Cathy Burnham Martin's Blog, page 80

National Raspberry Popover Day

Popovers deliver as a comfort food extraordinaire! I quite simply adore them… hot from the oven, crispy & golden on the outside, and yet soft and steamy inside… split and slathered with plenty of salty butter and then delightfully devoured. Of course, they can be served on their own, with brunch, alongside a favorite soup, or even filled with a favorite creamy anything… from seafood to beef burgundy.

They are very much like Yorkshire Pudding, but instead of baking the batter in a roast beef’s delectable juices, we use a somewhat deeper version of a muffin tin. The typical popover pan has 6 cups, rather than a dozen. When we butter each tin before filling with batter, we also butter the rims as the batter will “pop” over the cup’s edges as it bakes.

On this day, we are sweetening up these precious puffs. If you already make popovers, it’s a simple matter of adding 1-2 tsp sugar and a couple teaspoons of freshly zested orange and lemon peel to the batter, and up to ½ tsp vanilla extract, if desired. Just before baking place half a dozen fresh raspberries on top of each cup of batter, slightly pressing them down. Bake as usual and serve hot, with a dusting of confectionary sugar…. Plus, butter and some extra raspberry preserves, if you’d like.

It all starts with Super Simple Perfect Popovers. Glad you “popped” in to enjoy my recipe for popovers, baking technique tips, and some variations.

Super Simple Perfect Popovers
4 lg eggs, at room temperature
1½ c whole milk, at room temperature
¾ tsp salt
1 ½ c flour (all-purpose works best)
3 T butter, melted, slightly cooled (and another T for prepping the popover pan)

Use an eggbeater or immersion blender to combine eggs, milk & salt in large bowl. Then add the flour, beating or blending till smooth. Finally, drizzle in the butter, blending till frothy. Let the batter rest 15-20 minutes at room temperature. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 450°F, with 1 rack at the very highest position and another rack in the bottom third of the oven. Place a popover pan on the lower rack to preheat with the oven for 3-5 minutes. Once preheated, remove the pan from the oven and brush the 6 cups and their rims with the extra melted butter. Pour batter into the 6 cups till ¾ full. Place pan in lower third of oven and close door. Without opening the door again, lower the temperature to 400° and let bake 20 minutes. Without opening the door, reduce heat again to 350° and continue baking for 10 more minutes. Remove pan from oven and pierce the top of each popover with the tip of a sharp knife. Immediately split and serve with softened butter or anything else you choose.

KISS Tips: Not opening the door while baking popovers is key, so resist the temptation to “peak.” If you have an oven door with a window, that will have to do. IF in the last 10 minutes of baking, the tops appear to be getting too brown, quickly open the oven door and slip a baking sheet onto the top rack and immediately close the door again. Piercing the tops of popovers when they come out of the oven lets the steam escape to prevent them from getting soggy. Some people like to place their popover pan on a baking sheet before placing it in the oven, but I prefer to let the heat access the cups of the tin to help the bottoms of the popovers also get toasty.

KISS Variations: A favorite savory variation of mine comes from adding 1-2 T dried onion soup mix to the batter along with the flour. To satisfy a sweet tooth, turn these into Raspberry Popovers by adding ½ tsp 100% pure vanilla extract to the beaten egg mixture and 1 T sugar + 1 tsp each lemon zest + orange zest to the flour mixture. Before placing in the oven, add half a dozen fresh raspberries to the top of each popover cup and press down slightly. When they come out of the oven, sprinkle with a dusting of confectioners’ sugar and serve with butter and raspberry preserves or a drizzle of raspberry syrup along with more fresh raspberries, if desired. You can use fresh blueberries, blackberries, cut & pitted fresh cherries, or diced peaches in the same manner, to turn these into Blueberry Popovers, Blackberry Popovers, Cherry Popovers, or Peachy Popovers.

World Tuna Day

Grilling a gorgeous tuna steak would be la wonderful way to celebrate World Tuna Day! I say this despite the fact that one of my friends comes to mind who eats no fish except for canned tuna. While she would cringe over anything other than tuna from a can, I will delve forward into other ideas.

Sometimes it’s great to be able to present a smashingly awesome appetizer. On World Tuna Day, a raw tuna sushi selection may appeal. My personal preference is to give the tuna a gentle searing, but keeping it totally pink inside, as in tataki. So, be a bit adventurous today and enjoy my Tuna Tataki Crisps! They were inspired by servings I enjoyed in various restaurants over the years, so dining out is another option, but these crisps are really quite simple to make.

Let’s start with the Fried Wonton Chips. Cut 15 squares wonton wrappers in half, either horizontally into rectangles or diagonally into triangles. Deep fry a few at a time in peanut (or canola) oil at 365°F for about 30 seconds, until crisp. Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels, salting, if desired.

See… that was easy! Need it even more Super Simple? Use premade flour tortilla chips.

You will also want a topping. Choose a bottled ponzu, sweet Thai chili, tamari or soy, or even a teriyaki sauce. Or make a Wasabi Cream to drizzle. Start with ½ c of sour cream or mayonnaise and mix in 1 T wasabi paste, 1 tsp each: bottled minced ginger, tamari or soy sauce, and fresh lime juice, and a sprinkle of kosher salt & ground black pepper.

I respectfully as that you do not use canned tuna. Go for the real deal with Tuna Tataki. Start with a 6-oz fresh (or frozen, thawed) 1”-thick ahi tuna steak, rinsed & patted dry with paper towels. Then, if desired, cut into 1”-wide “logs” before tossing in 1 T sesame oil (or some lime juice) and sprinkling with a combo of 1 T of both white and black sesame seeds. (Of course, sesame seeds are optional.) Cook the strips in olive oil over med-high heat for just 1-3 min, turning to brown on all sides, but keeping the fish very pink in the center. Remove it from the pan, let it cool slightly, and slice or dice, as you prefer.

To assemble Tuna Tataki Crisps, place your Fried Wonton Chips on a serving platter or individual serving dishes. Top with your choice of baby greens, spring mix, coleslaw, seaweed salad, or sliced/diced avocado… with your prepared Tuna Tataki. Drizzle with Wasabi Cream and garnish with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and a thin strip of pickled sushi ginger; serve immediately.

A 6-oz tuna steak makes enough appetizer portions for 4, or it makes multiple tapas bites. Have fun and be creative. For example, you can turn these into Asian Shrimp Bites, by replacing the tuna with grilled shrimp. Or try Tataki Nachos by using guacamole and mango salsa and topping each with a thin slice (or dice) of seeds-removed jalapeño pepper. The possibilities are endless.

Loyalty Lives!

 

“You cannot buy loyalty. You cannot buy the devotion of hearts, minds, and souls. You have to earn these things.” 

—Clarence Francis, (1888-1985)
American business executive

Carry On… You CAN do it!

 

“It’s not the load that breaks you down; it’s the way you carry it.”

— Lena Horne (1917 – 2010)
American singer

National Sense of Smell Day

 

Mmmmmm… Most of us have memories of certain aromas that make us smile, flash us back in time, trigger thoughts of a special person, or even stir our hunger. On the last Saturday of April each year, we recognize one of our special 5 senses.

 

 

This is a day to stop and smell the roses, as they say. Or breathe deeply to take in the essence of special spices.

 

 

Or recall coffee beans grinding at the front of the A&P. Sometimes, it may be easy to overlook or take our sense of smell for granted… until we catch a head cold!

 

Think for just a moment about smells that may be special to you. One of my favorites is that moment when my nose tells me that the lilacs have blossomed. I also love the clean, sweetness in the air after a spring rainfall.  Or the waft of a nearby campfire… or even freshly cut grass.

Of course, most of my super scents relate to food. (Oh, such a big surprise!) Very little tops the way the whole house smells when I am cooking bacon. But a hot loaf of bread coming out of the oven comes close. Or a pot of sensational soup on the stove or some other aromatic dish.

 

 

 

 

I am most grateful that I am blessed with many senses, but today I say a special “thank you” for the sense of smell.

National Blueberry Pie Day

My mother made the best blueberry pies EVER! Her homemade piecrusts turned out light, flaky, and perfect every time. Her blueberries with those madly marvelous small-sized wild berries that we all dutifully picked each year and then froze for incredible edible enjoyment for the rest of the year. She never added too much sugar either, just enough to bring out the bountiful berry juices. If I want to slide into Memory Lane euphoria, I can simply remember savoring a scintillating slice of Mom’s blueberry pie, still warm from the oven and usually adorned with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

I admit that I never developed the patience to deliver her consistently perfect piecrusts. And I no longer make the annual pilgrimage to pick the bountiful northern New England berries. Further, Mom is enjoying her well-earned retirement, although she regularly delights her friends and family with some of our favorite goodies.

On this National Blueberry Pie Day 2023, I will share with you my 1980 recipe for a pie that combines strawberries, blueberries, and whipped cream. See, we’re on the right track! Make it now or tuck this recipe away for a perfect summer’s day delight.

 

Super Simple Red, White & Blueberry Pie
(We now know this as a classic at Café Martin.)

4 lbs strawberries, washed & hulled (8 heaping cups total):
4 heaping cups sliced (these should be fresh berries), halved if small berries
4 heaping cups sliced berries (can be frozen), then mashed into 2 heaping cups mashed
16 small, attractive berries for garnishing (8 on each pie)
1/3 c sugar (or fave substitute, such as coconut sugar or monkfruit)
4 T cornstarch
2 T lemon, lime or orange juice (or combination)
¼ c cranberry juice
red food coloring, if desired
2 T butter
2 c fresh blueberries
2 prepared pie shells (store-bought shortbread cookie crust or regular baked & cooled)
Fresh (or canned) whipped cream, and plenty of it

In large saucepan, mix mashed strawberries with sugar, cornstarch & juices.  Cook over low heat, stirring until thickened & transparent.  Add a few drops of red food coloring, if desired.  Stir in butter, till melted.  Add the sliced/halved strawberries & the blueberries (saving some blueberries for garnish), stirring to coat with glaze.  Pour into shells, pressing to fill air pockets.  Chill thoroughly (at least 3-4 hours, or overnight).  At serving time, top with whipped cream; garnish with small, whole strawberries & the reserved blueberries.  Makes 2 pies.

KISS Note:  I have no idea what to do with leftovers. There have never been any.

Go for full-sized pies or mini tarts. Add currents, raspberries, blackberries, and even fresh mint leaves to your toppings, if desired. Or go extra Super Simple and serve the filling and topping over split hot biscuits as Red, White & Blueberry Shortcake!

Yes, this is one of many recipes in one of the first cookbooks I first published in 2007. The paperback and digital editions of “Fifty Years of Fabulous Family Favorites: Starters, Sippers, & Sweets” remains popular on Amazon and other sites.

National Poem in Your Pocket Day

The Academy of American Poets started this tradition in 2008 to recognize poetry and American poets. Carry a favorite poem in your pocket and pull it out and read it on this day. You can read it aloud outside your own front door, to co-workers, or in some public place, regardless of how unexpected it might be!

Perhaps you’ll choose something serious or emotionally moving. I like those that ring with thought or philosophy or downright silly humor. Let me share 3 little gems with you on National Poem in Your Pocket Day. They all come from Americans born in the 1800’s… Humor and insight are indeed ageless.

“My candle burns at both ends;
It will not last the night;
But ah, my foes, and oh, my friends—
It gives a lovely light!”

— Edna St. Vincent Millay (1892 – 1950)
American poet

 

 

“I’m nobody! Who are you?
Are you nobody, too?
Then there’s a pair of us – don’t tell!
They’d banish us, you know.

How dreary to be somebody!
How public, like a frog
To tell your name the livelong day
To an admiring bog!”

— Emily Dickinson (1830 – 1886)
American Poet

“I never saw a Purple Cow,
I never hope to see one,
But I can tell you, anyhow,
I’d rather see than be one!”

— Gelett Burgess (1866 – 1951)
American artist

#PocketPoem

National Pretzel Day

“Twist like a pretzel without losing your salt.”

 

That was the theme of a popular “talk” I used to deliver as a business and motivational speaker in past decades. And I still see it as a worthy skill to this day.

We typically think of pretzels as a yummy comfort food snack. I’ve replaced the crunchy ones out of a bag with big, freshly baked varieties.

Wendy Tirollo and the giant pretzel

 

 

I recall experiencing my first jumbo size at a sports bar in Las Vegas… in the picture, that’s our friend, Wendy Tirollo sporting the pretzel bracelets. We still love the monster varieties and the sticks, too… crispy outside, while soft and tender inside.

 

 

 

 

We still enjoy the big varietals at the Iron Key Brewery and the to-die-for sticks at the Green River Tavern… both served with beer cheese and zesty mustard on the side for dipping.

 

 

 

Top them with anything you like, from nuts and seeds to everything bagel seasoning… For me, please make it plenty of good, coarse kosher salt! So, twist like a pretzel when you must, but never lose your salt!

National Hug a Plumber Day

 

 

Bob & Glenna Burnham at their wedding reception, June 24, 1950

 

 

My Dad is the plumber I celebrate today. Though he is no longer with us on this planet, I send Bob Burnham my hug in heaven.

 

 

 

 

Dad in his greenhouse 1987

 

He and Mom got married in Goffstown, NH on June 24, 1950. In all, they enjoyed 70 years together, and everyone who knew him benefited. All my friends were taught to call him Uncle Bob, whether or not they were my cousins. Dad was also a great gardener, clever cook, and fabulous father.

 

At our wedding, September 8, 2001

 

 

I was blessed with this gentle man in my life. He taught me so very much about hard work, caring for others, and loving life. Thank you, Dad, forever and ever!

Dig In!!!

“Your diamonds are not in far distant mountains or in yonder seas; they are in your own backyard if you but dig for them.”

— Russell H. Conwell (1843-1925)
American lawyer, educator, writer, and minister

For me, this quote is a reminder to count our blessings. We so easily take what’s most precious for granted as we get wrapped up in daily stresses and stressors. So, let’s dig a little and enjoy the gems.