The Spanish Pyrenees to Perpignan France

The highlight of Ed's and my recent trip to Spain was hiking in the Pyrenees which we in fact decided to do at the last minute after Condor was hauled on September 2nd due to hurricane warnings for Earl.  With the boat high and dry and no tickets yet for the conference in Perpignan where Ed was to give a paper, we decided to go 5 days early and drive from Barcelona to Perpignan via Torla and Espot.

"Old Man", upper left

TORLA: We arrived in Torla on Thursday September 16th, after a lunch stop at the Medevial city of Ainse which we found quite serendipitously. The following day we had a magnificent hike in Parque Nacional de Ordesa. The day was overcast and clouds blew in and out as we crossed the Rio Arazas and climbed steeply (600 meters vertical) through the woods on the Senda de los Cazadores (Hunter's Path) on the valley's south side. We reached a point which reminded us of the Old Man of the Mountain (NH) then a overlook on top of the "head of the Old Man".

Cola del Caballo

From there we followed the Faja de Pelay (mostly level or downhill) to the Circo de Soaso and the Cola del Caballo (Horsetail) waterfall.  We returned by the path along the valley floor passing several other waterfalls before being caught in a drenching rain storm which continued the last half hour of our 12 km hike.  By the next morning the weather had improved and we hiked up to the waterfalls we had missed in our run in the rain. We stayed at the Hotel Abetos in a room with a beautiful view toward the mountain and ate both nights at El Duende (good regional food) as the town is small with not a lot of interesting options.

Looking up Circo de Soaso

Falls in the Valley

                                                                                                                 

Estany L'Amitges

ESPOT:   On Saturday afternoon we drove through several mountain passes, one in thick fog to Espot.  The Hotel Surat where we stayed, the original hotel in Espot, shows it age. Our room was clean and had a view of the mountains but the large dining room was used only for breakfast (most likely still open in season). Tired, we opted for pizza in their crowded grill. The following morning we took a jeep taxi (leaves from the center of town as soon as it is filled with 6 passengers) to Estany de Sant Maurici (part of Parc Nacional D'Aiguestortes I Estany de Sant Maurici).  From here we headed up the trail to Port de Ratera d' Espot. We followed the directions downloaded from the Lonely Planet.

Port de Ratera d'Espot

Jeep tours go to the first part of the trail and continue around the lake so this part of the trail is wide, easy and crowded until the fork soon after Estany de Ratera.  Here we took the right fork and hiking became steeper and rockier.  If Ordesa is a hike of waterfalls, this is certainly a hike of lakes; an occasional waterfall but well over a dozen beautiful blue lakes. We continued across some rocky scree to Refugi d'Amitges then to Port de Ratera d' Espot where we ate lunch. Returning, we took the right hand forks so repeated  little of the first part of the 14.5 km hike.  For dinner we tried Hotel Roya which had a very good regional menu.  Ed had an excellent Andalusian gazpacho and I had my first taste of salt cod with tomatoes (served cold as an entree) which was very good both entrees followed by lamb.

PERPIGNAN: Monday morning we drove through more mountain passes to Perpignan.  Following his Garmin Ed wound up in the narrow streets of the old city. After a very challenging u-turn we headed to the parking garage then walked to Hotel de Loge. This is a  restored mansion in the heart of the old city.  It apparently fell into some disrepair under the former owners but the new owners, Mireille and Herve Barruad have done an excellent job restoring the public spaces.  The bedrooms could still use some refurbishment but the Barruad's  helpfulness more than compensated for the worn carpets.  They recommended two excellent restaurants, Le Figuier and La Table (now closed).  Monday night was business and mediocre tapas. On Tuesday night we ate at Le Figuier and I had a white fish on potatoes with an aioli topping; very good.  I'm tempted to try it at home but somewhat deterred by the requisite butter.  The show stopper was the fig tart; a pastry shell with whole poached figs. Figs have a very limited season but I was able to find some when I returned home and did a yummy poached fig dessert.  The next night we attended the conference banquet. I never look forward to these events and was pleasantly surprised.

photo © 2010 Edward C. Kern, Jr.

The banquet was in an old Gothic church that had been stripped of all things religious. Colored lights played on the stone walls and a dance band played in the distance so we could talk above the music.  The food was excellent as was the conversation since we sat at a table with some of Ed's younger clients. On Thursday night we went to La Table, a newly opened bar and restaurant.  I had fish with crispy leeks on top and Ed had fish on a bed of potatoes topped with a pastry lattice and mushroom sauce.  I have since done a similar dish at home (minus the pastry lattice which Ed keeps asking for). 

Reviewed 9/20/2017

Two Days in DC

Ed and I spent a few days last week in DC - he on business, me for fun.  We drove down on Sunday, meeting Christopher at Vesylka in his old East Village neighborhood for brunch (his breakfast, our lunch). The company was awesome and the borscht did not disappoint.

On Monday I had a long walk enjoying the unseasonably warm weather and caught a view of the White House vegetable garden. Happiness turned to sadness as I walked along the Vietnam War Memorial, so many names... and thought of the next memorial we will soon be building, so many names, so young and so many permanenly disabled.... That evening Ed and I went to the Smithsonian American Art Museum and saw a special exhibit (runs through January 2, 2011): "Telling Stories: Norman Rockwell  from the Collections of George Lucas and Stephen Speilberg" before having a tapas dinner at Zaytinya  (Turkish, Greek and Lebanese inspired cuisine). The Garides me Anitho, (sauteed shrimp, dill, shallots, mustard, lemon juice), was especially good.  Marine 1 and two escort helicopters flew directly over our heads as we crossed the Ellipse walking back to the hotel, Marine 1 then landing on the South Lawn.

Tuesday I went to the Smithsonian to see, among other things, Julia Child's  Kitchen, indeed one of the most popular exhibits that day.  I remember our first kitchen in Cambridge.  The entire (but not very big) end wall was covered with a blue peg board on which I hung all my orange Creuset pots and pans (wedding presents) as well as black cast iron items, wood rolling pin....  I did not draw outlines around anything though as I did not have much stuff or many people in the kitchen. Both days I had lunch at the National Museum of the American Indian.  The museum is not my favorite but the food in Mitsitam (Let's Eat) Cafe has to be the best on the mall and very good in its own right.  The Cafe features a Native inspired menu representing five different regions of the Western Hemisphere made with natural and locally grown ingredients. I finished my day at the National Gallery of Art seeing old favorites, though unfortunatewely the Miro tapestry originally in the main lobby has been removed  and Dali's The Sacrament of the Last Supper was blocked by supplies for an evening reception. I also saw two special exhibits, one featuring the drawings of Edvard Munch and the other, Arcimboldo (runs through January 9, 2011). The Arcimboldo paintings, reflecting the serious study of science and nature that was characteristic of the sixteenth century are also clever intellectual puzzles, in fact, according to the exhibit guide, viewed as scherzi or jokes by Arcimboldo's contemporaries.  In the  lobby of the East Wing outside the exhibit is a large contemporary  sculpture depicting the Arcimboldo painting "Winter".  In the evening, another unseasonably warm night, Ed and I walked around Georgetown (not as "cool" as Ed remembered) then back to the mall. Having cleared the wait-list at the popular Rasika , we had an excellent dinner there. Rasika is an Indian restaurant (which boarders on Indian fusion); I had a shrimp curry and Ed a lamb one, neither of which I will try to duplicate. I will be giving some thought to trying to make the delicious dessert we had, date and toffee pudding with berries. Stay tuned.

Reviewed 9/20/2017

Hungarian Mushroom Soup

We had this delicious soup at Bonnie's on Aspen Mountain last February.  The recipe is taken directly from Bonnie's at 1:00 * by MaryAnn Greene.  I have not tried making it yet but maybe will now that the weather is getting colder again.  At anyrate, I'm hoping it is still on the menu this winter.


"One of the favorites. Serves 8-10



INGREDIENTS:
6 TBS. UNSALTED BUTTER
1 LB. YELLOW ONIONS (CHOPPED, 2 C.)
1 TSP. KOSHER SALT
1 LB. MUSHROOMS (SLICED)
1/4 C. FLOUR
1 TBS. DILL WEED
1 TBS. PAPRIKA
1 TBS. TAMARI SAUCE
3 C. CHICKEN STOCK
1/2 TSP. PEPPER
3 C. MILK
2 TSP. LEMON JUICE
1/4 C. PARSLEY (CHOPPED FINELY)
7/8 C. SOUR CREAM (9 OZ.)


PROCEDURE:
1. Saute onions in butter with salt.
2. Add mushrooms and simmer until limp.
3. Sprinkle flour over vegetables and immediately add dill, paprika, tamari, and chicken stock. Stir! Stir!
4. Simmer 15 minutes.
5. Add milk, pepper, lemon juice, and parsley.
6. Cook 30 minutes.
7. Check seasonings.
8. Whisk in sour cream and heat carefully.


TRY USING NON-FAT SKIM MILK, NON-FAT  SOUR CREAM, AND LOW-FAT CHICKEN
STOCK. IT IS EQUALLY DELICIOUS!!!"

* Page 67

Reviewed 7/9/2017

White Bean Chili

Recommended by an Aspen friend, I tried this chili last December at Bonnie's and had it again during our visit in February.  I've yet to make it myself, but it's on my list "to try" using,  instead of the sour cream, 12 oz (1 1/2 c) non-fat yogurt whisked with 2 t  cornstarch - NB To keep yogurt from "breaking down" whisk with cornstarch before adding to pot and avoid high heat after adding yogurt.   Recipe is from Bonnie's at 1:00* Bonnie's serves soup topped with multi-colored, thinly sliced, fried tortilla strips




"Bonnie Lynn's White Chili


INGREDIENTS:
3 TBS. UNSALTED BUTTER
1/2 LG. ONION (CHOPPED)
1/2 LG. RED PEPPER (CHOPPED)
1/2 LG. GREEN PEPPER (CHOPPED)
3 15 OZ. CANS OF WHITE NORTHERN BEANS (DRAINED) [and rinsed well**]
7 OZ. PICANTE SAUCE (MILD)
1-8 OZ. CAN OF DICED GREEN CHILES
1 LB. CAN DICED TOMATOES (DRAINED)
1 TBS. CUMIN
1 TBS. CHOPPED CLOVES OF GARLIC
1 TBS. MEXICAN OREGANO
1 TBS. WHITE PEPPER
4 C. VEGETABLE STOCK
12 OZ. SOUR CREAM
1 1/2 C. JALAPENO CHEESE (NATURAL, NOT PROCESSED, SHREDDED)


PROCEDURE:
1. In a 5-6 qt. soup kettle, melt butter.
2. Add onion, red and green pepper and cook until soft.
3. Puree 1 1/2 cans of the beans until smooth and add to the kettle.
4. Add the rest of the beans, picante sauce, chiles, tomatoes, and spices. Cook for 2 minutes.
5. Add vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Then lower heat.
6. Add sour cream and simmer until blended.
7. Add shredded jalapeno cheese and simmer and
stir until smooth. Yields 8 cups."


* Page 69

** January 2015; See Beans and Comfort

Reviewed 7/9/2017

Apple Strudel/Gretl's/Bonnie's

When Ed and I skied Aspen in the 1970's our favorite lunch stop was Gretl's, a restaurant nestled in the trees below Tourtelotte Park.  I sometimes had soup and apple strudel, but more often than not as I recall, just a big piece of strudel. If it was really cold, we made a strudel stop in mid morning to warm up. If the weather permitted we ate our lunch on the sundeck, our faces well greased with Piz Buin (SPF 0 or worse).  At the end of the 1979-80 ski season Gretl did not renew her lease with the Aspen Ski Company;  Ed and I were so occupied by Alexandra who had arrived that October that we scarcely took notice.  This past winter, however, we had a chance to ski Aspen Mountain with  Christopher at Christmas time then Alex and Dan in February and all had a chance to have lunch on the sundeck that was once part of Gretl's and is now part of Bonnie's.  The strudel is still excellent (as good as Gretl's? debatable; time tips the scale). We also had a couple of good soups, White Bean Chili and Hungarian Mushroom Soup. The recipes for all are found in Bonnie's at 1:00: Recipes from Aspen Mountain's Dining Tradition by MaryAnn Greene along with many other Bonnie's recipes and Greene family favorites. While the book has an extensive introduction it does not dwell on the restaurant's first incarnation as Gretl's or how Gretl's changed Aspen "mountain dining".  An October 2001 article from the Aspen Times addresses this and gives a portrait of the amazing woman, Gretl.


Now for the recipe from Bonnie's at 1:00 *.  It's delicious but looks like so much work I will probably wait for next winter at Bonnie's, when as an added bonus I can ski off the calories.

"INGREDIENTS FOR DOUGH:
1 C. FLOUR
1/8 C. SUGAR
1 1/2 TBS. WESSON OIL
1/4 TSP. SALT
1 EGG
ABOUT 1/4 C. OF HOT WATER


APPLE FILLING FOR ONE STRUDEL:
If making three portions or three strudels, you will need nine apples.Three apples (we use Rome apples) will yield four cups of sliced apples and fill one strudel sheet. Wash apples. Using an apple cutter, press out the core and cut the apple into sections. Peel the skin off each part and slice each section of apple as thin as possible. Cover the apple slices with 1 1/2 C. apple juice & juice of 1/2 of a lemon. Sprinkle with 1/4 C. raisins.

SUGAR MIXTURE:
(THIS WILL COVER 3 SMALL STRUDELS)
1/4 C. SUGAR
1 C. BROWN SUGAR
1 1/2 TSP. CINNAMON
1 TSP. NUTMEG
1/8 TSP. SALT
1/8 LB. UNSALTED BUTTER MELTED (1/2 STICK, 2 oz.)
LEMON JUICE (1 1/4 oz.)
1 1/4 C. MILK
POWDERED SUGAR (IN A SHAKER)

PROCEDURE:
(dough may be prepared in advance the night before, if so desired)
1. Mix flour, sugar and salt, using mixer paddle.
2. Add oil, egg, and 1/4 C. hot water.
3. Change to dough hook and add 1/4 C. more hot water.
4. Knead until smooth and shiny.
5. Divide the dough into three small portions. Run one portion at a time through a pasta machine. You will rollout two more portions.You can make up to a total of three small strudels. If one is all you need for this occasion, consider freezing the rest of the dough or preparing it with a spinach or mushroom filling.
6. Using a pasta machine, run each portion through to make a rectangle sheet. (Or use a rolling pin.) Place the strudel on a floured cloth and stretch it as thin as possible without breaking - paper thin. (At the most, it should measure about 8"x 12").
7. Brush strudel dough with melted butter.
8. Cover dough with a handful or so of sliced apples, sprinkle with one handful of raisins, one handful of sugar mixture, and then sprinkle with lemon juice until all of the apple mixture is used.
9. Fold the two opposite short ends of dough over apples, then fold the long sides to the middle, making a seam. Then lift the edges of the floured cloth and roll the filled dough, seam down, onto a greased pan or baking sheet.
10. Brush the top with melted butter.
11. Bake the following day. Allow the strudel to rest in a cool space overnight.
12. Pour milk over strudel before placing in oven.
13. Bake for 60 minutes at 350 degrees.
14. Sprinkle the top with powdered sugar.
15. Cut into thick slices, about two inches each.
16. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream."

* page 34

All photos this page: © 2011 and 2013 (bottom photo) Edward C. Kern, Jr.

Reviewed 5/17/17

Lobster Mushroom and Leek Risotto

When I was visiting Alexandra and Dan in April 2009, we went to one of my favorite places in Portland, the Saturday Farmer's Market. So much good stuff to choose from, but the selection of mushrooms is incredible. Among other things, we got some great lobster mushrooms (about a pound I think but perhaps more) and some leeks.  This led to  Lobster Mushroom and Leek Risotto for dinner that night.  Any question about where the name "lobster" mushroom comes from should be answered by the photo at left.

In a large skillet, sautee:

1 T butter

3 T olive oil

Add:

2 chopped leeks, white and pale green part only (though we pushed the "pale green" part)

1 clove garlic, minced

and cook, stirring, until the leeks begin to soften. 

Then add:

1-2 pounds lobster  mushrooms, stems trimmed and caps and stems coarsely chopped

Season with salt and pepper to taste, and cook stirring, until the mushrooms are tender. Set aside.

In another pan heat 3 T olive oil/butter or a combination then add:

1/2 c onion, finely chopped 

and cook 3 minutes until the onion begins to soften

Add: 

2 c Aborio rice and stir well to combine. Add (optional):

1/2 c dry white wine, and cook, stirring, until wine is mostly absorbed by the rice.

 Begin to add:

6 ½ c hot chicken or vegetable broth

ABOUT ¾ CUP AT A TIME, stirring well after each addition until the broth has been mostly absorbed by the rice.  Continue to add broth, stirring, until the rice is tender but firm, al dente, about 20 minutes.

Turn off the heat, stir in one last addition of broth, the leek and mushroom mixture and :

½ c freshly grated Parmesan cheese

2 T chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Stir until the cheese melts and is incorporated into the rice. Serve immediately.

Reviewed 5/29/2017

Welcome!

Welcome to my new blog!  A few weeks ago Christopher set up a Blogger blog to replace my Movable Type hosted one.  As a "Googler Mom", I am very happy to have this Google-hosted blog.  It is so much easier to use and has so many more features and potential features.  Christopher transferred all my published and unpublished content for which I am very appreciative. I have spent the last several days reviewing the previously published posts before republishing them.  Now I am beginning to look at the previously unpublished drafts.  This will result in some dated items such as the  post started in  April 2009 which follows.  I hope to mix these dated items with current additions including recipes inspired by Ed's and my recent trip to Spain. Stay tuned.

Reviewed 9/23/2017