East Coast Bucket List #5

i couldn't leave the east coast without visiting my beloved city of new york!!! a quick weekend trip up to revisit my old stomping grounds and to see some of my dearest friends.

a 7am amtrak ride with an unexpected treat! (and also #16 on my east coast bucket list). tarts from goll's bakery in havre de grace! my parents were dear enough to send them with me for my breakfast on the ride north. i do love traveling by train. so much less hassle than flying.....

priority #1 was having a legitimate new york pizza! this thin crust beauty was from carmine's in brooklyn. three scant blocks from my old apartment in williamsburg it is still one of the best pizza's i've had! fresh basil, ripe tomatoes, a gorgeous crisp crust. and of course.....copious amounts of fresh mozzarella!

ah fortunato's.......the must-visit bakery of my old neighborhood.

no visit to brooklyn is complete without a cappuccino and cannoli at fortunato's! to assuage my guilt at having eaten a pizza AND cannoli i actually walked back to my hotel. from williamsburg, brooklyn to murray hill, manhattan is about a 4 miles jaunt. but it was a gorgeous day and i was happy to soak in the city sights! and the view from the williamsburg bridge really is worth it.

 some quick iconic architecture shots.

i miss skyscrapers!

so the very trendy thing to do in new york during the summer is to find a roof top bar. and they are plentiful in hell's kitchen! i met some friend's at cantina rooftop for the view and a pre-dinner cocktail. and the people watching....always the people watching. a lot of bachelorette parties from the jersey side of the river out tonight!

for dinner we strolled a few blocks down to gotham market. a lovely indoor mecca for any variety of food one could crave!  anything from charcuterie to ice cream, all tastebuds can find something here.

i opted for a lobster/kale/potato chip roll from a sushi stand. a really lovely combination of textures and flavors!

a gorgeous sunset over the intrepid sea, air and space museum! a quick cab ride later and my friends and i were at a comedy improv club in chelsea.

somewhere in this whirlwind there was a trip to central park where i walked ALL of the park. from 60th to 110th street and back. so no guilt when my weekend ended with "fromos". frozen mimosas. such a delightful brunch treat!

i'll really miss being in such proximity to this wonderful city. but i look forward to future visits!

East Coast Bucket List #8

#8 on my list of things to do before leaving the east coast was to spend some time at the tidal basin in d.c. appreciating the monuments. i was fortunate to have the honor of combining this with one of the most amazing charity events i have ever been involved in!

https://www.theovernight.org

the american foundation for suicide prevention hosts "out of the darkness overnight walks" twice a year in different cities in the u.s. and this year it happened to be in d.c.! over 2,000 walkers showed up to walk 17 miles from sunset through sunrise to raise funds for the prevention of suicide. words cannot capture how incredible this experience was. to be surrounded by so many people whose lives have been effected by such sorrow.

registration and the start line was right at the edge of the reflecting pool on the national mall. each walker was given a necklace of beads to indicate their connection to the cause. i'm wearing purple to represent the loss of a family member, my near nephew maxwell; and blue to represent support of the cause.

each walker is given a tee shirt to decorate  as they'd like. i asked my sister-in-law jennilyn (max's mother) to decorate it with the partially bleached out image of max's face. it was heart rendering to see the names and pictures on everyone's shirts. the loss of so many loved ones....

just before the start there was an opening ceremony where a select few walkers shared their stories of loss and personal struggle.

and the walk begins! just at the steps of the lincoln memorial as the sun begins to drop down to the horizon.

this early in the night, the pack was still thick as we strolled en masse along the tidal basin. there were supporters lined along the path to cheer us on, and many confused tourists asking questions about the event. a good way to raise awareness!

our walk provided us with a gorgeous view of the jefferson memorial (my personal favorite sight in d.c.)

and a lovely shot of the the washington monument as the last little bit of daylight fades.

each walker is given a bracelet that lights up in a brilliant shade of cobalt blue. after the first rest stop, the pack begins to thin a little, but the path is clearly marked through the city by bouncing wrists of blue! i always did think d.c. was a city best seen at night. here we are approaching the capital building of our nation!

much credit to the organizers of the overnight walk. they kept us well fed!! after winding our way through the capital hill neighborhood and past union station, at mile 10 we had our "midnight lunch" at farragut north park. sandwiches, pasta salad, popcorn and cookies helped to fuel the weary travelers as we approached the northwest part of the district. at this point the weariness of not sleeping was just beginning to set in, and the blisters on the feet were just starting to form. but the energy of the crowd (and the chocolate covered espresso beans i was snacking on) helped us move forward!

mile 15 just south of georgetown and i was absolutely feeling the sleepies. my dear friend kate was walking with me through the event. i honestly don't know how i could have done it without her! having someone to chat with, laugh with, and even cry a little was essential. 

3 am on the dot, and we crossed the finish line back to the steps of the lincoln memorial. 7 hours and 17 miles after we had started. i was so tired my vision was pixilated, but i felt calm and peaceful.

each walker is given a luminary to decorate, and they are lined up just beyond the finish line. the image of max was placed just at the top of the steps, in perfect view of the monument! i was so worried when i couldn't find him at first, but kate pointed out the group at the top forming a heart shape. and there he was! i will always be sad to have lost such a dear soul on this earth, but i will always have warmth in my heart for my beloved nephew!

my brother (max's father) met me at the finish line and sat with me through the closing ceremonies. a subdued recognition of the loss and struggles that so many face each day. the sky was just starting to lighten as we sat listening to an acapella version of "all you need is love". my brother drove my weary self back home to herndon to end the event with a hearty breakfast with my parents. a truly amazing experience from start to finish!!!

Prunus Cerasus

a.k.a. the sour cherry. that elusive bright red gem that briefly graces farmer's markets in mid June. those tart, cheek puckering, flavorful spheres. to me these are the taste of summer. and there is nothing that compares to that unique taste! they are a delicate fruit to grow, and have a limited season (especially here in Virginia). so i start stalking the stands of farmers markets the second week of june waiting for that signature shade of ruby to appear. i usually have to get there just as the markets open, because these sought after mini globes will be gone within a half hour. i admit, i am one of those terrible people who will buy multiple pints and horde these precious jewels so no one else can have them! what i don't use right away? i pit and freeze for later use. so when that oh-so-specfic craving for a sour cherry pie hits in the winter? i don't have to suffer in wait!

pitting so many cherries can be a real pain in the rear, but i promise the gain is worth the labor. "cherry pitters" exist out there. but they are stupid expensive. and they tend to mash the cherries. and as alton brown preaches, the only "uni-tasker" a kitchen should have is a fire extinguisher. so i found that a useful way to pop the stones out of these fruits? is a simple hair pin. you know, like the ones the cartoon witch from the warner brothers leaves behind when she peels off? those. super thin with a bend at the end. just pluck the stem off, and use that bend to wiggle out the pit. it is a time consuming process, especially when you buy multiple pints at a time. so i like to lay mine out on the coffee table in the living room so i can binge watch cheesy chick flicks while i work.

now what to do with all those beauties? so many options! of course the most obvious and classic choice is.....pie!!! for this, it really is best to have a double crust. and it really helps to start the filling out on the stove. if the corn starch in the filling doesn't come to a boil in the oven? it won't set up properly with that beautiful thick texture. and while the taste is amazing, it is a runny mess. i speak from experience. my first attempt was not my best! so i mix the following together in a saucepan and heat over high JUST until it starts to boil. then immediately remove from the heat and cool, 

5 cups sour cherries, pitted

1 cup sugar

3 Tblsp corn starch

2 Tblsp butter

1 tsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp salt

once sandwiched into it's double crust (decorated anyway you like! the lattice is the classic style, but have fun with it. cut out unique shapes or use mini cookie cutter shapes if you have them!), brush the top with beaten egg and sprinkle with sugar. bake at 375 for 40 minutes. make sure to wrap the edge with foil after 20 minutes so it's golden, but not burnt!

while left over pie with coffee is about the best thing in the world for breakfast, i was interested in other options. why not muffins? these are a lemon sour cream muffin recipe with about 2 cups of sour cherries thrown in. the tart lemon is a perfect companion to the cherries!

i have these adorable ramekins that i never use enough. so i made mini cherry crumbles with the little bit of leftover pie filling and crust i had! waste not, want not!

being a fan of individual servings and hand held desserts i tried making little hand pies. this is all a question of personal preference. do you like more filling-to-crust ratio? or crust-to filling? these beauties had more crust (which i like) while the ramekins above had more filling. but both were delicious!

most recipes are for baked goods, but there are a few savory main dish options that can be made. while i was in budapest i was give a recipe for "meggyleves". which is a sour cherry soup seasoned with cinnamon and clove, then thickened with sour cream. it's a summer staple in hungary, usually served chilled. sadly i don't have a picture, but trust me when i tell you this soup is the most amazing shade of pink! it looks a little like a bowl of pepto-bismal, but tastes much better!!

sadly i'm out of this year's stock....but the next time i get my hands on a few pints, i plan to experiment with sour cherry pork tenderloin, sour cherry chicken, sour cherry salsa, sour cherry bread...... so many recipes, so few cherries!