Chocolate Souffle

In as many years as I have been cooking, I have never baked a souffle.  I have always been rather afraid to try – thinking that it would be too much work, that souffles are fragile and difficult to get to the table without deflating, etc.

I finally gathered enough courage to attempt chocolate souffles and am now kicking myself for all those years I spent without chocolate souffle in my life.  We all rated these an 11 - on a scale of 1 to 10!

Loosely translated, the world soufflé means “full of air.” To get a souffle “full of air” you fold in whipped egg whites.  I used a recipe that I found on-line – with a few modifications.  I used 3 ounces of  bittersweet and 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, added 1 teaspoon of espresso powder to the melted chocolate and used powdered egg whites.  I dusted them lightly with confectioner's sugar before serving.

You really owe it to yourself to try this. You can find the recipe here.

A Living History

Ebenezer Chapel

Pierce spent last weekend participating in a Living History event.  Basically, he and his fellow Civil War reenactors choose a historical site, get the necessary permits and permissions and set up camp on the grounds.  The purpose of all this is to "teach" the public about the everyday life of Civil War soldiers.  How the camps were set up, what kind of clothes they wore, the foods they ate, etc.

This event took place in my Daddy's hometown and was the first time Pierce has conceived, organized and "commanded" an event.  I am happy to say that it was well received and the reenactors have been asked to return again next year.  City Council has requested that Pierce provide them with a scenario for a battle next year and has asked that he supply them with a list of vendors that can be invited to attend as well.

While I was visiting the camp, the town's Mayor pulled me aside to inform me that the entire town was impressed with my son - his capabilities, his knowledge and, most importantly, his politeness in dealing with others.  I was told that my son "is a very special young man and the entire town has fallen in love with him".  The Mayor also told me that Pierce "reminds me very much of your daddy, who was one of the finest men I ever had the pleasure of knowing".

Pierce arrived home exhausted but with the glow of accomplishment on his face.  I am very proud of the man he has become.

Preparing for Vacation

The Photographer and I are researching destinations for our annual get away.  Although, we take several family trips throughout the year, we always reserve a week each year for just the two of us.  We feel it is important to spend some time alone - talking, reconnecting as a couple, etc.  Sort of a week-long date night, if you will.

While traveling, I like to look appropriate but want to be comfortable as well.  Although I have plenty of servicable skirts and dresses to take with me, I want to make a couple of new things to wear on our get away.  I was browsing pattern websites yesterday evening and decided on the following two items:

I will be making View A - the full skirt

 

I will be making View D - elbow length, cuffless sleeves

I have tons of fabric in my stash to choose from but, right off the top of my head, I know I have a retro looking blue fabric that I think would be darling made into the dress.  And the skirt pattern appears to be so easy that I will probably be able to complete it in one evening.  

Favorite Kitchen Herbs

I ventured to the Farmer's Market this past weekend.  Although it is still a little early for vegetables in our area I did come home with several pots of herbs.  Parsley, Rosemary, French Tarragon and Basil.  These are the ones I use most for cooking and, somehow, not a single one of my herbs survived this past winter. 

See the aloe plant in the back?  Fantastic for soothing burns.  Pierce gave me this plant for Mother's Day in 1996.  It was a kindergarden "class science project" - meaning the children divided small pups from a large mother plant and cared for them for an entire semester before presenting them to their mothers as gifts.  Isn't that just the sweetest idea? 

All my new herbs are now nestled in larger pots on the back patio, just a few steps from the kitchen.  And they are already providing with cuttings for my kitchen endeavors, while being kept company by the aloe and a few potted flowers. 

Cast Iron Dutch Oven

I found this cast iron dutch oven at a local antique shop a few weeks ago.  It was hidden in a back corner, covered with rust but calling my name.  I snapped it up immediately, grinning as the Photographer anxiously questioned whether I was "sure" I wanted to spend $10 on something so "obviously unusable".  I told him that I was going to clean it and make it usable.  He was incredulous when I told him that this dutch oven would produce the best tasting roast he would ever eat.

When I got it home, I placed it inside a large trash bag, sprayed it liberally inside and out with oven cleaning spray, and sealed the bag.  I placed the bag on the front patio in the sun and left it all day to "soak".  I brought it in, rinsed and dried it off and repeated the process the next day. 

As it was soooo very rusted, it still needed a little help though.  So I borrowed the Photographer's drill and a brass brush attachment and burnished the dutch oven until it gleamed like new.  The Photographer was now truly incredulous - he simply couldn't believe that the oven had actually cleaned up and become usable.

I seasoned it in the oven and the very next day served my boys a pot roast for dinner.  The meat was delicious (falling apart tender) and the gravy was unspeakably scrumptious.  The Photographer agreed that I was "right" to purchase the dutch oven and has promised to never doubt my decisions pertaining to kitchenware again.  I doubt he will stick to that but we shall see!

A Bread Tutorial

While baking a loaf of bread for dinner yesterday, I decided to document the process via photographs.  I used this recipe, which is easy to make and produces a tasty loaf. 

I placed the yeast in my mixing bowl, added the water, sugar and salt and mixed well. (I use my Kitchen-Aid stand mixer to make all my bread). Then I added flour (King Arththur all purpose for this loaf) a little at a time and mixed the dough until everything was thoroughly incorporated. 

I covered the bowl with a towel and let the dough rise for an hour.  Then I heavily dusted my hands with flour, took the dough out of the bowl and (continuing to dip my hands in flour) I shaped the dough into a free form loaf.  I placed the dough onto a piece of parchment paper, covered with a towel and let rise for another hour.

After the second rising, I preheated my oven to 350 degrees and slashed the top of the loaf with a sharp knife.  I use a Pampered Chef baking stone to bake my free form loaves of bread and I always place my stone on the oven rack before pre-heating the oven - this way it preheats along with the oven and is extremely hot when I place the bread (still on the parchment paper) on it.

I bake the bread for approximately 30 minutes or so.  You will know when it is done when the loaf is a deep golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the top.  Remove from the oven and (if you have enough willpower) let it cool a while before eating.

As this is a free form loaf, we didn't slice it - we just grabbed a big chunk to eat.  And it was delicious!

Quiche a la Julia Child

While browsing through my cookbooks, I always keep a pad of post-it notes handy to mark the recipes I want to try in the near future.  Before getting 100 pages into the book, I gave up with the post-it notes because I was tagging nearly every page!

I had already decided that I was definitely going to make the Chicken Kiev and dutifully copied all the ingredients that I would need to purchase onto my grocery store list.  Except for the chicken!  So, as you can guess, I did not make Chicken Kiev for dinner last night!  But it is on the menu for one night next week.

Instead, I decided to try one of Julia's quiches.  And I am so glad I did.  I made the pastry and pre-baked the shell.  Then I mixed eggs, heavy cream, salt and pepper together.  I lined my cooked and cooled pastry shell with fresh, blanched asparagus and then crumbled a small piece of smoked salmon over the vegetable.  Poured the egg mixture on top of the asparagus and salmon and topped with about 3/4 cup of grated Gruyere cheese.  Baked it until it was puffed and set (about 40 minutes) and let it cool 10 minutes before slicing.

Oh my stars!  We have had quiche before, but none this tasty.  The Photographer said it was one of the best things he has ever eaten and Pierce gave it a 9.5 rating (on a scale of 1 to 10).  His explanation being that he doesn't really think that quiche should be dinner (not hearty enough).  He thinks it would be fantastic at a breakfast/bruch buffet though.

I am now super excited to try the Chicken Kiev recipe.  And I made sure to write "Chicken" on my grocery store list (and underlined it in red!)

For The Particular Mother

Once again, from the April 1917 issue of Good Housekeeping.  And once again, I adore the hats!  Though I do particularly favor the outfit in the very center of the advertisement as well.

And I find it rather refreshing to see clothing that is sensibly styled for "small" daughters.  Which, in my opinion, is any female aged 2 through 15.  I get so disgusted when I look at the advertisements for "children's" clothing in modern day magazines.  Push up bikini tops, low cut jeans, barely there mini skirts, etc.  And this is being marketed to girls who are 8-12 years old!

I don't wish to offend anyone who disagrees with me, but, I'm sorry, children should dress like children - not a 30 year old! My momma and daddy had a rule that any child of theirs would submit to "inspection" before leaving the house, whether we were going to a football game, a school dance, or a slumber party at a friend's house.  Daddy's biggest gripes were unpressed clothing and ragged blue jeans.  Momma's biggest concern was the length of our dresses and skirts.  Many times my sisters and I were told to kneel on our knees in the family room.  If, while kneeling, our skirt/dress hems didn't touch the floor, back upstairs we were sent and told to change into something more appropriate.

Obviously, I don't have a daughter so I don't need to worry about dress lengths, push up bikini tops, etc.  But I have laid down the law to Pierce on his appearance at times.  Saggy jeans, with the crotch hanging down to the knees, are absolutely not allowed!  I told him if he wanted everyone to see his underwear, he could just forgo pants altogether!  T-shirts, ball caps, etc. with inappropriate slogans are also forbidden in this house.  My rule is:  if he wouldn't say it in front of his grandmother or our pastor, it will not be worn!  Thankfully, as he grows older, he is in complete agreement with me on the subject of clothing.

Sadly though, my attitude is not the norm in our area.  I cringe when I see what some of Pierce's acquaintances are wearing when I see them about town (and in Houses of Worship as well)! I may be out of sync with the times and hopelessly out of fashion.  But you know what? I don't really care!

In Which Pierce Catches Dinner

Large Mouth Bass

I was working on a sewing project when Pierce poked his head in the doorway and asked "What's for dinner"?  I told him I was planning to make Lasagna, tossed salad and bread.  "Hold off on that for a bit.  I'm going to catch us dinner tonight", he said with a grin.

So off he went, down to the pond that he and the Photographer stocked a few years back.  For the most part, fishing here has been catch and release - simply to give the fish time to grow to a decent size.

I hadn't seen Pierce for a few hours and decided I better go ahead and start dinner when my cell phone range.  "I'm bringing dinner home.  Tell Dad to meet me on the back patio" he said with a huge smile in his voice.  I informed the Photographer that his presence had been requested and opened the pantry door to get cornmeal for the fish.

The Photographer came back into the house and grabbed his camera.  Sensing something was up, I asked what was going on.  My guys seemed to think that Pierce may have caught a state record sized fish!  Lots of photographs, weighing and measuring ensued.  Sadly, Pierce missed the record by 2 inches but was more than happy to provide us with dinner last night.

The Newest Fashions (of 1917)

I found this advertisement in the April 1917 edition of Good Housekeeping Magazine.  The hat on the bottom left especially caught my eye.  How I wish hats were still a part of everyday fashion.  I love hats and wear them at every available opportunity.

Notice the heading?  "Good Housekeeping Readers May Now Get the Newest Fashions Direct from Wanamaker's"? Wanamaker's was the first department store in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and one of the first department stores in the entire United States. 

John Wanamaker, the founder of the store that bears his name, was unable to join the U.S. Army during the Civil War because he suffered from a persistent cough. Having been rejected from war duty, he ventured into business with his brother-in-law, Nathan Brown. In 1861, they founded a men's clothing store in Philadelphia called Oak Hall. Wanamaker carried on the business alone after Brown's death in 1868.

Wanamaker first gave thought of how he would run a store on new principles when, as a youth, a merchant refused his request to exchange a purchase. A practicing Christian, he chose not to advertise on Sundays. His retail advertisements—the first to be copyrighted beginning in 1874—were factual, and promises made in them were kept. Wanamaker guaranteed the quality of his merchandise in print, allowed his customers to return purchases for a cash refund and offered the first restaurant (The Great Crystal Tea Room) to be located inside a department store.  Wanamaker also invented the price tag and held the first ever "white sale".

His employees were to be treated respectfully by management (including not being scolded in public), and John Wanamaker & Company offered its employees access to free medical care, recreational facilities, profit sharing plans, and pensions—long before these types of benefits were considered standard in corporate employment.

In 1910, Wanamaker constructed a new building for his retail business. The new store, built in the Florentine style with granite walls by Chicago architect Daniel Burnham, had 12 floors (9 for retail), numerous galleries and two lower levels totaling nearly two million square feet.  The store was dedicated by President William Howard Taft on December 30, 1911 and is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is designated as a US National Historic Landmark.

The Grand Court

The Great Crystal Tea Room

After John Wanamaker's death in 1922 the business carried on under Wanamaker family ownership.  Rodman Wanamaker, John's son, enhanced the reputation of the stores by offering imported luxuries from around the world. He died shortly before the Great Depression and after his death in 1928, the stores (managed for the family by a trust) continued to thrive for a time.  However, over time, Wanamaker's lost business to other retail chains in the Philadelphia market. By the end of the 20th century in the shopping-mall era, there were 16 Wanamaker's outlets, but the chain was absorbed into Hecht's (now known as Macy's) in 1995.

Wouldn't it be lovely to time travel and be able to shop at Wanamaker's then take tea in the Great Crystal Tea Room (while wearing a fabulous hat, of course)?

From Julia's Kitchen

I recently discovered that The French Chef program is airing once again on the cooking channel (2pm daily Monday through Friday in my area).  Now, I freely admit that I adore the movie "Julie and Julia" and even went so far as to purchase the book (which was promptly thrown into the trash before I could even get a third of the way through - utter trash in my humble opinion).  But I have loved Julia Child since I was a small child watching her on PBS with my momma.  (We also watched Justin Wilson and Nathalie Dupree.  I think I would eat everything Nathalie cooks - not sure I would eat anything Justin made but it sure was fun to watch him)! 

But seeing Julia on PBS made me think, even as a 5 year old, that I could probably cook too.  She was so funny (I loved to listen to her talk) and she seemed as if she was having the time of her life while whipping up Boeuf Bourguignon or Champignons a la Grecque.  My momma noticed my fascination and soon I was in the kitchen helping her with dinner preparations.  So I guess I owe my love of all things culinary to Julia Child and my momma.

I was browsing through the local used book store last week and happened upon "From Julia Child's Kitchen".  Which is a compilation of the recipes she cooked during the 72 French Chef tv shows (color tv, not black and white) as well as a few of her recipes that have been re-worked from her previous cookbooks to include the use of the newest kitchen gadgets such as the "electric super blender food processor".  What a treasure!  And only $2!

I foresee many "french inspired" dinners on my table in the near future!

Pierce's Blue Jean Quilt

Well, I finally finished Pierce's blue jean quilt.  He is thrilled with it and that makes me very happy.  As before, I simply tacked it.  This time using a bright orange thread that matches the backing fabric.

I would have preferred to back it with a red "bandana" fabric but couldn't locate a single yard within a 40 mile radius.  I wonder what is up with that?

He is already looking forward to carrying it off to university this fall.  He says it is "just the thing" for the impromptu adventures he and his friends tend to have - geocaching, campus wide events, attending local music festivals, camping, etc.