Babette Cake: A Roman Mystery Decoded
posted on February 22 by mark
Near the Piazza del Popolo, in the artistic heart of Rome, is an extraordinary restaurant where a French woman by the name of Babette creates wonderful Italian cuisine with just a touch of French flair. The restaurant is a blend of Parisian bistro and Italian trattoria charm. A black and white tile floor and distressed stucco walls exhibiting works of emerging painters provide a true French ambience and backdrop for an eclectic mastering of many regional favorites. Presiding over the kitchen is Babette herself – and one can only imagine she is the incarnation of that famous Babette in Isak Dinesen’s decadently scrumptious novel. On her insistence, we ended our dinner with a piece of her signature dessert: a rustic lemon cake. Served warm, it was quite simple in appearance – but pure heaven and maybe the most perfect cake I have ever eaten. Light as air, delicately flavored with fresh lemon and a hint of almond, its genius was a creamy and luxurious center. If a cake could be life changing - this might be the one, and it has haunted me ever since we left Rome. Babette holds fast to keeping her recipe secret, so it became my mission to recreate her cake in my own kitchen. My research began with the traditional Torta della Nonna, which has many of the same flavors although is clearly a much older, less pretty and heavier sister to Babette’s creation. Then came the trials. Night after night of cake baking with interesting but failed attempts at texture, lightness and flavor. How was the mysterious molten center achieved? How much lemon? How could the almond flavor be so delicate? And then, voilla! As soon as I began to think like a French pastry cook in an Italian kitchen, the mysteries of Babette’s cake began to unravel. A Torta della Nonna it was not, even though the combination of tart lemon and almond is decidedly indigenous to Roman kitchens. Torta Babette, I discovered, is a quintessentially French cake with an Italian twist. Seductive, yet simple. Now that I have perfected it, I like to serve the cake warm with a little Limoncello or a wonderful espresso. One bite, and you too, will be exclaiming with a French accent, “Molto molto buono!”
Eating like Könige: New Year’s Eve in Vienna
posted on February 19 by mark
It is one of Europe’s most elegant cities where an intermingling of art, architecture, music and food seduces all the senses. Arriving just in time for a New Year’s Eve concert of Mozart and Strauss at the Kursalon, we indulged in a week of Austrian cuisine. There is wonderful food everywhere in Vienna. A city of extraordinary soups, Mr. Fleck and I dined on Gasthaus favorites like Consummé with Liver Dumplings and Oxtail Soup with Frittaten (thin slivers of crepes). Even the food kiosks which dot the pristine city have a perfect ‘fast’ food. It is the Kasekrainer - a Viennese sausage studded with little chunks of Emmentaler cheese and served hot off the grill with German mustard. In Vienna’s Naschmarkt, truly a culinary wunderland, a labyrinth of food stalls display a stunning array of beautiful fruits and vegetables, cheeses, cured meats, exotic spices, prepared food and pastries. The elaborate Jugendstil façade of the Otto Wagner apartments, presides in view of the Naschmarkt’s many little cafés where we dined on Goulash Soup and Speck (cured ham) before returning to the art of Wilhelm Klimt and the music of the Vienna Boy’s Choir. The Viennese claimed Germany’s Beethoven as one of their own – as they did Italy’s Veal Milanese which became their famous Wiener Schnitzel. These crisp cutlets of tender veal are served with potatoes or a simple cucumber salad – and in the hands of the Viennese brought to perfection. Vienna is also a city of great chocolates and wonderful desserts – and it just happened that the balcony of our room not only overlooked the Vienna Opera house but also the famous Sacher Hotel. It is here, presented with schlagobers (whipped cream) that their famous chocolate torte and apple strudel is served in one of the city’s most stunning dining rooms. And to end each glorious day – we returned to the opulently appointed Bristol Hotel to find on each pillow, a small gold box with a luxurious bite of Austrian chocolate Imperial Torte.
All that Jazz! Sunday Brunch at Susan Lawrence
posted on October 28 by mark
A few weeks ago we had seventy guests at Susan Lawrence for one of my cooking classes, The Art of Brunch: New Classics for Stylish Entertaining, sponsored by Chappaqua Continuing Education. The two -hour class was also an extensive tasting dinner served to the audience as I demonstrated each menu selection. Always a fun evening, I really enjoy the enthusiastic group of people who come and imbibe in the pleasures of food and cooking. My goal was to redefine brunch. To do away with those stodgy and heavy old brunch traditions that we just have come to expect and accept! Brunch has long been in need of a major overhaul. Who really wants a plate crammed with Chicken Florentine as maple syrup and pancakes run amuck alongside an overcooked Spanish omelet and piles of carb-ladened croissants, muffins and Danish?!??! Most brunch menus are just too sweet, overly eclectic and way too heavy. So instead, I created a wonderful menu balanced by color, texture and variety – where every dish complements the others. Smoked Fish ‘Antipasto’ has replaced the dreaded bagels with lox and cream cheese. And my favorite Egg Gratin with Fennel Pollen, Saffron, Lavender, Chives & Goat Cheese is paired with Roasted Artisanal Sausages with Caramelized Baby Pears & Fresh Rosemary. You will find these and other satisfying dishes on our new Fall Menu which can be viewed here online. So take this as my personal invitation to join us for a truly special occasion: The New Sunday Brunch. Relax with a copy of the New York Times, warm Cappuccino, really great food, and a hand-picked selection of amazing music featuring the Jazz vocals of Madeleine Peyroux and some of my other favorites.