“Not exactly a ringing endorsement,” Meg commented.
“We’ll see,” Seth said. “Now that this is over, we’ve got our own event scheduled, remember?”
They drove back to Meg’s house, where there were already several cars parked in the driveway. Together they walked up the hill to the orchard and then turned to the north where the new trees were planted. In the midst of the rows, Bree, Christopher, and Lydia awaited them. Meg noticed that even shy Michael had come, no doubt dragged here by Bree.
“How did the big announcement go?” Lydia called out as they approached.
“Polished and inconclusive—I think we’re stuck with Rick and crew for a while longer.”
“Once the political bug has bitten you…” Lydia said. “Are we ready, Christopher?”
Christopher stepped forward. “We are gathered here to celebrate the creation of a new orchard, a joint project shared by Meg Corey and Seth Chapin—and the first of many, we hope. It always brings me joy to see new plantings, and in this case it connects past and future.” Christopher winked at Meg.
Bree stepped forward, juggling plastic champagne flutes and a bottle; she handed the glasses around and poured. “It’s sparkling cider, not champagne—we thought it was more appropriate.”
Christopher said, “Let us raise our glasses in honor of the new orchard and the new collaboration of Meg and Seth. May all of your projects prosper, and may your bushels overflow!”
Recipes
Apple Custard Cake
Meg found this recipe in a1914 American Cookery magazine stuffed into a wall of her house for insulation.
CAKE:
1¾ cups flour
½ tsp salt
4 level tsp baking powder
½ cup sugar
¼ cup (½ stick) butter
1 egg
1 cup milk
3 apples, peeled and cored
3 tbsp currants (if they seem dry, you may soak them in boiling water for a few minutes)
sugar for sprinkling (about ¼ cup)
CUSTARD:
1 egg, well beaten
2 tbsp butter, softened
3 tbsp sugar
½ cup milk
½ tsp vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Butter the baking pan. Sift together the dry ingredients for the cake. Work in the butter with two knives/a pastry cutter/a food processor. Beat the egg lightly and stir it into the batter along with the milk.
Peel and core the apples and slice them thinly. Lay them on the cake batter in rows. Strew the currants over the apples and sprinkle with sugar.
Place in preheated oven and bake for 30-35 minutes.
While the cake is baking, make the custard. Beat the egg. Cream the butter, then beat in the sugar, then the beaten egg, the milk, and the vanilla.
When the cake is set but not browned, pour the custard over it. Return the cake to the oven and finish baking, for another 15-20 minutes. The cake will be done when the custard layer is lightly browned.
Meg recommends that you use a fairly soft apple, like a Macintosh or a Golden Delicious (the latter holds its shape well in cooking).
Mushroom-Potato Gratin
This is a hearty dish, best made with fresh local mushrooms, that can serve as either a main course or a side dish.
1 pound mushrooms (they should be flavorful types such as hen-of-the-woods or Crimini, not button mushrooms, but you can combine varieties)
3 tbsp butter
1 or 2 cloves garlic, minced
1½ pounds potatoes, sliced thin (if you use new potatoes you don’t have to peel them, but older potatoes will need to be peeled)
salt and pepper
1½ cups heavy cream or half-and-half
¾ cup cheddar, coarsely grated
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 1½- to 2-quart shallow casserole dish.
Coarsely chop the mushrooms. Melt the butter and briefly sauté the garlic over medium heat, until it is softened but not browned. Add the mushrooms and sauté, turning frequently, until they begin to release their juices, 5-6 minutes.
Arrange a layer of sliced potatoes on the bottom of the baking dish, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spread a layer of the cooked mushrooms over the potatoes. Continue layering, ending with a layer of potatoes.
Pour the cream over the potato-mushroom layers (it will not cover the top layer, but that’s all right). Sprinkle the top with salt and pepper, then spread the grated cheese on top.
Bake in the preheated oven for 65-75 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese topping is golden brown. (You might want to put a baking sheet under the casserole in case it bubbles over.) Remove from the oven and let it sit for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Serves 3 to 4 people as a main dish (especially if you include a salad or vegetable on the side) or 6 to 8 as a side dish.
Nicky’s Pappardelle
with Butternut Squash and Blue Cheese
This is one of Nicky’s favorite winter recipes, because the squash is a good keeper, and also because the dish provides an interesting mix of contrasting flavors.
Nicky makes her own pappardelle at the restaurant. It’s easy to do, and you don’t need a pasta machine. But you can buy the noodles and they’ll work just as well.
1 large butternut squash (enough to make 6 cups when chopped)
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp butter
½ cup water
3 tbsp Marsala (optional, or you could substitute sweet sherry)
salt
1 pound pappardelle, or other hearty pasta
5 oz soft blue cheese (you can buy crumbles)
Peel, halve, and seed the squash and cut into roughly one-inch cubes.
In a large heavy saucepan (you’ll be adding the pasta to it later), sauté the onion in the oil until it just begins to turn golden. Stir in the butter and the squash. Add the water (and the Marsala/sherry if you’re using it). Cover and reduce the heat. Simmer for about ten minutes, or until the squash is tender but still holds its shape.
Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil, and add a big pinch of salt. Cook your pappardelle or other pasta according to the package instructions.
Season the squash-onion mixture with salt (the blue cheese will add more salt later) and remove the pan from the heat.
Reserve a half-cup of the pasta cooking water, and then drain the pasta. Add it to the squash mixture and mix gently. If it appears dry, add the reserved cooking water. Stir in the blue cheese.
Transfer to a large serving bowl. You may garnish it with chopped fresh sage in you like.
Makes 6 generous servings.
Sour Apples Page 27