use real butter

Funny how just a few weeks ago some of my bloggy buds were all, “Dooode, you are blogging daily and I can’t keep up witchyoo, yo!” And I’m all like, “Laydeeeez, I’m on another steroid dose for my side-effects and I can’t sleep, so I just keep a bloggin’!” Okay, well that ended abruptly this past weekend because I replaced blogging with doing everything else. Seriously though, we were just entertaining my ILs this weekend. Still, I’m breaking it down into a few posts since they involve… FOOD!

Last year, Jeremy’s folks were out to visit us about a week before I got my diagnosis. It was also the weekend of MIL’s bday. I asked her what she wanted to do for her birthday and she replied she’d like to bake a cake with me! MIL likes to bake and I had just completed a pastry skills course that summer at the culinary school (my reward for defending my PhD dissertation), so she wanted to try one of the recipes I had learned. We made a lovely Lemon Mousseline Torte. Thing is… FIL is a chocolate fiend. Not just that he likes chocolate, but he won’t touch anything else if there *isn’t* chocolate in it. Okay, that isn’t entirely true. If it is a hunk of meat… perhaps FIL should meet Mr. SGCC - aka Caveman, Susan? :)

let’s start with some chocolate cookie crumbs

press a nice chocolate cookie base

On this visit, MIL mentioned that she’d like to bake together again. Sounded great except it’s been hot here lately. Oven, heat, summer - gah! While I flipped through the course notebook, I came upon the “frozen desserts” segment of the class. Ah ha! I really wanted to make some bombes, but the professional grade molds I need (yes, I *need* them, damn it!) wouldn’t ship in time for us to use. I had a good alternative though, and it wouldn’t require much oven time at all.

chopped chocolate stirred into the custard

The recipe in class was a white chocolate espresso semifreddo, but I altered it to a chocolate espresso semifreddo because 1) I hate white chocolate and 2) FIL eats chocolate chocolate, not that white crap. On Sunday morning, I left the house really early to hike out to a point for shooting (nature… with a camera). A little later, Jeremy took his folks on a short hike while I returned home and began the mise en place for the semifreddo.

mascarpone and cream lend to a lovely texture

I think in the course of my food blogging, I have settled into a pattern of how I cook or bake. That is to say, I actually prepare food with the photography in mind, with the photography planned into the steps as if it were part of the recipe. Second nature, by now. It becomes painfully obvious how not normal that is when I prepare food with other people because they aren’t used to it. Funny that. I felt so bad asking MIL to not add the chocolate yet, to please hold the spatula still for a second, to wait until I could angle the reflector… MIL is an incredibly good sport about it. When I tried this with my grandmother last fall, she gave me these hilarious frowns that read, “Crazy American-born Chinese Granddaughter!”

combine chocolate and mascarpone

The dessert has three main components that wind up as one semifreddo. That’s weird for me. If I make three separate components, I usually expect to see those components in the final product (like cake, ganache, mousse, for instance). I altered the recipe somewhat because I think making Italian meringue is messy and a pain in the butt compared to Swiss meringue. I swapped out the white chocolate for semi-sweet chocolate (Valrhona 64%), replaced the Italian meringue with the Swiss meringue, and used instant espresso powder instead of brewing my own espresso.

folding meringue into the chocolate and mascarpone mixture

The semifreddo presents well. The texture is smooth and rich, but refreshingly cool which I find perfect for summer months. There is a tanginess to the flavor imparted by the mascarpone, but it isn’t as overt as what cream cheese would have contributed. Everyone who has a slice seems to love it. I could go either way. I find that the recipe is more effort than one would expect for such a simple looking dessert. Still, it’s a winner and my ILs really enjoyed it.

let thaw for ten minutes before serving

Chocolate Espresso Semifreddo

1 3/4 cups chocolate cookie crumbs
3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

3 oz espresso
4 large eggs separated
1/3 cup sugar
2 tbsp sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp dark rum
4 oz semi-sweet chocolate, chopped fine
16 oz mascarpone cheese
2 oz heavy cream

Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly butter bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Mix cookie crumbs and butter together. Press crust into the springform pan and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven (turn oven off). When cool, line the sides of the pan with a 3-inch wide parchment strip along the inside edge.

Over a double boiler, whisk together the yolks and 2 tablespoons of th sugar until it is pale yellow and thick. It should ribbon. Lift whisk out of the bowl to incorporate air into the mixture. Add espresso, rum, and vanilla. Place over simmering water and cook, vigorously whisking until liquid coats the back of a spoon and the mixture is thick and foamy. Remove from heat and add the finely chopped chocolate. Stir until melted and continue stirring until cooled. In separate bowl, stir together the mascarpone and cream until soft and smooth. Do not overstir. Place egg whites and 1/3 cup sugar in kitchenaid mixing bowl. Gently whisk together over a simmering water bath until 145°F is reached. Remove from bath and set the bowl on the kitchenaid with the balloon whip attachment. Whip on medium high until stiff peaks form. Reduce speed to medium and mix until the bowl is cool to the touch (cooler than your hand). Fold the mascarpone mixture into the chocolate mixture until there are no streaks left. Fold 1/4 of the meringue (sacrifice) into the chocolate-mascarpone mixture. Fold in the remaining meringue in three parts - don’t overmix or the volume will reduce!

Spread the mixture over the baked crust in the pan. Tightly cover with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 4 hours. When ready to serve, loosen and remove the sides of the pan. Remove the parchment paper strip. Serve cold and cut slices with a warm, dry knife.

*Rant On*
I originally wrote about my cancer, not to solicit advice or sympathy, but to explain why my blogging would be affected and to just toss out what was on my mind. It wasn’t an invitation for random headcases to swoop down upon me with quack remedies and solutions or to tell me what not to consume or who and how to worship. Just because I was diagnosed with cancer does not mean I welcome these obtuse assaults on my sensibilities. Personally, I don’t allow having good intentions excuse inconsiderate or stupid behavior. I don’t even tolerate that crap from people I know.

So, for anyone with unqualified advice on cancer (particularly if you haven’t HAD it) and how I should be living my life, please stay the hell away from me. When you get cancer, I’ll be sure to send all of the nutcases YOUR way so in addition to the shitty treatments, your various debilitating side effects, and the myriad of infections you contract, you - in your ample spare time and infinite energy - can sift through loads of freakishly useless advice because you know, that’s going to help your cancer heaps.
*Rant Off*

The heat continues to roast the Front Range of Colorado, but life must go on. And by life, I mean social life. And by social life I mean, social life involving food. I met up with friends for lunch today at Treppeda’s in Niwot. This place makes fantastic sandwiches as well as the famed Chicken Parm(esan) that my pals rave about. For me, there is no other than The Chief.

my favorite order at treppeda’s: chief niwot

Oh man, that sandwich was gooooooood. I love me some roast beast on good chewy bread. It’s almost like I am having an affair with The Chief because Jeremy has never eaten here and the one time I tried to bring him to Treppeda’s for lunch, they were closed.

I’m over two-thirds done with my radiation treatments. I met with my nurse today and she said that people who undergo radiation treatment after chemo typically report that they feel great and aren’t experiencing problems. They tend to be pretty energetic, upbeat, and happy. Those who haven’t had chemo often complain of fatigue and some discomfort. They just feel tired and drained of energy all the time. Huh. I guess that could be construed as a positive for chemo? Nah - chemo sucks the big one, period.

On our way home, we passed the Boulder Farmer’s Market and I pulled into the parking lot on a lark. Could it be that the peaches from the Western Slope have arrived? We made a quick pass up and down the stands. The only peaches were early peaches and those aren’t worth farmer’s market prices. Even the heirloom tomatoes looked like ass today. Still, the farmer’s market is bursting with color and vegetables. I am just anxious to get my grubby paws on some juicy sweet peaches because the ones at the grocery store blow. I left the market slightly disgruntled, but I imagine it was the 96 degrees in Boulder more than the lack of Western Slope peaches.

pretties

lovely squash

Which is why it’s so good to live in the mountains because as I pulled into our driveway, the temperature reading was 80 degrees! While that is still considered too hot by my standards, it is a welcome relief to the oppressive heat down on the flats. Deeeeelightful. I was able to whip up some dinner without blowing a fuse. We dined on the deck while admiring the heavy cloud cover and cool breeze. It cools down enough at night around here that I dare to turn on my oven when the fancy strikes me.

oh yesssss, butter and chocolate

other ingredients including espresso

So our recipe for today is brownies. Oddly enough, I have blondies in the oven as I type. We don’t discriminate in this house! I don’t crave brownies like some people, but I can eat them. I do tend to prefer chewy brownies to cakey brownies because if you are going to eat cakey brownies then just go and have real chocolate cake done right. That’s my take on it. I have yet to find the perfect chewy brownie recipe, but this one was quite nice. I made a hybrid of CHOW’s Intense Brownies and the Independence Pass Brownies from Susan Purdy’s Pie in the Sky cookbook. Basically, it’s the CHOW recipe adjusted for high altitude because that’s a pickle of a problem for me with about 50% of baked sweets.

pouring in the melted chocolate mixture

batter in

The plain brownies worked out quite well, but just a tad cakier than I would prefer. I made a second batch modified for Rocky Road style with macadamia nuts and marshmallows. The marshmallows pretty much disappeared during baking and the baking time had to be extended before the center of the pan could set properly. I think next time I should reserve some extra marshmallows to sprinkle on top. These were pretty successful although much sweeter (thanks to the marshmallows) and more gooey.

regular brownies

rocky road brownies: with mac nuts and marshmallows

Intense Brownies
modified from CHOW’s Intense Brownies

6 oz. bittersweet chocolate
8 tbsp unsalted butter (7 tbsp at 8500 ft.), at room temperature
2 eggs (3 at 8500 ft.), at room temperature
1 cup sugar (1 cup minus 1 tbsp at 8500 ft.)
1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp brewed espresso
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup flour (1 cup plus 2 tbsp at 8500 ft.)

rocky road version
1 cup chopped nuts
1 cup small marshmallows

Oven: 350°F. Butter an 8-by-8-inch baking pan. Combine chocolate and butter in a medium saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until evenly melted. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Combine eggs, sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, espresso, and salt in a large bowl and briefly stir until just evenly incorporated. Add cooled chocolate and mix until uniform in color. Add flour and stir until just incorporated. If making Rocky Road version, stir in half of the nuts and marshmallows. Pour batter into baking pan. If making RR version, sprinkle remaining nuts and marshmallow over the batter. Bake until a tester inserted in the center of the brownies comes out clean, about 25 to 30 minutes (23 minutes at 8500 ft., 26 minutes for RR version at 8500 ft.). Remove from the oven and cool completely before cutting.

Hoo boy, it’s hawt out again today! Yesterday in Boulder I was all like “ouch, my black steering wheel is burning my handsies” and had I had destructo death ray eye beams, I would have shot them at the sun and blowed it up, yo. Actually, I wouldn’t have. Because I only had eyes for one man yesterday.

Not Jeremy.

Another man.

he makes my heart go pitter patter

Henry is my little bud. He’s an Aussie (love the accent), a Sydneysider to be exact. His mum is my dear dear friend and we had a few wonderful hours together yesterday. The timing couldn’t have been better. Well, on second thought, not getting sick at all would have been ideal, but at least I was able to walk again in time for their visit!

Oppressive heat quashes my appetite. There haven’t been too many elaborate meals here so far this summer and that has more to do with heat than with my kaleidoscope of ailments. I’d happily nosh away on a bowl of watermelon or grapes or cherries or heirloom tomatoes or popsicles for dinner in this weather. It just feels right.

this time of year, i seek out fruit with high water content

a nice lookin’ dinner

Watermelon is so super juicy and sweet in the markets now. What I love about the grainy flesh is how nicely it lends itself to a frozen texture. If you like to eat watermelon on a hot day, you’ll love watermelon sorbet.

purée

lime adds some zing

This is my lazy version of The Lebovitz’ watermelon sorbetto. I don’t do the chocolate chips because I don’t really want chocolate anywhere near me in hot weather. Don’t want to work with it, don’t want to eat it - just take it away from me! The booze is optional and next time I shall opt in because boozy fruity frozen treats in summer are a great way to liven up the morning day.

make a sugary syrup

mixing everything together

So after churning in the ice cream machine for 30 minutes and then chucking the contents into the freezer - the stuff froze solid. Instead of a scoopable sorbet, I wound up with a smooth-textured granita. Does that make sense? Does it matter? It was cool and sweet. It tamed the beast.

Hey thanks all for your concern over my (yet another) illness. Let’s hope that’s all for now. I’ll reply to comments this evening when we reach our destination. My first vacay away from home since my diagnosis. w00t! It’s just a weekend trip, but the potential for eye-popping gorgeousness is High. Wish me good hunting and have a great weekend.

hard to not eat it out of the ice cream maker

cool your passions here

Watermelon Sorbet
adapted from The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz

3 cups watermelon juice (purée about 3 pounds of watermelon flesh with seeds removed)
1/2 cup sugar
pinch of salt
1 tbsp lime juice, fresh squozen
1-2 tbsp vodka (optional)

Heat 1/2 cup of the watermelon juice with sugar and salt, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and stir it into the remaining watermelon juice. Mix in the lime juice and the vodka (if using). Chill thoroughly, then freeze the mixture in the ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.