Rain and Chocolate Lava Cakes

The rain here in the Northeast is reaching epic proportions.

The ground is so saturated from previous rainstorms that it just can't take anymore.

This is a view of a corner of my backyard, taken from an upstairs window.

Highways are impassable. Small streams have burst their banks. And locally, neighbors are having to call the fire department to pump out their flooded basements. (crossing our fingers, our basement is currently dry).

A full moon last night spelled disaster for our coastal neighbors bringing high tide to their very doors.

This is the third such storm in so many weeks. Now what was that about Climate Change being a bunch of hooey?

Individual Chocolate Lava Cakes (easily doubled, this recipe makes four cakes)

1 stick (8 ounces) unsalted butter plus more for ramekins

2 teaspoons sugar, plus more for ramekins

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

Generous pinch cayenne pepper (optional)

6 ounces semisweet chocolate, rough chopped

1/2 cup flour

1 1/4 confectioners' sugar (powdered sugar)

3 large eggs

3 egg yolks

3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Butter four 6 ounce oven proof ramekins. Dust with 1/4 teaspoon sugar.

In a heavy saucepan combine butter, sugar, chocolate, cinnamon, cayenne and nutmeg. Heat over low until butter and chocolate is melted and all is well combined. Stir often and slowly.

While the chocolate mixture is cooling slightly, whisk together the flour, confectioners' sugar, eggs, egg yolks and vanilla extract until creamy.

Slowly add some of the chocolate mixture to the egg/flour mixture - whisk to temper the eggs, then add the rest.

Pour into prepared ramekins.

You can stop here and refrigerate until you are ready to bake - up to 6 hours!

OR - proceed to baking. Place the ramekins on a rimmed cookie sheet and bake for 12 to 14 minutes. Cakes will be puffed and slightly cracked and the edges will be dark.


Let rest for 5 minutes, run a small sharp knife around the edge of the ramekin, then invert onto individual plates or shallow bowls. Dust with powdered sugar or serve with freshly whipped cream if desired.

While enjoying, pray for sun in the Northeast.

A Cook's Notes: a teaspoon of orange liquor added to the batter is delicious. Or, experiment with mint, almond or coconut extracts. Instead of cayenne I have used Cocoa Chili Blend Spice by McCormick (also delicious in hot chocolate)

If you can't eat all the cakes in one sitting, microwave a cake (in the ramekin) for 30 seconds and invert as above. They will keep (baked) in the refrigerator for several days.

By The Sweat of My Brow - Cucumber Salad

I garden. 

Therefore I eat. 

If I were in charge of the world (someday, someday) I would make everyone grow at least one thing to eat.  It would do everyone much good to grow just one thing that nourished them.

Over the years my garden has taught me many things. 

Patience

Wonder

Frustration

Humility

Awe

Hunger

Joy

Courage

Fear 

Every year, before the first hint of spring, I start thinking about what I'm going to grow for the coming season. Now let me make this clear. I do not like digging, bending, yanking, back aches, bug bites, sweating, getting really dirty. Well, okay, I kind of don't mind getting dirty. 

It is the joy of the growing and the triumph of the harvest that keep drawing me back to the dirt. 

When you start the garden, it is cold. The earth is muddy and ungiving. It is only a good imagination that allows the gardener to "see" the garden. 

So you dig

And you plant

And you water

It helps if you have one of these:

A rain barrel collects all that spring melt and up coming rains. Plus it looks pretty cool in your yard.

So after a few weeks of looking at what appears to be pitiful wilted green things lounging around in the mud, one day you go outside to pull yet one more weed and you find something like this:

It's the hint of a cucumber. Not even big enough to be a gherkin.. a veritable Vlasic reject, a kosher pickle wannabe - but just big enough to spur you to bend over and  pull one more weed, one more time. 

A few weeks, some rain and sunshine later and you find that the little patch of cucumbers and squash, look like this:

By now your heart is racing because under these leaves you know (you hope) you are going to find what you've been waiting for, hoping for, sweating for:

Cucumber Salad with Yogurt and Mint: (serves 5)

4 large cucumbers, preferably home grown, thinly sliced.

1 cup greek style 0% fat yogurt 

1 tablespoon honey

2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped fine

Sea Salt and freshly ground pepper

Whisk together the yogurt, honey, salt and pepper.

Toss the cucumbers with the mint. 

Stir in yogurt dressing and serve chilled. 

This goes great with lamb. Or simple grilled chicken. 

I just spotted this today - be still my pounding heart,  the cherry tomatoes are getting ripe, the eggplants are growing...
Time to weed... to bend, to sweat a little more. Hush my aching back...