Category Archives: Blog

Variation On A Theme 2

Crème Brûlée is very popular. It is on the dessert menu of a large percentage of the better restaurants. I have been making it for years and actually have 2 blow torches and an extra canister of fuel, just in case. To be honest, the Brûlée part (charred sugar) is not my favorite. I talked about this with my friend Lucien last spring while we were in France together and he agreed. He told me that he makes custard for his wife’s mother and instead of Brûlée he tops the custard with fresh fruit. This variation on a theme is simply brilliant.

Fast forward to the summer peach season and what I call:

Crème Custard with Fresh Peaches and Berries

This has become the go-to dessert of the summer. It is the kind of dish that you can be pretty sure that if your guests don’t like the dinner, they are going to love the dessert. There is one variation to Lucien’s theme that I love and that comes from tossing the fresh fruit in maple syrup. Somehow the smokiness of the syrup adds a caramel note to the custard. I even thought of calling the dish Crème Caramel with Fresh Fruit but I didn’t in homage to my grandfather.

My grandfather loved Custard Pie. My mother would always make it when he visited. My father complained that mom wouldn’t make it for him, but she always made it for her father. Unfortunately for Gramps, it is pretty rare to find Custard Pie. Gramps would take us to Stanley’s, his favorite diner, where he would order Coconut Custard Pie and scrape off the coconut. How could he have known back then that his chubby grandson would go on to be the President of a coconut company, Franklin Baker Company of the Philippines? I can still remember Gramps saying: “This meal was so good, I just wish I was still hungry so I could eat more.”

Gramps with a smile that says his custard pie was so good that..

My grandfather was the family icon of his generation. (Check out the blog). He had 10 grandchildren. A few years ago I was playing golf with my cousin Buddy and the question came up of: Who would be the family icon of our generation? Almost in harmony we both answered, “It’s not me, it’s not me.” My vote is for my cousin Virginia who is the queen of her idilic valley on Maui. I am not sure if her connection with Maui Wowie helps or hurts her chances. Maybe that is just another  variation on a theme.

My cousin Virginia in Maui with our grandkids

If you enjoyed this blog and similar other stories/wine group/supper club lessons follow me on Facebook and Twitter and subscribe to get future blogs at www.impromptufridaynights.com/blog and check out my book Impromptu Friday Nights a Guide to Supper Clubs. Published by Morgan James Publishing and available through most channels where books are sold.

Variations on a Theme

Crème Brûlée is very popular. It is on the dessert menu of a large percentage of the better restaurants. I have been making it for years and actually have 2 blow torches and an extra canister of fuel, just in case. To be honest, the Brûlée part (charred sugar) is not my favorite. I talked about this with my friend Lucien last spring while we were in France together and he agreed. He told me that he makes custard for his wife’s mother and instead of Brûlée he tops the custard with fresh fruit. This variation on a theme is simply brilliant.

Fast forward to the summer peach season and what I call:

Crème Custard with Fresh Peaches and Berries

This has become the go-to dessert of the summer. It is the kind of dish that you can be pretty sure that if your guests don’t like the dinner, they are going to love the dessert. There is one variation to Lucien’s theme that I love and that comes from tossing the fresh fruit in maple syrup. Somehow the smokiness of the syrup adds a caramel note to the custard. I even thought of calling the dish Crème Caramel with Fresh Fruit but I didn’t in homage to my grandfather.

My grandfather loved Custard Pie. My mother would always make it when he visited. My father complained that mom wouldn’t make it for him, but she always made it for her father. Unfortunately for Gramps, it is pretty rare to find Custard Pie. Gramps would take us to Stanley’s, his favorite diner, where he would order Coconut Custard Pie and scrape off the coconut. How could he have known back then that his chubby grandson would go on to be the President of a coconut company, Franklin Baker Company of the Philippines? I can still remember Gramps saying: “This meal was so good, I just wish I was still hungry so I could eat more.”

Gramps with a smile that says his custard pie was so good that..

My grandfather was the family icon of his generation. (Check out the blog). He had 10 grandchildren. A few years ago I was playing golf with my cousin Buddy and the question came up of: Who would be the family icon of our generation? Almost in harmony we both answered, “It’s not me, it’s not me.” My vote is for my cousin Virginia who is the queen of her idilic valley on Maui. I am not sure if her connection with Maui Wowie helps or hurts her chances. Maybe that is just another  variation on a theme.

My cousin Virginia in Maui with our grandkids

If you enjoyed this blog and similar other stories/wine group/supper club lessons follow me on Facebook and Twitter and subscribe to get future blogs at www.impromptufridaynights.com/blog and check out my book Impromptu Friday Nights a Guide to Supper Clubs. Published by Morgan James Publishing and available through most channels where books are sold.

 

New York Bagels

What is it about New York and bagels? When our daughter Jennifer was about 10 years old, we lived in Memphis, but she would spend summers with her grandmother in Westhampton, NY. After a summer of enjoying New York bagels, upon her return to Tennessee she asked: “Why are the bagels better at Mom-Mom’s?” The simple answer is: they just are.

Of course there are several reasons:

  • The tradition of making bagels
  • The skill of the baker
    • Today most of the bakers in New York are Hispanic. To quote the play Hamilton: “Immigrants get the job done”
  • The flour
  • The water
  • The air
  • The Schmutz

Making bagels isn’t particularly difficult. I tried during COVID. While I managed to make a decent bagel, it simply wasn’t worth the effort—especially in New York where excellent bagel shops abound. Everyone has their favorites. Mine is Goldberg’s in Westhampton. There’s a chain of Goldberg bagel shops, but the Westhampton location isn’t part of it. Our daughter’s kids spend summers between grandparents: us in Westhampton and their other grandparents 40 miles away in Montauk (lucky them). The grandkids insist that the Montauk Goldberg bagels are better. These kids eat a lot of bagels…

Westhampton Beach Bagel Experts Enjoying Beach with Cousins

Montauk Bagel Experts Enjoying the Beach with Cousins

While making bagels might not be worth the effort, making cream cheese spreads certainly is. I make several varieties of spreads that share common qualities: they’re all delicious, easy to make, and save a fortune compared to bagel shop prices. My favorite Goldberg’s in Westhampton is excellent, but they are proud of their products.

You can start with any brand of cream cheese. For someone who made a living selling Kraft’s Philadelphia Brand Cream Cheese, this might sound sacrilegious, but after adding several ingredients, no one can tell the difference between Philadelphia brand and store brands (oh well).

My go-to spreads include:

(Click on the spread for a link to the recipe)

Top – Salmon, Bottom left – Scallion, Bottom right Salmon, Horseradish, Dill, Herbs

With a microwave and a food processor, anyone can make a great spread in 15 to 20 minutes. The beauty of a great spread is that you don’t need to be in New York to have a memorable bagel experience. Adding any one of these spreads to a mediocre or day-old bagel that has been toasted, and you will have a tasty bagel.

If you enjoyed this blog and similar other stories/wine group/supper club lessons follow me on Facebook and Twitter and subscribe to get future blogs at www.impromptufridaynights.com/blog and check out my book Impromptu Friday Nights a Guide to Supper Clubs. Published by Morgan James Publishing and available through most channels where books are sold.