Meringue Challenge

I’ve been going through old photos (in a digital sense, which means I’m clicking on folders), and I came across this photo from my trip to Ireland of the Husband’s and my 3rd anniversary:

Strawberry Merguines

This is a pile of meringues — strawberry, I think — from a bake shop in Galway called Gourmet Tart Company. I didn’t get to try them. It was too late in the day when we got there and the shop girl told me that they sell out of these amazing confections by noon. And regardless, they wouldn’t consider selling them past noon anyway because the consistency would have been shot (too chewy).

I’m feeling inspired. I want to recreate these meringues I never tasted. My dear friend Lisa is coming into town next week…the same one with which I made those scones eons ago. Perhaps she’ll join me in the challenge? I’ll keep you updated. In the mean time…aren’t these just divine?

***Ooh! Edited to add this link to Travel Sweet. Apparently I’m not the only one to have been denied a meringue on a quality contingency!

Bottle Warfare

You knew a baby-related post was bound to sneak in here. But since I do more food-prep with bottles these days than I do with my Kitchen Aid, I thought you might give me a free pass and consdier this entry at least partially in the baking category.

Long story short: For the first three months of Baby E’s life, she was not enthused about taking the bottle. Daddy C and some stalwart friends could get her to take the Dr. Brown’s every once in a while, but she would mostly just chew on the nipple and dribble the rest of the bottle out on her onsie. And as a result, Mama Me was freaked–freaked that I’d go back to work and my wee-one would starve and scream herself to death because I’d failed to introduce her to the bottle early  enough in my selfish desire to nurse and cuddle her.

So, like I’ve done with piping tips and fondant and baking pans, I proceeded to purchase just about every model on the shelf. A particular draw? Anything that sported the assurance:  “best of breastfed babies.” Picture me going through the store and sweeping an entire shelf of  “desperate mother” bottles into the cart and you’d have it about right.  Below you see the collection I amassed.

(Left to right) Adiri Level 3 and 2, Breastflow, Dr. Brown's (two variations), Avent and Playtex Drop-In

Oatmeal-To-Go “Muffins”

I had a breakfast in Burlington, Vt., a few years back that I’ve wanted to recreate but never got around to it. Now that I’m a busy mom of a 3-month-old and going back to work, I’m inspired to finally give it a whirl.

The original was a steel-cut oatmeal cake topped with whipped cream, fresh berries and maple syrup. The oatmeal is prepared,  poured into a baking pan, cooled in the fridge and then individual, square servings are cut out and placed under the broiler to get all the edges browned and crisp. It was oatmeal the way your mother never made it and I could have eaten by the brick. The way the berries and cream and syrup ran down into the cracks of the oatmeal cake, like water over stones…oh…so tasty.

My version adds some portability, though it admittedly lacks the same flair. Instead of a cake, I’ve turned it into a muffin and baked the fruit and syrup into it. I’ve omitted the cream, too (though in the picture, I’ve added a little half-and-half and maple syrup for kicks). I eat these hot or cold, and they can be frozen and reheated at work for an oaty pick-me-up.

Oatmeal-To-Go "Muffins"

The Recipe:

4 cups old fashioned oatmeal

4 cups water

1 tsp salt

1 diced apple

1/2 cup dried dates

1 cup crushed walnuts

3 Tbs. maple syrup (Grade B from Morse Farm)

Liberal dash of cinnamon

Brown sugar for topping (optional)

Oatmeal mash

Preheat oven to 350 F. Bring water and salt to a boil. Add oatmeal. Lower heat to medium and cook oats for approx. 5 minutes. Oatmeal mixture should be thick. Remove from heat and add apples, dates and walnuts (and feel free to vary the fruit and nuts to your liking). Stir in and then add maple syrup and cinnamon. Spoon heaping helpings into a greased 12-count muffin tin (approx. 1/3 cup in each hole). Sprinkle tops with brown sugar if you like. Omit if you’re counting calories. Place in oven for 25 minutes so tops can get browned and a bit crisp. Remove and let cool. Serve as you see fit.

Fresh from the oven

Courage – Live Recordings

The last two weekends have been a flurry of action as the workshop production of Couragewas underway, first at Chief Ike’s Mambo Room in Adam’s Morgan and then in the blackbox at Capitol Hill Arts Workshop.

It was a trippy way to reenter the performance scene, and I had a blast working with the band, jamming and letting go (kinda) of my inhibitions about playing in front of a crowd. My mandolin enjoyed her time in the spotlight.

Want to listen to recordings from the final performance? Click here to visit the dog & pony dc Courageblog with all the sound files. In addition to playing in the band, I sang on “Home.” Two of the four performances I managed to stay on beat through the whole song. Sadly, this is not one of them. Sorry, Milo.

We’re going to do a studio recording in a few weeks. If I’m allowed to post those songs, I will.

Savage Chicken Spice

Savage Chickens is one of my favorite comics that I check out online every Monday – Friday. Today’s had a vague baking theme and therefore I share it with you.

Practice Makes Play

We had our first all-cast rehearsal for Courage last night. We did a round-robin read-through with the band playing the various songs we’ve been rehearsing the last few weeks. The violinist and I were the only ones going acoustic up against the guitar, bass, accordian and drums…which was actually kinda freeing for the first “performance.”

I’m still pretty shakey on a lot of the chord changes and strumming patterns, so it was lovely to know not many people would hear me if I goofed up. And also nice to know I could experiment in the realms I was comfortable in to make the performance as much of a practice session as any other.

More practice on Tuesday night! Playtime continues.

Exploding Chicken…or Why I Prefer Baking to Cooking

I often get asked by people why I enjoy baking more than cooking. Here is why…

Honey, thanks for cooking such a delicious and well-rounded dinner for me!

But wait...there's something missing. Shouldn't the entree be around here somewhere between the green beans and the potatoes?

Rehearsing to Be a Gypsy Punk

I spent last night rehearsing with the band for Courage. It was exceedingly cool. The crew was composed of a guitarist, bassist, drummer, violinist, accordionist and me on mandolin. The sound was so…full. It was the first time I’d played with that many people, not to mention played to be heard (rather than just blend into the background).

This Sunday we’ll play for the cast, so I guess it’s a little like our first performance. Maybe more like a try-out. If I can just hit that stupid Bb, I’ll be content. 

I’ll see if I can get the ok from the musical director to record a bit of a song or rehearsal for a preview here.

Sugar In The Air — The National Capital Area Cake Show

On Saturday, the Mum-in-Law and I went to the National Capital Area Cake Show in Burke, Va., to view the spectacle and splendor of cake writ large. I’ve been to two shows at this point, but this (oh god, I can’t help it) took the cake. (I know…I know…sorry.)

One of the many cakes competing in the show.

Baking Something New

Hey all,

So I dropped off the face of the blogging earth, huh? Sorry to those who were checking this page out with any regularity. But it makes me laugh a little when I look at the date of my last post — October 29, 2008 — because just a week later I learned I had already embarked on my most ambitious baking project yet. Wink, wink, nudge, nudge. Me and the Mister are gonna have a kiddo, you see! So I’m hoping you forgive my multi-month absence, as well as what is likely to continue to be a lazy updating schedule.

You know what’s weird? With every week that goes by, my mandolin moves just a little further away from me. The kiddo seems to enjoy the music, though. Speaking of…I’ve been given a really cool opportunity to play and sing in an upcoming workshop production of Courage — a take on Mother Courage and Her Children by Bertolt Brecht. I’ll be one of the minstrel rabble and we’re performing all original music…very gypsy punk stuff. Way out of my comfort zone (but then again, what isn’t at this point?) but so much fun to fiddle with. Lots of minor chords and trills going on…much stretching of the fingers.

It’ll go up early May and is being put on by Dog & Pony DC, a DC theater company run by three terrifically creative ladies. You can keep up with how Courage unfolds on their blog. And I’ll probably be babbling about it here, too.

Cheers, for now!