war

Week in Review

Happy Bastille Day (yesterday)! The French stormed the Bastille on July 14, 1789. It was the spark that started the French Revolution. Ten years later it ended in a coup with Napoleon at the helm as “First Consul”. They were able to end feudalism, kill their king, come up with the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, draft a new constitution, but in the end they could not agree on how to rule and those in power fought between themselves to the point where the military stepped in. Napoleon went on to conquer most of Europe. Today Bastille Day is celebrated in France and around the world as National Festival Day to symbolize harmony. I find that a little confusing but hey, it’s an excuse to each yummy French food.

I watched the first couple of episodes about Patagonia on CNN this week – “Patagonia: Life on the Edge of the World”. What I have seen so far is animal conservation. They are concentrating on species native to the land who are being threatened by the changing environment and humans in general. It is good to know that there are a lot of people out there doing good things to help our planet. I don’t think we hear enough about those things. It is a six part series. You can learn more about it here.

The new version of Jane Austin’s “Persuasion” just came out on Netflix. It did not get a favorable review in the New York Times so I am a bit mixed about it. I will probably watch it since it is one of my favorites. My favorite version is the one from 1997 with Fiona Shaw, Amanda Root, and Ciaran Hinds.

In the news – arrrgghhh. Seems like so many horrible things are happening right now it is hard to take it in. I lived in Russia during both of the Chechen wars and the one thing I remember vividly was the mass killings of civilians and children. What is happening in Ukraine is nothing new.

I made a pretty good casserole last night. The prep was a bit time consuming but it came out yummy.

Chicken Pesto Casserole

Boil 3 medium russet potatoes for about 20 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Two chicken breasts, cubed (I cut them up and cooked them with some shallots and garlic, basil, tarragon, and a little bit of chili powder)
I made a pesto with about a cup of frozen spinach, half cup of sun dried tomatoes, and a small jar of artichoke hearts. (Whizzed in the food processor)
Then I made a white sauce with salt, pepper, basil, tarragon, a little garlic powder. (2 tbsp. butter, 2 tbsp flour, 2 cups milk.)

I added the pesto into the white sauce to combine.
I peeled and thinly sliced the potatoes.

I greased a pyrex baking dish with avocado oil and placed a layer of potatoes in the bottom. Then covered the potatoes with half the pesto mixture, then all the chicken, then another layer of pesto, and topped it off with a mixture of cheeses (about a cup). I used parmesan and a Mexican mix.

Throw it in the oven at 350 degrees F for about 35 minutes. I made everything but the white sauce the day before.

I’m heading to Duluth and a spot right on Lake Superior next week. I’ll let you know how it goes.

Food Friday: Blitz Torte

 

FoodLogo

IMG_1222

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I ran out of time this week and didn’t manage my usual wonders in the kitchen.  But I did run across an interesting cookbook:

 The Victory Binding of the American Woman’s Cook Book

Wartime Edition

Edited  by Ruth Berolzheimer, 1944

There is a handwritten note in the inside that says:

War – 1942

Will He come back to marry me?

Marlene Anne

1944

I love this photo:  The Machine Beats Time As Well As Batter While You Supply The Brain That Makes The Cake.

IMG_1219 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Blitz Torte

½ cup shortening

½ cup sugar

1/8 tsp salt

4 egg yolks, beaten light

1 tsp vanilla

3 tbsp milk

1 cup sifted cake flour

1 tsp baking powder

4 egg whites

¾ cup sugar

½ cup sliced blanched almonds

1 tbsp sugar

½ tsp cinnamon

Cream shortening; beat in sugar and salt, then egg yolks, vanilla, milk and flour (sifted with baking powder).  Spread mixture in 2 round greased cake pans.  Beat egg whites until very light, add ¾ cup sugar gradually and spread on the un-baked mixture in both pans.  Sprinkle with almonds, 1 tbsp sugar and cinnamon and bake in a moderate oven (350 degrees F) about 30 minutes.  Let cool and put together with cream filling.  Makes 1 (9-inch) 2 layer cake.

Cream Filling:

1/3 cup sugar

3 tbsp cornstarch

¼ tsp salt

2 egg yolks

2 tbsps butter

2 cups milk, scalded

1 tsp vanilla

Combine sugar, cornstarch, salt and egg yolks; beat thoroughly.  Add butter and enough milk to make a smooth paste.  Add paste to remaining hot milk and cook over boiling water, stirring constantly until mixture is thickened.  Cool and add vanilla.  If desired add ½ cup chopped nut meats.

 

Poppy Day

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I went to a British grade school in Mexico City.  We wore a uniform.  It was a grey skirt, shorts or trousers for the boys, white sox, black shoes, a white shirt, a green tie (both girls and boys) and a green blazer with the crest of the school sewn on the upper left hand pocket. My brother used to get into trouble because his badge kept getting ripped and he would take it off.  That crest had to be on there.  I learned to tie my own tie at 7 years old.  Some kids wore clip-ons but most of us tied our own.

In November my first year, kids started showing up with red paper poppies pinned to the lapel of their blazers.  I had never heard of Poppy Day but I loved the color added to the otherwise mundane clothing.  I bought one and wore it even though I didn’t understand why. I looked forward to it every year. That splash of red.

When I was working at the British Embassy in Moscow, I saw people wearing poppies on their lapels and it took me right back to school in Mexico. I had forgotten all about those red paper poppies.

Recently I have been watching the BBC to give me a more worldly perspective on the news. And lately they are wearing poppies. I have poppies on the brain.

It was the 11th month, 11th day, 11th hour when hostilities ended.   It was the end of the First World War, the war to end all wars. Poppies bloomed all across the fields where the battles were fought and lives were lost. A sea of red.

 

 

 

 

 

 

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

                        Lieutenant Coronel John McCrae, 1919

Also known as Remembrance Day, Armistice Day, Veteran’s Day, it is honored around the world in different ways.

In the USA poppies are assembled by disabled and needy veterans in Veteran Hospitals.   The poppies are given in exchange for contributions.  The contributions provide financial assistance in maintaining these veterans’ rehabilitation and service facilities as well as the Verterans’ of Foreign War National Home for orphans and widows of the nation’s veterans.  They aren’t as common here as they are in Britain but you can find them.  Wear your poppy proudly!