned:
1. Figure out the right questions to ask and fact check the things that you think are important. Personally. It turns out, no one is better able to decide what you need to know than you. Sigh.
2. Look at the answers to the questions you ask. Do not take someone's word for it that things are "ok"--look at the data. This is a corellary of number one. Double sigh. May not save heartache, but it will save energy down the road. The problems surface more quickly with this method, so you don't waste time preparing answers for things that are not problems.
3. Finding time to participate in the creative side of life is time well spent. I don't do enough of it, but what I do is well rewarded.
4. Don't cross exercise out of your calendar, even for a few weeks--I did that in September, and am still trying to get it back--turns out it is hard to keep it in, but impossible to re-insert it. Don't make that mistake!
5. The time and money you spend traveling are worth the things you give up to be able to do it.
Things that have gone well this year are future focused planning, reading, cooking, and watching films--I hope to maintain all that.
What do I hope to do better next year?
1. Travel more. Less for work and more for me.
2. Parent more wisely (this will probably be on my 'To Do' list until the day I die...)
3. Exercise (see #4. above)
4. Quilt--I have been on a quilting hiatus, but it is time to put my embroidery away and start creating quilts again.

Cheesemakers I have Known

The sub-title of this should be "and loved". Pictured are Eric Randu from Montbardon, and Sarah Hoffmann from Green Dirt Farm. This summer I spend a week in the Haute-Alpes region of France visiting fromageries with Sarah and we met Eric through a friend of a friend.
The week did not represent the most cheese that I have ever eaten--that record goes to the time I attended the American Cheese Society's annual meeting. I would never have predicted that I could ever be sick of cheese, but at the end of the first 24 hours my palate was flagging and by the time I went home, I was glad to have the opportunity to buy many artisanal cheeses at the blow-out, end-of-meeting sale so that I could go home and taste them on my own schedule, doing them justice.

It was my third time in the mountains of France, but it was the first time I spent more time with animals than historic sites. The cheese of interest was Tomme de Savoie, and the very best we tasted was made by Eric Randu. His tomme was nutty and creamy, without any off flavors. Which is how I could also describe the cheesemaker. A man who has gusto and elan, fun to be with even when he is being very serious.

Tacos al Pastor

Oranges, pineapple, and lime are married in this dish to delicious results.
1 large white onion, chopped
1 pineapple, peeled, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick rounds (may substitute 1 c. pineapple juice)
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup cider vinegar
4 Tbs. chile powder
3 garlic cloves
2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano (preferably Mexican)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 2 1/2-to 3-pound boneless pork loin, cut into 1/2-inch slices--may use other cuts of pork

Directions:
Place chopped onion and chopped pineapple in blender. Add orange juice and next six ingredients; puree marinade until smooth. Place pork in large resealable plastic bag. Add marinade and seal bag, releasing excess air. Turn to coat. Chill at least 4 hours and up to 1 day.

Pan fry or grill pork.
Prepare corn tortillas as you like (steam, heat on grill, pan fry), as well as taco fixings (lettuce, pickled onions, pico de gallo, beans, salsa, avocado). Make twice as much as you think you will need because it is not unusual for guests to eat 6,7, or more tacos. If you are serving more than 4-5 people, be sure to get two packages of the 3 dozen corn tortillas.

Cranberry Upside-Down Cake

This was the hands down winner of "Best Dish" at dinner tonight. The recipe is adapted from Alice Water's cookbook, The Art of Simple Food. This cookbook is full of wonderfully detailed recipes for straightforward food, and a good helping of philosophy thrown in.
The Top:
1/2 c. Butter
1 1/2 c. brown sugar
5 c. fresh cranberries
1/2 c. Orange Juice
In frying pan over medium heat, add cranberries and juice, cook until cranberries pop. Then add butter and brown sugar, stir until butter melts and sugar is incorporated and mixture is bubbling. Place in a buttered 11" round cake pan.

The Cake:
1 c. butter
2 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
4 eggs
1 c. buttermilk
3 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1.4 tsp. salt
Cream butter and sugar, add vanilla and eggs and incorporate. Mix last 4 ingredients together, and add them alternating with the buttermilk--starting and ending with flour, until well mixed. Spoon batter on top of the cranberries in the cake pan and bake for 50 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool cake for 15 minutes and invert onto serving platter. The fruit can be varied--apples, pears, pineapple (the classic), rhubarb, peaches. All are marvelous.

Risotto with Grated Cheese

Risotto is one of the foods that reminds us that as humans, we can approach perfection. At it's best it is creamy, rich, flavorful, and chewy without being either mushy or crunchy. I love it many different ways, although this week we had it with osso bucco and it was simple--I also love it with seafood and scallions, with mushrooms, with asparagus, and so many other ways. I also like to take a small container of a leftover and stir it in at the end of the basic recipe.

The very best way to make it is in a pressure cooker. This recipe is adapted from 'Cooking Under Pressure' by Lorna Sass.

RISOTTO WITH GRATED CHEESE
2 T olive oil
1/2 c. finely minced onions
3-4 cloves garlice minced
1-1/2 c. Arborio rice (Carnaroli or Maratelli can be used--click on 'Risotto with Grated Cheese' above to get to link for Lotus Foods, a good on-line resource for rice)
3-1/2 to 4+ c. stock (chicken or vegetable for lighter flavor, beef or lamb for a more robust flavor)
1 c grated cheese--parmesan, tomme, gruyere work well, but bits of whatever you have is also good)
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil in the pressure cooker. Saute the onions and garlic until soft but not brown, about 2 min. Stir in the rice, making sure to coat it thoroughly with the olive oil and browned a bit--another 2 minutes. Stir in 3-1/2 c of the stock.
Lock the lid in place and over high heat bring to hig pressure. Adjust the heat to maintain high pressure and cook for 6 min. Reduce pressure with a quick-release method (see below). Remove the lid, tilting it away from you to allow any excess steam to escape.
Taste the rice, and if it's not sufficiently cooked, add a bit more stock as you stir. Cook over medium heat until the additional liquid has been absorbed and the rice is desired consistency, another minute or two. When the rice is ready, stir in the grated cheese, add salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately. At the end you can also stir in vegetables and meat. Great way to use up small amounts of leftovers.