Seize the Day


Nora Ephron died this week at age seventy-one.  For those unfamiliar with her work, Ephron was an American writer, director, scenarist, and comic essayist, best known for her work on the romantic comedies When Harry Met Sally and Sleepless in Seattle and for her essay I Feel Bad About My Neck.  What I most admired about Ephron was that she could take serious subjects such as aging and dying and put a comical spin on them.  I also love the fact that in her last book, I Remember Nothing, Paris makes the top ten list of things she would most miss in life.  One profound statement from Ephron concerned having one’s last meal.  True to form as a food lover and humorist, she didn’t look at it in a depressing way, but as having as much of food you love right now and not waiting till the end of life.  As she put it in a 2010 interview with Charlie Rose, "When you are actually going to have your last meal, you'll either be too sick to have it or you aren't gonna know it's your last meal and you could squander it on something like a tuna melt and that would be ironic. So it's important ... I feel it's important to have that last meal today, tomorrow, soon."

So in this spirit of Carpe Diem, I thought I would muse on food and drinks I intend to have more of while I can still enjoy them.  Champagne immediately comes to mind!  Not just any bubbly, either, mind you—the good stuff.  We have found that brut champagne is often so dry it evaporates from the palate before you can really savor it.  My two favorite sparkling wines, it will surprise no one who knows me, come from France.  A long time preference Perrier-Jouet has been in recent years supplanted by Moët & Chandon’s delightful Nectar Impérial.  This beautifully golden concoction has a slight hint of apricots and honey.  It would be delicious served with a spicy Cajun shrimp, a nice crusted, grilled tuna steak, pan-fried scallops with a hint of lemon, or even a crabmeat roll—a few of my preferred seafood dishes.


Being a southern girl, I am a meat lover, specifically beef.  Although it’s not something I’d have every day because of health implications, as a pleasant final meal, a nice rib eye steak cooked over charcoal would probably make the cut.  Or a lovely standing rib roast, I can’t quite decide between the two.  Alongside either, I’d choose to have garlic mashed potatoes, a spinach or Greek salad, and fresh, grilled asparagus.  Can’t forget the wine here either: a Pinot Noir from Bourgogne preferably if price is of no concern, but a good one from Oregon or California would do in a pinch.  Buttery, garlicky escargots would be a delight as well with a red Burgundy.  Not to mention an array of French cheeses—above all a nice chèvre—with a fresh baguette.

Finally, we come to dessert.  The French win again in this category.  I’d have to choose among several possible recipes: a velvety chocolate pot de crème, a creamy crème brûlée, or if cherries are in season, the simple, but appetizing Cherry Clafoutis.  There’s another dessert toward the end of the cookbook Jacques and Julia Cooking at Home which is a flaky, free-form fruit galette which would also be a quite tasty option.  And if I’m so inclined, I might top off the dessert course with a small glass of sweet, but not too syrupy port.

There you have it: a somewhat hastily drawn, but fairly accurate list of foods that I intend to continue to enjoy. 

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The Joys of Gardening


Having no real talent for growing plants of any kind and no real artistic eye, gardening is probably one of the last topics I ever thought I’d be writing about.  But I have come to realize that the heralded green thumb does not really play a part in gardening; like most successful endeavors, this pastime consists of a lot of hard work.  Likewise, there’s no need to strive to create a perfect garden.  I once read that, as a backyard gardener, I should just concentrate on pleasing myself and that’s exactly what I do.  Much trial and error is involved in getting to know your type of soil, the location of your plot in relation to the sun, and the types of plants most likely to flourish there.

Although I believe in getting exercise every day, I’m not one for hitting the gym, especially in the warm weather months.  Gardening, with all of its weeding, digging, tilling, lugging bags of supplies, and spreading of mulch, proves to be quite a workout.  In fact, you can burn over 100 calories in only a half-hour of work in the garden.  The lifting, bending, pulling, and throwing work nearly every part of the body.  Sure you get an occasional bruise, scratch, mosquito bite, or sore muscle, yet overall it’s a harmless hobby which brings much satisfaction.  Getting your hands dirty doing manual work feels very good and it's lovely sitting back, taking a break, listening to the birds, and watching butterflies.
 
It is also quite gratifying to see the work you’ve done clearing the beds and particularly from seeing your plantings thrive.  Certain plants, like hostas and the low-spreader known as snow-on-the-mountain, are easy to grow; the same is true for herbs such as chives (which have beautiful, large lavender blossoms in the spring) and mint.  The warning you always hear about mint having the ability to take over the garden is true, however, so it's preferable to plant it in a clay pot.  I also have containers with basil, rosemary, thyme, and parsley on the deck—with easy access to the kitchen.  My focus is primarily on growing flowers; this year my list of annuals and perennials includes wonderful Sonic Magic pink New Guinea impatiens, blue trailing bellflowers,  yellow, orange, and red lilies, pink and purple petunias, and puffy blue aegeratum.

Next year I might even try my hand at vegetable gardening, following First Lady Michelle Obama's example on the White House lawn.  Or, who knows, maybe I'll start with a few containers of tomatoes this summer.

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Grilling Out


The change of seasons has an effect on our eating habits.  Winter weather gives rise to thoughts of thick soups and stews to warm us; in late spring and summer we usually prefer getting out of a hot kitchen and indulging in lighter fare.  Vegetables such as zucchini, eggplant, onions, and colorful bell peppers sliced in half, topped with a bit of olive oil, salt, and pepper are delicious on the barbecue grill.  The following recipes for meats, culled from magazines, newspapers, and who knows where else, have graced our warm weather tables for years.

Grilled Chops with Mustard and Herb Butter can be made with lamb, veal, or my choice, pork.  Mix 2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard with 1 teaspoon dry mustard, salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons of softened butter.  Apply the resulting paste to both sides of each of 4 chops and grill them for 4 to 6 minutes each side over very hot coals.  (Obviously you could also use a gas grill; we’re purists, however, when it comes to grilled meat.)  If the chop is especially thick, you should then wrap each one in a square of aluminum foil that has been lightly buttered and cook for an additional 5 to 10 minutes.  Serve with an herb mixture which combines softened butter, parsley, chives, salt, pepper, and lemon juice.  You could actually use any herb combination that appeals to you. Really tasty!

Another preferred recipe of mine came from Albany’s Times Union newspaper and is called Cajun BBQ Chicken.  Every time I prepare it I remember some men coming to the front door years ago trying to sell me a cable package.  The first thing they said was: “Lady, we’ll give you cable, if you give us what you have on the grill!”—it smells just that delicious cooking and tastes even better.  The actual recipe calls for chicken strips which should be skewered before cooking.  But I normally make it with a whole chicken which I either cut in 2 or at least slice down the back, so that it cooks in a shorter amount of time.  The Cajun rub does require quite a few herbs and spices: 2 tablespoons paprika, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon oregano and the same amount of thyme, 1 teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon grated nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon cayenne, ¼ teaspoon dry mustard, as well as salt and pepper.  Rub on both sides of the chicken.  Use indirect grilling so that the bird is cooked through but not overly burned on the outside.  I guarantee that you’ll love it!

Rounding out the top three barbecue favorites at our house is Beef Shish Kabob.  We have learned that grilling meat and vegetables on the same skewer is not usually a good idea since they need different cooking times.  This recipe allows you to cook the meat and vegetables separately.  In a large bowl, combine 1½ pounds of beef cubes (preferably blade steaks—recognizable by a strip of connective tissue which runs down the middle and which must be removed) with 1 small onion finely chopped, 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley, 2 teaspoons of salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and a good sprinkling of dried oregano.  Then thread the chunks of meat on skewers and cook to desired amount of doneness.  Really great with tzatziki sauce and a Greek salad!

I hope this gives you some ideas for great meals prepared on the barbecue grill.  Feel free to share any of your top recipes with me!

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Spinach Lovers' Recipes


 

We all know that eating vegetables is good for us, but let’s face it: plain vegetables can really be boring! What I love about spinach, besides the taste, is its versatility.  From an easy raw spinach salad with bacon and eggs, to soups, to more complex dishes such as triangles of Greek spanakopita in flaky phyllo pastry, this green, leafy vegetable adapts in many appetizing ways and, as Popeye always knew, provides healthy vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants as well.  I thought that today I’d share some of my favorite spinach recipes.

One new favorite around here is Greek Spinach Focaccia.  To make this, you start out by letting a ball of pizza dough rise for a couple of hours coated with olive oil in a bowl which you cover with a tea towel.  (You may need to help it along on cooler days by placing it in a warm--not hot--oven with the heat turned off.)  Meanwhile steam a 12-oz. package of fresh spinach until it wilts with just the water that clings to the leaves after washing it.  In a skillet, slowly brown 3 tablespoons of pine nuts; be careful because they could easily burn.  Then cook ½ of a chopped onion and 3 cloves of minced garlic in about a tablespoon of olive oil.  When you’re ready to assemble the focaccia, pre-heat the oven to 450 degrees and roll out the pizza dough.  Top ½ of the dough with the spinach (squeezed out of excess water), pine nuts, onion, and garlic, leaving about a one-inch border on the edge.  Crumble ¾ cup of feta cheese, a tablespoon or two of lemon juice, and some dried oregano on top of the mixture.  Add salt and a little cayenne pepper to taste, then fold the top half of the dough over the filling, pressing the two sides together with a fork.  Brush with one tablespoon milk mixed with the same amount of water, and sprinkle with ¼ cup of Parmesan cheese.  Cut 5 one-inch slits in the top of the dough and bake in the hot oven for about 15 minutes, until golden.  Yum!

A somewhat elegant dish I found years ago in an issue of Bon Appétit magazine is called Spinach Timbales.  You’re supposed to have 8 to 10 6-oz. ramekins to make individual servings of this recipe, but it can be adjusted to smaller containers like glass Pyrex bowls.  First, you sauté ½ cup of minced green onions in 3 tablespoons of butter for about 5 minutes.  When the scallions have cooled, mix in either 2 10-oz. packages of frozen spinach (thawed) or 2 packages of cooked fresh spinach--either way be sure to squeeze out the water.  Add in 3 beaten eggs and 2 egg yolks, 1½ cups of half-and-half (or cream), ¾ cup dry bread crumbs, and ¼ cup Parmesan.  Sprinkle in salt, white pepper, and grated nutmeg to taste.  Place the mixture into the buttered bowls which you place onto a tea towel in a large baking pan and pour one inch of hot water around them.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.  I've even served this rich, custard-like creation at our house as a special side dish at Thanksgiving.

I just love spinach and serve it in so many different ways.  There’s an old favorite, the ill-named Spinach Brownie, which is not a dessert at all, but a vegetable dish baked with mozzarella or cheddar, which makes a great vegetarian meal.  Rachael Ray also has some interesting artichoke and spinach recipes, one in combination with mac and cheese.  Recently I found something called Spaghetti, Spinach, and Gorgonzola, that I might just have to try someday soon.

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American Revolutionary War Sites


The East Coast of the United States is filled with history, particularly with respect to the American Revolution.  Along the eastern seaboard from New England to the Deep South, one can find battlegrounds where colonists fought for independence against British “regulars.”  In April I was able to visit two memorable sites: where the revolution began in Boston and its turning point at Saratoga battlefield in upstate New York.

One must-see for history lovers in Boston is the Freedom Trail.  This two-and-a-half mile footpath, marked by a red (mostly brick) line on the sidewalk, takes visitors to sixteen official places from Boston Common to two eighteenth-century burial grounds past the Old South Meeting House and the site of the 1770 Boston Massacre.  While we enjoyed much of the circuit, the highlight for us was the Old North Church.  Also known as Christ Church, this present-day Episcopal parish is the oldest place of worship in the city, having first opened its doors in late 1723.  Nearly all American schoolchildren remember memorizing Longfellow’s poem about the midnight ride “On the eighteenth of April in seventy-five.”  It was on that date that the church sexton, Robert Newman, climbed up eight stories to alert Paul Revere and William Dawes, waiting on the other side of the Charles River in Charlestown.  By briefly hanging two lanterns in the church steeple window, Newman silently told the patriots that the Red Coats were taking the water route to Lexington and Concord; there, they planned to seize rebel weapons and to arrest Samuel Adams and John Hancock. Revere and Dawes then rode their horses through Somerville, Medford, and Arlington warning townspeople and enlisting around forty other riders along the way.  We learned that the men did not shout “The British are coming,” since they were all considered English citizens at the time, but probably something more like “The Regulars are coming!”  As a result, the rebel militia was ready to fight and win the first battles of the American Revolution.




The Old North Church is notable for its beauty as well as its historical significance.  Its classic white interior, with huge windows and beautiful brass chandeliers and sconces, is truly striking.  The stable-like pews (called "box pubs"), which were purchased by wealthy parishioners in colonial times, served the purpose of keeping in the heat from foot warmers to ward off the cold New England winters.  Poorer members of the congregation had to sit in the upstairs balcony.  The clock hanging at the rear of the room, which dates from 1726, is the oldest working American-made clock in existence.  The pipe organ, installed in 1759, was the first instrument of its type to be entirely created in the colony; only the case is original.  Four lovely hand-carved wooden angels from Belgium stand around the organ.

Just a few weeks after our trip to Boston, I made my first excursion to the Saratoga battlefield, now a national park.  In 1777 colonial forces—against all odds—defeated British troops and changed the tide of the American Revolution.  British General John Burgogne led 10,000 troops south from Lake Champlain to the Hudson River; at the same time Colonel Barry St. Leger was to bring his soldiers east from Buffalo along the Mohawk to rendezvous with Burgogne and his men near Albany.  Part three of the British plan was to have General William Howe and his soldiers drive north from New York City, but Howe decided to attack George Washington and his army in Philadelphia.  Meanwhile in Saratoga, the number of patriots was doubling in size and, aided by wise fortifications and the fact that Burgogne’s men had been on half-rations for several weeks, they were able to surround the British and force their surrender on October 17th.  The Saratoga National Historical Park stretches over miles of rolling hills and contains John Freeman’s farm, the Barber wheat field, and many other historically important sites of revolutionary battles.  Various activities for adults and children take place throughout the year.  It’s really worth a visit.

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Enjoying the Architecture of Manhattan


Ernest Hemingway’s famous memoir about his time in the French capital contains the line: “If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life, it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast."  Although I’m not exactly sure what Hemingway was referring to, I imagine that the city’s stunning vistas and architecture had something to do with it.  Being a Francophile snob, wherever I go, I tend to make comparisons to Paris, subconsciously or not.  It was probably Woody Allen’s film Manhattan which first allowed me to discover the beauty of New York City.  Uncovering architectural gems in the Big Apple may take a bit of searching, but they are definitely there and worth the effort.  An interesting website pointed me in the direction of a couple of unforgettable buildings.

On our latest trip to the city, I dropped in to the St. Regis Hotel, located at 5th Ave. and 55th Street.  Funded by millionaire businessman (and eventual Titanic victim) John Jacob Astor IV, the building was designed by Trowbridge and Livingston in the Second Empire Baroque style developed at the École des Beaux-Arts so popular in early twentieth century American architecture.  Named for a lake in the Adirondacks, the eighteen-story building was the tallest hotel in Manhattan when it opened for business in September 1904.  Today the St. Regis is still considered one of the city’s prime hotels; it was designated this year to the Gold List of Condé Nast Traveller’s best places to stay in the state of New York.  The very exterior of the building lets you know that you’re in for something special, but the lobby is a model of luxury.  With its marble floors, crystal chandeliers, murals on the walls and ceiling, and especially its gold-trimmed  reception area, the hotel brings you back to the extravagance of another age.  Of course, the cheapo side of me would never allow me to book a room in such a place, but it was a delight to wander through admiring the hotel and taking a look at people who did stay there.

Just a few blocks away from the St. Regis between 50th and 51st on 5th Avenue stands the Cathedral of St. Patrick.  While I’ve visited the well-known church several times in the past, I was especially interested in seeing a Gothic Revival building after posting on medieval French cathedrals a few weeks ago on this blog.  The brain-child of Archbishop John Hughes, the “new St. Patrick’s Cathedral” was to replace the original on Mulberry Street; controversy surrounded the decision to  build in a near-wilderness area of the island.  Construction began in 1858, but because of the delay caused by the Civil War, the cathedral wasn’t dedicated until 1879.  The first thing you notice is the symmetrical beauty of the white marble exterior.  Walking in, visitors can’t miss the heavy bronze doors, which celebrate immigrant saints like Isaac Jogues, Frances Cabrini, and the native-born Elizabeth Seton.  The brightness of the soaring nave inside is indeed impressive, as are the stained-glass windows and the dozens of side altars that ring the interior.  Notable events such as the funerals of Babe Ruth and Robert Kennedy have taken place here.  Too bad that tours are not regularly scheduled in the cathedral; it seems that it would be a good way to help subsidize its planned multi-million dollar renovation now going on.

 

 So much to see and do in New York; I can't wait for the next visit!

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Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts



By the 1950s Lincoln Square on the Upper West Side of Manhattan had fallen on hard times.  As part of an urban renewal project in the early to mid-1960s, more than 16 acres between 60th and 66th Streets were razed and, with funds provided largely through the efforts of John D. Rockefeller III, were refashioned into Lincoln Center.  Anchored by three main venues—Avery Fisher Hall, the Metropolitan Opera, and the Koch Theatre—the performing arts complex now comprises 29 indoor and outdoor facilities.  Tours of the Lincoln Center plaza are available daily on the half-hour between 10:30 and 4:30.  Tickets can be purchased for fifteen dollars across the street at the David Rubenstein Atrium on West 62nd Street. 


At the north end of the plaza sits Avery Fisher Hall, home to the New York Philharmonic since 1962 when it relocated from Carnegie Hall.  The hall was renamed in the 70s in honor of a benefactor, inventor, and audio specialist who loved classical music.  Our guide, Tom, explained that the hall can be rented and that any type of music can be played here.  However, tinkering with the design of the building when it was originally constructed to increase seating capacity has caused repeated problems with the acoustics.  This led to a substantial renovation by acoustical engineer Cyril Harris and architect Philip Johnson.   Plexiglas and baffling have been added in recent years to try and correct the sound quality.

The Juilliard School, a performing arts conservatory for about 800 students, is also found at Lincoln Center.   In 2009 major renovations were completed at Alice Tully Hall.  Not only was the entrance enlarged, but the interior of Starr Theater was completely redone.  The walls were turned sideways, a fly space was allowed for, a pipe organ was installed in the wall, and sonic cones were added to disperse sounds.  The outer stage, now outfitted with cutting-edge technology, can be lowered to create an orchestra pit.


Unfortunately for us, because of a rehearsal taking place at the time of our tour, we were unable to see much of the Met other than the exterior and the lobby.  Russian-French artist Marc Chagall, who apparently wanted to create stained glass for the lobby windows, had to settle for gigantic murals of La Triomphe... and La Source de la Musique.  Our group was able to see the Grand Tier Staircase, which was quite an architectural feat in the early 60s since it required four stories of poured concrete and had to be built before the building’s exterior.



The pièce de résistance at Lincoln Center in terms of interior design is the David H. Koch Theatre, formerly known as the New York State Theatre.  Home to the New York City Opera until 2011, it still houses the New York City Ballet.  Created by Philip Johnson, the theater, which opened in 1964, is often referred to as the “jewelry box.”  Indeed, its bronze filigree balcony railing, its gold-leaf ceiling, its lovely color-scheme, and gleaming round lights make it a charming place.


One of the first things we learned during out tour was that “day-of” tickets for concerts are available for a reduced price at the Atrium.  That would be well worth remembering in the future! 

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