le macaron

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six months ago we read in a magazine that the new it dessert, post cupcake, was the macaron.  I don’t think that cupcakes have really fallen that far from grace.  Orlando, which I feel is terrifically behind the times, even sports a food truck selling cupcakes and food trucks, according the Cooking Channel, are IT.  But, I digress.  The macaron, french and hardly humble is the piece de resistance at a small bakery in Sarasota called Le Marcaron – since I hadn’t tried one before we popped in while shopping and purchased two.
What do macarons have going for them?  Cachet I think.  They are the darlings of Laduree in Paris and food bloggers everywhere.  A macaron is a baked treat that is composed of two outwardly crunchy, inwardly chewy meringue type cookies attached with a bit of frosting or jam type filling.  They are pastel and very pretty.  I tried two, a black Madagascar vanilla and a salted caramel.  They were interesting although very expensive for being a small confection.  I wasn’t prepared for the chewiness and kind of found that faulty although it extends the flavor.  The filling was nice too, a hit of creaminess contrasting the cookie.
Macarons are unique, in general, encompassing flavors from basil to chocolate.  I enjoyed the cookies but haven’t fallen in love or, for the matter, out of love, with cupcakes.

easter

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went to Sarasota for the Easter weekend.  Along with the requisite trip to El Toro Bravo for Santa Fe style cooking, we also made a couple of new stops – just to scope out the territory.  My parents visited us for Christmas and brought giant cinnamon rolls thickly buried in frosting from Troyer’s Dutch Heritage Bakery.  I hadn’t been there before and we made a brief stop to check out the bakery and gift shop.  It is an Amish style restaurant, one of five or six in the Sarasota area-apparently the winter hotbed of Amish-Mennonite warmth seekers from Lancaster County PA and beyond.  They gave us samples of orange cream pie and provided our Easter dessert of raspberry pie.
We also made a stop at Yoder’s Amish Village to browse their farm stand.  I was impressed by the variety and price points.  They had everything from Florida sweet onions to fresh chick peas still in their shells alongside Pennsylvania Dutch Birch Beer. jellies and local honey.
We didn’t see any horses and buggies but there are a lot of ladies in plain clothes with the white small bonnets associated with the sect shopping in local stores.

cacio e pepe

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far more elegant than buttered noodles – cacio e pepe is precisely that and super quick. We made this between work and small group in a total of 15 minutes or so.


6 oz pasta-spaghetti
3 T butter
1 cup freshly grated parmesan
2 t freshly cracked black pepper

Put on a large pot of water to boil. When the water comes to a boil -toss in a handful of salt. Boil the pasta according to directions but one or two minutes short. Draw out 3/4 cup of the water before you drain. Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a 12 inch skillet. Gently toast ground pepper while the noodles boil. After draining drop the noodles into the butter and pepper. Pour in 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Toss gently until the sauce thickens. Fold in the cheese and melt. If the mixture is too thick as a bit more water. Enjoy!

chipotle corn soup

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this is a favorite recipe from a little place in Santa Fe called the Blue Corn Cafe.  Years ago I went to Santa Fe with my parents for a little getaway from school.  It was spring time and boy it was cold.  It was raining solidly and sort of mixed with snow.  We stopped for lunch at the Blue Corn where I ordered a bowl of this soup.  It is super spicy and comforting.  We made a pot today with only the air conditioning to keep us cool.

1/2 cup red onion – diced
3 chipotles in adobo (freeze the rest of the can)
2 cups water
4 cups heavy cream
6 ears of corn

husk the corn and lightly rub with oil and salt – broil turning frequently until some of the kernals black and pop.  About 15-20 minutes.  Once cool cut the kernals from the cob.
Add onion, adobo and water to stockpot.  Puree using immersion blender.  Add 3/4 corn and blend.  Add cream and balance of corn.  Heat to boiling and then reduce heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes to reduce and thicken soup.  We shallow fry flour tortilla chips and toss in cinnamon sugar to round out the meal.