Heat Wave & Chocolate-Chocolate Sorbet

Last week we had our first heat wave of the summer. You know what they say, “It’s not the heat it’s the humidity.” Well they’re wrong. It’s BOTH. It’s the HEAT and the HUMIDITY. After our incredibly mild winter, I hope this early heat wave is not a premonition for a hot hot summer to come.

For now, I’ll stay positive and just assume we’ll have no more than our usual share of dog days. But just in case, I’ve put together a few tips on how to survive a heat wave. Let’s hope we don’t need them too soon or too often!

1. Follow Nana’s advice. Leave the windows open at night and put fans all over the house to get the air circulating. In the morning, close the windows and pull the curtains to keep the cool air in and hot air out.

2. Get one of those big, beautiful fans. The kind you see geishas gently fluttering in the movies. If it’s too hot to leave the house in search of a fan, fold a piece of paper accordion style, staple one end and flap away.

3. Stand in front of the open refrigerator or better yet the freezer until a voice in your head (I’m betting it’s your mother’s) shouts for you to SHUT THAT DOOR.

4. Eat and drink cool. That means lots of ice water. And then some more. Be sure to eat plenty of ice cream, gelato and sorbet. Heck, munch on frozen peas it you must.

5. Hang out in the freezer section of the supermarket. If the manager gets suspicious and throws you out or you get tired of standing around, take a trip to the library. If your town library is not air-conditioned try the book store. Of course you could go to the movies but that would only kill a couple of hours. Besides there are always lots of nice people in libraries and book stores and they have comfy chairs.

6. Find a tree and a breeze. Park yourself under the tree and don’t move except to sip a frosty drink. Daydream of igloos and Eskimo pies. Snooze often.

7. Go to the beach and float in the water for hours and hours. If you don’t live near a lake or a pond or the ocean, find a pool or run through a sprinkler. If all else fails fill the bathtub with cool water. Floaties and fins as well as a rubber ducky or two are optional.

8. Move to the basement. Hot air rises so the basement is usually nice and cool. Even if it is a little damp and musty.

9. Buy an air-conditioner, at least for your bedroom. Yes, I know we always say it never gets all that hot in New Hampshire. But we lie. It does get all that hot, if only for a few days, two, maybe three times every summer. And please take note; wrestle the air-conditioner into the window before the mercury climbs to ninety-five, not after.

10. When all else fails, book a flight to Antarctica. Leave your flip-flops at home.

Stay cool, have a wonderful summer and bon appétit!

(p.s. … and remember … if you start to feel faint or ill, call for help!)

Chocolate-Chocolate Sorbet

A cool treat for chocoholics. Enjoy!
Makes about 1 quart

1 cup sugar
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup freshly brewed espresso
2 cups hot water
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1 tablespoon Irish whiskey, coffee liqueur or rum (optional)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3-4 ounces bittersweet or semisweet
chocolate, finely chopped

Put the sugar, cocoa powder, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Whisk in the hot espresso and whisk until smooth. Slowly whisk in the hot water and continue whisking until the cocoa powder and sugar dissolves and the mixture is smooth.

Add the Irish whiskey and vanilla. Cool to room temperature and then store in the refrigerator until very cold.

Freeze the sorbet in an ice cream freezer according to the manufacturer’s directions, adding the chopped chocolate in the last 1-2 minutes.

Transfer the sorbet to a plastic container and freeze for 1-2 hours or until firm enough to scoop.

The sorbet will keep in the freezer for up to one month. If it comes out of the freezer rock hard, put it in the refrigerator for 30-45 minutes. It will soften a little and be easier to scoop.

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One Year Ago – Caesar Salad with Parmesan Croutons
Two Years Ago – The Best Grilled Cheese Sandwich in the History of my Kitchen
Three Years Ago – Asian Slaw Or Click Here! for a complete list of and links to all the recipes on this blog!

How do you stay cool during a heat wave? I’d love to hear from you! Let’s get a conversation going.

Want more? I’ve got links to lots more to read, see & cook as well as a day in the life photoblog! In addition, I hope that you will take a minute to learn about my philanthropic project Eat Well-Do Good. © Susan W. Nye, 2012

10 Tips for a Romantic Valentine’s Day & Pot de Crème

Valentine’s Day is next week. If you haven’t got your plans together, well, it’s time to get started. Whether you share a special evening or make a day of it, here are a few suggestions to make this Valentine’s Day special:

1. Start the day with a bit of romance. Help your Valentine ease into the day. Gently wake your sweet heart with a perfect cup of coffee and a single red rose. While you’re at it, why not add a bountiful breakfast in bed?

2. To work off that bountiful breakfast, take a walking tour of your favorite town, large or small. Take in the cobblestones of Portsmouth or the youthful energy of Hanover. You can enjoy a leisurely afternoon, browsing in little shops and lunching in a quaint café.

3. While you’re at it, enjoy a bit of art and culture. Take a stroll through an art museum or historic landmark or take in a concert.

4. If shopping and concerts are not your thing, head for the hills. Enjoy the great outdoors with a snowshoe walk through the woods. Unless you prefer a gracefully glide on cross-country skis. Not enough snow in your backyard? The ski areas have been making plenty so you can enjoy a great day on the slopes. Then again, a little cheek-to-cheek ice dancing sounds like fun.

5. Or snuggle up in a sled and enjoy breathtaking scenery. You and your Valentine can cuddle up while a team of sled dogs pull you through the woods and snow. What could be more romantic than the call of the wild? How about a sleigh ride with shades of Dr. Zhivago and Lara? Afterwards warm up and relax in front of a roaring the fire. Unless you prefer a hot tub.

6. Need more help to unwind? How about a couple’s massage? It is the ultimate in relaxation and rejuvenation.

7. As the sun sets, toast your love with champagne and slurp a few raw oysters. They are in season and a notorious aphrodisiac.

8. Next, cook together. There is no better way for two foodies to celebrate the holiday than creating a sumptuous feast together. Indulge in lobster from the Gulf of Maine or a delicious filet of beef. Complete the meal with a delicious chocolate Pot de Crème .

9. After dinner, sit out on the deck and stargaze with your true love. Hold hands and count shooting stars.

10. End the day right. If you started the day with a rose, why not end it with a luxurious Chocolate Truffle.

Happy Valentine’s Day and bon appétit!

Pot de Crème
Try this luscious dessert for two on Valentine’s Day or any day. Feel free to linger at the table with more strawberries and champagne. Enjoy!
Serves 2

1/3 cup heavy cream
3 ounces good quality milk or bitter sweet chocolate, cut into small pieces
Pinch cinnamon (optional)
Pinch espresso powder
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 teaspoons Grand Marnier

Garnish:
1/4 cup heavy cream, whipped with 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Fresh, whole strawberries

Put the cream, chocolate and cinnamon in a small microwave safe bowl. Zap on high for 10 seconds, stir and repeat until chocolate is almost melted. Let sit for a minute or two and whisk to combine.

Whisk in the vanilla and Grand Marnier. Pour into small cups or glasses. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream and a perfect, whole strawberry.

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One Year Ago – Mac & Cheese with Cauliflower & Bacon
Two Years Ago – Chocolate Mousse
Three Years Ago – Shrimp & Feta

Or Click Here! for a complete list of and links to all the recipes on this blog!

What are your special Valentine’s Day plans? I’d love to hear from you! Let’s get a conversation going. To make a comment, just click on Comments below. I’d be delighted to add you to the growing list of blog subscribers. To subscribe: just scroll back up, fill in your email address and click on the Sign Me Up button. You’ll get an email asking you to confirm your subscription … confirm and you will automatically receive a new story and recipe every week.

Want more? Click here for lots more to read, see & cook! In addition, I hope that you will take a minute to learn about my philanthropic project Eat Well-Do Good. ©Susan W. Nye, 2012

Escalade & Chocolate Truffles

Living in Geneva for almost two decades was a wonderful experience. It is a beautiful lakeside city and I have many fond memories of my time there. Among them is the Escalade. A cross between Independence Day, Thanksgiving and Halloween, Geneva celebrates the Escalade in early December.

While most of the ancient walls surrounding the city have disappeared, in1602 they protected the town from invasion. That’s when the dastardly Duke of Savoy laid siege on the city. Throughout the night of December 11th and 12th the Savoyards attacked, attempting to scale the walls and take over the city. The attempt to scale the walls gave the battle, and later the holiday, the name Escalade.

All seemed lost until Mother Royaume, defending the lives and liberty of her fourteen children, threw a cauldron of boiling soup over the wall and onto the invading soldiers. Burned and bruised by the steaming soup and heavy iron pot, the Savoyards realized they were no match for la Mère and the fearless Genevois patriots. They turned tail and headed back to Savoy.

Every year, Geneva takes a week to celebrate the Escalade. It is a great time to explore the Old Town. Wandering through the narrow streets and alleys, you will very likely bump into some of the descendents Geneva’s early citizens. Dressed in 17th century garb, they lead the festivities and turn the Old Town into a living museum. On the final evening of the celebration, a torchlight procession with fifes and drums winds through Geneva’s ancient cobbled streets to Cathedral Square for a bonfire. There are no fireworks but canons are fired and proclamations are read.

Since Switzerland is renowned for its wonderful chocolate, it’s only natural that Mère Royaume’s infamous soup kettle be immortalized in sweet, creamy goodness. There are lovely, little chocolate shops on every street corner. During December their windows are all filled with beautiful chocolate soup kettles or marmites. They come in all sizes and are crammed full of marzipan vegetables and other sweets.

Many Swiss families celebrate the Escalade with a dinner. The traditional menu includes soup, of course, plus turkey, cardoons, a relative of the artichoke, and a giant chocolate marmite. At the end of the dinner, the oldest and youngest at the party take a rolling pin and smash the chocolate marmite. Chocolate and marzipan fly and everyone scrambles to collect the sweets.

I don’t know why, I’m not sure if anyone knows why but Escalade celebrations include a sort of Trick or Treat. Children dress in costume, ride the tram, go door-to-door and even wander through a café or two singing the Escalade song. This song has a seemingly endless supply of verses but my sources tell me there are really only sixty-eight. In appreciation friends, neighbors and as well as hapless bystanders hand out coins and candies. Or maybe it’s a desperate attempt to stop all that singing. I did discover on more than one occasion that the young Genevois will continue to sing and sing, and sing some more, until you give them a treat.

Enjoy the holiday season with a big cauldron of soup or maybe some Swiss inspired chocolates!

Bon appétit!

Chocolate Truffles

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Use good quality chocolate, preferably Swiss, to make luscious truffles for the holidays. Enjoy!

Makes about 4 dozen truffles
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16 ounces dark chocolate
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons cognac (optional)
2 tablespoons brewed espresso or very strong coffee
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
16 ounces milk or white chocolate

Chop the semisweet chocolate and put it in a heavy sauce pan with the cream and cinnamon. Cook over very low heat, carefully whisking the cream and chocolate together, until the chocolate melts.

Transfer the chocolate cream to a bowl and whisk in the cognac, espresso and vanilla. Chill in the refrigerator, stirring a few times, for 2 hours or until the chocolate mixture is thick and firm enough to scoop.

Line a baking sheet with a silicon mat or parchment paper. With a mini ice cream scoop or 2 teaspoons, make dollops of chocolate and place them on the baking sheet. Refrigerate for 30-45 minutes or until firm enough to roll into rough balls.

Place the chocolate balls in the freezer for about one hour or until very cold.

Chop the milk (or white) chocolate and melt half of it over very low heat in a heavy sauce pan. Remove from the heat and add the remaining chocolate. Let the chocolate sit for a few minutes to melt. Stir to combine.

Dip the cold chocolate balls in the melted chocolate until completely covered. Place them on the silicon lined baking sheet. Let the truffles set for a couple of hours or overnight in the refrigerator.

About a half hour before serving, remove the truffles from the refrigerator and let them sit uncovered. Serve at room temperature.

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One Year Ago – Smoked Salmon Mousse
Two Years Ago – Roasted Beans
Three Years Ago – Winter Soup with Pasta, Beans & Greens
Or Click Here! for a complete list of and links to all the recipes on this blog!

I’d be delighted to add you to the growing list of blog subscribers. To subscribe: just scroll back up, fill in your email address and click on the Sign Me Up button. You’ll get an email asking you to confirm your subscription … confirm and you will automatically receive a new stories and recipes.

Want more? Feel free to visit my photoblog Susan Nye 365 or click here for more recipes and magazine articles or here to watch me cook! I hope that you will take a minute to learn about my philanthropic project Eat Well-Do Good.

© Susan W. Nye, 2011

Time for Cookies!

Christmas Eve is just one week away. You’ll want to set out a plate of cookies for Santa … here are a few suggestions!

Traditional Christmas cookies… with a twist!
Citrus & Spice Sugar Cookies on Parenting NH’s website
Peppermint Bark Cookies deep in my website archives
Macadamia Nut Shortbread
Root ‘n’ Tooty Good ‘n’ Fruity Oatmeal Cookies

Or maybe you prefer homemade candies!
Chocolate Dipped Orange Caramels
Chocolate Almond Buttery Brittle

Fast & easy … nothing beats a brownie!
Black & White Brownies
Triple Threat Brownies
Peanut Butter Brownies
Sweet Dream Bars

Sweet & spicy gingerbread … a holiday must-have!
Gingerbread cupcakes with cream cheese frosting … you can even transform those cupcakes into snowmen!

Want more? Click here for fun and festive seasonal menus! In addition, I hope that you will take a minute to learn about my philanthropic project Eat Well-Do Good. © Susan W. Nye, 2011

Making Christmas & Chocolate Dipped Orange Caramels

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I love Christmas. From start to finish, I love the whole nine yards, the whole darn season. I confess I rarely leap into the fray on Black Friday. I like to savor Thanksgiving for a few days, make turkey noodle soup and relax.

However, by the first of December, I am hopelessly in the spirit. I start tunelessly humming Christmas carols and don’t stop until after New Year’s. More important, I channel my inner decorator. There’s nothing like a few decorations and a house filled with greenery to get into the spirit.

If I don’t get my dates mixed up, I buy a tree from the Boy Scouts. Otherwise, I visit the farm stand. Next, I scavenge the woods behind my house for greens, branches of bright red winterberry and pinecones. Finally, I lug in four big boxes of decorations from the garage.

To set the perfect mood, I track down my collection of Christmas CD’s and load them up. Nat King Cole, Andrea Bocelli and Michael Bublé fill the house with song while I deck the halls. Bunches of greens, holly and juniper provide a bit of cheer at the front door and back. More greens are slung onto the mantle. Candles go in the windows. Festive grapevine wreaths are hung inside and out. I wrestle the tree into its stand, string it with lights and cover it with ornaments. The house sparkles with lights and color and is filled with the wonderful scent of pine and spruce.

Every year I come up with a couple of clever projects and homemade gifts for the holidays. I bake cookies or make candy and pack them up in tins or shiny bags. Sometimes I make chocolate sauce by the gallon or tapenade by the quart. One year, I knitted nonstop until late Christmas Eve to give scarves to all the girls. Another time I spent hours and hours decorating grapevine wreaths with greens, pinecones, birds, baubles and bows. Pass me a pinecone and I’ll figure out something to do with it. My sister claims I am a frustrated pre-school teacher. She could be right.

None of this festive homemaking and crafting is new. It started when I was just a kid. My teachers and Girl Scout leaders conspired to get me hooked on pipe cleaners and glitter. Throughout December art classes and troop meetings were devoted to making glittery decorations and gifts. We glued strip after strip of construction paper into colorful chains. We could have wrapped the globe ten or fifteen times. Well not quite, but our festive paper chains ran up and down the halls, in and out of every classroom and around the gym. Our class pictures were pasted onto glittery Popsicle stick frames to hang on the tree. Wreaths were fashioned out of penny candies. Our hands and feet were immortalized in plaster of Paris.

My mom even joined the conspiracy. My sister and I helped her make sugar cookies and string popcorn with cranberries for the tree. I suspect more popcorn was eaten than strung. As got we older, Mom found projects to keep the two of us busy and make the house beautiful. I remember spending an afternoon gluing macaroni onto cardboard circles. Wary that we would spray each other instead of the pasta, Mom then took over. She gave our little creations a coat of gold spray paint, stuck a candle in the center and set them on the dining room table. I was convinced that it was pure decorating genius.

Enjoy the holiday season with a little music, some baking and a few baubles, bows and pinecones!

Bon appétit!

Chocolate Dipped Orange Caramels
Make up a batch and keep handy for a mid afternoon pick-me-up or hostess gift. Enjoy!
Makes 36 pieces

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
1 cup heavy cream
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon Grand Marnier
3-4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, broken in pieces*
3-4 ounces semisweet chocolate, broken in pieces*

Line the bottom of an 8×8 inch baking pan with nonstick foil or parchment paper brushed lightly with oil.

Combine the sugar, orange juice and salt in a 3 quart pot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Continue to boil, swirling the pan from time to time, until the caramel is golden brown.

While the caramel is bubbling, cut the butter into small pieces and heat the cream to a simmer.

When the caramelized sugar is the right color, add the butter and whisk to combine. Be careful, it will bubble up. When the butter is well combined, add the cream and whisk to combine.

Continue to boil the caramel cream until it reaches 255 degrees on a candy thermometer. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and Grand Marnier. Carefully pour the hot caramel into the prepared pan, cool to room temperature and refrigerate until firm.

When the caramel is cool, use the foil or parchment paper to lift the caramel out of the pan. Cut the slab of caramel into 36 pieces.

Put 3/4 of the chocolate in a small glass bowl and zap in the microwave for 1 minute. Give the chocolate a stir. Assuming it has not melted completely, return the chocolate to the microwave and zap for 10-15 seconds. Continue to zap and stir until the chocolate reaches 110-115 degrees. I use an instant read thermometer to check the temperature. Stir in the remaining chocolate and let it sit for 1 minute. Give it a stir. It should be nice and shiny.

Dip one end of each caramel in the melted chocolate. Transfer the dipped chocolate to a tray lined with parchment paper to cool and harden. Store in the refrigerator. Remove from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before serving.

* If you prefer, you can use all bittersweet, all semisweet or all milk chocolate.

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What are some of your favorite holiday traditions? I’d love to hear from you! Let’s get a conversation going. To make a comment, just click on Comments below. I’d be delighted to add you to the growing list of blog subscribers. To subscribe: just scroll back up, fill in your email address and click on the Sign Me Up button. You’ll get an email asking you to confirm your subscription … confirm and you will automatically receive a new story and recipe every week.

Feel free to visit my photoblog, Susan Nye 365 or my cleverly named other blog, Susan Nye’s Other Blog, or website www.susannye.com. You can find more than 200 recipes, links to magazine articles and lots more. I hope that you will take a minute to learn about my philanthropic project Eat Well-Do Good. ©Susan W. Nye, 2010

The Final Days of Summer & Death by Chocolate Sauce

The days are getting shorter. Hospital Days have come and gone; county fairs and harvest festivals are just around the corner. Lots of summer people, mostly those with kids, are heading back to Massachusetts or Connecticut or wherever they come from. I feel a little sorry for them. Some of the best days of summer are still to come.

It tends to get a little cooler in August or at least the nights cool down. July’s heavy, sometimes stifling, humidity fades and the air is clear and dry. It is the perfect weather for a hike, a long bike ride or just a lazy day at the beach. Within a few short weeks the school bell will ring again. It is time to cram in one last sail to the island, one more turn on the water skis and one last climb up Kearsarge. Summer is a wonderful time for families to reconnect, to play, explore and laugh together.

Why not make one last stop at your favorite summer spot (or spots) before heading home to the reality of another school year? Maybe it’s the Farmers’ Market on the village green, that cozy little bookstore in the center of town or the funky gift shop with the great cards. It could be that wonderful ice cream stand you discovered when you got lost one afternoon on your way from here to there. The one with the fabulous homemade ice cream and amazing chocolate sauce. Or maybe your favorite is caramel.

Summer’s slower pace provides a great opportunity to connect with your neighbors. I’m not sure why but the corn and tomatoes are somehow sweeter when you’ve met the farmer who grew them. The adventure is more daring, the romance more enduring and the tales funnier when you’ve gotten to know the bookseller. And the ice cream is certainly creamier when you’ve had a chat with the cows before indulging!

It’s too bad that families are forced to head south before Labor Day to start the grind of school, carpools and soccer practice. It’s much too soon for summer to end. When we were kids, we left the suburbs behind and headed north within minutes of the final bell in June. Our big blue station wagon would barely get the chance to roll to a stop before we were out of the car, into our bathing suits and dashing down to Pleasant Lake. We stayed in, on or, at the very least, near the lake until the very last possible moment on Labor Day.

Finally, after one last swim, one last sail and one last (successful!) attempt to get up on a single water ski, we packed up the car and headed south. So yes, we were those kids. Every class had one or two. We showed up on the first day of school scatterbrained, disorganized and without a pencil. Instead of a brand new box of crayons and a shiny notebook we had a face full of freckles and a faraway look in our eyes.

Hoping you are enjoying the final days of summer. Bon appétit!

Death by Chocolate Sauce
You can feast on ice cream sundaes even when your favorite homemade ice cream stand is closed with this thick and rich chocolate sauce. Enjoy!
Makes about 2 cups

1/4 cup sugar
Pinch salt
1/4 cup orange juice
1 1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon instant espresso or coffee powder
1 tablespoon Grand Marnier
14 ounces good (I use Lindt) bittersweet chocolate or a mix of bittersweet and milk chocolate, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine the sugar, salt and orange juice in a saucepan; cook over medium-low heat until the sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium-high and boil until deep amber, swirling pan occasionally, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the cream, the mixture will bubble, and whisk until smooth. Heat over low heat until the cream is hot but not boiling. Whisk in the espresso powder and Grand Marnier.

Turn off the heat; add the chocolate and let sit for a few minutes to melt. Whisk until smooth. Add the butter and vanilla and whisk to until smooth and combined. Serve warm with your favorite ice cream.

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One Years Ago – Lemon Cupcakes
Two Years Ago – Couscous with Dried Fruit and Pine Nuts  

What are your favorite summer haunts? I’d love to hear from you! Let’s get a conversation going. To make a comment, just click on Comments below.

I’d be delighted to add you to the growing list of blog subscribers. To subscribe: just scroll back up, fill in your email address and click on the Sign Me Up button. You’ll get an email asking you to confirm your subscription … confirm and you will automatically receive a new story and recipe every week.

Feel free to visitmy photo blog Susan Nye 365 or my other, cleverly named blog, Susan Nye’s Other Blog.You can find more than 200 recipes, links to magazine articles and lots more on my website. . I hope that you will take a minute to learn about my philanthropic project Eat Well-Do Good. ©Susan W. Nye, 2010

Fly a Kite & Black & White Brownies

There are so many crazy, silly holidays out there. Leave Some Zucchini on Your Neighbor’s Back Porch Night is among my favorites. As are Ice Cream Day, Waffle Iron Day and Teddy Bears’ Picnic Day. May is a particularly busy month when it comes to celebrations. There is Lumpy Rug Day on the 3rd, National Candied Orange Peel Day on the 4th, Lost Sock Memorial Day on the 9th and Dance Like a Chicken Day on the 14th; the fun goes on and on. I think my favorite is Fly a Kite Day on May 12th.

When I was in high school I bought a button with the simple words Go Fly a Kite. I pinned it to my purse or backpack or whatever I happened to be carrying at the time. I bought it because I really liked the sense of fun and freedom that comes with flying a kite. Later it dawned on me that this message was actually a seemingly friendly request to anyone and everything that might have been bugging me to go away. (Take a hike was the preferred “leave me alone” expression in our household.) Anyway at fifteen or sixteen there are lots of people and things that bugged me so I was happy to sport this new not so double entendre.

When I realized that Kite Day was coming I remembered the button. I hung onto it for years. Long after I stopped wearing it, I stuck it up on bulletin boards at college, graduate school and at more than one major corporation. Since I am a bit of pack rat (and by the way Pack Rat Day is May 17th), I figured that the button might still be around. I surprised myself, not that I found it but that I found it in minutes. It is back in place over my desk. Once again it is a personal reminder to soar high and enjoy the day as well as a message to bores, blowhards or bullies to leave me alone.

Getting back to kites, I have never been particularly good at making or flying kites but I still think they are wonderful. A bright, colorful kite flying high in the sky is such a joyful site. There is something about watching a kite bob and weave in a bright blue sky that just makes me smile.

Kites have always been one of my favorite gifts to give and receive and I have given them to kids of all ages. There have been Mini Mouse and Superman kites for nieces and nephews and godchildren. In my teens and twenties, long flowing dragons and rainbows were given to friends as well as my brother and sister. Of these many kites, a few have ended up in trees or suffered crash landings but most brought at least one afternoon of fun. Then again, not all had the joy of a highflying adventure. Rather than soar in the clear blue sky, they adorned college dorm rooms or brought a little color and whimsy to first apartments. A colorful kite wound its way around the walls of at least one or two of my dorm rooms and my first studio apartment. Long flowing tails make particularly good decorations.

The next time the sun is shining and a nice breeze is blowing, why not take your kids or grandkids, a niece or nephew or even the kid next door (ask his or her mother or father first!) to go fly a kite. Enjoy!

 Black and White Brownies
Brownies are the perfect treat to take on a kite flying expedition. I made these brownies by happy accident. I was one cup short of chocolate chips but discovered a bag of white chocolate chips in the cupboard. I improvised and the results were delicious. Enjoy!
24 brownies

8 ounces unsalted butter
8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon instant coffee powder
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup sugar
1 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour, divided
1/2 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9-inch by 13-inch pan.

Melt together the butter, semisweet chocolate chips and unsweetened chocolate in a heavy pan over very low heat. Stir frequently and remove from the heat when the butter and chips are just about melted. Whisk to combine until completely melted and smooth. Cool slightly.

Whisk together the eggs, instant coffee, vanilla and sugar. Slowly add to the chocolate mixture, stirring constantly.  Cool to room temperature.

Put the white chocolate chips in a small bowl. Add 2 tablespoons flour and toss to coat.

Whisk 1/2 cup flour with the baking powder and salt. Add to the cooled chocolate mixture. Fold in the white chocolate chips and any remaining flour. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean; don’t over bake. Cool thoroughly and cut into squares.

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One Year Ago – Linguine with Artichokes

Do you have a question? An idea, a few thoughts or an opinion you’d like to share? I’d love to hear from you! Let’s get a conversation going. To make a comment, just click on Comments below.

I’d be delighted to add you to the growing list of blog subscribers. To subscribe: just scroll back up, fill in your email address and click on the Sign Me Up button. You’ll get an email asking you to confirm your subscription … confirm and you will automatically receive a new story and recipe every week.

Feel free to visit my other, cleverly named blog, Susan Nye’s Other Blog, or website www.susannye.com. You can find more than 200 recipes, links to magazine articles and lots more. I hope that you will take a minute to learn about my philanthropic project Eat Well-Do Good.  ©Susan W. Nye, 2010

Ahhhhhhh …. Chocolate! & Chocolate Mousse

What’s your favorite part of Valentine’s Day? The cards? The flowers? Or …. the choooocccccccc-late? Who doesn’t love a little chocolate now and then? Chocolate is perhaps the most popular sweet treat in the world. As far as I can figure, my niece Emily is the only person on the planet who doesn’t love chocolate. So with this one notable exception, Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to share some love with a gift of chocolate.

Chocolate has been around in one form or another for centuries. It comes from the cacao tree or to use its fancy-pants name Theobroma cacao. Theobroma is Greek for “food of the gods” which more or less sums up this delightful delicacy. The cacao tree has been cultivated in Central and South America for at least three thousand years. The tree produces a pod-like fruit which is filled with seeds. For whatever reason, these seeds are usually referred to as beans and chocolate comes from these beans. Until the late 1800’s the beans were processed into a liquid or a paste which was then used to make chocolate drinks.

The smooth, creamy bars we all crave today are a relatively modern invention. In 1879 Rodolfe Lindt, a twenty-four year old Swiss confectioner and entrepreneur, was determined to turn chocolate from a grainy and somewhat bitter substance into a luxurious treat. Young Rodolfe bought a fire-damaged factory and some second-hand equipment and began experimenting with chocolate paste, coco butter and sugar. Legend has it that he rushed out the door one Friday afternoon and left a mixer churning away with a batch of chocolate. When he returned on Monday he discovered a velvety smooth, luscious concoction.

This amazing, new chocolate could do much more than serve as a base of a slightly sweet, slightly bitter drink. It could be formed into bars and truffles. If could coat cherries and strawberries. It could be whipped into cream for a luscious mousse. I don’t know if Herr Lindt was rushing off to take part in a yodeling contest, a ski weekend or a fondue. Whatever the reason, I for one am grateful for his absent mindedness and accidental discovery.

For years chocolate was given a bad rap. It was blamed for everything from weight gain to tooth decay and pimples. My friend Suzanne is a fierce defender of all things chocolate. In fact, she claims that chocolate is a vegetable. Her logic is simple. Since chocolate comes from the cocoa bean and beans are vegetables it stands to reason that chocolate is a vegetable. Furthermore, she strongly recommends that we all indulge as often as possible, preferably every day. Since Suzanne is half Swiss, my tendency is to believe her. Nutritionists agree that we should eat at least seven servings of fruits and vegetables every day; so why shouldn’t chocolate be one of them?

Suzanne is not the only one expounding the healthy benefits of chocolate. In the past few years, scientists and nutritionist have been making all sorts of wonderful discoveries about chocolate. Research shows that chocolate has something called flavonoids. As far as I can figure out (I’m neither a scientist nor a nutritionist and easily befuddled and bored by big scientific words), flavonoids are an antioxidant and have a long list of health benefits. They are credited with everything from lower blood pressure to better skin (go figure!). They are also reputed to help prevent heart disease and cancer. Maybe we should appoint Willy Wonka as the next surgeon general!

So this Valentine’s Day indulge a little. Enjoy some time with loved ones and share a chocolaty treat or two. Bon appétit!

Chocolate Mousse

Don’t skimp on the chocolate. Use top quality Swiss or artisanal chocolate for this recipe; it’s worth the extra expense. Happy Valentine’s Day and enjoy!
Serves 12

2 cups heavy cream
4 large egg yolks
3 tablespoons sugar
Pinch salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon fine espresso powder (decaf is okay)
1 tablespoon Grand Marnier (optional)
7 ounces good bittersweet chocolate, chopped
Garnish: whipped cream

1. Put the chocolate in a small bowl.
2. Whisk 3/4 cup of cream, yolks, sugar and salt together in a 1-quart heavy saucepan.  Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until it registers 160 degrees on a thermometer.
3. Pour the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into the bowl with the chocolate.   Let set for a few minutes; whisk to combine.  Stir in the vanilla, espresso powder and Grand Marnier and whisk to combine.  Let cool complete and then transfer to the refrigerator for 1-2 hours.
4. Beat remaining 1 1/4 cups of cream until it holds stiff peaks, cream should be very cold. Whisk one quarter of the whipped cream into the chocolate custard; gently fold in the remaining whipped cream.
5. Transfer the mousse to a serving bowl or into small dessert glasses.  Refrigerate for at least 6 hours before serving.  Remove from the refrigerator about 20 minutes before serving. Serve garnished with a small dab of whipped cream.

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One Year Ago –  Shrimp with Feta

I’d love to hear from you! Let’s get a conversation going. To make a comment, just click on Comments below. I’d be delighted to add you to the growing list of blog subscribers. To subscribe: just scroll back up, fill in your email address and click on the Sign Me Up button. You’ll get an email asking you to confirm your subscription … confirm and you will automatically receive a new story and recipe every week.

Feel free to visit my photoblog, Susan Nye 365 or my cleverly named other blog, Susan Nye’s Other Blog, or website www.susannye.com. You can find more than 200 recipes, links to magazine articles and lots more. I hope that you will take a minute to learn about my philanthropic project Eat Well-Do Good. ©Susan W. Nye, 2010

The Twelve Days of Christmas & White Chocolate & Cranberry Trifle

With the start of the Christmas season, I am full of good cheer. I frequently find myself singing or humming as I go about my business. The Twelve Days of Christmas is one of those hypnotic songs that gets caught in my brain. So I began to think (usually a dangerous thing) about all the crazy gifts in the song. Imagine the chaos! Honking geese. Trumpeting swans. Quacking ducks. And if that’s not enough, add a bunch of lords and ladies who can’t sit still. And where the heck would I put the milkmaids and their cows? My garage is already packed to the rafters with the lawn mower, snow blower and too much flotsam and jetsam.

Instead of a creating list of sometimes silly, sometimes too-soon-forgotten presents, I have decided to see if I can come up with a list of blessings to celebrate throughout the Christmas season.

Day one … one happy, healthy me.

Day two … two parents who are in their eighties, alive, kicking and full of fun. I also have two siblings, one of each, a sister and a brother. And their two wonderful spouses. I am blessed!

Day three … My three favorite sports: walking (used to be running), skiing and kayaking!

Day four … the joy of knowing all four grandparents and spending time with them not just as a little kid but well into my twenties.

Day five … okay, maybe a gift of five golden rings wouldn’t be so bad!

Day six … six glorious years near Pleasant Lake living a re-invented life as a writer and cook.

Day seven … I’m a gadget fan. My favorite kitchen gadgets make life easier and more delicious. In no particular order:

1. Mini food processor
2. Kitchen tongs
3. Flat whisk
4. Silicon spatulas
5. Handheld citrus juicers
6. Italian espresso makers
7. Stand mixer

Day eight … nieces, nephews and grand-nephews. From my oldest niece who lives too far away (yeah, I’m one to talk) with two little boys of her own, to the twenty-something nephews and the twirling girlies. I love them all.

Day nine … yippee, the first big snowstorm of the winter roars in on December 9^th. We won’t have to dream of a white Christmas.

Day ten … at least ten, it could be more but who’s counting, great editors and publishers who have helped me make a go at becoming a real live, professional, published writer. Thank you for your support.

Day eleven … I don’t actually know the number but I’ve had many good and a few great teachers. I can’t help but think that life would be pretty dull and drab if it weren’t for the skills and knowledge they taught me.

Day twelve … a bunch of wonderful friends and kind supporters, there are too many to count on a single day. I am blessed with people who love (or at least like) me and what I do. Thanks for your kindness and cheers of encouragement on the fun, fascinating and challenging journey that is my life.

Enjoy the season and bon appétit!

White Chocolate & Cranberry Trifle
This festive dessert is a delicious finish to any holiday meal. Enjoy!
Serves 8

2 cups cold heavy cream
4 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons sugar
Pinch salt
6 ounces white chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Grated peel of 1 orange
8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
8 crisp ladyfinger cookies, cut in thirds
Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce & Cranberry Coulis (recipe follows)

Garnish: Sliced, toasted almonds and grated white chocolate

Prepare an ice bath in a large, shallow bowl and set aside. Put the chocolate in a small bowl and set aside.

Whisk 1/2 cup of cream, yolks, sugar and salt together in a heavy 1-quart saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until it registers 170 degrees on a thermometer. Pour custard through a fine-mesh sieve into the bowl with the chocolate. Let sit for a few minutes; whisk to combine. Stir in the Grand Marnier, vanilla and grated orange peel. Set the bowl in the ice bath, stir frequently to cool. Chill completely in the refrigerator.

Using an electric mixer beat cream cheese in large bowl until fluffy. Gradually add the custard and beat until well combined and smooth. In a separate bowl, with clean beaters, whip the cream until stiff peaks form.  Whisk one quarter of the whipped cream into cream cheese-custard mixture.  Gently fold in the remaining whipped cream.

Put a dollop of the custard cream in the bottom of a dessert or wine glass. Arrange 3 cookie pieces on top of the custard. Drizzle with cranberry coulis. Top with another dollop of custard. Repeat with remaining glasses.

Cover each pudding with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours. Garnish with a little whole berry cranberry sauce, sprinkle with white chocolate and almonds and serve.

Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce & Cranberry Coulis
Makes about 2 cups cranberry sauce and 1 1/2 cup of coulis

8-ounces fresh cranberries
3/4 cup sugar
1 3/4 cups orange juice
Grated peel of 1 orange
1/2 teaspoon each of cinnamon and ginger
Pinch salt
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier

To make the sauce: Combine cranberries with sugar, 3/4 cup orange juice, grated peel and spices in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer to a small bowl and let cool. Cover and refrigerate.

To make the coulis: When the sauce has cooled, combine 1 cup of cranberry sauce with remaining orange juice and Grand Marnier in a blender or small food processor. Process until smooth. Strain the coulis through a sieve.

Store extra sauce and coulis in the refrigerator.

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I’d love to hear from you! Let’s get a conversation going. To make a comment, just click on Comments below. I’d be delighted to add you to the growing list of blog subscribers. To subscribe: just scroll back up, fill in your email address and click on the Sign Me Up button. You’ll get an email asking you to confirm your subscription … confirm and you will automatically receive a new story and recipe every week.

Feel free to visit my photoblog, Susan Nye 365 or my cleverly named other blog, Susan Nye’s Other Blog, or website www.susannye.com. You can find more than 200 recipes, links to magazine articles and lots more. I hope that you will take a minute to learn about my philanthropic project Eat Well-Do Good. ©Susan W. Nye, 2010

March Is Full of Surprises & Warm Chocolate Pudding

March is full of surprises. One of them is daylight savings time. If you were paying attention, you sprung forward on Saturday night and lost an hour. If you are patient and wait a bit you will get it back in the fall. Daylight savings time is not without its controversy. The farmers, their cows and early risers don’t like it. In the whole scheme of things, one little hour doesn’t seem like much. Hardly important really, especially when you compare it to all the time and money, billions actually, lost by banks and automobile manufacturers in the past six months or so.

If you forgot to change your clocks, as I’ve been known to do, you’re probably running late and wonder when you will ever catch up. Over the years, I’ve missed trains and been late for a few appointments. Nothing too dramatic, although I once had an interesting conversation with a very nice lady who sold movie tickets. It took several minutes of back and forth, she in perfect German and I in broken French, before I figured out why she was refusing to sell me a ticket. If you are feeling a bit at odds, not to worry, you will eventually get back on track. If not, well then the time change probably has very little to do with your befuddlement.

Yes, March is full of surprises. There is that whole in-like-a-lion-and-out-like-a-lamb thing. I was born in March. I arrived two weeks early, in-like-a-lion. My brother is also a March baby, also early. My sister, Brenda, who was born in October, is looking forward to the out-like-a-lamb part of the month. Brenda has had enough of the cold and snow. Mostly she’s had more than enough of shoveling and big boots and heavy coats. She doesn’t ski any more so all the cold and snow doesn’t have much of a bright side. Only wet dogs and cold feet.

I spoke with Brenda just the other night. She called me to wish me a happy birthday and complain about the latest blizzard. I like it when it snows on my birthday; I consider it a gift from Mother Nature. This year Mother Nature’s aim was off. The big snow missed the mountains and buried the coast as well as Boston, New York and even Georgia. It wasn’t Brenda’s birthday and yet she was inundated with more than a foot of snow, a lot more. It hardly seems fair and may be just another ploy to keep the last vestiges of our sibling rivalry alive.

Thank goodness, it wasn’t rain. Like it or not we have reached that point when winter is on the way out, not in. I suppose only the skiers fall into the “like it not” category. Every time one of those weather people comes on the air, we hold our breath. Snow or rain? And if it is rain, will Mother Nature take pity on us and keep it well to the south.

New England skiers are an optimistic bunch. We have no choice. Who else can skis on ice and shrug it off as hard packed powder. Or should I say hahd packed powdah. We rejoice and celebrate every snowfall, large and small. We endure hours in the biting cold and still smile. Although, it is possible that it’s not truly a smile just some strange, frozen facial contortion brought on by the wind. Now that March has arrived we wait, somewhat impatiently, for a few days of spring skiing.

May Saint Jude and Mother Nature take pity on and bless New England’s skiers. No matter how much the wind batters or the cold air blasts, we are tough and tenacious. We shrug off the cold, bundle up in wool, miracle fibers and down and still manage to move with enthusiasm if not grace. And may God bless whoever it was who invented hot chocolate. I think it was the Swiss.

Enjoy the rest of the ski season, may it bring only good surprises!

Bon appétit!

Warm Chocolate Pudding
This sinfully rich dessert will warm you up after a hard day of skiing. Enjoy!
Serves 4

1/4 cup sugar, or to taste
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
Pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
3 large egg yolks
1 cup heavy cream
6 ounces good quality bitter sweet chocolate, preferably Swiss
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons Kahlua (optional)
Whipped cream for garnish
Chocolate shavings for garnish

1. Break up the chocolate into small pieces and put it in a small bowl. Set aside.

2. Put the sugar, espresso powder, cinnamon, salt, cayenne and egg yolks in a saucepan. Whisk the mixture until well combined. Whisk in the cream. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until it registers 160 degrees on a candy thermometer.

3. Pour the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into the bowl with the chocolate. Let stand for a few minutes; whisk to combine. Stir in the vanilla and Kahlua.

4. Divide the pudding among 4 dessert cups or small teacups. Garnish with a dollop of whipped cream and chocolate shavings. Serve immediately.

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Do you have a question? An idea, a few thoughts or an opinion you’d like to share? I’d love to hear from you! Let’s get a conversation going. To make a comment, just click on Comments below.

I’d be delighted to add you to the growing list of blog subscribers. To subscribe: just scroll back up, fill in your email address and click on the Sign Me Up button. You’ll get an email asking you to confirm your subscription … confirm and you will automatically receive a new story and recipe every week.

Feel free to visit my other, cleverly named blog, Susan Nye’s Other Blog, or website www.susannye.com. You can find more than 200 recipes, links to magazine articles and lots more. I hope that you will take a minute to learn about my philanthropic project Eat Well-Do Good. ©Susan W. Nye, 2010