Picnic Season is Fleeting......

Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick.


Tick.


That sound you hear is the sound of time slipping away moment by moment, the last precious days and weeks of spring ebbing away (in central Arizona, spring ends and summer begins in about, oh, April) until all we're left with is...........summertime. A cruel joke of a season in which temperatures soar to temperatures well in excess of 115 degrees and nothing fun is possible. No long, leisurely hikes in the desert. No mid-afternoon bicycle joyrides. No picnics.

No picnics.

The horror.

Picnics and roadtrips are like an American birthright, the predictable offspring of our wanderlust and our zest for eating anything on the move combined with some darker, murkier instinct from our distant European heritage to relaaaaax, spread out on the grass of the hillside for the whole afternoon and sip wine one small glass at a time until the sun is low and the whole bottle is gone. There should be sandwiches, of course, crisp with meat and juicy with other succulent things. There should be a real picnic blanket, and paper napkins, crisp with a briefly lingering fresh coolness from their proximity to the ice pack, and a refreshing bubbly beverage served in real glasses. There should be a cooling, crunchy salad of some kind, zesty with vinaigrette. There should be simple sweets, and a dog and a beloved partner by your side on the picnic blanket, if you can manage it. There should be a whole afternoon devoted to lazing, eating, sipping, lake-gazing, half-heartedly fishing (really just an excuse to enjoy the perfect weather lakeside, and you won't mind if you don't catch a thing, as we didn't), and just being in that one perfect moment before the weather turns horrible and it's all a distant, faded memory.

In full awareness of this weather-related dilemma, Mr. Orange & Salt and I decided a fancy weekend picnic outdoors was a long overdue event. We might even be instituting a 'mandatory fancy picnic' policy every weekend until the temperature tops 100, who knows? Because once we get there, my friends, it is a long, sweaty slog until late October or so, when it finally cools down again. And there are no picnics in sight along the way. Woe. So let's focus on the present while the weather here is gorgeous--mid 80s, sunny and clear! Hooray!

The Fancy Lakeside Picnic Menu:

Brie, Apple and Bacon Panini on Ciabatta Bread

Cold Asparagus Salad with Shallot Vinaigrette

Fresh Ataulfo 'Champagne' Mangoes & Dark Chocolate Squares

Finest Champagne*

( *if 'finest champagne' is readily available for $6 at the local grocery store, then yes, yes it certainly was the finest champagne)

It's important to consider a few variables when planning your fancy picnic.Is there anything that could melt or fall apart when moved around too much? Is my fancy picnic heavy or light? Am I going to be hiking beforehand, or driving directly to the picnic spot? Does it all need to fit into a cooler, a backpack, a series of tupperware containers? For our own fancy picnic, we knew we'd be driving most of the way, then hiking out a short distance to the lake, so we packed ours in a cooler with plenty of ice (seriously, food-borne illnesses are NOT your friend--ask me how I know--so use ice, ice, ice!!) in the car, then transferred it all to an easily-carried bag for hiking. All the edibles were securely wrapped in plastic or in sealed containers to protect them from melting ice, and all the breakables (champagne bottle, glasses) were wrapped in the picnic blanket itself. We know what we're doing--this ain't our first rodeo (picnic), yo. Make sure you plan accordingly!

Our picnic destination, beautiful Canyon Lake!


You can't be properly fancy until you've sipped champagne from a real glass (even if that glass is made from a recycled root beer bottle) al fresco. Pinkies out, please!

Our panini were crusty perfection, layered inside with crisp smoky bacon, sweet apple slices and gently oozing brie. Panini are actually a perfect picnic choice because they're so tightly compressed and easy to hold--all the filling stays in place, both while traveling and eating! And this particular variety is fantastic at 'room' (lakeside?) temperature. A picnic must.

Cool, crispy, asparagus vinaigrette salad. The key to this is not steaming the asparagus, but rolling them around for a few brief but intense minutes in a hot pan with some olive oil. They cook just enough to lose their raw edge, but still retain most of their primal crispiness. The heat and olive oil work to coax out just enough of the sweet, nutty asparagus flavor before reaching the 'overcooked sock' point (so easily attained by steaming), and best of all, some of them even pick up a little browned char spot here and there. Then cool them immediately and dunk in a savory, acidic vinaigrette, and you've got a perfect, elegant little salad. Easily tupperware'd for ease of travel.

Mr. Orange & Salt shows his appreciation for a masterpiece of a sandwich.

Our gorgeous picnic site, directly lakeside and right in the midst of the all the cattails. Mr. Orange & Salt bravely did some experimental fishing, after we'd stuffed ourselves silly with all that wonderful bread, cheese, wine and fruit, but didn't catch a single thing......and really, it was just as well. I don't think I could have eaten another bite. I am, however, hungry for another picnic. And we'd better hurry. Time's ticking awaaaayyyy..........

Brie, Bacon and Apple Panini

Ciabatta bread
1 Granny Smith apple
6 slices bacon
Brie cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Bake slices of bacon on foil-lined baking sheet until desired degree of doneness is achieved (this is a hotly contested point of debate in our house, and so I won't even presume to tell you how far to cook or not to cook them. Chewy versus crispy is up to you, just make them look delicious!). While bacon is bakin' (heh heh), peel and thinly slice the apple. Toss in a dry saute pan over medium high heat for a minute or so. The goal should not be to cook them, just heat them enough to take the 'rawness' out of them. Look for them to begin to wilt slightly and smell nice and 'apple-y,' then remove from heat.

Slice desired amount of brie. Slice desired quantity of ciabatta lengthwise to form a bun. Assemble sandwich with fully cooked bacon slices, apple slices, and cheese slices. Press down firmly to flatten. Place in dry saute pan (you may use a panini press here instead. What, you have one? I don't. I find you can achieve the exact same result with a hot, dry pan and a little watchfulness, so I'm not investing in one) over medium heat, pressing down slightly to crisp the surface of the bread.

Toast for a few minutes on each side, until bread begins to turn brown and crispy. Remove from heat, cool, wrap in plastic wrap for picnic time!

Cold Asparagus Vinaigrette Salad

One bunch fresh asparagus
5 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon peanut oil
2 tablespoons minced shallot
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1 tsp. dijon mustard
Honey, to taste
Salt & pepper, to taste

Clean & trim bottoms of asparagus. Take 2 of the tablespoons of olive oil, heat in a saute pan over medium high heat. Toss asparagus in hot oil for a few minutes until slightly browned in a few spots, but still crispy inside. Remove from pan and place on a plate in a single layer (I usually chop them into thirds at this point, too, for ease of eating later on); refrigerate to cool.

In medium sized bowl, place remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil, plus peanut oil, vinegar, shallot, garlic and mustard. Whisk to combine. Taste, and add honey to taste to balance acidity, plus salt and pepper. Add chilled asparagus and either consume immediately or continue chilling.

Pasta with Ham, Pecans and Brussels Sprouts, & becoming Mrs. Goodcrumble.........

I'm a winter lover, a defiant flag on the hill waving in the face of my heat-loving brethren in Phoenix. I stand outside and cheer for heavy, grey rain clouds, encouraging them further and further until they blot out the sun. I love the first hint of chill in the air we start to feel in November after a long, long summer, and am always a little reluctant to give it up again when early spring starts to make itself known around this time of year. And as happy as I'll be to be up to my ears once again in corn, tomatoes and fresh basil come summer, I am winter's faithful hanger-on, and I'll be eating winter foods for as long as is realistically possible.

Which brings me to Brussels sprouts.

I really think these long-maligned and much neglected little crucifers deserve much kinder treatment than we usually give them; a long bath in steam or the even more traditional boiling water does absolutely nothing to bring out their nutty, savory appeal and everything to make them into limp, soggy tummy-bombs instead. So unfair! Brussels sprouts are high in vitamin A, C and fiber....but even importantly to me, they are delicious. Although even I have to admit, it wasn't until a houseguest of ours last year showed me a different way of preparing sprouts that I even reconsidered them. He showed us that they could be sauteed lightly in olive oil and finished with garlic and lemon juice so that they were bright & sunshiny, crunchy and caramelized. Ever since then I've been in love with the humble sprout, and when I came across this recipe, I bookmarked it immediately, knowing I'd try it the very first chance I got.

This is adapted from a recipe at the lovely Molly's Orangette blog (which she herself adapted from a recipe in the sadly now-defunct Gourmet magazine; in this incarnation it's known as Pasta with Hashed Brussels Sprouts, Ham and Pecans). Hers featured pine nuts, mine gets its nutty kick from pecans, instead. Although I fully support her reasoning that the nuts need to be toasted separately and added at the very end to retain their character, as well as her addition of just he tiniest bit of cream. What recipe doesn't benefit from a few helpful glugs of cream? Finally, a few pink slivers of ham here and there add colorful zest and flavor, and a light sprinkling of Parmigiano at the end rounds out the nutty flavors and ties everything together. It's addictive, and let's hope so, because we're having the leftovers today!

Pasta with Hashed Brussels Sprouts, Ham and Pecans

(Adapted from Orangette)

¾ lb. Brussels sprouts, trimmed
3 Tbsp. pecans
½ lb. dried pasta (I used fettucine)
1/8 lb. chopped ham (I started with sliced smoked ham from the deli, and it was perfect)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 clove fresh chopped garlic
½ tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. heavy cream
grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Preheat oven to 300. Place a large pot of salted water for pasta over high heat. Slice the Brussels sprouts finely using a very sharp knife or mandoline (I love using the mandoline, it makes everything come out evenly and thus, cook evenly. At least, in theory.), set aside. Roughly chop pecans and spread evenly on baking sheet, bake for a few minutes in warm oven until just lightly toasted (keep an eye on these, nuts tend to go from fragrant & golden to irretrievably burnt quickly).

When the water boils, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Remove and drain (reserve a little of the starchy cooking liquid if possible, it's full of flavor & body and is great to add to your pasta later if it needs a little extra moisture).

Place a large skillet on the stove and heat to medium-high, add the olive oil and butter and let everything get pretty toasty. Add sliced Brussels sprouts and ham and sauté, stirring frequently, until sprouts are bright green and barely tender, about 3 minutes. Add chopped garlic and saute a minute more. Remove from heat, add cooked pasta, and toss. Add the pecans and cream, and toss again. If the pasta seems a little dry, now is a good time to add a splash or two of your reserved cooking liquid. Taste & add a good pinch or two of salt as needed, as well as freshly ground pepper. Serve immediately, with grated cheese.

After our pasta with Brussels sprouts, there was an apple crumble. Have you ever heard Eddie Izzard's bit on his former music teacher 'Mrs. Badcrumble'? It's hilarious, but more to the point, the making of crumbles always finds me giggling to myself in the kitchen, slicing fruit or wiping flour from my hands and muttering softly, 'Mrs. Badcrumble.........Mrs. Badcrumble............'. Well, after masterminding the recipe shown below, I think it's safe to annouce that you may call me Mrs. Goodcrumble. Unless you are Eddie Izzard. In which case you should just call me. ;)


Mrs. BadGoodcrumble's Brown Butter Pecan Apple Crumble


4 Granny Smith apples
3 Tbsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. cornstarch
3 Tbsp. pecans
several gingersnap cookies, crumbled into small pieces (optional, because I just happened to have these this time around, but highly recommended)
6 Tbsp. butter
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 C. flour
1/8 C. rolled oats


Preheat oven to 350. Peel and slice apples thinly (again, I love my mandoline), toss in a bowl with sugar, cinnamon, ginger and cornstarch until coated. Layer evenly in a pie dish or small casserole and set aside.


Place 3 Tbsp. of butter in a small saucepan and heat over medium high heat until butter takes on a rich, nutty brown color (swirl often and do not allow butter to burn!), Remove from heat and set aside.


Roughly chop pecans, place in a bowl with oats and crumbled gingersnaps (if using), then pour brown butter over these and sprinkle with salt. Toss to coat and set aside to cool. Take remaining 3 Tbsp. butter and cut into pea-sized chunks. Rub these into the flour as if making pastry dough until everything begins to look 'crumbly,' then add brown sugar. Rub between your fingertips for a minute longer, then add oat/pecan/butter mixture and continue until all the dry flour is absorbed and the mixture looks like delicious crumb topping. Does it look good enough that you sneak a bite of it from the bowl? Good. On we go.

Sprinkle topping evenly over sliced apples in pie dish, and press down veeeeeerryy lightly with your fingertips here and there (it's supposed to be crumbly, get it?? But a little help here and there doesn't hurt, either.), then slide into the middle of your hot oven and bake for 40 min. Fruit should be bubbly around the edges when you remove it, and the crumb crust should be nicely browned. Let cool, then serve the way we ate it, with freshly made cinnamon whipped cream. Mrs. Badcrumble would approve.

(Originally posted 5/6/09)

In case any of you were wondering [of course you were] how Iron Chef Tempe: BATTLE BACON VS. APPLES ended up...........I won*!! On my birthday, which caused many accusations of cheating (and I was trying to lose! with dignity!!), but nonetheless, I am the proud continued keeper of the Iron Chef Cup.......at least until the next Iron Chef challenge, which I am of course now obliged to host. There are worse fates. Here is how I won:

...........two words: PIG CANDY. Caramelized, sugared bacon strips sprinkled with roasted pecans and drizzled with semisweet chocolate. This will either sound disgusting to you or unspeakably delicious, and if it is the latter, then you and I can be friends. Oh, and there was also a 'cocktail' that accompanied this, which I called 'The Suckling Pig': sparkling apple cider dosed with a shot of lightly salted rosemary simple syrup and garnished with a twist of cooked bacon. Virgin, but could have easily been 'spiked' with hard apple cider or rosemary-infused vodka, the possibilities are endless. Anyway, it was delicious. OH YEAH. All right, fine, I wasn't really trying to lose. I really wanted to win. Ha HA!!!

( *For my 28th birthday last year, we hosted an 'Iron Chef' style dinner party/competition, secret ingredients: bacon & apples.......extra photos from which can be found here, if you are so inclined.)