By Melony Carey
Food by the book
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If you are looking for a light-hearted read for long summer nights, try Linda Francis Lee’s four star novel, “Emily and Einstein.” 30-something Emily Barlow Portman seemingly has it all – a job as editor at Coldecote Press, an apartment in the prestigious Dakota overlooking Central Park, and a charming, successful husband from an upper crust New York City family. And then Emily’s world turns upside-down when Sandy dies in a tragic accident.
But Sandy has unfinished business on earth and begs the “Old Man” who comes for him to give him one more chance. He wakes up as a dog at the vet clinic where Emily volunteers and she falls for the homely but loveable stray immediately, dubbing him Einstein for his preternatural understanding. The only problem is that Sandy’s mother, philanthropist and socialite Althea Portman, threatens to evict Emily from her apartment in the Dakota, her last link to Sandy.
Beset on all sides by malicious co-workers who take credit for her work and a mother-in-law intent on robbing her of the inheritance Sandy promised, Einstein guides Emily to discover a joint savings account, sign up for the New York City marathon, write her own book, and find a secret compartment in her husband’s desk.
If all this sounds predictable, it is offset by Lee’s excellent story telling that intertwines an almost believable magical realism with unexpected plot twists for an uplifting denouement. The moral of the story is that we can escape our mother’s early imprinting on us and sometimes we get a second chance, even if we do not deserve it. Other books by Linda Francis Lee are “The Devil in the Junior League” and “The Ex-Debutante.”
As the weather heats up, summer salads can cool us down. Try two salads from former Dakota resident Sheila Lukins and co-author Julee Rosso, whose Silver Palate cookbook has been staples for over 25 years.
Mediterranean
Chicken Salad
4 chicken breasts, grilled and torn into bite sized pieces or 2 store bought lemon pepper roasted chickens
1/4 cup really good olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons oregano
Juice of one lemon
2 tablespoons drained capers
20 cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 pound cooked green beans
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Combine chicken in large bowl with oil and oregano. Cover and marinate for one hour.
Add remaining ingredients, toss and season to taste with salt and pepper. Using store bought roasted chickens really cuts the cooking time, making it a truly easy and delicious summer dinner. Use frozen whole green beans blanched in the microwave. Serve with grilled ciabatta bread.
Rice and
Vegetable Salad
8 cups hot cooked rice
1 1/2 to 2 cups “Silver Palate’s Our Favorite Vinaigrette” (recipe below)
1 sweet red pepper, stemmed, cored and cut into thin julienne
1 green pepper, stemmed, cored and cut into thin julienne
1 medium size purple onion, peeled and diced
6 scallions (green onions), cleaned and finely sliced
1 cup dried currants (or raisins, optional)
2 shallots, peeled and finely diced
1 package (10 ounces) frozen peas, thawed and blanched in boiling salted water for 3 minutes
1/2 cup pitted black olives, finely chopped
1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley
1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Transfer prepared rice to a mixing bowl and pour 1 1/2 cups vinaigrette into rice. Toss thoroughly. Cool to room temperature. Add remaining ingredients and toss thoroughly. Taste, correct seasoning, and add additional vinaigrette if you like. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate up to 4 hours. Return to room temperature before serving. Serves 8 – 10.
Our Favorite
Vinaigrette
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
4 tabelspoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Minced parsley or chives to taste
1/2 cup olive oil
Measure mustard into bowl. Whisk in vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper and parsley to taste. Continue to whisk while slowly dribbling in olive oil until mixture thickens.
Apple Cake
with Lemon Glaze
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 cups sugar
2 eggs (at room temperature)
2 cups chunky applesauce
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup raisins
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the applesauce and vanilla.
Sift the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and baking soda together then add to applesauce mixture. Next, sprinkle in the raisins, and blend gently but thoroughly.
Pour the batter into a buttered and floured 10 inch tube pan (or 9x13 baking dish) and set on a rack in the center of the oven. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the cake comes out clean, about 1 hour and 10 –minutes.
Cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes. Turn out onto cake plate and cool completely before drizzling with icing.
Lemon Orange Icing
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
Sift the confectioner’s sugar and cinnamon into a small bowl. Dribble in the juices, stirring constantly until the icing is smooth. Drizzle over completely cooled cake. I found I had to add more lemon juice and orange juice to reach a drizzling consistency.
