Double Vanilla Pound Cake

Dear Devon,

13 May 2010
Jet lag is brutal. I'm going to bed at 9:30 PM and waking up at 6:30 AM. It is very unsettling. This morning, I actually exercised before going to work! Does that ever happen? I'm in the process of picking through my hundreds of France photos. I will try to send you some images soon. Until then, here is something I prepared before my trip which unfortunately I did not have time to send before leaving for France. Enjoy!


25 April 2010
I'm slowly falling into a routine where each Sunday I bake something to last for the week. Perhaps it is my sentimental side or maybe it's my desire to spoil myself with freshly baked treats? This week, I chose a simple double vanilla pound cake. Convenience was a major factor in the selection process. I had all the ingredients in the pantry, including a cup of heavy whipping cream that needs to be finished and plump vanilla beans. When the fates align, it would be foolish to ignore the signs.

The recipe comes from a marvelous cookbook called The Art and Soul of Baking by Cindy Mushet. With some subtle hinting, I tipped the hands of fate and received the coveted book as a birthday present last year. I am really impressed with this cookbook. With its clear and concise writing and luscious photographs, the book is a constant source of inspiration. Ordinary pantry-found ingredients like flour, eggs, baking powder, butter are called for with a selection of exotic flavorings (kumquats, kiwis, coconut) but nothing too wild or difficult to locate. I, generally, steer clear from recipes that call for super exotic ingredients. It's always difficult to figure out what to do with your kafir lime leaves after you've made that one recipe you need them for (mine are still in the freezer, six months later).

Pound cakes are normally molded in a loaf pan. This works out well because currently the loaf pan is the only cake mold I have available. The recipe is the basic butter cake recipe with the added twist of two types of vanilla flavoring: vanilla extract and vanilla bean. On their own, both are potent flavoring techniques, so what happens when they are combined? The nicely browned cake smelled of a heady mix of butter and vanilla. The cake was dense and intensely flavored. I toasted a thick slice, creating a slightly burned edge and slathered the top with a generous mound of rich whipped cream. The intense vanilla flavor seemed to call for a cup of darkly brewed tea, if not a small snifter of brandy.

I like vanilla but a little can go a long way. For future double vanilla pound cakes, I am going to reduce the amount of vanilla extract to 3/4 tsp vanilla and throw in a bit of lemon or orange zest. The zest will brighten the flavor and cut some of the sweetness from the extract. The cake will definitely serve as a great base for trifles, baked Alaskas, or a compote of mixed berries.


Double Vanilla Pound Cake
The Art and Soul of Baking by Cindy Mushet (p. 311-312)

6 oz (1 1/2 sticks) butter, at room temp
3/4 cup sugar
1 vanilla bean
3 eggs, at room temp
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 cups cake flour
1/3 cup yogurt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9 inch loaf pan. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt, set aside. In a separate bowl, beat together three eggs.

In a large mixing bowl, pour in sugar. Split open lengthwise one vanilla bean. Using the back of the knife (or a spoon), scrape out all the seeds. Add to sugar and whisk liberally. Beat in butter using an electric mixer, until pale yellow and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat until eggs are thoroughly incorporated. Alternately mix in dry and wet ingredients, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.

Pour batter into butter loaf pan. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool on a metal rack. Serve with a dollop of slightly sweetened whipped cream.

Bonjour Paris!

Dear New York.

I love you. You have are a consistent source of inspiration and an unharnessed life force. I draw energy from your dense, noisy streets and am calmed in your lush parks. But you have been a callous companion. I've grown tired of the subway and the hustle, the morning commute, the $20 brunch menu, and the general grayness. I'm leaving you, to continue my love affair with Paris, its streets, museums, and above all its FOOD!


Hey Devon

Is that too dramatic? I like its cinematic flair. I'm not prone to diva behavior a la Maria Callas, but it'll give me something to chew on while I'm folded into an airplane seat. I'm off to Paris and then south into Burgundy. I'll be headquartered in Dijon, where I plan to eat about five meals a day, let my nose do the decision making, and basically roll around town because I'll be numb from all the good eating. I CAN'T WAIT!!

Pictures will be forthcoming. Notes are a must. I have a long list of places to try from enthusiastic friends. You WILL be hearing from me.

Hugs
Michelle

Braised Lamb Shanks

Dear Michelle,

I apologize for my long absence, and for what I'm afraid will be another till after the wedding. I never imagined that planning for ONE DAY could take up so much time and mental space as it does! That plus getting very busy at work has really killed my free time. Jeff's been cooking a lot more, and when I do cook I just don't have the energy to photograph it and write about it. That doesn't mean I'm not thinking about food; I have lots of day-dreams about what I will make in my free time, whenever it comes again.


So right now I must take you all the way back to Easter, and to my parent's house in Virginia, to experience the height of Spring there. The magnolias were magnificent when I was home, thick and fragile and smelling of honey. The daffodils lit up the vibrant green hillsides with dots of yellow and white, and the fruit trees all had masses of flowers on them. The sycamores in the front yard started leafing out while I was there, the leaves growing noticeably each day. Could there by any place as beautiful as Virginia in the Springtime? There probably is, but I won't believe it till I see it.



I find a terrific irony in eating lamb for Easter dinner, though that's not why my mother made it then. That is, neither particularly for the holiday nor the irony. She made it because she knows it's one of my favorites, and she often makes it when I go home to visit. I usually make it a point get down there in the Spring, and therefore find myself, almost every year, meditating on the tradition of eating lamb to, essentially, celebrate rebirth of diety and land. I know it's probably just because that's when the lambs are ready to eat, at least in this hemisphere. Anyway, it's delicious.


Braised meats are, to me, the easiest to make. They rarely turn out badly, unless you don't give them enough time, and you can usually safely sneak a small glass of wine from the cooking liquid if you've bought a halfway decent bottle. I try to estimate an extra hour into the cooking time, which can only make the meat more tender and succulent. This recipe takes the dish a little further than most when it calls for pressing the cooking vegetables through a food mill or strainer to create a thick, luscious sauce. Serve it on stewed white beans, pasta, or risotto, like my mother did this time. I'd bet it's pretty good with polenta, too.


Oh, and we had apple crisp for dessert. YUM. Thanks, Mom.



Lamb Shanks

Buy at least two lamb shanks, or four or even six if you have a big enough pot for them. Preheat oven to 250F. Add fat to a hot dutch oven, and brown the shanks on all sides, removing to a plate when finished. Below measurements are for 2-4 shanks, adjust as needed for more. Add 1 small onion with about a cup or so chopped carrot to the hot dutch oven, sauteing till softened. Stir in 1 large spoonful of tomato paste (like half of one of those small cans) and two cloves of chopped garlic and let cook for a few minutes, stirring as necessary. It's ok if it browns SLIGHTLY, as this will add further depth. Add half a bottle of wine and stir, scraping bottom. Stir in a good big pinch of herbes de Provence, or some thyme and/or rosemary. Add shanks as tightly packed as possible. Pour wine to almost cover. Put in oven, flipping shanks over every once in a while (maybe once an hour?) until very tender and falling off the bone, three hours or so. Pull out shanks, skim fat off surface of the liquid and strain, pushing as much as you can of the vegetable solids through a strainer. Return to dutch oven and boil till thickened. Pull meat off the bones and add to sauce to reheat.
Leftovers make great tacos!

Blue Cheese and Apple Tartine

Dear Devon,

Simple sandwiches are the best. Tartines- that's fancy for open-faced sandwiches- provide a touch of elegance without much fuss. Crusty, chewy bread topped with simple fresh ingredients. It's one of my favorite ways of snacking or lunching or picnicking.


One of my favorite tartines is blue cheese and apple. Get some really nice and stinky blue cheese. I favor a blue cheese from Point Reyes, California. Slice thinly and top with sliced apples. It's a treat especially when apples are in season. I like to use apples that are tart with a bit of sweetness, like Mutsu or Gala. The crisp, acidic apple wonderfully compliments the creamy, pungent flavor of blue cheese. Splurge on the cheese. It's worth it. The Bedford Cheese Shop and Murray's Cheese are two of my favorite outposts, but Zabar's and Fairway have good selection too. It's a great way to spoil yourself without cleaning lots of dishes or spending hours in the kitchen.


Blue Cheese and Apple Tartine
Nice Blue Cheese
Crisp apple, thinly sliced
French Baguette
Honey

Slice baguettes on the diagonal. Lightly toast. Top with thinly sliced apples and a generous chunk of blue cheese. Drizzle with a bit of honey.

Serve it with a side of steamed broccolini.