Nanaimo Bars and a Visit to Toronto

For the past three years, my girlfriend and I have made it a tradition to take a road trip with our kids for a few days during their two-week Spring Break. This year we traveled north to Toronto, Canada and stopped at Niagara Falls along the way. Toronto is only a 5-6 hour drive from Pittsburgh. Thanks to the Spilled Milk podcasts (co-hosted by Molly Wizenberg from Orangette) I had teed up on my iPhone, I giggled most of the way there and the driving time went by in a flash.

We visited the usual Toronto tourist attractions...

The CN Tower, where you ride up to the top and on a clear day you can see for miles. A portion of the floor at the top is made of glass and you can see straight down to the ground below.

The Toronto Zoo. The polar bears were so much fun to watch.

Casa Loma, the beautiful castle built on a hill overlooking the city, was quite interesting.

The Royal Ontario Museum and The Science Center kept us busy for hours.

We saw the Stanley Cup at the Hockey Hall of Fame and Justin Bieber's shoes at the Bata Shoe Museum. Only seeing Justin Bieber himself could've topped that (according to one fanatic 14-year-old)!

Of course, along the way, we had to stop at interesting bakeries and chocolate shops.

The Soma Chocolate Shop in the Distillery District was a chocolate lover's dream. The kids chose to buy milk chocolate bars and I had two chocolates from the glass case - a gianduja (pronounced john-DOO-ya, more on that in a post to come) and a chocolate-covered morsel of marzipan, my favorite treat.

The L'Espresso Bar and Pastry shop on Bloor street just down from the Royal Ontario Museum was fantastic. They played lively jazz music and the dining room was packed on a Sunday morning. Ellen and Ben were wanting to try a Canadian sweet and chose the Butter Tart. A butter tart is kind of like a pecan pie without the pecans. They are quite sweet. This one had traditional raisins in the filling. I purchased a cranberry shortbread and an almond shortbread cookie - one to eat now and one to have with my tea later. We took our treats to go and finished them on a bench outside the shop.

Another Canadian dessert we saw along the way was the Nanaimo Bar. We didn't get the chance to try it in Canada, so I made this version of the Nanaimo Bar after we got home. The original Nanaimo bar has a vanilla custard middle layer and the recipe calls for custard powder. I didn't have any custard powder, so I made this take on a Nanaimo bar from Alice Medrich's book, Chewy, Gooey, Crispy, Crunchy Melt-In-Your-Mouth Cookies. The middle layer is cheescake in this version. The cookie crust is wonderful, made with chocolate wafers (I used Oreos), dried coconut, and chopped pecans.

Although I loved Toronto, next year I vow to go south where it might be a little warmer. Any suggestions?

No-No Nanaimo Bars
adapted from Chewy Gooey Crispy Crunchy Melt-in-Your-Mouth Cookies by Alice Medrich
Base Layer
1 1/2 cups (5 ounces) chocolate cookie crumbs (I used Oreos)
1/2 cup (1.5 ounces) unsweetened dried shredded coconut (sweetened would work as well)
1/2 cup (2 ounces) finely chopped pecans
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar

Middle Layer
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons (0.875 ounce) packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 large egg

Top Layer
2 T granulated sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
7 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate with 55% to 60% cacao

Equipment
A 9-inch square metal baking pan, the bottom and all 4 sides lined with foil

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Mix the crumbs, coconut, pecans, butter, and 1/4 cup of the granulated sugar and pat it very firmly into the lined pan. Bake the crust for 10 to 12 minutes, or until it looks slightly darker at the edges and smells toasted.

While the crust is baking, mix the filling. In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese, brown sugar, and 1/4 cup of the remaining granulated sugar until smooth. Beat in the vanilla and then the egg. When the crust is baked, dollop the filling onto the hot crust and spread gently with the back of a spoon. Bake the bars until the edges are slightly puffed, about 10 minutes. Cool on a rack for 30 minutes. Chill for at least 2 hours.

Dissolve the remaining 2 tablespoons granulated sugar in the cream. Bring 1/2 inch water to a simmer in a medium skillet. Coarsely chop the chocolate and combine with the cream in a medium metal bowl. Place the bowl directly in the skillet of hot water and turn off the heat. Let rest for 5 minutes and whisk until smooth. Set aside until needed.

Pour the warm ganache onto the bars, spread, and chill for at least 30 minutes before serving. Lift the bars out of the pan by using the edges of the foil liner. Cut into 16 or 25 squares, wiping the knife between cuts. May be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.

Makes 16 large (2 1/4—inch) bars or 25 smaller bars.

Merry Marzipan Christmas!

I talked with my mom on the phone the other day and she said, "I know you're busy because we haven't seen anything new on your blog."

That's right, I've been busy baking cookies for neighbors, cakes for Christmas celebrations, and toffee for gifts. I just haven't had the time to share it with you, or take pictures, and after Christmas you probably won't want to see another cookie post for another 10 months!

I did make time to sew by hand these adorable cupcake ornaments made of felt and embroidery thread for my soul sisters Handmade Christmas Ornament Exchange right down to the handmade packaging and toffee.

Other things we've been doing:

Listening to 3rd graders play Christmas Strings at the Wintergarden at PPG Place in Pittsburgh...

and skating at the PPG outdoor skating rink...

and drinking hot chocolate...

and decorating Christmas trees...

and touring bakeries in New York City (I'll be posting more on that!)...

I'd love to hear what festive activities you've been doing this busy month!

Happy Holidays from the Marzipan Kitchen!

Take a Peek into our Florida Vacation

Fun in Orlando!


Relaxing in Captiva

New York City - A Culinary Peek

Whew! What a couple of weeks it has been! And it doesn't seem to be letting up. Besides baking up a storm in the past two weeks, I had the wonderful opportunity to visit the fabulous NYC with my son and all of his classmates who also each brought one parent along. We had a jam-packed schedule including visiting Ellis Island, Rockefeller Center, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The United Nations, and seeing the Broadway Musical "Wicked".
Those tourist attractions were great, but I have to say that I loved happening upon the terrific bakeries and delis along the way. In the financial district, we came upon this huge deli called Oliva. They had a case full of pastries,

a case full of wraps and paninis,

and case full of kabobs and the makings for a delicious vegetarian quesedilla. They even had sushi, a salad bar, pizzas and soups to choose from. We thought that if this store was close to where we worked or lived, we might never cook again!
Closer to our hotel near central park on 7th Avenue we stopped for tea and a sweet bite to eat at Le Pain Quotidien. The apricot tart and pistachio Marzipan tarts were the perfect mid-afternoon treat.

There was an amazing bakery called Ferrara in Little Italy with such a large selection, it was hard to choose what to try. My son chose a cookie with raspberry filling and some elephant ears. I chose the sfogliatelle, a crispy phyllo-like dough with a not-too-sweet ricotta filling -- just don't ask me how to pronounce it!

Here's a closer look at some of their offerings...

If you've got a weak stomach, stop reading here, otherwise, read on...Just around the block we found these frogs for sale in Chinatown...

And squid...



and the entire block smelled like fish...we rushed out of there in search of the next pastry shop!

Goodbye until next year, and I've been tagged...

Each year they come trickling in around the first week in December. By the end of the month I've got a wall covered with treasured photos of friends and their kids and families. You see, on the wall behind my desk area in the kitchen, I have a bulletin board which spans the entire 9-ft length of my desk. I made this bulletin board when we moved in 8 years ago by cutting some homosote (available at building supply stores) to size and covering it with sage colored linen, simply using a heavy duty stapler to affix the material on the back. It sits right on top of the backsplash and is fitted just under the cabinets so it doesn't even require nails or screws to keep it secure. During the year I post library receipts, party invitations, and other things I like to have within sight. Come December, it's all cleared off to make way for the adorable photos and Christmas greetings. I'm sad whenever it's time to take them down, but I'll save them in a box with all of the other years' pictures and even look back at them from time to time. So the bulletin board is clear now and I'll say goodbye to all our friends and wait until next year when we'll see them again, one year older and comment on how they've changed and grown up and how this one or that one looks exactly like their mother/father. I just love my wall of pictures!



Also, I've been tagged by Jennifer at Hope Studios and was asked to cite 6 random things about myself. Nothing very exciting but here goes...

1.) I wear knitted scarves all winter, inside or out. I'm wearing one right now.

2.) I feel like I can't breathe whenever bacon is cooking nearby or when I walk down the cleaning supplies aisle of the store

3.) I have at least 7 different types of honey in my pantry.

4.) I have a hard time keeping the house picked up - it's a constant battle! (I'm sure I'm not alone on this one!)

5.) I sleep on a pillow filled with water.

6.) I have a friend who recently purchased an iphone. She showed it to me yesterday and now I know what I'm going to spend my "Mimi's money" on!

New Year's Eve in North Carolina

It's a long drive from PA to NC - about 10 long hours in the car. One can get a lot of knitting done in those hours. On the way down, the kids asked at least 30 times, "When are we going to be there, how many more hours???" They were so excited to see their Grandma and Grandpa, their aunts and uncles, and to have all 8 cousins together.

The kids were so content hanging with their cousins and didn't nag us for anything the 3 whole days we were there! I believe that may be a record.

We did a puzzle and started knitting projects... we exchanged white elephant gifts...

We had grilled oysters dipped in butter...

and yes, we formed rock bands! It was worth the drive. Thanks Mom and Dad!

Color!!

After more than 5 years of white walls, we have color! Check it out!
The family room is Southern Wood...

The dining room is Cordial...

The kitchen is Pea Soup...

And the entryway and upstair hall are Applesauce Cake...Mmmm!

The sunroom, powder room and laundry are Halcyon Green...

Yes, we finally have color and we love it! Now for the upstairs...

1st Annual Pie Contest

This year, my mother-in-law planned a pie baking contest to celebrate the summer and to pay tribute to the "lost art of pie-making". It was a fun excuse to gather friends and family.


Ellen baked her very first pie. It was an apple pie with cut-out pastry leaves decorating the top. It was delicious! She was the youngest contestant. The pies I made were pumpkin pie (left) and raspberry/blackberry pie with a lattice crust (right).


The pies filled at least 5 long tables.


The judging was difficult. These were two of the most experienced judges - they took their job very seriously!


Annie is checking out a chocolate mousse pie.


Here are the winners! Congratulations to all!

The Making of Apple Cider

While my kids loved the hay tunnels and corn stalk maze and the hay ride around the orchard, my favorite part of visiting Soergel's this year was the cider press demonstration.


First, they use a forklift to bring in a huge bin full of different varieties of apples and dump them into a holding area at the start of a conveyor belt.



The apples are fed into the machine which rinses them and carries them up the ladder to be ground up by a very loud "food processor". I had always envisioned whole apples being pressed, but this makes much more sense.


The apple "mush" is then pumped into trays lined with canvas. When each tray is filled, the canvas is wrapped around the apples and another tray of apple mush is made on top until they have about a dozen trays of apple mush all stacked on top of one another. The trays are then pressed between the "floor" and "ceiling" of the machine and all of the liquid is captured in the tray around the "floor" of the press. The liquid is then pumped through tubes into a large holding tank where it is pasteurized and then bottled. One batch of trays will make about 300 gallons of cider. The pulp/fiber left over is as dry as cardboard and they use it as mulch which eventually returns the organic matter to the soil. Very cool process to watch.