peaches - the second ingredient

Flippen's peach orchard has been in Shawtown all my life. And Shawtown (google that - click here) is just a few miles from Hornbeak. As a child, I remember going there with my grandmother to pick peaches.

On a recent visit home, I stopped at the roadside stand and purchased a 'fried peach pie.' They are delicious. But, do I really want to know what's in the little hand held pie? And, I'm wondering why 'peaches' are listed as the second ingredient in my pie.

All ingredients considered, I'll continue to consume these little treasures given the opportunity.

not exactly the day..but you get the idea

Karen, Amanda, and I sat around the 'scrapbook' table today (09.05.09), working on various projects and remembering.

Starbucks

Blueberry muffins from "The Sweeter Side of Amy's Bread" (my newest book)

Asparagus Cheese quiche inspired by last week's Viking class

Chocolate Espresso cheesecake....just because

We had a great day...

repost from 09.07.07

Martha said we should meet....and at the Christmas party, I was nearing the door to leave...and we met.

And through the years, Marcille would say, “we almost missed Gale.”

Thank you, Lord, that we did not miss each other.

We have spent hours and hours working on ‘projects’ since early 2000.

Scrapbooks, food, fun, laughter, tears, hopes and dreams.

In the early years, it was Marcille, Amanda, and Gale. Karen joined us later.

We were reading Hemingway’s, “The Sun Also Rises” when she left. And now she watches over us from upon high...we will miss you...

As her ashes were tossed into the breeze at the farm she loved, granddaughter, Danielle read these words she penned:

God saw you were getting tired,

And the cure was not to be,

So he put his arms around you,

And whispered, "Come to me."

With tearful eyes we watched you,

and saw you pass away.

Although we loved you dearly

We could not make you stay.

A golden heart stopped beating,

Hard working hands at rest.

God broke our hearts to prove to us,

He only takes the best.

Title

Heaven Was Needing a Hero

Artist

Jo Dee Messina

“I came by today to see you

I just had to let you know

If I knew the last time that I held you was the last time

I'd have held you, and never let go

Oh, it's kept me awake nights, wondering

I lie in the dark, just asking why

I've always been told

You won't be called home

Until it's your time

I guess heaven was needing a hero

Somebody just like you

Brave enough to stand up

For what you believe

And follow it through

When I try to make it make sense in my mind

The only conclusion I come to

Is heaven was needing a hero

Like you

I remember the last time I saw you

Oh, you held your head up proud

I laughed inside

When I saw how you were standing out in the crowd

Your such a part of who I am

Now that part will just be void

No matter how much I need you now

Heaven needed you more

Cause heaven was needing a hero

Somebody just like you

Brave enough to stand up

For what you believe

And follow it through

When I try to make it make sense in my mind

The only conclusion I come to

Is heaven was needing a hero

Like you

Is Heaven was needing a hero

and that's you”

I Can Only Imagine

Mercyme

“I can only imagine

What it will be like

When I walk

By your side

I can only imagine

What my eyes will see

When your face

Is before me

I can only imagine

[Chorus:]

Surrounded by Your glory, what will my heart feel

Will I dance for you Jesus or in awe of you be still

Will I stand in your presence or to my knees will I fall

Will I sing hallelujah, will I be able to speak at all

I can only imagine

I can only imagine

When that day comes

And I find myself

Standing in the Son

I can only imagine

When all I will do

Is forever

Forever worship You

I can only imagine

[Chorus]

I can only imagine[x2]

I can only imagine

When all I will do

Is forever, forever worship you”

5 Comments

Friday, September 14, 2007 - 10:35 AM

Lisa

Anyone that ever met this beautiful woman for more than 5 seconds fell totally in love with her and she with you. I used to tell her all the time that when I grew up I wanted to be just like her. Her spirit will live with me forever like so many others. Gale I'm so happy for you that you got to be with her through this, she was a blessing.

Thursday, September 20, 2007 - 08:38 PM

Cheryl Lawrence-Moore

I worked with Marcille for 10 years at BellSouth. She was always such a lady, such a classy lady. I loved her and I know her sprit will live amongst all of those who knew this wonderful creature. I hope she finds Scarlet in heaven and she can be her Mom up there until I get there. They would be great friends I am sure

I was so blessed to have known Marcille and enjoyed many great adventures over the 12 years we worked together. She shared her love and family freely. I got to spend some quality time with her while she was in the hospital and then rehab. We talked about the great friends and family we have and love. The Saturday before she left us, Danny and I told her how much she meant to us. IMy last words to her were, " I can count my very good friends on one hand, she was counted in my heart."

A friend told me not to worry, Marcille was in Heaven making plans for what we will all be doing when we get there. love Peg & Danny (South Carolina)

Monday, October 1, 2007 - 03:43 PM

Pam Hill

She was my friend, my relative, my church buddy and my co worker, she was so woven into to my everyday life that sometimes it takes my breath away to think she is gone. I miss her so much, but I know she is so much better now. I will never forget all the laughs, the tears, the crafts, the conversations they all hold such a special place in my heart. There are so many times a day when I think Marcille just saw that and cut her eyes, tilted her head and smiled. I went to a show recently and they sang a song from the play Wicked “For Good” and it said just about everything for me.

IT WELL MAY BE

THAT WE WILL NEVER MEET AGAIN

IN THIS LIFETIME

SO LET ME SAY BEFORE WE PART

SO MUCH OF ME

IS MADE OF WHAT I LEARNED FROM YOU

YOU'LL BE WITH ME

LIKE A HANDPRINT ON MY HEART

AND NOW WHATEVER WAY OUR STORIES END

I KNOW YOU HAVE RE-WRITTEN MINE

BY BEING MY FRIEND...

LIKE A SHIP BLOWN FROM ITS MOORING

BY A WIND OFF THE SEA

LIKE A SEED DROPPED BY A SKYBIRD

IN A DISTANT WOOD

WHO CAN SAY IF I'VE BEEN CHANGED FOR THE BETTER?

BUT BECAUSE I KNEW YOU...

I HAVE BEEN CHANGED FOR GOOD...

Wednesday, October 10, 2007 - 12:50 AM

CASSAUNDRA SIMMONS

God put special people in your life for a reason Marcille was that person for me. Marcille was special because of her wisdom, compassion and generosity. the first day that I met her she gave me a gift because she liked my smile ironically it was her birthday. Words cannot express the feelings that I developed for Marcille during the short time we were together. I can simply say that it has been a pleasure to have been her friend. Marcille loved her family and life itself this is why she so bravely met the challenges of coping with her situation on a daily basis. I celebrate your spirit of steadfastness and zest for life. You would have to search far and wide to find a better example of courage and compassion in anyone. Marcille was a woman that led by example i am truly blessed to have known her. I will greatly miss learning from my friend's wisdom

bran muffins

September is 'get healthier month' in my life. Though these muffins are somewhat sweet, they contain bran cereal and raisins. They are simple to mix, and they bake into nice large, dense, moist muffins. The baked muffins freeze well, and make a great 'grab and go' breakfast.

These are officially named Six Week Whole Bran Muffins, and the recipe can be found here. I think they are better baked in the first few days after mixing; however, the recipe states that the batter will keep for six weeks in the refrigerator.

CIA baking bootcamp photo gallery

Repost from September 2008

CIA day 4

original post titled 'braids - turtles - flowers'

6:15AM - banana foster crepe and Craquelin for breakfast

7:00AM lecture from Chef Ruder. Chef Welker went fishing for striped bass. Chef Ruder was our instructor for our final class. As their names imply, they are both German and both tell of being an apprentice at an early age and working under their Master to develop their skills. And skills they do have.

8:00AM - Tasting the biscotti from yesterday, as well a other cakes. Today we are again making bread...one lean and one enriched. Chef tossed partial handfulls of flour into the huge Hobart mixer as the dough transformed from flour, water, yeast, and salt into an aromatic mixture, ready to be rested, worked, and formed.

Chef Ruder’s baker’s hands....you would just have to see them work. The pictures capture only a small portion of the magic. Chef shaped two large perfectly rounded balls of dough, one using his right hand and one using his left hand, both at the same time. It’s as if he were a juggler, only with bread dough. The dough yielded to him and shaped perfectly.

Chef Thomas Ruder instructs today. He demos bread mixing, handling, shaping, and baking.

Click HERE to see Chef’s demos

Click HERE to see baking boot campers at work

And if that wasn’t amazing enough, Chef began to braid the dough. He braided using 5 ropes of dough, and then formed the braid into other shapes. After rising, the shapes were sprayed with water and sprinkled with seeds of choice, and baked in the huge, porous floor, steam ovens. The smell of baking bread reached throughout the rooms and up the stairs. Ahhhhhh!

Chef’s whimsical side surfaced as he formed turtles from the enriched dough, using raisins for eyes, and a few snips with the scissors to add authenticity. I asked Chef for a flower, and a flower he produced. Chef stated that sculpting dough would be of a different mixture, but his pieces of ‘art’ were impressive.

11:00AM lunch today was prepared by the students in the banquet section. The food had to be prepared and presented to all tables timely, hot food still hot, each plate looking identical to the plate nearby.

After lunch, we watched the TA’s pipe whipping cream and make Swiss Meringue for the cream pies from Day 3. They had also added the chocolate dip to the hazelnut biscotti, readying it for us to taste. It was quite good, and beautiful in form. The cross-section cuts of the hazelnuts in this dough are very pretty.

Daily, at the end of class, we boxed cookies, cake, scones, pies, breads. Today, we bagged bread for the final time, taking it with us to either give away or consume ourselves. Chef presented each of us with a group photo and we all said our good byes. How many of us will go home and bake? Or, how many of us have to return to our day-to-day world of work, rush, worry, stress, and McDonalds? One thing is for sure...we were all changed by the experience. Changed by the classmates with whom we worked, by the instruction of our Chefs and the three very valuable teachers assistants, changed by the handling of the ingredients, changed by the quality of the items we produced.

In summary:

scales are imperative

scale it out

mise en place

produce

my final walk by the windows of the Apple Pie Bakery...watching the students produce the beautiful breads and pastries

my final gaze over the campus, it beautiful buildings and landscaping along the banks of the Hudson, the aroma of the herbs in the herb garden

...final, only until I return to the CIA for the pastry bookcamp in the future!

I’m exhausted, but the experience was worth every ounce of energy and every cent of tuition.

happy baking...

pie and bread

repost from September 2008

CIA day 3

original post titled 'bread'

6:15AM - I don’t even remember what I ate for breakfast. My morning pre class routine includes a stroll by the huge windows overlooking the preparation area of the Apple Pie Bakery. Students are hard at work preparing for the day. I could watch them for hours.

7:00AM class greets us with an hour lecture(we begin talking about bread baking today!), and then into the kitchen to watch Chef’s demos and produce as directed. 8:15AM - Scones, cookies, and cake are plated for our early morning snack with coffee or tea.

Today we filled our pie crusts that we made yesterday. Just as a point of reference, we have 7 teams...each team made 4 pie crusts, and Chef made the full recipe, which was 8 crusts. We produce 20++ pies! Cooked fillings included blueberry, apple, and cherry. We made pecan pies. The custard pies are cooling and will be topped with whip cream or meringue tomorrow.

We tasted Chef’s apple pie, cut while still slightly warm. Delicious!!! And the curst......so flakey!!!

I went to the Apple Pie Bakery for lunch today...their paninnis are as good as their breads and pastries.

On to the bread. Dough mixing...dough rising, dough shaping...dough baking...Focaccia...baguettes...

Beautiful baked color, the sound of the crackle after the freshly baked loaves are transfered from the ovens to the work table via the bread peal. We should have waited at least 30 minutes to taste, but the aroma was more powerful than the clock. Delicious! Once again, we’re eating, and evaluating the texture of the bread.

We made hazelnut biscotti....and someone else wanted to make sponge cake. We tasted the cake today...the biscotti still needs to be dipped in chocolate tomorrow.

We had our class photo taken today, and tomorrow we will ‘graduate.’

A walk around this campus could cause one to gain weight. The smells from all the classes producing as instructed and from the restaurants cause one to just stand still and experience...

Dinner tonight at Escoffier. Quail as an appetizer, a chicken main course, and praline-caramel pastry for dessert

Alarm set for 4:45AM...tomorrow is the last day. We are all sad to see the classes end. Our quest for knowledge brought us here, and will continue to drive us.

CIA campus on Hudson River

repost from September 2008

CIA day 2

post originally titled 'pie dough'

Up and on campus before sunrise..(breakfast is served 5:30 - 7:00 AM) breakfast of chocolate chip pancakes, lemon poppy seed muffin, and what tasted like ham and cheese focaccia. Class lecture begins at 7AM.

8:15AM - Time to eat again...we taste the cookies and cakes from our baking the day before.

Today we learn to make pie dough. Chef’s method was the most amazing method I have ever seen. We created the flakiest pie dough ever!!!!! We will bake pies with the dough tomorrow.

Scones were next on the list. Ours were sun dried tomato, basil, and asiago cheese. They were very good...

There are 7 teams in our class, each team producing different items. Then we all taste.....that’s a lot of tasting.

11:00 AM - lunch...and we aren’t hungry. Rolls, soup, and an apple tart was my choice, and we’re back in the kitchen

3:00PM - Afternoon lecture was presented by Denise Hall on coffee/espresso. Afterwards, she took us to the Apple Pie Bakery (wonderful on-campus bakery) where we tasted the CIA’s specially chosen coffees. Along with fresh pastries baked by the students, we tasted 6 coffee varities. I’m not a coffee drinker, but the press coffee we tasted, along with the pastries for a touch of sweet, was delicious!

6:30PM - Dinner was at the Italian restaurant on campus...Caterina de Medici..my vegetable tart and pasta were an adventure into something new. Ah...but the tiramisu was wonderful.

Alarm set for 4:45AM.

almost 'same time last year'

This is a repost from September 2008. I'm preparing to attend another CIA bootcamp, and I wanted to take a walk down memory lane.

CIA day 1

repost...previously named 'butter & sugar'

First of three alarms sounded at 4:30AM EST. By 4:45AM (that’s 3:45 CST!) it was time to get up. My first day at the Culinary Institute of America was to begin with orientation at 6:00AM - Baking Bootcamp. My thought was...some real chef’s/bakers have to do this every day, and perhaps even earlier! When I arrived on campus at about 5:45AM, students were dressed in their uniforms and walking to class. PS: the sun had not yet risen

Orientation, a parking pass, a big bag of goodies including the textbook, workbook, and two uniforms and we are off to breakfast. French Toast was delicious. The fruit plate could have been photographed for a magazine. The kitchens were buzzing with culinary students working their way through the required classes.

Class lecture begins at 7:00AM - the creaming method, and some of Chef’s own personal suggestions for mixing methods & recipe variations. Chef Hans Welker is originally from Germany. He’s a wonderful instructor and has a great sense of humor. He has a little trouble understanding me and I have a little trouble understanding him...

8:15AM - dress in white chef jacket, black shepherd’s check pants, apron, side towel, and hat. Begin scaling, mixing, and ultimately baking. My team baked a blueberry/strawberry Streusel loaf. 15 students divided into 7 groups all trying to become familiar with the kitchen, the utensils, and the ingredients...all at one time...at best...chaos. Tomorrow should be better; at least we will know where the flour and scales are stored!

11:00AM - lunch prepared and served by the real culinary students...it was delicious and beautifully plated.

12:00 Noon - class resumes. Mix the cookies - Russian Tea Cookies. Chef taught us how to make a ‘perfect’ roll of cookie dough to refrigerate/freeze (a great technique using parchment paper and a sheet pan).

Great news..we don’t have to wash our own dishes!

Discussion time, review of the day’s baking, tour of the campus, a trip through the bookstore and library. Now it’s time to dress and return to campus for diner at 6:30PM. Dinner tonight at campus restaurant, American Bounty.

The photos cannot capture the essence of this campus. The smell of the herbs as I walk through the Italian Restaurant’s herb garden, and the aroma of the on campus restaurants preparing for dinner meals is just aahhhhh......

9:30PM-three course dinner complete; everything was wonderful; all the food was plated beautifully.

Alarm is set for 4:55AM

Viking class

Today's Viking class was "Cupcakes & Cake Balls." We made the obvious, and we worked with marzipan (aren't my apples cute - I hope you knew they were apples) and fondant.

Here's the link to pictures from the day:

afternoon light Kitchen Still Life

pecan pie Cookies

All the flavor of a piece of pecan pie, in a few handheld bites. These are delicious!

The cookies are soft, probably due somewhat to the filling in the center. Next time (yes, for sure!) I may try baking them in a mini cheesecake pan to see if I can form a more sturdy base to the cookie.

They freeze well. Here's the link to the recipe.

Tahitian Vanilla Bean Sugar Cookies

They look very simple....

Look closer...

The seeds from three vanilla beans perfume these simple sugar cookies. They are delicious.

I used a #100 scoop, and made about 6 dozen small, vanilla wafer size cookies. The cookie dough balls need to be scooped soon after mixing, as resting the cookie dough in the refrigerator causes it to harden.

You can find the recipe here. I didn't add the crystalized sugar to the cookies...it just seemed...wrong.

madeleines

Page 221 from David Lebovits's "The Sweet Life in Paris."

My book 'falls' open to this recipe, for I have made them more than once. The recipe is wonderful. Follow his mixing method, and definitely allow the batter to sit for 10 - 12 hours. This resting time allows the lemon flavor to permeate the batter.

Fresh from the oven, they have a slight crunch on the outside edge and are cakey inside. They are equally delicious glazed with the lemon glaze. And, to prevent excessive consumption, I freeze these baked beauties. They are quite good from the freezer.

In addition to the recipes, David has a way with words and is quite the storyteller. He relays every day life of an American in Paris. This is a must read for any American contemplating more than a weekend stay in Paris.

morning tea

Sunday morning...time to say goodbye to the beach for another year.

Chris Tomlin's song, "God of Wonders," rings in my head:

"Lord of all creation
Of water, earth, and sky
The heavens are Your tabernacle
Glory to the Lord on High

God of wonders, beyond our galaxy
You are holy, holy
The universe declares Your majesty
You are holy, holy

Lord of heaven and earth (2X)

Early in the morning
I will celebrate the light
And as I stumble through the darkness
I will call Your name by night

God of wonders, beyond our galaxy
You are holy, holy
The universe declares Your majesty
You are holy, holy

Lord of heaven and earth (2X)

Hallelujah to the Lord of heaven and earth (3X)

God of wonders, beyond our galaxy
You are holy, holy
Precious Lord, reveal Your heart to me
Father holy, holy
The universe declares Your majesty
You are holy, holy, holy, holy

Hallelujah to the Lord of heaven and earth (6X)

Lord of heaven and earth
Lord of heaven and earth

Early in the morning
I will celebreate the light
and as I stumble through the darkness
I will call your name by night

God of wonders beyond our galaxy
You are holy, holy
The universe declares your majesty
You are holy, holy

Lord of heaven and earth
Lord of heaven and earth

halleluiah to the Lord of heaven and earth
halleluiah to the Lord of heaven and earth

God of wonders beyond our galaxy
You are holy, holy
Precious Lord reveal your heart to me
Father holy, holy

the universe declares your majesty
you are holy, holy, holy, holy

halleluiah to the Lord of heaven and earth
halleluiah to the Lord of heaven and earth
halleluiah to the Lord of heaven and earth
halleluiah to the Lord of heaven and earth
halleluiah to the Lord of heaven and earth
halleluiah to the Lord of heaven and earth"

vacation

I've been busy photographing a wedding and vacationing at the beach. I wonder if my mixers have missed me?

smooth and creamy chocolate fudge

I walked into the store and purchased this chocolate at La Maison du Chocolat in Paris, France.
The fudge made with this chocolate was rich, creamy, melt in your mouth wonderful!

Here's the link to the recipe. The recipe instructed to beat the fudge with a stand mixer. It did produce the smoothest fudge I have ever tasted, and there was not one grain of sugar. But it just didn't have that 'fudge' feel in the mouth. It was very good, and all who tasted complimented highly. But, beating with the mixer changed something.

smooth and creamy ice cream

Vanilla Ice Cream from Michael Ruhlman's "Ratio" page 213.
This ice cream is delicious, and oh... so... creamy.
To quote the author, "...the alcohol contributes to the softness and texture of the ice cream."

The recipe suggested Maker's Mark bourbon. I used 4 T. brandy. It did smell strong and I was afraid I had intoxicated/ruined my ice cream. But, tastes are muted when frozen, and the brandy mellowed after frozen.

Delicious!!!!!!!

sugar included

Would I post something that did not contain sugar? Probably not. After the sauce simmered for a while, it needed something. I added sugar!

July 4th Spaghetti Sauce

2 - 28 oz cans San Marzano whole tomatoes and juice (squish these with your hands)

2 teaspoons home made pesto (could have used more)

1 onion chopped and sauteed in 1/2 stick butter

1 large bay leaf

2 - 3 teaspoons kosher salt, to taste

1 teaspoon Penzeys Tellicherry Black Pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

2 teaspoons dried oregano

2 teaspoons Penzys California Sweet Basil

3 tablespoons sugar

Let simmer for 3-4 hours.

thankful for our "red, white & blue!"

Chris Tomlin "America" lyrics

"Let your glory fly!

Let your glory fly!

Let your glory fly!

If my people will humbly pray

Turn from sin and their wicked ways

And I will hear them and heal their land

And show my glory and power again, yeah! ..."

Blueberry-raspberry muffins this morning remembering our red, white, and blue flag proudly flying over our land. I'm glad I can stand under this flag as it flies.

The recipe was from sophistimom; the muffins are mixed more like a cake than like muffins. They were delicious.

25% off "got me!"

It was on sale....

I've never made popovers, but I have eaten them in midtown Memphis at Paulette's years ago.

later the same day...

I've made popovers! And, considering all the posts I've read to

night, my first attempt was not too bad. They rose VERY tall, they were crunchy brown on the outside and hollow on the inside. But, the top blew off of all but two of the popovers. This didn't affect the taste, just the appearance.

It is quite entertaining to watch the popovers bake. They literally rise right before your eyes.