NEWSLETTER: VOLUME 5  

Easter is so early this year that it snuck up on me! It's one of my favorite holidays, weaving tradition and food into the fun of egg dying and hunting. It's hard to say who enjoys the egg hunt more ~ the children searching for the eggs, or the adults hiding them!

In addition to announcing my upcoming Hands On & Fine-Dining Culinary Class, I will share with you in this issue my favorite Easter recipes that I'm drawn to again and again each year. I will also acquaint you with a variety of traditional Easter breads ~ pick the one that suits you best!

For us, Easter brunch would not be complete without the blessed lamb. And blessed we are, to have local pasture-raised lamb from Round Mountain Farm. It's not too late to coordinate pick up from them. For more information, contact Jim Morgan at (479) 444-6075 or email. Frozen lamb is available at Ozark Natural Foods. Call to check availability: (479) 521-7558.

View a 1-minute video from Round Mountain Farm to hear Jim speak and witness how the sheep are raised and the pasture tended.

For information about my new tours in France, see the bottom portion of the newsletter.
 
  APRIL CULINARY CLASSES

I am pleased to announce the April Hands-on & Fine-Dining Culinary Classes to be held at the home of Patrice & Karen Gros in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. These are classes in which everyone participates; it is for this reason that class size is restricted to 10 people. Come join the fun! Your apron awaits you.........

As we emerge from winter, let's celebrate Spring with a light and healthy menu!

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Friday, April 4th OR Saturday, April 5th, 2008
10:00am - 2:00pm

Salmon & sweet pea terrine served with a lemon butter sauce
Charlotte de saumon verdurette à la sauce beurre citron
~
Sautéed asparagus with brown rice with leeks & braised red cabbage
Sauté d'asperges avec riz complet aux poireaux et choux rouge braisé
~
Salad course
~
Carrot & almond cake
Gâteau de carotte aux amandes

Class fee:  $65
Includes 4-course sit-down luncheon w/glass of wine chosen specifically to complement with the meal,
freshly-baked Little Bread Company bread, hands-on instruction, and copies of all recipes.
Reservation and advance payment are required for the Hands On class.
Reserve by email or call 479-253-7461.
The same class is offered both Friday and Saturday. Please request the preferred date when placing reservation.
 
  EASTER DELIGHTS
There is still time to obtain these beautiful Easter treats from Williams-Sonoma; even better, most remaining Easter items are on sale for up to 60% off. Visit Williams-Sonoma at the Pinnacle Promenade in Rogers, Utica Square in Tulsa, Midtown Little Rock, or click here to visit the on-line catalogue. Catalogue orders must be placed by Monday, March 17th, in order to receive in time for Easter.
 
  EASTER RECIPES
In celebration of Spring, I will be serving Roast Leg of Lamb with Port wine sauce, along with my signature Spinach Tart. I will happily send either of these recipes to you upon request.

My favorite part of the Easter brunch, however, are the breads, as well as a nutty, sweet & creamy spread ~ Russian Pashka ~ heavenly, spread upon a slice of sweet Polish Babka.
Russian Pashka

Pashka is a traditional Russian dessert composed of cottage cheese, cream, hard-boiled egg yolks, and almonds, among other things. In Russia, it is made in a four-sided, truncated pyramidal mold, but it is just as lovely made in a cheesecloth-lined chinois (aka. a large metal cone-shaped sieve), which enables the whey to seep out. Some people use a clay flowerpot. NOTE: The pashka must be made 24-hrs. in advance of serving.

Right: Almond-studded pashka garnished with brightly colored flowers.

Makes 2-1/2 quarts (about 16 servings)

 


Ingredients:

1 lb. unsalted butter
1-1/2 c. sugar
1 vanilla bean
7 hard-boiled egg yolks, sieved or riced
4-2/3 c. large-curd cottage cheese
3 T. finely chopped toasted blanched almonds
(or blanched almond meal)

 

3 T. + 2 t. finely chopped candied citron (optional)
2 t. lemon juice
1 t. vanilla extract
1/4 t. grated lemon zest
1/8 t. salt
2/3 c. heavy cream
2/3 c. sour cream (or homemade crème fraîche)
1/2 c. unblanched whole almonds
  1. Line the mold of your choice with a large piece of cheesecloth.
  2. Cream the butter and sugar until smooth and fluffy. Chop the vanilla bean very finely and add to the butter mixture.
  3. Beat the sieved egg yolks and cottage cheese into the butter. Mix very well. Add the toasted almonds (or almond meal), citron, lemon juice, vanilla, lemon zest, and salt.
  4. Whip the cream and fold into the mixture, along with the sour cream. Pour into the lined mold. Fold excess cheesecloth over the top of the pashka, and put a flat plate on top to weight it.
  5. Refrigerate until firm, at least 24 hours.
  6. To serve, unfold cheesecloth, reverse onto a serving platter, and unmold. Remove cheesecloth carefully and decorate with almonds.
Polish Babka


Babka ~ Polish for “grandmother” ~ is named for its shape, which resembles a woman's skirt. This Eastern European Easter version of babka is often blessed at church before being eaten.
If you're wondering what to do with all the left-over egg whites, there is always French Meringue!

Makes 2 large round loaves (24 servings)

 

Ingredients:
2 c. whole milk, warmed to 110° F.
5 packages active dry yeast
1-1/2 c. + 1 T. sugar
7 c. + 2 T. all-purpose flour
1 t. salt
1 T. grated lemon zest
3/4 c. golden raisins
1 t. pure vanilla extract
10 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
3 large whole eggs
1/2 + 1 T. unsalted butter, melted


Equipment:
Standing mixer fitted with dough hook
Two (2) 8-inch round by 4-inch-deep baking dishes (soufflé dishes)
  1. Make the dough: Coat a large bowl with oil, and set aside. Combine the milk, yeast, the 1 tablespoon of sugar, and 1 cup of flour in a small bowl, and set aside. In the bowl of the mixer, combine the remaining 6 cups flour, remaining sugar, salt, lemon zest, and raisins. With the mixer on low speed, add vanilla, egg yolks, 2 eggs, and the yeast mixture. Mix on low speed until a smooth, elastic dough forms ~ about 10 minutes. Add the 1/2 cup of butter and mix for 5 more minutes. Transfer the dough to the prepared bowl, turning to coat all sides with oil. Cover the bowl with a clean, damp kitchen towel, and set dough aside to rise in a warm draft-free place until it doubles in volume ~ about 1 hour.
  2. Shape the loaf: Coat both soufflé dishes with the remaining butter and lightly dust with the 2 tablespoons of flour, shaking out any excess. Set aside. Punch down the dough, transfer it to a lightly floured surface, and divide it in half. Shape each half into a ball and place them in the prepared dishes. Cover with a clean, damp kitchen towel until dough doubles in volume ~ about 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350° F.
  3. Bake the bread: Beat the remaining egg and lightly brush the top of babkas. Bake in the lower third of the oven for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 300° F. and continue to bake until the loaves are golden and sound hollow when tapped ~ about 30 more minutes. Transfer the finished loaves to a wire rack to cool.
More exciting Easter breads...

An interesting array of European Easter breads.
From left: Italian Crescia, Dutch Paasbrood, Portuguese Pão-Doce, and Greek Tsoureki.

In Italy, Crescia is flavored with a sharp Parmesean cheese, and is versatile enough to complement almost any meal. Serve it toasted with scrambled eggs and ham for breakfast, with soup and salad at lunch, or dip it into the sauce of a hearty meat dish at dinner. Dutch Paasbrood, a traditional Easter loaf from the Netherlands, is filled with a sweet almond paste and studded with golden raisins and candied lemon peel. Fragrant saffron is traditionally added to Pão-Doce ~ the lightly sweet, golden loaf of Portugal and the Azores. Try toasting slices and serve them with jam or cheese. Greek custom dictates that eggs ~ dyed a scarlet red ~ be baked in the braided crown of the Tsoureki.

I have recipes for each of these lovely breads, available upon request.

 
  TRAVEL with KAREN GROS

Do you wish to be in Paris soon? There is still time to join me this June ~ I have 4 openings. While it is true that the US dollar is unfavorable against the Euro, there is always a silver lining: My husband, Patrice, is quick to point out that not only will we get even better treatment than we normally do, we will have Paris all to ourselves (that's a bit of an overstatement, but I do suspect there will be fewer crowds, especially at museums.) In fact, with respect to the spending money of an individual, or even a couple, the impact of the rising exchange rate is minimal. Last summer 10€ equalled roughly $13.50; today it equals $15.50. In any case, there are interesting creative ways to keep costs low; doing as the locals do is usually the best way!

From left: Outdoor market tour, Parisian Chef Laurent, our designer kitchen, picnic in Champs de Mars, café life.

We're looking forward to perusing the bountiful outdoor markets, visiting with vendors & choosing among the best delicacies in the world ~ to stock our Parisian apartment kitchens and prepare for our cooking party. Chef Laurent has put us on his calendar for our grande finale dinner on Saturday evening, June 8th at our main apartment on rue du Dragon in Saint-Germain-des-Prés. This stylish kitchen is unusually large for Paris ~ perfect for a cooking party & socializing with Laurent during our chef dinner. Saint Germain, famous for its café life, is renown for the influence of intellectuals & thinkers, of poets & philosophers (read more about Saint Germain). This year we will picnic in the sumptuous Jardins de Luxembourg, near the large Marché du Saint Germain.

If you are interested in joining the trip this June, contact me as quickly as possible.

2009 & Beyond:
I am currently accepting reservations for 2009 Intimate “Insider” Trips to France. Visit my travel calendar for tour dates. In addition to continuing to offer one-week in Paris, and 10 days in Provence, I plan to add two new regions:

A 10-day trip to Northwestern France will include the Loire Valley (château region), Brittany, and Normandy. We will stay in the medieval walled town of Guérande, meet a sea salt producer to tour his salt ponds, and then return to the Middle Ages in Bayeux to view the splendid tapestries depicting the 1066 Norman invasion of England, whereby William the Conqueror made a mark on our history. We will spend a night or two in a castle in Normandy, and turn the clock back to 1944 at the D-day beaches. All the while we will be eating authentic crêpes, reveling in Norman butter and cheese, and dining on some of the finest, freshest seafood in the world!

On a 10-day trip to the Côte d'Azur ~ France's blue coast on the Mediterranean Sea, known by locals as the “midi” Our niece, Elise (native of Nice ~ the capital of the Côte d'Azur) will help me to offer you an authentic perspective of this sun-drenched region ~ enjoying such delights as the colorful outdoor market in Old Nice, cooking and eating with locals, discovering ancient hill towns and seaside villages with an eye for Picasso's “Midi,” and the ancient Greek seaport of Antibes. Learn and taste foods unique to Nice, such as socca, and discover how the Italian influence marries with Provence.
The date and price for this trip will be determined by Fall, 2008.


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Wishing you a glorious Spring & a HAPPY EASTER !

Kindest Regards, Karen Gros