THE VILLAGE VOICE

"Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer and oil painting and autumn a mosaic of them all." ~ Stanley Horowitz MAPLE LEAF 'Artistic' MAPLE APPLE UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE ~ Delicious autumn flavor ... the maple syrup infuses both the apples and the cake ( FOOD & WINE )  1  cup pure maple syrup   3  Granny Smith apples ... peeled, cored and cut into eights or smaller 2  cups all-purpose flour 1  tsp. baking powder 1/2  tsp. baking soda 1  tsp. salt 3  large eggs 3/4  cup buttermilk 1  Tbs. pure vanilla extract 1  1/2  sticks, unsalted butter, softened 1  1/3  cups sugar Preheat oven to 350º. Butter and flour a 10-inch round cake pan (I used a 10-inch springform pan). In a large saucepan, bring maple syrup to boil over high heat, then simmer over low heat until very thick and reduced to 3/4 cup, about 20 minutes. Pour thickened syrup into cake pan....

"The beauty of daylight-saving time is that it just makes everyone feel sunnier." ~ Edward Markey Garden Clock and Daffodil ___________ LEMON COCONUT CAKE ~ Outstanding triple-layered treat from Oct 2007 Southern Living ______________ 1 cup soft butter 2 cups sugar 4 large eggs, separated 3 cups all purpose flour 1 Tbsp.baking powder 1 cup milk 1 tsp. vanilla extract 2 cups sweetened flaked coconut mint or rosemary springs for garnish Lemon Filling Cream Cheese Frosting Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy; gradually add sugar, beating well. Add egg yolks, 1 at at time, beating until blended after each addition. Combine flour and baking powder;add to butter mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla. Beat egg whites at high speed with electric mixer until stiff peaks form; fold 1/3 of egg whites just until blended. Spoon batter into 3 greased a...

"To own a bit of ground, to scratch it with a hoe, to plant seeds and watch their renewal of life - this is the commonest delight of the race, the most satisfactory thing a man can do." ~ Charles Dudley Warner ORIENTAL POPPY ( Papaver orientale ) MAY GARDEN STARS WILDFLOWER GARDEN GARDEN VIEWS EXBURY AZALIA GARDEN DELIGHTS APPLE BLOSSOMS (Michigan State Flower) ORIENTAL POPPY ( Papaver orientale ) _______________ BLACK PEPPER POUND CAKE ~ A delightful 'sweet ending' ( Southern Living ) ___________ 1 cup room temperature unsalted butter 1 cup sugar 4 large eggs 1 1/2 cups AP flour 1/4 tsp. salt 3/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar 1/4 tsp. ground mace (or nutmeg) 1 Tbsp. lemon juice 1 tsp. vanilla Beat butter at medium speed with electric mixer about 2 minutes or until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating at medium speed 5-7 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating just until yellow disappears. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients ;...

~ Anne ________________ WALNUT GLORY CAKE ~ Mother's favorite cake ___________ 3/4 cup flour 2 tsp. cinnamon 1 tsp. salt 9 room temperature egg whites (1 1/4 cups) 3/4 cup sugar 9 egg yolks 2 tsp. pure vanilla 3/4 cup sugar 2 cups finely chopped walnuts walnut halves to decorate Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Combine flour, cinnamon and salt. Beat egg whites in large mixing bowl until soft mounds form. Gradually add sugar and continue beating until very stiff (stiff peaks form). Do not underbeat . Combine egg yolks, vanilla and sugar n small mixing bowl. Beat until thick and lemon colored. Stir in dry ingredients. Fold batter gently but thoroughly into egg whites using a wire whip or rubber spatula. Fold in finely chopped walnuts. Turn into ungreased 10-inch tube pan. Bake for 55-60 minutes. INVERT IMMEDIATELY. Cool completely before removing from pan. Frost with a vanilla glaze, sprinkled with confectioners' sugar or serve with whipped cream. Decorate with walnut halves. ~ ...

"A flowerless room is a soulless room, to my way of thinking ... " - Vita Sackville -West ~ Hydrangea gracing sun porch __________________ COCONUT POUND CAKE ~ Forget the pounds, just eat the cake! _______________ 1 cup unsalted butter 3 cups sugar 6 organic eggs 3 cups flour 1/4 tsp. baking soda 1/4 tsp. salt 8 oz. sour cream 1 cup coconut 1 tsp. vanilla 1 tsp. coconut extract Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Mix butter, sugar and eggs until creamy. In separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. Add to creamy mixture. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Spray bundt pan with Pam. Pour mixture into pan and bake for 1 hour.

~ Garden Clock (Mother's Day Gift) ______________ LEMONADE CHICKEN ~ A 'tart' very old standby, perfect for a hot summer evening. _______ 3 lbs. assorted favorite chicken pieces 1 6 oz. can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed juice and zest of 1 fresh lemon 1/3 cup soy sauce 2 tsp. celery seed 2 cloves minced garlic (1/4 tsp. garlic powder) freshly ground cracked pepper to taste Combine lemonade concentrate, fresh lemon juice, zest, soy sauce, celery seed, garlic and fresh pepper. Marinate chicken in large plastic bag or large container for several hours in refrigerator, turning often. Let rest at room temperature while grill fires up. Remove chicken and grill over medium coals for 30 minutes, basting with sauce the final 30 minutes. _____________________ HONEY MUSTARD SLAW with FRESH BASIL ~ Easy and delicious. ______ 8 cups shredded red and green cabbage 2 medium shredded carrots (or 2 bags prepared cabbage with carrots) 1 large julienne sliced red pepper 1 ch...

MACKINAC ISLAND ( Official site: http://www.mackinacisland.org/ ) ~ Lilac festival __________________________ "The lilac is one of the enduring symbols of Mackinac Island. First planted here by French missionaries in the 1600's, the oldest living lilacs on American soil are on Mackinac Island. some of the older lilac shrubs have grown to treelike proportions over the years. Each spring,m the trees fill the Island air with sweet fragrance and dazzle with their rich shades of purple, lavender, and white. Since 1949, Mackinac Island has celebrated the arrival of summer with the annual Lilac Festival in June, when hundreds of lilac trees are in full flower. Stella King, a well-loved citizen of the Island, created quite a stir that year when she rode through town in her carriage decorated with lilacs. Amid this lush atmosphere, is it any surprise that romance is rampant on the Island? Couples get married every day and every place on Mackinac Island ~ in quaint churches,...

MARCH IS MAPLE SYRUP TIME IN MICHIGAN! For the history of Michigan Maple Syrup "old as the land itself" browse ... THE MICHIGAN MAPLE SYRUP SCRAPBOOK http://www.mi-maplesyrup.com/ _____________________ CEDAR PLANKED SALMON WITH MAPLE GLAZE ~ the perfect Native American marriage (maple syrup & the cedar plank*) *Native Americans pioneered the art of roasting on wood planks. The wonderful aroma of red cedar adds a sweet, spicy, roasted flavor. This wonderful recipe came with the plank. * 1 cup pure maple syrup 2 Tbsp. finely grated peeled fresh ginger root 4 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice 3 Tbsp. soy sauce 1 1/2 tsp. minced garlic 2 1/2 lbs. center-cut salmon fillet with skin Greens from 1 bunch scallions In a small heavy saucepan simmer maple syrup, ginger root, 3 Tbsp. lemon juice, soy sauce, garlic, and salt & pepper to taste until reduced to about 1 cup, about 30 minutes. Let cool. Maple glaze may be make 2 days ahead and chilled, covered. Bring maple glaze to room tempera...

" If one daffodil is worth a thousand pleasures, then one is too few." - William Wordsworth ________________________ DAFFODIL CAKE ~ from Elmwood Inn (Ireland) ( www.elmwoodinn.com ) _______________ Yellow batter : 3/4 cups sifted flour 3/4 tsp. baking powder 6 egg yolks 2 1/2 Tbsp. lemon juice 1 Tbsp. cold water 1/2 cup granulated sugar Sift cake flour and baking powder together six times. Beat egg yolks with lemon juice and water until thick, about 5 minutes. Gradually beat in the granulated sugar. Sift a fourth of the flour mixture at a time over the egg mixture; fold in. White batter: 1/2 cup sifted cake flour 1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar 6 egg whites at room temperature 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar 1/2 tsp. vanilla 1/8 tsp. salt 1/2 cup granulated sugar powdered sugar Sift cake flour and powdered sugar together six times. Beat egg whites until frothy. Add cream of tartar, vanilla, and salt. Beat until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in the granulated sugar. Sift a fourth...

" God invented whiskey to keep the Irish from ruling the world." ~ Ed McMahon __________________________ _____________________________ REED'S IRISH WHISKEY CAKE ~ make a day before serving for flavors to mellow *** 1 white cake mix (without pudding) 1 small instant vanilla pudding 1/2 cup oil 1 cup chopped walnuts coated with 2 Tbsp. flour 4 eggs 1/8 cup Irish whiskey 1 cup milk Combine cake ingredients, and mix according to directions on back of box. Bake in 350-degree oven in greased bundt or tube pan for 45-50 minutes or until center springs back and toothpick test is clean. Glaze: 1 stick butter 1/4 cup Irish whiskey 3/4 cup sugar Melt butter. Add whiskey & sugar until blended. Pour slowly over cake while still warm in pan. Cool. Once cool, remove from pan and wrap in foil. Refrigerate for one day before serving.