Feb 11, 2012 | From the kitchen of Rose
in Book Review
The Lodge Cast Iron Cookbook: A Treasury of Timeless, Delicious Recipes
The Lodge Company has been producing cast iron cookware since 1896 and is the only domestic manufacturer of the cast iron pan. Who better than Lodge to produce a comprehensive cookbook with over 200 recipes and photos plus detailed information on the care, maintenance, and even renewal of cast iron.
I have a huge collection of cast iron which I cherish so I joyfully contributed two of my favorite recipes baked in cast iron to this wonderful book: Corn Fingers baked in cast iron corn finger molds and No Knead Bread baked in a cast iron Dutch oven on a grill. I also shared the story of my personal connection to cast iron but I'll now admit to having left out an important part that I'm about to disclose for the first time:
My first cast iron frying pan was stolen! By me!!! Here's how it happened and trust me, it was totally unintentional, at least consciously. It was early into my freshman year at the University of Vermont. My boyfriend David Gibbs, (a Vermonter who became my first husband) introduced me to cast iron saying it was unequaled for frying bacon and many other purposes. I hefted the 11-inch pan and immediately experienced a "have to have" moment. I think it was about $7.00 which was more money than either of us could afford. We walked through the store, and reluctant to leave the pan behind I hadn't yet returned the heavy pan to the hook. We left the store without buying anything and walked into the parking lot when, to my astonishment, I discovered that the frying pan was still hanging from my right hand. I suppose I had gotten used to the weight and it had become a part of my arm. OMG I said. We'll have to return it. David, in shocked disbelief said something along the lines of: we'll be in more trouble if we try to bring it back--just keep it! I was horrified and delighted all at the same time. I still feel a little guilty. And I still have and treasure the pan.
Back to the book: you will love it! It was written and edited by Pam Hoenig, one of my favorite editors whom I worked with at William Morrow many years ago. The contributors include many of my dearest friends and colleagues in the profession. I'll list them in alphabetical order:
Nancy Baggett, Jessica Harris, Beth Henspberger, Martha Holmberg, Susan Purdy, Joanna Pruess, Elizabeth Karmel, Nancie Mcdermott, Michael Mclaughlin, Chris Schlesinger, James Villas, Nach Waxman, and Dede Wilson.
On a special note, the fabulously flavorful short rib barbecue sauce, containing molasses and bourbon, contributed by Joanna Pruess, was one I had been saving for several years after she first published it in the Gourmet Retailer. (Coincidentally, just a few weeks ago I finally had made it!) She also offers bigos, a pork and cabbage stew, my former long time Polish housekeeper made every Christmas, and always brought me a container. Now I have a recipe for it and know it's one I can count on being about as wonderful.
I also was delighted to discover that long-time friend Nach Waxman, of Kitchen Arts and Letters, a terrific cookbook store in New York City, in his recipe contribution adds his cooked al dente spaghetti to the reduced tomato sauce and fries it til some of it turns crispy-- which is just what I do! But I never knew it was ok to add something so acidic to a cast iron pan. Pam writes: "...if your cast iron pan is well seasoned, the iron is impervious to whatever you decide to put into the pan." I can't way to try it--I bet it will be crispier. This invaluable information is an example of what makes this book a "must have"!
Feb 08, 2012 | From the kitchen of Rose
in Special Stories
photo credit: Ben Fink
For the recipe and interview in the Santa Fe New Mexican click here.
Feb 07, 2012 | From the kitchen of Rose
in Special Stories
And what a neighbor! Ron Ben Israel, who is arguably the most renowned cake decorating artist of the country if not the world, has his workshop a mere 4 blocks away from my dwelling. So when I discovered I was down to only about 4 cups of superfine sugar I put in a call to my friend Ron.
I used to buy sugar from Domino Sugar in Queens in 100 pound sacks when my father was able to drive out there and pick one up for me. More recently, Woody has been bringing 30 pounds of superfine sugar on his visits from Minnesota, having to explain each time to airport security that yes! They do have sugar in New York City but Rose requires superfine which is available in supermarkets only in 1 pound boxes and she doesn't like to have to open dozens of them.
My husband was unable to bring the car the day that I scheduled my sugar pickup, so I wheeled over my largest suitcase. Of course I had to bring a piece of the cake du jour which happened to be the Lemon Poppy Seed Wedding Cake from the upcoming book.
Tradition dictates that whenever I visit Ron, his wonderful assistant Rebecca takes a photo or two. Here's the one of me feeding Ron the cake. I suggested that he put me on one of his Food Network shows as our repartee is predictably hilarious!
Feb 04, 2012 | From the kitchen of Rose
in Equipment
Can it be--an oven that is perfectly even?! Over the years I have baked in many an oven. I even drove several hours deep into Connecticut, with cream puff pastry ready to pipe, to try out a Gaggenau oven that promised to be perfectly even. It was from top to bottom but not from front to back. Resigned to this disappointing fact that ovens are just not perfectly even, I have written solutions into recipes, such as turning a cake two-thirds of the way through baking, or bread half way through baking, but when it comes to cream puff pastry or sponge type cakes such as génoise, opening the oven door to move the pan would spell disaster as the baked item would deflate like a balloon stuck with a pin.
A few years ago I happened to speak to someone at the Breville company about another one of their appliances and the representative told me about their Smart Oven saying it was "an oven with a brain," and that I had to try it. I was intrigued and then disappointed when it never arrived. Many months later I met Julia Leisinger, the delightful manager of Sur La Tabla Soho store, and noticing that they sell the oven, asked her what she thought of it. She told me that she has one and that not only is it even, its size makes it ideal for small apartments. Julia is a baker so now I was really determined to try the oven so that I could know whether I could recommend it.
A year passed and to my surprise and delight I heard from Julia that she had met with the Breville people and reminded them of their promise to me. Shortly after the oven arrived and then, I must confess, sat reproachfully on my dining room table for months while I waited for my schedule to clear to approach this promising new appliance.
FInally I bit the bullet and gave it my standard acid test: I piped a spiral of cream puff pastry on parchment set on the 15-inch pan that comes with the oven, placed the rack at the bottom position as recommended in the booklet, and set the oven on bake, convection, but using 425˚F/220˚F for the first 10 minutes of baking instead of lowering the temperature the usual 25 degrees for convection baking. Then I lowered the temperature to the usual 350˚F/175˚C and continued to bake for the usual 15 minutes. As you can see from the photo, the proof is in the puff--it was perfectly, effortless, evenly golden brown.
Next I piped little 1-1/2 inch cream puffs. They blossomed from 3/4 inch high to 1-1/2 inches and again were perfectly evenly golden-brown.
This is a beautifully designed little oven that does just about everything except microwave. I moved it into permanent position in my apartment. How many ovens do I have? Four are in NY and 2-1/2 in Hope, NJ. (The half is the GE toaster oven I've had for 44 years and still performs perfectly for toast, baked potato, and other small items, taking up minimal space on the counter.)
As a cookbook author, it is important to test recipes in different types of ovens as the oven is the common denominator of success or failure in baking.
Here is my recipe for cream puff pastry which can be filled with whipped cream, or ice cream (profiteroles) or a savory filling. And as promised, this is the first in a series of monthly postings featuring Safest Choice Pasteurized Eggs.
Continue reading "Bravo Breville--The Perfectly Even Oven!" »
Jan 30, 2012 | From the kitchen of Rose
in Announcements
Just in case you are not able to come to the book signing at Blue Cashew in Rhinebeck, NY this Saturday to meet Ben in person, follow this link to his blog and you will find some amazing photos plus an interview that I did where I talk about what is was like to work with Ben on Rose's Heavenly Cakes.
Jan 28, 2012 | From the kitchen of Rose
in Special Stories
August 1, 2012 marks the 100th anniversary of the Jungfrau Railway, the cogwheel train that takes visitors high up to the Jungfraujoch, dubbed "Top of Europe". The German word Jungfrau means virgin and joch refers to the saddle between the Mönch and the Jungfrau mountains.
I had the amazing experience of riding this train and seeing the Jungfraujoch on my first visit to Switzerland many years ago and it turned out to be the source of one of my most thrilling but also funniest stories ever! I was saving it for my memoirs but now that the 100th anniversary is near I can't resist telling you about it sooner.
I was staying with my friend Charlotte in Zürich and she insisted that I visit the Jungfraujoch because it was such a spectacular experience. So she sent me off to spend the night in Interlaken, in the canton of Bern, and although it was summer, she suggested taking her down parka knowing how cold it would be so high up in the glaciers.
The train passed through beautiful mountain towns, stopping at Grindelwald, and then at Eigerwald and I was reminded of the Clint Eastwood movie The Eiger Sanction. The conductor explained to us that to reach the final station we would be going through a tunnel of rock and that there would be only one track so on the descent, if there were a train mounting, our train would be sidetracked. (Finally I understood the literal meaning of this word!)
When we reached the top, there was space for only about three people at a time to go out into the small open space, which revealed stunning views of a land of ice, glaciers, and snow covered mountain peaks. I silently thanked Charlotte for keeping me warm in her parka while all the other tourists were shivering.
When we started the descent, at first everything seemed to be going well until all of a sudden the train started slowing down, the conductor leaned his head out of the window, and screamed out what sounded exactly like something my grandmother would have screamed in Yiddish had the end of the world been imminent: oy gavooooolt!" I exchanged a look of wide-eyed terror with the other two people in the car who, I could tell by their accent, were from Brooklyn and clearly were thinking exactly what I was thinking which was "oh my G-d--there's another train on its way up and our train didn't side track." We waited for the impending crash but nothing happened. Then it dawned on the three of us, at the same moment, that what he was screaming, in a voice conductors the world over call out the stations for all to hear, was Eigerwaaaald and we burst into relieved laughter.
Many years later I attended a special Chateau Margaux dinner at the Four Season's Restaurant in New York City and had the pleasure of sitting next to Alex von Bidder, one of the owners. Alex is the most charming and elegant man I know and I had never really had a chance to have a conversation with him before. As we started talking, I noticed that he had the barest trace of an accent and asked him where he was from originally. His answer was Switzerland. By this time I had visited the country at least six times and knew the regions pretty well so I asked what part of Switzerland. His answer: "Oh it was a very small mountain town--I'm sure you never would have heard of it." When I explained how well I knew Switzerland he couldn't hold out any longer and I heard the word my psychic soul suspected: "Eigerwald!" How could I resist? I just had to say it: "Oy! Do I have a story for you!"
Jan 21, 2012 | From the kitchen of Rose
in Special Stories
My office in Hope was a 6 foot deep space at the end of a narrow cat walk. If I had gained 5 pounds I would no longer have been able to squeeze into the space between the back of my desk chair and the front of my desk. It never seemed like a good time to commit to construction but this summer, in between book projects, it seemed like it was now or never.
My friend Patty Maertons asked her husband Edgar for a recommendation as he is the local dry wall expert. He suggested Chris Smigel, saying everyone has wonderful things to say about him. Now I know why! Not only did he go above and beyond my expectations, he and his team cleaned up so thoroughly every Friday that when we arrived for the weekend it was almost as though no one had been there. And how exciting it was each week to see the latest transformations. (It was Chris who recommended the delightful architect Art Demarest.)
Another friend, Margaret Kurzman, who lives in nearby Blairstown and also New York City, and has had vast professional experience in renovations, offered excellent advice and moral support. No matter how wonderful the contractor, having your home "invaded" has to be one of life's most unsettling experiences.
There are always new decisions that have to be made along the way and plans that don't work out quite as expected but the only real drama was being awakened one night by not one but two bats that had made their way into the house and into the bedroom! Was I hysterical? Of course--I'm still somewhat of a city girl when it comes to things like that but I've been working on myself to think of them as my friends as they are known to eat mosquitoes and hopefully their taste will turn to stink bugs as well!
I may have lost most of the summer being so involved in the renovation but it was worth it. The new office is truly paradise.
Here are a few before and after photos.
Extending the office 20 feet over the porch turned out to require hand drilling into the boulders to create secure footings. The area was too small to bring in heavy machinery so this took longer than a day and much effort.
We hadn't planned for a lofted ceiling but when I saw the framing I fell in love with the feeling of airy spaciousness. Chris said he knew when I saw it I'd feel that way and he agreed. He made it happen.
The completed office.
Found the perfect fan out of 100's on line.
Jan 17, 2012 | From the kitchen of Rose
in Announcements
Rose Levy Beranbaum Bakeware Rose's Heavenly Cake Strip, Silicone
If you click on this red link above it will take you to Amazon where they are available for purchase.
My friend Mike Quinlan of Nordic Ware just gave me the great news that The Best of America's Test Kitchen - Best Recipes & Reviews 2012" issue (page 94), listed my Rose's Heavenly Cake Strip as their "the best strip."
They also mentioned that its one downfall is that it will not fit larger pans (it will fit a 10-inch pan) so I should add that they can be connected easily using silicone loops that are also great for myriad kitchen activities such as trussing a chicken, and replacing the usual string for wrapping roasts.
Jan 14, 2012 | From the kitchen of Rose
in APPEARANCES
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Ben Fink, photographer of Rose's Heavenly Cakes, has set up a terrific event near his second home in upstate NY, the Bluecashew Kitchen Pharmacy, on February 4th, just in time for Valentine's Day.
Here is the invitation and description of the event.
invitation
Jan 07, 2012 | From the kitchen of Rose
in Announcements
and the cookie dough, and the buttercream, and the whipped cream. Yes! The long cherished tradition of handing the beaters and bowl to the kids to lick is once again reestablished thanks to the availability of Safest Choice™ pasteurized eggs for the consumer.
So many times, in recent years, when people have questioned me about the safety of making buttercream, I sadly had to advise them that no buttercream made with eggs (and almost all are) is considered to be safe due to the risk of salmonella which potentially could be seriously dangerous for children under 10, pregnant women, older people, and those who are immune impaired.
And think about all the other sacrifices people have had to make: no more soft cooked eggs or mayonnaise, no eggnog. And consider the ever present fear of cross contamination of kitchen counters and other food product when handling unpasteurized eggs.
I cannot tell you how overjoyed I was to discover that eggs, pasteurized in the shell, behave in baking and cooking exactly like the eggs we know and depend on, because they are heated in a warm water bath for a long enough period to destroy all risk of contamination without cooking the egg. There is no flavor compromise; in fact, the eggs are more flavorful because they are so fresh. The eggs are pasteurized one day after being laid and therefore have a long shelf life as well.
When Tom Izzo, of Safest Choice Pasteurized Eggs, asked me if I would consider being National Baking Spokesperson I didn't hesitate for one second. The availability of pasteurized eggs for the home baker is something I've been praying for and is now a reality. For distribution in your area check the site.
You will also find useful information such as FAQ's, recipes, and contacts. In the months ahead, I will be offering favorite egg related recipes, techniques, and stories on this blog.
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