Jerry's Thoughts, Musings, and Rants!

SSB - Week 5 - Lemony Semolina Cookies (Biscotti di Limone e Semolino)

Happy Mother's Day!

Krista came up with the notion that it might be interesting to get a group of folks together to bake and blog each week. A group of us on Slow Travel are going to do just that. Each participant selects a recipe from the cookbook and we all work our way through it. Today is the fifth entry in our baking challenge as we continue to work our way through Dolce Italiano by Gina DePalma (who also happens to be a member of the slowtravel community). This is my last entry before I head to Italy to experience some of these treats in their 'home' country.

This week it was my turn to select the recipe for the slowbakers to make -  Lemon Semolina Cookies (biscotti di limone e semolino). I selected it because I thought that the cookies would go nicely with the dessert I was making for Mother's Day dinner - a Champagne Gelatin with Strawberries. I also selfishly thought it would be a simple thing to put together two days before we leave for Italy (hmmm, I wonder how many different ways I can weave that into the post?).

These cookies are deliciously crunchy, lemony enough to suit any lemonfan and not too sweet. They would go equally with tea or coffee and would probably be very nice along with a glass of limoncello after a heavy dinner in place of a more traditional dolce. I like the way that the light coating of sugar glistens in the light.

Lemony Semolina Cookies

Source: Dolce Italiano by Gina De Palma
Makes 5 dozen cookies

2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup semolina
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup granulated sugar, plus extra for rolling
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
freshly grated zest and juice of one lemon
2 tablespoons limonccello
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Whisk flour, semolina, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a bowl.

Using KitchenAid (or similar) cream together the butter, oil and 1 cup sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and egg yolk, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Continue to add the lemon zest, juice, limoncello and vanilla, making sure to scrape the sides of the bowl down.

Using low speed beat in the dry ingredients until a very soft dough is formed. Scrape out onto a sheet of plastic wrap, flatten into a disc, wrap and chill for an hour.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease two baking sheets, line with baking parchment or line with a teflon sheet.

Break off teaspoon-sized bits of dough and roll them into balls about an inch in diameter. Roll each in a small bowl of sugar and place on the tray. Make sure to space them an inch apart as they'll spread.

Bake for 14-15 minutes until they've flattened out and are crinkly on top. Cool on the sheet for 2 minute and then use a spatula to transfer to a wire rack.

Packing

Six days to go. I need to think about packing . . .

Palma has already packed her bags and weighed them to see if they will be accepted on a plane without penalty.

Me? I am making lists . . .

One of the great on going debates  discussion on the slowtravel community message board generally revolves around packing. There are those who swear by their ability to pack enough clothing for an entire three week European adventure in a carry on bag. We are not in that camp. No, not evening close.

I see nothing to be gained by rinsing out my jockey shorts each evening with shampoo and hanging them to dry in the window.

Someone posted this a few weeks back:

We just returned from one week in Paris, and it (a BACKPACK) performed very well. I was able to pack a pair of jeans, a pair of chinos, two polos, two long sleeve button down shirts, one sweater, one pair of shoes, six pairs of socks, six pairs of boxers, one heavy jacket, three under shirts, one long sleeve tee, one short sleeve, tee, a pair of mesh shorts, two books, four magazines, shaving kit, notebook, maps, and other smaller items. It was comfortable to carry through airports, the Paris metro, and while walking down the street. If you regularly can use a 22" roller for one week trips, then you can use this too. It was perfect.

Nothing about this, other than a week in Paris, sounds perfect to me. Hell, I need a backpack just for my camera, iPod, video camera, cell phone, assorted chargers, international plug, etc.

Frankly I do NOT pack lightly at all. Why, you ask?

1. Read the jockeys in the bathroom sink drying in the window for  # 1.
2. I don't care to wear the same outfit five days in a row. I suppose no one would know. The problem is I would and I wouldn't be able to live with ME!
3. Yes, I know that the people I see don't know me and I will likely never run into them again. However, I just do NOT like the thought of wandering about with my clothing looking like Phyllis Diller's ankles because I have rolled it up in a tube to fit it all in a carry-on.
4. I am addicted to guidebooks. Guidebooks take up room in the suitcase. Hell, just printing out hotel reservations, plane reservations, directions to the villa, car rental agreements, etc has filled a file folder.
5. I am not a nudist (and the world gives thanks for that). I like clothing.
6. Apparently I have shoe issues. I bring different pairs with me. I bring walking shoes, sandals, running shoes, dress shoes. Sometimes I bring river shoes or hiking boots. Have you ever tried to put a pair of hiking boots in a backpack?
7. Some folk enjoy wearing nothing but black for weeks on end. I am neither a monk nor a goth. I enjoy some colour in my life. Having a clothing palette involves a variety of colours. This takes luggage room to mix and match appropriately.
8. I like to bring wine home with me. Thanks to those pinheads who tried to down an airliner with the contents of a coke can I can no longer bring my wine home as carry-on. Now I have a wine suitcase, carefully fitted with styrofoam, to safely bring that liquid gold home with me.
9. I have been known to purchase a thing or two. Actually I have been known to purchase so many things that I was forced to mail boxes of dirty clothing home in order to make room for my purchases in my suitcase. I could fill a carry-on in 5 seconds in Florence.

So you see, I just don't get it. To those who like to pack lightly, I say - good for you. I shall have my two bags, changes of clothing, clean jockey shorts, shoes, wine, and purchases.

This You-tube has some helpful advice for those of you who wish to pack lightly. At first I thought it was helpful, having watched it a few times I now think it is mocking light packers. I like it more now. :-)

Sunday Slow Bakers - Week 4 Grappa-soaked Mini Sponge Cakes

Krista came up with an idea that it would be fun to get a group of folks together to bake and blog each week. A group of us on Slow Travel are going to do just that. Each participant selects a recipe from the cookbook and we all work our way through it. Today is the fourth entry in our baking challenge as we continue to work our way through Dolce Italiano by Gina DePalma (who also happens to be a member of the slowtravel community).

This week's selection, Grappa-Soaked Mini Sponge Cakes (pan di spagna con grappa), was selected by Palma. It presented folks with a few challenges - many of us didn't have mini bundt cake pans. Some used a large bundt pan, others muffin tins. Me? I had an mini easter egg bundt tin which I have used once. I was far too concerned about saving money for our upcoming trip to Italy to buy a new pan. I made easter egg grappa soaked mini sponge cakes.

The other challenge was in finding the grappa. Sandi searched in vain but discovered that the Piggly Wiggly in Alabama just did not carry the stuff. I had no trouble finding grappa but it was only available in huge bottles. Funny that I had no trouble shelling out $ 50 bucks for grappa but would not buy new cake pans 10 days prior to leaving for Italy . . . I ended up buying a Mazzetti Grappa di nebbiolo in honour of our upcoming trip to Piemonte. Others used brandy, amaretto, or lemoncello.

I only needed 4 tablespoons of the grappa for the cakes, I am sure that Paul will drink the rest of the stuff. . . .

This is Paul knocking back a third glass of Casa Emma grappa during our tour of the winery back in /06. It was thoughtful of his to drink mine because I was driving, his own because he just can't waste a good drink, and mom's because she was already 'overserved'. I'm not sure that he has recovered from his grappa induced coma though.

Grappa-soaked Mini Sponge Cakes

For the grappa syrup:

3/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons grappa
1/4 cup water

For the sponge cakes:

2 cups cake flour (I used all-purpose)
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
8 large eggs, separated (mine were extra-large so I only used 7)
1 1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon grappa
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
pinch of salt
1/4 tsp cream of tartar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray and flour 2 mini bundt pans (or one large bundt pan).

Stir together the ingredients for the grappa syrup in a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat until the mixture comes to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow the syrup to cool.

Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together into a mixing bowl. Set aside.

Place the egg yolks, sugar, and honey in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat at medium speed until they are very light, pale yellow, and doubled in volume (about 3 minutes). Beat in the grappa and vanilla, followed by the melted butter. Transfer this mixture into a large mixing bowl. Fold in the dry ingredients quickly and lightly, using a large rubber spatula, stopping just before they are fully mixed together.

Clean the mixer bowl and whisk attachment and carefully dry. Place the egg whites and salt in the bowl and beat on medium-high speed until foamy and light. Add the cream of tartar. Beat until stiff peaks form. Fold the egg whites into the batter quickly and lightly.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pans, filling them 3/4 of the way full. Smooth the tops. Bake the cakes for 20 - 25 minutes (note, the time will be longer if you are making one large cake), or until the cakes pull away from the sides of the pans. Allow the cakes to cool for about five minutes in the pans. Carefully remove them to a wire rack to continue cooling.

Gently brush the cakes with grappa syrup, being sure to cover the entire surface of the warm cakes with the syrup. Use all of the syrup. Allow the cakes to cool completely before serving.

Gina suggests serving the cakes with whipped cream (to which you could add a small quantity of the syrup), creme fraiche, or gelato. They could also be garnished with fresh fruit or simply dusted with icing sugar.

We enjoyed our cakes with a bit of gelato. They were amazing! The grappa syrup was delicious, although the grappa flavour isn’t very strong as most of the alcohol does burn off while the syrup is cooking. The little cakes are pretty and make for an attractive presentation. I will definately be making this recipe again (hmmm - I guess I should have sprung for those new pans! *smile*)

You can see how the other slow bakers met this challenge on their blogs . . .

Destination Anywhere
Cooking at the Whistlestop Cafe
Happy Trails for Us; My Reluctant Blog
In and Out of the Garden
Keep Your Feet in the Street
My Place in the Sun 
Palmabella's Passions
Postcards From the Trail 
What I Really Think

Babbo Breadsticks (Grissini)

Krista came up with an idea that it would be fun to get a group of folks together to bake and blog each week. A group of us on Slow Travel are going to do just that. Today is the third entry in our baking challenge as we continue to work our way through Dolce Italiano. This week it was Colleen's turn to select the recipe and she selected these bread sticks which are on pp 270 and 271..

It was nice to try a savoury recipe from the book. Gina makes these breadsticks daily and they are served at the bar at Babbo in NY City. They are easy to make - even for someone who is yeast phobic like myself. One taste of these breadsticks (I dare you to only try one!) and you'll want to hop a plane to NY to check out the other treats at Babbo!

Babbo Breadsticks (Grissini)

1/3 cup warm water

1 pkg yeast

pinch of sugar

2 cups all purpose flour

1 cup '00' flour (you could use 3 cups all purpose if you are unable to find 00 flour)

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1 cup cold water

2 Tbs EVOO

1/2 cup grated parmigiana cheese

1 Tbs unsalted butter

Kosher salt

Pour the 1/3 cup water in a small bowl. Sprinkle the yeast on top. Stir it in the water with a pinch of sugar. Allow to sit until frothy and foaming - about 8 minutes.

In bowl of a stand mixer combine flours, salt and pepper. Make a well in the centre of the mixture. Pour the yeast into the well followed by the water. Using the dough hook attachment, knead the ingredients until mixed for about 2 minutes. Stop the motor and add the 2 tbsp olive oil, butter, and parmigiana cheese. Continue mixing with the cough hook for 2 - 3 minutes until smooth.

Remove the dough from the bowl and place on a lightly floured board. Knead by hand until it is velvety smooth - about one minute. Place the dough in a greased mixing bowl. Cover with a greased piece of saran and set in a warm, draft free spot until double in volume (about 2 hours).

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Arrange two racks in the middle and lower part of the oven. Prepare three baking sheets by either oiling them and covering them with parchment or by covering them with a silpat sheet (I used silpat).

Turn the dough out onto the floured board. Cut into quarters. Leave one quarter on the board and return the rest to the bowl. Cover to ensure that the remaining dough does not dry out. Cut the dough into 1 inch pieces. Roll out each 1 inch sections of dough into a 14-15 inch breadsticks - about 1/8 inch thick. Brush lightly with olive oil - sprinkle with additional cheese.

Bake 12-14 minutes until golden brown (rotate half way through the baking to ensure even browning).

Makes about 30 breadsticks

SSB - Week 2 - Sicilian Pistacio Cookies

Krista came up with an idea that it would be fun to get a group of folks together to bake and blog each week. A group of us on Slow Travel are going to do just that. Today is the second entry in our baking challenge as we continue to work our way through Dolce Italiano. This week was Deborah's turn to select the recipe and she selected these cookies bars which are found on p. 60.

These cookies are quite easy to make and pack a wonderful flavour. The nicest thing about this recipe is there is no rolling or shaping of the cookies - just dump the dough in a pan, bake, and cut into bars. It really does not get any easier than that does it? The ingredients are readily available - just be sure that you use unsalted pistachios or your cookies might taste salty.

Gina's book is beautiful and a wonderful way to introduce yourself to the intricacies of Italian baking.

Sicilian Pistachio Bars

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 t. kosher salt
1 c. shelled, whole (unsalted) Sicilian pistachios
1 c. (2 sticks/8 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 c. plus 2 t. granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 t. pure vanilla extract
1 t. amaretto or 1/2 t. pure almond extract
Freshly grated zest of 1 lemon

Preheat oven to 325F (160C). Line a cookie sheet/jelly roll pan with parchment paper and grease the paper. Sift flour and salt. Dump 1/2 cup of the pistachios into the food processor and finely chop. Add the chopped pistachios to the flour mixture. Set aside.

Cream the butter with the sugar with a stand mizer fitted iwth the paddle attachment until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs in one at a time, then the vanilla, amaretto/almond, and lemon zest. Be sure to scrap the bowl down after each addition.

Add the flour mixture slowly and mix well. Turn out the dough onto the pan and spread with an offset spatula so that it’s evenly distributed. Sprinkle the remaining pistachios and sugar on the dough.

Bake for 35-45 minutes (note: keep a close eye on them as mine finished before the time). Rotate the pan half way through the baking time to ensure even browning. After taking out the tray, allow to cool slightly on a rack before cutting in to bars.

Next week the Sunday Slow Bakers tackle a savoury recipe: Babbo Breadsticks/grissini .

Sunday Slow Bakers - Sbrisolona (Italian Crumbly Cake)

Krista came up with an idea that it would be fun to bake and blog each week. And a group of us on Slow Travel are going to do just that. Today is the first entry in our baking challenge. Here's how it works: we pick a cookbook and each week a person on our list picks a recipe from that book. We all bake it sometime during the week and post the results on our blog on Sunday.

The book we're starting with is Dolce Italiano by Gina DePalma and the first recipe was Krista's pick:  Italian Crumbly Cake (sbrisolona) on page 82.

I ordered this book prior to Christmas, having heard rave reviews of it. I was quickly a convert. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that Gina, pastry chef at Mario Batalia's famous restaurant Babbo in New York City was none other than stella on the slowtravel message board!

Gina's book is beautiful and a wonderful way to introduce yourself to the intricacies of Italian baking.

Sbrisolona

makes one 10-inch cake, approximately 10 servings

For the cake
1 1/4 cups "00" flour
1/4 cup almond flour
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 large egg
4 large egg yolks
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup (1 stick/4oz) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

For the topping
1 1/2 cups sliced blanched almonds
1 large egg white
3 tbsp granulated sugar

Preheat the oven to 325F and position a rack in the center. Lightly grease a 10-inch spring form pan* with nonstick cooking spray or butter, dust it with flour, and tap to knock out the excess.

To make the cake: In a medium bowl, whisk together the "00" flour, almond flour, salt, baking powder and cinnamon and set aside.

In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the egg, egg yolks, and sugar on medium speed until they are thick and pale yellow, about three minutes. On low speed, add the dry ingredients and beat well, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Beat in the vanilla extract, followed by the melted butter. Switch to medium speed and beat for 30 seconds.

Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula.

To make the topping: Put the sliced almonds in a medium bowl. Lightly beat the egg white in a small bowl with a fork until it is foamy and light, then pour half of it over the almonds, stirring to coat them evenly (discard the rest of the egg white). Sprinkle the almonds with the sugar and toss to coat them. Spread the almond topping evenly over the surface of the batter.

Bake the cake for 25-30 minutes, or until it is springy to the touch and golden brown on top and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then remove the sides and allow the cake to cool completely on a wire rack.

To serve, carefully remove the bottom of the spring form pan with an offset spatula and transfer the cake to a serving plate. Any leftover cake can be wrapped in plastic and served the next day.

*I used a 9 inch spring form pan because I didn't have a 10 inch pan.

Savannah - Photo Update

I've managed to sort through pics, cropping, fixing, and trashing those which can not be fixed. Here is a pictorial summary of our trip to sultry Savannah.

We shared an old carriage house with Palma and Brad. It was luxuriously restored and cost about the same as a hotel would have.

The carriage house was on peaceful Washington Square.

 

On Thursday evening the planning committee hosted a wine and cheese reception at their house . . . conveniently located across the courtyard from our carriage house.

Paul and I went out to dinner at the Chart House, located on the river with Sandi, Gail, Bill, John, and Buck.

Dinner was a blast . . and the food was great as well. We were so full that we walked back to the house.

The next morning we visited Forsyth Park

Afterward we enjoyed a lengthy cooking class given by by Chef Darin Sehnert, Culinary Director of the 700 Cooking School located in the Mansion on Forsyth Park. It was by far one of the best classes we have ever taken (only topped by our day with the amazing Diva in Florence)

Paul and I decided to do a walking tour of Savannah after the class.

Savannah is lovely!

We were exhausted by this point so we took a power nap before heading to the Gingerbread House for the evening reception.

Did I mention that it was an open bar? :-) Suffice it to say that a very grand time was had by all!

Once we returned to the house we got waylaid. Shannon, Marcia, Dave, Kim, and Chris were renting a house on Washington Square and for them the evening was still young . . .

 

We made our way back to the carriage house, taking time to partake in the Savannah law which says it is legal to wander about the historical district while drinking an alcoholic beverage - so long as it is in a plastic cup. Finally, a law I can LOVE!

Before hitting the pillow I set the alarm for 6 am . . . I had my heart set on seeing the sun rise over Tybee Island. It was cloudy the next morning at the beach but the clouds broke for a moment and the sun shone down upon us.

We sat on the beach for awhile listening to the waves and the sounds of the seashore slowly waking up.

Back in Savannah we had a bit of a power nap before heading out to do some shopping. Conscious of the fact that we will be in Italy in just over a month, I restrained myself - unusual for me.

We met up with the gang for a great lunch at Paula Deen's famous restaurant - Lady and Sons.

The weather was crap so we went back to the carriage house for more sleep. It was a deep sleep apparently, because we missed the tornado sirens that blared out as funnel clouds were spotted over the city.

No tornado touched down but our evening event was relocated from Old Fort Jackson to the Savannah History Museum for safety reasons.

We had ANOTHER open bar, great food, entertainment, a historical lesson, prizes, and so much laughter that my side hurt.

Leaving the history museum we headed out on a trolley for the Haunted Savannah tour. Paul took pictures of the Pirate House - one of the most haunted in Savannah.

As we walked back to Washington Square we made tapping noises on the windows of the house rented by Shannon and gang. Apparently we scared the crap out of them.

Our punishment?

We were forced to come in and assist them in drinking up the remaining wine. Oh no! We also told ghost stories which did NOT assist Paul in having a good night's sleep.

The next morning we packed up, loaded up the car, and headed back to the river for our last event. We had some time so we walked along the river. It was hot and HUMID!

Brunch was at Vic's On the River. It was followed by a video created by Palma and good byes. We had to leave early to make our flight back home.

We saw this spray painted on the wall of a building . . . clearly left over from a St Patrick's Day celebration.

All I can say is - we did! :-)

Savannah Update # 3 (Sunday - the leave taking)

One of the most challenging parts of any slowtravel GTG is saying goodbye to friends - old and new, and heading back home.

We woke yesterday thoroughly exhausted. There had been far more late nights than I am used to (to say nothing of the effects of last night's ghost trolley tour and then the prosecco fueled ghost story telling with Shannon, Marcia, Dave, Chris, Kim, Paul, Palma, and Brad). Plus a head cold that had been threatening to grab hold, did. ICK

A hot shower forced some of the ICK away but I definitely didn't feel quite 100 %.

We packed and did the 'big search' to make sure that we didn't leave anything behind in the rental. Palma and Brad had to leave early to get to Vics on the River where we were to have our final event of the weekend. Paul and I decided to load up the car and move it close to the restaurant so that we could make the made dash to the airport - our flight was scheduled to leave at 1:50.

Finding a parking spot was far easier than I thought - I have to admit that parking in Savannah has been easy and at $ 8 for a parking pass good for 48 hours a steal! We decided to walk along the riverbank to see if we could find the waving girl statue.

The Waving Girl Statue honors Florence Margaret Martus. Martus was famous in the early 1900s for waving to all shipping traffic sailing into and out of Savannah. Waving for nearly 40 years at passing ships, the legend contends she was trying to locate the love of her life -- who was a sailor.

This is just another example of the quirky things which abound throughout this amazing city. Savannah is a city of characters and takes great pride in honouring their quirky, uniqueness. There is a lesson for the rest of us in that!

It was a hot and sultry morning. As Paul and I walked along the river we both commented on what a difference it was from home where winter refuses to let go as quickly as we would like. It was so hot that we decided to camp out on a park bench under some shade trees where we too could watch the world traipse by.

When we got to Vic's we were shown to an area on the top floor of the restaurant located in a beautifully decorated and renovated old cotton warehouse that overlooks the Savannah River. Now this area could be referred to as a bit of a tourist trap but Vic's offers food above the 'tourist trap norm'.

The planning committee had arranged for a sumptuous buffet of fruit, eggs, apple sausage patties, sourdough french toast, scrambled eggs, and shrimp with tasso ham gravy and grits.

Once everyone had had their fill of great food the planning committee had one last surprise for us. Palma had made a video in honour of the occasion. As always, she had outdone herself. She had managed to find pictures of most of the participants and really captured the essence of the slowtravel community.

Kim had one more contest (because we all love winning things!) - a contest suggested by David - guess how many photos were taken by members of the slowtravel community during the GTG (my guess is 9,350)

Paul and I looked at our watches and realized that we had less than two hours to figure out how to get to the airport, refill the rental car, drop it off, and check in for the flight. ARGH We said our good byes, posed for more photos (hmmm - perhaps I should have raised my guess) and raced off to the airport.

In the end we could have stayed for another hour because our flight to Cleveland was delayed. After a two hour wait in the Cleveland airport we headed to Buffalo where we loaded up the car and headed back across the border to home.

This had been a truly amazing weekend - thank you to the planning committee who donated their many talents and countless hours on our behalf!

Our Extra Activities

As people got into the planning for their stay in Savannah the number of extra activities being offered became overwhelming! You could sign up for a pilates class offered by Wendy, a walking tour, golf, a visit to Tybee Island, dinners out, tea, house tours, and on and on. We didn't want the entire weekend to be booked up so we limited the number of extra activities that we signed up for.

In the end, we made arrangements to join in three extra activities.

1. Mansion On Forsyth Park Cooking Class



The Mansion
The Mansion on Forsyth Park welcomes you to a magnificently restored Victorian mansion set in Savannah’s legendary Historic District. From the moment you enter the onyx marble-appointed lobby, you will experience the essence of Southern luxury. From the celebrated cuisine, to spa pampering and world-class Kessler Collection service, every detail is polished to perfection. The intimate hotel is graced by a collection of over 400 pieces of original artwork. Just outside lies Forsyth Park’s lush setting; explore the timeless intrigue and excitement that is synonymous with Savannah.

The Cooking Class:
On Friday, April 4, 2008 10:00-1:00 PM, please join us as the chef of the Mansion on Forsyth Park leads a cooking class. Mansion On Forsyth Park Cooking School Chef Darin Sehner will host a group of ten Slow Travelers for a private cooking class. Menu will be low country brunch and sounds fantastic!

The Menu
Black Eyed Pea Salad
Cheddar & Rosemary Biscuits
Fried Green Tomatoes
Shrimp in Red Eye Gravy over Rich & Creamy Grits
Pecan Praline Angel Food Cake
Peach Iced Tea



2. Lunch at the famous Lady and Son's Restaurant

   Paula Deen started this place in 1989 with $200, the help of her sons, and a 1910 structure. Today she runs one of Savannah's most celebrated restaurants. Her first cookbook, The Lady & Sons Savannah Country Cookbook (Random House), is in its second printing (John Berendt wrote the introduction); and her second, The Lady & Sons Too, was published in 2000. Paula has yet a third best-selling cookbook and also hosts a top-rated cooking show, Paula's Home Cooking, on the Food Network. One taste of the food and you'll understand the roots of her success. Menu items like crab cakes (one Maryland visitor claimed they were the best he'd ever eaten), crab burgers, and several creative varieties of shrimp best exhibit her style. The locals love her buffets, which are Southern to the bone. With fried chicken, meatloaf, collard greens, beef stew, "creamed" potatoes, or macaroni and cheese, this buffet is more aptly described as "more-than-you-can-eat."

   We'll be joining 30 of the slow travel gang for lunch here on Saturday.

3. Haunted Savannah After-hours Trolley Tour - spend an eerie evening of chills and thrills, visiting some of Savannah's famous cemeteries and other ghostly haunts.  Time: 10:00 p.m., leaving from the Fort immediately after Saturday night's venue, and returning to the Historic District after the Tour.

Savannah - updated

Yesterday was a very full day here in Savannah.

We had a cooking class scheduled from 10 - 1. We drove early so we could wander around Forsyth Park. The weather was cloudly and overcast but it was still wonderful to be out in the warmth. When we arrived at the class we were directed to sign a waiver which always makes one wonder . . .

I moved on and went with it. The class was outstanding! It was one of the best classes I have taken - a professional chef, the most amazing kitchen (yes, it is official, I have kitchen envy) . . . The food - what can I say other than the diet will start some other time. Fried green tomatoes, shrimp and grits, biscuits, black eyed pea salad, and the most incredible praline angel food cake YUM YUM YUM. It wasn't the most traditional version of these southern treats but it was incredible. Tradion be damned.

Once the class was over we were back out in the city and the weather had changed - for the better! It was now sunny, hot, and humid. I put on a pair of shorts and we went on a self-guided tour of the city (lead by Paul . . . I just walked, listened, looked, and burned in the sun). This is a beautiful and fascinating city. We are constantly surprised at the depth of history here.

One of the neat things has been wandering the city and popping into our fellow slowtravelers everywhere. We were sitting in a quiet square enjoying the surroundings and heard our names called - it was Jill. Later we were walking around and who should call us in for some wine but Jane.. It has been a friendly time!

By the time we returned to the house I was fried - literally! It was only an hour until we had to be at the reception but I had to nap!

We weren't too late for the reception, other guests straggled in after us. Fashionably late - that is us!

The bar was open (sadly the bartender would not make me the martini I wanted), staff wandered about passing out treats. The web cam was set up (which I studiously avoided). It wasn't long before the food was served - stuffed potato skins, crab cakes, grilled veggies, southern fried chicken fingers, various dips and breads, and smoked pork loin served with biscuits and a red onion confit. I seem to be doing nothing but eating and drinking! It is a tough life . . .

We got back to our rental in time to see the fireworks display over the river. I had read that the city features fireworks over the river on the first Friday of other month but hadn't but together that this was actually the first Friday. DUH The sky was lit with colour, the houses shook. It was a spectacular display.

After quickly changing we took advantage of another famous Savannah tradition . . . here it is legal to wander around with an alcoholic beverage - so long as it is in a plastic container. What a civilized piece of legislation THAT is!

It was midnight before we crawled into bed - I will likely pay for it tomorrow . . . .