June 19, 2011Chocolate, Cupcakes, Dairy, Entertaining, Fruit, Nuts, Vegetarian

Two Cupcakes, Both Alike in Delectability

One guaranteed way to brighten up a roomful of people is to present them with a platter of cupcakes. While other desserts can be equally as enchanting, there is something more special about the personal enjoyment cupcakes can provide. Each one is its own little present, waiting to be unwrapped and enjoyed. My office loves it when I make cupcakes, so for the monthly birthday celebration (when we acknowledge all of our coworkers with birthdays that month), I brought two very distinct varieties: Sour Cream-Chocolate Cupcakes with Nutella and Vanilla Bean-Coconut Cupcakes with Coconut Frosting.
Ever since visiting Germany with my youth orchestra when I was 16, I have had a true appreciation for the genius of Nutella: a sweet, spreadable delight that has no parallel in either flavor or form. Nutella is truly a baker’s best friend, given it is sure to please any who try it. In fact, it’s so amazing I decided to just use it AS the frosting alone – perhaps one of the tastiest shortcuts I’ve ever taken.
The cupcakes themselves are a little tricky – the sour cream gives them an inherent lightness in texture, to which the melted chocolate lends a beautiful silkiness. This makes the batter a little capricious (I had to toss 3 or 4 that sort of collapsed within the cups – they were that delicate). I cut holes out of the top to fill with the nutella, and I suggest using a serrated knife so you don’t “drag” the cake. The flavor of this cake made the effort all worthwhile – click HERE to check out these chocolatey delights.
This next recipe has been in my repertoire for quite some time now, and it has never failed to please. It is quite time consuming, given all the prep work and steps involved. The reduced coconut milk isn’t too scary to make, just be sure to keep an eye on the pot to prevent scorching. Vanilla bean is absolutely necessary here – it is what gives these cupcakes their profound taste. Trust me, you won’t regret taking the time to create these – click HERE to learn how to make these fantastic cupcakes.
Now I mentioned I made these for an office birthday party – someone had purchased a gallon of vanilla ice cream, and I started noticing that a few of my coworkers were halving one of each cupcake and placing the two types in a bowl together with a scoop of ice cream. I thought I had seen it all, but this was definitely a novel concept: pairing together two entirely different flavors with a “loving” scoop of ice cream. Funny thing is, they were a match made in heaven!
This inevitably led me to choose my musical pairing for this piece: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture. I had initially intended to post these two recipes separately, but this was the perfect way to combine the two: This piece is styled in sonata form (fast-slow-fast), with the middle section containing the work extremely well-known “love theme.” This work, which runs at just under 20 minutes, hopes to capture the passion and color of the story, rather than narrate the tale itself. Below I’ve included a recording of the London Symphony Orchestra with Valery Gergiev – Enjoy!

June 18, 2011Appetizers, Eggs, Quick/Easy, Vegetarian

A Delicious Departure from Tradition

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There is a common belief that egg dishes are meant for breakfast only – this couldn’t be farther from the truth. They are an excellent source of protein, cook in a matter of minutes, and pair beautifully with any possibly meal you can imagine. Perfect example: the ever-versatile frittata. Essentially a giant omelet, the add-in opportunities for this dish can be endless: vegetables, meats, cheeses, herbs, etc. I wanted a dish full of color, so I decided to make a Spinach and Bell Pepper Frittata.
Frittata is derived from the Italian term “fritto,” which means anything that is fried. Originally used to describe any type of egg dish that is cooked in a skillet (like omelettes), the term frittata has evolved over the past five decades to represent the dish we are familiar with today.* Unlike an omelette, it is served in individual pieces or slices, and is “open-faced” rather than folded over. Fun fact: there is a very similar dish to the frittata in Persian cuisine called the Kookoo (which is a cool name, so I had to share it).
So frittatas are meant to be fried in a skillet…you can clearly tell from the photo that I didn’t fry this, much less even use a skillet (except for sautéing the vegetables). The “traditional” way is to cook the eggs in a large skillet, then invert the frittata onto a plate and slide it back into the pan to cook on the other side (or flipped entirely, if it isn’t too large). I DO own a cast iron skillet, so this could’ve been an option. A simpler but still somewhat traditional way is to put the eggs in the oven for the last 3 to 4 minutes of cooking underneath the broiler. My scenario: I was going to a cookout, and didn’t want to worry about slicing and storing and carrying this dish all the way across town. The solution was to bake the entire custard in a Pyrex 9×11 baking dish. I imagine the Italian recipe gods deplore this, but blame my need for an easy, last-minute dish that still could pack a TON of flavor. Regardless of method, this is an awesome dish and super easy to prepare – I modified it from a Gourmet recipe I found a while black. Click HERE to see my detour from the traditional frittata.
Since I took a culinary detour, why not a musical one? That thought led me instantly to my piece of choice: Julie-O, by Mark Summer. I was introduced to it this past April at a school event, and it’s a cool little piece! Julie-O has become quite popular amongst cellists, and is ideal as an encore or within educational contexts. The work incorporates “non-traditional” techniques, like slapping the string board and left hand pizzicatos, to give it that “jazzy” feel. It also is quite short (under 3 minutes) yet still extremely colorful – “a lot of flavor in a short amount of time.” I’ve included a recording by the composer himself from the Perth international Arts Festival (sorry for the image quality, but such is my beef with YouTube). Though the original version is great, I had to include this second recording to push the “traditional” envelope one step further – this is by Kevin Olusola, who incorporates beatboxing into the piece (and just also happens to be a FANTASTIC cellist).

Summer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DObjvcWvfwk&feature=related
Olusola: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T36A-H8dPhI

Sources Cited:
“Frittata,” Wikipedia.com.

June 8, 2011Dairy, Fruit, Quick/Easy, Seasonal, Vegetarian

A Classic Dessert with a Twist

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In case you didn’t notice, summer in Boston is one of my favorite times of year. The weather is almost always perfect (knock on wood), and the notorious audacity of Boston’s residents is temporarily replaced with a warm conviviality. Fall is lovely, of course, and the fist snow of winter can be breathtaking; but I can’t get enough of this beautiful season. My relish for hosting parties is tenfold, and friends/coworkers who are around for the summer become the guinea pigs of my culinary adventures. I hosted one party this past weekend that was your all-American standard: burgers, beer, chips & salsa, etc. The dessert was a classic that allowed my southern heritage to really shine: Key Lime Pie.
Key Lime Pie is named for the use of the Floridian Key Lime…okay I confess, I didn’t use actual Key Limes to make this pie. I used an organic brand of regular lime juice that I had on hand. The primary difference between these citrus cousins is color and flavor. Unlike conventional limes, Key Limes are noted for their bitter, tart taste and for having a yellow to light green skin. Native to Southeast Asia, the Key Lime was introduced brought by Spanish explorers to the West Indies. The Florida Keys became a prominent location of harvest for the fruit, with the term “Key” being added to differentiate them from the traditional Persian cultivar.* I decided to split the difference by omitting a tablespoon or two of sugar to achieve a more tart filling. Check out how to make this fabulous recipe by clicking HERE.
In pairing this dish, I chose to acknowledge Spain and its role in introducing Key Limes to North America. Spain is a nation rich with culture and history, and its composers bring that wealth of culture to their music. One example is the music of Isaac Albéniz – a Catalan composer, pianist, and conductor whose efforts were instrumental in promoting Spanish music abroad. He is most well-known for his piano works, many of which were later transcribed for the guitar.** such is the case with the selection I chose: Asturias, from Suite española, Op. 47. This suite consists of eight movements, each representing a different region in Spain. Several of these movements are performed on guitar more often than piano, including Asturias.^ This “reinterpretation” of the original composition further compelled me to pair this work with my own “reinterpretation” of the original recipe. The recording I have included is by John Williams: not “Star Wars” John Williams, but perhaps the guitar soloist of his generation. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEfFbuT3I6A

Sources Cited:
*”Key Lime.” Wikipedia.com
**”Isaac Albéniz,” Wikipedia.com
^”Suite española,” Wikipedia.com

June 3, 2011Breakfast, Chocolate, Fruit, Seasonal, Vegan, Vegetarian

Finding a Sweeter Sunrise

gregariousgourmet 1 Comment

Waking up is rarely an easy task: thoughts of the day ahead and the work left to be done are little help. The cure? Freshly baked muffins. The ambrosial scent of these morning delights can rouse any sleeping beauty. While the gorgeous Boston summers are arguably what make the winters tolerable, we had a rough stretch of weather for a good part of May. To help “rouse” the spirits of my fellow coworkers, I felt that freshly baked muffins were in order and made the following: Banana Nut Muffins with Chocolate Chips and Vegan Blueberry-Orange Muffins.
The term “muffin” is believed to been derived from the French term moufflet, or “soft bread.” The original cakes were made using yeast, and tended to be round, flat, and sweetened with a touch of sugar. Today’s English muffins are much closer to this variety, only they are cooked on a griddle rather than baked. Muffins as Americans know them are substantially different: they are made without yeast, baked in small pans, and are much sweeter. The 19th century saw rise to this style of muffin, with classics such as “blueberry” and “bran” gracing a number of American cookbooks. The actual origin of muffins is extremely convoluted, and is as traceable as the origin of bread itself.*
There is only one answer for ugly, overripe bananas: muffins. Banana muffins are, in essence, miniature versions of banana bread and thus extremely simple to make! This recipe is from one of my favorite cooking blogs, SimplyRecipes, with the only difference being my addition of chocolate chips (at the request of my coworker Victor). These muffins are fantastic, and I guarantee they will be consumed within a matter of hours (as were mine). Check out how to make these breakfast delights by clicking HERE.
The term “vegan” is a scary one for a baker to hear, yet I was willing to attempt one such recipe for the sake of my vegan friend Rosena. I chose to go with THE classic: blueberry. The trick here was to get a muffin that had a velvety texture, yet wasn’t too dense. If I had chosen to label these as traditional blueberry muffins, no one would have guessed they were vegan. The apple cider vinegar is a crucial ingredient, giving these muffins a lightness akin to the regular variety. I chose orange zest over lemon, wanting a more summery taste – it was possibly one of the best decisions I could have made. Trick your taste buds and try these vegan muffins by clicking HERE.
Since muffins are best enjoyed with a cup of coffee and a golden sunrise, I paired these with one of my favorite works: Maurice Ravel’s Daphnis et Chloé, Suite No.2. This is honestly one of the most beautiful pieces, and has been a favorite of mine for years. The work in its entirety is a ballet of three parts, and stands as Ravel’s longest work at nearly at nearly one hour in length. The story is based upon the legendary romance of a goatherd named Daphnis and a shepherdess named Chloé.**
Ravel later selected excerpts from the ballet to create two orchestral suites. The second suite is perhaps the most popular, encompassing the more complex elements of the overall work. The suite opens with “daybreak,” where a sleeping Daphnis is awakened to be reunited with his beloved Chloé, who has just been rescued by the god Pan from a band of pirates.** I have included here the opening of the Suite No.2 with the Berlin Philharmonic under Herbert von Karajan. The sad thing about this video is that it ends RIGHT before one of THE solo of all flute solos in orchestral repertoire takes place…which is why I’ve included a second link with my biggest flute crush playing the solo: Emmanuel Pahud. Luckily, it’s the same orchestra (different conductor), making it the closest thing to a continued recording as YouTube can provide. This is genuinely a gorgeous work, and I hope you enjoy it!

1) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fm6zNYZoHJs
2) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HdpAoI8Ciw

Sources Cited:
* http://www.foodtimeline.org/foodfaq2.html#americanmuffins
** http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daphnis_et_Chloé

May 26, 2011Dairy, Fruit, Vegetarian

A Divine Pastiche

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Enjoying a cold glass of milk with a slice of cake is a beautiful thing. Given that success, who’s to say combining the two can’t be just as beautiful? I don’t mean just simply cooking a cake with a cup of milk in the batter – I mean literally drenching it in milk. Heck, why not make it THREE types of milk, just for added measure…this is precisely the method used for the beloved cake Tres Leches Cake. When I bake for a large crowd, I try to make a cake that brings the biggest “bang for the buck” – this cake was a HUGE hit: Dulce de Leche Cake with Fresh Strawberries.
The history of Tres Leches Cake relies on two of its primary ingredients: sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk, both of which are “canned milks.” Due to spoilage and preservation difficulties, excessive health risks made fresh cow’s milk a limited commodity prior to the 20th century. Inventor Gail Borden was the first to develop the concept of canning milk. Heating the product was the primary solution to eradicating harmful bacterias, allowing for milk to be stored and distributed without refrigeration.* The dispute over the demographic history of this cake, though, is both a cultural and corporate issue. Nestlé claims a big role, having advertised the recipe on the backs of canned milks to promote the products, while Central American nations claim rights to its conception. There is little evidence on the actual origin, making the dispute a futile one.**
This cake is much easier to make than it seems, even though there are a lot ingredients (see above) – it is essentially a vanilla cake that is subsequently soaked in three types of milk (see photo below). The result is a beautifully moist cake with a lighter taste than expected. The recipe I used, originally from Saveur, is called Dulce de Leche Cake given the layer of dulce de leche spread over the top; the “traditional” tres leches cake simply uses whipped cream as a topping. I took it one step further and halved strawberries to add a decorative flair. All-in-all, it was a delectable work of art. View this recipe by clicking HERE.
Wanting to focus on the diversity of ingredients used in this cake, I went with a piece that has a number of musical “ingredients”: Charles Ives’ Three Places in New England (as per the recommendation of my dear friend Neal Markowski). This work was composed over a span of nearly three decades, and stands as one of Ives’ most iconic pieces. Considered to be one the first American composers to reach international acclaim, Ives’ works went largely unrecognized for the majority of his lifetime (having led an extremely successful career as a life insurance executive). While the literal interpretation of “three” and “tres” can be considered, my pairing takes into regard the numerous styles and layers Ives incorporates into this work. Ives is best known for his adaptation of traditional hymns and popular American songs, such as Yankee Doodle, into his compositions. These themes provide relatable substance within contexts of heavy chromaticism, polytonality, and layered melodic passages.^ Three Places is considered to be highly representative of Ive’s style, incorporating both his “avant garde” techniques as well as a number of (paraphrased) traditional themes. This work consists of three movements, each representing a different location in New England:

I. The “St. Gaudens” in Boston Common
II. Putnam’s Camp, Redding, Connecticut
III. ‘The Housatonic at Stockbridge^^

The link I’ve included below is of the first movement (slightly biased considering I’m a Boston gal), and is performed by Orchestra New England (quite fitting) with James Sinclair conducting. For those unfamiliar with Ives, he’s certainly no Beethoven; yet his works have an endearing, rich quality which is truly masterful, and stand as important emblems for our culture. Enjoy!

Sources Cited:
* http://homecooking.about.com/od/milkproducts/a/canmilkhistory.htm
** http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tres_leches_cake
^ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Ives
^^ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Places_in_New_England

April 15, 2011Chocolate, Vegetarian

The Darker Charms of Cocoa…

gregariousgourmet 1 Comment

Rich, dark, and handsome – can a more perfect chocolate cake be described? 😉 While I tend to go for the less-complicated types (assembly-wise), a chocolate layer cake is the definition of baked perfection. With a velvety texture and creamy frosting, this cake can definitely turn heads. Prior to this making this version, I thought I had found my “one and only” recipe for chocolate cake – this one proved otherwise. Equally rich and twice as dark, I had found a new treasure. My go-to will probably always be my first love, but this Sour Cream-Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting has won a special place in my recipe chronicles.
Now you’re probably dying to know my all-time favorite recipe, but that will have to wait for a later post (it’s too special for a simple shout-out). This is a RICH cake – the velvety texture comes from a cup of sour cream (making it necessary to finding a creative use for the rest of the 16 oz carton I had to buy – referred to in my previous post) and Dutch Process cocoa. Natural unsweetened cocoa powder was all I had used in baking for years, yet this recipe compelled me to do my research. Natural cocoa is untreated, ground cocoa powder – its bitter taste provides a depth of flavor that is ideal for brownies and cookies. Dutch Process, on the other hand, has a far more subtle taste as it has been treated with an alkali (often a potassium solution) to offset its acidity; this neutralization also imparts a darker hue on the powder, making it an ideal cocoa for darker cakes. Many people prefer the taste of Dutch Process, believing natural cocoa imparts a tangible acerbity on cakes. It is safe to substitute natural cocoa for Dutch Process, but not the other way around.*
This recipe had been on my radar for some time now – the original calls for a Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting with a Chocolate Ganache topping. While that looks fantastic, I was more interested in the cake itself. Additionally, while I baked all three layers, I only used two in the final assembly considering there would only be 8 guests total (the unused cake layer I topped with frosting and stored in the fridge for later). As you can tell from my post not long ago, vanilla bean has become a new obsession of mine. While I admire the convenience and affordability of extract, nothing beats the intensity and beautiful aesthetic of vanilla seeds. I adapted the cream cheese frosting from the original recipe to make this vanilla frosting. I added some lemon juice to counterbalance the sweetness of the cake. You can find out how to make this decadent dessert by clicking HERE.
For this work, I wanted to reflect on the contrasts of this cake – the rich quality of the chocolate paired with the subtle beauty of fresh vanilla bean. After several considerations, my friend Audrey Wright (violinist) recommended the Strauss Violin Sonata. I had never heard the work, but was immediately convinced after finding the (below) recording with Sarah Chang. Strauss was only 24 when he composed the piece! The sonata places formidable demands on the performers, both technically and musically, revealing a devotion to the grander textures of orchestral writing (as revealed in his tone poem from that same year – Don Juan).** The sweeping phrases infused with moments of lyrical clarity pair beautifully with this cake. Additionally, the passionate quality of this work finds credence in Strauss’s recent acquaintance with his future bride. What better way to complement the charm of this recipe? It was a pleasure to become acquainted with this piece, and I can only hope you will feel the same. Enjoy!

Sources Cited:
*”Cocoa Powder FAQ: Dutch-process & natural cocoa powder.” DavidLebovitz.com
**”Richard Strauss.” Wikipedia.com

April 5, 2011Stews, Vegan, Vegetarian

Curry and Spice in a Western Guise

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It seems that winter has yet to go out of style in Boston, and so the wooly scarves and snow boots must remain by the front door. Nonetheless, this provides perfect incentive for sticking with hearty meals that can warm a “wintered-out” soul; dishes that I have begun to perfect with my newest love: my Le Creuset 5-1/2 Quart Round Dutch Oven.
I had always joked with friends that the man who bought me a Le Creuset would be the man I marry. Yet prince charming was taking his sweet time, so I bit the bullet and bought my own – probably one of the best decisions I have ever made. This is THE pan for those who love to cook: it is extremely durable, and has a lifelong guarantee. Added bonus – the shape and size of my Le Creuset is the exact same as Julia Child’s favorite! If that’s not fate, then I don’t know what is. While this pan is great for cooking a variety of dishes, it makes fantastic stews! So, I thought I would share one of my favorite vegan-friendly recipes – Vegetable Curry Stew with Chickpeas.
While curry is the central flavor, this is not a traditional “Indian” stew…which leads to a broader discussion on curry: widely assumed to be inherent to South Asian cuisine, curry is in fact a Western creation that has no designation in Indian cooking whatsoever. The Raj (the British colonial rule of South Asia between 1858 and 1947) saw Western adaptations for a number of Indian dishes, with curry powder being a primary result. Many believe curry is a poor derivation of Kari – a Tamil term meaning “sauce”. Indian “curries” are any variety of vegetable/meat dishes cooked with spices and (maybe) a type of sauce or gravy. British curries, on the other hand, are typically made with curry powder. Most store-bought varieties contain cumin, turmeric, and coriander, though there is no one ingredient required to call a spice mixture a “curry.” *
My stepmom and I created this recipe while I was still a vegetarian (a worthwhile effort, but I inevitably returned to the “dark side”). We wanted a stew that was chockfull of vegetables and packed with flavor. After ransacking the fridge and scouring the pantry, we developed a hearty, vegan stew that even meat-lovers can enjoy! We modified a more basic vegetable curry from Annie Somerville’s Field of Greens cookbook – a fantastic resource for great vegetarian dishes. The directions accommodate the different timings for each vegetable variety (no one likes a soggy stew!) Dried chickpeas can be used in place of canned, but they would need to be soaked overnight, and cooked for a longer period of time than the canned variety. You can see find the recipe for this stew HERE. My friend Tim made a GREAT Saag Paneer (Spinach with Cheese), which you can find the recipe for HERE.
Initially I had thought to pair this dish with Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade, yet realized I should acknowledge the Anglicized context of curry. As such, I chose to pair this piece with British composer Benjamin Britten, and his work Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings. Not only is this an iconic work of Britten, but also so happens to have been composed during the British Raj (it was composed in 1943).* I first heard this piece performed by a dear and talented friend at the New England Conservatory, and was instantly smitten. I hope you enjoy it as well! Note about the recording: the horn player (Danilo Stagni) is playing a natural french horn on the opening prologue, and his intonation is a HUGE achievement for that instrument! This particular set of recordings is broken up into three parts on YouTube, but the piece is actually divided into 8 separate movements. I’ve included a link to Part 1 below, but I highly recommend listening to the entire work. It’s a fantastic piece, and this a solid recording! (The Dirge is my favorite movement – see 6:11 of Part 2).