April 29, 2012Cupcakes, Entertaining, Summer, Vegetarian

An Inspired Trend

What makes the perfect cupcake? A creation that is both adorable and irresistibly delicious. Cupcakes have become the food industry’s new craze, taking the nation by storm with their portion-sized perfection. Countless bakeries have opened dedicated solely to creating these little cakes, taking their flavor and decorative potential to new heights. When I have to bake for a sizable crowd, I vie for cupcakes; a decision my coworkers wholly support. So when baking for the office’s monthly birthday party, I made a batch that I knew no one would resist: Churro Cupcakes with Dulce de Leche and Cinnamon Whipped Cream.
The term “cupcake” began to appear in publications during the early 19th century, referring to cakes baked in pottery cups and ceramic molds (muffin tins were not widely available). They were often treats enjoyed during tea parties and informal gatherings, with lavish decorations as more of an afterthought of luxury. Today, they have reached a celebrity status in the food world that is impossible to ignore. Sweet, savory, baked, fried – there is no limit to what these little cakes can achieve.
These cupcakes mimic the taste and character of churros – cinnamon fried-dough pastries popular in Spain and Latin America. Churros are often enjoyed with hot chocolate or café con leche, so I decided to fill these cakes with dulce de leche (a personal favorite). Since it was practically 70 degrees outside, I avoided a heavy frosting by topping each with a dollop of sweetened whipped cream. The result was an extremely delicious, utterly adorable cupcake – click HERE to see my recipe for these perfect little treats.
I sought out a fellow musician’s advice for the pairing, and asked my colleague Tom Vignieri – his immediate response: “Well, they weren’t heavy and romantic, but also not too light – I’d say they remind me of Schubert.” I couldn’t have agreed more. Ernst Krenek, a twentieth-century composer, gives the perfect description on Schubert: “a thinking artist with a keen appetite for experimentation.” To say Schubert was a prolific composer is almost an understatement: he composed over 600 songs, 9 symphonies (one unfinished), and a number of operas, sacred works, chamber music, and solo piano works. Such an outpour of music for a man who died at the young age of 31 truly speaks to his remarkable artistry. What better pairing for a dessert that embraces truly inspired styles! I chose the song “Heidenroslein,” or “Rose on the Heath.” The lyrics are from Goethe’s poem of the same name, which tells the tale of a young man whose love has been rejected. Its light character and technical finesse perfectly complement these cupcakes – the recording below is with lyric soprana Barbara Bonney. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFPpoU9ecZo

Sources Cited:
“Cupcake,” Wikipedia.com
“Franz Schubert,” Wikipedia.com

April 27, 2012Entertaining, Pork, Summer

Well Worth the Wait

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There is a truly beautiful (almost unexplainable) synergy between warm weather and barbecue. As we pack away the last of our wool sweaters, it’s time to unearth all the summertime classics. I personally feel a nostalgic tug when reminiscing on summer cookouts, where everyone had to balance styrofoam plates overflowing with corn on the cob, barbecued chicken and vegetables. I made this particular dish quite some time ago, though better late than never to feature this delicious Slow Cooker Pulled Pork with Sweet-and-Smokey Barbecue Sauce.
The genius of this recipe lies in its simplicity. Granted, the sauce has its own tricks, though the pork’s flavor defies logic. The secret is root beer. You probably don’t believe me, and I don’t blame you – I had my own reservations, yet the result was a beautifully tender pork infused with a touch of sweetness from the root beer. I personally splurged on Stewart’s (a personal favorite) for this recipe.
The original recipe only calls for pork, root beer and barbecue sauce, but I threw in a few extra ingredients for the added depth. After nearly 9 hours of cooking, the pork all but melted, it was that tender! It definitely takes a while, but it is definitely worth the wait! You can use any barbecue sauce, though the included recipe is a guaranteed winner – click HERE to make this amazing barbecue pulled pork! I served these with potato rolls and Classic Buttermilk Coleslaw, which most of my friends chose to pile on top of their pork sandwiches – you can find the recipe for this crunchy slaw HERE.
The patience required to make this mouthwatering meal inspired my musical pairing – Beethoven’s Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 61. Composed towards the end of 1806, the concerto has become a truly iconic work in the violin repertoire. Patience is the name of the game for this concerto. The first movement opens with an orchestral introduction that carries on for nearly 100 bars before the violin entrance – you nearly forget you’re listening to a concerto! The soloist finally emerges, spinning a series of ornamental motifs before settling into the main theme. The second movement captures the listener’s attention through its lyrical essence, suspending time into a realm free of worry or violence. As though waking from a dream, the transition into the Rondo goes without pause. This final movement rewards said patience with its merriment, weaving lively themes within a rich orchestral context. The recording below is with none other than the ingenious Jascha Heifetz and the Boston Symphony – enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBv077dSO5A

Sources Cited:
“Concerto in D Major for Violin and Orchestra,” The Kennedy Center
“BEETHOVEN: Concerto in D major for Violin and Orchestra, Opus 61,” San Francisco Symphony

April 17, 2012Chocolate, Cookies/Bars, Entertaining, Quick/Easy, Seasonal, Vegetarian

Easter’s Cutest Traditions

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When you travel as much as I do, you tend to lose track of the various holidays. Fortunately, we’re often bombarded with constant reminders whenever making the weekly CVS/supermarket run (whose shelves are lined with seasonal frippery months in advance). When Easter rolled around, I had a different reminder: my roommate Jenn had decided to give her Artist Diploma recital on Good Friday. She asked me to bring some form of dessert, and it was all too easy to give in to Easter’s colorful traditions with these Mint-Chocolate Birds’ Nests.
I never imagined I would be placing a package of crunchy chow mein noodles into the same camera shot as a bag of Cadbury chocolate eggs…yet here they were – two food products whose chance pairing make an adorable, crunchy delight. The only time I’d ever used chow mein noodles had been as topping for a chicken stir-fry…a far fetch from chocolate. Though labeled as “noodles”, they are actually cracker-like in both taste and consistency. This otherwise bland flavor makes them an easy complement for a variety of dishes.
These are extremely simple to make, and can be assembled in a matter of minutes. The first time I made them was with butterscotch and peanut butter. Looking for a new flavor profile, I added a dash of peppermint extract…and oh my God they were good! The perfect combination of crunch and sweet, these are a quick and easy way to entertain and delight your friends – click HERE to see how to make these adorable treats.
Considering I made these for my roommate’s recital (which was a phenomenal concert!) it was only fitting that the musical pairing be a piece she performed. Her program began with two Good Friday arias, and I chose the first of these for my pairing: “Endlich wird mein Joch” from Cantata BWV 56. Bach composed this cantata in October of 1726 during his time as Cantor at the St. Thomas Church in Leipzig. “Endlich” is one of the more uplifting arias from this otherwise somber cantata, celebrating the “end of suffering”. The translation is as follows:

Finally, finally my yoke
Must again be lifted from me.
Then I shall battle in the Lord’s power,
Then I shall be like an eagle,
Then I shall ascend from this earth,
And soar inexhaustible.
Oh, may it happen yet today!

The joyous tone of the piece perfectly complements these delicious treats, with the lyric “like an eagle” serving as the obligatory literal piece 🙂 She performed the piece with my very dear friend Tim Wilfong singing the baritone line (who did a fabulous job!) The recording below is with oboist Marc Lifschey (one of THE American oboists, according to Jenn) and baritone Mack Harrell. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_589br3HP8

Sources Cited:
“Cantata #56 ‘Ich will den Kreuzstab gerne tragen'”, Bellingham Festival of Music
“Helmut Rilling interprets Bach Cantatas,” www.drmm.net

April 3, 2012Vegan

A Colorful Start to Spring

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Even though we never had an authentic New England winter, no human being ever wants to endure 20 degree-weather. So now that we’re seeing the hopeful edges of spring, I wanted to whip out the grill and give it a go….yet I wasn’t really sure what it was I should actually grill. Since no inspiration was coming to mind, I made the random choice to choose a meat that was deserving more attention in my recipe archive – pork. After ruling out whole tenderloins and deciding bone-in wasn’t worth the added hassle, I made some amazing Grilled Pork chops with Blackberry-Onion Compote.
I might have lost a few of you with the compote, but bear with me – even though it looks like something out of a Muppets movie, it is an awesome complement to the dish. Fruit and pork have always been a good match, and the blackberries at the market were practically bursting – needless to say, I couldn’t resist. The result was amazing, with leftovers being scooped onto slices of bread and cheese. It can be paired with any grilled meat, and makes for a really unique spread regardless. Click HERE to learn how to make this beautiful combination.
Whenever I think of pork, I always think brussels sprouts – perhaps it’s due to the extreme aversion I held for both as a kid. Thank God I grew out of that, especially brussels sprouts. While these turned out to be quite spectacular, the recipe can be a little tricky – you are going to think that you’re burning the sprouts, when in fact the most beautifully browned crust is created. Timing is key, or else they will, well, burn. These Pan-Browned Brussels Sprouts will sink any doubts you’ve ever had about the vegetable, trust me – click HERE to see the recipe.
As my first “spring” posting, I wanted the musical pairing to be a piece acknowledging the season. I have yet to pair Vivaldi’s “Spring” on this blog, yet it wasn’t quite on par with the complexities of this particular dish. No, this was a pairing for Beethoven, and what luck that he his Violin Sonata No. 5 is also known as the “Spring” sonata! The four movements paint a vibrant illustration of the season, vacillating between moments of festive joy to gentle empathy. With such a colorful array of character and music, it was practically the perfect pairing (aside from the literal connection) for this dish. The recording below is with Igor Gubberman on violin – enjoy!