Donald tagged me for this “meme” at the beginning of the month and I politely declined, and then it went viral and the whole world started posting their five random facts. Since then, I’ve been tagged by Amy at Eggs on Sunday, The Frantic Home Cook, and Sarah from Sweets by Sarah. It’s very flattering actually, so thank you all! This is way better than being picked last in gym class.

So in no particular order:

I was a “band geek.” I played the flute for 9 years, and haven’t touched it since I graduated from High School. My favorite song to play was Ashokan Farewell, the theme song from Ken Burns’s documentary on The Civil War. I absolutely hated this song called Malagueña. The other day someone was playing it on a guitar in the subway and I wanted to run away screaming.

When I was a kid I would literally watch Annie or The Sound of Music every single day. In kindergarten I got in trouble for singing “How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria” when we were supposed to be walking quietly through the hallways to the library. Way to squelch my Musical Theater aspirations!

I really want a Pembroke Welsh Corgi puppy. You know, the cute one that doesn’t have a tail and is always seen frolicking merrily with the Queen of England. Chris and I are ridiculous and sometimes we’ll watch YouTube videos of playful Corgi’s and “ohh and ahh” while thinking up hypothetical names.  Elle, from Elle’s New England Kitchen has two Corgis that are absolutely gorgeous.   If Elle has two, I should be able to have one tiny little puppy, right?

My favorite book isn’t highbrow at all. It’s a novel called Cinnamon Wharf by Janice Young Brooks. The main character, Mary, is adopted as a child by the Beechams. The Beechams are Spice Merchants and the patriarch, George, regales Mary with stories of the spice trade. Of course romance and intrigue ensue. Highlights of the story include a steamy trip to Singapore, a sprawling manor house called “Castlemere,” and secrets galore. It’s mindless good fun and apparently out of print so you’ll have to pick up a used copy online.

One of my first kitchen disasters took place when I was 13. My HomeEc teacher (they called it something much more politically correct but the title escapes me) gave us a handout full of recipes to try at home on our own time. We’d been diligently baking orange muffins for the last few weeks so I felt confident that I was up to the challenge. The recipe I chose to prepare was for Bran Flake Pizza crust. It came out dense and rather disgusting, but I still ate it slathered with mozzarella and tomato sauce from a jar, probably while watching Teen Witch on HBO. No one else would touch it.

*****
And now I tag:
Blake from Blake Makes
Madeline at Everything Rachael Ray
Lindsay from Love and Olive Oil
Hänni at Hannihaus
Dylan from a Brit Out of Water

“5 Thing” Meme Rules:
1. Link to your tagger and post these rules.
2. Share 5 facts about yourself
3. Tag 5 people at the end of your post and list their names (linking to them).
4. Let them know they’ve been tagged by leaving a comment at their Blogs.
*****

You know how sometimes you’ll find a recipe and really want to make it, but then you start reading the ingredients list and the instructions and it will slowly dawn on you that you’re missing EVERYTHING and there isn’t possibly anyway you could “fudge it” (so to speak). Well that’s what happened to me when I read the recipe for Double Shot Cake. I knew I couldn’t possibly do Diane Mott Davidson’s devilish dessert justice, when I didn’t have a double boiler, parchment paper, or a ten inch cake pan. So I made the horrifying decision to go to the mall–on a Saturday.

My cake baking journey took me to three stores and drained my wallet of about a hundred dollars. It’s my own fault. I’m a cookware snob and I only wanted the All-Clad double boiler insert for my four quart saucepan. They finally had it at Williams-Sonoma. Next, on my list was a cake pan. For some bizarre reason, Davidson wants us to use a ten inch cake pan. Frankly I thought this sized pan was as mythical as a unicorn, until once again I found a set at Williams-Sonoma. Are you sensing a pattern here? I rounded out my ridiculously frivolous purchases with parchment paper. The moral of the story is obviously to always start at Williams-Sonoma.

Note: I entered this pricey concoction in The Kitchn’s “Bittersweet Baking Contest.” Wish me luck!

Line & Butter	The Double Boiler Earns Its Keep
Foamy Eggs	Triple Sifted
Unintentional Yin & Yang	Stir it All Together
Fill	Set Into a Water Bath Very Carefully & Bake

Double Shot Chocolate Cake (Originally published by Diane Mott Davidson in her novel Double Shot)

10 ounces unsalted butter
10 ounces bittersweet chocolate, broken into small pieces (recommended brand: Godiva dark)
3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons extra-fine granulated sugar
2 tablespoons Dutch-style cocoa (recommended brand: Hershey’s Premium European-Style)
8 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350°.

Butter a 10-by-1 1/2-inch heavy-duty round cake pan. Line the bottom with parchment cut to fit. Butter the parchment. Set aside.

Fill a 16-by-11-inch roasting pan with 1 inch of hot water, place the roasting pan on a baking sheet, and put it into the oven.

In the top of a double boiler, melt the butter with the chocolate. When the ingredients are melted, remove the pan from the heat to cool slightly. Sift the sugar with the cocoa twice, then whisk it into the melted chocolate mixture.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs until they are foamy. Add the vanilla and the chocolate mixture. Blend with a spatula until very well mixed.

Carefully pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Gently place the cake pan in the water-filled roasting pan.

Bake about 40 to 50 minutes, or until the cake begins to shrink slightly from the sides and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Place on a rack to cool for 15 minutes, then invert carefully and peel off the paper. Allow to cool completely.

Serve with sweetened whipped cream, best quality vanilla ice cream, or my awesome Espresso Whipped Cream (see recipe below).

Erin’s Espresso Whipped Cream

1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon very finely ground espresso beans

Combine cream, sugar, vanilla, and espresso and beat until soft peaks form. Try not to eat it directly from the bowl. It’s going to be difficult.

I picked up Amanda Hesser’s book Cooking for Mr. Latte after the holidays at the Harvard Book Store. I honestly had no idea who she was. In reality I thought that it was a new book since it was marked as a staff pick. Later in the evening Google revealed the truth to me. It seems Hesser writes for The New York Times and that her book actually came out in 2004. Apparently, she’s a fairly famous foodie in her own right, albeit at times a controversial one.

In the end I really enjoyed my selection. The short story format was fast paced and I loved how each chapter ended with an array of delicious recipes to try at home. I found myself dogearing page after page while reading on the T, which is a total sin and completely against my usual book etiquette but I didn’t want to forget to try anything. Those folded tabs have since been replaced by colorful mini post-its so you can all relax now.

It was difficult but I finally chose something simple to test. A cookie recipe with an obscene amount of chocolate — two entire bags to be exact (although Hesser used chocolate bars). When I told my cousin and her fiancé what kind of cookies they were eating the response was, “Wow…could you fit anything else in there!?”

Toast the Pecans	Mix the Batter
Chop, Chop, Chop	Fold
Scoop	Cool

Chocolate Chip, Toasted Pecan, Coconut Cookies (Inspired by Amanda Hesser’s recipe in Cooking for Mr. Latte)
Makes 4 dozen large cookies

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 large eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of sea salt
24 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 cups toasted chopped pecans
1 cup shredded coconut

Preheat the oven to 325°F

In a mixer cream the butter and sugars until fluffy. Add the vanilla and eggs and beat until smooth.

In a small bowl combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the mixer, beating on low until blended.

Pour in the chocolate, pecans, and coconut. Fold them in by hand with a spatula.

Chill the dough for 30 minutes.

Using an ice cream scoop, drop the dough onto a well greased baking sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes until lightly browned on the edges and cooked in the center. Cool on a rack.

The other day I ran into Gordon Ramsay at Macys. Well…I didn’t exactly run into him but I did spend a little time looking over the new kitchen products he’s hawking. I quickly realized that the collection consisted of lots of boring white ribbed style bakeware. Very ho-hum. You’d think Gordon Ramsay would wow a girl with some pottery flare. I expect this sort of thing from Ina Garten but not the screaming meanie himself. Martha Stewart’s colorful pastels in the next aisle lured me away in record time.

I have a fascination with fry bread. It was brought about in college when my favorite professor, MKJ, had us read The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven. Ever since I’ve always wanted to try it, make it, and of course, eat it. You should check out Clint’s attempt at recreating traditional Native American Fry Bread. I think it looks pretty amazing. I may have to whip up a batch of my own and have a private viewing of Smoke Signals to celebrate.

Everyone’s favorite hostess with the mostess, Padma Lakshmi, is coming out with her second cookbook this fall. It’s titled Tangy, Tart, Hot and Sweet: A World of Recipes for Every Day. Tangy, Tart, Hot, and Sweet…sounds like appropriate nicknames for a Spice Girls cover band. Now go add it to your wishlist….NOW!

And finally, Football season is fast approaching. The Patriots opening day is September 9th versus The New York Jets and I’ve just found the perfect cake pan for a Sunday of beer, nachos, and HD fun. I wonder if they sell little decorative player figures? If they do I’ll make sure to buy Tom Brady and Tedy Bruschi, and then I’ll get a Peyton Manning candy and promptly bite his head off.

About a million years ago, ok I’m exaggerating, but way back in 1992 my mother and I started reading a series of culinary mysteries written by Diane Mott Davidson and we’ve both been huge fans ever since.

Each book takes place in the fictional Denver town of Aspen Meadow where Goldy’s catering of events for the upper class denizens of the city always coincides with a shocking side of murder. Goldy than sleuths her way through clues and bizarre interactions with suspects, while simultaneously making us drool with hunger over each new recipe concocted in her state of the art kitchen. After-all, the catering business doesn’t stop just because some poor soul got bumped off in the first chapter. The original recipes used to be dispersed throughout the book as they were introduced as part of the story, but in the last few novels they’ve been compiled all together in a section at the end.

Excitingly enough, Diane’s new Goldy Mystery, Sweet Revenge, will be released on August 21. According to the publisher’s website, “Goldy Schulz is thrilled to be catering a holiday breakfast feast for the staff of the Aspen Meadow Library. But little does she know that on the menu, alongside the Great Expectations Grapefruit, Chuzzlewit Cheese Pie, and Bleak House Bars, is a large helping of murder.”

This description cracks me up, and is really just too tempting to pass on since I’ll actually be starting my Master in Library and Information Science in just three weeks. Plus, who doesn’t love themed food?! In addition, if you have an iPhone you can read a specially formatted excerpt of Sweet Revenge at the HarperCollins website.

In anticipation of my next book purchase I decided to make the crustless Asparagus Quiche (alas no quirky name) from Davidson’s most recent novel, Dark Tort.

Steam & Layer	Top With Cheese & Eggs
Bake Until Set	Enjoy Your Own Culinary Mystery

Asparagus Quiche (As Previously Published in Dark Tort by Diane Mott Davidson)

8 ounces asparagus, washed, trimmed of all hard, tough stalks, and cut into 1 1/2 inch lengths
4 large eggs
1/4 cup whipping cream
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more, if desired)
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1 cup small-curd cottage cheese
1 cup grated Gruyére cheese
1/4 cup grated imported Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch pie plate.

Using a small sauté pan that has a cover, heat about half a cup of water just to boiling. Pour in the sliced asparagus, cover, and turn off the heat. Allow the asparagus to steam, with the heat turned off, while you prepare the other ingredients.

In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat the eggs on medium speed until they are very well blended. Blend in the cream, mustard, salt, pepper, and paprika until well combined. Using a heavy wooden spoon, stir in the cheese, stirring until they are well combined.

Drain the asparagus (it should still be bright green, with a tender, slightly crunchy texture). Put it into the bottom of the prepared dish. Pour the egg mixture over the asparagus. And place the quiche into the oven.

Bake for about 35 to 40 minutes, or until the quiche has puffed and browned, and is set in the center. Allow to cool 5 minutes before slicing.

I may have found a new hobby. While thumbing through my copy of You Grow Girl the other day I came across Gayla Trail’s section that details the steps involved in making your very own Tea Garden. Since my mini herb gardens have managed to stay alive this summer I think I might possibly be up to this new horticultural challenge, especially as tea herbs are notoriously hearty. This is very reassuring to me as I was born with the distinct lack of a “green thumb.”

The chapter on Tea Gardening outlines a brief introduction on the “hot factor” surrounding tea these days as well as a breakdown of the various herbs you should grow for a variety of personal tea needs. This includes lavender, catnip, and lemon balm for sleep and relaxation. Stevia, mint, and lemon verbena if you’re craving a cup of “sweet and tasty” tea or perhaps nettle and rose hips if something a little more healing is in order. Apparently even dill has properties that can sooth an upset stomach and stimulate appetite. For crafty folks there’s a mini pattern and directions detailing how to sew your own tea bags from muslin. I think a supply trip to Target for seeds and cute pots is definitely in order. If you don’t currently own the amazing You Grow Girl guide there are plenty of online resources that will assist you in your tea gardening efforts. Happy growing!

(Originally posted on the Well Fed Network’s blog A Nice Cuppa)