I’ve been enjoying nostalgia cooking in recent months — going back into my repertoire of dishes and pulling out selected recipes that hold particular time value.
This includes customer favorites such as chocolate mousse, tiramisu (an Italian catch-all dessert) and fruit tart and cheesecake, all on the very first menu I put together for the first Rosalie’s storefront. As with all the best dishes, these are classics because they are connected to special people and special times.
I get a warm and fuzzy feeling just thinking of how generous and loving my friend Annie’s parents were during this time. Annie’s mom, Paula Butman, without asking, sent me her cheesecake. I served it with sliced strawberries which I bought frozen, at her suggestion. It was the perfect topping. Another time, during those first few weeks, she invited me to her house to learn to make her strudel.
“I’m happy to make it for you, but you should know how.” She was correct. Strudel is one of those recipes that takes practice and patience. Paula made it so easy and enjoyable. For several months during 1973 she made cheesecakes and strudels every week and her husband delivered them. They would never accept any payment.
Annie was the kind of friend who would never ask if I needed anything, she would just show up. She was there to pick up my kids, to waitress, to hem draperies, to make desserts. She was truly my right hand for many years.
One of my fondest memories of working with her was when I was asked to host a party at our house (before the restaurant) for 20 managers of the Sheraton Corporation from all over the world. The CEO and his wife had enjoyed several of my cooking classes and he thought it would be something his managers could benefit from and appreciate.
The first course we made for that evening couldn’t have been more difficult — it was a beef dish, stuffed with spinach, pine nuts and herbs over a bed of homemade pasta. Annie and I prepared for two days. Of course her mom came to the rescue with desserts and I made individual apricot mousse glaces for the first time. They had to be frozen, as they were served cold, and of course there was not enough room in my freezer for 25 individual soufflé dishes — you can guess who helped with that. It was a great party, appreciated by all. Annie recuperated for a week. We often joked when I started the restaurant that after the Sheraton Bash, everything would be easier.
Often friends and people in my classes will ask me for suggestions for dinner parties. I always suggest that they should get their inspiration from the fresh foods that inspire at the market. This is not an instruction based on my restaurant experience, where I learned that dinners should be carefully planned. But you can choose a main course, say a chicken piccata, then find inspiration for the veggie or starch. I broke that rule recently when I found some beautiful escargot dishes at my favorite thrift shop. I couldn’t wait to use them so I planned around serving escargot for a first course, before anything else was decided. In this case, it wasn’t the freshest item at the market but the coolest ceramics that were the foundation of the meal. But, as you know, rules are made to be broken.
When I had my restaurant I was always flattered when guests complimented the food. But I also loved when they took notice of “the ambience.” Even today when I meet people who love sharing stories with me about how they had a first date at my restaurant or a special evening they often comment on what a beautiful restaurant it was. Putting together a book over this past year, I have come across so many photos and I am reminded of how pretty a place it was. In our modest little cottage, I still love creating ambience.
In the same way that I loved going thrifting or to auctions to find a piece that would fit in nicely with my restaurant, I still love picking up interesting objects for the house. Whether rearranging photos and framing new ones, unpacking quilts and throws to create a warm and cozy feeling for winter or making a few new pillows for the couch, my husband would prefer a less cluttered look. I remind him that I am from the “Deteriorating Palazzo” school of design. He married the wrong person if he thinks I prepared to change any of that.
I get a big kick from small decorating projects. The days of big projects are over. As my daughter Suzie says, “Been there, done that.” Recently my friend Elery put up a shelf for me using a pair of antique brackets that I have had for years. It is off the kitchen and I have all my tablecloths on it and it looks great. Recently my granddaughter Kelley went through my books and organized them and made room for a few decorative objects and photos.
My gardener friend Marylou commented recently that she can tell I am getting old because I am decorating with fake flowers. I swore for years that I would never buy fake. I guess it may come with aging, but I kind of like some of them. And mixed with fresh flowers, it’s sometimes hard to tell which are which.
October is one of my favorite months. I love the new way the sunlight falls, and the food that inspires us changes to soups and heartier meals. The weather is beginning to tease the winter days that are on their way. My grandson Nick asked me to make another pumpkin pie already. He was with us most of last week because he was sick and I spoiled him with crêpes filled with his favorites flavors, including Nutella with blueberries. I found my recipe for Jordan Marsh blueberry muffins, which he also loves. I also made a nice light stew with dumplings which he enjoyed. We were happy to see him eat a little because he didn’t have much of an appetite for a week.
Root Vegetable Stew with Dumplings
In a heavy bottom pan melt a tbsp. each of butter and olive oil.
Chop a small onion and add to the pan and cook for three or four minutes, stirring often. Any root vegetables will work.
Clean and peel parsnips, celery root, sweet potatoes, a variety of carrots and cut into half-inch cubes. Try to prepare at least 3-4 cups of the veggies. Add to the pan and stir for a minute to coat with the oil and butter.
Add 4 cups of vegetable broth. Any leftover gravy, chicken broth will work as well.
Add a tsp. curry or turmeric and bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer till veggies are tender. Season with salt and pepper and a few tbsp. chopped basil, or cilantro and flat leaf parsley.
Meanwhile, make the dumplings: In a bowl combine a cup of flour, 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder, 3/4 tsp. salt, a few grates of nutmeg, 1/2 tsp. turmeric and place in food processor with 2 tbsp. cold butter.
Pulse until it resembles coarse cornmeal.
Transfer to another bowl and add 1/4 cup raisins and 6 tbsp. buttermilk and stir until just combined.
With a small 1 inch ice cream scoop, which you spray with oil, scoop enough dumpling mixture to fill it and drop into the simmering stew, cover and cook for 15 minutes.
Carefully place about five dumplings in individual bowls, garnish with chopped herb of your choice.
