Read Online A Table by the Window: A Novel of Family Secrets and Heirloom Recipes (Two Blue Doors) by Hillary Manton Lodge - Free Book Online
Authors: Hillary Manton Lodge
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résumé.
I closed my laptop and stood, feeling empowered by the fact that I’d done something constructive for my love life. A moment passed and I hadn’t stepped away. I lifted the laptop screen and checked my e-mail.
Nothing.
Too soon for a response.
Wasn’t it?
I checked again.
When I didn’t see a response—again—I closed the screen and walked away. There would be time to embarrass myself tomorrow.
S TRACCIATELLA C REPES
2 eggs
¾ cup whole milk
½ cup water
1 cup flour
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
Pinch of salt
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, grated and very cold
3 tablespoons clarified butter, for cooking
Mix the eggs, milk, water, flour, unsalted butter, and salt in blender; place batter (still in blender vessel) in refrigerator to chill. Batter should be slightly thicker in consistency than heavy cream.
Once cold, gently whisk in the chocolate shavings. Blend again; transfer batter into a mixing bowl (if you like), and allow to rest for 1 hour, or up to 24.
Heat crepe pan or small frying pan with a small amount of clarified butter over medium heat. Pour in ⅓ cup batter or enough to leave a thin, even coat to the crepe pan.
When edges are crisp and the crepe seems willing to move, flip and cook on opposite side.
Transfer to plate. Can be stored in refrigerator or frozen longer term. Serve with chocolate ice cream, mascarpone, or whatever sounds delicious—be creative!
Note: Clarified butter is simply butter that’s been heated and had the milk solids removed. Because the milk solids will brown and burn, clarified butter works better for sautéing things at higher heats. Sometimes it’s sold as
ghee
, but sometimes ghee has other spices added to it, so read the label carefully unless you want kicky crepes (which could be interesting under the right circumstances).
To make your own, simply heat butter in a shallow pan until it melts and separates, and spoon off the milk solids that froth up at the top. Save the milk solids for soups, or spoon over oatmeal. If you want to be precise, strain the butter through a fine sieve and a cheesecloth. (If you don’t, I won’t tell.) Just be sure to use unsalted butter.
Foods, and the meals we make of them are our clocks, our faithful calendars.
—S ALLY S MITH B OOTH
I poked my head into Marti’s cubicle first thing the next morning. “I’ve got something that I think you might be interested in.” I placed Grand-mère’s cookbook and recipes on her desk, flipping the book open to the page with the recipe for
gâteau au chocolat
, which I thought would hold the most appeal. “It was my grandmother’s. I thought we might do a story on heirloom recipes, dishes handed down through the generations. She was the proprietress of La Petite Chouquette,” I reminded Marti. “Her recipes are gold.”
To my surprise, Marti didn’t seem particularly enthralled. “Cool,” she said, closing the book and handing it back to me. “I think it’s a good idea, but your approachable entertaining theme is, I think, the best field for you right now.”
Normally, I would have let it go, agreed with everything Marti had to say.
Not this time. “I appreciate those thoughts,” I said, aiming for my most respectful tone, “but I do think these recipes have a lot of merit. Vintage is big right now, and my grandmother helped train some of the best pastry chefs in Portland.” When Marti didn’t interrupt, I rushed ahead. “We could spin it as a tribute to a great lady, profile her, and include a few of her most personal recipes.”
Marti studied my face, her face inscrutable. “I’ll think on it,” she said at last. “A tribute piece could have a strong human-interest element. Focus on the crepe party piece,” she said, leaning back in her chair. “I’ll get back to you.”
“Sure,” I said, hanging on to all the bravado I could sustain. “I’ll have the crepe party piece ready for you by end of day
I closed my laptop and stood, feeling empowered by the fact that I’d done something constructive for my love life. A moment passed and I hadn’t stepped away. I lifted the laptop screen and checked my e-mail.
Nothing.
Too soon for a response.
Wasn’t it?
I checked again.
When I didn’t see a response—again—I closed the screen and walked away. There would be time to embarrass myself tomorrow.
S TRACCIATELLA C REPES
2 eggs
¾ cup whole milk
½ cup water
1 cup flour
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
Pinch of salt
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, grated and very cold
3 tablespoons clarified butter, for cooking
Mix the eggs, milk, water, flour, unsalted butter, and salt in blender; place batter (still in blender vessel) in refrigerator to chill. Batter should be slightly thicker in consistency than heavy cream.
Once cold, gently whisk in the chocolate shavings. Blend again; transfer batter into a mixing bowl (if you like), and allow to rest for 1 hour, or up to 24.
Heat crepe pan or small frying pan with a small amount of clarified butter over medium heat. Pour in ⅓ cup batter or enough to leave a thin, even coat to the crepe pan.
When edges are crisp and the crepe seems willing to move, flip and cook on opposite side.
Transfer to plate. Can be stored in refrigerator or frozen longer term. Serve with chocolate ice cream, mascarpone, or whatever sounds delicious—be creative!
Note: Clarified butter is simply butter that’s been heated and had the milk solids removed. Because the milk solids will brown and burn, clarified butter works better for sautéing things at higher heats. Sometimes it’s sold as
ghee
, but sometimes ghee has other spices added to it, so read the label carefully unless you want kicky crepes (which could be interesting under the right circumstances).
To make your own, simply heat butter in a shallow pan until it melts and separates, and spoon off the milk solids that froth up at the top. Save the milk solids for soups, or spoon over oatmeal. If you want to be precise, strain the butter through a fine sieve and a cheesecloth. (If you don’t, I won’t tell.) Just be sure to use unsalted butter.
Foods, and the meals we make of them are our clocks, our faithful calendars.
—S ALLY S MITH B OOTH
I poked my head into Marti’s cubicle first thing the next morning. “I’ve got something that I think you might be interested in.” I placed Grand-mère’s cookbook and recipes on her desk, flipping the book open to the page with the recipe for
gâteau au chocolat
, which I thought would hold the most appeal. “It was my grandmother’s. I thought we might do a story on heirloom recipes, dishes handed down through the generations. She was the proprietress of La Petite Chouquette,” I reminded Marti. “Her recipes are gold.”
To my surprise, Marti didn’t seem particularly enthralled. “Cool,” she said, closing the book and handing it back to me. “I think it’s a good idea, but your approachable entertaining theme is, I think, the best field for you right now.”
Normally, I would have let it go, agreed with everything Marti had to say.
Not this time. “I appreciate those thoughts,” I said, aiming for my most respectful tone, “but I do think these recipes have a lot of merit. Vintage is big right now, and my grandmother helped train some of the best pastry chefs in Portland.” When Marti didn’t interrupt, I rushed ahead. “We could spin it as a tribute to a great lady, profile her, and include a few of her most personal recipes.”
Marti studied my face, her face inscrutable. “I’ll think on it,” she said at last. “A tribute piece could have a strong human-interest element. Focus on the crepe party piece,” she said, leaning back in her chair. “I’ll get back to you.”
“Sure,” I said, hanging on to all the bravado I could sustain. “I’ll have the crepe party piece ready for you by end of day
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