New Canaan Library Cooks

Food for Thought

2011-02-14T17:31:00.000-05:00

Join us for a fascinating exploration of the culinary world! The Connecticut Humanities Council will present “Food for Thought” at the New Canaan Library. Through the discussion of four books the series looks at the culinary world from four very different perspectives, offering insight into a profession that serves us all well. The program will be held on Wednesday evenings from 7:30-9:00 PM in the Lamb Room, beginning on February 16th with a discussion of Garlic & Sapphires, by Ruth Reichl.

My Life in France, the biography of Julia Child, shows how Julia changed forever our perception of the intimidating world of French cooking. Julie and Julia, by Julie Powell combines culinary delight and a unique coming of age story.Think owning a restaurant is glamorous? Not at all, says Courtney Febbroriello, author of Wife of a Chef, and Ruth Reichl, author of Garlic & Sapphires gives us the inside story on the the world of a food critic, and the intense competition in the industry.

Dates for the discussions are as follows: February 16^th, Garlic & Sapphires; March 2^nd, Julie & Julia; March 16^th, My Life in France; March 30^th, Wife of a Chef. Multiple copies of the books are available at the library. To register for any or all of the sessions visit newcanaanlibrary.org.

...in Pam Anderson's kitchen

2010-12-08T15:04:00.000-05:00

Threemanycooks

Pam Anderson's cooking blog.

From Amazon:

Pam Anderson is the monthly food columnist for USA Weekend, contributing editor to Fine Cooking and Runner's World magazine, as well as the 2008 "Celebrations" food columnist for Better Homes and Gardens.

She is the author of five books -New York Times bestseller and IACP award nominee, The Perfect Recipe for Losing Weight and Eating Great, as well as Julia Child award winning, The Perfect Recipe, and James Beard Award nominees, How To Cook Without a Book and Perfect Recipes for Having People Over, as well as CookSmart.

Pam is former Executive Editor of Cook's Illustrated magazine. Her food articles have appeared in Food and Wine, Fine Cooking, Bon Appetit, Cooking Light, Real Simple, Better Homes and Gardens, Saveur, Ladies Home Journal, and The Washington Post. She has been featured in US News and World Report. She teaches cooking classes across the country and appears frequently on TV and radio.

Winter Farmer's Markets

2010-12-08T14:43:00.001-05:00

Look here for information on the 3 markets in our area.

Authors on Stage

2010-09-27T15:09:00.003-04:00

Thursday, October 14 At 7:30 pm In the Lamb Room Colman Andrews Ferran

Check out CT BITES

2010-09-27T15:05:00.001-04:00

http://www.ctbites.com/

Your guide to great food in Fairfield County

SONO Baking Company Cookbook Author

2010-06-24T15:55:00.002-04:00

John Barricelli, author of the SONO Baking Company Cookbook with be at the library

Monday, June 28
At 7:30 pm
In the Lamb Room

Please register for this Author's on Stage program here, or call 203-594-5040.

52 Loaves

2010-05-03T11:20:00.004-04:00

Authors on Stage, William Alexander, Thursday, May 6, 2010 at 12 noon in The Lamb Room at New Canaan Library
click here to register

William Alexander is determined to bake the perfect loaf of bread. He tasted it long ago, in a restaurant, and has been trying to reproduce it ever since. Without success. But now he’s going to try again—every week for one year—until he gets it right. He will bake his peasant loaf from scratch. And because Alexander is nothing if not thorough, he really means from scratch: growing, harvesting, winnowing, threshing, and milling his own wheat. --from Amazon.com

Ellie Krieger--Authors on Stage January 27, 2010

2009-12-29T08:32:00.002-05:00

As weekly host of the Food Network’s “Healthy Appetite,” Ellie Krieger is known for creating light and healthy dishes that taste great and are easy enough for the busiest people to prepare. Now, Ellie has put together a collection of meal solutions for those of us who love food and want to eat well but struggle to make it happen amid life’s hectic pace. In So Easy (John Wiley & Sons, November 2, 2009; $29.95) Ellie provides 150 delicious, easy-to-prepare recipes that tackle every possible mealtime situation. Illustrated with 50 full-color photos, there are recipes for grab-and-go breakfasts, lunches that have actually been road-tested in a cooler pack, decedent desserts, and a month’s worth of rush-hour dinners—fabulous meals you can whip up in less than thirty minutes.

Cookie Exchange

2009-12-29T08:17:00.009-05:00

NEW CANAAN LIBRARY COOKIE EXCHANGE 2009

A collection of recipes submitted by the staff of New Canaan Library.
Available at the Circulation Desk with a $5.00 Donation to the library

Authors on stage

2009-08-28T12:12:00.003-04:00

Friday, September 25
At 7:00 pm
In the Lamb Room

Seafood alla Siciliana: Recipes and stories from a living tradition

by Toni Lydecker.

For the first time, the history and techniques behind Sicilian seafood are captured in one book. Beautiful photography and in-depth information on the seafood used in Sicilian cooking and local alternatives make the recipes accessible to everyone. Over 100 recipes, gathered from home cooks and talented chefs, will show you how to put any dish on the table.

To register for this program click here or call 203-594-5040

Sheila Lukins at New Canaan Library

2009-05-12T22:27:00.007-04:00

THIS EVENT HAS BEEN POSTPONED.

CHECK BACK SOON FOR THE NEW DATE.

Wednesday, May 20
At 7:00 pm
In the Lamb Room
Sheila Lukins
Ten: All The Foods We Love--
and Ten Recipes for Each

Program details

Books by Sheila Lukins

In celebration of National Library Week

2009-04-17T07:54:00.001-04:00

Help support your library! Shop at New Canaan Wine Merchants on Wednesday, April 22, from 3:00 to 8:00 pm, and a percentage of the purchase will be donated to the library. Click here for the New Canaan Wine Merchants website.

Italian Night at The New Canaan Library

2008-09-07T19:07:00.012-04:00

Friday, October 10
At 7:00 pm
In the Lamb Room

Hear three authors talk about all things Italian, and sample some Italian food and wine.

Call 203-594-5003 or click here to register online.

Lost Ravioli Recipes of Hoboken
"When James Beard Award-winning author Laura Schenone undertakes a quest to retrieve her great grandmother's recipe for ravioli, she finds herself on an unforgettable journey..."--Book jacket

Passion on the vine
For lovers of wine, this is a full-bodied read about one man's passion and the many delectable moments along his journeys--From Publisher's Weekly

Italianissimo: The Quintessential Guide to What Italians Do Best
What is it about Italy that inspires passion, fascination, and utter devotion? This quirky guide to the Italian way of life, with its fifty witty mini-essays on iconic Italian subjects, will answer that question as well as entertain and delight both real and armchair travelers--From Amazon

Iced tea

2008-05-10T11:20:00.007-04:00

The library recently acquired the book Screen doors and sweet tea by Martha Hall Foose.

From Publisher's Weekly "The warm, languid air of the South filters through this engaging book, in which Foose shares the traditional recipes that she ate while growing up on the Mississippi Delta and has returned to after training as a pastry chef in France and traveling the world."

And although my Mom wasn't from the South (unless you want to count her parents being from Southern Italy) this book made me think of her and her famous Iced Tea.

Mary’s Iced Tea

5 tea bags
2-3 sprigs of mint
4-5 cloves
6 c water

Sugar & Lemon to serve

Pour boiling water over first 3 ingredients. Brew about 5-6 minutes. Remove teabags. You can sweeten the whole batch while still warm, then refrigerate and serve over ice with a squeeze of lemon.

Mom used Lipton tea bags, but I prefer Red Rose of Luzianne. If you like the flavor of the mint & cloves, don't remove them before refrigerating the tea. The clove flavor gets pretty strong after a few days, but iced tea in my house is usually long gone before then.

Like alot of the food Mom just made throughout my childhood, I have no idea of the origin of this recipe, but everyone who ever visited our house during the summer drank it and loved it.

And to eat while drinking Mary's Iced Tea is another childhood favorite

Hot Cherry Peppers!

Hot Cherry Peppers

1 large jar of hot cherry peppers
1 large jar of sweet cherry peppers
1 can button mushrooms
2 stalks of celery, sliced
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced
olive oil
oregano

Drain the liquid from the peppers. Remove stems and seeds and cut peppers into quarters. Place in a glass bowl and add drained mushrooms, celery, garlic, a splash or two of olive oil and a teaspoon or more of oregano. Mix and refrigerate until ready to serve. You can eat this immediately, but if you let it marinate for a while, the celery and mushrooms become more flavorful.

WARNING--this can be very spicy!

My friend Pam and I would head over to my house after school and eat Hot Cherry peppers on saltine crackers and drink Iced Tea. Sounds like a strange after school snack for two teenage girls, but we loved it.

Clotilde Dusoulier to speak @ NCL Wed., April 30, 2008

2008-04-26T11:06:00.002-04:00

Clotilde Dusoulier is the 28-year-old Parisienne behind the food blog Chocolate & Zucchini. A self-taught cook who discovered her passion for food while living in California, she quit her job as a software engineer and now works as a full-time writer. She lives in Montmartre.

"In Clotilde's Edible Adventures in Paris", Clotilde reveals her all-time favorite food experiences in her native city. She takes us on a mouthwatering tour of the restaurants, wine bars, and outdoor markets she loves the most, as well as cheese, pastry, ice cream, candy, chocolate, and cookware shops.

~~~~~~~quoted from her website

The second stop on Clotilde's book tour is New Canaan Library on Wednesday, April 30, 2008 at 7:30 p.m. To register for this event online, please click here.

Farmer's Markets

2008-04-26T10:25:00.004-04:00

In Connecticut, there are approximately 102 farmers' markets scattered throughout the state. The demand for farmers' markets is increasing, and each year there are a number of requests to establish new ones. The markets provide a benefit for farmers and consumers alike. They provide an opportunity for farmers to sell their crops, and they provide a convenient one stop shopping facility for consumers to purchase fresh, high-quality produce and other farm specialty items.--from The Connecticut Department of Agriculture web-site.

There is not yet a list of Farmer's markets for summer 2008. The usual time and location for New Canaan is Saturday from 10-2 in The Center School parking lot (right across the street from the library!)

While waiting for the start of the season, here are two books you might find interesting:

The farmers' market guide to fruit

The farmers' market guide to vegetables

Connecticut grown website:

Connecticut Grown

More new cookbooks

2008-04-26T09:55:00.008-04:00

Bon appétit, y'all

The healthy lunchbox

The ultimate Chinese & Asian cookbook

Semi-homemade grilling 2

Our newest cookbooks

2008-04-26T09:28:00.005-04:00

Sprout garden

How to grow sprouts at home and a collection of recipes using sprouts.

Made in Italy : food & stories

Contemporary Italian food bible

Passover by design

Brand new recipes, color photos, quick and easy entertaining ideas.

Sam Choy's island flavors

More than 200 recipes for Hawaiin style dishes.

My last supper

50 Great Chefs and Their Final Meals

Deep Dish

2008-03-25T19:45:00.001-04:00

Deep Dish by Mary Kay Andrews

The Cooking Channel is looking for its next big star, and Gina is certain that she fits the bill. Trouble is, the execs also have their eyes on Mr. "Kill It and Grill It" Tate Moody, the star of a hunting, fishing, and cooking show named Vittles. Tate is the ultimate man's man, with a dog named Moonpie and a penchant for flannel shirts. He's also a tasty side of beef with a swooning female fan base. All Gina has on her side are a free-spirited, college-dropout sister and a mother who calls every single day. Little does Gina know, though, that she and Tate are soon to embark on the cook-off of their lives, spiced up by a little ingredient called love.--From publisher description.

New Cookbooks

2008-03-25T13:23:00.002-04:00

Barbecue nation : 350 hot-off-the-grill, tried-and-true recipes from America's backyard / Fred Thompson.

Miss Vickie's big book of pressure cooker recipes / Vicki Smith.

Artichoke to za'atar : modern Middle Eastern food / Greg Malouf and Lucy Malouf.

Quick fix meals with Robin Miller. Vol. 1. [videorecording] / Television Food Network.

Simply delicioso : a collection of everyday recipes with a Latin twist / Ingrid Hoffmann with Raquel Pelzel.

Robin Miller at New Canaan Library

2008-03-10T11:02:00.004-04:00

Thursday, March 13, at 7:30 pm in the Lamb Room

Robin Miller.
Robin to the Rescue

Click here or call 594-5003 to register.

The latest additions to our cookbook collection

2008-02-05T10:44:00.000-05:00

New cookbooks

Ellie Krieger to speak at the library on January 31, 2008

2008-01-08T13:04:00.000-05:00

You can register by calling the library at 594-5003, or click here to register online.

The food you crave

Cooks Illustrated

2008-01-08T12:55:00.000-05:00

We have a new magazine at the Library. Cooks Illustrated

From their website

Cook's Illustrated is dedicated to finding the best methods for preparing America's favorite recipes. Every week our cooks test hundreds of recipes to find out which techniques work and which ones don't. We repeatedly test recipes, gadgets, pantry staples, cooking techniques, and cookware. If it's not worth buying, we'll tell you. If a cooking technique doesn't work, we'll tell you why.

Cook's takes no advertising, so we're not afraid to tell it like it is.

New Cookbooks

2008-01-08T12:53:00.000-05:00

Click here

Recipes from The First Annual New Canaan Library Cookie Exchange

2007-12-20T13:04:00.000-05:00

CHOCOLATE FUDGE COOKIES

Makes about 60 cookies
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
5 ounces unsweetened chocolate
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
4 large eggs
Pinch salt
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon dark rum
Confectioners' sugar

Several cookie sheets or jelly-roll pans lined with parchment or foil
I. Mix together flour and baking powder and set aside.
2. Bring a pan of water to a boil and remove from heat. Combine chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and set over pan of water, stirring occasionally until melted.
3. In a large bowl, whisk eggs with salt, then whisk in both sugars. Whisk in chocolate mixture, then rum.
4. Stir in flour to form a soft dough. Scrape dough onto a piece of plastic wrap and wrap tightly. Chill 2 hours.
5. Set racks in upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Flour your hands and roll the chilled dough into 2-teaspoon balls. They don't have to be too neat. Roll each ball in confectioners' sugar. Arrange well apart on prepared pans and bake about 12 minutes. Cool pans on a rack before removing cookies from pan.
ST O R A G E : Keep the cookies between sheets of wax paper in a tin or other container with a tight-fitting cover.

Cracker cookies

1 1/2 sleeves of Saltines or Ritz crackers (Saltines are better...)
2 sticks of butter (not margarine)
1/2 cup of sugar
1 bag of chocolate chips

Crush crackers and spread into thin layer onto cookie sheet that has been covered with foil. Melt butter and sugar, bring to a boil. Pour over Saltines. Bake at 350 until bubbly and light golden brown. Remove from oven and spread chocolate chips on top. Allow to melt, then spread with spatula. Chill in fridge. Break by hand.

You can use milk chocolate chips or semi-sweet or combine the two.

Holiday Fruit Drops

1 cup shortening
2 cups firmly packed brown sugar 2 eggs
1/2 cup soured milk, buttermilk, or water
3 1 /2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups broken pecans
2 cups candied cherries, halved 2 cups chopped dates

Mix shortening, sugar and eggs well. Stir in soured milk. Blend dry ingredients, stir in to wet mixture. Stir in the pecans, cherries and dates. Chill at least 1 hour. Heat oven to 400 F. Drop heaping teaspoons of dough about 2" apart on lightly greased cookie sheet. Place a pecan half on each cookie if desired. Bake 8 to 10 minutes until almost no imprint remains when touched lightly.
Note: If using self-rising flour, omit baking soda and salt.

Pizzelle

3 eggs
¾ cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 stick unsalted butter, melted (8 Tbs)
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder

Beat eggs and sugar until light yellow and thick ribbons fall from the whisk, 2-3 minutes. Add melted butter, vanilla and lemon zest. Beat until blended.

Sift together the flour, and baking powder. Add half of the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, fold until just blended, add remaining flour and fold again until just incorporated.

Heat pizzelle iron. Brush lightly with butter and place about 1 tablespoon of batter on iron. The excess batter that may ooze out should be cut off immediately. Bake until golden brown (about 45 seconds). Remove and cool on a rack. Repeat with remaining batter to make about 25 pizzelles. Sprinkle with powered sugar. YUMMY!

Almond Cookies

Preheat oven to 300°

2 cups flour
1 cup soy margarine
2/3 cup natural cane sugar
1 tsp. pure almond extract
`/ cup slivered almonds (approximate)

1. Blend margarine and sugar with an electric mixer until smooth. Blend in the almond extract.
2. Slowly add the flour and mix thoroughly after each addition.
3. Shape the dough into 1-inch balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet about 1'/z inches apart. Press down lightly with a spoon to flatten. Press slivered almonds on top of each cookie.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes or until cookies are light brown around the edges. Let cookies cool on pan a bit and then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
Cookies are even better the day after you bake them. Store in an airtight container for up to four days or freeze up to two months.

Vegan Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

§ 1 cup soy non-hydrogenated vegan margarine
§ 1 cup packed brown vegan sugar (or equiv. non-sugar sweetener + 1/4 cup molasses)
§ 1/2 cup vegan sugar (or equivalent non-sugar sweetener)
§ 2 Ener-G vegan egg replacer "eggs"
§ 1 teaspoon vanilla
§ 1.5 cups flour
§ 1 teaspoon baking soda
§ 1 teaspoon cinnamon
§ 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg (or ½ teaspoon ground cloves, for a spicier cookie)
§ 1/2 teaspoon salt
§ 3 cups rolled oats
§ 1 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 350F. Mix up the "eggs". Cream wet ingredients together with a whisk or sturdy fork. Add dry ingredients and mix well, mixing in oats and raisins last. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheets (the cookie sheets don't need to be greased). Bake 9-10 minutes, until a little golden. Be careful not to over bake.
Serves: about 24 cookies
Preparation time: 30 min prep, 10 min baking

Grandma Rosie's Almond Cookies

Cookies:
1 cup shortening
3/4 cup sugar
2 egg yolks
1 egg white
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
1/4 tsp. salt
Topping:
1 egg white
2 tbs. granulated sugar
1/4 cup finely ground almonds
1/4 tsp. cinnamon

Pre-heat oven to 350.
Cream shortening, add sugar, beaten egg yolk, beaten egg white, add vanilla. Slowly work flour and salt into mixture. Roll dough out very thin and cut into desired shapes.
Once cut into shapes, add topping by brushing with beaten egg white and sprinkling cinnamon, sugar and nuts. Bake on heavy ungreased sheet for 8-10 minutes.
Cool and serve.

Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

(from All New Fannie Farmer Boston Cooking School Cookbook)
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 egg
2 ounces melted chocolate
(or 6 tablespoons cocoa and 2 tablespoons water)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup oatmeal
candied cherries (optional, also nuts, etc.)

Cream shortening and sugar.
Add egg, chocolate, vanilla, and almond extract and stir well. Add flour, baking powder and salt and stir. Add oatmeal and stir.
Drop by teaspoon fulls onto baking sheet.
Cut candied cherries into thirds or quarters. Place piece on top of unbaked cookie. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 - 10 minutes. Makes about 3 dozen.

Christmas Stars

INGREDIENTS
* 3/4 cup butter, softened
* 1 cup white sugar
* 2 egg
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 6 tablespoons strawberry jam
* 1/4 cup green decorator sugar (optional)

DIRECTIONS
1. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually add eggs and vanilla. Mix well. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir flour mixture into the butter mixture until well blended. Refrigerate dough for three hours.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease several cookie sheets.
3. On a floured surface, roll out 1/2 of the dough at a time to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut dough into star shapes using a 3 to 4 inch star cookie cutter. Using a 1 to 2 inch star cookie cutter, cut a star into the center of half of the big stars. Sprinkle colored sugar on the cookies with the center cut out if desired. Put onto prepared cookie sheets about 1 inch apart, and bake for 6 to 8 minutes.
4. After cookies cool completely, spread 1 teaspoon of preserves in the center of each cookie that does not have a star cut out in the middle. Place a cookie with a cut-out on top of the layer of preserves. Pack cookies in a covered tin to preserve freshness.
Yields two dozen

Bread tales

2007-11-26T12:15:00.005-05:00

After reading the novel Bread Alone by Judith Ryan Hendricks, I was inspired to dust off my dough hook and get back into bread baking.

I was in college when I baked my first loaf of bread--a friend of a friend had planned a day of bread baking and handed me a recipe as I walked in the door. I was hooked! When my daughter was a toddler, I was baking all of our bread, mixing, kneading and shaping it all by hand. Later I tried a bread machine, but was never really happy with the results. Next came the food processor, which does a decent job of kneading the dough, but is limited by it's rather small capacity. Finally, several years ago, I decided to stop waiting and buy a Kitchen Aid mixer. I know some purists will only knead dough by hand, but that mixer does a better, faster job of kneading that I have ever been able to do. Does anything smell or taste better than freshly baked bread?

Don't miss the sequel The Baker's Apprentice

Look for a display of books on making bread next time you come to the library.

Coming Soon:

Artisan bread in five minutes a day by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francois.

One of my all time favorite cookbooks, back in print!

2007-10-22T11:37:00.000-04:00

American Wholefoods Cuisine By Nikki & David Goldbeck

The Goldbeck's huge vegetarian cookbook was originally published in 1983, and it has sold more than 250,000 copies. Now it has been reissued with a new preface by culinary historian Barbara Haber and updated nutritional information. Often referred to as a vegetarian Joy of Cooking, the book includes a wide-ranging selection of recipes; a chapter on preserving, growing sprouts, etc.; another on menu planning; and a final section, The Food Reader, with information on stocking the pantry, equipment and techniques, kitchen math, and other such topics. Although some of the head notes seem slightly dated—pesto and falafel, for example, are no longer the unfamiliar exotics they once were.---From Library Journal

Some of my favorite recipes:

Baked Vegetable Omelet p. 136

Banana Bread p. 331

Deluxe Mushroom Barley Soup p. 97

Fettucine with Spring Vegetables p. 117

Baked Vegetable Cheese p. 127

Sweet Red Pepper Sauce (the fiery version) p. 318

Too many more to mention!--Maria

New Cookbooks

2007-10-22T11:05:00.000-04:00

Check out our newest cookbooks here

New cookbooks @ NCL

2007-10-08T11:40:00.001-04:00

Cook with Jamie

Sara Foster's casual cooking

My Italian garden

Arriving soon:

Pastry queen Christmas

Cookie craft

Christmas with Paula Deen

Martha Stewart Living Cookbook : the new classics

America's best lost recipes

Traditional teatime

James Beard Foundation Awards

2007-09-18T09:51:00.000-04:00

The James Beard Foundation celebrates, preserves, and nurtures America's culinary heritage and diversity. The organization is best known to the public for awarding the annual Beard Awards for cookbooks. They award in many categories, from general cooking to techniques, vegetarian, international, etc, but all of the books that receive these prestigious awards are considered by culinary professionals to be the best of the bunch.

The large cookbook collection at the New Canaan Library contains many of the Beard award winners. Here are some of the recent award winners in various categories that we have in our collection:

Tasty by Roy Finamore (Award for General cooking, 2007)

Soul of a New Cuisine by Marcus Samuelsson: ( Award for International, 2007)

The New Mayo Clinic Cookbook (Award for Focus on Health, 2005)

On Food and Cooking by Harold McGee (Award for Food Reference, 2005)

Taste Pure and Simple by Michel Nischan (Award for Healthy focus and Vegetarian, 2004)

King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion (Awarded Kitchenaid cookbook of the year, 2004)

For further information visit the Foundation's website at jamesbeard.org

Bobby Flay

2007-09-11T14:21:00.000-04:00

Just a reminder that Bobby Flay will be at New Canaan Library on Tuesday, October 16 @ 7:30 p.m.

Please call 594.5003 to register or register online. Admission is free.Seats are not guaranteed and early arrival is recommended.Reception and book signing will follow the program.

Check out Bobby Flay's website!

http://www.bobbyflay.com/

Original Plum Torte

2007-09-11T13:44:00.000-04:00

The recipe I always look for as soon as I see Italian prune plums in the supermarket. I made this last week and it was just as delicious as ever!

Original Plum Torte

From The New Elegant But Easy Cookbook, by Marian Burros and Lois Levine.

8 Servings

Because of reader demand, this recipe has been published in one form or another in the New York Times almost every year since I went to work there in 1981. Lois brought this recipe, originally called Fruit Torte, to Elegant but Easy, and its appeal comes from its lovely old-fashioned flavor and its speed of preparation.

When I had been married just a couple of years, I had worked out an assembly-line process for making many tortes and putting them in the freezer. A friend who loved the tortes said that in exchange for two she would let me store as many as I wanted in her freezer. A week later she went on vacation for two weeks and her mother stayed with her children. When she returned, my friend called and asked: "How many of those tortes did you leave in my freezer?""Twenty-four, but two of those were for you."There was a long pause. "Well, I guess my mother either ate twelve of them or gave them away." Her mother must have liked them as much as I do. And the children. And possibly the neighbors.

1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup plus 1 or 2 tablespoons sugar
1 cup unbleached flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 eggs
Pinch salt
24 halves pitted Italian (prune or purple) plums
1 teaspoon cinnamon or more, to taste

1. Arrange a rack in the lower third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Cream the butter and the 3/4 cup of sugar. Add the flour, baking powder, eggs, and salt and beat to mix well. Spoon the batter into an ungreased 9- or 10-inch springform pan. Cover the top with the plums, skin sides down. Mix the cinnamon with the remaining 1 or 2 tablespoons of sugar and sprinkle over the top.

3. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool; refrigerate or freeze if desired.

4. To serve, let the torte return to room temperature and reheat at 300 degrees until warm, if desired. Serve plain or with vanilla ice cream.

Endless cole slaw

2007-09-04T17:10:00.000-04:00

ENDLESS COLE SLAW

3 lbs. cabbage (1 med. head )
1/2 green bell pepper
1/2 red bell pepper
1 med. onion
1 c. cider vinegar
1/2 c. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1 tsp. celery seed
1/2 c. vegetable oil (or less--see note)

In food processor use the slicing blade to thinly slice cabbage, peppers and onions. Combine in a large bowl; set aside.

To make dressing:
In 1 quart stainless steel saucepan combine vinegar, oil, sugar, dry mustard, celery seed, salt and pepper. Bring to boil over moderate heat, stirring to dissolve sugar and boil 3 minutes.
Pour hot dressing over cabbage mixture and toss well.
Let stand at room temperature 30 to 60 minutes, tossing occasionally.
For best flavor, cover and refrigerate several hours before serving.

Maria's notes: I use less oil--about 1/4 cup. I copied and pasted this recipe from http://www.cooks.com/ but I first saw it in AARP magazine many years ago. It keeps well but gets quite soggy tasting after 2-3 days.

Cooking Magazines @NCL

2007-08-16T19:23:00.000-04:00

Cooking Light

Fine Cooking

Bon Apetit

Every day with Rachel Ray

Gourmet

You can borrow all but the current issue of these titles. Loan period is 3 weeks.

Summer Scallops Recipe

2007-08-14T13:52:00.000-04:00

Summer Scallops
From the kitchen of David Bryant

1 LB Bay Scallops
2 large shallots chopped
¼ cup dry white wine (pinot grigio recommended)
¼ cup low sodium, natural chicken or vegetable broth
Juice of ½ lemon
2 TBS canola oil
1 cup rice, (uncooked) brown or white
Curry powder to taste
1 lb. fresh string beans

Rinse and pat dry the scallops

Drizzle ½ of the lemon juice on scallops, set aside

Prepare rice according to instructions on packaging. (suggestion: substitute 2/3 chicken/vegetable broth, 1/3 orange juice for water, enhancing the flavor of the rice).

Steam string beans for 3-4 minutes, rinse, set aside

In skillet, saute shallots for 2-3 minutes in canola oil

Turn down flame, add the white wine, 2 minutes later, add the broth and curry powder, cook on low flame for 2 more minutes, add scallops, cook for 2 minutes. (bay scallops cook quickly!)

Make a bird’s nest of rice in center of each plate, top with scallops and broth mix, then top with parsley and/or scallion greens as garnish

Make a ring of string beans around the bird’s nest of rice and scallops.

Pinot grigio a good choice to serve here.

Newest cookbooks

2007-08-13T15:00:00.000-04:00

The Summer Shack cookbook : the complete guide to shore food / Jasper White ; illustrations by Ann Wood

The flexitarian table : inspired, flexible meals for vegetarians, meat lovers, and everyone in between / Peter Berley, with Zoe Singer ; photographs by Quentin Bacon.

How to pick a peach : the search for flavor from farm to table / Russ Parsons.

Peach Blueberry Cake

2007-08-13T14:29:00.000-04:00

Peach Blueberry Cake
From : Gourmet, August 2005

"This cake bakes for a long time at a moderate temperature, which helps keep the ripe fruit from bursting and releasing its juices. The easy-to-make pastry bakes up moist and crumbly, with a texture that's like a cross between a biscuit and a cake.

A note from our cooks: We've received some letters from readers complaining about a burned crust when making the peach blueberry cake (August 2005 cover), so we ran through the recipe two more times. Baked in a standard light-colored metal pan, the cake was perfect; baked in a dark metal pan, however, it burned — be aware that the cake's high sugar content makes it more susceptible to burning at high heat. We recommend always using light-colored metal pans for baking. Dark metal pans, including nonstick, will cause your baked goods to brown more quickly. Manufacturers suggest reducing the oven temperature by 25 degrees when using dark pans."

Serving size: Makes 8 servings.

Ingredients:

For pastry:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick (1/2 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla

For filling:
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon quick-cooking tapioca
2 lb firm-ripe large peaches (about 4), halved lengthwise, pitted, and each half cut lengthwise into fourths1 cup blueberries (1/2 pint)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Special equipment: A 9- to 91/2-inch (24-cm) springform pan

Preparation:
Make pastry:
Pulse together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a food processor until combined. Add butter and pulse just until mixture resembles coarse meal with some small (roughly pea-size) butter lumps. Add egg and vanilla and pulse just until dough clumps and begins to form a ball, about 15 pulses.

Press dough onto bottom and evenly (about 1/4 inch thick) all the way up side of springform pan with floured fingertips. Chill pastry in pan until firm, about 10 minutes.

Make filling while pastry chills:
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F.

Process 2 tablespoons sugar with flour and tapioca in a food processor until tapioca is powdery, then transfer to a large bowl and stir in remaining 6 tablespoons sugar. Add peaches, blueberries, and lemon juice and gently toss to coat. Spoon filling into pastry and bake, loosely covered with a sheet of foil, until filling is bubbling in center and crust is golden, about 1 3/4 hours.

Transfer cake in pan to a rack and cool, uncovered, 20 minutes, then carefully remove side of pan.

Cool cake to barely warm or room temperature, then cut into thick wedges with a sharp knife before serving.

Cooks' note:Pastry can be made and pressed into pan 1 day ahead and chilled, wrapped well in plastic wrap. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before filling.

Maria's Notes:
Yes, it really does take almost this long to bake. In my oven, at the total time of 1hr 45 minutes, the crust is a little dry, so I bake it for about 1 hour and 30 minutes. Be sure to bake covered. I've made a variation of this using black and red plums (not the Italian prune plums) which is really delicious.

My favorite Gazpacho recipe

2007-08-13T12:01:00.000-04:00

Gazpacho

(adapted from The Vegetarian Epicure, Book Two, by Anna Thomas)

Ingredients:

7-8 medium sized ripe tomatoes
2 medium sized (unwaxed) cucumbers
1 green bell pepper
1 small onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 slice of white bread
1 cup of cold water
4 T olive oil
4 T wine vinegar (more to taste)
1 ½ t salt
3 t paprika
¼ t ground cumin
fresh ground black pepper to taste

Preparation:

Cut the tomatoes, cucumbers, bell pepper, bread and onion into chunks. In a food processor, process the garlic and onion until finely minced. Now put the prepared ingredients, 2-3 cups at a time, into the food processor, adding a little of the water each time. Process mixture to a coarse puree. You may need to process several batches. Pour into a large bowl, add oil, vinegar, remaining water, and the seasonings. Whisk vigorously until all is very well blended. Taste for seasoning, adding a little more cold water if the soup seems too thick. Chill the soup in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Serves 6-8.

Maria’s Notes:
Most Gazpachos are served with additional chopped onions, cucumbers, peppers and tomatoes. I feel processing the soup to a coarse puree leaves plenty of texture making the addition of a garnish unnecessary. It’s best if the tomatoes are home garden grown or from the farmer’s market. This yields the best flavor. If the tomatoes are pale, add a bit more paprika to enhance the color of the soup. Soup keeps well for several days in the refrigerator.

Bobby Flay is coming to NCL!

2007-08-10T10:14:00.000-04:00

Authors on Stage 2007

Please call 594.5003 to register.
Admission is free.
Seats are not guaranteed and early arrival is recommended.
Reception and book signing will follow the program.

Bobby Flay
Tuesday, October 16 at 7:30 PM in the Adrian Lamb Room
Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill Cookbook
Co-sponsored by Elm Street Books

Welcome

2007-08-10T10:06:00.000-04:00

This is the new cooking blog for New Canaan Library. Look here for library events featuring cookbook authors, newly published cookbooks, recipe favorites from the NCL staff, and more. Feel free to post any comments or suggestions.

--Maria