Independence Day demands a barbecue, don’t you think?  A few weeks ago I saw a recipe for barbecued ribs smoked in a spicy sauce featuring the Korean red chili paste “gochujang.”  Gochujang is certainly popular right now—seems like it’s a weekly ingredient in our Blue Apron kits—but we’ve used it a lot over the years because MJ was a Mormon missionary way back when in Korea.  Any chance to use gochujang makes MJ happy and since we also celebrate our anniversary this week I decided to build a simple 4^th of July barbecue around the ribs.

The menu fulfills some basic categories  while incorporating flavors from around the world. Along with the Korean ribs, it includes potato salad with a German twist, Persian melons, All-American corn-on-the-cob and red, white & blue Italian tiramisu.  Or, for those who like chocolate, a globally appealing chocolate cake.

Here are the links to the recipes along with some thoughts about each.

Gochujang Ribs with Scallions and Peanuts  It took the better part of the afternoon to smoke these ribs, but my, were they tasty.  Having to stoke the fire through the afternoon added a “slow food” comfort element to the day—the equivalent of having a stew bubbling on the stove in the winter–even if MJ did come to the table smelling like a lumberjack.  I especially liked the crunch of the peanuts and scallions.

Barefoot Contessa Potato Salad  Though this uses a mayonnaise-based dressing for the potato salad, the addition of two types of mustard and dill gave it the flavors of a traditional German potato salad.  I like this flavor profile but preferred the mayonnaise verses the usual oil-based dressing for a German potato salad as a counterpoint to the spicy ribs.  Made with new potatoes from our Full Belly CSA box, it was dynamite.

Mixed Berry Tiramisu  I’m not a big fan of traditional coffee-flavored tiramisu—especially for a mid-summer meal.  This mixed berry version is both lighter and fits the Independence Day theme.  Note that though there’s nothing difficult about the recipe it does take some time to assemble.  However, it’s definitely better after sitting for awhile so you can make it the day before.

Chocolate Cake with Mocha Frosting  I know, I know. I just said I don’t like coffee flavored desserts in the summer (with the exception of  Jamoca Almond Fudge ice cream, which is delicious all year round) but the bit of espresso powder and Kahlua added to this chocolate cake recipe does enhance the chocolate flavor.  Watch the cake closely at the end, however.  It’s easy to overbake and then it’s a little dry. Which can, of course, be remedied with vanilla (or Jamaica Almond Fudge) ice cream.

Happy 4th, Everyone!

Because two friends I walk with in the early morning have been out of town for the past few weeks—summer travel has begun!—I’ve switched up my morning exercise routine by taking more yoga classes at the swim club down the road. Not entirely awake I stumble over to the sound of bird-song and the rhythmic splash of swimmers doing their laps.   In the winter a fog-shrouded sun rises in the east behind the yoga instructor, but now we turn our mats south to avoid being blinded by the fully exposed orb.  Post-namaste I spend time in the garden dead-heading daisies and supplementing the irrigation with a little hand-watering now that the drought restrictions have been (temporarily) lifted.  The lizards scatter and the hummingbirds come in for a sip. Such a lovely way to start my day. Has your daily routine changed much now that summer is here?

 Here are some other things I’ve enjoyed of late.

 A wonderful Career Code profile of our daughter Claire over at WhoWhatWear.

Dress codes for travel (while you’re there, check out the travel uniforms videos at the bottom of the article).

The corrective lenses of travel. 

Maybe you have more time than you think.

To write software, read novels.

Despite all the naysayers, life has never been better.

Elizabeth Gilbert on letting our light shine.

A pretty bar cookie featuring rhubarb. 

Jumping Jetsons! A revolving planter that levitates! 

A new album from The Monkees – “Good Times.”

“I was so full of music I had to play.”—Grandma Lo-Fi

Grandma Lo-fi: The Basement Tapes of Sigrídur Níelsdóttir from Republik Film Productions on Vimeo.

Happy Weekend All!

My oh my, it’s June already.  As Chaucer would say, Summer is A-Comin In!  This is one of my favorite times to entertain since the weather is good and the longer days make for a more relaxed gathering.  Plus the produce this time of year is excellent so food prep can be fairly simple. This coming weekend I’m hosting a dinner for twelve visiting religion scholars (sounds like a riddle or a parable, doesn’t it?) and plan on eating out on the deck.  Because I want to be engaged with our company and not tied to the kitchen or grill I’m making most of the food ahead and just assembling and plating it right before my guests arrive.   I’ll likely do a combination of simple salads and a chicken dish that can be served room temperature followed by cupcakes that can be eaten here or on the run since all the guests are participating in a lecture series that night and the speakers especially may need to leave early. Basically, I’m throwing a picnic here at home.

The menu is a variation on a menu for a bridal shower I threw recently for a friend’s daughter.  The numbers were nearly the same and the weather, thankfully, was good enough that we could eat outside.  It was such a fun party that I thought I’d share the recipes here in case you too are planning a summer picnic at your place.

First, I wanted the food to be fool-proof so I turned to the Ina Garten’s Barefoot Contessa cookbooks for recipes that were simple and reliable.   I started with a mezze platter from “Make It Ahead” that I served alongside the drinks.   All of the components were made or purchased in advance except for the pita bread triangles which were toasted at the last minute.

Then I followed up with a luncheon buffet featuring her Roasted Shrimp and Orzo Salad and Zucchini & Goat Cheese Tart (recipe below.)

The shrimp orzo salad was better for having sat overnight so the flavors could meld.  I doubled the recipe and had plenty of leftovers so I think one batch could easily suffice for a buffet for twelve.  I also made two zucchini tarts which was the right amount for a dozen guests.  The tarts were beautiful and easy to put together but did take a bit of time.  The recipe says the tart can be assembled four hours ahead and then baked for the party.  That’s true but it did take a good hour or so to assemble the two tarts which added some stress to my party prep given that the party started at 11:00 a.m. Note, too, that when Garten says to overlap the zucchini you really need to overlap because the zucchini rounds will shrink significantly when you bake them (see the goat cheese peeking through on the baked tart above.) Despite a bit of fussiness,  they were a focal point for the spread and delicious warm or at room temperature.

Dessert was a lemon angel food cake from Joyce Goldstein’s  “From Our House to Yours: Comfort Food to Give and Share” accompanied by fresh berries and Garten’s recipe for Make-Ahead Whipped Cream (see below.)

The cake is easy to make and can look fancy without you needing to wield a pastry bag.  It does require lemon oil though which is different than lemon extract.  You can buy lemon oil at specialty food shops or it can also be ordered from Sur La Table.

Following Garten’s recommendations for Making a Schedule in advance (see Barefoot Contessa ”Family Style”),  I laid out the week working backwards from the moment guests arrived at my door in order to spread out the prep and enjoy the actual party.  The work was manageable because I didn’t try to shop, cook and serve the food all in one day.  As Garten says “When I have guests coming in five minutes, I don’t want to be cleaning the kitchen or getting some stray molasses out of my hair.”  Because after all, Summer is not only a-comin in, but when it’s Summertime, the livin’ should be Easy.

Zucchini & Goat Cheese Tart 

(from Ina Garten’s “Make It Ahead” )

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) cold unsalted butter, 1/2-inch-diced

1/2 teaspoon white wine vinegar

5 tablespoons ice water

1 1/2 pounds zucchini, unpeeled and sliced 1/8 inch thick

2 tablespoons good olive oil, divided

8 ounces plain creamy goat cheese, at room temperature

1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves

1/4 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Place the flour, 3/4 teaspoon of salt, and the butter in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and pulse 12 to 14 times, until the butter is the size of peas.  With the processor running, pour the vinegar and ice water through the feed tube and continue to process and pulse until the dough just comes together.  Dump out on a floured board, form into a disk, wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, place the zucchini in a colander set over a plate.  Toss it with 2 teaspoons of salt and set aside for 30 minutes.  Spread the zucchini out on a clean dish towel, roll it up and squeeze gently to remove some of the liquid. Put the zucchini slices into a bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. With a fork, mash together the goat cheese, thyme, lemon zest, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and l/4 teaspoon pepper and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  roll the dough out on a floured board to an 11-inch circle and place on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.  Spread the dough with the goat cheese mixture, leaving a 1/2 inch border.  Lay the zucchini slices in tightly overlapping circles, starting at the very edge of the pastry (the zucchini will shrink when it bakes).  Continue overlapping circles of zucchini until the whole tart is covered.  Drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle with pepper.  bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until the dough is golden brown.  Cut in wedges and serve hot, war, or at room temperature.

Mile High Lemon Angel Food Cake with Lemon Glaze

(from Joyce Goldstein’s “From Our House to Yours: Comfort Food to Give and Share”)

1 cup cake flour (not self-rising) sifted

¾ cup confectioners’ sugar

14 egg whites, at room temperature

1 ½ teaspoons cream of tartar

¼ teaspoon salt

¾ cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon pure lemon oil (Williams Sonoma carries this if you can’t find elsewhere)

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place an oven rack in the center of the oven.  Have ready an ungreased 10-inch tube pan.

2. Sift the flour and the confectioners’ sugar together into a medium bowl.

3. Beat the egg whites with an electric mixer on medium speed in a large bowl until foamy.  Increase the speed to medium-high, add the cream of tartar and salt, and beat just until the egg whites form soft peaks.  Add the granulated sugar, about 1 tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition, and beat just until the whites form stiff, glossy peaks.  Add the vanilla and lemon oil and beat until well combined.

4. Sift one-fourth of the flour mixture over the egg whites and fold in with a whisk or a rubber spatula.  Continue gently folding, one quarter at a time, until all the flour mixture has been added, being careful not to over mix.

5. Transfer the batter to the pan. Run a table knife through the batter to remove any large air pockets, and smooth the top with a rubber spatula.  Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the cake pulls away from the side of the pan.  Turn the pan upside down, and balance it on its elongated neck or pan legs or hang  the tube upside down from the neck of a tall bottle.  Let cool to room temperature.

6. Turn the pan right side up. Run a knife around the outside edge of the cake and between the cake and the tube. Release the cake.

Lemon Glaze

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 ½ teaspoons grated lemon zest

Pinch of salt

Stir ingredients together in a small bowl.  Let stand for 10 minutes before using. Pour it over the cake and let stand for at least 10 minutes or until the glaze is set.

Make-Ahead Whipped Cream 

(from Ina Garten’s “Make It Ahead”)

1 1/2 cups cold heavy cream

1/4 cup confectioner’s sugar

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 tablespoons creme fraiche

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Place the cream, confectioners’ sugar, granulated sugar, creme fraiche and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment .  Beat on high speed, until it forms soft peaks.  Serve cold.

Thanks to party guest and photographer Jean Jarvis  for snapping these shots of the bridal shower.

More garden descriptions and photos soon but in the meantime, as promised, here are recipes and links to my Autumn Dinner Party.  It relies heavily on Ina Garten recipes because they’re reliable, easy to execute and crowdpleasers.  In fact, I received several requests for recipes after the party and one of our guests deemed the baked beans the best she’d ever had.

For an easy appetizer I did some radish toasts—an idea I picked up from an old Jaques Pepin cookbook.  Slice baguettes thinly, slather with good butter, top with thinly sliced radishes and sprinkle with good salt.  Easy peasy.

The main menu featured:

Butternut Squash and Apple Soup from “The Barefoot Contessa Parties!”

Slow-Roasted-Spiced Pork from Ina Garten “Make It Ahead.”

Maple Baked Beans from “The Barefoot Contessa At Home.”

Winter Slaw featuring kale, brussel sprouts and dried cranberries—also from Make it Ahead.

Sour Cream Cornbread—another Make It Ahead recipe (Ina really outdid herself with that cookbook. I’ve used it extensively especially when I have family in town and want to prep things in advance.)

Dessert was a pumpkin cheesecake that I’ve made for years. It comes from “California Fresh” a cookbook compiled published by the Junior League of Oakland-East Bay in 1985.  Good recipes never go out of fashion.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Karen Shapiro, La Viennese Pastires, Oakland

CRUST:

3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs (about 12 single crackers)

1/2 cup ground pecans

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup butter, melted

FILLING:

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup pumpkin puree

3 egg yolks

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground mace

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 pounds natural cream cheese, softened

6 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 egg plus 1 yolk

2 tablespoons whipping cream

1 tablespoon sifted cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract

Whipped cream and whole pecans for garnish

To prepare Crust: Combine all ingredients and mix well, coating crumbs completely with butter.  Pat crumb mixture firmly onto bottom of a 9-inch springform pan.  Place in freezer while preparing filling.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

To prepare Filling: Mix 3/4 cup sugar, pumpkin puree, 3 egg yolks, cinnamon, mace, ginger, and salt in a bowl.  Set aside.  With an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and 6 tablespoons sugar until smooth.  Add the egg plus 1 yolk and the whipping cream.  Mix again until smooth.  Add cornstarch and blend well. Add vanilla and lemon extracts.  Mix again until very smooth.  Add spiced pumpkin puree to the cream cheese mixture.  Mix until no traces of white remain. (The smooth texture of this cheesecake depends on thorough mixing.)

Pour filling over crumb mixture in springform pan.  Bake 45 minutes, or until sides have risen.  The center will still be somewhat soft.  Remove from oven.  Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.  Run a knife around the edge of the pan and release the sides.  Remove cheesecake from pan bottom.

Garnish with whipped cream rosettes and whole pecans.

I’ve always been a breakfast person, but as I grow older I tend to like lighter fare first thing in the day.  Maybe some homemade muesli (see below) or wheat toast with nut butter and fruit on the side.  Egg dishes make an appearance on the weekends or when guests are around.  (I know, I know–I’m worth the extra effort, but I also don’t want to deal with the extra cleanup first thing in the morning.)

Baked breakfast goods are also a rarity. With just the two of us here most of the time I rarely make muffins anymore. But at the end of summer I find myself craving this hearty plum-studded muffin from food blogger Deb Perelman’s Smitten Kitchen cookbook.

These muffins are a little bit healthier than most because of the whole wheat flour and fresh fruit. They’re neither too sweet or greasy and the poppy seeds add a subtle crunch.  (You can read more about how Perelman developed the recipe here).  And, as promised in Perelman’s chatty description before the recipe, they are just as good the second day or heated up later if you freeze them (again, the compromises/advantages of the empty nest.)

With the slight time addition of chopping the fruit, these are no harder to make than most “scratch” muffin recipes.  I tend to have whole wheat pastry flour around so I use that instead of whole wheat flour and I use silicone muffin cup liners for easier cleanup.  I’ve tried this recipe with various types of plums, but the Italian prune plums Perelman recommends are actually the best. So grab a handful of those late season plums as we say goodbye to summer and make this satisfying muffin.

Plum Poppy Seed Muffins 

from “The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook” by Deb Perelman

Yield: 12 standard muffins

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and browned and cooled, plus butter for muffin cups

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup packed dark or light brown sugar

3/4 cup sour cream or a rich,full-fat plain yogurt

1/2 cup whole-wheat flour

1 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon table salt

Pinch of ground cinnamon

Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

2 tablespoons (20 grams) poppy seeds

2 cups pitted and diced plums, from about 3/4 pound Italian prune plums (though any plum variety will do)

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Butter twelve muffin cups.

Whisk the egg with both sugars in the bottom of a large bowl.  Stir in the melted butter, then the sour cream.  In a separate bowl, mix together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and poppy seeds, and then stir them into sour-cream mixture until it is just combined and still a bit lumpy.  Fold in the plums.

Divide batter among prepared muffin cups.  Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the tops are golden and a tester inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.  Rest muffins in the pan on a cooling rack for 2 minutes, then remove them from the tin to cool them completely.

Home Made Cold Cereal 

From “Vegan Before 6” by Mark Bittman

3 1/2 cups rolled oats

1/2 cup mixed chopped nuts and seeds (like almonds, walnuts, pecans, cashews, sunflower seeds, or flax seeds)

1/2 cup raisins or other chopped dried fruit

1/4 cup unsweetened grated coconut

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon or cardamom, or to taste

Pinch salt

4 cups soy or oat milk or other nondairy milk, for serving

Combine the oats, nuts and seeds, raisins, coconut, and spices in a large bowl.  Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 months.

To serve, put about 1 cup in a bowl and top with 1/2 cup milk.  If you have time, let the bowl sit for 5 to 10 minutes to let the oats absorb some of the milk so they’ll soften and sweeten.

I love the early days of December when everything seems possible, don’t you?

The Christmas carols that irritated me in stores two weeks ago seem festive now.   Spending time in the kitchen making artful cookies is creative fun. Dressing up to go out with friends feels like a treat. And I’m confidant that somehow all that shopping and present wrapping will happen eventually – falalalala!

As the season progresses and things inevitably don’t go as planned, I’ll try to remember that the best Decembers are usually the ones where I’ve spent more time observing and less time orchestrating.  Planning is important but I’m merrier when I focus on priorities not perfection.

Lighting up my house is pretty much at the top of my seasonal decorating list. So I’m looking forward to picking out a tree for our new place this weekend—tall and skinny should do the trick—and experimenting with outdoor light hooks specifically designed for flat roofs (rare in this land of peaked-roof Victorians.)

In the next few weeks we’ll be setting up a “glamping” tent to help house all our kids when they come home for Christmas.  I’ll share that temporary guest room with you as it evolves, but in the meantime here are some other things that lit up my early December:

A year later, some thoughts on Frozen – an animated musical that left me cold but took the world by storm.

A year end best book list from Maris Kreizman, the wit behind Slaughterhouse 90210.

What I’m giving my girlfriends this year–lavender shortbread wreaths, a “fancy” cookie that’s easy to make, beautiful and tasty.

Some journaling exercises for reflecting back through the year from photographer and blogger Susannah Conway.

And now, just for fun (and my brother Joel) – a new Christmas classic by the Killers and Jimmy Kimmel : “Joel, the Lump of Coal.”

Happy Weekend All!

On this first Friday in November I’m thinking about gratitude.  Throughout the year I try to count my blessings—sometimes in a daily “gratitude journal”  but more often than not by documenting the (mostly) good and interesting things in my life on Instagram. (Thank you, Insta!)

In case you haven’t tracked this yet, Thanksgiving comes late this year–November 27– which means there are plenty of days left to start or up your gratitude practice.

For me, I’ve decided to do more than just recognize gratitude this month, I’m trying to put my grateful feelings into action by saying Thank You to the people who bring the good and interesting into my life.  I’m doing it through short email messages, hand written notes and by saying Thank You (with gusto!)  at least once every day in November to the people who make my life better. That includes you, dear readers.   Thank you for reading and for letting me know you’re reading. I’m lucky to have you in my life.

Some other (mostly practical) things I’m grateful for this week:

Arguments for retiring Daylight Savings Time.

Looking ahead to Thanksgiving, a simple table setting featuring random candles and wrinkled linens.  (What, you think the pilgrims had no-wrinkle options?)

How to make a killer grilled cheese sandwich.

Everyday objects as art subjects.

Six stretches to do at your desk.

What your zip code says about you–well, really, your neighbors.

Grammar tips worth repeating.

And now for something a little more glam. . .the Divine Miss M. covers TLC’s Waterfalls.

After a week on the East Coast working and visiting our kids I came home with happy memories and a little intestinal bug.  Not big enough to warrant a trip to the doctor–we didn’t bowl in Ebola-exposed lanes while in NYC–but some queasiness lingered for nearly a week.  I looked up my symptoms and learned that I could be suffering from a psychotic illness (always possible) or pregnancy, which at my age would be downright Biblical.  Figuring there was nothing to do but wait it out, I rallied to make my favorite under-the-weather soup.

I can’t remember where I first came across the recipe–the yellowed clipping looks like it might have been in the New York Times Sunday magazine–but it’s called “Parsi Chicken Soup with Rice” and is adapted from The Varied Kitchens of India by Copeland Marks (M. Evans, 1986).  I can tell you that it’s delicious and simple to make and the spices–ginger, garlic, red chile flakes and cumin–add just enough kick to make me feel alive when I’m otherwise dead to the world. As we’re entering flu season, I thought you might want to add this to your medicinal arsenal.

Parsi Chicken Soup with Rice (serves 6)

1 chicken, 3 pounds, cut into serving pieces, loose skin and fat removed*

6 cups water

1 teaspoon Kosher salt, or to taste

3 tablespoons corn or peanut oil

1 cup onion cut into chunks

1/2 inch piece of ginger root, peeled and coarsely chopped

1 teaspoon chopped garlic

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon red chile flakes

1/2 cup fresh tomato puree, or canned

Cooked basmati rice

1. Cook the chicken in the water with salt over moderate heat for 20 minutes.

2. In a food processor, puree the onion, ginger and garlic.  Heat oil in a skillet and over moderate heat fry the onion paste for 3 minutes.  Add the cumin and chile flakes.  Stirfry the mixture for 3 minutes more.  Add the spice mixture to the chicken pot with the tomato puree and simmer over moderatley low heat for 20 minutes more.  Adjust the salt if necessary.

3. Serve hot with plain basmati rice added to each bowl.

 *I’ve also used boneless chicken breasts and prepared chicken broth to speed up the cooking time and further reduce the minimal prep mess. All the better to quickly resume my sickbed Scandal-watching.

In our new modernist home, a few splashes of orange around the house and a skeleton on the front bench suffice for demonic decor.

I’ve been experimenting with deer-resistant plants in the front pots and though several perennials have given up the ghost already the nasturtiums are thriving.  Right now a strand is crawling into Mr. Bones’s mouth and should pop out of his eye socket just in time for our first batch of trick-or-treaters.  Boo-ray!

Here are some other spooky things spied this week:

Halloween Candy Exchange Rate.

5 Historical Haunted Houses to visit.

Eerie interiors.

Eau d’ Halloween.

A spooktacular alphabet.

No surprise, Elsa rules.

Squash Toast with Ricotta and Cider Vinegar.

An oldie but a goodie – teaching kids about the Day of the Dead.

And finally, for those of you who quake and tremble when facing a trip to IKEA – an IKEA Halloween.

Happy Halloween!

Ever the trooper, she did just fine.  We celebrated the grown-up developments in our childrens’ lives and swore at the too-young-to-be-facing-this direction her life has taken.

I chose to keep the food simple and ready to eat the minute they arrived in order to make the most of her limited energy reserves.  Using the eggplant and tomatoes from our weekly CSA box, I made a quiche (remember those?) that could be served at room temperature and some vinaigrette to dress a green salad.  Good bread from a local bakery rounded out the meal.

Talking over the menu with M.J. beforehand I suggested a chocolate cake but he thought that seemed like a “supper” cake not a lunch cake.  I think chocolate cake is pretty much appropriate for any meal—including breakfast—but I continued to look through recipes and settled on a favorite gingerbread from Christmas Gifts from the Kitchen by Northern California-based cookbook author Georgeanne Brennan.

The cake features three types of ginger—powdered, fresh and crystalized–and is made with apple juice, sunflower oil and no eggs so it could be used for a vegan meal as well. It has a wonderful flavor with a modern zing from the fresh and crystalized ginger.  For Saturday I decided to make some homemade applesauce to accompany the cake.  So good together.

Here’s the gingerbread recipe in case you too want to celebrate life in all its complexity with a lunch cake.

Triple-Ginger Gingerbread

Makes 2 Gingerbreads

1 cup apple juice or water, heated

1/2 cup dark molasses

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

2 tablespoons chopped crystallized giner

1 tablespoon peeled and grated fresh ginger

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

2 teaspoons ground ginger

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup sunflower oil

Confectioners’ (icing) sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease two 8 by 2 inch round cake pans.  (I only have 9 inch and they turn out just fine—cook for the same amount of time.) In a bowl, whisk together the apple juice, molasses, vinegar, crystallized ginger, and fresh ginger.  In a large bowl, sift together the flour, brown sugar, ground ginger, baking soda, and salt.  Make a well in the center of the flour mixture.  Pour in the oil and the molasses mixture and combine with a rubber spatula just until blended.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and smooth the tops.  Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes.  Let cool completely in the pans on wire racks.  Turn out the gingerbreads onto the racks and sift confectioners’ sugar over the top.