Farm Fresh Eggs

When my mom was visiting recently she was very impressed with the eggs we have. We get ours from some people we know who raise organic beef and have a few laying hens. The yolks in these eggs are orange not yellow(this picture does not do them justice) and they really do taste great. During my mother's stay she kept trying to figure out how she could bring some home with her on the plane. I finally convinced her that this was not a good idea. My mom has always been very pro-eggs. Even during the years when people said that eggs were bad my mother said they were healthy. I, also, believe that eggs are one of nature's most perfect foods. And my mother has always said that to find good nutrition you should follow the color. Meaning nature will show you what is the most nutritious by giving it an appealing color. So we strongly believe that to get the most out of eating an egg you need to eat the yolk because that is where the color is. Science seems to be bearing this out.

Growing up we always kept chickens for eggs. And I have to admit to not really loving chickens themselves but I do enjoy eggs. In fact, my family would be shocked to know recently I contemplated whether or not I would want to keep some hens for eggs. But because I don't like dealing with chickens the answer so far is no.

This is a poem about the fig tree in our backyard when I was growing up but it talks about chickens so I am including it. Growing up we had lots of fruit trees including about 3 different types of plums, a peach tree, a guava bush, a pear, a couple of apples and last, but definitely not least, a fig tree. Also we had a banana tree but it was just an ornamental one.

figs

You are my first child
and I see you under the shade of the fig
chasing chickens.
You bend over,
hands low to the ground
just about chicken width apart.
The chicken is not too threatened by you
but avoids your hands,
pecking at fallen figs.

Later you will see what is above you
and pull the big flat leaves
from their rubbery branches.
Your hands will be sticky
with the milky blood
and you will be a seamstress
your only fabric green and furry.
And your dolls will be clothed with Eden’s best.

You will walk quietly up to the tree
in the summers of the future
and you will pull firmly but fearfully on your choice fig.
As you release the fig from its branch
you arouse and scatter a million iridescent beetles.
they are loud and frightening and beautiful.

When you are yet older
you will realize that you are bigger than a scarab
and you will want to play with them.
You will spend the quiet of a whole afternoon
trying to catch one and tie a leash about his body
and you will name him.

For years you will forget the fig
and the safety of the backyard
but later when you are me
you will stand on the blue porch
and watch your daughter chase chickens
under the fig tree.

My Friend Vyd's Italian Ex-Boyfriend's Mother's Tiramisu - Part 3

So I completed the Tiramisu several days ago but have not had the time to put up the photos and the recipe. But finally here it is. And as I made this I came to realize that Tiramisu is not an exact science. The recipe is really a guide. As the title suggests the recipe is from my friends ex-boyfriend's mother. It got rave reviews from my husband. He kept saying "This is really good." So here is the recipe.

My Friend Vyd's Italian Ex-Boyfriend's Mother's Tiramisu

Yield is one 13 by 9 inch pan or plastic container:

3 eggs
1 cup sugar
2+ cups Mascarpone(or ricotta)
1 tsp vanilla
Lady fingers or Biscotti
1+ cup strong coffee or espresso(if using a Mocha espresso maker do 3 Mochas worth)
1/2+ cup Liquor(Rum, Khalua or Amaretto)
Unsweetened Cocoa powder(to generously dust on top)

The first step is to separate the eggs. Mix the yolks with the sugar, mascarpone and vanilla. Then beat the whites until stiff peaks form. Slowly fold whites into egg/cheese mixture.

In a separate dish mix the espresso and liquor together.

Spread a small bit of egg/cheese mixture on bottom of pan. Put biscotti in espresso to soak aprox. 15-30 seconds(turn to let it soak into both sides). Then layer biscotti in pan. Then top with egg mixture. You can do 1 or 2 layers of biscotti depending on how amounts are working(with this recipe I suggest 1 layer). If you do 2 layers, lay biscotti the opposite way the second time. End with egg mixture.

Top with a generous layer of cocoa powder and any other decorative food item i.e. chocolate shavings or chips(or coconut like I did). You can also stencil designs with cocoa powder and powdered sugar.
Refrigerate 4 hours to one day. Enjoy!

A few notes about this recipe:

I put too thick of a layer of egg/cheese mixture on the bottom of the pan and I ran out of topping before my second layer of biscotti was completely covered so I had to make more egg/cheese topping to make up for it. So the first layer(of egg/cheese) needs to be thin or you should do only one layer of biscotti.

I used Amaretto because I happen to have some. I really liked how the flavor turned out(I do love Amaretto flavor, though). Also you could just use extra coffee if you wanted to skip the liquor.

I used biscotti because I couldn't find ladyfingers but I think that ladyfingers might work better.

If you are timid about raw eggs you could use some pasteurized egg substitute in the egg/cheese mixture(or leave egg out altogether) and then use whipped cream instead of whipped egg whites.

Also, in case you are wondering the sugar I used was called Demerara and it is an almost brown color. I tend to use this type of sugar rather than just white. Theoretically, it has a bit more nutrition and really great flavor.

I think that is all. Thanks, Vyd!

Here is a little poem about Italy to finish off this entry:

Italy

We had no idea
that the Duomo stood
resolutely behind us.
We would have talked of much
grander things, I am sure.
I suppose if we had been listening
we could have heard the Bell strike in its tower.

But we were children
listening to the crackle of leaves
as we kicked them out of the gutters into the air.
We had no idea of such elevated things
as High Renaissance Art and Ghiberti.
We were too busy rolling lemon gelati around in our mouths
and drinking out of fountains.

My First Jewish Seder Dinner

I was invited by an Israeli friend to participate in a symbolic Seder dinner. The dinner commemorates God's deliverance of the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt. I had hoped to get several photos but I think our camera is broken so I was only able to get a couple. The picture above is of Matzo Ball Soup. The other picture is of kosher grape juice on the table. I had a lot of fun at this event. I got to help out in the kitchen a little. It has been so long since I have worked in a commercial kitchen(the dinner was held at our local coffee shop). I used to get to do this regularly. I have had several jobs that involved cooking or catering type work. I used to work for a Greek restaurant that catered Persian food(the owners were Persians). And for a summer I worked as a personal vegan chef for an English family, who ironically were beef cattle ranchers. And I have had several receptionist jobs that included catering projects. I really do enjoy working with food.

The Seder dinner began with the lighting of the festival lights. Then everyone drank a glass of juice(this happens 4 times during the dinner). Then the leader of the dinner did a ritual handwashing. On the plate in front of us was parsley, bitter herbs(horseradish), haroset(a mixture of nuts, apples and wine), and a roasted egg. On the table was a stack of unleavened bread(matzo) and salt water. There is no leavening in the entire meal. Leaven symbolizes sin which infiltrates all parts of life, like the leaven infiltrates the whole bread. So the meal is served without leaven.

The first thing we ate was the parsley which symbolized life and vitality but first we dipped it in salt water to symbolize the tears that were shed under slavery, and the tears that are part of our human experience. Then we ate the bitter herb as a reminder that life is sometimes very bitter. Next we ate the sweet apple mixture, which is a symbol of the mortar which the Israelites used to make bricks for Pharaoh. It is eaten with some of the bitter herb and matzoh to remind us that even the most bitter part of life is sweetened by hope in God.

Next came the roasted egg which is a symbol to the Jewish people of mourning, a reminder of the destruction of the second temple. After that there is a lamb bone to represent the paschal lamb that was sacrificed to spare the children of Israel from death. Then we ate the matzoh and talked about leavening and sin and God's provision of bread. Next the children participated by asking the older people questions about the ceremony. Then the story of Passover is told. After that we dropped ten droplets of wine on our plates to remember the ten plagues and those that suffered. Then we drank again and gave thanks. Then the real(non-symbolic) eating began.

The meal was really great. It started with matzoh ball soup. Then we had chicken marinated in wine, soy sauce and garlic(and maybe white pepper). There was also a beef stew with raisins and potatoes. Served with this was a beautiful rice dish with raisins and almonds. Then there were sides of peppers and onions and sweet carrots. Overall a really enjoyable and meaningful meal.

I had to leave before dessert was served but I got a bite on the way out the door. It was really delicious cake. I think I will have to get all these recipes from my friend. The only problem is that they will have to be translated from Hebrew:)

I will end with a poem about Israel:

The Spring at Tel Dan

the air is cool
with the scent of fig trees
cool and sweet
next to me the sound of water
the spring of dan
i have sat here for three thousand years
and died and been reborn here
and yet spring perpetual,
you endlessly pour forth
your song
even in years of drought
you keep the fig trees
sweet and green
a shadow sweet and green over me
i have felt the waters of dan
tasted the manna in famine
the water in drought
and my mouth is full of honey
my body clothed
with the shadow of fig trees
and my lungs filled with this sweet breath

A Poem

When I told my mother about this blog she said I should add this poem. It is an old one and I am having to recall it from memory but I think it went something like this:

Oatmeal and Raisins

Molten porridge,
Instant lava,
Let us sacrifice little wrinkly raisin people
To pacifist Quaker gods.

Dinner with friends and some Black Tea Ice Cream.

After a very busy day I rushed home and spent 3 solid hours making Veggie Chow Mein(correctly called Lo Mein), Buddhas Delight and Chicken with Black Bean Sauce. But truly the highlight was the Black Tea Ice Cream with Chocolate Hazelnut Rolled Wafers. A recipe will follow. I wanted to try this because while traveling in Japan I tried green tea ice cream as well as black. While the green was interesting and fun to try, I thought the black more suitable for Western tastes. So I gathered some recipes online an then played with them to come up with this:

Black Tea Ice Cream

2 cups milk
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup pasteurized egg product
3 plain black tea bags
3 Vanilla Nut Creme flavored Black Tea
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup white sugar
Pirouette Chocolate Hazelnut Rolled wafers to garnish

Step 1 is to heat 1/2 cup of the milk with the tea bags to a simmer. Then take off heat and steep 10 minutes. Then add eggs and rest of ingredients. Process in an ice cream maker(depending on capacity you might not be able to process the full amount in your machine) and place it in a container and freeze for a couple hours.

This produced a really perfect ice cream consistency and feel. I used my Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker that my mother gave me for Christmas a couple years ago. And the wafers were a perfect complement with their Nutella-like taste.

The only problem was that one of the guest at dinner doesn't like ice cream. Who knew there was anyone in the world who didn't like ice cream? Sacrilege in our family:)

And now that we are thinking tea, here is a poem I wrote in Granada, Spain about a teahouse (Teteria). The Tuareg are a nomadic middle eastern ethnic group.

La Teteria Tuareg
11-15-97

We throw shadows on the wall
And speak of martyrdom and Perpetua
Candle tilts and melts
Tea is down to dregs
And its cinnamon scent mixes with smoky air
St. Theresa comes to mind
And flees upon appearing
I am not she
I am not even Dorothea, an impassioned fool
God, give me patience to endure and strength for final cry.

Putting my food knowledge to good use: An exercise.

I know entirely too much about food and I am a writer who never writes anything. So why not start my own food blog? Maybe we'll talk Northeast Iowa local food or write some poetry or do some home cooking. I am really a Californian disguised as an Iowan. But since my husband is pastor of a rural church in Iowa, here I am in little Decorah. And Decorah is not without its virtues both for quality of life and food. In California I shopped anonymously at generic stores. But here I buy meat from a friend and am a loyal customer of a particular vendor of produce, a man of few words but lots of tasty tomatoes and extra veggies thrown into my bag. And this will be my 3rd year buying chicken from a family just outside of town.

Now let's talk rustic. There are very few isolated places left in the USA but we live in one of them. We are 70 miles from any large town and about 150 miles from any metropolitan area. So because of that our food habits have definitely changed. Goodbye, gyros and feta and hello, ham steaks:) At first I was scared but we have simplified and gone local. We also have discovered that you can make your own, of just about anything. Imagine making your own bread, pretzels, Moroccan food, etc... Now, I may have some advantages over most people. I have had a pretty good food education previous to moving here. I was raised in home where matzo ball soup was a far more frequent occurrence than boxed macaroni. And we are not Jewish. But more on my food history at a later date.

All of this is to say I am going to give blogging a try. In future blogs I will post some of my poetry, which often features food; talk about my unique food upbringing; relate future food ventures I have planned and last but not least I will talk about cooking and what I am doing in the kitchen.