Sights and Smells of Alcala

21 May 2012

Alcala de Henares

We are traveling in beautiful Spain with our friends and visiting our daughter. Absorbing the smells, sights and flavors of Spain once again brings back so many memories from our last visit here. The friendliness of the people, the language, architecture - there are so many things unique to this country.

Upon our arrival yesterday evening we had a light dinner of "boccadillo" which is a sandwich on a delicious bread similar to a french roll with meat and cheese. Simple but tasty. We were introduced to a typical dessert called "Costrada" which is from the city of Alcala de Henares where we are staying. It is similar to what we call a "Napoleon" - paper thin pastry filled with vanilla cream, dusted with powdered sugar and sprinkled with almonds. Every pastry shop has their version - delicious and not overly sweet.

Everything seems to taste better when shared with special friends and family - savoring the tastes and trying new foods.

The town of Alcala is one of the oldest in Spain. It is famous for the University founded in 1499. It is registered on Unesco's World Heritage sites - the location that Christopher Columbus met Queen Isabella and the seat of renaissance culture and education. Scholars at the University produced the first polyglot Bible in Hebrew, Greek, Aramaic and Latin.

The birthplace of Miguel Cervantes the creator of Don Quixote this town is about 20 miles from the capitol of Madrid.

Something you can't miss is the stork nests atop the high points of the city - they are everywhere and return to the same nests year after year.

There is so much history here and you feel, as you walk through the narrow streets that you have stepped back in time.

When traveling to Spain, Alcala de Henares shouldn't be missed. We actually stayed here and traveled to Madrid for sightseeing since it is much quieter than the hustle and bustle of Madrid.

The symbol of the treasured storks is everywhere to be seen on gates, in relief on buildings.

Apple Custard Meringue Pie

27 February 2012

Food as memory - A few months ago we invited our neighbors over for dinner. They offered to bring dessert. What a treat we had. Mike made a Apple Custard Meringue Pie. I had never heard of this pie and the combination of flavors was truly unique. I vowed to recreate it. After searching the internet, I found a link to a recipe. It took me some time to get my nerve up to tackle this recipe, but I am so glad I did.

Step 1 - Prepare basic pie crust

Step 2- Press pastry into pie pan.

Step 3 - Sprinkle with fresh breadcrumbs.

Step 4 - Add sliced apples.

Step 5 - Sprinkle with brown sugar and add butter pats.

Step 6 - Prepare custard with farm fresh egg yolks - thank you Mona!

Step 7 - Prepare meringue and bake!!!

Enjoy!!!

Recipe link at http://decemberquinn.blogspot.com/2006/05/apple-custard-meringue-pie.html

Pear Tart

01 January 2012

This Christmas I made a recipe that I have made with success for over 25 years. This Pear Tart is based on a Pear Clafoutis - a traditional French dessert. This recipe is both delicious and has a beautiful presentation without too much effort.

Sweet Tart Dough

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar (powdered sugar)

1/4 teaspoon salt 1 large egg yolk

1 stick plus 1 tablespoon very cold

or frozen butter, cut in small pieces

Put the flour, confectioners' sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse a couple of times to combine. Scatter the pieces of butter over the dry ingredients and pulse until the butter is coarsely cut in - you should have some pieces the size of oatmeal flakes and some the size of peas Stir in the yolk, just to break it up and add it a little at a time, pulsing after each addition. When the egg is in - process in long pulses - about 10 seconds each until the dough, which will look granular soon after the egg is added, forms clumps and curds. Just before you reach this stage, the sound of the machine working the dough will change. Turn the dough out onto a work surface and very lightly and sparingly, knead the dough just to incorporate any dry ingredients that might have escaped mixing.

To press the dough into the pan: Butter a 9-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom and up the sides of the pan, using all but one little piece of dough, which you should save in the refrigerator to patch any cracks after the crust is baked. Don't be too heavy- handed, press the crust in so that the edges of the pieces cling to one another, but not so hard that the crust loses its crumbly texture. Freeze the crust for at least 30 minutes, preferably longer, before baking. (Baking From My Home To Yours, Dorie Greenspan)

Filling

1 cup plus 3 Tablespoons, sugar 6 Tablespoons flour

3 eggs 1 1/2 sticks butter

2 Bartlett pears, peeled, cored and

quartered lengthwise

( I use canned pears)

Combine sugar, flour and eggs in a large bowl and whisk until smooth. Melt butter in medium skillet over high heat until foamy and brown. Slowly add melted butter to sugar mixture. Set aside.

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Cut pears crosswise into slices 1/8" thick. Gently open slice up into fan shape. Arrange pears in crust in flower petal pattern.

Pour melted butter mixture over pears.

Bake until crust and filling are brown - about one hour. Serve warm or at room temperature. Just before serving, sprinkle with confectioners' sugar. (Gerri Gilliland, Caterer)

Come Let Us Adore Him

15 December 2011

Christmas is just around the corner - am I ready? No - but I'm trying to savor the Saviour

and the season. I've noticed that our modern culture is doing their best to erase the Christmas

of Believers. I've seen "Winter Solstice" more than I ever have before in publications and

advertising. Recently I read through the December issue of Better Homes & Gardens. I saw

Happy Holidays and Christmas cookies - but nothing about the holy celebration we hold dear. They did have one page devoted to Hanukkah cookies. Not a word about Christ, the nativity, or baby Jesus. The cashier at Home Depot, wished us "Merry Christmas" and then apologized for saying it (in case she got in trouble).

Well Merry Christmas (without apologies). Enjoy the season, the celebration. Christ, The Messiah came to us as a baby - His name is Jesus. That is what Christmas is and that is why

we celebrate it.

Come Let Us Adore Him

Change of Planes - Kansas City, Missouri

5 November 2011

On my way home from Houston, I had a connecting flight through Kansas City, MO. It isn't the most direct route home - but then again I would have missed so much . . like . . .

Robyn the sweet lady (and kindred spirit) I sat next to. I don't often converse with my seat mates - I usually am in the "zone" just trying to get home - but after a brief exchange on the purpose of this trip - we talked non stop.

When I landed - the mural in the airport told me that two of my favorite actors hailed from Kansas City - William Powell and Jean Harlow. Some other actors that made their home in Kansas City at one time - Joan Crawford, Billie Burke, Noah Beary and Wallace Beary - who knew?

When I had a bowl of chili in the airport cafe, a guy at the bar (thought he was in an episode of Cheers I guess) let everyone know (all five of us) he was ordering a "Pickle Back" and did we know what it was. I know you are dying to know too - it is a shot of Jameson Whiskey followed by a shot of pickle juice - yum! He proceeded to tell all of us that you could go all night and not feel a thing with this concoction. He was so excited he bought a round of drinks for everyone at the bar - all three of them.

Only in a small town would the airline representative come to the cafe to notify you of a change of Gates in case you missed it on the public address system.

After getting on the plane as the flight attendant gave pre-flight instructions - she came to the part about the exit aisle seats and the responsibility of sitting there. Well you might have seen this coming already (I didn't) - the guy doing the Pickle Back shots at the bar is now sitting on the emergency exit aisle????? When the attendant asked them if they would accept the responsibility. Pickle Back's friend asked if he would have time to review the emergency instructions before he had to open the emergency door. Great!!!!

My new seat mate was anxiously looking out the window checking on his baggage being loaded. He was a part of several people on board conversing back and forth with each other. I asked him if he was part of a band and he told me that he was part of a documentary crew. I said, " oh that is like a band - but without the music". He didn't think that was very funny and just looked at me with a blank stare. I think I will have plenty of time on this flight.

It Is Well With My Soul. . .

18 September 2011

Every sunday I look for inspiration in our worship time. Sometimes it is a new song of praise and sometimes an old hymn. Today it was this. . .

It Is Well With My Soul

When peace like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to know,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Refrain:
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life,
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.

But Lord, 'tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
Oh, trump of the angel! Oh, voice of the Lord!
Blessed hope, blessed rest of my soul.

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.

Horatio Spafford

The author Horatio Spafford suffered many sorrows and disappointments - all four of his daughters died while crossing the Atlantic - but he still was able to pen these words of encouragement and peace that can only be found in the Prince of Peace.

The Color White

14 September 2011

Recently on a family camping trip to Cambria, we went on a short walk along the seashore. They have a wonderful "boardwalk" that makes it accessible for strollers, wheelchairs and just "walkers". These are some photos of the beautiful flowers I saw that day - all white.

Even the pine cones had a "whiteness about them. I thought it was my imagination,

but - no they were white and almost appeared to have a "frost" on them.

Technically white is not a color, but the "absence" of color. But the flowers I saw

that day were every bit as vivid and rich as any flowers "of color".