Cannon N0 1 treat with no close contest: Meyer Lemon Cheesecake from Baking at the 20th Century Cafe 'Iconic European Desserts from Linzer Torte to Honey Cake' (Artisan Books, October 2020) by San Francisco baker extraordinaire Michelle Polzine

Cecil Cannon’s Favorite Meyer Lemon–Coconut Cheesecake

Cecil Cannon, the most remarkable child I have ever known, sprang from the loins of my soul brother, Vince Cannon, a Marxist punk rocker in the guise of a corporate lawyer, with a sense of humor even more bawdy than my own. She’s always got her nose stuck in a book (her stepmother, Claire, is an English professor) and is not afraid to speak her mind. Cecil has boldly declared Easter to be her favorite holiday, because that’s when I make Meyer lemon cheesecake. I in turn declare this to be Cecil Cannon’s Meyer Lemon–Coconut Cheesecake. Don’t expect her to share her piece with you.

As with the Vanilla Cheesecake, you bake the cake and crust separately and then perform the same tricky invert-­flip-­flip move to combine them. You can make the cake up to 3 days ahead, but don’t combine crust and cake until shortly before you plan to serve this, or the crust will get soggy. If you must put it together in advance, brush the crust with a thin layer of melted white chocolate before attaching it to the cheesecake.

Makes one 9-­ or 10-­inch (23-­ or 25-­centimeter) cake; serves 12

Ingredients:

For the Cheesecake

26 ounces (737 grams) cream cheese (see Note, opposite), at room temperature

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (255 grams) crème fraîche, homemade or store-­bought, at room temperature

3 tablespoons (18 grams) grated Meyer lemon zest

3 large eggs, at room temperature

2 large egg yolks, at room temperature

¾ cup (148 grams) granulated sugar

3 tablespoons (45 milliliters) Meyer lemon juice

Pinch of kosher salt

For the Crust

2 cups (226 grams) fine unsweetened dried coconut (sometimes called macaroon coconut)

¼ cup (28 grams) confectioners’ sugar

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

4 tablespoons (57 grams) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 tablespoon beaten egg white

2 teaspoons granulated sugar for sprinkling

Directions:

Make the cheesecake: Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Line a 10-inch (25-­centimeter) or 9-­by-­3-­inch (23-­by-­8-­centimeter) round cake pan with parchment and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large bowl, using a wooden spoon), paddle the cream cheese, crème fraîche, and lemon zest on low speed until creamy and smooth (the goal is not to add air to the mixture, which would cause the cheesecake to pouf while baking and then crack). Add the eggs one at a time, followed by the yolks, mixing after each addition until incorporated. Add the granulated sugar, lemon juice, and salt and mix, still on low speed, until homogeneous. Transfer to the prepared baking pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula.

Fold a paper towel into quarters and set it in the center of a roasting pan. Set the cake pan on top of the paper towel to prevent the bottom of the cake from overcooking and to keep the cake pan from sliding around when you move the roasting pan, then add enough hot water to the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the cake pan. Transfer to the oven and bake until the center of the cheesecake is set, about 50 minutes. Let cool in the water bath, then transfer to the refrigerator and chill for at least 4 hours. (The cake can be made up to 3 days ahead.)

Make the crust: Preheat the oven to 275°F (133°C). Using a dark marker, draw a circle the size of the pan you are using on a sheet of parchment, then flip the paper over and place it on a sheet pan.

In a medium bowl, combine the coconut, confectioners’ sugar, and salt. Stir in the butter and egg white until combined. Transfer to the center of the circle you traced and press into an even 10-­inch (25-­centimeter) or 9-­inch (23-­centimeter) round, depending on the size of the pan you’re using to bake the cake.

Bake the crust until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes, then transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool completely. Once it is cool, carefully peel off the parchment.

To assemble the cheesecake: Remove the cheesecake from the refrigerator. Run a small offset spatula, with the front of it facing outward, around the edges of the cake, pressing against the pan so you don’t cut into the cake. Then swirl the pan over a low burner to warm the bottom slightly and make it easier to remove the cheesecake from the pan. Blot any moisture that has accumulated on the surface of the cake with a paper towel, then sprinkle the surface of the cake with the granulated sugar. Take a deep breath! Invert a flat plate over the cheesecake and, in one fluid motion, turn the cheesecake out onto the plate. Carefully peel the parchment from the bottom of the cake, then set the baked crust on top of the cake. Invert a serving plate over the cake and (deep breath again!), in one fluid motion, invert the cake onto the serving platter so the crust is now on the bottom. With a sharp paring knife, trim any excess crust.

Cut the cake into wedges and serve.

(*Excerpted from Baking at the 20th Century Cafe by Michelle Polzine -Artisan Books-. Copyright © 2020. Photographs by Aya Brackett.)

Infuse Your Nightcap with Negroni Bianco Bergamotto from Negroni: More than 30 Classic and Modern Recipes for Italy’s iconic Cocktail (Ryland Peters & Small, 2021) by David T. Smith and Keli Rivers. 

NEGRONI BIANCO BERGAMOTTO

Italy is the home of the Negroni and this variation includes a few extra ingredients from the bel paese. The Italicus Bergamotto liqueur not only comes in a bottle that is itself a work of art, but it is flavored with botanicals such as yellow rose, gentian, chamomile and bergamot orange. The sparkling prosecco adds a bright zing and liveliness to this drink.

Ingredients:

25 ml/3⁄4 oz. Seven Hills Gin (or Twisted Nose Gin)

25 ml/3⁄4 oz. Suze

25 ml/3⁄4 oz. Dolin Bianco

25 ml/3⁄4 oz. Italicus Rosolio di Bergamotto Liqueur prosecco, to top up 

GARNISH

orange wheel

SERVES 1

Directions:

Add the ingredients (except the prosecco) to a large, ice-filled wine glass and gently stir. Top up with chilled prosecco and garnish with an orange wheel to serve.

(*From Negroni: More than 30 Classic and Modern Recipes for Italy’s iconic Cocktail by David T. Smith and Keli Rivers, Ryland Peters & Small/ Photos are by Alex Luck © Ryland Peters & Small 2021)

No connection whatsoever between snow melting and this week selection, Artisan Pizza and Craft Beers of the Pacific Northwest, our 2 books for Friday Book Giveaway Number 6.

Book cleaning before Spring...

First, Artisan Pizza, To Make Perfectly At Home (Kyle Books, 2015) by Giuseppe Mascoli of Franco Manca and Bridget Hugo.

Secondly, Craft Beers of the Pacific Northwest (Timber Press, 2011)  by Lisa M, Morrison

-Question: City where Timber Press is based

First come first serve.

After skipping last Friday due to a cold, Naturally Lean and Foolproof Freezer Cookbook are 2 Book Giveaway Number 5 lineup.

Each Giveaway is a Twofer, book cleaning before Spring.

First, plant based and gluten free recipes in Naturally Lean (Da Capo Lifelong, May 2016) by Allyson Kramer

Secondly, Foolproof Freezer Cookbook (Kyle Books, 2011) by Ghillie James.

-Question: Where is Ghillie James currently residing?

First come first serve.

Don't drop the ball, lache pas la boulette, with this Shrimp Boulettes recipe from Mosquito Supper Club (Artisan Books, April 2020) by Melissa Martin.

Shrimp Boulettes

Shrimp boulettes, or fried shrimp balls, might remind you of Thai fish cakes or Vietnamese shrimp on sugarcane. The shrimp is ground up and fried without any flour or cornmeal (shrimp is sticky enough to bind the vegetables together, so you don’t need to add any filler). Eat the boulettes as a snack with hot sauce, or put some on a roll with bitter greens, cocktail sauce, or spicy mayo to turn them into a sandwich. Either way, they are a great way to eat small fresh shrimp.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

¾ cup (110 g) coarsely chopped green bell pepper

2 tablespoons coarsely chopped green onion

¼ cup (25 g) coarsely chopped celery

2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1¼ pounds (565 g) peeled and deveined small or medium shrimp

1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed

⅛ teaspoon cracked black pepper, plus more as needed

⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper, plus more as needed

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon hot sauce, preferably Original Louisiana Hot Sauce, plus more as needed

Peanut oil, for frying

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine the bell pepper, green onion, celery, parsley, shrimp, salt, black pepper, cayenne, and hot sauce and toss to distribute the ingredients evenly. Using an old-fashioned meat grinder or a food processor, grind the mixture together. If using a food processor, work in small batches and pulse until smooth, then transfer to a bowl. In either case, after grinding, you should not see any vegetables; the boulette mix should be a homogenous paste.

Fill a large heavy-bottomed pot with 4 inches (10 cm) of peanut oil and heat the oil over medium-high heat to 375°F (190°C). (Alternatively, use a tabletop fryer; see page 25.)

Using two spoons or a small (#100) cookie scoop, form a ball of the boulette mix no bigger than the diameter of a quarter and carefully drop it into the hot oil. Fry this tester boulette for about 6 minutes, until golden brown on the outside. Transfer the boulette to a paper towel or a brown paper bag to drain excess oil and let it cool. Taste the boulette: Does the mix need more salt? More pepper or more heat? Add salt, black pepper, cayenne, or hot sauce to your liking—I like boulettes to have a slight vinegary taste, and hot sauce gives them that flavor. There is no one perfect formula. You have to taste your mix every time.

Once you have adjusted your mix, drop about 15 balls at a time into the hot oil and fry until golden brown, about 6 minutes. Transfer the boulettes to paper towels or brown paper bags to drain and cool briefly, then serve.

The boulette mix will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for 2 days. If making ahead of time, add the salt right before frying to keep the mix from getting watery.

(“Excerpted from Mosquito Supper Club by Melissa Martin -Artisan Books- Copyright © 2020. Photographs by Denny Culbert")

Holly holly, Best Food Writing 2016 and The Hungover Cookbook, make the cut for Book Distancing Number 4.

Each Giveaway is a Twofer, book cleaning before Spring.

First, all words, no illustrations, Best Food Writing 2016 (Da Capo Press) edited by Holly Hughes and featuring pieces by Todd Kliman, Dianne Jacobs and Oliver Sacks to name a few...

Second, The Hungover Cookbook (Clarkson Potter, 2010) by Milton Crawford, title says it all

Answer this question, and you win, first come first serve 

-Question: Name writer who called a hangover 'The Sewing Machine'

First come first serve.

Working man street food in Morocco, Harissa Couscous with Pine Nuts and Fried Eggs recipe from Vegetarian Tagines & Couscous, 65 Delicious Recipes for Authentic Moroccan Food (Ryland Peters & Small) by Ghillie Basan.

Harissa Couscous with Pine Nuts and Fried Eggs

This is a tasty street dish, which is also popular in working men’s cafés in the markets and ports. It is great served for brunch or for a quick spicy snack late at night. If you want to create a meal around it, replace the eggs with one of the egg tagines, or serve it with pickled chillies and a yogurt-based salad.

Ingredients:

350 g/2 cups couscous

1 teaspoon sea salt

400 ml/1 2⁄3 cups warm water

1–2 tablespoons pine nuts

2 tablespoons ghee, or 1 tablespoon olive oil plus 1 tablespoon butter

2 generous teaspoons Harissa *

a small bunch of fresh flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

4 eggs

sea salt and freshly ground

black pepper

*Harissa

12 dried red chillies (Horn or New Mexico), deseeded

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

2 teaspoons coriander seeds

1 teaspoon sea salt

3–4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

a small bunch of fresh coriander/cilantro, finely chopped

4 tablespoons olive oil

a small sterilized jar

Makes a Small Jar

Directions:

Put the chillies in a bowl and pour over enough warm water to cover them. Leave them to soak for 2–3 hours, then drain and squeeze out any excess water.

Using a mortar and pestle, pound the cumin and coriander seeds to a coarse paste with the salt. Add the garlic and pound until creamy, then add the chillies and pound to a thick paste. Stir in the fresh coriander/cilantro and bind with most of the olive oil.

Transfer the paste to a small sterilized jar and pour in the remaining oil so that there is a thin layer floating on top. It will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

_________________

SERVES 4

Put the couscous into a large bowl. Stir the salt into the warm water and pour it over the couscous. Stir once to make sure all the grains are submerged in the water, cover the bowl with a clean tea/dish towel and leave the couscous to absorb the water for 10 minutes. Rake the couscous with a fork to break up the grains.

Dry roast the pine nuts in a heavy-based saucepan, or the base of a tagine, until they begin to turn golden brown. Stir in half of the ghee until it melts, then add the Harissa. Tip the couscous into the pan and toss it in the ghee and Harissa, until it is thoroughly mixed.

Season the couscous, toss in half of the parsley, cover the pan and keep warm.

Heat the remaining ghee in a frying pan and crack the eggs into it. Cover the pan and fry the eggs until the whites are just firm.

Tip the couscous onto a serving dish, place the eggs on top of it, and garnish with the rest of the parsley, to serve.

(* Recipe from 'Vegetarian Tagines & Couscous, 65 Delicious Recipes for Authentic Moroccan Food'  by Ghillie Basan, © Ryland Peters & Small, Photography by Steve Painter)

Book Distancing Number 3, Friday Giveaway, 

Each Giveaway is a Twofer, book cleaning before Spring.

Travel in pictures and Cheesy recipes today

First, Paris In Color (Chronicle Books, 2012) by Nichole Robertson

Second Grilled Cheese Please! 50 scrumptious cheesy recipes (Andrews McMeel, 2011) by Laura Werlin

Answer 2 questions, and you win, first come first serve 

-Question 1: Wh0 can you associate with Chat Noir?

-Question 2:  What would you add to a Camembert and Comté sandwich?

Are you crepe ready?

Chandeleur 2021 is Tomorrow February 2.

Actually La Chandeleur always falls on February 2. 

I will make some for lunch, couples that it. Two crepes with in the middle (for me) a mix of cheese, eggs and ham.

I make my crepe batter an hour ahead of actually making crepes to give the batter time to rest.

Ham is not a pre-requisite so make your own version, vegetarian if you wish. 

To help you get started, check this Starter guide to Crepes batter from Crepes , 50 Savory and Sweet Recipes (Chronicle Books, April 2012) by Martha Holmberg.

(*Illustration is 'Sweet Ricotta Crepes' also named 'Apostles' Fingers' from Dolci -Stewart, Tabori & Chang- October 2011 by Francine Segan, photography by Ellen Silverman)

Book Distancing Number 2, Friday Giveaway, 

Each Giveaway is a Twofer, book cleaning before Spring.

Will it Waffle? by Daniel Shumski (Workman, 2014)

The Italian Table by Ron Suhanosky (Kyle Books, 2011)

Answer 2 questions, and you win, first come first serve 

-Question 1: What sauce do you need for a Croque-Madame

-Question 2:  What does Spiedini means?