easter

Babka is beautiful inside...

Well, Easter has quickly come and gone. And it was great. We started the day by popping in over at Petra's to say hello and deliver some chocolate babka (my extravagant treat for the day. Won't post any process pictures or recipe because it might put you off trying to make it yourself! And I say- why not?), then Sarah, Pasca and I went to church. I'd been craving some kind of ritual leftover from so many Easters with my family in the states, and once I saw in the paper that one of our local churches had an organ, I was determined to go check it out for myself. The organ itself was heartily disappointing, after being spoiled with the magnificent ones at Spreckels and Foothills, but still enjoyable in a funny kind of way. And I was happily surprised to turn around during the greetings in the service and see our guests for the weekend, Sarah's friend Morgan and his wife Dina up from Melbourne. We're all interested in the social rituals and psychology of practicing religion, so it was a nice diversion. Then back home, and greeted by more guests, Sarah's brother Robert, his wife Querida, and their two adorable daughters, Phoebe and Vivienne. They had all had a hunt for chocolate eggs while we curious few were in church, and then we all headed down to the Sunday market. A quick look around just as the stalls were packing up for the day, then a quick rest and chat on a little lawn before everyone but me caught the last ride of the day on the old tourist train. I headed back up the hill to the gardens, said hello to Timothy at the cafe, and had a quick Skype session with a friend back home. Then back home to meet up with everyone and have some dinner. It was definitely a day of good eating, we had babka for breakfast, enchiladas for lunch, and a giant vegetable potpie for dinner. Delicious. And finally, after the sun had gone down and everyone was stuffed on pie and chocolate, we broke out the Paas kits. American style Easter egg dyeing! A bit out of order, and sadly no hunting, but still lots of fun. The kids loved dipping the eggs in dye and then decorating them further with stickers, shrink-wrap and glitter. And I think they turned out beautiful! And made a wonderful addition to some wholesome gribiche the next day. Seems like life here at Hightor is revolving around the kitchen lately, and I love it!

...and out!

Tasty and cheap market finds. We were all of one mind when it came to strawberries.

My Sunday best included my handmade skirt. Really love it. 

Eggs and dye ready to go

I did a few tie-dye style eggs

Lovely jewel tones with the brown eggs we used

Pasca did multiple shrink-wrap on several eggs. Clever girl! 

tiropitas

It's a cooking marathon here. High tea is coming, everybody get ready! You're about to get a lot more food pictures and recipes. Don't think you'll mind though. These Greek wonders are a cinch to put together, and crazy delicious. I made about forty last night and they're hanging out in the freezer, waiting to be baked up tomorrow( if you do prepare them ahead like this, freeze in a single layer first, then once they're nice and solid feel free to stack them/pile them in a bowl/toss them in a bag. With this method, they don't need any special treatment when you're ready to bake, just a few minutes more in the oven). And the story of how I first tasted them and got the recipe is pretty good. My first semester of college I took a religious studies class. As part of the curriculum, we were charged with experiencing a religious service that was foreign to us. Being the budding anthropologist/sociologist I was, I attended several. The most impressive to me was a Greek orthodox Holy Thursday service. The ritual of everything was overwhelming, as was the feast that was laid out afterwards. It included these little heavenly triangles, and the woman who made them must have noticed me coming back for more and more, because we ended up talking, and she told me the recipe. It was a cinch to commit to memory, and though I haven't made these but twice in the 7 years since, it all came back to me with no hesitation last night. There are no measurements in the recipe since it really is foolproof, and everything is meted out depending on how many you're making. I have faith that you can figure it out for yourself.


To make your own, you'll need:
phyllo dough, fresh or thawed
butter, melted
cottage cheese
feta
eggs

-In a 50/50 ratio, mix together the cottage cheese and feta. Crack an an egg (or two, or even three in my case), and stir to combine. You want a thick, but slightly runny mixture with just a tint of yellow from the yolks
-Working with one at a time, lay a sheet of phyllo horizontally on a large cutting board/work surface. Brush the dough all over with melted butter. Using a sharp knife, make vertical cuts in the dough about every two inches, making about four long strips of dough per sheet
-Place a spoonful of the cheese mixture at the end of each strip, and fold one bottom corner up to make a triangle. Keep folding/flipping as you would a flag. Fondly recall your days in the scouts, or on flag duty at school
-When the triangle is all rolled up, gently place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and brush with just a bit more butter
-Bake at 325 degrees for about 15-20 minutes, or until golden on top
-απολαμβάν !!!!

Tiropita station ready to go. A fine glass of red wine sure helps everything along

Phyllo all buttered up

Roll, roll, roll

One last fatty, decadent touch

honey beer bread

Oh my stars. Sarah's birthday is coming up, and we're planning a grand high tea. While flipping through the little recipe book I brought with me, I came across this one. It's so simple, so delicious, and I had completely forgotten about it. I was super stoked to find it again. Started making the dough at about 10 o'clock last night because I just couldn't contain my excitement. About five minutes later there were some delectable muffins baking away (we don't have a loaf pan, and it was a happy experiment to see them turn out so well this way), and I had a silent kitchen to do a little reading in. Great end to the night, and the muffins were a great start to the next day. I had one with my afternoon tea, cut in two, toasted, with some local honey drizzled on top. Divine. Do yourself a favor and make this soon. In a loaf pan, it bakes up to be the best toast you'll ever make yourself, and in muffin form? Maybe even better. Also, I used a pilsner, but any beer works. I've done it before with everything from a hefeweizen, to a really dark stout. Whatever you have on hand, go for it!

You'll need:

3 cups of flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons honey, warmed
1 can of beer, 12 ounces (if you're using a bottle with more beer than the recipe calls for-lucky you, finish it off)
.25 cups of unsalted butter, melted


-Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
-Grease a loaf pan, or line a muffin tin (mine has six large cups) with parchment paper
-Stir together all ingredients except the butter
-Pour half the butter into the bottom of the loaf pan/muffin cups, then add the batter (which is exceedingly fun to work with-spongy, clingy, moist, stretchy, just you wait), and top with the remaining butter
-Pop in the oven to bake, about 50 minutes, stay in the kitchen and enjoy the heavenly aroma
-Let cool for a few minutes before tearing in if you'd like to avoid burns on your hands/mouth. If not, dive right in!

P.S. Timothy, who is wary of any food not obviously Italian, just shouted at me that these muffins were "The shit! Yeah!". And Elisa asked for the recipe. Everybody wins.

Late night baking might be my favorite thing to do

Yummmmm

clafouti

And then there was cherry clafouti. A sort of kissing cousin to crème brulée, a rich, creamy, custard cake filled to the brim with tart cherries. Dusted with a little powdered sugar for just a touch of decoration, and you have summer dessert perfection. Here's the recipe if you're so inclined, it's pretty darn simple!

.5 cups sugar
2 cups cherries, pitted
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
.25 teaspoon salt
1.25 cups whole milk
.25 cups flour

-Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a pie plate, or about four individual crème brulée dishes, then sprinkle in a bit of sugar and tap to coat.
-Arrange the cherries in the plate
-Beat eggs with the sugar, vanilla and salt. Add milk and beat to blend. Stir in the flour until smooth.
-Pour the batter evenly over the cherries
-Bake for about 20-25 minutes, until an inserted knife emerges with just a few wet particles
-Let cool at least 20 minutes before serving, dust with powdered sugar if desired

today

Went out of my way to use this magical-looking entrance to the gardens, carved out of a giant hedge

Looked up at the first tree in front of me, and saw all these cherry plums!

Hurried home to grab a colander, and picked to my heart's content

Got right down to baking at home, brown butter cherry bars!

Enjoyed one myself...

...while sweet Maeve serenaded the house with her piano playing (and Giselle suddenly was too shy to smile)

Great day, and it's not even close to being over. Timothy and Elisa are making us eggplant parmigiana for dinner, and they've already concocted some chocolate salami for sweets! Can't wait to share these favorites of theirs. 

valentine's day

We had a pretty low key, lovely Valentine's Day around here. I got up early and made pancakes for my loves before they went off to school, then got down to the business of roasting sweet potatoes for gnocchi. Once they came out of the oven, it was on to a tres leches cake. Or two, actually. And once those were out of the oven and had soaked up all the milky goodness they could hold, it was grating (we don't have a ricer), blending, rolling and cutting time for the gnocchi. Such a meditative, fun, hands-on process and so worth all the effort. We had the gnocchi very simply prepared, with just olive oil and some special parmesan, and then Sarah took me, Timothy and Elisa out for a drink at a fabulous pub/restaurant out in the boonies. And that was great, too. The cakes were devoured for breakfast the next day, and it makes my heart feel so full to know that this odd confection from Mexico went over so well with everyone here. Timothy must have eaten at least a whole one by himself, he loved it so! And now we know- if there's spare time and a desire for something sweet, tres leches it is. Hope you all had a sublime day and felt the love as much as I did!

Soooooo many gnocchi! 

One of the cakes, ready to disappear

With Timothy and Elisa at the Radio Springs Hotel. Excuse the creepily glowing eyes, must have been the strong drinks, or the bad phone camera ;)

questo e quello

A beautiful pastry from our departed German WWOOFers, Ina and Tabea. Giving me the baking itch!

Love stopping to watch all the bees on this tree on my way to town

The main street in town is freshly paved. Molto bene! 

A hopeful message on a building in a back alley in town

Went for a twilight walk last night, and by the time I was heading back up the hill, it was full dark and a wedding was raging at the Convent Gallery. Great music, an open gate, and nothing to lose led to me joining the fun on the dance floor for a few songs then sneaking back out. Just what I needed!

bits and bobs, christmas edition

There's a pretty sizable pile of presents under the tree for me thanks to an exciting delivery the other day. Thanks Santa (Dad), Morgan, Brittanie, Mat and Stewart!

Benson, Pasca and I watching The 12 Dogs of Christmas, yet another wonderful present. Thank you Jan, Phil, Clayton and Natha! 

Spent some time making the traditional Christmas morning stollen today. Can't wait to slice into it tomorrow!

Christmas prep on the kitchen table. There's a "non-specific Pacific" theme this year, so naturally we're soaking pineapple in Malibu. Brings back hilarious memories from Maui last May

And again from a present, been doing some origami today. The tree is now decorated with these cranes and a few other creatures. Love it! 

questo e quello

Pasca and Shadow basking in the sun in the gardens

On the day our new Italian WWOOFers arrived, so did a few of their friends (a brother, cousin, and friend to be official). We all enjoyed some beers on the veranda, attempted to take a good picture, and some even tried out the trampolino!

Work boots and sundresses. My perfect summer style. 

A giant but friendly roommate

Benson started singing me some songs one night, and among them was "Wonderwall". Little did he know how much that song means to me. It was a perfect moment.

Late night baking for the Italians. So much possibility in a ball of dough!

sticky buns

Special breakfast this morning for Benson's 12th birthday. It was a real labor of love that started last night, but worth every second. Fluffy dough, rich cinnamon and pecan filling, covered top and bottom with sinful caramel and then another layer of sugar with frosting. So good! Unfortunately Benson came down with a cold last night and didn't get to enjoy his treat, but that just makes me want to do it all again some other time. Definitely love experimenting with new recipes for this family and stepping up my culinary game!

best biscuits

Home alone and cooking for one. First up- a variation on my favorite biscuit recipe. This is a winner because it's super simple and delicious on its own, but gets even better when you use your imagination. Today I added some finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes and aged cheddar. Next time? Maybe jalapeños and cojita, or a sweet version with orange zest and honey. Anything goes!

1.25 cups self-raising flour (or add about a teaspoon of baking soda to plain flour)

.5 cup cold, unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

.75 cups greek yogurt

dash of salt and pepper

-Preheat the oven to 230 C/450 F. Put a rack in the middle of the oven and let your baking sheet get nice and hot

-Mix the flour, salt, and pepper in a good sized bowl

-Cut in the butter using a pastry blender, fork, or two knives scissor style. The aim is for small "pebbles" of dough

-Stir in the yogurt and whatever additions you're using

-Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, knead for a few minutes until it all comes together. Pat the dough into a rough rectangle, then cut in half and stack one square on top of the other. Repeat this a few times, pat, cut, stack, until you can see nice layers. Cut into six biscuits, and place on the preheated baking sheet, bake for about 15 minutes. 

The only "tricky" thing here is not to cut and stack the dough too many times. Admittedly, I think it's great fun to do this, but one layer too many and those beautiful biscuits will get too ambitious and puffy and topple over. And nobody wants that! We want light, feathery layers that pull apart and welcome a slathering of butter, olive oil, or honey. Enjoy! 

strawberry and corn muffins

Why not share a recipe? Cooking, and baking in particular, has always been a great love of mine. And this is the best kind. A super simple muffin base that I've adapted through the years and that goes well with just about anything you feel like throwing in. And it can easily be made vegan! Just sub out the yogurt for a homemade "buttermilk". These might be even more delicious with some peaches, but alas, there were none in the house for once (really, a rare occasion).
Using strawberries that are almost overripe is best, that way they easily melt into little jammy puddles in the muffins. Perfect for breakfast, second breakfast, brunch, lunch, lunner, snacks, you name it!

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

½ cup granulated sugar

¼ cup dark brown sugar

1 large egg

1 cup plain yogurt

2 cups chopped strawberries

1 cup corn kernels, from about 2 ears

• Preheat the oven to 450〫
• Lightly grease and flour, or line, 16 muffin cups
• Cream together the butter and sugars, add the egg and mix well, then gently stir in the yogurt
• Thoroughly mix all the dry ingredients in, fold in strawberries and corn
• Spoon into muffin cups, bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 400〫and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes
• Enjoy! 

Like I said, there is an easy way to make this vegan. Make your own buttermilk by mixing 1 cup of your favorite non-dairy milk with a tablespoon of white vinegar, and let curdle at room temperature for about 10 minutes. Just sub that in for the yogurt, and use an oil instead of the butter. My preference is coconut. Finally, replace the egg with either half of a mashed banana, or about a quarter cup of applesauce. Piece of cake! Or muffin.