Pleasures of the season

Now that the official start of summer has arrived, I’m into my latest obsession: dining by the ocean.

Sitting outdoors, sunlight glittering over the ocean, the hot sun on my back, a nice breeze in the air…. got my shades on.  Sipping a cool, crisp, sauvignon blanc and getting lulled into a state of total nirvana. 

Is there anything better than this?!

Add the perfect dish of mussels with it, and the answer is no.  No. 

More than this….  There is nothing more than this.  You tell me one thing…. More than this….

This song should get you into this state, with or without the al fresco thing.

But if dining outdoors by the ocean sounds good to you...


perhaps you might like to try....

1. Drive to Olde Cape Cod - Massachusetts - Falmouth, to be exact.

2. Make your way to the Flying Bridge Restaurant and ask to be seated outside.  

3. Quickly get over the occasional unconventional server.

4. Order a nice glass of white wine.  (That should help.)

5. Look at the menu as if you are considering an option other than mussels.

6. Order the mussels.

7. Finish your glass of wine as you await your mussels.

8. Get lulled by the ocean and the heat and the wine.

9. Order a second glass of wine.

10. Savor the juices and every delectable mouthful of sheer heaven as you spend one of the nicest afternoons you've had in a long time.

It had been nine months since I had tasted those mussels.  Way too long.



Mussels prepared with chorico, white wine,
lemon, garlic, basil and butter

Now for a meal that I have been making obsessively at home.  Salmon with salad.  Nothing fancy, just light, easy and delicious.

 Salmon with Salad 



The way I'm making salad these days....

Combine red leaf and green leaf lettuce.  Squeeze on some lemon and drizzle with olive oil.  Add salt and freshly ground pepper.  Eat.

Sometimes I put some celery in it, and maybe some grape tomatoes and kalamata olives.  OMG!

The way I'm making salmon these days....

Put salmon in a baking dish skin side down.  Spray the top of salmon with cooking spray. Add salt, freshly ground pepper, and some dried thyme.  Bake at 400F for 15-20 minutes or until done.  YUM!

What I'm drinking with it...

Saumur.  A chenin blanc from the Loire Valley in France.  MMM!

Enjoy! 

Happy Mother's Day

I've always been a fan of Better Homes and Gardens magazine.


The May issue features this beautiful cake on the cover.  I tried my hand at making it today.

This exercise has given me a whole new appreciation for food stylists, great dessert chefs and accomplished photographers.

Pink Lemonade Cake

It has just two layers, one with a bit more red food coloring than the other.  When cool, you slice the layers in half.  Karen Tack, cookbook author and cake decorating innovator, recommends baking the cake layers a day ahead so that they're completely cooled and easier to slice.

 Pink Lemonade Cake

1 c. (2 sticks) butter

4 eggs

3 1/3 c. all purpose flour

1 TB baking powder

½ tsp. salt

2 c. sugar

Red food coloring

1 1/3 c. milk

¼ c. frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed

1 tsp. pure lemon extract

Allow butter and eggs to stand at room temp. for 30 min.  Meanwhile grease 2 9x2 inch round pans.  Line bottoms with parchment, grease paper.  Flour pans, tapping to remove excess; set aside.  In medium bowl stir together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

Preheat oven to 350F. In extra-large mixing bowl, beat butter with mixer on medium to high for 30 seconds.  Gradually add sugar, about ¼ c. at a time, beating on medium until well combined.  Scrape sides of bowl; beat 2 min. more.  Add ½ tsp. red food coloring; beat to combine. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

In bowl, stir together milk, lemonade concentrate, and extract (mixture will look curdled).  Alternately add flour and milk mixture to butter mixture, beating on low after each addition just until combined.  Remove half (4 cups) of tinted batter; spread in one pan.  In remaining batter in bowl, stir in ¼ tsp. red food coloring.  Spread in second pan.  Bake at 350 for 35 min.  Remove pans, place on cooling rack.

Cool cake completely – baking a day ahead is a good idea.  Horizontally split each one in half with a long serrated knife, sawing gently back and forth to make two layers from each cake.  You can keep the knife level with wooden blocks or a cutting board.

The lemonade buttercream frosting is so yummy.

Now there's a little bit of heaven. Mmmmmm.

Quoting Karen Tack in BHG, "A traditional Swiss buttercream requires making a sugar syrup and whipping eggs whites to create a meringue.. I use marshmallow creme in my frosting as a stand-in for the meringue. Just add softened butter and a little powdered sugar and you have a delicious, gorgeous frosting."

Lemonade Buttercream

3 c. (6 sticks) unsalted butter

2 16 oz. jars marshmallow crème

¼ cup frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed

1 c. powdered sugar

2 tsp. pure lemon extract

In very large bowl, beat butter with mixer on medium until light and fluffy, about 30 seconds. Add marshmallow crème and lemonade concentrate.  Beat until smooth, scraping bowl sides.  Add powdered sugar and extract; beat until light and fluffy (if frosting is stiff, soften in microwave for no more than 10 seconds, then beat until smooth).  Use to frost Pink Lemonade Cake.  Or store, refrigerated, up to three days, of freeze up to a month. Bring to room temperature before frosting cake.  Makes 6 cups.

I think that this cake tastes best after its refrigerated.  And it cuts beautifully, too, into nice, thin slices.  It could easily serve 20 people.


Happy Spring!