Healthy Fear

This is a list of some things that I avoid for no really good reason. I am not a picky person but each of these things throws up a internal orange flag and I need to stop the boat so I don't run over the skier. The fears are mostly ungrounded but nonetheless real. A few of the mentions are listed for good reason. Keep in mind, I don't mind YOU trying them and using them and loving them. Many will be happy to know I have overcome my fear of mint but not green food coloring in excess.

1. milk chocolate chips
2. pumpkin flavored cold food
3. wild rice (is it really all rice, or are there other plants/twigs? mind you, i eat it but do not cook with it.)
4. white cooked cellaphane-y asian noodles that are too thick and too soft. (they look like brains which i have eaten but did not love.)
5. tube pans
6. cheesecake (and most cream cheese-based dishes)
7. carrot cake that weighs over 12 lbs. (once i was made to lug a carrot sheet cake for an event and the orange flag was born that day.)
8. cookies from a mix (i embrace packaged cookies in general.)
9. vegetable oil (i would use any amount of butter any day.)
10. sugared nuts in salad (i roast and toast but do not sweeten the savory and perfect nut.)

Remember?

The castle of Cair Paravel on its little hill towered up above them; before them were the sands, with rocks and little pools of salt water, and seaweed, and the smell of the sea and long miles of bluish-green waves breaking for ever and ever on the beach. And oh, the cry of the sea-gulls! Have you heard it? Can you remember?

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

I don't know about you but it seems awfully summertime to me. My interest in seasonal food is renewed. Having come across tomato pie in a plethora of cookbooks, you can be sure I'll try it this summer. Also on the hotplate would be coleslaw with celery seed. I just found a nice recipe in The Junior League at Home, Carolina Coleslaw with Celery Seed Dressing. No mayo but the dressing is boiled. And, it calls for cider vinegar. As I am a sucker for marinated cabbage, the Mango-Cabbage Slaw is also a draw. Since we're talking salad, Virginia Bicentennial Chicken Salad is making me hungry. Soy sauce and water chestnuts are involved as are pineapple tidbits.

And, since we're talking cookbooks, I am under the influence of Dorie Greenspan's Paris Sweets. There is a very seasonal creation I plan to see to fruition. My days are filled with the question, "when?" It is a mite involved from crust to pastry cream to orange marshmallows to strawberries at their peak. My current radar is programmed to find potato starch to dust the marshmallow pans. Once found, I will be on my way.

Saffron, or Why You Should Take a Trip

My favorite freeway exit downtown is Washington Street. It housed the Pier 1 outlet which peaked for a short time, became mostly seconds, and then a place I never went. Years ago I purchased a headboard there. Recently it gave up the ghost and become a vacant building and canvas for graffiti art. I wonder about its rebirth.

The thing about Washington is you take a left turn and then a right onto India Street. The corner is gelato, Saffron is midway down, and Shakespeare's pub corners it off. You either turn left and go up the hill or you turn right into El Indio's parking lot. Might I suggest the lot? I have spent some quality time at El Indio especially when I first moved to this fair region and have Scout to thank for indoctrinating me. I recall with fondness the mini bean and cheese burrito, the paprika chips, the taquitos. We have enjoyed it to the fullest. I've been to the gelato place a couple times, and never to Shakespeare's pub. I heard it was so-so. Saffron was an unknown.

Katya introduced me to Saffron, and specifically the tofu salad rolls. The rolls are made in the morning. You walk into the baby pocket of a shop and order, calling out the sauce preference. I get peanut and a spicy sweet. The three salad rolls are wrapped in cool white parchment and stuffed with tofu, carrots, lettuce, mint, white noodles, and more. The sauce is potable. For under $5, one walks away with perfection.

I know I'm ignoring Old Town, and I'm turning a blind eye to Sassafrass, an exit I avoid for airport popularity. When I drive to the airport I get off at Washington and drive the rest of the way to the airport, turning right on Sassafrass and left onto the big street. It is my affection for Washington and India and my dislike of the road most travelled. A personal quest if you will. Every trip to the airport should include a stop on India Street for some homey vittels. It's hard to go wrong.

Of Cooking and Fanatics

Sometimes (on that rare occasion) I become enthused. A small number of these instances progresses off the chart. This is one of those times. For no reason, I read Cooking for Mr. Latte by Amanda Hesser a few months ago. I thought it was entertaining, fun, somewhat meaningful, and chock full of recipes (being something that I admit to treasuring). I may have recommended it to someone, or not. Then, I came across a copy of the book at the DM library sale and picked it up, remembering the recipes (I had photocopied some). I reviewed the book and shortly thereafter became possessed. Everyone must read this book. Ok, everyone is overstatement. I mean those who care for cooking which is a large number of my cohorts. Some of the recipes are listed here. Today I made two batches of Beans and Tomatoes with Vinaigrette. At Easter, I took Chocolate Chunk-Pecan-Coconut Cookies to dinner. See recipes below. My paperback copy is lent. Last week I visited the new Encinitas library and found a signed hard copy in the Friends of the Library store. I gasped and bought it. The cover is different; I prefer the pb cover. I admit to perusing this book a little every day. It is an illness. I am going to visit the familia and decided not to take any books with me. I needed a new start. As you may guess, I decided tonight to take Mr. Latte. Perhaps this phase will wane. But, in the meantime . . .

Beans and Tomatoes in Vinaigrette

Sea salt
1 pound green beans, trimmed
3 ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 T Dijon mustard
1 T red wine vinegar
Pinch of sugar (I accidentally left this out and did not miss it)
1/4 C best-quality olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper

1. Fill a medium saucepan with water. Season generously with salt. Bring to a rolling boil, and add the beans. Cook until tender on the edges but still quite crisp, about 4 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water. Dry on a towel. Cut the beans in half, then combine in a large serving bowl with the tomatoes.
2. Whisk together the mustard and vinegar with a pinch of sugar and a pinch of sea salt (I forgot both pinches). Gradually whisk in the oil, letting it thicken and emulsify as you go. Pour the dressing over the beans and tomatoes and toss to mix. It's okay if the dressing pools in the bottom of the bowl. Someone can later mop it up with bread or spoon it over their potatoes or lamb. Season generously with freshly ground black pepper and toss once more. Let sit for at least 15 minutes before serving.
Salad for 4.

Chocolate Chunk-Pecan-Coconut Cookies

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 C sugar
1 C packed light brown sugar
2 t vanilla extract
3 large eggs
3 C all-purpose flour
1 t baking soda
Pinch sea salt
24 ounces best-quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped into chunks, shreds and all
2 C toasted chopped pecans
1 C grated coconut

1. Preheat the oven to 325F. Grease 2 large baking sheets. In a mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk, cream the butter with the sugar and light brown sugar until it's good and fluffy like a mousse. Add the vanilla and eggs and keep beating until it's smooth.
2. In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda and salt. Add it to the mixer in small portions, beating it on low until blended in before adding more. Once the dry ingredients are all in there, pour in the chocolate, pecans and coconut. Fold them in by hand, with a spatula—it is a bit of a workout, but the best way to coat the ingredients evenly.
3. My mother likes to chill the dough a little (30 minutes or so) before baking, which helps the cookies hold their shape better when baking. Then she uses an ice cream scoop to drop the dough onto the sheets. She flattens them lightly with her fingers, so they spread evenly. They should be about 1/2 inch thick and 2 inches around before baking. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until lightly browned on the edges and cooked in the center. Cool on racks. Store in a cookie tin.
Two dozen large cookies.

A Claim and Honor: A Field of Books

Charlotte's Web by E.B. White was published in 1952. In 1953, the Newbery Medal went to Secret of the Andes by Ann Nolan Clark. Honor (runners-up) books included Charlotte's Web, Moccasin Trail by Eloise Jarvis McGraw, Red Sails to Capri by Ann Weil, The Bears on Hemlock Mountain by Alice Dalgliesh, and Birthdays of Freedom, Vol. 1 by Genevieve Foster. White swimming respectfully in an honored sea of women. And what of the Andean secret? Do you know it?

As you are aware, the Newbery Medal "is awarded annually by the American Library Association for the most distinguished American children's book published the previous year." Named for the eighteenth century bookseller, John Newbery, who perhaps stocked an inordinate number of children's books or perchance fathered 16 children. In either case, it is the first children's book award in the world.

The 1922 Newbery stated aim is threefold:
To encourage original creative work in the field of books for children.
To emphasize to the public that contributions to the literature for children deserve similar recognition to poetry, plays, or novels.
To give those librarians, who make it their life work to serve children's reading interests, an opportunity to encourage good writing in this field.

I find each point bracing in its humanity and shot with sadness. First, the chance to win a medal (i.e., fame, honor, possibly fortune) encourages creativity in books for children. Second, the committee of writers saw fit to publish a statement of human rights: Children's books deserve equality. And last, the interest of loyal librarians plays as cheerleaders in the hometown game. They can enourage good writing! You got to want it to win it and they want it more. I don't know what they are doing mixed up with authors and the creation of literature unless the Newbery people knew that reading would influence the rising generation to write. Charlotte's egg sac.

In Review: The Olives Table

My friend R presented me The Olives Table some years ago (2002 from the inscription). I immediately rejoiced. She was surprised and vaguely bored I had heard of it. R is often vaguely bored. Written by chef Todd English and food writer Sally Sampson, it is a repeated source of dream. In fact, I have not made much from it (just the Sweet Potato Soup), but have earmarked numerous pages, and for about the whole time I’ve had it, pined to make Green Apple Risotto with Cabbage and Bacon. The liquid is apple juice and water. This is a welcome change from most risotto. I have never made risotto, but when I do, it will be an event. This dish is an “interesting accompaniment to duck, chicken, or pork.”

Other recipes that need to be created: Carl’s Pagoda-Inspired Tomato Soup (in late summer or early fall), Roasted Cumin Carrots (roasted carrots are a staple here and this with cumin, cilantro, garlic, and feta send a whiff of pleasure), Apple Fennel Mashed Potatoes (includes rosemary, apple cider), mostly Tahini-Marinated Chicken with Honey, Yogurt, and Ginger Sauce (in Todd’s words, it is “simply luscious”), and the interesting Steamed Tagine of Halibut with Morrocan-Spiced Spaghetti Squash. More than one of these dishes boasts a yogurt sauce. This is appealing for the salt and herbs. Plain yogurt is my friend. A simple raita is heaven. If I went mad I would make the Gingersnap Risotto Pudding and serve with fresh blueberries. On a moment’s reflection, I would make this for RB if a visit were eminent. Some people love crystallized ginger.



I enjoy Todd English for his name, his dramatic hair, and his way of teaching. He is a man who often chews “on a stalk [of fennel] while [he is] working in the kitchen” because he finds the sweet anise-like flavor refreshing. We dined once at Olives in Las Vegas. I chiefly remember the flat bread with sweet (probably fig) jam and perhaps prosciutto. One day I hope to visit his Boston restaurant and work my way around an olive pit. For now, his book is inspired and highly useful to the home cook.

In Dream: Leave Everything Else Behind

Last night I dreamed my neighbor gave me two Sea-Doos. The intent was I could sell them for money. They were magnificent and in truth, one was a small boat. My neighbor is in her 90s and though sharper than most people's wit, she doesn't have Sea-Doos. I bet she has ridden on one to two. In the dream, I contemplated keeping the crafts and then talked myself out of it. Though fun, I only have fun rarely. The money was the correct choice.

I love water and watercraft but I've never planned to own Sea-Doos. I would choose to dream of being in a garden or a rain forest or meet an enchanting person.

As a child, I had the dream of dreams. It was the feeling that magnified its success. I woke euphoric. It was a library. The volumes were shades of pink, mostly hot pink like a Barbie library. It was tall like a library in Beauty and the Beast. I marveled.

My dad would have a recurring nightmare of a horse scratching him. Just lifting its hoof and reaching out to scratch him. For nightmare, I had shoreline scariness of water and sinking and sand. When I am stressed, I dream I'm falling. I hardly ever remember dreams. And, when I do, they are not normally important to my waking life.

I know the Lord speaks to people in dreams in scripture. I love that and have always wanted to experience it. Speaking to them in story or even in detail. I still wait. But, I do remember on my mission I had a dream that led to a visit of a family in the branch congregation. The husband told us later it saved them. We had no idea what was going on, but a small visit by two missionaries led them to make a right choice that kept their family together. I find a lot of spiritual experiences I have are for other people. For the most part, when I pray for others. But don't worry, both parties benefit from heaven's benevolence.

Mosaic

I wanted to exhibit a project recently completed for a friend's birthday. It is the continent of Africa in buttons, stretched on wood frames. The notion of button art came direct from T who made a Christmas present for A. A bird for each family member. And, sewed the branches and bird legs to boot.

I was happy to find a way to use this method and it is now on the wall.

The pearlized buttons shimmer like water.




The buttons are from my mum, Sue T, Scout, and a quilt shop in La Mesa, thanks to Susan's directive.

Wallpaper: A Note to Self

On my computer desktop at this moment I have 47 digital stickie notes. Forty-one of these stickie notes are recipes. The recipes remain in the stickie zone until they are proved and as stickies were perhaps intended, a reminder. There’s roasted curried cauliflower, sautéed tangerine shrimp, chile blanco, and salted fudge brownies. Spicy slaw, bolo de amêndoa, zucchini carpaccio salad, and lemony potato salad with olives, corn, and cashews. Citrus and avocado salad with honey vinaigrette and touch-of-grace biscuits.

What of establishment fare? Du-Par’s steak pot pie, traditional sunset salad from “21” Club, and Blue Chip chocolate chip cookies. My family breakfasted at Du-Par’s in Glendale under the tall bank tower. My father ordered two eggs any style (sunny side up) with hash browns, wheat toast, and decaf. Inevitably, he ordered bear claws to end the fast.

The eggplant ricotta bake I made in November is still listing on screen. I wasn’t wild about it the first day and will definitely drain the ricotta next time, but I thoroughly enjoyed doses of leftovers and have since repeatedly thought about its tomato-y goodness. The stickie note stays for now.

I can’t think of something I don’t love about a recipe—where it came from, when it was served, why it was created, what works with it and what doesn’t, family favorites. Handwriting, recipe card choice, the story.

Two recipes have been made to acclaim—fresh ginger and chocolate gingerbread and buckwheat butter cookies with cocoa nibs. From Dorie Greenspan and Alice Medrich, respectively. How to save them now? I prefer RB’s old-fashioned gingerbread recipe above this one, but this has chocolate icing and the real ginger is a draw. The buckwheat cookies have been made so often, I like having the recipe handy.

For dessert, gâteau au chocolat fondant de Nathalie, peanut ice cream, cardamom and lemon rice pudding made in a slow cooker, s’more brownies, chocolate candied orange peel. And from a stickie on the Taylor’s refrigerator door, Grandma’s coconut pecan frosting.

Home Movies

As I came home from Christmas, I added a DVD to the small private collection. I rarely buy movies. If I rent, I go to the library just down the street. They have a good selection and I can order from other county libraries if they don't have one I want to see. Just now, I have La Vie en Rose ordered. I thought I would post the movies here that I have. It is fun to see what people have and why. When someone asks your favorite movie, you may hedge and stumble and be rendered dumb. Overload. One of my favorite movies is Howards End. It has a lot going for it. It is like literature on screen. Here is the list of DVDs and videotapes respectively.

Marie Antoinette (Christmas gift)
Sense and Sensibility ($5 from Target)
Babette's Feast (gift)
To Catch a Thief (gift)
Cyrano de Bergerac
Finding Neverland
Chocolat
The Phantom of the Opera (gift)
Il Postino
The Birds (gift)
Wuthering Heights (gift)
Charade
Toy Story (gift)
Breakfast at Tiffany's
Jane Eyre (gift)
The Parent Trap (gift)
The Black Stallion
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
The Pearl

Little Women
Kate and Leopold
Howards End
Henry V
Cry, the Beloved Country
Out of Africa
The Way We Were
An Ideal Husband
The Age of Innocence
Emma
The Remains of the Day
Cinema Paradiso
My Mother’s Castle
My Father’s Glory
Au Revoir Les Enfants
Sabrina
Funny Face
My Fair Lady
Roman Holiday
Paris When It Sizzles
Breakfast at Tiffany’s

I gave up marking which are gifts and which are not. They are mostly gifts.

In the Beginning

Well, I can't wait any longer. PLEASE DO NOT READ THIS POST IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE PREVIOUS POST. Like Harry Potter season, there are spoilers.

Here are the answers:

1. The Age of Innocence, Edith Wharton
2. Smilla's Sense of Snow, Peter Høeg
3. Confessions of Felix Krull, Confidence Man (The Early Years), Thomas Mann
4. Stones for Ibarra, Harriet Doerr
5. James and the Giant Peach, Roald Dahl
6. A Year in Provence, Peter Mayle
7. Island of the Blue Dolphins, Scott O'Dell

I'm sorry to say no one wins a prize for guessing (right or wrong) all of them. I don't blame you . . . really. Now you can redeem yourselves.

And now the challenge. Please write a fantastic first line to your book and post it here. I expect all of you to participate.

I'm working on mine.

First Lines

Here is an assortment of story beginnings. For the first who guesses (correct or incorrect) the book titles, there will be a special prize (not a hug, as my nephew offered to give me this week for guessing something incredible). The answers will be posted in several days. Knock yourselves out.

Here they are as found on my bookshelf:

1. On a January evening of the early seventies, Christine Nilsson was singing in Faust at the Academy of Music in New York.
2. It's freezing—an extraordinary 0 degrees Fahrenheit—and it's snowing, and in the language that is no longer mine, the snow is qanik—big, almost weightless crystals falling in clumps and covering the ground with a layer of pulverized white frost.
3. As I take up my pen at leisure and in complete retirement—in good health, furthermore, though tired, so tired that I shall only be able to proceed by short stages and with frequent pauses for rest—as I take up my pen, then, to commit my confessions to this patient paper in my own neat and attractive handwriting, I am assailed by a brief misgiving about the educational background I bring to an intellectual enterprise of this kind.
4. Here they are, two North Americans, a man and a woman just over and just under forty, come to spend their lives in Mexico and already lost as they travel cross-country over the central plateau.
5. Here is James Henry Trotter when he was about four years old.
6. The year began with lunch.
7. I remember the day the Aleut ship came to our island.

Jolly Holidays: We were Merry

My brother has recorded an event from our holiday season. Guesses as to what movie we saw?

Over the Christmas season we were pleased to reacquaint ourselves with relatives visiting from California. One evening midway through their visit, in front of a roaring fire, we watched a movie.

We would later pen the following list:

+ Top 5 Signs Your Party Guests May Dislike Your Movie +

1. "Is this a full-length movie?" (Expected answer: "No.")

2. "Is the whole movie like this?" (Feared answer: "Like what?")

3. Facial expressions of disbelief, pain, or despair when other viewers are laughing.

4. Upon movie's completion: "I could have spent this time ... (fill in the blank)."

5. A strong belief the movie was longer than its actual length: "It was only 84 minutes?!"

On Tap: Hearth and Home

If you know my brother, you know he is a hot chocolate enthusiast. The interesting thing is his chocolate of choice is Stephen's or Swiss Miss. He is a purist in this sense. He does pump on some whipped cream. This is his mug of choice.



It is a Harry Potter mug by Johnson Bros. There is a selection of about 6 HP mugs on the mug tree.

This is my favorite mug for hot c.



It is from Hawaii and I believe we received them (there are two) from my mother's mother. I am basically the only one who uses them which is just fine with me. Tonight I enjoyed Stephen's Cinnamon Chocolate or Chocolate Cinnamon. The cinnamon is very minor. Sometimes food or drink without strong taste can be described as friendly. I can't take rich chocolate ever since I suffered from a chocolate frozen drink at Chuao. To say it was potent is understatement. It was a wrenching experience and my stomach has not been the same.

2007 in Brief and 2008 in Dream

Two Thousand Seven

Made me gasp: harrowing rise in Kiehl's skin care pricing.
Highly enjoyable: the card swap group and pertaining card creations
Most memorable book: The Great Fire by Shirley Hazzard
Poetry of interest: from Author Mary Oliver
New perfume: Miette pour Moi by L'Artisan Parfumeur Paris

Two Thousand Eight

Write a book of poetry or verse
Obtain authentic fleur de sel at any cost
Display favorite dishes in a glass fronted cabinet
Display LEGO magnets
Practice b/w photography

End of Year Spring Clean

Gone are the days of airing out the mattress ticking and beating the curtains in the prairie breeze. I feel a bit left out I have never slept on a hay filled mattress. Feathers is the closest I've come to nature. The season changes are a good time to let go and begin anew.

Our new year is also traditional. I have committed to deleting much of my email inbox before 2008 dawns. This may be my only nod at a fresh start. I do have several goals for the new year though which is good for me (obviously I need to make some changes . . . ). Often I have none, but possess a trace desire to improve this or that. I may improve on that record this year. What is in your book of tricks?

Anniversary of the Death of the Testator

What did you do on Dec. 10? According to my very accurate calendar, I did nothing. I went to my journal and see I ate dinner at Milton's with my friend G. We then went across the parking lot to Book Works and browsed. I didn't work as much as I had planned. I ordered some books for gifts (which arrived yesterday in case you care). I spoke on the phone to A. And, I made buckwheat butter cookies with cocoa nibs. Strange, I also made them yesterday. They are quite yummers.

And you?

On Dec. 10, my goal in life is to be in Sweden for the Nobel Award presentations and of course, the banquet. It happens every year and if the weather holds, I'll be around for a few more Dec. 10s at least. I am hopeful.

Doris Lessing did not make it to see her award for literature to physical fruition: the diploma, the medal, and the prize money. I imagine she stayed in the comfort of home in front of the fire.

But, if I went to the ceremony and the banquet, I would want to leave with a diploma. I don't need or want a medal. I would feel beholden to the Royal Family if they gave me a significant spot of money.

But, that diploma is right up my alley. I have a weakness for paper products in general and anything in ink. This is Orhan Pamuk's diploma from 2006 in literature. And, dramatist Harold Pinter's from 2005.

If you are unfortunate enough to be asked to share your Nobel with another or several, your diploma will be similar but different. A variation on a theme as it were.

I may need to marry into the Royal Family or become a chef to them to attend, but I look forward to it nonetheless.

From the Sidelines

Imagine a morning in late November. A coming of winter morning more than twenty years ago. Consider the kitchen of a spreading old house in a country town. A great black stove is its main feature; but there is also a big round table and a fireplace with two rocking chairs placed in front of it. Just today the fireplace commenced its seasonal roar.

A woman with shorn white hair is standing at the kitchen window. She is wearing tennis shoes and a shapeless gray sweater over a summery calico dress. She is small and sprightly, like a bantam hen; but, due to a long youthful illness, her shoulders are pitifully hunched. Her face is remarkable—not unlike Lincoln's, craggy like that, and tinted by sun and wind; but it is delicate too, finely boned, and her eyes are sherry-colored and timid. "Oh my," she exclaims, her breath smoking the windowpane, "it's fruitcake weather!"

The above is the start of Capote's A Christmas Memory, a story to make you hum.

I decided on mostly sides for our Thanksgiving dinner. This is the final menu.

corn casserole

cider-glazed carrots

green beans with sage and pancetta

roasted turkey

read all about it rolls

southwestern cornbread stuffing

mashed potatoes

cranberry sauce

gravy

all-in-one holiday bundt cake

tollhouse pie

pumpkin pie

apple pie

We decided there was not a dud in the bunch. I strongly recommend the carrots, beans, and stuffing. The holiday bundt cake was wonderful and a brilliant solution for non-pie people (like moi). I think I was done eating by then but will enjoy it more in a few days. I've linked two recipes above and here are the remaining two.

Southwestern Corn Bread Stuffing
The All-New Good Housekeeping Cookbook

2 C yellow cornmeal
2 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1 t salt
2 C buttermilk
1/2 C butter (1 stick), melted and cooled
1 can (14 3/4 oz) cream-style corn
2 cans (4 to 4 1/2 oz each) chopped mild green chiles
8 oz Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (2 C)
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 C chicken broth

Prepare corn bread: Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Grease 13" x 9" baking pan or deep oven-safe 12-inch skillet.

In large bowl, with spoon, mix cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir in buttermilk, melted butter, corn, chiles, cheese, and eggs and mix until thoroughly blended. Pour batter into baking pan.

Bake corn bread until top is browned and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 60 to 65 minutes. Cool corn bread in pan on wire rack. (The cornbread can be used after cooling to make stuffing, but it will make a firmer stuffing if allowed to stale slightly. If desired, cover and reserve corn bread up to 2 days.

Prepare stuffing: Crumble corn bread into large bowl. Drizzle with broth; toss to mix well. Use to stuff 12- to 16-pound turkey, or serve in baking dish alongside poultry or ham: Spoon stuffing into greased 13" by 9" baking dish; cover with foil and bake in preheated 325 degree F oven until heated through, about 45 minutes. Makes about 11 cups stuffing.


All-in-One Holiday Bundt Cake
Baking: From My Home to Yours, Dorie Greenspan

2 C flour
2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
2 t ground cinnamon
1/4 t freshly grated nutmeg
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 t grated fresh ginger (or 1 t ground ginger)
1 1/4 sticks (10 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 C sugar
1/2 C (packed) light brown sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 t pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 C canned unsweetened pumpkin puree
1 large apple, peeled, cored, and finely chopped
1 C cranberries, halved or coarsely chopped
1 C pecans, coarsely chopped

Getting ready: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9- to 10-inch (12-cup) Bundt pan. Don't place the pan on a baking sheet—you want the oven's heat to circulate freely through the Bundt's inner tube.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and ground ginger, if you're using it (not the grated ginger).

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter and both sugars together at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, and beat for 1 minute after each addition. Beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the pumpkin, chopped apple, and grated ginger, if you're using it—don't be concerned if the mixture looks curdled. Still on low speed, add the dry ingredients, mixing only until they are incorporated. With a rubber spatula, stir in the cranberries and pecans. Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the top with the rubber spatula.

Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Transfer the cake to a rack and cool for 10 minutes before unmolding, then cool to room temperature on the rack.

Just before bringing the cake to the table, dust it with confectioners' sugar.

Playing around
Maple Syrup Icing
To make a maple-flavored icing for the cake, sift 6 T confectioners' sugar into a bowl. Stir in 2 T maple syrup. Add more maple syrup little by little, until you have an icing that runs nicely off the tip of the spoon—you might need another 1/2 T syrup to get the right consistency. Put the cooled cake on a sheet of wax paper and drizzle the icing from the tip of the spoon over it. Let the icing set for a few minutes before serving.

Thanksgiving: Where's the Feast?

When my eldest nephew was young he and I marched into the dining room for Thanksgiving and he took in the view. He then said to me quietly, where's the feast? He had attended preschool and learned of the native Americans and the pilgrims. Folk ate at long tables laden with maize and horns of plenty.

For an undisclosed (and unknown) purpose, my bank offered me six months of free magazines. I chose Bon Appétit, Food and Wine, The New Yorker, Victoria, and Home and Garden. This is like offering candy to a pre-Halloween child. I am fixated on Thanksgiving and have started a list of dishes.

In my family, we all make a few things and bring them to the table. Of course, a few emails prior lets everyone have dibs on what they want to make. My mother is normally saddled with the turkey which she does not complain about as she ties up the roasting bag. My sister makes highly touted rolls. My brother cooks potato buds and Stovetop and then monitors how much of the real stuff is consumed versus the box delights.

Though we have enjoyed a variety of winners, I always make something new and have the magazines to blame for it. I am a patriotic subscriber of Gourmet and Saveur and MS Living. I have not received Saveur and fear they are doing a Nov/Dec issue or the plant burned down.

As mentioned, I am getting a bit giddy. Here is my list thus far. I will eventually narrow down to 3 or 4. It is going to take some doing.

From Bon Appétit:
Cornbread Dressing with Roasted Fall Vegetables
Sweet Potato Hash
Pumpkin Mascarpone Pie
Sweet Potato Pie with Marshmallow Meringue (this could be it)
Lemon-Herb Turkey with Lemon Garlic Gravy (if this was all I was cooking, I might go for it)

From Food and Wine:
Butternut Squash Bread Pudding
Roasted Turkey with Tangerine Glaze
Tortilla-Corn Bread Dressing
Creamed Onions with Thyme and Sage

From Gourmet:
Bittersweet Chocolate Pecan Pie
Butternut Squash with Pumpkin-seed Pesto
Coconut Tart
Sugared Cranberries and Sage Leaves
Plum Pumpkin Tart

Non-Thanksgiving fare from Gourmet:
Cider-glazed Lamb Chops
Shrimp in Garlic Sauce
Spicy Green Salad with Manchego and Pears
Napa Cabbage Salad with Buttermilk Dressing
Shrimp with Indian-spiced Potatoes

Non-Thanksgiving fare from Bon Appétit:
Roasted Butternut Squash with Lime Juice
Carmelized Pears with Dulce de Leche Ice Cream
Sage and Honey Skillet Cornbread
Sage-Scented Shortbread

Non-Thanksgiving fare from Food and Wine:
Apple Cake with Toffee Crust

Non-Thanksgiving fare from MS Living:
Cranberry Compote Layered with Lemon Ricotta

Thirst: In the Clear

The settlers are moving back. The smoke is clear; the rain came today. I spent a novel week in Newport Beach with little Rachie in her new digs. I made three visits to Paper Source and at least four to Pacific Whey Cafe, both Crystal Cove and South Coast. Shameful to some, obvious to others. Must recommend the crème brulée bread pudding and the cinnamon custard triangle.

When the Roses Speak, I Pay Attention
by Mary Oliver

"As long as we are able to
be extravagant we will be
hugely and damply
extravagant. Then we will drop
foil by foil to the ground. This
is our unalterable task, and we do it
joyfully."

And they went on. "Listen,
the heart-shackles are not, as you think,
death, illness, pain,
unrequited hope, not loneliness, but

lassitude, rue, vainglory, fear, anxiety,
selfishness."

Their fragrance all the while rising
from their blind bodies, making me
spin with joy.