Breakfast With Fredericksburg Culinary Arts

When we attended a complementary class sponsored by Fredericksburg Culinary Arts, little did we know that we would simultaneously receive a 'taste' of breakfast from Cottages At Limestone On Main Bed & Breakfast - named among the "Great Stays of Texas." Co-owners of both venues, Carol Seminara and her husband, Joe Houde, enthusiastically presented a demonstration meal that featured Texas Hill Country's best seasonal ingredients and their love of great food.

Carol got things underway as she made peach and pecan scones, which she topped with decorative pearl sugar because it holds its shape when exposed to heat. These gorgeous scones were light and airy, with a nice balance of fruit and nut flavors.

Carol's Cottage Granola arrived next - a healthy and tasty combination of rolled oats, almonds, walnuts, coconut, sesame seeds, wheat germ, maple syrup, cinnamon and vanilla, dried cranberries and golden raisins paired with fresh blackberries and a dollop of creamy vanilla yogurt.

Joe worked his magic with delicate crepes, which enfolded fresh asparagus and cubed ham. A savory, surprisingly light Swiss cheese sauce smothered the completed crepes.

But for sheer inventiveness, this orange juice truly captivated me; it's one 'recipe' that I raved about several times after I returned home. Carol used a star-shaped mold and pomegranate juice to created delightful ice cubes, which decorate and chill the juice as they add flavor. 

Throughout the class, Carol and Joe provided quick tips for anybody's kitchen including:

        -Cold dough in a hot oven is key to baking

        -Every time you open the oven door you reduce the temperature by 25 degrees

        -Coffee filters polish mirrors and chrome

By the time the juice arrived, our tasting menu had filled us so full that we saw no need for lunch. Then Carol and Joe put everything together on a signature silver tray, just as they might for their B & B guests, and I wished I had time to spend the night at Cottages At Limestone on Main.

Kansas Travel - Exploring Route 66

Only 12.8 miles of historic Route 66 passes through Kansas' southeast corner - the smallest number of miles in any state along this legendary road. But there's a wealth of cool places to visit near this little stretch of pavement.

Fans of Guy Fieri's Food Network program, Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, may remember one great dining spot that's located along the main drag of Baxter Springs - Cafe on the Route. Although I (unfortunately) didn't see the episode, that national exposure is part of what led me to the cafe. And I was blown away by this place.

After a huge breakfast at a Pittsburg, KS B & B, I wasn't ready for a big meal when I reached Baxter Springs but there was no way that I'd pass up this place. So I ordered a chicken wrap sandwich and a side of their famous fried potato salad with mustard glaze. 

The wrap tasted great but I was determined to duplicate the fried potato salad from my first bite. Skin-on potato chunks, with a bit of crunch and lots of soft, were bathed in this amazing glaze that owners, Richard and Amy Sanell, should seriously consider bottling. You get plenty of food for your money too - before the sandwich/side arrived, I also received a huge salad topped with homemade croutons and a small, light-as-air corn muffin.

Dinner entrees ranged from Chateaubriand to Apple Smoked Salmon, Pesto Pork, Honey Mustard Chicken and Nutcrusted Catfish. The Sanells also run a tasteful B & B upstairs, The Little Brick Inn.

In tiny nearby Riverton, grab a freshly made sandwich from the antique deli counter at Eisler Brothers Old Riverton Store, chow down in the sun-filled, porch-like dining area, and then browse through an amazing array of Route 66 memorabilia and souvenirs in the back room. Opened in 1925, the store draws visitors from throughout the U.S. and the world. This favorite stop for Route 66 fans gained additional exposure as inspiration for the Disney Pixar movie, Cars. After 75 years of operation, the store still offers groceries, produce, and flowers with a large side of memorabilia. 

Don't miss this spot when you cross southeastern Kansas. Better yet, make a special trip there and return home with a new appreciation of the Route and its legendary status in America's culture of the open road. And take home a Route 66 shot glass or T-shirt while you're at it.

Cranberry Chocolate Torte

Despite the fact that I truly love creating my own recipes, sometimes there's just no improving on a perfect 'found' recipe, especially when it comes to holiday traditions. My copy of this recipe is on newsprint from the Kansas City Star that has become yellowed with age and gives no attribution to its author. I've had it for at least 15 years.

This combination is another example of adding seasonal taste to my favorite flavor - dark chocolate. Be prepared to dirty loads of bowls in the process; I counted at least four when I made the recipe again this evening. But the results are phenomenally delicious - something like a cross between cheesecake and a brownie with the tangy zip of cranberries - and a small slice goes a long way. ENJOY!

Cranberry Chocolate Torte
Makes 10-14 servings

16 ounce can cranberry sauce, with whole cranberries
1/2 cup ground almonds
1/4 cup sifted flour
7 ounces dark sweet chocolate, chopped (VOE - chocolate chips work well here)
1/2 cup butter
3 large eggs, separated
1/2 to 3/4 cup sugar (VOE - I use 1/2 cup)
1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place cranberries in small bowl and stir gently until slightly liquid. In another small bowl, combine almonds and flour.

Melt butter and chocolate in a double boiler over simmering water, stirring occasionally to blend. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat egg yolks and sugar until thick and light. With mixer on low speed, add flour and nut mixture to egg yolks, beating until just mixed.

Add chocolate-butter mixture and blend gently. Stir in cranberries and almond extract by hand.

Beat egg whites until they hold their shape but are not dry. Fold into cranberry batter.

Pour into a greased and floured 9-inch springform pan* and smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Bake about 55 minutes, on a baking sheet. Remove from oven and cool completely while still in pan, about 1 1/2 hours. Place in refrigerator until chilled; about 1 hour.

When ready to serve, remove from springform pan and add glaze (see below). Makes one 9-inch torte.

Glaze:

1/2 cup currant jelly
2 tablespoons cranberry juice cocktail

Combine jelly and cranberry juice in small saucepan and heat on medium. Brush chilled torte with warm glaze and allow to set. Give top of torte a second coating. Sprinkle with ground almonds if desired.

*VOE - I use a pastry brush to evenly spread flour across the entire springform surface.

WaterFire Kansas City

We heard the soaring, haunting music two blocks before we reached Brush Creek, at Kansas City, Missouri's Country Club Plaza. Thousands of people already stood and sat beside the quiet, dark creek, hoods pulled up against occasional spitting rain. As rain dissipated, small boats traveled along the creek and passengers lit individual braziers anchored by buoys. 

This was the beginning of the third annual WaterFire Kansas City celebration. The scent of burning embers mixed with the food aromas from top Plaza restaurants while dancing firelight and performers created delightful visual images.

Truly a feast for the senses, 55 floating bonfires eventually illuminate Brush Creek each year while sidewalk performers, fire dancers, and international music enhance the hauntingly beautiful, one-night-per-year experience.  Boats return periodically, to re-stoke the fires, maintaining the ethereal glow throughout this magical evening. WaterFire Kansas City has become a popular fall tradition since artist, Barnaby Evans, replicated his Providence, Rhode Island installation here for the first time, in 2007.

 

Whoever said that fire and water don't mix has never attended this magical event. If you're not close to Kansas City, check out WaterFire Providence. These beautiful images will haunt your memory long after the event ends.

Kansas Travel - Emporia's Granadas

Mother, Kim Redeker, and daughter, Toni Bowling, saw a perfect spot to open the chocolate business they had dreamed of, beside Emporia's Granada Theater. In anticipation of the theater's restoration, these budding chocolatiers opened The Sweet Granada - A Chocolate Cafe next door. By the time the theater's magnicent interior restoration was completed, about 18 months ago, the women already had several successful years of operation under their belts.

Redeker and Bowling have tantalized sweet tooths with a wide variety of luscious chocolates and other confections since the 2004 holiday season. Today they get rave reviews for their fudge, from creamy Amaretto Chocolate Swirl to a highly unusual Lemon Meringue variety, made with marshmallow cream. They also douse huge strawberries in chocolate, and double dip cherries so it looks like they're wearing tuxedos.

Being chocolatiers was a new venture for both ladies, who spent a year studying how to make chocolates before they opened. And their efforts have paid off in the form of multiple awards, including 2006 Emerging Business of the Year, from Kansas Small Business Development.

The pair uses only Guittard white, milk, dark, or extra dark chocolate, and hand-make every item, from chocolate covered popcorn to hand-dipped Oreos and Champagne Truffles. Visitors also can pick up assorted goodies in the shop or order online - The Sweet Granada will ship anywhere. And that's a very sweet option.

Chocolate Lover's Pumpkin Pie

When I first thought of infusing pumpkin pie with a large dose of chocolate, I wanted to make a chocolate graham cracker crust. But I couldn't figure out how to combine what is typically a no-bake crust with a filling that clearly needed plenty of baking time.

That's when melted chocolate entered the picture - not once, but twice. There's also plenty of crushed chocolate in the light and fluffy filling, without totally overpowering the traditional pumpkin pie flavor. And I doubled the amount of spices in a typical pumpkin pie filling to help it stand up against the chocolate.

This Thanksgiving, there's a way to satisfy tradition and your passion for chocolate in the same luscious dessert.

Chocolate Lover's Pumpkin Pie
Makes 12-16 servings

one 9-inch pie crust
1/2 cup dark semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted in double boiler

1 can pumpkin puree
1 can lowfat evaporated milk
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 teaspoon flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup dark semi-sweet chocolate chips, ground fine in food processor

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake crust 10 minutes while melting chocolate chips. Allow to cool slightly, about 10 minutes. Using a pastry brush, spread 1/2 of melted chocolate across entire crust, including edge.

Combine all other ingredients except ground chocolate chips. Fold in chocolate chips and fill shell; it will be very full. Bake pie approximately one hour or until filling surface is slightly firm to the touch.

Cool one hour on wire rack and then for 1/2 hour in refrigerator. Reheat melted chocolate in double boiler. Use pastry brush to 'paint' the pie top with remaining chocolate. Cool at least 15 more minutes and then serve.

Chocolat in Fredericksburg

Visual Traveler returns with the 200th entry, today, and it's good to be back. Sometimes, you just have to leave things alone and let them simmer awhile before you can return for another taste, and that's what I've done with this blog. Recovery from a broken elbow through much of the summer, plus intensive travels through the state of Kansas while doing research for a travel guide have resulted in a new focus. Look for food-related posts on Wednesdays, a Crossing Kansas entry on Fridays, and another travel entry - often related to food - on Mondays. And, most of all, ENJOY!

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Lecia Duke watches intently as we pop liquid center chocolates in our mouths, during a press trip to Fredericksburg, TX. She encourages us to let them sit on our tongues until the chocolate shell warms up and breaks open. A rush of Almendrado (almond) tequila suddenly bathes my tongue, swirling together with the melted dark chocolate shell. I immediately want to try a second. This time there’s an explosion of rich, seductive ruby port as melting chocolate envelopes my tongue.

These are only a few varieties of the liquid center chocolates available at Chocolat/Quintessential Chocolates Co., Inc., a must-visit local destination for chocolate lovers. Duke’s ‘Spirited Selection’ liquid centers include Tennessee Whiskey, Amaretto, French Cognac Champagne, spiced rum and Russian Orange Vodka. Wine lovers can sample chocolates made with blackberry, orange Muscat, Washington raspberry and Muscat Hamburg wines, and non-alcohol selections include mesquite roasted or espresso coffee and black cherry or peach nectar.

Duke created her three- to five-day chocolate molding and filling process following her apprenticeship with a Swiss master chocolatier. By 1984, Chocolat was born. Duke casts all of her molds in the store. She and her staff use Merckens Yucatan chocolate, with 53-70% cacao, and her American roots inspired her to add liquid flavorings that Americans would appreciate. She’s also quick to point out that one of these decadent chocolates, made with at least 50 percent cacao, has only 28 calories and an astounding antioxidant level of 13,000.
But there’s more to Duke’s repertoire than liquid chocolates. Sample her silk fudge – melt-in-your-mouth, creamy and luscious, in German Chocolate, Raspberry and several other decadent flavors. Crafted only with chocolate, heavy whipping cream and flavoring, these chocolate-based confections have no added sugar, taking their sweetness from the chocolate itself. Across the tiny lobby samples of chile-laced dark chocolate are rich and satisfying, while the heat grows with each bite.

I guarantee that you won't want to stop with just one.