Ode to Miss Mary Lou . . .

There was an interesting post earlier this week on my Facebook feed that probably made many of us who grew up in Hartford, Kentucky in the 1960s consider what an amazing woman might have been in our midst. It was a post about Miss Mary Lou Smith, the Wayland Alexander Elementary School principal who many of us feared. Yet, it took a comment from someone who didn’t even grow up in Hartford to point out how amazing it was that in the 1960s a woman was our principal. I’d never really thought about that accomplishment and the challenges Miss Mary Lou must have endured in reaching that level of responsibility in those days.

Yes, we feared her. She roamed the halls of our  elementary school, paddle in hand. She had no problem swatting the back-end of any student who didn’t abide by the rules, but it was only because she wanted the best for her students. I still remember third grade when our class was trying to decide on an end-of-the-year gift for our teacher Mrs. Byers and decided to get together in our classroom prior to the school day starting (which was against the rules – you were supposed to go to the flag room where everyone went before the start of school). Miss Mary Lou discovered our meeting and lined every one of us – backs against the wall – all the way down the hall. Once the bell rang for the start of school, the kindergartners walked by us on their way to class, wondering what on earth those “old” kids could have done to have 20+ of us lined up against the wall. As someone who at that point was quiet and very shy, I was humiliated and figured my life as I knew it was over.

Recently though in this time of renewed interest in women's issues, I've come to the realization that in those early days in Hartford, Kentucky, we were surrounded by strong women: Miss Mary Lou Smith, Ernestine McConnell, Alice Triplett, Lucille Shapmire and others. They instilled in all of us – boys and girls alike – the love of learning and the importance of caring for others. It was a community before we knew what that actually meant.

Looking back over the years, I have learned to appreciate growing up in a small town where we were enveloped by responsibility, community and love.  Today, as a woman who has grown up in an era where we women strive to be considered as equals and hope to gain opportunities that were typically afforded to men, I now wonder how Miss Mary Lou and those like her who in a time where it was unusual just to work – let alone be the leader of the elementary school – made it to the epitome of education.

May we always remember to thank these strong women who came before us – and who taught us that we could do anything, be anything.

Grocery shopping without a car

So it’s been roughly a year and eight months since I sold my fire-engine red Honda Accord with a V-8 engine (yes, it could fricking fly and yes, it was just a little bit of my mid-life crisis car since I couldn’t afford a BMW) and we moved to New York City carless.

So you might ask how does one shop – especially for groceries –when all you buy has to be carried home.  Well here’s how we’ve made it work:

Citarella's seafood counter

First, we don’t necessarily go with the adage of buy just what you need today, but we’re close.  The nice thing is there are multiple places to pop into when you do just need a couple of items. Whether it’s the small grocery a 2-minute walk from my Barnard office with good produce and meat departments or the fruit and vegetable stand guys on street corners throughout the Upper West Side where you can literally buy five bananas for a dollar or a green pepper for 25 cents. Or I can pop into Citarella (still my favorite grocery, albeit also the most expensive) for seafood, cheese or an amazing cut of beef or grab a baguette from my favorite bakery on the corner as I exit the subway station.

Next, Amazon is our best friend.  All the staples or anything heavy – they all show up in our lobby for a quick trip up the elevator to reside on the floor of our bedroom closet (aka the pantry). Doesn’t matter if it's canned black beans, diced tomatoes or Cream of Chicken soup (Healthy Request version for a comforting chicken casserole) or boxed chicken broth, oven fried mix or Missy’s food.  It’s so much easier – and cheaper – to go to Amazon.

The Duane Reade (aka Walgreen in other areas of the country) has a great food selection –dairy, ice cream (my current favorite is Haggen Dazs Carmel Cone), nuts, frozen appetizers and a small selection of grocery staples and household goods.

When it’s warm we walk 20 minutes on Sundays to the farmers market near the Museum of Natural History for a wonderful selection of produce, locally-raised duck, and all kinds of jam, honey and other canned goods.

And finally, we have a Trader Joe’s literally a five-minute walk away – yes, I know there are people who are incredibly jealous that it’s so close – but it is so crowded – not just sometimes, but always, that we only pop in there early mornings or late evenings. 

Burrito-less Breakfast Burrito: a yummy low-carb breakfast

Since moving to New York City we’ve worked hard to reduce our intake of carbs (okay, with the exception of wine, but w/e). One of my favorite recipes in Gainesville was to make breakfast burritos (with various meats, veggies, garnishes, etc.), but tortillas are the epitome of everything that’s bad about carbs. So we had to figure out how to make a special breakfast while cutting back on carbs.

So I started developing – as we call it – a Burrito-less Breakfast Burrito. The fun thing about this dish is you can add whatever you love about breakfast into this versatile dish.  Here’s what I do for two servings.

INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/3 red pepper, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
6 large eggs
Splash of half and half
Pinch of salt
Pinch of pepper
½ cup Mexican blend shredded cheese (or shredded sharp cheddar)
1 avocado, diced
1 tomato, chopped, seeded and drained on a paper towel (or substitute drained salsa)
1 scallion, sliced thinly
½ cup sour cream

Wisk eggs with half and half and season with salt and pepper.  Add butter to skillet and saute onion, garlic and red pepper on medium low heat until tender. Add egg mixture. Once eggs are mostly set, but still runny, sprinkle shredded cheese on top, cover for a couple of minutes and cook until the cheese is melted.

Place eggs on the center of each plate and sprinkle avocado and tomato around. Dollop sour cream around the edge of the plate and garnish with scallion.

Note: Can add sausage or bacon to the plate – or play with ingredients you love in an omelet or breakfast burrito. The nice thing is you won’t even miss the tortilla. It’s so delicious and fresh.

19 Months and counting: still so much to explore

We’ve just passed the 19^th month mark after moving away from a 35-year-life spent in Gainesville, Fla., to an urban existence in New York City. We’re sure there are more than a handful of family and friends who expected we’d be back in Gainesville by now, but those people didn’t appreciate the depth of the love we feel for this amazing city – and for the urban lifestyle.

Most people who visit NYC see the city through a certain lens: Times Square and Broadway, Rockefeller Center and the stores along Fifth Avenue, the Empire State Building, and the Statue of Liberty. While these NYC institutions are certainly the city’s lifeblood and we’d never criticize those who visit these parts of the city, New York City’s charm is actually defined by the smaller neighborhoods that dot the metropolitan area. Those friends of ours who have been able to visit have been introduced to a NYC different than what they might have seen before. Kind of like if you visit Gainesville there’s a lot more to the city than The Swamp (football stadium) or Butler Plaza.

What do I mean? 

I mean a trek through Central Park – although not necessarily the John Lennon Memorial area or the skating rink or the Central Park Zoo. Head further north and you’ll find the Central Park Bramble and Lake, a wild, natural garden and lake far away from the horse-drawn carriages and $3-7 a-minute pedicabs rides. Or the 1.66 mile trek around the Reservoir.  Or the Conservatory Water at E. 74^th Street, an ornamental pond where model boat owners run their vessels across the shimmering waters in the spring and summer.

I mean a walk along the Hudson River – starting anywhere in the W. 110s all the way down to Battery Park. There are wonderful paths along Riverside Park that offer beautiful views – and if you want, you can grab a glass of wine at Pier I; catch a ride on the North River Lobster Company’s “Floating Lobster Shack;” tour the Intrepid Sea, Air, Space Museum; or take a 3-hour Circle Line tour around the entire Manhattan Island where you learn about Spuyten Duyvil Creek - which is a short tidal estuary connecting the Hudson River to the Harlem River Ship Canal - and view the boroughs from the water and the bridges that connect them. Yes, these places still attract out-of-towners, but they are a little different from the usual fare.

And let’s not even get into the other areas of the city? Brooklyn – great little neighborhoods and Coney Island. Queens, with its wonderful Asian cuisine that we have yet to explore, and Harlem – where we’ve just scratched the surface of this iconic community.

The wonderful thing about moving somewhere new – no matter your age – is the chance to visit the nooks and crannies around your new home.  We’re still finding all the ones around us – whether it’s the week we spent in the Catskills last summer or the upcoming visit we have planned for Philadelphia. Cause let’s face it – Philadelphia is to New York City as Gainesville is to Orlando, or Hartford, Ky. to the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. Just a hop and a skip down the road – and a whole 'nother world to visit!! 

Dorie Greenspan's ultimate rustic French food: Marie-Helene's Apple Cake

Several months ago I shared my favorite cookbooks and how they’ve changed the way I cook and the foods we love.  One of the cookbooks that was relatively new at the time of my earlier post has since become one of my favorites of all time. It’s Dorie Greenspan’s “Around My French Table” – an amazing cookbook where Dorie shares how she fell in love with France and its wonderful culinary history, and how she learned to make its amazing dishes.

 In addition to the earlier mentioned “Roast Chicken for Les Paresseux” – translated into “Roast Chicken for Lazy People,” I have also fallen in love with Dorie’s “Marie-Helene’s Apple Cake.” It is literally one of the easiest dishes you can make, and it’s just the pure definition of rustic, comfort food.

It’s one of those dishes I make when I’m feeling a bit down-in-the-dumps, when there’s two feet of snow on the ground or when I’m expecting someone to drop by for a cup of coffee and a small snack. It lasts up to three days – just hanging out on its own antique cake stand – and if anything, tastes better on day three than when it comes out of the oven. I often add my own twists to recipes, but there’s no way to improve on Dorie’s take on apple cake. Make sure though, that you choose four different apples – including at least one that’s nicely tart. Every bite will taste different depending upon the apples perched on your fork. You can add a soft dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of French vanilla ice cream, but honestly, it’s simple goodness on its own.

Enjoy – and appreciate how simple real French cooking is to make.

DORIE GREENSPAN’S “MARIE-HELENE’S APPLE CAKE”

INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
4 large apples (if you can, choose 4 different kinds)
2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons dark rum
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously butter an 8-inch springform pan and put it on a baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper and put the springform on it.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in small bowl. Peel the apples, cut them in half and remove the cores. Cut the apples into 1- to 2-inch chunks.

In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk until they're foamy. Pour in the sugar and whisk for a minute or so to blend. Whisk in the rum and vanilla. Whisk in half the flour and when it is incorporated, add half the melted butter, followed by the rest of the flour and the remaining butter, mixing gently after each addition so that you have a smooth, rather thick batter. Switch to a rubber spatula and fold in the apples, turning the fruit so that it's coated with batter. Scrape the mix into the pan and poke it around a little with the spatula so that it's evenish.

Slide the pan into the oven and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until the top of the cake is golden brown and a knife inserted deep into the center comes out clean; the cake may pull away from the sides of the pan. Transfer to a cooling rack and let rest for 5 minutes.

Carefully run a blunt knife around the edges of the cake and remove the sides of the springform pan. (Open the springform slowly, and before it's fully opened, make sure there aren't any apples stuck to it.) Allow the cake to cool until it is just slightly warm or at room temperature. If you want to remove the cake from the bottom of the springform pan, wait until the cake is almost cooled, then run a long spatula between the cake and the pan, cover the top of the cake with a piece of parchment or wax paper, and invert it onto a rack. Carefully remove the bottom of the pan and turn the cake over onto a serving dish.

The cake will keep for about 2 days at room temperature and gets more comforting with each passing day. However long you keep the cake, it's best not to cover it - it's too moist. Leave the cake on its plate and just press a piece of plastic wrap or wax paper against the cut surfaces.

Chicken risotto: comfort food at its finest

When it's cold, rainy and dreary, I think of those comfort foods I've loved to make over the years.  Growing up in Kentucky, that would have typically been chicken and dumplings, potato soup or something equally warm. Early in our marriage, it might have been chili or mac and cheese. However, in 1985 while pregnant with Dana, I was fortunate to visit a wonderful woman who taught me to make what might be the ultimate Italian comfort food: chicken risotto.

Larry and I had traveled to South Florida for a Gator baseball game with Miami and were visiting our friend Don Mariutto and his family.  As his last name indicates, Don and his family were true Italians. They had many family members still living in Italy, had a business distributing beautiful Italian tile in the United States, and he along with his brother and parents often traveled to Italy.

Don's mom, June, was a lovely woman and I was fortunate that the day we visited, she was making chicken risotto.  She patiently walked me through the process, explaining along the way that risotto makes its own schedule - that it has to be constantly watched and stirred - and that it, not me, would decide when it was done.

A lot of people are afraid of making risottos - the main reasons being they have to be constantly watched (and stirred as I mentioned above) and the ingredients' measurements and the cooking schedule aren't an exact science.  Below, in my words, is how June taught me to make her chicken risotto that cool spring day. Sadly, she died several years ago - but when winter comes and I need something warm and soothing, June's chicken risotto is the first thing that comes to mind.

INGREDIENTS
1/4 pound unsalted butter
3 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
5-7 cups of chicken broth (here is where the measurements aren't exact)
2 teaspoons tomato paste (add to chicken broth)
salt and pepper (no salt if chicken broth has salt)
1 pound chicken breast, cut into small pieces (I cut mine about the diameter of a nickel)
2 cups Arborio rice
1 cup grated Parmigiana Reggiano

In a medium saucepan heat chicken broth and tomato paste to a simmer and keep warm on the stove. Melt butter and olive oil in a heavy saucepan on medium-low heat and saute onion for 10 minutes or until soft (I use a Le Creuset porcelain-enamel dutch oven). Add chicken, cinnamon and Italian seasoning and cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring constantly. Add rice and 1/4 cup hot chicken broth. Continue stirring constantly until the broth is absorbed.  When it appears most of the broth has been absorbed, add one cup of broth and continue to stir constantly. Continue adding the broth, one cup at a time, after each cup is absorbed.

It typically takes about 20-30 minutes of adding the broth one cup at a time and you have to continue to stir constantly (find a friend or partner to help when you arm gets tired). At some point, the rice will get tender and the dish will become creamy.  The only way to determine when it's done is to keep tasting.  You'll find that magical point where the rice becomes creamy - and loses that al dente taste you'll find in earlier bites.

Once the rice is tender and the dish becomes creamy, add the Parmiagiana Reggiano to taste.  Some like a little more cheese - you can also grate some extra on top of each individual serving.  If the risotto gets a little gummy, just add a little more broth. Don't be afraid, it's hard to screw up!

The key to making risotto is to not get in a hurry - you have to be patient, constantly stirring and tasting. At the end you'll have a bowl of pure comfort.  Warning = it is incredibly rich so it helps to serve with a salad and a glass of chardonnay.  Leftovers heat up well - just gently reheat on the stove top and add a little broth and a little more cheese to have a creamy consistency.

Another moment I knew we'd someday move to New York City

Another moment that left me thinking that we would ultimately live in New York City was in the summer of 1986. Dana had been born the previous fall and my parents had come to Gainesville to take care of her while we took a much-needed summer vacation.

We hadn’t been back to New York City since the World Series visit and this was our first time to really explore the city as a couple. I loved it. I was working for SantaFe HealthCare and had just a few days for vacation after using most of my days for maternity leave; Larry had a gazillion days as the Sports Director for WRUF and was heading to Chicago after our NYC vacation to spend time with his brother Phil and his wife Paula.

This was our first trip after becoming parents and we were determined to make the most of the visit. We stayed at the St. Moritz, a hotel on Central Park South – a fabulous location (it eventually became a Trump property and today is a Ritz Carlton), but our room might have been the tiniest we ever stayed in. It literally held a queen sized bed and a dresser, and you had to turn sideways to move between the furniture. We, however, thought we had won the lottery even though we didn’t have a view of Central Park.

There were so many firsts. Our first Broadway show. Our first special dinner (looking back, of course, it wasn’t). Our first visit to the iconic, Mai Tai-originated Trader Vic’s – which at that time was in the basement of the world-famous Plaza Hotel.

Our first Broadway show together was “Sweet Charity” (Larry had seen Chorus Line before he met me) starring Debbie Allen, who at the time was best known for her work as an actress and choreographer on the movie and television show “Fame.” Bebe Neuwirth, who was just emerging on television as Lillith in Cheers, starred as Charity’s fellow dancer Nickie.

I had visions of what Broadway shows would be like and we dressed to the nines – I had this sexy, sequin-laced black dress – and Larry wore his best suit. We were disappointed though, because, even though it was an evening performance, Broadway was already starting to see the dressed-down audience that rules today.

Our special dinner was at Mama Leone’s – more of an Italian tourist trap than we realized at the time – and we would swear there were members of the Mafia a couple of tables over. The portions of Italian American entrees were huge – much more than we could eat, but the dark, smoky, exotic restaurant more than met our culinary expectations at that time. We’d learn later what real NYC Italian food meant.

One of the most memorable parts of the trip, though, was our visit to Trader Vic’s, this amazing TIki bar located in the basement of the Plaza Hotel. Trader Vic’s had moved to the Plaza in 1965, seven years after opening at the Savoy-Plaza Hotel.

It was known for its umbrella-laced tropical drinks and its Pu Pu platters – and was a favorite of Larry’s dad and step-mom. We met them there – sharing exotic drinks and a platter – it was so cool. Three years later, a developer by the name of Donald Trump closed Trader Vic’s and added an Oriental restaurant/sports club where people running through Central Park could stop by. Yeah - right.

The end of the story is among the most interesting travel days of my life. Typical thunderstorms hit New York City the afternoon we were flying out – I was heading to Gainesville, Larry to Chicago. My flight was canceled; Larry’s was still scheduled and United wouldn’t let him move his flight to the next morning. Larry literally gave me every dollar he had in his pocket before heading to the gate for his flight.

Me, a NYC novice at best, called around and after finding out that no hotels around the airport were available for the night, called Larry's Dad and hopped a cab to the Bronx – hoping a NYC cabbie could find his way from Queens to a Bronx street I’d never visited. Thankfully, I found a cab driver who in 1986 (still not a safe time in the city) took me under his wing – and together we found our way to the Bronx. And the next day, my sweet father-in-law hired a driver in the wee hours of the morning to get me to LaGuardia to fly back to Gainesville.