Cupcakes that will knock your socks off

Cabernet Chocolate Cupcakes

For the Cakes:
1 package Devil's Food cake mix (plus eggs, oil and water listed on back of box)
1 box chocolate pudding mix
Prepare cake as directed for cupcakes. Add pudding mix into dry ingredients and mix well. (This add a nice moistness to the cakes and keep them fresher.)
Buttercream
2 sticks of unsalted butter
9 c. confectioner's sugar
1/2 cup of milk
2 t. vanilla
1 c. chocolate shavings
To make frosting, beat softened butter on medium and 7 c. confectioner's sugar, a cup at a time, alternating sugar with milk. When all sugar is added, beat in vanilla. Set aside in cool place, covered with plastic wrap.
In separate saucepan, stir 1 bottle of Cabernet wine over medium heat. Bring to boil and reduce until you have 1/8 c. (about 1/2 hour; do not leave the stove, as some wines have higher alcohol content and can reduce rapidly). Wine should be slightly syrupy, but still thin.
Cool slightly and add to frosting, alternating with 2 additional cups of confectioner's sugar. Frosting should be creamy and somewhat stiff. Put into pastry bag or freezer bag with a corner cut off. Pipe in swirl onto top of cupcake.
Sprinkle each cake with chocolate shavings. You will need about 1 cup of shavings (use your carrot peeler on the edge of a dark chocolate bar). My favorite is Ghiradelli.
Keep covered and they will last for about a week.
— Kristin Fuhrmann-Simmons

Stone Turtle Baking

Michael Jubinsky of the Stone Turtle, Standing in front of the beautiful, Le Paynol oven.

The Stone Turtle

Turning the corner around 3 foot high snow banks, I made my way past ice covered trees to a pizza cooking class at a school nestled in the woods of Lyman. The newly built barn that houses Stone Turtle Baking and Cooking School is the home of a large wood fired oven called Le Panyol, and a beautiful state-of-the-art kitchen. The classes center around bread baking, in all of its manifestations and accompaniments. This is the brain child of couple Michael and Sandy Jubinsky. The Jubinskys have a long and rich history with food and teaching. Michael was a spokesman for King Arthur Flour for over 25 years, teaching classes and filming instructional videos, with Sandy at the helm, also a chef and food writer.

Baking pizza in their kitchen was an honor to both the senses and the intellect. I stood in front of the Panyol, taking in its gentle warmth and eye-pleasing construction. Michael points out that in contrast to the stainless steel appliances across the room, the wood fired oven stood the test of time, the design for which is over 3000 years old.

The class was well organized and brought out the best in its students. You have the chance to taste, feel, and engage in the process of making food. It is no wonder that the classes fill quickly. The Jubinsky’s humor and pace made the process come alive. I scooped, measured, kneaded, and rolled, finally topping my pizzas and strombolis with fresh local ingredients. I laughed along with my fellow students at how easy this once daunting task became.

Stone Turtle offers a variety of classes and caters to students interested in self-sufficieny, artisanal process, and good food.

The abundance of leftover pumpkins during the late Autumn season leads us to get creative with recipes. The next two weeks will showcase home cooks in Southern Maine that are using the perennial favorite.

Our journey to showcase the best of home cooking has lead us to the home of Mark Simmons in Kennebunkport. Mark is a stay-at-home Dad and Massage Therapy student. His increased awareness of nutrition, brought about by his current schooling, and the connection of fresh food to good health, has led Mark to experiment more with seasonal ingredients.

Mark has developed a “Fall Pumpkin Soup” that he has tried out on his family. He states that he knew it was a hit when his 2 and 5 year-old daughters asked for seconds. They marveled in turning their home-grown pumpkins into something other than Jack-o-Lanterns.

He asked me to sample the soup and explained that it packs a nutritional punch. 1 cup provides 16% of your daily fiber and 14% of your daily needs for protein. The color is a beautiful sunset yellow. It is creamy, thick and hearty – perfect as a meal for lunch or supper. There is a depth of flavor that comes from the sautéed onions, home-brewed beer, and from the pumpkin itself. I found myself scraping the bottom of my cup for more. He accents the soup with a condiment of chopped cilantro and a sprinkling of chili powder. Mark concedes that the spices are not local, but that they “lend a flavor to the soup that make it special and gourmet.”

He recommends the soup with a green salad topped by a good vinaigrette. I couldn’t agree more.

Mark Simmons, FALL PUMPKIN SOUP:

2 Medium sized pumpkins, seeded, and cut into 2 inch chunks. Two cans of Pumpkin puree, unsweetened, can be used.
1 Medium sweet onion, diced – about 1 ½ cups
¾ stick salted butter
1c. Home-brewed beer – a store bought Brown or Pale ale will be fine too.
1 Can evaporated milk – standard size
4 c. Chicken or Veg Stock (You can make it for Meat or Veggie lovers)
Salt and Pepper to taste

1 c. Minced Cilantro
Chili powder

In a steamer basket on the stove or microwave, steam pumpkin cubes until soft, about 35-40 minutes. Scrape flesh and mash lightly when done. Set aside in bowl.
Meanwhile while pumpkin is steaming, sautee onion until slightly brown but not caramelized in stockpot on stove with butter. Add a few shakes of Salt and pepper. Add beer and reduce to about 5 minutes over medium heat. Add pumpkin, stir to combine and cook 5 minutes more over low heat. Add Evaporated milk, and chicken stock, as well as 1 more shake of salt and pepper. Keep heat on low and cook to combine flavors 15-20minutes more. Make sure it does not get to thick – if thickens too much, turn of heat. Soup will be slightly chunky. Use stick blender to puree if smoother consistency is desired. Serve with sprinkle of cilantro and chili powder. Serves 8 adults as 1st course. Freezes well for 3 months.

Turkey - Cranberry - Stuffing

Turkey Combo

Take and informal survey on the street and you will see quickly that Thanksgiving is the people’s choice for favorite holiday. And why? The food, of course! The Thanksgiving table is replete with both comfort and culinary delights. Memory combines with flavor and each dish brings with it stories of gatherings past. Whether it is the way your family bakes sweet potatoes with miniature marshmallows, or the classic Green Bean Casserole, each dish packs an historic punch.

I would venture to say that in many families, certain dishes have become synonymous with the holiday itself. In my own family, we once forgot to make mashed potatoes. We were left feeling mournful and incomplete over the loss of our much-loved whipped and buttery mash.

For most however, it is the combination of Turkey, Cranberry, and Stuffing that sets the tone for the day. A sweet and savory fork, (held tines facing down to get the maximum surface area) packs high with juicy meat, moist dressing and a tangy sweet sauce. This is close to bliss. At my family’s table, it brings a collective, “Yum”, “Hmmmmm,” or, “Oh this is so good.”

This flavor combination that evokes such passion has shown up in eateries like Ashby’s Deli in Kennebunk, and the Wayfarer in Cape Porpoise, as a year round special. Purists can visit the Wayfarer on Wednesday evenings to fill their plates with home-cooked turkey and all the fixings. If it’s a seasonal twist you prefer, Ashby’s offers Turkey Cranberry and a Tarragon Mayo. Whichever you decide, both can satisfy in the off-season.

Historic Road Rally of the Kennebunks

October 19, 2008

It was in ideal and crisp day in New England. The Leaves were just slighly past -peak, but still full of color. Roughly 30 teams competed in the Historic Rally of the Kennebunks. Cars ranging from Vintage MGs to Modern Minis and BMWs travelled a 2 hour course, answering trivia and competing for the best time and highest points.

My part came at the end of the Rally, where I catered the Final Event. Guests arrived cold, winded and hungry. The table was set with a Red Cloth and 4 platters showcased different rally cars. Each platter was meant to evoke what one might have eaten on a picnic lunch if you were to have travelled in the car - it was a trip around the world.

The First was a 1957 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider inspired platter. I served Antipasti, Homemade Roasted Asparagus, Filled Tortellinis, a Salad of Artichoke Hearts, Bocconcini Mozarella and Olives, and Roasted Garlic Bread.

The Second was a 1948 BMW AFN Rennsportwagen, stocked with wine poached sausages, roasted potatoes with a creamy tarragon dipping sauce & mustard, assorted hard cheeses, pretzels, hard rolls and pickled veggies.

The Third was inspried by a 1971 Chevrolet Malibu. It was piled high with Meat and Veggie Empanadas. The dough was light, buttery and crisp. The filling was savory and sweet for the carne version. I packed the pies with ground sirloin, cumin, cayenne, garlic and raisins. The Veggie were filled with black beans, cheese and Carribean spices.

The Fourth and Final platter was the 1952 MG Kitcar. This platter was filled with chocolate scones and current scones as well as Cucumber and Salmon tea sandwiches. Fresh fruit finished the plate with cantalope, garnished with finely minced peaches and basil.

I copied photos of each car and printed and framed them with the menus. It was a great hit and a fun addition to the day. It was fun to put myself "in the drivers seat" and imagine what I would have eaten during a tour in each of the cars.

The Rally drivers came back hungry from the wind and cold. They ate everything - it is always a good sign for a cook to see your food being enjoyed.

Share your ideas about cooking, catering, and the best things your have read about food. I want to know what ideas you have about food and how you love to share it.

Post you stories about any of the following - or feel free to submit your own ideas:
1. )Locavore Living - How do you shop and prepare locally grown foods?
2.) What good food books have your read? How about movies? TV Shows?
3.) What do you love to cook? Who do you like to cook for?
4.) Recipes - What good ingredients do you use?
5.) Where have you eaten recently? Post a review.

Share your recipes, photos and successes.