Lavender Shortbread Buttons

I find there is something awkward about having a repair man in one's house. A welcomed stranger, the outsider is allowed access to any portion of one's house while one sits back sheepishly striving to achieve balance between attentive presence and considerate absence. At first there is the natural feeling that one should supervise the work being completed to ensure quality and to offer oneself as a resource; an encyclopedia of the history and functionality of the home.  However, this compulsion is quickly extinguished by the horror of allowing oneself to be seen as the over-bearing, slave driver type who poises with wringing hands in anticipation of the first false step.  Vacillating between one's desire to be responsive and alert to the needs of the contractor while still allowing them the space to work independently can be nerve-racking; the dichotomy, maddening. I recently had the opportunity to entertain the inner-turmoil when the faucet in our guest bathroom required immediate replacement. I called Tim, our trusted plumber who we've used many times.  Still, even with our history of good service and excellent relationship, I found myself grappling with my role in the matter. So what does one do when faced with a situation for which they have no answer?   Bake cookies, of course!

Falling into the rhythm of a well-known recipe, it was easy to forget the man toiling on the other side of the wall.  Grabbing a large bowl, I decided to bake shortbread cookies. I based my decision mostly on the fact that I've made them so often that I don't need to reference a recipe, but also because they are probably my favorite "anytime" treat. With so many ways to vary those simple buttery rounds, I find them endlessly appealing. Each batch is like a blank canvass waiting for me to dip a brush into my imagination and flourish with a spectrum of colorful flavors.  This time, I committed myself to infusing the batch with Lavender flowers I had stashed in the cupboard. As I began to mince the tiny buds, the kitchen was filled with the sweet ambrosial aroma. The floral scent wafted through the house creating a cloud of serenity I never wanted to leave. Butter, flour, sugar; in no time at all the dough was forming under my hands. I kneaded in a steady cadence until a perfectly pliable ball lay before me. Before long, small doughy buttons were lined up on a parchment sheet; ready to go into the oven.

"Sir, I need to run to the hardware store for a part. I'll be back in twenty minutes,"

Oh, the plumber was still here. "Yeah, sure, great."

Excellent! I had completely lost myself in my cookie baking and forgot all about my silly inner struggles.  Just a few minutes later, I had four golden rolls of the most sumptuous cookies I had ever tasted. Dusted in a flurry of powdered sugar, my tray looked like a winter wonderland worthy of a Rankin & Bass special. From my first lusty morsel, I was taken aback by the incredible aromatics. Redolent of the lavender buds, I breathed in the full-bodied flavor like a magic perfume.  Rich and buttery, it melted on my tongue sending tingling waves of self-indulgence down my spine. Crumbling ever so slightly as I pulled back, I was interrupted by Tim; the plumber. My silent revelry had been intruded upon by stern reality. It was no matter, in a few short minutes Tim had been paid, thanked and sent on his way leaving me free to spend my afternoon relishing over the fruits of my labor. 

    

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Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted

1/2 cup sugar

1 tbsp vanilla extract

1 tsp lavender buds, minced to a powder

Powdered Sugar, sifted

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Direction:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Combine flour, sugar, and lavender into a large bowl and mix until incorporated.  Add butter and vanilla and knead until the mixture becomes a soft dough. Use your hands to make sure the dough is mixed thoroughly. The dough should be easily rolled into a ball leaving no trace ingredients in the bottom of the bowl. Roll dough into one-inch balls and place on a lined baking sheet. Bake for 8-12 minutes or until golden. Dust with powdered sugar and allow to cool completely. Makes approximately 36 cookies.

Sum Yum Slaw

When I can be found mingling, I am almost always chatting about the beauty and art of  food.  It seems no matter where I go or to whom I’m speaking, the conversation inevitably ends up at my favorite topic. I believe food is the global language. We all need to eat and the majority of us have a very definite opinion about what we decide to put in our mouths. The great chef James Beard once said, “ Food is our common ground, a universal experience.”  It is the collective thread that defies political, religious, and geographical barriers and binds us together as one food-loving, global community.  Getting off the proverbial, “It’s A Small World”, it was during one of these mingling sessions that I came upon the recipe for this sweet and sour slaw.

My friend and colleague, Solveig Saether, shares my passion for good food and has spent many years experimenting and trying new flavor combinations which has produced a sizable repertoire of simple and tasty entrees.  Not a week goes by that Solveig and I aren’t comparing notes or dreaming up a new culinary adventure. This week in particular, Solveig managed to produce a slaw recipe that was not only easy, but packed full of flavor and variety.

The base begins with purple cabbage. Can I just stop right there? I am usually not a fan of the deep-hued herbaceous vegetable. However, dressed in a rich fusion of sesame seed oil and seasoned rice vinegar, the cabbage loses its caustic bitterness and is dulcified into a toothsome medley. As the recipe unfolds, each ingredients adds new color and a heightened level of flavor. Juicy red bell peppers and zesty green onions play against the purple cabbage canvas while a sweet apple and nutty almond slivers deliver lip-smacking enjoyment. I was not a bit surprised when this Asian-inspired mix met rave reviews at my dinner table.  

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Recipe:

½ head of purple cabbage, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
3 green inions, thinly sliced
½ fuji apple, finely chopped
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
¾ cup slivered toasted almonds, chopped
2 ½ tbsp. toasted sesame seed oil
5 tbsp. seasoned rice vinegar
red pepper flakes, to taste

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Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Adjust toasted sesameseed oil, rice vinegar, and red pepper flakes to taste. Serve cold.

A Taste of Baja

WARNING:  This article contains NO recipes. Not one!!  Recently, The Delicious Duo tripped over the southern U.S. border and spent the weekend on the beaches of Rosarito and Ensenada, Mexico. Rick Bayless will probably disagree with me, but I don't think there's any way to truly recreate the magical experience one encounters when savoring  genuine Mexican cuisine.  Perhaps it's just the well trodden paths of the tourist district, but it seems the streets of Mexico are fraught with a myriad of tiny establishments advertising handmade temptations perfected by the owning family over generations. In the ten minutes it took us to pass through Rosarito's main drag, I counted more than a dozen small stands and cafes whose wafting aromas worked like blinking billboards inviting me to try each one's particular speciality. Of course, my family has traveled this road many times, so instead of giving into these temptations, we headed directly to our favorite stand; Tacos de Manuel. 

Tacos de Manuel stands just a few miles off the Baja coast on Benito Juarez Road. Though it probably appears inconsequential to the rest of the world, to my family Manuel's stands as a monument to the greatness of true Mexican street cooking. Within the same hour as Sara and I cross the Mexican border, we can almost always be found at the service counter putting in our first round of taco orders.  Our favorite dish at Tacos Manuel are the tacos al pastor.  Meaning "Shepherd's style", al pastor consists of beef or lamb marinated in a pineapple-infused chile sauce and fire-roasted on a spit; gyro-style. A helpful server stands ready to shred a steamy piece to be smothered in the house salsas, fresh cilantro, and onion. 

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This trip, Sara and I ventured another hour south to the lazy outskirts of Ensenada.  Nestled in the winding coastline is a natural rock formation the locals call La Bufadora.  Chiseled away by the waves, the boulders form a narrow cove that shoots water, like a geyser, more than twenty feet in the air creating a splashy spectacular. The path leading down to La Bufadora is lined with merchants offering a spectrum of temptations. Our eyes were caught by a man selling fresh clams in their shells. Roasted over an open flame and dressed in pico de gallo, cheese, and a drizzle of lime juice; they were a revelation. The lime-kissed clam melted like butter against juicy tomatoes creating a experience that was nothing short of heavenly.    

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Back through the hustle and bustle of the heart of Ensenada, Sara and I stopped at a fish market in the harbor.  Local fisherman displayed the catch of the day in neatly braided stacks beckoning to passersby to take advantage of the day's lowest prices. After careful examination of each counter, we left with a pound of smoked salmon and fresh ahi tuna in tow. 

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Of course, nothing on the streets can beat the cuisine that comes from your own kitchen. We had been staying in a beach house with Sara's aunt; an accomplished cook in her own right. After spending the night sleeping to the sound of the waves, she treated us to chilaquiles fit for a king. Tortilla wedges were fried to a golden crisp, topped with eggs and a red chile sauce. The earthy chile mingled with a sprinkling of cotija cheese culminating in this staple of Mexican soul food to create one intensely satisfying bite. After breakfast, the bags were packed and soon we were over the border knowing it wouldn't be long before the call of Rosarito would draw us back; hungry for more. 

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