daily bliss: thaw

Today was above freezing, and the layers of snow and ice began to melt. I sloshed through puddles and even walked on bare grass down by the lake! Large and poweful waves crashed up against the icebergs, throwing up plumes of water and chunks of ice like so many diamonds. The air smelled...fishy...not usually the most desired smell, but mid-way through a long, harsh winter, even the smell of dead fish is an antidote to the blank, barrenness of winter.

daily bliss: "martinis"

You know, the frou frou kind, with four kinds of liquor and often cute names, that taste delicious and coyly disguise their alcohol content, such as the Cafe Grande* I just enjoyed at the RBL, a local swank establishment--scratch that, the only local swanky establishment--after a long first week of the semester.

* Cafe Grande contains Bailey's Irish cream, vanilla vodka, and Starbucks coffee liqueur.

daily bliss: hot chocolate

When I was in college, my Grandma would buy me giant canisters of Swiss Miss hot cocoa mix and my friends and I would drink the stuff every night in the winter, late, when our plans to study often devolved into another gabfest...

Growing up, Mom made hot cocoa on the stove, with Hershey's cocoa and sugar. Sometimes we added marshmallows...

I remember one winter day when my brother, cousins, and I went sledding, my aunt had a huge pan of cooking simmering away on the stove...

And, two of the years I was "on the market," a seemingly pleasant term for the nasty business of the academic job market in the humanities, I attended our large national conference (where many initial interviews take place) in Philadelphia. Since the conference (cruelly) coincided with the holidays, it also (blessedly) coincided with the Hot Chocolate Sommelier at the Ritz-Carlton. My friends and I created over the top beverages, laced with chambord and frangelico, and topped off with towering homemade marshmallows, and a price tag rivalling the fanciest hand-crafted cocktail...

Now, I make a mug of hot chocolate before bed many nights, to warm up and send me off to blissful dreams. I too take the old fashioned route and fix it on the stove, in a small pan, using a mini whisk to add air and froth.

Dharmagirl's Hot Chocolate

1 TBS cocoa powder, Valrhona (this stuff is $$$ but is unbelievably rich)
2 tsp sugar, Florida Crystals Organic Natural Cane
a splash of vanilla
a mug full of milk

place cocoa powder and sugar in a small saucepan. add the vanilla and a small amount of the milk; stir. once you have a thin paste, whisk in the rest of the milk. cook over medium heat until steaming. add marshmallows or whipped cream or nothing at all. i like to drink it with a slice of buttered toast.

daily bliss: super sandwiches

Lately my mind keeps envisioning my favorite sandwich, the Big Al's Saturday Night from Zingerman's in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The problem is that I live a good 7+ hours away. This sandwich haunts me with a crusty outside of the Paesano roll, the airy inside of the bread nestled around warm smoked mozzarella, roasted piquillo peppers, lettuce, tomato, and balsamic vinegar and olive oil dripping over the sides....ahhh, bliss.

So with thoughts of good sandwiches lodged in my brain, I spent a good portion of a meeting on Monday coveting my friend B's sandwich--two slices of whole wheat bread, baby lettuces, and white bean spread with tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions. I wanted that sandwich!

And so, my ever gracious friend brought me one yesterday, and I brought her a bowl of my lentil soup, and we both had a delicious lunch topped off with this week's TWD special. What a delightful way to create a lunch, and what a great way to soothe the sandwich longing!

twd: chocolate gingerbread

unadorned gingerbread


The start of a new semester means adjusting to a new schedule. I realized, oh, Sunday evening, that with my new schedule would not accommodate my usual Monday night baking sessions. And so, yesterday morning I soaked up the pale winter sunshine and sipped my cafe au lait while mixing up this week's recipe, Fresh Ginger and Chocolate Gingerbread, selected by Heather of Sherry Trifle. I realized that *duh* I forgot to buy ginger root, so I tossed in a little extra ground ginger and delicious candied ginger pieces.

I made half a recipe in a 6 inch cake pan, and the cake rose over the top. I had a wee bit of trouble removing the cake in one piece, but no one who ate it seemed to mind. I brought the cake to work today and shared it with a table of colleagues--a lovely back to school treat. I left it unglazed so it seemed more like a quick bread than a cake...

The best part about this week's recipe? The jar of molasses just waiting to be transformed into giant, crackly topped cookies!


the tasty bits left in the pan

daily bliss: seed catalogs

I knew the day would come when I would hit the wall. You know, that winter wall. That day when taking out the garbage and filling up the car with gas seem too impossible because, yet again, it is zero degrees. That day when the itchy skin and the layers and layers of clothes feel so constricting you just want to stay in bed to avoid the whole ordeal.

That day, my friends, is today.

And so I'm struggling this morning to find that thread of gratitude, but I did receive a little gift and promise of Spring in the mail yesterday: the Seed Savers catalog.

Now, I am not *yet* a big gardener. Last year I grew two tomato plants and three cucumber plants that flourished, in part, because my neighbor/friend B also kept her eyes on them and watered them when I didn't. This year, however, I'd like to expand my garden. To grow foods that I can't buy at the excellent local farmers' market, such as beans--beans I will dry and use throughout the winter--lacinato kale, and little butterhead lettuces. They beckon me from the pages of the catalog, sounding so simply to grow.

Today, I need to believe in that simplicity, in that wonderful magic of the Spring thaw and the summer sun to carry me through a few more months of this winter. Make that to carry me through TODAY.

daily bliss: legumes

ready for the transformation

I've been reveling in the simple goodness of legumes lately. I was inspired by Mark Bittman to eschew canned beans when possible and cook my own from dried. It isn't difficult, but does demand a little planning and forethought. I follow his directions for the quick-soak method:

cover rinsed beans with water, 2 inches above beans.
bring to a boil; boil for 2 minutes.
cover, and allow beans to rest at room temperature for 2 hours.
cook beans until just tender; add salt. continue cooking until the desired consistency is reached.

What could be simpler? You can also add any seasonings--I prefer a simple bay leaf or two, perhaps a few cloves of garlic. White beans with sage. Rosemary.

So far, I've made two batches of chickpeas, one batch of navy beans, and the beans featured above, a mixture of local organic beans that is delicious beyond belief. They're not cheap, but if you compare them to other premium protein sources--filet mignon, pork tenderloin--they're still the economical choice. I found these particular dried beans at the little shop between Il Ritrovo and Field to Fork in Sheboygan.

olive twists

parchment cone of olive twists

Yesterday I craved salty, earthy olives. I remembered these delicious Olive Twists my friends and I enjoyed with a bottle of Conundrum at Amical, a little Bistro in Traverse City, Michigan. On that warm August evening, after watching Hamlet 2 at the TC Film Festival, we dined al fresco and started our meal with briny, funky, flaky pastry.

I was certain I could find a recipe online, but through my quick perusal of the usual suspects--epicurious and the blogosphere--I didn't really find what I wanted. I found a recipe for cheese twists in my Bon Appetit cookbook, and decided to improvise. Amounts aren't exact because, well, I'm really an improvisational cook, which is why I don't think I could ever write a cookbook.

Olive Twists
*makes 30*

1 sheet prepared Puff Pastry, thawed
1/4 lb pitted kalamata olives (or any other olive you like)
lemon zest and juice, to taste
thyme, to taste
red pepper flakes, to taste
1/4 cup grated parmesan


Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Combine olives and seasonings in a food processor until roughly chopped.

Lightly roll out the puff pastry. If it separates along the fold lines like mine did, that's just fine. You'll have three equal sections.

Spread olive mixture on pastry; sprinkle with cheese.

Cut each of the three sections into ten short pieces. Next, twist and stretch each section. This will be a bit messy and the filling may spill out a bit--you can scoop it back into the twist.

Places twists on prepared baking sheet--I covered mine with parchment paper. Bake for about 8 minutes or until golden brown and puffy.

Enjoy warm or cool. These are delicious with wine and cheese:)

daily bliss: wine club

dharmagirl discerning different malbecs...

The first rule about Wine Club is...

1. No work talk: we weren't so successful last night, but that was the first time work crept into conversation (perhaps because we have pre-first day of class jitters).
2. The hosts chooses a variety of wine and everyone brings a bottle to share: pinot noir, zinfandel, malbec have been our choices thus far.
3. Hosts provide delicious treats, and others can bring food as well.
4. We slowly work our way through the bottles, comparing notes, and generally making up our own lexicon of wine criticism.
5. Laughter, merriment, shared stories, and opportunities to know one another outside of the confines of work abound.

Wine club is simple, blissful, and one of the highlights of my month. I'm blessed to work with such amazing people who would be my friends even if we didn't work together. Everyone has humorous and tender stories to share, and these nights help build the bonds of friendship. I love the chance to know my friends better, entering their home, being their guest, and sharing food and drink.

Here's to many more meetings of this august society, working our way through wines both ubiquitous and rare, delicious and swill-ish, through the darkest days of winter to the sparkling sunsets of summer.

daily bliss: lotion

Today's entry seems a little odd, and more prosaic rather than poetic, but in the dry frigidity of winter, lotion is a temporary salve to my skin and my well-being. Cold dry air outside, warm dry air inside...there is seemingly no escape from dryness, but for those blessed moments when I'm bathed in lotion. Because I also suffer from eczema, my dry skin can become extremely irritated, and only the most sensitive of lotions will do. For now, I'm using Aveeno--the one in the green bottle. I would like to switch to something more natural, but all of the organic and/or natural ingredients varieties I find include chamomile, which I'm allergic to. Perhaps you know of an all-natural skin saver?!?

daily bliss: laughter

I've been fortunate to spend the last 3 weeks with an amazing group of students, studying poetry, one of my favorite literary genres. Our small class clicked immediately, and soon the silliness and jokes bubbled up during discussions of Eliot and Wordsworth and Dickinson, coming to a crescendo as we explored Denise Duhamel's delightful poem "One Evening When Barbie Wanted to Join the Military."

One day I laughed so hard I almost cried.
Another day, a raucous snort broke through.
And today I rolled with laughter, although our time together drew to a close.

During the deepest stretches of winter, it's easy to lose a sense of lightness and humor. To feel the ebullience of laughter, and the comfort of relative strangers laughing with me, was perhaps the greatest gift of this poetic journey.

*thanks to David for allowing our collective laughter to fill his cafe**

daily bliss: pink

I love the color pink. Baby pink. Hot pink. Blush. Pink that veers into purple. Pink that flirts with peach.

pink clothes...


pink shoes...


pink flowers...


pink hotels...


pink kitchen goodies...

daily bliss: comfort food

Tonight I made a meal I haven't fixed in, well, years. Pure, mostly unadulterated, comfort food: mashed yukon golds with roasted garlic and olive oil, steamed veggies with light cheddar cheese sauce, and navy beans with garlic. A little pinot noir on the side. A slice of Berry Surprise Cake and a mug of tea in a little while. I felt the need for gustatory comfort--slightly rich, carbohydrate dense nutrients to ease the ache of winter, sadness, and a little frustration.

twd: berry surprise cake

Diva eggs--Dorie's words.

Diva eggs--the bane of many TWD bakers this week.

I *usually* have luck working with eggs, but I was scared. After an unfortunate incident with my renegade KA, I decided to coax my Diva eggs into fluffy volume using my KA hand mixer. THEY TOOK FOREVER to increase in volume and thicken, rather like a Diva preparing for a night out on the town, keeping everyone waiting while she primps and fusses until every hair is in place, the lipstick is glossy and thick, and the strappy sandals are fastened just so. (not that I have EVER kept anyone waiting in just such a matter. Just don't ask my brother:)

My patience was tested, and my instinct was honed--I watched, listened, and worried over my eggs, but I kept going until they were ready.

And, I'm pleased to say that my cakes turned out just lovely.




They sank a tad while cooling, but no serious craters formed.






I left the cakes overnight, and assembled the final piece de resistance today, with a few mishaps, brought on by a) drinking Pinot Noir and b) chatting with my friends B. and B. while I made the syrup, filling, and topping.

I used meyer lemon zest and a hint of juice to flavor my syrup, which came together quickly.

When I started making the filling, I skimmed over the directions, and decided, distractedly, to use half and half instead of whipping cream before realizing that the filling actually is a kind of whipped topping, and hence the heavy cream is necessary. Rookie mistake. I blame, again, the wine, and my friends, whose conversation ranges from stalkers, odd colloquialisms, and general cheerfulness.

So I started over after my friends left, and the filling was finished in a snap. I decided to use some of my strawberry jam rather than fresh fruit because my inner locavore balked at the thought of out of season berries, even if I did have a vision of creating the Obama logo in berries. Instead, I printed out a little Obama swag to celebrate the day.



As I watched the inaugural ball coverage this evening and rested after a long day of intense emotions, the cake has made a surprisingly good companion. I love the lightness and freshness, the promise of Spring, of hope and virtue, of better days ahead after these days of stark darkness.



Thanks to Mary Ann of Meet Me in the Kitchenfor selecting this delightful recipe. Check out the other talented TWD bakers for more tales of Diva eggs and stately cakes:)

daily bliss: hope

photo taken by Master Sgt. Cecilio Ricardo, U.S. Air Force, courtesy of wikipedia

"The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness." President Barack Obama

dharmagirl 0, kitchen aid 1

the innocent looking KA


I'm laughing so hard that I can barely post...

Here I am, peacefully mixing up some cookie dough (Oatmeal Cherry Chocolate Pecan), and thinking happy thoughts about all my glorious baking experiences, how much I've learned, and generally feeling less than humble...

As the KA whirls the butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla together, I step to the island to grab the bowl of dry ingredients when I hear a most terrible sound--of clunking, of spinning, and then--horrors--of splintering. The spatula I left neatly placed across the top of the mixing bowl, now flailed around in the mixing bowl as the KA settled into a powerful turn.


spatula detritus

And, because of the splintering, I had to begin again. Luckily, I had not added the goodies yet or I would be crying instead of laughing.

So, thank you, oh talented KA, for keeping me humble. Forgive me for anthropomorphizing you, and for underestimating your sheer force

Now I'll proceed with delicacy with those diva eggs I've heard so much about for this week's TWD creation. Perhaps it's time to haul out the hand mixer?!?

daily bliss: jam

strawberry jam on a winter's morn

As the snowplow scrapes by, and brilliant winter sunshine streams in, I reach for another jar of jam from my hoosier cabinet, desperate for some taste of summer. As I pry off the lid and the air whooshes out, I remember that hot July day that I stood over the stove stirring the bubbling fruit and sugar, imagining this very day and the joy the jam would bring.

This morning I made a half batch of biscuits, using Mark Bittman's recipe. I slathered jam on the warm biscuits, fixed a cafe au lait, and watched the snow sparkle outside, and, in the distance, the lake undulate under a layer of ice.

daily bliss: shared meals

As much as I love to bake and cook, I delight in sharing my creations with others. Taking time to break bread or sip tea with others strengthens social bonds and can provide a much needed lift. My class has been enjoying hot beverages every morning, as I tote in a bag filled with coffee and tea supplies, including my old coffee maker and an hot electric kettle. On occasion, one of the students will bring in treats.

This weekend I've been fortunate enough to share a delicious pesto dinner with some friends who invited me over rather impromptu. The shared conversation seemed to infuse the simple dish with another layer of flavor. And, yesterday, my friend H. and I went to lunch after yoga class, and reflected on our goals for the year and how we want to achieve them. I've had quite a few of these conversations lately, made stronger by food. My friend B. and I also enjoyed lunch out together a week ago, and planned how we would execute better life balance.

Because so many of my meals are solitary affairs, I treasure those shared meals all the more. And while there's something to be said about the freedom of eating solo--an ultimate flexibility of time, of taste, of tradition--it's something I do too often, and something I will try to change.

daily bliss: yoga

the sacred symbol om

This morning my friend H and I drove to Kohler for a yoga class at Yoga-on-the-Lake, a new studio overlooking a small-ish lake. We walked into the studio, a large, warm open room, and immediately felt cozy and calm; it is heated to 85 degrees, via radiant heating--ahhh, bliss. The bathrooms are gorgeous, with curvilinear modern Kohler fixtures. As I settled my mat on the heated floor, I watched fat snowflakes drift to the ground before I was swept up in an intense vinyasa flow class.

Although I've practiced yoga for eight years, I've mostly practiced on my own, using CDs or DVDs as my teachers. Whenever I actually take a class, I'm curious and a little apprehensive about the teacher's style. Today's class challenged me, not through new poses, for the most part, but to reach within myself for edges that I often don't press. I felt my soul fly in half moon (ardha chandrasana), my favorite pose, and felt my heart wide open in camel (ustrasana), my least favorite pose. By the end of the class, my cheeks flushed and my whole being toasty and expanded, I felt...purified.

daily bliss: oatmeal

good morning


Nearly every morning, I start my day with a hearty bowl of oatmeal--Quaker Old Fashioned, topped with walnuts, dried fruit in the winter or fresh fruit in season, cinnamon, flax seed oil, and milk. Somedays I feel like dried cherries and pecans, others its dried cranberries (Wisconsin's finest!) and walnuts. Either way, it's a warm and delicious and healthy beginning!