'Scape love...

In 2001 Maman and I went to China.  The trip was 1 1/2 years in the planning and delayed by 6 months at one point but it happened and it was a great experience for so many reasons.  Hell, 42 meals back to back on bread and butter plates with chop sticks.  Suffice it to say that I am very adept with chop sticks.  China was never on my top 10 list of places I had to see while I was alive...but never-the-less, I am glad I went. 

Among the many cultural experiences, and in my case, food experiences there were several that were memorable.  The street markets were amazing. The dumplings, divine. 

chinese market dumplings Beijing 2001did you want duck or chicken tonight for dinner?The spice/medicine market was jaw dropping.  I mean really, jaw dropping.  Dried tiger and deer and dog penises are all the rage?!?  Or maybe a dried cobra skin to pulverize for your next potion instead of eye of newt???

medicine market Beijing 2001 snake skin

medicine market Beijing 2001 A little odd.  The varieties of fruit I had never heard of, delish.  The sheep's lung a little chewy.  AND if anyone ever offers you Yak butter tea...or Yak butter anything...JUST SAY NO.  Politely of course, but take my word for it, not something you should ever have a need to try. 

Among the new and interesting things to taste was something that had the same shape as pencil asparagus without the speared top.  It had a delicate crunch to it.  It was solid, like asparagus, with green outer ring and much lighter inner body.  It had a slightly sweet yet slightly oniony/garlicy flavor to it.  After finding it in several stir-fry, I had to know more about it.  Our guide called it a garlic chive, huh?  I tried to have him point it out in its raw state at the market, with no success. 

Jump to 2009.  I make my way through my first City Seed farmers markets in New Haven and there are these curly things that are the 2 feet long or so.  What is that?  A garlic scape.  A what? 

A garlic scape.  Garlic Scapes can come straight or with a big loop in them, both forms can come with or without a thistle like flower at the top.  The scape is the green stem that comes out of the garlic bulb, early in the growing season.  The scape needs to be cut off so that the energy goes into growing the bulb and not the pretty greenery and flowers on top.  In the looped variety the scape should be cut just after passing the first full loop.  (A farmer told me that).  I didn't realize there was a straight kind till this week...when I bought the first scapes of the season, the straight ones. 

THESE ARE THEM!!!  These are the vegetable I had in China.  I bought one bunch this past Sunday, about a pound.  They cost me $2.00.  I pulled out three of them to put into a not so successful wild mushroom risotto. 

I sliced the scapes on the bias, as if I was cutting scallions.  I sauteed them and then added the rice, then continued with a regular risotto cooking method.  I snagged a few to taste before adding the rice.  THIS IS IT! This is that wonderful light fresh flavor that I remember.  I should have removed the scapes then added the rice, cooked then added the scapes back when I added the mushrooms at the end.  They were good, but they could have been much better, they ended up over cooked this way. 

The rest of them I turned into what every blogger out there tells you to do with scapes...make scape pesto.  Today I tried the pesto on Pasta.  Okay, I am joining all the other bloggers out there.  Your first batch of scapes need to go into pesto.  More on that at the right. 

My next batch of scapes are going either into the oven or onto the grill.  I want more.  Soon.  I will keep you posted on the results.

Spring

white lilacs

About a year ago I wrote about the first farmers market of the season and my score of ramps, rhubarb, and lilacs.  This year I added duck eggs to that score, nice treat. 

But Spring is Spring and the basics of what comes out of the ground is the same year after year.  There is something good about that cycle (think circle of life for green stuff).  It is wonderful that you can get tomatoes, or grapes, or lettuces or whatever 52 weeks of the year at your local supermarket.  BUT there is nothing like the first tomatoes of the season...no matter where you live and what season that is. 

Likewise there is something to be said about treats that only come once a year and only stay around for a few weeks, and aren't readily found anywhere else. 

I could go off on a tangent here and talk about the rarely heard about way of preserving those flavors for tasty treats to pull out of the pantry on a grey day.  But I am not a great canner and I just met this amazing lady who blogs about it and has just had her book published.  If you are interested go check her out, Marisa. Thanks for the jam refresher Marisa and good luck with the book!

But back to those treats that you have to wait for.  So the past couple of weeks it has been Ramps and Rhubarb with a quick season of duck eggs.  A quick bunch of Dandelion greens, they went into a salad but I might try to get another batch to mix into a batch of Carbonara type of pasta.  The first icicle radishes of the season, greens into pasta or soup and radishes the French way: raw with a baguette, good butter and grey salt.  Simple and awesome.

As the season progresses I can't wait to try to find sour cherries, and currants, and garlic scapes and so many others.  But for right now I am having too much fun with rhubarb, and a couple of recipes are headed your way.

On a final note tonight, I was depressed all anew this season when I couldn't seem to talk myself into going out with a pair of clippers (under cover of dark all dressed in black) to go steal someone else's lilacs.  Growing up, quite frankly sucks!  Responsibility, yuck.  It was compounded by not finding any lilacs to buy at the market this year, bummer.  And then I went out my back door two days ago (in a house I have only been in since Dec, thus everything coming out of the ground is a surprise) to see that the pretty little bush was actually a variety of a white lilac.  With the rain we have been getting non stop, at night if I open the upstairs office window while I type this...I can smell the blooms.  Redemption for not being a thief in the night???  You tell me.

white lilacs 

Fish Stock

If you are going to make fish stock...by george lets make fish stock!

fish stock, because 8qts was not going to be enough...up close and personalLet me begin by saying I didn't intend to have quite this much fish stock.  It has been 3 months and for heavens sake...there are still 4 qts of fish stock in the freezer!  But it all began innocently enough. 

I had just returned from Maman's lesson on how to make a Bouillabaisse.  And for something to sink in correctly I need to replicate fairly quickly.  So that week I started to think about how I could put my hands on some fish bones to make a stock.  I called my local grocery store, nope they get all their fish in already cleaned.  The nearest fish store that I know of is a good hour away.  Hmmm what is a girl to do. 

Oh!  Wait!  I run a hotel.  We have a fish guy.  Hmmmm.  I asked my cook who was doing the ordering to see if Paganos had any fish bones.  I was looking for heads and bones.  I was looking for about 5 lbs.  I was looking for Grouper or Snapper or Sea Bass or Blue fish...or...or...or.  I was NOT looking for Salmon or Tuna or Mahi, too oily.  Let me repeat:  I asked my guy to SEE if Paganos had any fish bones. 

The next thing I know, "Yolande, your fish bones will be here today." 

Wait!  Are they on a separate invoice?  What kind of bones?  I am not ready to make fish stock tonight.  I can't even leave here till late tonight.  Can you put them on hold?  Will he take a check?  Do I have cash on me? 

They arrived 30 minutes later.  They were on the same invoice.  I was going to have to reimburse the hotel.  I was going to have to find a way to get out of work at least a little bit early.  There was WAY MORE than 5 lbs. 

There were 3 fish heads with spine and tails attached.  The fish tags that were also still attached read 23.75 lbs, 28 lbs, and 26.5 lbs.  These had been some big fish, with teeth!  I borrowed a bus tub and put my fish bones in the back of the car...smelly.  I made sure there were witnesses when I paid the hotel what I owed for my fish bones...two quarters.  And I returned the bus tub full of smelly cooked fish bones the next day.  I wasn't going to put those bones in my trash to sit for 5 days till the next trash day!

So here is the first recipe for that famous Bouillabaisse.

Bouillabaisse, The Legend, The Reality

Bouillabaisse at the table

In all of our histories we have one dish that becomes legendary.  Think about it.  Even if it is just a PB&J assembled at the top of a  mountain after a 5 mile hike, or some other such situation.  We all have one dish that we made or assembled that lives forever.  In my case it was a Beef Bourguignon that I made in 1999 or 2000 while living in Alexandria.  Several friends still talk about that Bourguignon to this day.  In Maman's case it is her famous Bouillabaisse of 1975.  I have never made a bouillabaisse.  It is quite simple really, I am terrified of making it.  You see it is one of her legendary dishes.  Who wants to be compared to a legend?

That doesn't mean I don't want to learn how to make it...just that a recipe card wasn't going to do it for me.  Before I started the writing for this blog, I started thinking about the recipes I wanted to feature.  I knew that sooner or later I wanted to post about Bouillabaisse.  I wanted to tell the story of 2 couples, three kids and a French Grandmother stuck together in a little two bedroom beach cottage on Siesta Key. It was 1975 and Papa had made an agreement with Governor Hugh Gregg.  The Governor owned some land in Siesta Key Florida and wanted to open a restaurant, and he asked Papa to open and operate it for him.  It was called The Greenhouse and in later years The Summerhouse.  It recently closed after a very long run.  But first it was a construction site, where two little girls and one little boy like to fish.  The restaurant rose out of the ground with three walls of glass looking out into the lush tropical forest.  There were dining rooms on several levels, and almost every table was on a wall of glass looking out. 

Papa knew he was going to need some help so he called in one of his best friends, Andre.  Andre came down with his then wife Marguerite, their son Yann, and his mother Madame Pirio.  Madame Pirio had the dubious honor of keeping an eye on her grandson Yann (age 3), Jacqueline (age 4), and me (the almost grown up??? 8 year old).  Papa ran the kitchen, Marguerite ran the door, Maman took the upstairs dining room and Andre took the main floor.  One day I will have to tell you about waiting for the C of O, and make food that wasn't supposed to be in the restaurant dissapear.  But let me just say the restaurant was a hit!  The four of them and the staff they hired nearly didn't keep up with the demand. 

The four of them would come home to the cottage too keyed up to sleep, too exhausted to move.  Madame would be asleep in my parents room and Jaqueline and Yann would be asleep in ours.  I would sneak out to see what was going on.  They would open a bottle of wine and deal the cards to unwind while talking about what went right, what went wrong and what needed to be done the next day.  But one day the weather was right, and there was no more room in Maman's freezer for more of the little fish we would bring home.  Everyone was being lazy around the cottage and she got busy.  It was Bouillabaisse time.  All I can say is that it was one of those moments.  I don't remember as much as I should, but for the last 37 years someone mentions Maman and Bouillabaisse and  the instant response is, "...do you remember Siesta Key?"

So I talked to Maman and told her it was time to teach me.  She said okay.  Meanwhile it has taken more than a year to get my lesson. 

On a recent trip to FL for Jacqueline's award ceremony for teacher of the year (yeah Jacqueline!), Maman decided the time was right.  I have also mentioned in my writing that part of the challenge of this blog is figuring out how to measure, and time recipes for recording.  I am a genius compared to trying to track Maman as she cooks! OMG!  Not only do I now know who I get the pinch of this and a "soupcon" of that from...she is worse than I am.  AND I apologize to all my friends who have tried to record one of my recipes as I cook it, I get it. 

First she didn't want to talk to me while she was chopping and thinking about the next step.  Second when I peered over her shoulder (which should have been easy as I tower over her by a good 7 inches), she would hunch over and shoo me away.  What was up with that?  You will have to forgive some of my guesstimate. 

A great part of the fun in this lesson was having some of the philosophical discussions about the ingredients and the traditions behind Bouillabaisse. 

Lets start by reminding everyone that Bouillabaisse was developed as the fisherman's stew.  The boat would come in, and the "good" fish would go to market.  What was left became dinner for the crew.  It is also a dish from Marseilles and as a result the key ingredients and flavors come from that area.  It is redolent with olive oil, onions, fennel, tomatoes and garlic.  Today it is a dish that each family holds THEIR famous version near and dear, and all will tell you theirs is the best. 

Maman's is distinctly hers and never the same twice...here are some of the debates:

1.  She starts with a combination of leeks and onions.  Many recipes you will find agree, but some only use onions.  In the time I have spent in the south of France, I don't remember a lot of leeks.  Everywhere else, lots.  But when visiting with Tatan Yvonne, I don't remember the leeks.  Maman's answer, I like to mix them.  Okay, I can go with that.

2.  Fresh fennel or fennel seeds.  Again both.  Maman had some fresh fennel fronds that she chopped up and put in the initial stages of the cooking.  She wasn't happy with the final stock so she crushed about a teaspoon of fennel seeds and it made all the difference in the world. 

3.  White wine, or dry vermouth or Pernod.  Maman normally uses white wine.  This day she didn't have an open bottle.  I said, "Maman, two bottles in the fridge for three ladies?  I am sure we can spare a little."  She wasn't convinced it was enough????  (Might I interject we didn't finish the first bottle.)  I asked if dry vermouth would work.  She thought that an excellent idea, she uses dry vermouth in cooking fish often.  It tasted lovely here.  Mid-pour though she did comment, "Papa used to use Pernod, I never liked it as well though."  I on the other hand love Pernod in cooking, I may have to try it.

4.  La Rouille.  A rouille is a garlicy mayonnaise that binds the broth after you serve the soup.  It also packs a punch in the flavor department that finishes this dish to perfection.  But soooo many debates.  Spicy or not?  With potato or not?  To add an egg yolk or not?  A touch of lemon juice or not?  We used Harissa for the heat, the potato and the egg yolk, and a good squish of fresh lemon.  It was outstanding. 

5.  Now for the biggest debate:  What kind of fish?  There are no hard fast rules of what can go in...though there are a couple of no-no's (according to Maman). 

    a.  Flaky delicate fishes don't work well, they fall apart.  No trout, flounder, or sole. 

    b.  Salmon, tuna, and swordfish are too heavy and oily with flavors that do not work really well with the fun stuff that starts the broth.

    c.  crab is not really indigenous to the south of France, not a star in this dish.

So what does go in?  Firm fleshed white fishes that won't fall apart in your broth.  With Maman we used Cod and haddock.  You could as easily use Char, Halibut, Grouper, Snapper or Monk fish.  If you brave enough to do some fish filleting table side some small whole rockfish or snapper is also a good choice. 

Next shellfish or no?  Keep in mind that the original was the poor man's soup.  No shellfish.  But today?  Go for it.  We used some Langoustine tails, yum.  But feel free to add some shrimp, clams and mussels. 

The final outcome?  Amazing.  Thank you Maman.  Now I feel confident enough to try it at home.  As a matter of fact tomorrow night, for a table of 10.  Yikes!  If I don't get it right?  Pizza?

Update on Sunday, February 26, 2012 at 8:13PM by Yolande A.M. Lacan

So.  Last night was the dinner party and all I can say is; Damn!  I did it.  AND I didn't have to order Pizza.  Even the kids ate not only the ginormous shrimp but the fish, clams, AND the garlicy croutons dunked in the broth.  Amazing kids I might add that aren't picky eaters.  Woo-hoo to those parents. 

Notes on the above philosophical debates. 

1.  I used only onions, no leeks.

2.  I used the fennel bulb, and the fennel seeds.

3.  I went with the Pernod...sorry Maman, Papa was right, very good.

4.  La Rouille.  Spicy, check.  Potato, check.  Egg Yolk, check.  Meyers Lemon juice, check. 

5.  The Fish.  I went a little nuts.  Halibut, 2 lbs.  Perch, 2 lbs. Cod, 2lbs. Whole Red Snapper 1 small about 2.5 lbs.  Monk fish, 2lbs. Then 10 u-6 shrimp and 18 clams.  All Good.

I will do this again!  Thanks for the lesson Maman!

A year has passed...

...Since I began this project and there has been quite a bit of change in my life.  I started a new job.  I moved.  What they say are two of the most stressful occurrences in a person's life, outside of marriage, divorce, and child birth.  The job has taken over my life (not good), and the move has been got through (barely). 

Amongst the good the bad and the ugly this blog has been on the back burner, and is likely going to stay there for a bit yet.  I didn't, however, want to let this week fade away without commenting on the one year anniversary of The Innkeeper's Daughter. 

The Innkeeper's Daughter was born out of many people saying to me, "you should tell that story".  It has been a fun story to share and I look forward to being able to tell the rest of it.

It was born from my wanting to see if I could cook in a manner that would force me to document and allow others to reproduce what I have always taken for granted.  Did the recipes work for you? 

It was born from a challenge to myself.  Okay so you know just about everything there is to know about a hotel, what else can you do?  The technical side has been a mysterious journey that teaches every day.  The writing has been fun, and a new way to express myself.  The photography a serious challenge that needs so much more work. 

All in all a good start, but there is so much more I want to accomplish with this project.  When I sit down to work on this I like how it makes me feel, I just need to get the rest of my life in balance so I can continue. 

So I will be back.  I will shout it from the roof tops, and every electronic messaging service that I can think of.  I have so much more to tell you about I couldn't stop now!