THE VILLAGE VOICE

"February makes a bridge and March breaks it." ~ George Hebert ~ February memories ___________ BLACK FOREST CHEESECAKE ~ Rich reminder ... enjoy the remains of each day! (thanks ... The Connoisseur UP NORTH and Reflections) _____ Crust: 2 1/2 cups Oreo cookie crumbs 2 1/2 oz. melted butter Mix butter & crumbs. Spray cheesecake pan. Press in mixture. Cheesecake: 2 lbs. room temperature cream cheese 1/2 cup flour 6 oz. chopped dark chocolate 1 lb. powdered sugar 8 eggs 1 tsp. vanilla Preheat oven to 275-degrees. Add cream cheese in processor and blend 5 minutes on low speed. Add sugar and mix 5 more minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl. Add flour and mix 5 more minutes. Scraped down sides of bowl. Add eggs one at a time, continuing to mix at low speed, pausing after each to scrape sides of bowl. Add vanilla and fold in chopped chocolate. Pour mixture into prepared crust. Bake in water bath (just a pan of water placed into an oven. The hot water provides a constant, steady ...

"Winter is on my head, but eternal spring is in my heart." ~ Victor Hugo Primrose (February Flower of the Month) The American Primrose Society __________________ MUSSEL and CORN CHOWDER ~ A treasured recipe from chef Milos Cihelka ( The Golden Mushroom ) 18 mussels 1/2 cup white wine few parsley stems 15 cruised peppercorns 1/2 sprig thyme 4 minced shallots 1 crushed garlic clove 3 ears of corn, kernels cut off, set aside 1/3 cup sliced leeks 1/3 cup diced carrot 1/3 cup diced onion 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter 2 Tbsp. flour 1 cup chicken broth mussel juice salt & pepper to taste 1 cup heavy cream 2 Tbsp. chopped chives Soak mussels in cold water for 1 hour, drain and rinse in fresh water. In stainless steel saucepan, bring to boil the wine, parsley, shallots, garlic and herbs. Add mussels, cover tightly and, over high heat, steam just until mussels open. Remove from hear, drain juice and reserve. Allow mussels to cool, remove from shells, beard them and cut in halves. I...

“The best of all medicines is resting and fasting." ~ Benjamin Franklin ~ Michigan Sunrise ( Leelanau Peninsla ) _________ BANANA BREAD FRENCH TOAST ~ Treasured retro-recipe compliments of chef/owner Keith Famie (past Les Auteurs Restaurant -Royal Oak, MI) __________ Banana bread: 2 cups sifted all purpose flour 1 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 cup room temp unsalted butter 1 cup sugar 2 eggs 1 cup (about 2) mashed ripe bananas 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice 1/3 cup milk 1/2 cup chopped pecans French Toast: 4 large eggs 1/4 cup whipping cream 2 Tbsp. brown sugar 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon 3 Tbsp. butter Michigan Maple syrup ______________ Banana Bread : Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Generously butter 9x5x3-inch loaf pan. Sift first 3 ingredients into small bowl. Cream butter in large bowl until light. Gradually beat in sugar then adding eggs, 1 at a time. Add mashed bananas and lemon juice and beat until well blended. Mix in dry ingre...

~ Christ on the Cross (Marshal M. Fredericks - sculptor 1959) Indian River, MI ____________________ Ash Wednesday The Wednesday after Quinquagesima Sunday which is the first day of the Lenten fast. The name dies cinerum (day of ashes) which it bears in the Roman Missalis found in the earliest existing copies of the Gregorian Sacramentary and probably dates from at least the eighth century. On this day all the faithful according to ancient custom are exhorted to approach the altar before the beginning of Mass, and there the priest, dipping his thumb into ashes previously blessed, marks the forehead -- or in case of clerics upon the place of the tonsure -- of each the sign of the cross, saying the words: "Remember man that thou art dust and unto dust thou shalt return." The ashes used in this ceremony are made by burning the remains of the palms blessed on the Palm Sunday of the previous year. (New Advent)

" Paczki are not doughnuts on steroids. Close, yes, but no paczki . " ~ The Paczki Principle "Aw yes ... Paczki Day!" ______________ PACZKI ~ Recipe compliments of Bobak Sausage Company (Have NEVER ... EVER made these ... but throughout the years, eaten plenty) _______ Dough: 4 cup flour 2 oz. yeast 1 cup milk 3/4 cup sugar 3/4 cup butter 6 egg yolks a pinch of salt 1 jar plum jam 1 tsp. rum 2 tsp. finely chopped candied orange peel Glaze: 1 cup sugar juice of 1/2 lemon Frying: 1 3/4 lb. lard Mix the yeast with 1 Tbsp. sugar and a few Tbsp. lukewarm milk. Cover with a towel and leave in a warm place. Sift the flour, add a pinch of salt. Mix egg yolks with sugar until almost white, add to flour and yeast, pour in the rest of the milk and the rum, and mix using a mixer until all ingredients are well combined and the dough is smooth. When almost ready, slowly add melted butter or cooking oil and candied orange peel. When the dough has absorbed all the butter or m...

"Carnival is a butterfly of winter whose last real flight of Mardi Gras forever ends his glory. Another season is the season of another butterfly, and the tattered, scattered, fragments of rainbow wings are in turn the record of his day." ~ Perry Young ~ Fragile Wings ( my garden and Wings of Mackinac Butterfly Conservatory) ________________ FIERY LEMON CAJUN SHRIMP ~ a delicious real New Orleans, peel & eat, treat _______ 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter 4 cloves minced garlic 2 Tbsp. fresh rosemary 3 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce 1 Tbsp. Tabasco sauce 1/4 cup lemon juice 2 Tbsp. coarse cracked black pepper 1 tsp. sea salt 3 lbs. unpeeled large shrimp 2 thinly sliced lemons French bread Preheat oven to 400-degrees. Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat and stir in garlic, rosemary, Worcestershire, Tabasco, and lemon juice. Add salt and pepper. Pour half of sauce in bottom of large shallow baking dish. Layer with 1/2 of the shrimp and 1 thinly sliced l...

In February it will be my snowman's anniversary with cake for him and soup for me! Happy once happy twice happy chicken soup with rice. ~ Maurice Sendak (CHICKEN SOUP WITH RICE) ~ My Snowman _____________ CHICKEN SOUP WITH RICE (serves 4 so double for hearty eaters) 2 cups uncooked brown rice or Lundberg Country Wild 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil 1 large chopped onion 3 minced garlic cloves 8 oz. fresh stemmed shitake or baby bella mushrooms 8 cups organic chicken stock 1 Tbsp. fresh chopped rosemary (1 tsp. dried) 1 (15-oz.) can drained and rinsed chickpeas or cannellini beans 1 (15-ounce) bag baby spinach leaves 2-3 cups shredded cooked chicken coarse salt and freshly ground pepper 1/2 cup freshly ground Parmesan cheese Cook rice in 4 cups of chicken broth or water about 30 minutes. Set aside. In heavy stockpot, saute onion in olive oil until tender. Add garlic and mushrooms and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add remaining broth and rosemary. Bring to boil and remove...

"There's a thing I've dreamed of all my life, and I'll be damned if it don't look like it's about to come true—to be King of the Zulu's parade. After that, I'll be ready to die." ~ Louis Armstrong ( Time magazine, February 21, 1949) ~ ' Mardi Gras ' orchids* (life ... lives on) ___________________ SHELLFISH GUMBO ~ from a fav source, Legal Sea Foods Cookbook , comes this slightly adapted (with the addition of herbs) peasant dish, perfect for 'Mardi Gras' and the upcoming season of Lent _________ 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil (preferably grape seed ) 2 Tbsp. toasted unbleached, all-purpose flour* 1 1/2 cups peeled and chopped sweet onions 3/4 cup chopped celery 1 lb. (1/4-inch sliced) okra (frozen is fine) 1 1/2 cups peeled, seeded chopped tomatoes 1 tsp. dried thyme 1 bay leaf 6 cups hot fish, shrimp or chicken stock 1-2 tsp. chopped garlic 1-1/1/2 lbs. peeled shrimp 8 oz. fresh (picked over for shells & cartilage) crabmeat 1 pint fr...

"Plants in pots are like animals in a zoo--they're totally dependent on their keepers." ~ John Van de Water ~ Indoor Garden Joy (cyclamen, white rose, primrose, daisy mum) ~ Reblooming cyclamen ~ African Violet

"We are indeed much more than what we eat, but what we eat can nevertheless help us to be much more than what we are. " Adelle Davis (1904 - 1974) ~ Dicentra 'Gold Heart' * ________________ PERFECT PROTEIN SALAD ~ Favorite retro-health food salad (and ideal Lenten dish) adapted through the years from 1977 MOOSEWOOD COOKBOOK _____ 3/4 cup dry soybeans (soaked for at least 4 hours or overnight) 3/4 cup dry wheat or rye berries (soaked at least 30 minutes) 1/4 cup cider vinegar juice and zest of 1 lemon coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 1/4 cup minced fresh dill (2 tsp. dried) 1/3 cup mayonnaise 1 tsp. dry mustard 2 minced cloves garlic 1/2 cup minced fresh parsley 1 cup cottage cheese (drain if too much liquid) 4 minced scallions 1 minced large carrot 1 seeded and minced English cucumber 1 minced red, yellow or orange pepper 1/2 cup minced celery sliced radishes chopped black olives alfalfa sprouts (opt) sliced tomato (add or subtract veggies of ...

"Nobody has ever measured, even poets, how much a heart can hold. " ~ Zelda Fitzgerald ___________________ THE FITZGERALDS The Romantic Egoists The names, "Scott and Zelda," have become immediately recognizable to people throughout the world, many of whom have never read any of F. Scott Fitzgerald's fiction. They have become a fabled couple, legends of a bygone era, the embodiment of the triumph and tragedy that afflicted the decade with which they are most associated, the 1920s. ~ Vintage Postcards (Original Valentine postcard , 1908, printed in Germany ~ c. 1990 Henry Ford Museum & Greenfield Village - Dearborn , MI)

MOULES A LA MARINIERE (Fresh mussels steamed in white wine & herbs) ~ A favorite simple romantic Valentine dinner (Julia knows) from Mastering the Art of French Cooking _________ 6 quarts scrubbed and debearded mussels 2 cups light, dry white wine or 1 cup vermouth 1/2 cup minced shallots (or green onions) 8 parsley sprigs 1/2 bay leaf 1/4 tsp. thyme 1/8 tsp. freshly cracked pepper 6 Tbsp. butter 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley Bring wine to boil in 8-10 quart kettle with shallots, parsley, bay leaf, thyme, cracked pepper and butter. Boil 2-3 minutes to evaporate alcohol and reduce volume slightly. Add mussels to kettle. Cover tightly and boil quickly over high heat. With thumbs clamped to cover, frequently toss mussels up and down with slightly jerky motion so mussels change levels and cook evenly. In about 5 minutes the shells will swing open and mussels are done. (Discard any that are still closed.) With big skimmer, dip mussels into wide soup plates. Allow cooking liquid to set...

"A Government of the people, by the people and for the people, shall not perish from the earth." ~ Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) GETTYSBURG ADDRESS Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation or any nation so conceived and so dedicated can long endure. We are met on a great battle field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this. But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate – we cannot consecrate – we cannot hallow – this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember, what we say here, but it can ...

"All of the evil that people have thrust upon chocolate is really more deserved by milk chocolate, which is essentially contaminated. The closer you get to a pure chocolate liquor (the chocolate essence ground from roasted cacao beans) the purer it is, the more satisfying it is, the safer it is, and the healthier it is." ~ Arnold Ismach (The Darker Side of Chocolate) COUNTESS TOULOUSE- LAUTREC'S FRENCH CHOCOLATE CAKE ~ a perennial favorite, perfect for Valentine's Day, adapted from MAIDA HEATTER'S BOOK OF GREAT CHOCOLATE DESSERTS _____________ 1 lb. good semisweet chocolate 5 oz. (1 1/4 sticks) room temperature sweet butter 4 extra-large eggs, separated 1 Tbsp. unsifted all-purpose flour Pinch of salt 1 Tbsp. granulated sugar Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In an 8-inch springform pan, cut a round waxed or parchment paper to fit the bottom. Butter one side of paper and the sides of the pan (not the bottom). Place buttered paper in pan, buttered side up, and clam...

"The moon looks upon many night flowers; the night flowers see but one moon." ~ Jean Ingelow (Songs of the Night Watches) ~ February Full Moon & Violet (flower of the month) Namebini-giizis - 'Sucker Moon' (Ojibwe) ^^^^^^^^ February Moon The Full Moon of February occurs on the 9th at 9:49 AM EST. It is known as the "Wolf, Snow, or Hunger Moon." It was the "Trapper's Moon" to Colonial Americans and the "Storm Moon " for medieval English. Chinese refer to it as the "Budding Moon", and for the Celts it was the "Moon of Ice". Anishnaabe (Chippewa and Ojibwe) know it as "Namebini-giizis" (Sucker Moon). ___________________________ The February full moon falls at 14:49 Universal Time today. That’s 8:49 a.m. in the central U.S. Every full moon takes place at the same instant for everyone all around the world – but your clock time for the full moon varies by your time zone. To look full to us, the moon has to ...

NOTE FROM KAREN HALL (An Artist's Garden)~ The date Saturday 7 th February The venue VP’s blog and your own blog The event A dinner party ___________________ Guest List: Guest of honor: Karen Hall (Artist, Embroiderer, Designer Maker, and Gardener - Dyffryn Ardudwy , Wales) Vincent van Gogh Henry David Thoreau Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn Claude Monet Anne La Flamme Karen Hall Vincent van Gogh Henry David Thoreau Rembrandt Claude Monet Anne La Flamme (Garden Mentor) _______________________ MENU: NASTURTIUMS FILLED with GUACAMOLE CREAMY MOREL SOUP TYROLEAN BEEF TENDERLOIN DEEP DARK CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE (A click on above will take you to the recipe) ~ 'Flow Blue' Dinner Party (click on Flow Blue for history on this charming china ) The 'best of the best' for a night to remember! ______________ Note : A rush to get dinner on the table for my honored guests by 8:00, left much unsaid. First, thanks dear Karen, who honored me at 'Mrs. Grumpy's ...

"Miracles never cease to amaze me. I expect them, but their consistent arrival is always delightful to experience." ~ Mark Victor Hansen ~ Small miracle ( Reblooming cymbidium ) ______________ JARLSBERG TARTS ~ Rich custardy appetizer or delightful compliment to fresh green/fruit luncheon salad ______________ 2 packages Pillsbury Crescent Rolls 1 lb. crisp & crumbled bacon 1 lb. shredded Jarlsberg cheese 1 cup whipping cream 3 eggs 1 bunch chopped fine green onions Lawry's Seasoned Pepper Preheat oven to 375- degrees . Butter small muffin tins. Cut each crescent into 3 pieces and press each 1/3 into bottom and sides of muffin cup. Sprinkle each with bacon & shredded cheese. Beat eggs & whipping cream. Add seasoned pepper and divide filling over each muffin cup. Sprinkle with chopped onion. Bake until puffy and lightly browned, about 20 minutes. (24 small tarts)

It’s no coincidence that February is both American Heart Month and National Cherry Month, since science suggests cherries may offer powerful heart-health benefits. Click here to learn more… ~ Yoshino Cherry blossoms ___________________ CHERRY OATMEAL BREAD ~ Heart smart oatmeal and cherries, a good way to begin the day ________________ 2 cups flour 1 Tbsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. baking soda 3/4 cup sugar 1 cup rolled oats 2 organic eggs 1/4 cup vegetable oil 1 cup buttermilk 1 cup dried cherries Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt & sugar into a large bowl. Stir in rolled oats. Beat eggs in a bowl. Add oil and milk and mix well and incorporate into flour mixture, mixing well. Add dried cherries. Pour into greased 5x9 inch loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour. Cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing. (10 servings) --------------- Did you know that Michigan is the largest producer of Montmorency tart cherries, growing 70-75% of the crop? With Februar...

Phil Says "Six More Weeks of Winter!" Phil's official forecast as read February 2 nd , 2009 at sunrise at Gobbler's Knob: Hear Ye Hear Ye On Gobbler's Knob this glorious Groundhog Day, February 2 nd , 2009 Punxsutawney Phil, Seer of Seers, Prognosticator of all Prognosticators Awoke to the call of President Bill Cooper And greeted his handlers, Ben Hughes and John Griffiths After casting a joyful eye towards thousands of his faithful followers, Phil proclaimed that his beloved Pittsburgh Steelers were World Champions one more time And a bright sky above me Showed my shadow beside me. So 6 more weeks of winter it will be. (Groundhog.org) "Hang in there!" _____________ GROUNDHOG SUNDAES ~ Fun treat from the Gourmet & Groundhogs cookbook ________ 1 quart good vanilla ice cream, cut in slices Groundhog Cookies (recipe below) Chocolate sauce Place slices of ice cream on individual serving plates. Place a Groundhog cookie in the center of each slice. D...