 |
| One of my favorite quotes. |
There is something sexy about an omelette.
Maybe it’s the French connection. My first French omelette experience was at the little bistro restaurant by “Queen of the Omelette”, Mme Romaine de Lyon in NYC. The menu was a book of many pages, hand written and featured five hundred omelette recipes. An overwhelming task to make a selection. These recipes were categorized by the main ingredient followed by a cast of other ingredients. If you loved ham , you could add any other ingredient, but you would start on the ham page. There was hardly an ingredient not on the menu. The omelette was served with a salad dressed in a yummy classic French vinagrette, a glass of wine and a warm crusty French roll with delicious sweet butter. How simple, how wonderful, day or night.
While the first Omelette story I share below is based on a journal entry from a Snowy December in NYC, I felt I should share it now- since we're on the subject of Omelettes! So, you can save this idea for the Winter or, perhaps you'll be inspired to throw an omelette party now!
A Scavanger Hunt(and omelettes), 1971
On a night in December 1971, eight months pregnant with our son, I threw a scavenger hunt party. Dinner went like this:
When the guests finished their hunt(amidst falling snow) they returned to our carriage house where they were served omelettes, prepared by a French chef while regaling everyone with their stories and revealing their bounty. Prizes were given for the best stories.
When the guests finished their hunt(amidst falling snow) they returned to our carriage house where they were served omelettes, prepared by a French chef while regaling everyone with their stories and revealing their bounty. Prizes were given for the best stories.
The menu for the evening was inspired by Mme Romaine de Lyon. Ingredients for the omelettes- tomato, cheese, ham, smoked salmon, herbs, veggies, and caviar. French baguettes, mixed green salad vinegrette. White and red wine. Cheesecake and strawberries, and chocolate cake from William Greenberg, our favorite bakery in New York City in the 70’s.
 |
| From our (wine) journal 1971 (as mentioned early on, Bill and I started keeping records of our dinner parties in a wine journal-- before I continued on using other ledger paper filled and bound books- sketch books; school lined composition books; moleskine booklets; leather diaries and so on) |
Here were the clues presented to our 18 guests:
1. There’s an Isle above Bloomingdale’s where the natives speak Italian and if you can find Mona, she can help you get every last thing from the third table on the left.
2. Whatever you’ve done lately, we’re sure it deserved headlines, so bring it back on tonights front page.
3. If it’s a clear night you can probably find a Moondog and if you do – prove it.
4. We don’t want a thousand year old egg but we do want an old Chinese recipe in English and on a brand new raw egg.
5. Don’t check in but check out with a towel
6. No smoking tonight without an Italian ashtray, a French ashtray, a Chinese ashtray, a Russian ashtray, an American ashtray and a Japan ashtray.
7. It shouldn’t take more than a quarter to give us a wallet sized smile ( each of you).
8. If you can find an oasis surrounded by Palms don’t stop for tea, but hurry back with a leaf.
9. The Horseman chased the rabbit across the green. Find 3 pieces of luck in that if you can.
1. There’s an Isle above Bloomingdale’s where the natives speak Italian and if you can find Mona, she can help you get every last thing from the third table on the left.
2. Whatever you’ve done lately, we’re sure it deserved headlines, so bring it back on tonights front page.
3. If it’s a clear night you can probably find a Moondog and if you do – prove it.
4. We don’t want a thousand year old egg but we do want an old Chinese recipe in English and on a brand new raw egg.
5. Don’t check in but check out with a towel
6. No smoking tonight without an Italian ashtray, a French ashtray, a Chinese ashtray, a Russian ashtray, an American ashtray and a Japan ashtray.
7. It shouldn’t take more than a quarter to give us a wallet sized smile ( each of you).
8. If you can find an oasis surrounded by Palms don’t stop for tea, but hurry back with a leaf.
9. The Horseman chased the rabbit across the green. Find 3 pieces of luck in that if you can.
10. Make sure it’s good and there’s plenty of it- some of it pops, and one of them sounds like a New York Yankee.
Another is afraid of scarecrows, one of them comes from Pennsylvania and another has Peter & _Paul but no Mary- Please don’t stay for the cartoons.
11. 20’s 30’s, 40’s, or 50’s, it’s got to be Kitsch.
12. One old chief is worth 5 cents, a recent chief is worth 10 times that and one is pure silver.
13. We want you to come back hungry so get the menus and run back up town- start 50 blocks downtown.
14. We only want labels but you must find a red, a white, a rose and at least one drawing of a Chateau and one ’59 or ’61 vintage.
15. Find something to sit in evergreen or hang among needles. Pick one from the sky that we can set upon a high perch before the 25th.
16. Make a world tour and bring back a souvenir from each of 6 countries.
17. You won’t need a password but each of you must have one of the following: A policeman’s button, an entertainer’s autograph or a narrow tie.
18. Get a little culture or visit The Great White Way- along the path pick up at least 6 programs.
19. We know where you can get a foot long hot dog tonight- do you?
20. 10 feet of something.
21. A real New York Souvenir
And the Answers/Our original list showing the guests who came through:
Another is afraid of scarecrows, one of them comes from Pennsylvania and another has Peter & _Paul but no Mary- Please don’t stay for the cartoons.
11. 20’s 30’s, 40’s, or 50’s, it’s got to be Kitsch.
12. One old chief is worth 5 cents, a recent chief is worth 10 times that and one is pure silver.
13. We want you to come back hungry so get the menus and run back up town- start 50 blocks downtown.
14. We only want labels but you must find a red, a white, a rose and at least one drawing of a Chateau and one ’59 or ’61 vintage.
15. Find something to sit in evergreen or hang among needles. Pick one from the sky that we can set upon a high perch before the 25th.
16. Make a world tour and bring back a souvenir from each of 6 countries.
17. You won’t need a password but each of you must have one of the following: A policeman’s button, an entertainer’s autograph or a narrow tie.
18. Get a little culture or visit The Great White Way- along the path pick up at least 6 programs.
19. We know where you can get a foot long hot dog tonight- do you?
20. 10 feet of something.
21. A real New York Souvenir
And the Answers/Our original list showing the guests who came through:
 |
| To this day I love looking back at this(it remains within my journal from 1971). It's amazing how creative people got with their hunts! You see on the list, MOON DOG? He was a known NYC street musician who happened to be absent from his normal corner on the eve of the hunt. Our friends Tony and Angela(artists) created a paper rubbing of the manhole cover where he stood- proof that they located "him." Brilliant Fun! Speaking of omelettes, the very best tasting eggs are free range chicken eggs. We keep all kinds of chickens. Here are a few:     We frequent local fairs and farmer's markets- especially this time of year. Here's a look at all different colored eggs displayed at the Bridgewater Fair. |
Omelettes for Brunch, September 2011
Last weekend I hosted an omelette brunch for 12 that I bid on at a Christmas Party Last December. The brunch came complete with an omelette chef couple. When my guests arrived, we served smoked salmon spread on cucumber rounds accompanied by spicy bloody mary's or mimosas. The omelettes the chef couple made were accompanied by an escarole salad dressed in a yummy vinaigrette a la Mme Romaine.
 | |||||||
| Ingredients for the omelettes |
 |
| Zinnias from my garden |
 |
| Another table arrangement from my garden- sunflowers and tomatoes. |
Dessert was fun as I picked fresh peaches at a local Litchfield Connecticut farm (Starberry Farm) to make a sour cream double crust peach pie. And, I made a cheesecake reminiscent of a Craig Claiborne recipe by way of Maida Heatter.
 | ||
| My peach pie. |
Lots of laughs and stories. A great time was had by all!
Please check back for more September entries! My next post will be Sunday, September 25th.
xxoo, Sheila
Deep-Dish Peach Pie with
Cream-Cheese Crust
Cream-Cheese Crust
Serves 6
Plain Pastry for Bottom of Pie
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons cold butter
3 to 4 tablespoons of ice water
In the bowl of a food processor, add the flour and salt. With the machine running add the butter, one tablespoon at a time. Mix until mixture resembles coarse meal. Again, with the motor running, add the ice water, one tablespoon at a time, until dough gathers and forms into a ball. Add less or more water to achieve the pastry ball. Turn out onto a piece of saran wrap. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Cream Cheese Pastry for Top of Pie
8 tablespoons of butter, softened
8 tablespoons of cream cheese, softened
1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons heavy cream
In the bowl of a food processor, cream the butter and cheese, until smooth and fluffy.
Sift the flour, sugar and salt into the mixture. Add cream and mix until the dough gathers into a ball Turn the dough out onto saran wrap and dust with flour. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Filling
1 ½ pounds fresh peaches – skinned see below
1 tablespoon all–purpose flour
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons melted butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 egg yolk, lightly beaten with 2 tablespoons cold water
1 teaspoon sugar
To skin peaches: Place the peaches into a pot of boiling water for 30 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon and put into a bowl of ice water. When ready to handle, peel the peaches with a sharp paring knife. Cut the peach in half and remove the pit. Cut in half again.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Prepare the pastries:
Remove the two pastries from the refrigerator.
To roll out the bottom pastry: spread saran wrap on a work surface, place the pastry in center and cover with another piece of saran wrap. Begin to roll out the dough from the center to the outer edges. Continue to roll until the pastry is large enough to fill the bottom and sides of the pie plate. Remove the top layer of saran wrap. Lift the pastry with the bottom saran and turn over into the pie plate. Pat it down to fit the pan and trim off the edges, leaving a slight overhang to seal with the top crust.
To roll out the top crust: Roll out the cream cheese pastry in the same manner as above.
In a large bowl, combine the peaches, flour, brown sugar, butter and vanilla. Mix together gently and mound into the pie plate. Sprinkle lightly with cinnamon and dot well with butter. Place the top crust over the filling and press the top and bottom edges together ( crimp, flute, scallop, or rope the edges). Brush the top of the pastry evenly with the egg-yolk-water mixture, then sprinkle with the sugar. Cut 3 to 4 small slits in the top of the crust to allow steam to escape.
Bake for 40 minutes and then turn down the temperature to 350 degrees and cook for another 20 minutes , or until the crust is nicely browned.
Please check back for more September entries! My next post will be Sunday, September 25th.
xxoo, Sheila
all images,journal entries and stories contained herein copyright 2011 sheila mccaffery. all rights reserved.
0 comments:
Post a Comment
Thanks, I'm excited to get your comment and will respond shortly.