A Grand Day in Hudson

OK - what's Lisa Dolan is telling Chris Jones that's so funny?

Marilyn, of Cedaroth Farms, with beautiful early summer flowers for sale

 

It's unlike me to blog  so quickly on the heels of a post ( especially since I've been a bit sloth-like for the past few months) - but after a day like this one I feel that I need to get the word out right away.   Aside from the fact that today's weather was the kind that you want to bottle for use  on a particularly dreary day in February - this day, for me, began at the Hudson Farmers' Market where we hosted our first cookbook author of the year under the market's Book Tent.

Rebecca Miller Ffrench signed her new  book, Sweet Home (Kyle Books, 2012), for shoppers, and graciously offered samples made from recipes in her book.   It would be difficult for me to say which tasted more delicious; Kahlua Chocolate Pound Cake - buttery, chocolaty with slight bittersweet coffee flavor, Brown Sugar Glazed Cardamom Cake - maybe my favorite, only because I love cardamom flavored anything (Rebecca gave me the leftover samples which I brought home and immediately soaked in homemade kefir and  topped with strawberry - rhubarb compote, Smiles from a Summer Night ), and her book-cover-photo recipe, Mile-High Strawberry Shortcake.  Which she only made a third of a mile high for anxious-to-taste shoppers.   When she ran out of the strawberries that she brought with her - she dashed right over to the Samascott Orchards' tent and bought some more. 

MILE-HIGH STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE

Rebecca says, "Layers of buttery shortcake, juicy  berries, and thick cream piled sky high are the epitome of a summer dessert, and the perfect finish to a family barbecue or Fourth of July picnic."  You listening?

Serves 10

Shortcakes
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons baking powder
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
14 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, plus 3 tablespoons melted
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream

Filling
1 quart plus 1 pint strawberries, hulled and sliced
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 quart heavy cream
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1.   Make the shortcakes:  Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  Grease three 8-inch round cake pans with baking spray.
2.   Stir together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a bowl.  Sprinkle the butter pieces into the bowl.  Using a pastry blender or two forks, work the butter into the dry ingredients until it's coarse and crumbly.  Slowly add the cream, little by little, until a soft dough forms.  Do not over stir.
3.   Using your hands, form a large ball with the dough and then divide into three parts.  Press each section firmly and evenly into one of the prepared pans.  Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the tops become a very pale golden.
4.   Meanwhile, make the filling:  Put the strawberries in a bowl and toss with the granulated sugar and  lemon juice.   Remove half of the strawberries and lightly mash the remaining.  Stir the whole strawberries back in and let stand for 30 minutes.
5.   Remove the cakes from the oven.   Let cool for 15 minutes before carefully removing them from the pans.
6.   Meanwhile, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the cream until thickened, but still soft.  Stir in the confectioners' sugar and vanilla extract with a spoon.
7.   Brush 1 tablespoon of the melted butter on top of each cake with a pastry brush.  Place one layer on a serving plate, butter side up.   Spoon a third of the berries with their juice on top.  Spread a thin layer of whipped cream over the berries.   Top with a second cake layer.  Spoon half of the remaining berries on top and another thin layer of cream.  Repeat with the remaining cake layer and berries, reserving a few berries to decorate the top.
8.   Dollop the remaining whipped cream on top of the cake and decorate with a few good-looking berries.  Serve in wedges.

Papier mache puppet heads made to represent the characters from The Wizard of Oz by Ken Polinskie & Dan Rupe

Singer, and entertainment, Maya Azucena

 

 

 

 

Poppies from the field of poppies, The Wizard of Oz

 

Trixie Starr, mistress of ceremony

Today is Pride Day in Hudson - not just gay pride - everybody pride.   The day, called "Over The Rainbow" has included  many celebrations. I stood on Warren Street and watched the parade.  A good old-fashioned parade it was, with organizations from church groups to the Antique Dealers Association, dogs, from the ladies dressed in vintage, colors-from-the-rainbow dresses (Five and Diamond) to bagpipers, dogs, marching bands, the mayor, and the president of the Common Council, the radio stations, dogs, and I can't remember - but they were all fabulous. Dogs.

The parade, which started near the top of Warren Street, ended at the park on the river which was set up to receive the spectators with refreshment stands, information booths and rides for the kids.

And it's not over.  There are parties, and barbecues and a big dance party tonight at Club Helsinki.  I think that I'm done.   I need my legs to work tomorrow.

It was a grand day in Hudson.

SUSANSIMONSAYS:  If I don't get to it - and I may not by next Saturday.  Please come to meet Raymond Sokolov who will be signing his new book, STEAL THE MENU at the Hudson Farmers' Market on Saturday, June 22nd.   The book is a memoir of forty years in food that included taking Craig Claiborne's job as food editor of The New York Times, more recently the Eating Out column for The Wall Street Journal, and writing cook books like the invaluable SAUCIER'S APPRENTICE, and THE COOK'S CANON: 101 CLASSIC RECIPES EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW.   His appearance at the markets' Book Tent offers a wonderful opportunity to meet one of the legends of  food writing - and have him sign a copy of his latest book for you.

If you didn't get to the Farmers' Market today and would like to have signed copy of SWEET HOME - there are a few available for sale at MarxHome on Warren Street in Hudson.
 

Lunch Outdoors, Yes

After the outdoor dinner that didn't happen outdoors, I was slightly trepidatious  about planning two outdoor lunches.   One involved a little voyage "upstate" - according to my NYC friends, I live upstate, but when I go to visit my friends in the northern Catskills it's real upstate - about 1 1/2 hours from Hudson.
It turned out to be a knock-out day, ever so blurred by an ounce or two of haze, enjoyable company, and delicious food.

My friend, Rita always sets pretty tables - this one on her screened-in porch overlooking the rolling lawn and pond - with the best flower (out of her garden) arrangements anywhere.  It's because they're so simple.  They feature the blossom.   And that's how she makes food she too.  It stars the main ingredients.

 

Rita found a locally-grown cauliflower at a farm stand in Middleburg, which is just that much farther north to have the cold nights that the compact white head needs to  thrive.  She made her interpretation of a frittata recipe out of Yotam Ottolenghi's book, Plenty.   Basically, Rita followed the recipe - she just didn't add as much cheese as it called for.  Could've fooled me - it tasted like it should have.  Super savory.

SMOKY FRITTATA

This is what Yotam says, " Scamorza affumicata  is an Italian cheese that melts fantastically well.  Often labeled 'smoked mozzarella', it is highly effective in adding depth and pungency to vegetarian dishes."    Rita didn't use scamorza - and as I said, I didn't miss it.  However, if it had been added to the frittata it would have elevated the flavor even further.   You might be able to substitute a more readily available smoked cheese.
Serves 4 - 6
1 small cauliflower, cut into medium florets
6 eggs
4 tablespoons crème fraiche  (or sour cream)
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons sweet smoked paprika
3 tablespoons chopped chives
5 ounces smoked scamorza, grated (including the skin for extra flavor)
2 ounces mature Cheddar, grated
salt and black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil

Simmer the cauliflower in a large pan of boiling salted water for only 4 to 5 minutes, until semi-cooked.  Drain and dry.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.  Break the eggs into a large bowl.  Add the crème fraiche, mustard and paprika and whisk well, making sure the eggs and crème fraiche are thoroughly blended.  Now stir in the chives and three-quarters of the cheeses, and season well with salt and pepper.
Heat up the olive oil in a large ovenproof frying pan.  Fry the cauliflower for about 5 minutes, or until golden brown on one side.  Pour over the egg mixture and use a fork to spread the cauliflower evenly in the pan.  Cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes.
Scatter the remaining cheeses on top, then carefully transfer the pan to the oven.  Cook for 10 - 12 minutes, or until the frittata is set.
Remove from the oven and let rest for 2 to 3 minutes before cutting into wedges.  Eat immediately with a peppery green salad.

Our salad was full of stuff: nascent leaves and shoots from Rita's garden, cucumbers, crumbled blue cheese and walnuts.

Bread from Hudson's Bonfiglio & Bread.  Where else?

Dessert - Alice Water's recipe for baked rhubarb.  Rhubarb from the garden cut into 1 - 2-inch pieces, sugar ,and orange juice and zest baked 'til soft.  Not too long.  Rhubarb cooks quickly.  It was served with homemade kefir - sour milk.

Frankie, Rita's dog decided that she'd just watch Allegra cross the rapids

 

This fall's apples starting to grow

Then we went for a post prandial stroll through the lower meadow until we reached the usually docile creek which had become raging rapids from the previous stormy days.  My intrepid dog, accustomed to crossing the creek to get to the upper fields, did so - without thinking.  She made it - but thought long and hard about her return trip.   I told her that I couldn't go in to rescue her so she had better figure out a way to get back.  And she did at age 13 years and 3 months.  Brava Allegra.

Next outdoor lunch was planned a few weeks in advance.  Some friends were coming up from the city to attend a wedding on the other side of the river - the left bank.   As their destination was only about 1/2 hour from Hudson I asked them to come for lunch at my house the next day.  They accepted, and I invited some mutual friends who had recently moved to a hamlet near Hudson.

I made the meal easy for myself by buying just about everything at the previous day's farmers' market.   It's amazing how fresh ingredients can speak for themselves and give you the most delicious repast.

.    Grilled sausages from Pigasso Farm served with a sauce that I made by sautéing fresh, spring garlic in olive oil and adding chopped grape tomatoes, fennel seeds, chopped capers, hot peppers and fresh, from my garden, basil.
.    Roasted asparagus - easy peasy - place the spears on a parchment-paper covered baking sheet with sides, toss with olive oil and flaky sea salt and cook at 400 degrees F. until crispy on the outside and soft as asparagus flan on the inside
.   Tossed market salad with radishes, dressed with mustard-shallot vinaigrette
.   Assorted local cheese,  Amazing Real Live Camembert, Adirondack Cheddar, Ewe's blue
.   Bonfiglio & Bread.  Of course.

.   Semolina, coconut & marmalade cake, fresh strawberries and sheep's milk yogurt


SEMOLINA, COCONUT & MARMALADE CAKE

Another recipe from my culinary crush, Yotam Ottolenghi.  This one comes from his and Sami Tamimi's  2012 multi-award winning Jerusalem.   He says,"  Semolina cakes soaked in syrup are so numerous all over the Middle East and vary in so many ways it is hard to find a single definition or an accurate enough name to fit.  Some cakes have coconut in them; some have yogurt; some bakers prefer  flavoring them with citrus syrups, others with flower blossoms; some use sugar and others honey.  In any case, the moist light texture and the aromatic flavors are what 's all about.

Makes two 1 pound loaf cakes

3/4 cup sunflower oil (I used canola)
1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (the juice of 2 oranges)
1 cup orange marmalade (fine-cut or without peel)
4 large free-range eggs
grated zest of 1 orange
1/3 cup superfine sugar
3/4 cup shredded dried coconut
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup plus 1 1/2 teaspoons semolina
2 tablespoons ground almonds
2 teaspoons baking powder

thick Greek yogurt with 1 or 2 drops orange blossom water to serve

Soaking Syrup
1 cup superfine sugar
1/2 cup plus 1 1/2 teaspoons water
1 tablespoon orange blossom water

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.   Whisk together the oil, orange juice, marmalade, eggs, and orange zest until the marmalade dissolves.   In a separate bowl, mix together all the dry ingredients and add to the wet ingredients.   Mix until well combined.  The mixture should be runny.
Grease and line two 1-pound loaf pans ( 8 1/2 by 4 1/2 -inches) with waxed paper.  Divide the filling evenly between them.  Bake for 45 - 60 minutes, until a skewer inserted in a cake comes out clean and the tops turn an orangey brown.
Near the end of the baking time, place the syrup ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, then remove from the heat.  As soon as the cakes come out of the oven, start brushing them with the hot syrup using a pastry brush; you'll need to do this in a few goes, allowing the syrup to soak in for a minute or two before you carry on brushing with more syrup.  Make sure you use up all the syrup and it is all absorbed into the cakes.
Once the cakes have cooled down a little, remove them from the pan and leave them to cool completely.   Serve with the Greek yogurt flavored with a drop of orange blossom water.

These cakes will keep well for at least five days if wrapped carefully in parchment paper or aluminum foil.


SUSANSIMONSAYS:   This Saturday at the Hudson Famers' Market come meet Rebecca Miller Ffrench and let her sign a copy of her newest book, SWEET HOME, just for you - or a friend who's having a birthday, etc.  Rebecca will be serving samples made from one the recipes in her book.

Disaster Averted, Distraction Not

This is the first time in over a year that I've let so much time lapse between posts.  And I don't have the excuse of having been without power due the destructive storm innocently called Sandy.  I was prepared for her arrival - she just never really demonstrated much force here in the upper Hudson Valley .  I remember a summer lightening and hail storm that did more damage than she did. So how did I prepare?   I cooked up a BIG pot of kale and mustard greens.  Actually, simply sauteed the leaves, ripped off their ribs, in olive oil with garlic, and hot peppers and finished with freshly squeezed lemon juice.  I knew that these cooked greens would last days longer than fresh greens and would serve as a backdrop to versatile preparations.   A poached egg on the greens,  for that matter an omelet with greens( and grated any kind of melting cheese), or chopped hard cooked eggs with greens would make rather tasty meals.   Fully aware that if the power had gone out that the first thing in the freezer to thaw would be the sausage so I preempted the possibility and made a potful of pasta e fagioli  - pasta and beans  (I actually used chick peas) with bits of grilled sausage tossed into the mix - the potful of starch and protein - cooked with an inch of its life would surely have lasted a few days - unrefrigerated.  And gotten tastier as each passed and the flavors of the ingredients absorbed each other.

 

 

Another freezer package that I knew would not have survived 12 hours without electricity were those plump strawberries from Blue Star  that I froze in June with hopes to let them defrost  on New Year's  Eve in order for them to accompany a first bite of panettone on New Year's Day (the Italians believe - among many other things - that a first-of-the-year morsel of the classic sweet bread augers well for the upcoming year).  Instead, I let them thaw and cooked them for a few minutes with light brown sugar and cinnamon.  I made pancakes - nothing special - just Bisquick pancakes - Yikes! you say?   Yep, from time to time I use a classic convenient food.  Pancakes with June strawberry sauce - for dinner.  Very satisfying.   And of course, a strawberry - banana smoothie makes for an excellent breakfast.

 

 

Not finished yet.  There was a big old cauliflower staring at me through its bag.  Something had to be done with it.  So I made soup:

.  Cut the cauliflower into florets, placed them on a parchment paper -covered baking sheet with sliced red onions, sprigs of fresh thyme and some red pepper flakes.  Tossed everything with olive oil and roasted them at 350 degrees F. until the cauliflower and onions were nicely browned - about 30 minutes.
. Added the cauliflower, onions and thyme leaves (removed from their stems) to a large saucepan and covered it with about a quart and 1/4 chicken broth.  Simmered the soup until the vegetables were soft.  When it seemed that the vegetables were about 2/3 of the way finished I added maybe 1/4 cup crumbled Black Ledge blue cheese from Cheese! in the Hudson Farmer's Market.  The cheese had begun to dry out but hadn't lost any of its wonderful nutty flavor.  It was a perfect addition.
. Pureed the mixture with an immersion blender.  Reheated soup and served it with a dollop of whole milk yogurt and some crumbled blue cheese.
Something happens to the cauliflower when it's roasted.  Its flavor changes.  The soup tasted almost like a veloute of Jerusalem artichokes.  Maybe it was the addition of the cheese too.

Would you be surprised to learn that more than two weeks after I made all of that food that I've just finished it?   Egad.  Better safe than sorry.  I guess.

Now, I avoided nature's disaster simply by geography.   I'm sorry for my friends and strangers in my favorite city, New York, and along the east coast, who suffered the supreme discomfort of lack of electricity (ancient doggies who had to walk up and down many, many flights of stairs several times a day) - and so much worse.

I am, however, extremely distracted from my normal routine because of the recent purchase of a new home - which is really an old wreck and needs more work than I ever could have imagined - even although everyone warned me this would happen.   Honestly, it makes me nervous all the time.  Except for the moments when I imagine all the beautiful colors on the walls.  Thanks to some friends, I was directed to Hudson Paint in Red Hook, NY.   I was bowled over by the colors and then learned that the wall paint was made with lime.  I was hooked.  In addition to all the benefits of having my walls painted with a substance that has low VOCs and is a natural disinfectant - my walls, when covered with the gritty paint will look like frescos - blank frescoes.
So, excuse me if I get distracted for awhile again.  You're never far from my thoughts.  Color = food, food= color.
SUSANSIMONSAYS:    
FINALMENTE - finally.  BONFIGLIO & BREAD  (formerly LOAF) is set to open its 738 Warren Street doors on Friday, the 16th November.
VIVA  Gabriele e Rachel.   Can't wait to patronize you.

This Week (2nd weekend of June 2012) at the Farmer's Market

I gathered all my favorite late spring crops  from both the Friday night market at The Red Barn and the Saturday morning Hudson Farmer's Market;  strawberries, beets, shelling peas, and radishes and
turned them into food for various occasions - not to mention breakfast, lunch and dinner.
As you know from reading my last entry I've been concerned that my favorite strawberries are going to run out before I can get my fill.  To wit I froze some last week and this week I made what I call "refrigerator jam".  The jam is not processed to preserve.  I just put it in a jar and it should last for weeks, perhaps months in the refrigerator- but it won't.  Probably won't last 'til the 4th of July.  It's that tasty, and its applications are numerous.  I like it on toasted, and almond buttered quinoa bread from Loaf, with plain yogurt, and as you will see as I write on, with beets.
I add whole berries - if they're really huge, cut in half - to a non-reactive saucepan with fresh lemon juice and pure, unrefined cane sugar, like rapadura, and cook on low heat until the berries are soft and seemingly spreadable, about 30 - 40 minutes.  Remove the berries  with a slotted spoon to a glass or ceramic bowl and reserve.  Reduce the remaining syrup until it's as dense as grade B maple syrup. 
Pack the cooled strawberry jam in a glass jar and cover with some of the strawberry syrup.  Refrigerate it, and the syrup in a separate container.  The syrup itself will serve you well on ice cream or mixed with Prosecco to make a Tiepolo ,or with vodka to make a delightfully colored, and tasty warm weather cocktail.   NB - the jam, sweetened with unrefined sugar , will turn deep burgundy in color.  If you must have bright red jam use refined sugar - just not as good - to my palate.

Sweet, shelling peas have a fleeting season as well.   I like nothing better than a dish of risi e bisi - the Venetian classic pea and rice dish.  Technically this dish is not risotto.  But it tastes like it could be.  I cooked the shelled peas in salted water for about 15 minutes.   If I had been paying attention I would have discarded the few over-ripe peas before cooking because they're too mealy and are annoying - in a way.  I cooked the rice separately and used vialone nano - a short, chubby grain used for risotto - which gives the dish its risotto-like texture.   When the rice was tender I drained and added it back into the pot with a knob of best quality unsalted butter, a fistful of grated Parmigiano, and the cooked peas.   I stirred to combine all the ingredients.   If you like the flavor of peas and mint - as I did and swirl  some fresh mint sprigs through the still hot rice and then discard the sprigs. You want to add a soft scent of mint to the dish.  Mint leaves turn black when added to heat and would be most unattractive in an otherwise pristine dish.

I was invited to a party down in Red Hook and asked to bring a dish - What's needed, I asked.  Oh, something to nibble on before the main course.   Hmmmm, radishes, radishes, RADISHES.  Not just radishes, but radishes with butter. The sweet, creamy butter softens and tames the feisty radishes.  Finely chop up radishes, tightly wrap them in paper towels and let them sweat for 1/2 hour or so then add them to room-temperature-softened, highest quality, unsalted butter along with chopped chives, chopped flat leaf parsley and some flaky sea salt.  Serve with garlic toasts or as I did with black sesame crackers.  Because, wow, what a contrast.

Beets - be still my Russian heart.  I love their sweet, earthy flavor, and I love their vibrant color that turns to the most stunning shade of shocking pink when combined with sour cream or yogurt, or  anything white.   First remove the beetroots from their leaves - and reserve the leaves (later).  Rinse them and pat them dry, and salt them - I used pink Hawaiian salt for pure visual pleasure - and wrap them up in parchment paper and bake at 300 degrees F. until a tester easily, very easily passes through them 1 - 2 hours (depending on their size).   The skin comes off the cooled beets as simply as removing a glove from your hand.  Start the process at the root end with the tip of a paring knife.     You can make a tangy Russian-style salad by marinating chunks of peeled beet with whole cloves of smashed garlic, apple cider vinegar and pure honey.  Marinate for at least a few hours and up to overnight.   Drain and remove the garlic.  Add a blob of sour cream and chopped flat leaf parsley. Eat with hard cooked eggs for a simple meal or use as a side dish with any grilled meat or fish.  Would be sublime with caviar.   Keep the beets around to add, chopped into a green salad.  Or, eat, as I just did with plain yogurt and some of that aforementioned strawberry syrup.   Weird?  Maybe.  But the combination of flavor and color were hard to beat.  Pun absolutely intended.
NO NEED TO ADD SALT to anything where the beets are an ingredient.  The cooking salt has adequately salted them.

Remove the beet leaves from their stems and saute in olive olive and garlic as you would do with spinach or chard.  A wonderful cooked green with an ever-so-slight beet flavor.

And sweet cherries - just into the market for the first time this week.   I like to eat them until my stomach hurts.  They are divine.

SUSANSIMONSAYS:    SATURDAY, JUNE 16th - YARD SALE  at 112 Union Street in Hudson, NY - 9am - 3pm - NO earlybirds, please.  Collectibles and lots of interesting household items.  Buy them here first before they wind up in a shop on Warren Street

The Last Gasp of Aspara-gasp (Sigh)

With the last few local asparagus  in  market bins I was reminded to make a favorite recipe from
Faith Willinger's glorious book, RED, WHITE & GREENS .  It's kind of perfect to make this dish, Penne with Asparagus-Lemon Sauce, as the coda to the other asparagus dishes that I've enjoyed for the past few weeks as it uses the stalk in a few ways to complete the dish.

PENNE WITH ASPARAGUS-LEMON SAUCE
4 - 6 servings

Faith says that she was inspired to make this dish by a lemon peel-olive oil pasta that she enjoyed from one of her favorite Tuscan home cooks .She has lived in Tuscany for decades

1 pound fresh asparagus
5 - 6 quarts water
2 - 3 tablespoons sea salt
1 teaspoon minced lemon zest
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
freshly ground pepper
14-16 ounces penne or short pasta
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1.   Snap the tough butt ends off the asparagus or peel to  the tender core.  Cut the stems into 1-inch pieces.  reserve the asparagus tips.
2.   Bring 5 - 6 quarts of water to a rolling boil, add 2 - 3 tablespoons salt, and cook asparagus stems for 6 - 8 minutes until soft and totally tender.  Remove stems with a slotted spoon, refresh in cold water, and drain.
3.  Cook the tips in the boiling water for 3 - 5 minutes until tender, remove with a slotted spoon, refresh in cold water, and drain.  Reserve asparagus cooking water.
4.   Puree the stems in a food processor with lemon zest, extra virgin olive oil, 1/2 cup asparagus cooking, and salt and pepper to taste: transfer the sauce to a 3-quart pot.
5.   Return the remaining asparagus cooking water to a rolling boil, add the pasta, and cook until it still offers considerable resistance to the tooth, around  three quarters the recommended cooking time.  Drain, reserving 2 cups of pasta water.  Add pasta, asparagus tips, and 1/2 cup starchy water to asparagus stem puree and cook in a 3-quart pot over highest heat, stirring for 3 - 5 minutes until pasta is almost cooked and sauces coats pasta.  Add more pasta water, 1/4 cup at a time, if sauce becomes too dry.  Sauce should surround pasta but be slightly liquid since cheese will thicken it.
6.   Add the grated Parmesan, heat for an additional minute to melt the cheese, and serve immediately.

When you make a dish as important as this one it needs to be shared.  And so I did - with a couple of friends from the "left bank" (Kingston) in town for a shopping expedition.  I added a few other dishes and there we had it, an ode-to-late-Spring lunch.

I made a salad with blanched sugar snap peas - which are as advertised, snappy as in crunchy and sugar sweet - with thinly sliced, peppery radishes, crumbled salty feta cheese, lots of chopped fresh chives (one of my few personally grown "crops"), extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice and brown rice vinegar.  
The day before the lunch I had been in Albany at Honest Weight, the great food co-op, where I picked up a container of goat's milk yogurt from R&G Cheesmakers, Cohoes, NY (no website). 
R & G makes exquisite goat's milk cheeses and their yogurt is exceptional.  Michael Harris of Cheese! (Hudson Farmer's Market) warned me not to expect a loose yogurt - or even a Greek-style yogurt - that this was was more like a fresh chevre cheese.  I planned accordingly and decided to treat it as if it were  labane, the Middle Eastern-style yogurt cheese.  Labane is usually served spread on a plate covered with fruity olive oil and possibly, a sprinkle of za'atar - a spice and sesame seed mix - as an appetizer or meze together with assorted salads and plenty of warm pita bread to scoop up all the offerings.  I served it with a warm Loaf baguette.

Dessert had to be something with strawberries.  While there are varieties of strawberries that will last for almost the whole summer, the kind I've been buying for the past few weeks are just about finished.
I sliced the berries and macerated them with fresh lemon juice, rapadura sugar - unrefined and unbleached organic sugar from Brazil, and vincotto - the cooked must of Malvasia grapes- which gives anything it's added to deep flavor.   Honest Weight sells vincotto and so does Buon Italia (they do mail order).  I had every intention of making cornmeal-pecan shortcakes but never seemed to get there.  I called my friends who were out shopping somewhere on Warren Street and asked them to please go directly to the farmer's market and get a loaf of Loaf's other-worldly cinnamon  bread.
As long as Rachel continues to make the buttery loaf with a generous whirlpool of cinnamon and a crackling maple-glazed top, I may never make shortcakes again.   Here's what I did; cut 3/4-inch slices of the bread, toasted them and placed each piece on a plate.  The strawberries and a bowl of whipped cream were served separately.  Everyone assembled their own dessert.  It was fragrant, tart, sweet, spicy, crispy and creamy.  Need anything else for dessert?

I bought a few extra quarts of strawberries for the freezer to be pulled and defrosted in a time of emergency.   Hull the berries then lay out, single file, on a parchment paper-covered baking sheet.  Freeze, then store the frozen berries in a vacuum-sealed plastic bag.   To defrost do the whole thing in reverse - lay the frozen berries on a baking sheet, thaw and you will have perfect berries to use as you like.  Use semi-thawed berries in a smoothie.

SUSANSIMONSAYS:

If you find yourself in downtown NYC (not all the way down) and are desperate for sweet refreshment
go here on the east side:

Zucker is a small east village bakery with all the charm of a coffee house in central Vienna.  Their cold brewed Stumptown coffee consumed with  alfajores ( Argentine sandwich cookies filled with dulce de leche then rolled in coconut) is the pause that refreshes.  No doubt.

L'Arte del Gelato on the west side, in the Chelsea Market serves the real thing.  Real Italian gelato - ice cream with about 1/4 of the butterfat as found in American ice cream.   My benchmark gelato is straciatella - literally "a little rag" - it is plain (not vanilla) white, gelato with chocolate "rags" swirled through.  L'Arte del Gelato's straciatella  passes the test, it tastes like Italy.  All the other flavors do too.