The Comforts of Food

Sometimes, I write a column for the paper that is deemed insufficiently food-centric; this is yet another instance.

Here is the original version of today's piece, before I was asked to revise it and then the revision was edited. I think it's worth sharing because it shows far better the depth of my grief, the desperate need for comfort and distraction. If nothing else, it's important to me to publish it.

Is half of it about my pussycats, rather than about food specifically? Yes. To my mind, that doesn't mean it's not about food, and the various ways that food provided solace when I needed some. I also think there's useful information about my cats' health, and I wanted to offer some public thanks for the care I/we received. And beyond all of that, I smile when I remember hearing someone say I'm "hilarious," and I need as many smiles as I can get, right now.

But, enough blathering. On to the story as I want to tell it ....

This column is going to start out with tears (mine, at least), but don’t worry: it will end with some comfort. Comfort food, that is.

In January, my seven-month-old kitten, Graycie, died very suddenly from feline infectious peritonitis. I’d never heard of it before that day, and wish I were still that ignorant; it’s almost always fatal, especially among the young and the old who don't have the resources to fight it. It was devastating to lose someone so little, and with no notice or opportunity to try to prepare. Graycie and our other cat, Hobbesie, had been inseparable. He was never quite as full of cat-itude, which he’d possessed in abundance, after she left us.

Then, on March 18, I had to put three-year-old Hobbesie, whom I’d written about last year – we officially named him Hobbit for his love of multiple meals – to sleep. He had occasional flare-ups of chronic pancreatitis. But a recent recurrence which didn’t improve turned out to be, after more tests, congestive heart failure. Hobbesie had so much fluid in his chest that it was difficult to even see his heart on the x-ray. Truth be told, I think his heart broke on Jan. 11 when we lost Graycie, and little by little his tears seeped out from that wound until they simply consumed him.

Hobbesie was rushed into the back of the hospital when I brought him to the veterinary emergency room that night, because his breathing was so labored; he needed oxygen. Then two very friendly vet assistants came into the exam room to talk with me, to get a history, to reassure me that they’d do their very best for him. One of them had worked previously at our vet's office and knew Hobbesie. She knew that he wasn't himself - he wasn't flirting, he wasn't showing off how handsome he was. My poor baby was so sick.

The other woman smiled at me and told me she enjoys reading my page. It was such a sweet thing to say, completely unexpected, and a kindness that I desperately needed at that moment. After they left the room, I could hear the one saying to her co-worker, ”If you read her, she’s hilarious.” That may be one of the greatest compliments I’ve ever received.

But once I went home alone that night, without Hobbesie, how could I find any hilarity or even a smile? We’d lost two beloved pussycats in only two months.

Well, I found comfort with food, of course ... and not just eating it.

Thirteen hours after leaving the veterinary hospital, I was a judge at the Mobile Meals Great Chili Cook-Off, supporting a cause that is so very dear to me: feeding people, especially ones who are vulnerable. Those at the event who knew about Hobbesie’s death, having read his obituary (not just an announcement) on my Facebook page, offered hugs and condolences. Others who didn’t know offered distraction, as I tried not to say anything unless directly asked how I was; I couldn’t lie, after all, and say ”I’m doing great, thanks!”

Sampling 31 (that’s not a typo) different kinds of chili, chatting about the tastes and textures, debating with fellow judges whether a New Mexico-style green chili really constituted chili because it’s so different from their expected Midwestern-style beans-’n’-meat variety ... this was all good. Focus on the food. It’ll be okay for a little while.

I also got to try two of Toft Dairy’s new flavors for this summer: Peanut Butter Cheesecake and Salty Caramel Fudge Truffle. Ice cream makes everything seem better, doesn’t it? Oh, yes. Yes, it certainly does.

The next day I baked, doing some recipe testing. I had to pay attention to what I was doing. I had to sample the wares, too – quality control, you know. If I was thinking about the food I wasn’t sobbing, overwhelmed by the losses of Hobbesie and Graycie. It worked, as long as I stayed busy. I baked three kinds of cookies and a lemon meringue pie.

And thus, the term ”comfort food” took on new connotations for me, that very sad weekend.

Vegan Week - Day 3

 

Fruit plate: Cara Cara oranges, prunes, dried cranberries, and toasted walnuts drizzled with pomegranate molasses.

I made some progress with the morning adventure: trying to drink tolerable coffee. I combined the vanilla soy creamer with a splash of the insipid caramel almond creamer, and it was not bad. It wasn't my usual rich vanilla bourbon pound cake-flavored Coffee-Mate-infused coffee. But we had definite improvement today!

Being a vegan doesn't necessarily mean you're eating health food - remember, the Fritos and mint faux-reos are vegan. Just as vegetarians can still be eating mac 'n' cheese and fried ice cream, while omnivores might be carefully eating lean proteins and salads, it's all about the choices you make.

And I've been choosing to eat Fritos and faux-reos a) because I like them, and b) likely as a bit of compensation for all the foods I'm currently depriving myself of, like cheese. I miss cheese. I haven't eaten pasta yet, despite it being on my "to do" list, because the thought of not even sprinkling a bit of parmesan on top of it is just kinda heart-breaking.

Now, this is my own personal little experiment and I could change the terms of my mission: I could allow the Coffee-Mate, with its bit of cream, or the parmesan. My personal feeling is that cows are producing milk, chickens are laying eggs, and bees are making honey no matter what; there's no reason not to eat these products, though you'd certainly want to be conscientious about the animals' living conditions and happiness. However, this particular lab rat is very goal-oriented and disciplined when she has to be, so I'm stickin' with it. I set the plan in motion - vegan, pure and simple - and will see it through.

And that means no cheese. Whimper ... :(

So, anyway .... Instead of lots of carbs like oatmeal or rice or noodles or muffins - which seem to have dominated my meals these past two days - for breakfast I ate a simple fruit plate: Cara Cara oranges, which I love, topped with prunes, dried cranberries, toasted walnuts, and a drizzle of my beloved pomegranate molasses. This is an integral ingredient in Middle Eastern and Persian dishes. It is sweet and tart and a fabulous condiment - go get some! Use it in salad dressings, sauces, as a glaze, or even just dribbled into club soda. Do it. You'll thank me!

Fennel slaw, assorted olives, baguette spread with Earth Balance butter substitute.

After today's photo shoot (three different menu options I couldn't eat!), my kitchen was its usual disaster of dishes and bowls and scraps and mess. By the time I got that cleaned up and threw a load of laundry in, I just made a simple lunch: the last of the olives, some more of the fennel slaw, and a chunk of good bread spread with Earth Balance butter substitute. (It has a kinda grey-ish aura to it, but tastes pretty good.) Nothing glamorous, but nice nonetheless.

Chocolate Banana Almond Milk Shake

For a snack mid-afternoon, as I typed with three stories due tomorrow (and needing a few more details before I can file two of them), I made a milkshake: banana, chocolate almond milk-based ice cream (which is so dark and chocolaty!), and vanilla almond milk. This, I have to say, was really, really good! Not a compromise at all ... :)

Chopped salad with toasted pita chips.

Still trying to finish Tuesday's feature story for the Food page, I just made a simple Israeli-style chopped salad for dinner. Chop lots of vegetables - in this case, carrots, cucumber, celery, broccoli, tomato, and red onion - in small pieces ... that's it. I thought about sprinkling it with lemon juice and extra-virgin olive oil, but decided instead to use Garlic Expressions salad dressing, made in Perrysburg (which is just outside Toledo).

If I get my story filed tonight (please, please, please!), I'll reward myself with a dessert. I'll include that in tomorrow's post ....


Chocolate Banana Almond Milk Shake

1 banana
1 generous scoop chocolate-flavored So Delicious almond milk non-dairy frozen dessert
Generous splash of Silk caramel-flavored almond milk creamer
Vanilla-flavored almond milk

Place the banana and the ice cream into the blender. Pour in a splash of creamer, then pour in enough almond milk to reach half-way up the banana and ice cream. Blend, drink, enjoy.

Yield: 1 serving
Source: Mary Bilyeu

Southern Honey Cake for Rosh Hashanah

Rosh Hashanah - the Jewish new year - began last night at sundown.  While December 31st is an utterly secular celebration - champagne, someone special to kiss at midnight, noisemakers, confetti, designated drivers - this is an occasion both for joy and for introspection.

As John Lennon sang in "Happy Xmas (War is Over):

And so this is Christmas and what have you done?
Another year over, and a new one just begun.

Well, just change that Christian holiday to this Jewish one, and the question is the same.  Universal truth.

What have you done - accomplished, succeeded at, failed at, tried to do, not worked sufficiently hard at, disregarded, excelled at?  What have you done - been generous, been unkind, been helpful, been curt, been patient, been understanding?  What have you done - taken from the universe, given back to it?

Each of us has done every one of these things.  We've all tried, we've all had moments where we gave all we had, we've all had times when we were filled with regret.  That's life.  That's our humanity showing, frail, fragile, and fallible creatures that we are.

5772 was a remarkably good year for me, after the "annus horribilis" of 5771.  I had - dare I say it? - fun!  A speaking engagement that led to membership in a group of wonderful women ... an exciting writing assignment for culinary historians ... three judging gigs (and an invitation for a fourth, this Thursday) ... valuable and critical time with Jeremy and with beloved friends, attending seders and services, playing Mahj, just chatting over dinner or a cup of coffee.  And I've welcomed new friends into my extended family.

I'm slowly reclaiming the condo I moved to last fall after Jeremy and his dad moved out, painting it a lovely shade of yellow with plans to make the kitchen fabulously festive with red cabinets.  I'm also making it my own with whimsical touches like a rubber duckie collection in the half-bathroom.  My cookbooks are back on shelves, readily accessible, after being boxed up for most of the year before.

My health has been good, after being diagnosed the previous year with high blood pressure.  Although I've always gone for long walks, I've taken to riding the bus and then walking a mile to/from the bus stop to get either to work or to home.  Let someone else deal with the orange barrels and with the college students whose sense of immortality leads them to walking directly in front of my 2000-pound Suburban; I'll get my exercise, thank you, while reducing my stress levels.

I'm proud to say that I've met every single deadline for my numerous projects - daily deadlines, weekly deadlines, monthly deadlines - no matter what is going on in my life.  It's a matter of honor, and it's a matter of respect.

I've had all sorts of adventures with some of my bestest girlfriends, in Pittsburgh and in Detroit and in Chicago.  And I have a new boyfriend, Craig, who's very sweet, creative, kind, generous, a good listener, true blue ... :)

I've had ample opportunity to assess how I got to, and through, 5771, such that I've evaluated all I can to accept my own responsibility for where I've been and where I want to go.  I've mourned, I've ruminated, I've forgiven, I've made progress.  It has been a year in which I've tried not to be selfish while still protecting myself.  I've tried to acknowledge it when I've failed to be the person I strive to be.  There is, of course, much - MUCH - room to grow.  It's been a year of reclaiming - things, places, space ... me.  This is what I've done.

I'm me ... and I'm not perfect.  But I try.  The angel said to try, more than two years ago, when I met him in Detroit.  Each day, I remember his words: "You've gotta try."  It's hard.  Sometimes it's so, so hard.  There have been days when I've walked around feeling like a raw, gaping wound ... but I've still tried.

Because what's the alternative?  Letting others down, and letting myself down.  Incompletion, failure.  I can't succeed at everything, and sometimes circumstances just conspire against me.  I'm known in the real world as "The Girl with the Crisis du Jour" for a reason: I'm a kinda flaky chick who just cooks and bakes and takes pictures of everything she eats, but who is often caught up in others' whirlwinds.

But I want to at least be able to say I tried - that I used my talents, my gifts, my abilities, my best intentions - and tried.  Yoda said "Do or do not do, there is no try."  This is wrong.  You've gotta try.  Sometimes trying is the best you have to offer, and trying should be appreciated gratefully rather than dismissed as insufficient.  With hope, with effort, with strength you might not have known you had, you've gotta try.  If you don't try, you get nowhere, you have nothing, you give nothing ... and you've done nothing.

"Every year, there descends and radiates a new and renewed light which has never yet shone. For the light of every year withdraws to its source in the Infinite One who is beyond time ... (but) by means of the prayers we utter, a new and superior light is elicited ... a new and more sublime light that has never yet shone since the beginning of the world."

Schneur Zalman of Liadi, in the Machzor Lev Shalem

That light? It shines upon us, and also within us.

And so, the question to ask in assessing the past year is, "What have I done?"

And the question to ask as we begin a new year is, "What will I do?"  Where will I find light, where will I shine light?

Everywhere I can.  I will try ....


Sister Sadie's Honey Cake

(slightly adapted from Marcie Cohen Ferris' Matzah Ball Gumbo - it's not particularly photogenic, but it's moist and sweet and really lovely)

• 3-1/2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups honey
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 eggs, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup Coca-Cola (must be flat before using)
• 1/2 cup oil
• butter pecan ice cream, for serving

Preheat oven to 325 F.  Grease 2 9"x5" loaf pans.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.  In a medium bowl, combine the honey, sugar, and eggs.  Whisk in the Coke and the oil, then pour into the dry ingredients and combine well.  (Batter will be very thin.)

Divide the batter among the loaf pans, and bake for 45-50 minutes until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean.  Let cool completely.

The recipe warns that "cakes may sink slightly in the center."  "Slightly" is an understatement - there's a big ol' dent.  But that's why God gave us ice cream, so we can plop a scoop of it over that part of the sliced cake!

Makes 2 cakes, 12 or so slices each.  Serve with ice cream.

You can read more about Southern Jewish food in my Washtenaw Jewish News article this month - "Southern Cuisine, Jewish-style."  (Click here, then scroll down to page 33.)

(The card behind the pictured cake says: L'Shanah Tovah Tikitevu [lay shah-NAH toh-VAH tee-kee-TAY-voo] - May you be inscribed in the Book of Life for a good year.  This is the long version of the traditional Rosh Hashanah greeting; you can shorten it simply to Shanah Tovah.)

Sander's Cream Puff Sundae

My very dear friend Fran joined me on a girls' day out recently. (You might remember that I featured an interview with Fran last year, in which she offered an amazing recipe for Chocolate Pecan Pie.)

The primary goal of our adventure was to go to the Sander's store at a mall about half-an-hour away from Ann Arbor. It's the closest we were going to get to reliving one of Fran's best childhood memories:

"Another favorite treat was going downtown and having lunch at Sanders. It always consisted of their amazing tuna sandwiches (who knew they could be good?) and Sanders had a yellow cake with buttercream frosting that also had crushed nuts on the outside. It was heavenly .... (My) favorite treat as a kid was the Sanders hot fudge cream puff ...."

If you grew up in Detroit, as Fran did, or if you had relatives in Detroit who would bring presents when they visited, as I did, then you know about Sander's. It was a very special luncheonette and candy store, noted for an assortment of sweets and - in particular, for me - the hot fudge sauce that my grandmother would bring as a gift when she came to see us in New York.

So, why order a salad or a sandwich or something nutritious while enjoying our day out???  Fran and I ordered cream puff sundaes for lunch! Anything else would have just been excess calories. The sundaes had been a significant raison d'être for our trip, after all.

When given a choice of ice creams, there was no reason to go with plain ol' vanilla or even one of my favorites, mint chocolate chip. Because the quintessential core of a Sander's cream puff sundae would, of course, be a variety of ice cream featuring another Sander's classic: the Bumpy Cake, a devil's food cake with rows of buttercream frosting on top that are then covered in chocolate. Sigh with me ....

The sundaes were enormous, and I couldn't even finish mine. While you might think this was excessively and cloyingly sweet, it actually was perfectly balanced - the cream puff seems to offer sufficient substance and breadiness to counter the sugar high of cake-infused ice cream with an abundance of hot fudge sauce. This was a pure, decadent indulgence!

So, although the beautiful new dress that I bought for Rosh Hashanah was a definite perk (a $100 dress on sale for $25!), the cream puffs - and spending time with my beloved Fran, of course! - were absolutely the highlights of the day ... :)

BRU Fest Recap

BRU Fest was a fabulous party serving everyone's favorites - burgers, wings, 'n' beer - to benefit The Children's Leukemia Foundation of Michigan.  It was a great time for an even greater cause!

Bagger Dave's Legendary Burger Tavern, Buffalo Wild Wings, and Bell's Brewery all provided hearty food and an astounding variety of beers for tasting and testing at the event.  Treat Dreams - one of my favorite vendors from Baconfest - also offered lusciously rich ice cream and vibrant sorbet for a sweet ending after all the feasting.

Photo credit: Joe Hakim of The Hungry Dudes

My BFF Wendy and I did our best "Thelma and Louise" impersonation (something we're pretty good at, after years of practice) and undertook this excursion into the wild world of beer tasting with open minds and a sense of adventure.

We were absolutely there for the food, there's never any doubt about that (especially with me!).  But as noted non-beer drinkers - Wendy's sister Cheryl laughed when told of our planned escapade; and Jeremy told me point-blank, "You're not worthy" - we were determined to take advantage of this opportunity to taste everything from sparkling ale to summer specialties to stouts.  With such a range, and with such exceptional quality from one of Michigan's finest breweries, we were on a mission.

We started with food - always a good plan before drinking (or, in our cases, sipping).  Bagger Dave's was offering four different burgers, and Buffalo Wild Wings was serving eight different sauces to coat their boneless chicken. On our first go-round, we tried:

- The Kickin' Cheddar Burger: beef burger with cheddar cheese, shredded lettuce, tomato, pickles, diced onion, and horseradish mayonnaise

- Parmesan Garlic Wings: breaded chicken coated in roasted garlic and parmesan sauce with Italian herbs

- The Big Fat Greek Burger: turkey burger with tomato, mint and fennel white balsamic vinaigrette, and cucumber-dill yogurt sauce.

It was good to see a mix of indulgent offerings as well as some that were a bit lighter and healthier.  We happily finished our burgers and split the order of chicken; the seriously garlicky, but not overpowering, wings turned out to be my favorite savory food option of the evening.

Then we went off to the beer tables, where samples were poured into the cute souvenir glasses we'd been given when we arrived. Wendy and I must have looked a bit dazed, 'cause my buddy, Joe Hakim of The Hungry Dudes, took a few moments to give us some recommendations.

I started with Black Note Stout (pictured to the left in the picture at the top of the post), which Joe had told me was rare and distinctive.  It's "a blend of Expedition and Double Cream stouts, aged in freshly retired bourbon barrels," and it had a strong essence of coffee and mocha flavors to it.  (Imagine my glee when I read confirmation of my palate on the Bell's website - "malty notes of dark chocolate, espresso & dried fruits!")

Wendy picked the Cherry Stout (pictured to the right, above), which has been likened to the "Pinot Noir of the beer world."  Given that it features tart cherries, for which Michigan is rightly famous, I was surprised to find it had a hint of sweetness.  And interestingly, each of us preferred the other's selection to our own.

I need to thank Alex Ostrom (left) and Jeff Caldwell for being so friendly and so generous in allowing us to borrow a corner (a quadrant?) of their table at this event that was packed with revelers; without them, there would have been no photo of the stouts for posterity ... or, at least, it wouldn't have been as good a picture as I tried to balance beer and my camera and my purse and my notebook and my pen and ....

In chatting and explaining that I really was working (I may be a flaky chick who takes pictures of everything she eats and drinks, but it's my job!), we found out that Alex was drinking Two Hearted Ale and was planning to try a variety of beers over the course of the evening. Jeff, on the other hand, had chosen the reigning favorite, Oberon, because it's an absolute classic - light and refreshing, a perfect summer beverage.

I have to say that the annual flurry over Oberon reminds me of the festivities surrounding Beaujolais Nouveau, which is released on the third Thursday in November with gleeful signs announcing "Le Beaujolais Nouveau est arrivé!"  There is such celebration, such joy, to see Oberon each year!  Of course, this is not only a chance to get reacquainted with an old friend, but a simultaneous return of beautiful blue skies, of barbecues, of bonfires at the beach, of baseball ... of all that is good about summer in Michigan.

Caramel Pecan ice cream, Lemon sorbet, and Chocolate Stout ice cream from Treat Dreams in Ferndale

At this point, we meandered over to the ice cream ... sigh. Treat Dreams had offered an amazing concoction at Baconfest called "Sunday Breakfast" that had bacon (of course!), maple syrup, and bits of waffles stirred into it; it was just luscious!  The company prides itself on ice cream that is "lovingly created in small batches on site." They "strive to use local ingredients and vendors whenever possible, and take pride in ... exotic flavor combinations."

So I was giddy to find them at BRU Fest, serving generous tastes of three different varieties: caramel pecan ice cream (I forget which type of beer was used, 'cause I was too busy eating it to scribble notes), lemon sorbet with Pale Ale, and chocolate with stout ... sigh.  Wendy's favorite was the sorbet, which was bright with a definite note of the ale, with much more depth than just a standard citrus dessert. The rich chocolate stout ice cream reminded me of the fabulous Guinness Cake I'd made last fall.  And my favorite was the caramel pecan ice cream, which was a perfect blend of all its flavors with a brown sugar-y sweetness and layers of flavor; it immediately made me want to bake some cinnamon rolls and slather them with a caramel-stout frosting.

Before leaving, Wendy and I took one more tour of the Bagger Dave's and Buffalo Wild Wings buffet, opting this time for:

- The Jamaican Me Crazy Burger: turkey burger with Swiss cheese, jerk cole slaw with walnuts, tomato, and Jamaican barbecue sauce

- Spicy Garlic Wings: "a tasty, spicy, garlicky good sauce"

- Honey BBQ Wings: "a sweet, sassy sauce."

The burger and the garlic wings were too spicy for our already well-tested palates; but the barbecue wings were zesty and sweet, and very very good.

We also paid one last visit to the Bell's tables, ending our evening with tastes of Sparkling Ale, Pale Ale, Oberon, and my personal favorite for "Best Name" - Hell Hath No Fury.  We tried an entire range of foods and beers at BRU Fest, and had a wonderful time!  As Wendy put it, we "almost felt guilty raising money to fight children's leukemia" because the event was so much fun!

Frugal Floozie Friday - Roger Monk's Yappy Hour

Roger Monk's is today's Frugal Floozie Friday feature for many reasons.  It's got great food, and it offers a wide variety of appetizers, drinks and desserts for $5 or less - our mandatory per-person budget - during its weekday Happy Hour.

But not only does this casual, comfortable, but still sophisticated restaurant welcome humans, on Thursdays it also welcomes dogs at its fabulous Yappy Hour.  Yes, well-behaved humans and their adorable leashed owners can gather on the back deck for food and fun - a chance to chat with fellow animal lovers and furry friends.

So, of course, I had to bring my grandpuppy, Poochie, one gorgeous sunny afternoon.  He's a very sociable beast - a veritable party animal!

Jeremy, Stuart (Jeremy's dad, my ex-husband), Poochie, and I recently took advantage of a perfect summery day to enjoy some fabulous food.  We started with appetizers, each of which costs $5: a very generous portion of chips with a slightly spicy salsa, crisp-coated and tender chicken satay with a creamy peanut sauce, and enormous mussels braised in a lemon-wine sauce.  These were delicious, as well as being perfect for sharing.   The two other options we could have chosen were hummus served with toasted pita bread and a duck liver mousse served with crackers.

We drank water - as did Poochie, who was given his own personal bowl of water even before the humans were taken care of; and it was served refreshingly with orange rather than the ubiquitous lemon.  But if you're in the mood for something a bit stronger, 20-ounce pints of draught beer cost $4; glasses of wine and drinks such as Martinis, a Daiquiri, or a Cosmopolitan cost $5.

And then there was the temptation of dessert.  Desserts, too, cost an even $5 - perfect for our budget.  As good as the appetizers were - and they were very good - these were absolutely the stars of the show.


Jeremy order the utterly decadent chocolate mousse pictured at the top of the post.  It was as thick as ice cream, rather than pudding-like as some can be.  It was intensely chocolatey and simply addictive.  You'd be tempted to keep eating if the portion were larger, but the full coffee cup of this treat was a perfect and generous serving.

As soon as I heard a few of my very favorite words - "bread pudding," "cherries," and "caramel" - all in the same sentence, as our server recited the dessert options, I knew that this would be mine.  Bread pudding featuring tart cherries and a bourbon caramel sauce ... oh, be still my heart!  This was rich, sweet, had a bit of a kick, and was just perfection.  I loved the dessert, but would happily have just taken a spoon to a jar of the sauce and eaten it "as is" even without the tender, fabulous pudding base.

Stuart was in the mood for a hot fudge sundae, which isn't on the menu; but our very kind and helpful server, Dennis, offered to bring a serving of vanilla ice cream (which is a standard offering) topped with the bourbon caramel sauce.  Although one of my personal pet peeves is customers who make special orders - hard-working restaurant staff are not personal chefs - I was very pleased to know that great service and keeping customers happy was high on the agenda at Roger Monk's.

There are many public places that dogs aren't welcome, so it's wonderful that on Thursdays you can linger over great food and cool drinks at Roger Monk's while your dog gets to play with new friends.  Poochie was fussed over by the staff and by other customers enjoying the fabulous weather, and he just loves being the center of attention!

We had a grand time at Roger Monk's, and highly recommend its Happy and Yappy Hours for fabulous treats at reasonable prices.  What a great opportunity to unwind at the end of the day!

Roger Monk's
5400 Plymouth Road
Ann Arbor, MI 48105
734-662-1647
Tuesday - Saturday: 3 - 10 p.m.
Sunday: 3 - 9 p.m.
Closed Monday
Happy Hour: Tuesday - Friday 3 - 6 p.m.
Yappy Hour: Thursday 4 - 7 p.m.



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Frugal Floozie Friday: Iorio's Gelateria

We're celebrating at Iorio's Gelateria today, because it's a special occasion: Happy 1st birthday to Frugal Floozie Friday!

This is my 52nd post featuring fabulous foods that can be found for $5 or less per person.  The project started on May 20, 2011 by showcasing a lovely Detroit crêperie near the Detroit Institute of Arts, Good Girls Go to Paris.  My BFF Wendy and I thought we'd have an adventure and see if we could find some treats for those who are on tight budgets, so that they could still have some fun without feeling too much deprivation.  Who knew it would turn into such a popular feature?

There was no need for cake at today's party, because there's such luscious ice cream ... but oh, so much more than mere "ice cream."  Iorio's [ee-OH-ree-ohz] gelato is so rich, so vividly flavored, and so luxurious that I could work my way through a thesaurus and still feel I wasn't describing it adequately.  I've tried many, many flavors and have never tasted one I haven't adored.

When Jeremy and I visited recently, he chose the mango and I chose a combination of port wine and bacio [BAH-chyo], which is dark chocolate with whole hazelnuts.  These are the small cups (about a generous half measuring cup) for a mere $3.25; you can get a medium for $4 and a grande for $4.50.  Cones cost 50 cents and biscotti are available for $1.  And you can choose as many flavors as you'd like to combine in your serving.

Jeremy's gelato was as vibrant as if it were a freshly ripened piece of fruit, and there were chunks of mango mixed into it.  The port wine was sweet and very fruity, and its texture was similar to sorbet.  It paired perfectly - as port and chocolate do! - with the chocolate-based gelato, which was decadently rich and creamy.

There is always a wide variety of offerings to choose from: fruit- or chocolate-based, mint, coffee-infused, and even unusual ones like a sweet and intriguing maple-bacon flavor I once tasted just to see how it was.  (You can have tastes of anything that strikes your fancy.)  And the staff is fabulously friendly, greeting customers with a hearty "Ciao!" when they come in.

The great-grandchildren of Italian immigrants, the Iorio family takes immense pride in its heritage and in the delicious treats offered at the shop.  If you haven't visited them yet, you should do so immediately.  Today's a special occasion, after all!  Why not celebrate with me and enjoy some gelato?

Iorio's Gelateria
522 E. William
Ann Arbor, MI 48104

Monday: 7:30 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Tuesday - Friday: 7:30 a.m. - 11 p.m.
Saturday: 9 a.m. - 11 p.m.
Sunday: 9 a.m. - 9 p.m.



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Frugal Floozie Friday - My Favorite Cafe

I was in Saline recently with Jeremy, on a day that involved a lot of schlepping here, there and everywhere.  By late afternoon, we were in need of refreshment and sustenance.  And so we stopped by today's Frugal Floozie Friday feature: My Favorite Cafe, on a side street in the quaint downtown area.

I just needed an iced tea, which was bright and cold and wonderful.  Jeremy wanted a little something to eat, and it was difficult to resist the inexpensive Sandwich Special posted on the chalkboard.  The Turkey Club was generously portioned, and served with both potato chips and a pickle.  It would be a great deal to split, followed perhaps by a $2 single scoop of Michigan's own Guernsey Farms Dairy ice cream, but it was also a great lunch that didn't even exceed our frugal monetary limit when serving only one hungry person.

There are so many treats at the cafe that meet our mandatory budget of $5 or less per person!  Beautiful, tempting baked goods range in price from $3-3.75, and you can choose from chocolate or carrot cakes, lemon bars, tiramisu, cheesecake, and more.  Quiche is available for $3.95 per slice, and an espresso sundae costs the same amount.  Breakfast bagels are available anytime for $3 or less, and there is a wide variety of sandwiches to choose from beyond what's offered on the $5 menu; there are even kid-friendly grilled cheese and pb&j sandwiches for $3.50.  Many coffee and tea drinks are available, as well as milkshakes; all of these cost less than $5, and many are even under $3.

So whether you come in for breakfast, for your caffeine fix, for a light lunch, for "coffice"-ing, to hang out with friends, or to satisfy your sweet tooth, My Favorite Cafe - which is bright, welcoming, and friendly - will definitely become one of your favorite places!

My Favorite Cafe
107 South Ann Arbor St.
Saline, MI 48176
734-944-4054


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Frugal Floozie Friday - Cafe Ollie

I've had the great good fortune to visit Cafe Ollie twice recently - once with my very dear friend Sarah (who just gave birth to a beautiful baby girl this past weekend!), and once with Jeremy and his best buddy, Mitch.  Since the restaurant is so warm and wonderful, and such a supporter of Michigan products, it was time to feature it today for Frugal Floozie Friday.

Sarah and I each enjoyed a refreshing dish of Guernsey Farms Dairy's McGuire's Irish Mint ice cream, produced not too far from Ann Arbor in Northville, which was perfect on one of those way-too-early-to-be-summer days that found their way to Michigan before it was even officially Spring.  A single scoop - in either a cone or a lovely sundae glass - costs only $2.75, leaving plenty of room in our mandatory $5 per person budget to buy a local favorite: Faygo soda "made with real sugar in glass bottles."

Cafe Ollie also features daily soups, an assortment of coffees and teas, and baked goods made from scratch (like the fabulous sweets pictured above).  Sarah and I had originally intended to treat ourselves to cupcakes, but the ice cream was calling more loudly on a hot afternoon.  We met just after 4 p.m., and were having such a grand time - truly, talking about everything from family to antique heating grates to Jewish law! - that we ended up closing the place just before 8 p.m., with only the gentlest nudge from the very sweet waitress just as she started to clean up.  Many places would be loathe to let you loiter for quite that long, but we were welcomed stay right until the end of the day.

The next week, Jeremy and Mitch and I sat in the sun on the deck and enjoyed a late lunch of sandwiches, which are served with Detroit's own Better Made potato chips and Perkins Pickles.  For the exceptional price of $7, Jeremy and Mitch split the Reubenesque, Cafe Ollie's own Reuben sandwich.  (Regular readers know that Jeremy will inevitably order a Reuben if he finds one on a menu, and can pontificate at great length about the pros and cons of each one!)  Jeremy gave this sandwich high points for generosity of filling, tenderness of meat, and - most importantly - excellent flavor.

Cafe Ollie features a menu filled with creative sandwiches and salads, and caters to carnivores, vegetarians, and even vegans specifically.  So whether you're looking for a light meal, a sweet treat, or some combination thereof - and no matter what your dietary preferences - you can absolutely find something delicious to eat.

And once you've finished eating, you want to meander next door to the fabulous shop that's also owned by Cafe Ollie's owners, Danielle Scherwin-Teachout and her husband, Mark Teachout.  (If you don't find them on one side of the doorway, you'll find them on the other.)  I first told you about the Michigan General Store in my post about Buffalo Celery Sticks, in which I used some Cajun-flavored chips I'd found at the shop to create a great variation on the famous wings.  You can find so many, many exceptional items at this store, from salsas and mustards to wines and beers to smoked fish and cherry caramels, all made proudly here in Michigan.

So stop by Cafe Ollie and the Michigan General Store.  Enjoy delicious food and a warm welcome, and support both a local business and the Great Lakes State!

Cafe Ollie
42 E. Cross St.
Ypsilanti, MI 48198
734-482-8050

Monday: Closed
Tuesday - Friday: 8 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Saturday: 9 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Sunday: 11 a.m. - 7 p.m.



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Hunka Hunka Burnin' Love Tart

Elvis Presley was noted for many things, among them his beautiful baritone, his white jumpsuits, his gyrations, and his beloved grilled peanut butter and banana sandwiches.

Since I obsess about food, let's focus on those sandwiches, shall we?

This is my final entry into Project PB&J - a contest for food bloggers which is being hosted by my friend Cindy of Once Upon a Loaf and her friend Christina of She Runs, She Eats.  The competition is in honor of National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day, as well as Cindy's birthday, on April 2; and the rules required preparing a sandwich and/or a baked good with a nut butter and a jelly/jam or fruit.

So, as I thought of all the variations on the theme of peanut butter paired with fruit, how could I not think of Elvis' favorite treat?  And yet, that particular pb&j has already been done, hasn't it?  Hmmm ....

But it could be transformed into a different entity, couldn't it, taking the essential components and whirling them in my brain until I devised a different concoction with those flavors ...?

And so, I settled upon a dessert ... a dessert with a peanut butter-flavored crust ... a dessert with a peanut butter-flavored filling ... a dessert with a peanut butter-flavored topping ... and a dessert with bananas happily mixed in.

Thus, I present to you ... the Hunka Hunka Burnin' Love Tart!

Hunka Hunka Burnin' Love Tart


Crust:
1-1/4 cups flour
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup butter, chilled, cut into small cubes
1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
3 tablespoons ice water


In a large bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar and salt.  Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles meal.  Mix in the peanut butter with a fork.  Add water 1 tablespoon at a time and stir with a fork; then knead gently until the mixture comes together.  Form dough into a ball, flatten into a disc, and wrap in plastic; refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350F.  On a lightly floured countertop, roll out dough to a 12" round.  Place dough into a 9" tart pan with a removable bottom or into a 9" pie pan; trim edges.

Place a sheet of foil into the crust and fill with dry beans.  Place the tart pan onto a baking sheet; bake for 15 minutes, until the crust is set.  Remove foil and beans, bake for 5 more minutes until the crust is cooked, then let crust cool completely.

Filling:
2 cups Breyer's Reese's Peanut Butter Cup ice cream, very soft
3 small bananas, sliced thin
1/3 cup Nutella
1/4 cup peanut butter-flavored Multi Grain Cheerios, ground (a fabulous marketing gift to play with!)
1/4 cup dry roasted peanuts, ground
whipped cream, if desired

Spread the ice cream into the prepared crust; top with the sliced bananas, then freeze for 45 minutes until the ice cream is mostly set.

Spread the Nutella over the bananas, swirling it over the top.  (If the ice cream mingles with the Nutella, it won't hurt anything ... I know from personal experience!)  Combine the Cheerios and peanuts, then sprinkle over the top of the tart.  Freeze for at least 3 hours until firmly set.

Let the tart rest at room temperature for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Makes 12 servings.  Serve with whipped cream, if desired.

Be sure you play Elvis tunes while you prepare this.  Just as you should listen to arias while cooking Italian food, you need to listen to the King while making this tart in his honor!  Infuse your food with the appropriate spirit ....

Frugal Floozie Friday - Aubree's

Jeremy, his best friend Mitch, and Stuart (my ex-husband, for those who don't remember that we're actually capable of associating with each other civilly!) went out for an early dinner recently to  Aubree's in Depot Town, today's Frugal Floozie Friday feature. Jeremy chose the location, as he was craving a Reuben - his favorite sandwich - and he knew that this restaurant makes a very good one.

Stuart was feeling particularly agreeable that afternoon, so he offered to just split whatever I ordered.    And I was in the mood for something substantial.  I considered a variety of items, and heeded Jeremy's warning not to order salad (he grows weary of watching me do that, but I love salads!).  And so I settled upon a calzone, which would come in at under $5 per person - our mandatory Frugal Floozie Friday budget - when split with Stuart.

The calzone was huge, and could have fed four with no trouble - the portions were significant.  This was, after all, a 12" pizza folded over and filled with sauce, a blend of five cheeses, and two toppings of our choice - spinach and mushrooms.  Even a hearty eater could be satisfied with one slice.

Mitch and Jeremy each ordered a Reuben, which was generously portioned and tender.  It was served with the customer's choice of side dish: thin-cut fries, sweet potato chips, onion straws, cole slaw, cottage cheese or - the one both chose - the endless steak fries.  For $8.99, this is a stellar deal!  And the platter can easily be shared by two.

We also ordered dessert ... well, why not?  Each offering costs $4.99, so it's either a great Frugal Floozie Friday treat for one or an even greater value if shared.

Jeremy and Mitch split the Rockside Brownie Bites - "Rich brownie bites topped with caramel, toasted pecans & chocolate ganache dipped in a fluffy batter & fried crisp.  Served with vanilla ice cream & chocolate & caramel drizzle."  It was obscenely decadent and absolutely delicious!  Stuart and I shared the Cookie Crisp - "Creamy chocolate chip cookie dough rolled in a flour tortilla and fried," which was also served with ice cream and the sweet, seductive sugary drizzles.  Neither dessert offered any redeeming nutritional value, but both were simply good for our souls.

When our very friendly waitress left the bill, we thought there had been a mistake made; the calzone was listed at $4.99 rather than the $9.99 I'd seen on the menu.  But when I asked about the discrepancy, I received some fabulous and completely unexpected news: during Happy Hour, from 3-6 p.m., the calzones are half-price!  So the entire enormous, delicious array of crust and cheese and sauce and fillings qualified as a Frugal Floozie Friday bonanza without any need for an accomplice to split the cost!  Shared by four hungry eaters, it would come in at only $1.25 per person!

Needless to say, Aubree's offers great value, friendly service, and lots of frugal dishes to choose from.  Enjoy!

Aubree's
39 E. Cross Street
Ypsilanti, MI 48198
734-483-1870




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Chocolate Peanut Butter Cream Puffs

Regular readers know that I don't watch television, movies, or anything other than a very few shows: baseball, Michigan football, royal weddings, and the Academy Awards.  And the Oscars are this Sunday night!

So a few loved ones are coming over to watch, debate, be catty about dresses (though it's not as much fun now that they all have stylists), and - of course! - eat.

It doesn't matter that the only nominated movie I saw this year was "The Muppets" - it's about the spectacle.  And I've read enough about the other movies to have opinions, and to know that "Hugo," "A Cat in Paris," and "The Artist" are the only ones I really want to see.  Something has to be very enticing for me to devote time to just sitting and staring at a screen.

The menu for my little soiree is still a work in progress, but the dessert is going to be rich, sophisticated and delicious: Chocolate Peanut Butter Cream Puffs filled with ice cream.

I recently received a very generous marketing gift of the new Peanut Butter-flavored Multi-Grain Cheerios, and had promised to use them in recipes.  I was tempted to eat them for breakfast in the morning, but I'm a woman of my word so I didn't devour my stash!

Chocolate and peanut butter are a classic combination, as we all know; it only made sense that if I was going to be making a chocolate dessert that the Cheerios should somehow be incorporated.  So I ground them and mixed them into the cream puff batter, adding both flavor and texture.

These are ridiculously easy to make, but make such a dramatic presentation!  They're perfect for your Oscar party, or for any other occasion when you want a special treat.

Be sure to check back next week for my "Chopped" challenge, in which Food Floozie readers suggested ingredients for me to use in creating appetizers, entrees and desserts!



Chocolate Peanut Butter Cream Puffs
(adapted from the recipe for Chocolate Profiteroles in Mainstreet Ventures' Distinctive Recipes from Distinctive Eateries)

6 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 cup skim milk
1/4 cup cocoa powder
3/4 cup flour
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 cups Peanut Butter Cheerios, ground
4 eggs

Preheat the oven to 400F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or greased foil.

In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, sugar and milk; bring to a boil, then remove from heat.  Add the cocoa powder, flour, salt and Cheerios; stir vigorously until the mixture forms a ball and comes away from the sides of the pan.

One by one, stir in the eggs until each is fully incorporated.

Using a 1 tablespoon ice cream scoop, drop batter onto the baking sheet.  (These won't spread, so you can place them fairly close together.)  Bake for 15 minutes, then turn heat down to 350F and bake for 10 more minutes until firm and glossy.  Let cool completely before slicing and  filling with ice cream or pastry cream.

Makes about 48 puffs.

Frugal Floozie Friday - Conor O'Neill's Traditional Irish Pub

A pint o' Guinness - or, at least, a pint of Guinness ice cream - for $4.95: that's the fabulous dessert Jeremy chose for his 21st birthday recently at today's Frugal Floozie Friday feature, Conor O'Neill's Traditional Irish Pub.

The Guinness Ice Cream Sundae falls perfectly within our mandatory $5 budget, and is an enormous, luscious concoction: 3 scoops of ice cream topped with chocolate fudge, caramel sauce, pecans, chocolate chips, whipped cream and the crowning cherry.  The birthday guest can choose either a dessert or a $10 card as the restaurant's gift.  Jeremy had chosen the latter last time, as Conor O'Neill's is where he asks me to take him every year for his celebration, so he decided to indulge in the sugar rush this time.

Several of the desserts fall within our budgetary constraints for individual servings, but could happily be shared.  The appetizers, which range in price from $6.50 to $8.50, are easily split as well so that they meet our $5 per person limit.

For as long as we've been going to Conor O'Neill's, we've ordered the Galway Bay Mussels appetizer, so I was astounded not to see it on the lunch menu at our visit; apparently it's only available at dinner now.  But our very sweet waitress, Jennifer, checked with the kitchen and told us that they would make it in honor of Jeremy's birthday.

The cream sauce that the mussels are served in is rich with mustard, garlic and sherry; the dish also comes with slices of baguette and some hearty brown bread.  At $8.95, this is a fabulous dish for two - far more than one person could eat alone, particularly before a meal.  The real treasure is the sauce, though, which is just sublime!  Order extra bread to sop it up, because you truly won't want to leave one tiny morsel on the plate.

I have never ordered anything at Conor O'Neill's that I haven't thoroughly enjoyed, from the Irish "fayre" (fish and chips, shepherd's pie, boxty, etc.) to the sandwiches, from the salads to the desserts.  While they exceeded our Frugal Floozie Friday budget, our entrees - the Big House Burger (with cheese, bacon, mushrooms and onion rings) and Ploughman's Sandwich (grilled vegetables and cheddar) with a side salad - were so fabulous that they warranted a photo op, and a few moments of fame, nonetheless:

In addition to the excellent food, Conor O'Neill's also offers entertainment several evenings each week, from trivia contests to Irish jam sessions - you can find both food and fun for $5 or less per person!  How great is that?


Conor O'Neill's Traditional Irish Pub
318 South Main Street
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48104
(734) 665-2968


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The Sugar Bowl

In honor of tonight's Sugar Bowl - featuring #13 Michigan vs. #11 Virginia Tech - I'm offering a dessert to enjoy while cheering on my team. When the Wolverines battle the Hokies, there has to be food appropriate to the festivities!

So I made a dessert with pecans and caramel that offers flavors reminiscent of the luscious pralines found in New Orleans, where the game is being played; with banana slices and a hint of rum, it's also an homage to that city's beloved Bananas Foster. And I had to be sure it was served in the perfect vessel ... a sugar(y) bowl!

I offer you something sweet and rich and delicious: a Caramel Crunch Ice Cream Sundae with Banana Caramel Sauce . Enjoy!

GO BLUE!!!

Caramel Crunch Ice Cream Sundae with Banana Caramel Sauce

9 caramel-flavored mini rice cakes
6 small sugar cookies
1 tablespoon sugar
4 cups butter pecan ice cream
6 ounces caramel ice cream sauce
1/2 tablespoon dark rum or rum extract
2 medium bananas, sliced
4 waffle cone bowls
whipped cream

Place a sheet of waxed paper on the bottom of an 8"x8" freezer-safe dish.

Place the rice cakes and sugar cookies into a food processor or blender; grind into fine crumbs and place into a flat bowl. Stir in the sugar.

Form 4 1-cup balls of ice cream. One by one, roll the ice cream in the cookie crumbs, coating the ice cream very well; place onto the waxed paper in the dish. Place the dish with the ice cream balls into the freezer for 1 hour to firm them.

Place the ice cream sauce, rum and bananas into a large skillet. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, just until boiling.

Place a waffle cone bowl onto each of 4 dessert plates. Place 1 ice cream ball into each bowl. Divide the bananas among the bowls, drizzling with caramel sauce. Top with whipped cream and serve immediately.

Serves 4.

Sauteed Apples à la Mode + Giveaway Winner

So, who won the Hodgson Mill certificate that I offered as a giveaway last week???

Well, on Sunday morning at 8:05, I counted entries. I plugged numbers into Random.org's Sequence Generator, and out rolled #7. (Chris, of Nibble Me This, offered a great suggestion for capturing the results. But I don't use Firefox and I'm a Neoluddite technodolt, so we're still doing the cheap copy/paste method ... sorry!)

Random Sequence Generator
Here is your sequence:

7

And who is Seven, other than a character on "Star Trek: Voyager"???

The Domestic Diva - Mazal Tov!!!

I wish I had enough certificates to give to everyone, 'cause it would have been fun to play Santa! But alas ....

So now, on to the food!

I was in the mood for something apple pie-ish the other night, but didn't want the crust from a pie. I also didn't want to wait for something to bake; I needed immediate gratification.

So I essentially cooked up something reminiscent of a pie filling, and I plopped an incredibly generous scoop of butter pecan ice cream on top of it ... because I'm worth it!

In about 10 minutes - less time than it would have taken me to drive to the grocery store to get my fix - I was able to create a warm, fragrant, homemade dessert featuring beautiful fall apples in a rich caramel sauce.

Is there anything better on a chilly evening?

Sauteed Apples à la Mode

2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 Honeycrisp apples, cored, peeled, cut into 1/2" dice
1/2 cup caramel ice cream sauce
2 scoops butter pecan ice cream

In a medium skillet, melt the butter and the vanilla together over medium heat. Add the apples and stir to coat them with the butter. Cover and cook for 5 minutes, until the apples are just tender. Uncover the skillet and stir in the caramel sauce; cook for 1 minute.

Divide the apples among 2 serving dishes and top with the ice cream. Serve immediately.

Serves 2.

The Saga of the Broken Apple Tart

'Tis the season to pick apples, fa la la la la la la la la. Whether you pick them at an orchard or at a farmers' market or at a grocery store is up to you. But you must pick them!

And while there are lots of cobblers and crisps and applesauce in all of our futures after we pick our apples, I thought I might make something a bit more elegant and also use the tart pan I just found again after moving last month.

I made a Caramel Apple Tart ... sigh.

Of course, I have to admit that my cooking venture with the apples didn't start out as a tart; my original plan was to make dairy-free caramel apples for my co-workers, one of whom has a dairy allergy. But the caramel was too hard, and became too brittle to bite into.

So I smashed the caramel off the apples and melted it with a bit more of the non-dairy milk substitute I'd used in making the original batch. I poured the now-liquid mixture into a greased pan, refrigerated it, and hoped to cut it into soft caramels.

But ... the ingredients separated and the greasy butter substitute rose to the top, coating everything in a layer of slime. It was pretty disgusting! (Remember, just 'cause I write about food doesn't mean that everything I make is a success! We all have our trials, our errors, our experiments, our humiliations ....)

So, then, after venting in frustration as my plans had gone so significantly awry, I still had apples to use up.

Et, voila! An apple tart!

I contributed some caramel sauce and some leftover streusel topping from a different baking project to the cause, and thus was able to clear some items out of my refrigerator while also redeeming my afternoon of kitchen adventures.

And the tart turned out beautifully - gorgeous, with tender apples coated in sweet caramel.

My ego was restored!

That is, until I tried to slice the tart for its photo op. I just didn't have any "mazal" - luck - with my apple ventures on this particular day. Each time I tried to cut a piece, the back crust crumbled or the bottom crust only came up partially from the pan ... oy! Sometimes it's easier to just go to the grocery store!

But once again, I pulled a proverbial trick out of ye olde hat. I simply scooped up the crust, filling and topping and plopped some onto a serving plate. A never-unwelcome scoop of vanilla bean ice cream, and ... voila!

I present to you an elegant French dessert which will now be known as Tarte Cassée de Pomme [tart cah-SAY deh POHM]: Broken Apple Tart.

Broken Apple Tart

Tart:
1 pie crust, at room temperature
8 apples, peeled, cored, cut into 1/4" slices
2/3 cup caramel ice cream sauce

Streusel:
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 cup cookie crumbs (from Nilla wafers or graham crackers)
1/2 ounce sliced almonds
1/8 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375F.

Place the pie crust into a false-bottomed tart pan (or a pie dish). Press crust into the bottom of the pan and up the sides; use a knife to trim excess dough.

In a large mixing bowl, combine apple slices and caramel sauce; pour into the crust.

In a small bowl, combine all of the streusel ingredients; sprinkle over the apples.

Place the tart pan onto a larger baking sheet because the caramel sauce seeps a bit, and bake for 50 minutes until top is golden and the apples are tender when pierced with a knife.

Let cool to room temperature, then try to serve it in slices. When it won't cooperate, simply scoop it up, place it on a serving dish, and offer it with ice cream or whipped cream ... and no explanations of what its original incarnation was supposed to be!

Makes 8-10 servings.