As the Seasons Change, A Plethora of Recipes

  late Summer’s first macintosh apples from the Orleans Farmer’s Market

Before I forget, I just would like to feature two great soups I had last week before I left Massachusetts.  I have been trying to get these two recipes for over a year and they are closely guarded secrets!!

• On Nantucket, I inhaled my very favorite Gazpacho, from Straight Wharf Restaurant

  wonderful melon and cucumber based gazpacho with a hint of heat and garnish of red grapes – YUM, YUM, YUM; could eat this by the gallon!   I would definitely consider adding some lump crabmeat to this soup and it would become a complete meal.  I could then eat it indefinitely and think about how thin I’d be!

• At the restaurant, Fin in Dennis, I shared a bowl of their great Oyster Chowder

  slightly less depth of smoky from pancetta and slightly less concentration of oysters than last year, but I am still game for this anytime; luscious and earthy and very satisfying – this is on the other end of the calorie spectrum from the Gazpacho but is still a very yummy treat!

and, pic of the week from last week – Christin in a “moment” with her croissant at PB Boulangerie in So. Wellfleet – see my post on 8/29/13.

As we all know this week is a turning point which we can all identify with.  More than anything else, the beginning of September  symbolizes the first day of school, in our hearts and minds, our subconscious and deep inside to our very core.  All the memories and anticipation of childhood, stepping onto the bus, new pencils and notebooks at the ready are somewhere in our psyches.

It is great fun to take a snapshot of the food world at this point in time.  As I mentioned yesterday, we are all straddling the line now between Summer and Autumn.  The energy level in the recipe world is in high gear as we rush to take the best advantage of the produce available right now – and this includes the best of Summer and the very beginnings of Autumn-harvest ingredients.

I am constantly amazed about the number of talented cooks and bakers that are out there in the blogosphere.  It really is amazing to see the number of people who have dedicated themselves to the art and are producing impressive food and baked goods on a daily basis.  If you think about it, there is a tremendous amount of energy currently being directed to the culinary arts.  Every day I come upon a whole new list of great recipes to try.

As we begin to transition to Autumn, thoughts abound in the areas of:

• figs, plums, grapes, and of course, apples
• caramels, sauces, warmer chutneys
• baking, baking and more baking
• a little heavier in the entrée arena, as cooler nights call for some great savory experimentation
• eggplant, squashes, corn, tomatoes, fennel
• gratins, gratins, gratins
• warm soups

I am really looking forward to experimenting in all these areas as the weeks unfold!

And, here’s where I’m starting – in this beautiful book:

by Manuela Darling-Gansser

and, recipe of the day from this beautiful book:

Bonet  – Maria Teresa’s Bonet – recipe courtesy Autumn in Piemonte

  photo courtesy Autumn in Piemonte

4 oz superfine sugar

2 tblsp water

5 fresh organic eggs

3 oz extra, superfine sugar

3 1/2 oz Lindt white chocolate

3 cups hot milk

2 1/2 oz good quality Italian Amaretti biscuits(these should be small and a little bitter), finely crumbled

pinch of salt

1/4 cup Nocino liqueur or rum

Yield: one large bonet (such as in a 8″ brioche mold)  or 8 small ones in individual molds (such as brioche molds).  Nocino is a traditional Italian liqueur made with walnuts.

Preheat oven to 350F.

In a saucepan, boil the superfine sugar (4 oz) and water until they syrup is golden-brown and has caramelized.  Pour caramel into a mold or individual molds, covering the bottom by tipping the mold around in a circular motion.  Set aside.

Beat eggs and the extra 3 oz of superfine sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.  Dissolve the chocolate in the hot milk, and add this, still beating, to the egg mixture, then add the amaretti crumbs and salt, and finally, the liqueur.

Put an oven dish with hot water into the oven and stand the mold or molds in it.  The water should come to a third of the way up the side of the molds.  For one large mold, bake for 1 hour;  for individual molds, 25 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let the bonet cool in the mold, then slide a sharp knife all around the inside of the mold and turn it upside down on a serving dish.  Serve with some whipped cream with a bit of Nocino or rum in it.

(traditionally, Bonet is made with cocoa powder.Serves 8.

Here is another recipe for Bonet and a little background on the dessert:

http://www.infobarrel.com/Traditional_Piedmontese_Bonet_-_A_delicious_dessert_with_Amaretti,_Rum_and_Cocoa_Powder

and finally,

  from the Julia Child Facebook page – my words to live by and what gets me back on target when I am losing a little focus – like I did in August (note: kids around = lose focus)

Have a wonderful day – windows are OPEN!