What are the origins of a recipe? What makes it adaptable, what makes it untouchable? What generates that energy in the kitchen to experiment and innovate? Yesterday, I was editing my post and rambling on about (actually making excuses for) using canned cherries in my Mom’s Cherry Pie. I was thinking about how canned foods are basically “poo-pooed” for the most part these days and got to thinking about alternate cherry sources. I have made Cherry Pie the same way for over 33 years – using canned tart cherries packed in water. That’s what my Mom used and while I have hunted around in the grocery store and bought a case of canned cherries online, I never seriously looked into finding a new source, a source for frozen tart cherries (let alone use fresh cherries since I don’t live in Michigan or Oregon). Why, I asked myself? But, I really knew the answer as soon as I thought of the question. The sentimental tie I have to this recipe and memories of my Mom making it for me kept me wedded to making it exactly as she had – changing it, even the source or preserving method of the cherries, never even entered my mind until yesterday – yikes. As the day went on however, it started to nag me that I didn’t remember using “preserved” cherries in pastry school, didn’t ask any of my Chefs about the canned vs. frozen vs. fresh dilemma, and never, as I usually would, go off on my own looking for better sources.
This is a round about way of asking the question – can the love of cooking and baking originate from such a strong sentimentality that it can literally put blinders on you, especially when it comes to certain recipes, those of family origin? This may sound silly and insignificant, but part of my interest in the food world involves the “anthropological” origin of the desire and need to creatively “feed” our species. I am one who is always messing around with other peoples’ recipes. Yet, I never, ever touched this one. I got to thinking about my Mom’s recipes and, curiously, I could not come up with one that I had altered. Hmmmm.
So, after contemplating this bit of psychological fodder, I did go look online for sources of frozen tart cherries and found Frank Farms in Michigan. While I feel a little torn about it, I am going to order some and, maybe, if I’m comfortable, even use some in a pie.
Today, I am seriously homesick for Santa Barbara. While it doesn’t take much to get me going about the weather on any day, three and a half days without sun here (if you click on that picture of the Daylillies – Hemerocallis “Halls Pink” waiting on my patio to be planted, you’ll see the droplets from about an hour ago) is enough to get me scanning weather.com’s 10 day of Santa Barbara -clear sailing all the way and I’m wishing I could pack my bags. (This is another common trigger for the panic face to appear on my husband) I was just roaming around on the Santa Barbara Santa Farmer’s Market website and noticed that they have started their “Summer” schedule. What???? OMG, I really don’t need any more reasons to want to live there, do I? But, that’s another one – they are more than 6 weeks ahead of us in “Summer” and their Farmer’s Market is not only open, it’s on it’s Summer schedule! On a more practical (and sane) note, their Farmer’s Market is amazing – the most luscious I have ever been to – especially in late August, early September. We had the most delicious strawberries and peaches there and, if I hadn’t been on vacation- sans kitchen – I would have been loading up like crazy! Can’t wait to go back there. Interestingly, the site says, “Open Rain or Shine”. They don’t need to roll the dice on that one – when does it rain there – two days in March???????? I remember the first time I began reading “The Summertime Anytime Cookbook from Shutters on the Beach” when the author, Dana Slatkin mentioned (uber casually – I guess Californians do that) that they have 350 days of sunshine in Santa Monica. I inadvertently barked out, “what!!!!!!!!! – that’s where I belong”. Anyway, check out these websites for some upbeat inspiration on this cloudy, gloomy day in NJ.
By the way, if you are a big Orange Marmalade fan, check out the Thursday Cottage Handmade Orange Marmalade -Medium Cut. I had a taste of some seriously sub-par marmalade this morning and it made me immediately think of this- delish! I bought my first jar of this at Whole Foods well over a year ago. It’s imported from England. I have to work on some new recipes which incorporate this. I got a jar of their “Chili Jam” online recently and am looking forward to trying it.
Two cookbooks I plan on re-thumbing through today – “Sweet Chic” by Rachel Schifter Thebault and “Miette” by Meg Ray with Leslie Jonath. These books are both great – just what I need to cheer me up!
Last night I made my favorite Quick Marinara Sauce for dinner – just Christin and me – last minute but yummy. A big loaf of garlic bread, some Penne and she was off and back to Baltimore. The sauce is great in a pinch and can be used as a topping on grilled chicken and fish anytime.
QUICK MARINARA SAUCE
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes – (Muir Glen)
2 tblsp extra virgin olive oil
2 lg cloves garlic, minced
1 tblsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, chiffonade(ed?)
In a large saute pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and cook 1 minute until translucent – do not allow to brown. Add tomatoes, sugar, 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper (or to taste) and stir. Add basil leaves, stir. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring often. If tomatoes don’t break down to your liking, you can nudge them along a bit with the end of your wooden spoon.
Well, so long for now. Missing out on some choice gardening time here. The sun is “scheduled” to come out tomorrow.