Torta Della Nonna for my Momma

 

 My mom and I went to Osteria Mozza when she was visiting me in LA in April. We had a wonderful meal that ended with several of Pastry Chef Dahlia Narvaez's amazing desserts. My mom tasted the Torta Della Nonna and declared it the best cake she'd ever had. (I was insulted!) 

I am now visiting my parents at their house on the grounds of the Chautauqua Institution in Upstate NY. To celebrate my mom's successful completion of radiation therapy, I set out to recreate the cake. I used Mario Batali's recipe, figuring it would be the same as the one used in his restaurant. It wasn't, but was still quite good--maybe not the best cake my mom has ever tasted, but hopefully up there.

By the way, shopping for ricotta cheese in Upstate NY is quite different than doing so in California. Two weeks ago I was at Cowgirl Creamery in the Ferry Building in San Francisco. There were several varieties of freshly made cheeses made from both cow and sheep milk. There were tasting spoons to sample the subtle differences in the cheeses. There were knowledgeable counter people  offering serving suggestions and telling me about the provenance of the milk. At the roadside market in Upstate NY, in contrast, I asked at the deli if they made their own ricotta. The woman shot me a nasty look  that implied my absolute stupidity and simply said, "it's cheese." 

Friends gave my mom the locally grown strawberries also to celebrate finishing her treatment and another friend made the strawberry jam. I have never made jam before, so I went over to  her house to learn about the process and "help." The taste of the warm jam right as it was being canned was pure strawberry essence incredible. It is wonderful on the ricotta cake (and on toast spread with butter and ricotta as I've been doing a little too frequently).

Huck Bars

Three friends are opening what will be an amazing bike shop in San Francisco later this summer. It's called Huckleberry Bicycles--a name that immediately got me thinking of baked goods. When I went up to the Bay Area last weekend, I wanted to bring something with huckleberries, so I made a batch of "Huck Bars" (also sometimes referred to as "Hucklebarries"). These are intended as energy bars that will propel cyclists through long, arduous rides (or long, leisurely breakfasts, as was more the case this weekend).

For this initial prototype of the Huck Bar, I adapted a recipe for British flapjacks that I found in Bon Apetit a few months back. I used quick-cooking steel cut oats because I prefer the texture to rolled oats. And, of course, the crucial addition was that of the dried huckleberries. I think that the recipe could be further enhanced for ultimate performance as an energy bar with the addition of other grains, seeds and nuts. I would also perhaps switch the sweetener to honey from the Golden Syrup that is traditionally called for in flapjacks. I will keep working on the recipe...

If you're in SF, make sure to follow Huck Bikes' progress. It will not only be a great resource for equipment and service, it is also a local, independent business that is community-orientated and is putting a lot of energy into revitalizing the Central Market District. I got a tour of the space and the neighborhood this weekend and it is truly amazing. I was so inspired by their commitment to following their dream and to the care with which they are doing so. For example, how many new businesses do you know that take the time to plant trees in their neighborhood prior to opening? It's so nice to see business owners who actually give a huck :)