In a Scramble

In our attempt to make a quick getaway from the city on Friday night (to get up to the Hudson Valley Garlic Festival) we did a dine-and-dash. I had eggs and leftover bits of cheese. I threw it all into the blender and experienced Vita-Mix "scrambled" eggs for the first time. I only put that in quotes because they are a slightly different animal than traditional scrambled eggs. Because the machine completely homogenizes the mixture the texture is fluffy and almost custardy. Sort of like souffle-meets-an-omelet in consistency.

Of course there is no need to add anything, but it's a great way to use up the this-and-that in your fridge.

Dinner in a Scramble

Serves 2

1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons sharp cheddar cheese

2 tablespoons hard goat's milk cheese

1/4 a small onion

6 eggs

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk

2 tablespoons water

Sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Place all the cheeses and onion in the container of the Vita-Mix. Start on variable #1. Increase to #10. Run until the cheese is all grated and combined (if using solid chunks).

Stop the machine and add the eggs, milk and water. Start the machine on variable #1, increase to #10, then high. Run the machine for about 8 to 10 minutes until the mixture thickens and the sound changes. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper. Viola! Dinner.

Can You Smell me from There?

This should be a scratch-and-sniff screen to convey the potency of this celebration. There's pretty much nothing you can imagine that hasn't been done to garlic. Stuff it, pickle it, puree it, fry it, dry it, even whip it into ice cream (not recommended).

The Hudson Valley Garlic Festival is very well-organized and laid out. There are long corridors of all-garlic food products, areas for eat-now food stalls and a long stretch of craftsman's wares, very wisely segregated from the greasy fingers of garlic eaters.

We hit the ground running with Garlic Knots; think dinner roll meets garlic bread. We chased that with fried garlic, 'cause how can you not try that? I was expecting crunchy, tempura-style cloves, but instead they were like oily roasted garlic. Good, but not that different.

We sampled our weight in pickles and dips. 

There is a whole separate area showcasing varieties of raw garlic and growing information. As you know, I have no green thumb. In fact, my boyfriend needed to rescue the herbs I bought just last week. I seem to rise to the occasion of killing green things. So I saw this pavilion as more of a photo opportunity than a learning experience. 

The only void in the festival was the lack of breath mints. We were shocked a gum or mouthwash company wasn't handing out samples. A perfect marketing opportunity wasted.

We came away loaded down with pickles and olives and honey (oh my!) Our bellies are full, our breath is foul, and we will sleep easy knowing tonight no vampires will come knocking.

Got Gas?

My honey and I sped through Maryland, Delaware and New Jersey last night to arrive in Hudson Valley, NY (well, Kingston, NY more specifically) for the 19th annual Hudson Valley Garlic festival. I've been to the Gilroy Garlic Festival in California, but this is the largest one on the East Coast. They expect 40 to 50,000 people to descend on the small town of Saugerties, all for the love of the stinking rose.

I will, of course, have a "post game" report tonight upon my return from today's festivities. For now all I can say is that New Jersey has some very odd laws. We stopped to get gas last night only to find men in yellow coats doing all the filling. Thinking this peculiar to the station, we drove on to the next rest spot. Turns out it's against the law to fill your own tank. Illegal? Huh? All the more frustrating is that they've installed self-serve pumps which require you to slide your card payment. But, God forbid you go as far as selecting your gas level and you will incur the wrath of the Gas Attendant. You do not want to get these guys mad. Apparently it's a very stressful job. Either that or their about to die from prolonged boredom and are trying to maintain control of the few duties they have. Hostile, inefficient and irritating.

We asked the hotel clerk what this was all about. "I guess people just like to be treated." No, that's called "luxury" not mandatory law. Very strange.

No Longer Got the Blues

"Put the blue box down and walk away slowly. Keep your hands where we can see them."

If I had known just how easy homemade mac and cheese could be I would have tried it a long time ago. Then again, it's made a LOT easier with Thor. You can use up leftover odd bits of cheese, play around with whatever veggies you have on hand, even omit the pasta altogether convert it into a gratin.

Better-Than-Box Mac & Cheese

Serves 4

5 ounces uncooked macaroni

2 cups frozen or fresh broccoli

5 ounces extra sharp Cheddar

2 ounces Gorgonzola dulce (or other mild blue cheese)

1 cup hot milk

2 tablespoons flour

1/4 small onion

1 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 small garlic clove

2 tablespoons toasted wheat germ

3-4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 2-quart casserole dish.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add macaroni and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente, Drain well and pour into prepared casserole dish. Distribute broccoli over pasta.

Meanwhile, place the cheese, hot milk, flour, onion, Worcestershire sauce, pepper, salt and garlic in the container of the Vita-Mix. Start on #1 variable, increase speed to #10. Blend until cheese is melted and onion is incorporated.

Pour cheese mixture over macaroni. Sprinkle top with wheat germ and Parmesan cheese. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes.

Totally Tuberlicious!

Eating veggies and dip can feel healthy, but when it's loaded with sour cream and mayo the intention is lost. This dip is a great answer to having a healthier dip. It still has mayo (you may be able to substitute non-fat Greek yogurt for a lighter version), but carrots pack it with additional nutrition.

Ginger-Carrot Dip

Makes about 2 cups

(Adapted from Gourmet, August 2007)

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 1/2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1/4 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

5 medium carrots, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup chopped peeled ginger (I used jarred)

2 scallions, coarsely chopped, 1 or 2-inches of the tops cut off

Combine all the ingredients in the container of the Vita-Mix. Start on variable #1, immediately turn to #7 and run until completely smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Chill in a covered bowl for at least 1 hour.

Serve with pita toasts and veggies.

The Mother of Invention

One of the joys of being on the open road is the freedom from rules and expectations. No exercise regime, no diet. Following these freedoms one is more open to discoveries. 

My honey, though he claims to have grown up in America, had never eaten a s'more. This appalled me (as well as the clerk at the gas station where we stopped for supplies with whom I shared the alarming fact). Though not grounds for immediate dismissal, I felt a personal obligation to remedy the situation.

He was in charge of the campfire. I was in charge of ingredients. Not a real challenge, there are only three last time I checked. Marshmallows: got 'em. Hershey's bar: got it. Graham crackers... Graham crackers. Nowhere to be found in our one-stop-gas station-convenience store. We got a few more odds and ends and headed back to our cabin to make a fire and roast marshmallows. 

That's when a sense of freedom took over. I threw aside rules and did the unthinkable. I tinkered with a classic. I sandwiched a toasty, gooey marshmallow between two Pringle's. Salty-sweet, gooey-crunchy, and all together good. 

You'll loose the smokey nuance an outdoor wood fire lends it, but you can try the pairing at home if you have a gas stove or, even better, a fire place.

Not (Just) Another Tomato Soup

I realize this is my third tomato soup post of the season. I would apologize, but they're all so different and worthy in their own right. First you've got your classic Cream of Tomato Soup. Then you've got a thick, robust Almost BLT Soup and now this one. It has a fusion feel to it. The trilogy of flavor components; garlic, ginger and coconut milk, give this a distinct tropical mood. The tomato makes it taste fresh from the backyard garden.

Fusion Tomato Soup

Makes 6 cups

2 teaspoons safflower oil

1 onion, chopped

1 1/2 tablespoons fresh minced ginger

1 clove garlic, minced

1 cup chicken broth

1/2 cup, plus 1/3 cup coconut milk

28 ounces fresh tomatoes (about 3 large)

1 tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon hot sauce

2 teaspoons salt

Chopped cilantro, for garnish (optional)

Fried shallots, for garnish (optional)

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute for about 10 minutes, until the onions are softened and fragrant. Add ginger and garlic, saute 2 minutes. Add broth, coconut milk, tomatoes, sugar, hot sauce and salt. Start on variable #1, increase to #10, then high. Run for 1 minute.

Serve hot with chopped fresh cilantro and fried shallots (optional).

They All Scream for Ice Cream!

The illusive ice cream beast. I know all the promo-videos show someone making ice cream, but it's more like a runny sorbet consistency and if you freeze it, it pretty much turns into a rock. My loyal peanut gallery had expressed making "real" ice cream from the Vita-Mix as a top priority. I was on it. Granted you have to temper it by freezing after you blend it so you can't eat it immediately. If you're looking for instant gratification, you're going to have to settle for the runny stuff, but if you can hold out, this is truly worth the wait. The beautiful thing is that you can use this vanilla base for any number of flavors. I haven't started experimenting yet, but the sky's the limit!

Toasted Coconut Ice cream

Makes 3 to 4 very rich servings

1 cup whole milk

small tin sweetened condensed milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

6 frozen ice cubes of coconut milk

1/2 cup toasted unsweetened coconut

Place all in the container of the Vita-Mix. Start on variable #1, increase speed to #10. Use tamper to make sure the coconut milk cubes are completely incorporated.

Pour into a container with a lid, or cover with foil. Freeze until set, 8 hours or overnight.

Scoop and serve.

Exotic Breezes

This has all sorts of exotic flavors going on and they meld perfectly. A lassi is somewhere between a shake and a smoothie, not quite a main course beverage, yet not quite dessert. The traditional Indian lassi you will find on most restaurant menus is mango and no arguing, a marvelous creation. But if I may say so, this rivals the classic.

Cardamom-Coconut Lassi

makes 1 (12-ounce) drink

12 ounces non-fat Greek yogurt

3 tablespoons honey

1/2 teaspoon cardamom

1/4 cup toasted unsweetened coconut

2 ice cubes if you want a thinner, colder consistency

Place all the ingredients in the container of the Vita-Mix. Start on variable #1, increase to #10 and run until everything is combined, about 40 seconds. You may need to use the tamper to get the spices and honey off the edges of the container and thoroughly incorporated.

Limbo Land Snacking*

*WARNING: This post does not use the Vita-Mix. On rare occasion the editorial staff reserves the right to post recipes that they deem worthy of venturing outside the box, or the blend as it were.

I'm a big fan of foods that don't fit any category. Like pickles. They're really not a side dish or a condiment. They're not a salad. The closest they come to a label is "snack", I guess. They have enough zing to satisfy a craving for big taste without totally ruining your appetite should a meal be around the corner.

Normally I'm a classic kosher dill girl all the way. But lately I've been enjoying the sweet and salty combo. The duo keeps bouncing back and forth in my mouth, never quite settling on one flavor. It's a marvelous dance.

I made these pickles with baby pickling cucumbers I found at the farmer's market, but I see no reason why you couldn't do it with any number of vegetables; cauliflower, baby carrots, okra, radishes, etc.

Somewhere-In-Between Pickles

Makes 16

8 baby pickling cucumbers (just make sure they have a thin skin)

1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt

1 small onion, thinly sliced

1 cup white vinegar

1/2 cup cider vinegar

1/2 jalapeno, seeded (to taste)

2 tablespoons brown sugar

Dried bay leaf

1/4 teaspoon ground coriander

Slice cucumbers in half lengthwise. Combine cucumbers and salt in a large bowl; cover and chill 1 1/2 hours. Rinse under cold water. Drain. Return cucumbers to the bowl.

Combine all the remaining ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Pour hot vinegar mixture over cucumbers. Let stand for 1 hour at room temperature. Cover and refrigerate 24 hours. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Homecoming

"Welcome to Vita-Mix Leigh Lambert"

 It finally happened. Thor and I arrived at the international headquarters for the Vita-Mix Corporation. There was a sign reading the above as I entered the reception area. They really know how to roll out the red carpet. I felt like a rock star. Everyone was expecting me and they had planned an entire tour of the facility where I saw the household machines assembled and met so many of the faces behind the company.

The company is completely family owned, in its fourth generation of management. The average employee (of which there are about 200 on-site, not counting show reps) has worked there for 15 to 20 years. That's the kind of loyalty the company inspires.

When I met John Barnard, the CEO, I could easily understand why he has such a dedicated staff. He is soft spoken and down to earth. Utterly approachable with a bright, welcoming smile. He came downstairs to meet me and obliged in signing Thor.

I have to tell you what a kick it was to shake his hand. We all have our own personal Mickey Mantels and I got to meet one of mine today. It was the first machine he's ever autographed. Once word gets out, I'm sure he'll be baragged with requests.

Everyone instantly referred to Thor by his given name, which cracked me up. Up to this point he's been more of a character in my head. It was fun to see him come out and play with others.

Everything, and I mean everything, happens at their headquarters in this small town right outside of Cleveland. It's hard to believe you can run an international company from one location. The assembly floor was buzzing with activity (no photos allowed) and spotless. It's bright and spacious, not at all what I expected. The household side is separate from the commercial side, but it all happens right next to each other. 

A very interesting note about the commercial side: Vita-Mix designed and sells ALL of the McFlurry machines to McDonald's in the WORLD. That's right, all of them. They also patented the McFlurry spoon. Check it out next time you're at a Micky-D's.

Not a single machine is made until the order is placed. (Had I known, I could have had Thor personalized and signed by all on the line.)

They introduced me to everyone, had gifts for Thor and me (I'm wearing the apron in the picture), I sampled delicious Cheese-Broccoli soup made by their very own recipe developer/chef and made a video for their website in which Thor is featured prominently. It was much more than I expected and most definitely a home coming.

The Countdown

We are almost at the "finnish line", as it were. So many months in planning and anticipation to come to the Vita-Mix headquarters will culminate in a meeting tomorrow morning. I will get to tour the factory and meet some of the folks behind this simple machine that has changed my life. (Am I getting overly dramatic? Probably not, considering I'm several states away from home and I'm so filled with excitement it feels like Christmas Eve.)

Last night my beau and I ate at Buffalo Wild Wings

 Grill & Bar. They do wings right, which is to say they throw them directly in the fryer without any breading or other unnecessary fuss. I sampled their Habenero-Mango as well as their Spicy Garlic wings. The garlic was my favorite. 

After all the road food and carbs we've stuffed down our gullets I will welcome a fresh fruit smoothie at Vita-Mix tomorrow.

Here a Paw Paw, There a Paw Paw, Everywhere...

The 10th Annual Paw Paw Festival in Albany, Ohio! Why else would you drive six hours across the country? Funny thing is that once we got there we had a very hard time actually finding a Paw Paw. We found Paw Paw jam (bought some with Spice Berry) and Paw Paw ice cream (sold out by the time we got to them). This small fruit, the only tropical fruit indigenous to the United States, was eluding us. 

Some vendors told us it was a bad season, others told us it was too early for the crop. But we finally found them from a distributor who had bought 500 pounds and getting down to his final boxes. 

The season is very short, only a few weeks of premium Paw Paws. They taste like a cross between mango and pear, have a creamy, custardy consistency and several large seeds (technically edible, as is the whole fruit, but we tried it and wouldn't recommend it). 

There is a growing movement to bring the Paw Paw to market as the next great fruit the way the kiwi took the supermarket by storm in the early 80s. Given its short season and extreme fragility, this may not be practical. Still, there are plenty of devoted followers who await the fruit every year. There are even studies focused on its medicinal qualities.

We took a meager four away with us so we could eat them before they spoiled. It's strange to be sitting in the middle of America while tasting something so exotic. Close your eyes and find some sand to dig your toes into and you would swear you were in a tropical port.

The Great Adventure

The adventure begins. We are taking Thor on a pilgrimage to his Motherland. The headquarters of Vita-Mix are located in Cleveland, OH. So, it is to that great state to which we trek. 

Up to this point Thor seems unaware of the magnitude of the trip. He has acclimated well to his new home and has never brought up the topic of his birth parents. But I feel it's important he knows his roots and heritage. In a few days we'll arrive at the factory. I expect a torrent of memories will come flooding back to him. Just as well he doesn't know what awaits him, the anticipation would make him anxious.

My honey is from Ohio and thoughtfully booked our first night in Cambridge. He's a pretty classy guy and went for the Best Western. Not the Good Enough Western or even the Pretty Great Western. The Best Western. I do wish I hadn't dropped an earring off the night stand though. In looking for it I found evidence that the Boogie Man does exist and has been living under our hotel bed. And apparently he likes to eat giant orange gumdrops and clips his toenails*. Pretty much what I would have expected, really. (*Note the clippings at the corner of the night stand... yum!)

Hummus Along if You Don't Know the Words

A while back I did an article about my favorite kabob place and included a recipe for their hummus. It is the best stuff going. It's luscious and garlicky and bright with lemon flavor. But what really wins me over is the texture. It is smooth as silk and on the thin side. I don't like the typical consistency of commercial hummus that could double as sealant. The restaurant makes it from dried garbanzo beans and I was convinced this was the secret. I steered clear of recipes calling for canned beans because I feared it would give pasty results. Turns out the trick is in the tools, not so much the ingredients. The Vita-Mix absolutely demolishes the beans. No graininess remains. I'm free to make hummus again and not have it cling to the roof of my mouth.

Hummus

(Adapted from Saveur magazine)

Makes 4 cups

2 15-ounce cans chickpeas, reserving 3/4 cup of the canning liquid

1/2 cup, plus 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

6 tablespoons tahini

3 garlic cloves

Salt

Olive oil

Paprika

Drain chickpeas, reserving liquid. Put chickpeas into the container of the Vita-Mix, add the reserved liquid and 1/4 cup water. Start on variable #1, increase to 7 and run for 30 seconds. Scrape down sides and run on high for another 30 seconds, until mixture is fairly smooth.

With the motor running on #7, add lemon juice through the open lid. Add tahini, garlic and salt. Blend until smooth, at least a minute. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Garnish hummus with some olive oil and paprika. Serve with pita bread, crackers or crudites.

You Can't Beet That

This is a glorious flavor combination and the color couldn't be more gorgeous. The sweetness of the apples echoes that of the beets and the blue cheese doesn't overpower the quartet. I would recommend cooking more than just the two beets as long as you have the oven cranked up to 400 for an hour (or bake the french fries at the same time).

Beet and Blue Cheese Spread

(Adapted from Cooking Light)

Makes 3 cups

2 beets (about 1 pound)

2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into chunks

1/4 cup (1 ounce) blue cheese (I used gorgonzola dulce)

1 tablespoon horseradish

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Leave root and 1 inch of stem on beets. Scrub them and wrap individually in foil. Bake for 1 hour. Cool. Rub outer skin of beets off under cold running water. Trim off beet roots and stems. Quarter beets and place in the container of the Vita-Mix along with all the other ingredients. Start on variable #1, increase to 7 and run for about 30 seconds. Use the tamper if necessary to combine. Chill spread.

Serve with pita chips and crudites.

Can I Get Some Fries With That?

Ketchup, much like mayonnaise, in it's true form bares very little resemblance to the commercial cousins we grew up with. There is something to be said for the comfort of the familiar, but there is also something to be said for homemade goodness. Go into making this with an open mind. Try to erase the word "Heinz" from your thoughts.

At first I didn't think "a pinch" of each spice would culminate in much of a pronounced flavor, but to my surprise once the brew was bubbling it smelled amazingly like... well, ketchup. This can accompany fries or elevate it to pair with grilled fish.

Homemade Ketchup

(Adapted from Saveur magazine)

Makes 3 cups

28 ounces tomato puree

1 medium yellow onion, peeled and quartered

1 clove garlic

1/2 fresh jalapeno, stemmed and seeded (to taste)

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1/2 cup cider vinegar

Pinch cayenne

Pinch ground mace

Pinch ground cloves

Pinch ground ginger

Pinch ground cinnamon

Pinch turmeric

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Put all ingredients except salt and pepper into the container of the Vita-Mix. Start on variable #1, increase to #10. Blend for about 30 seconds until completely uniform and combined.

Transfer to a medium saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes or until mixture has thickened and is the consistency of that bottled red stuff. Taste and adjust with salt and pepper. Store in refrigerator for up to 1 month.

Oven-Roasted "Fries"

(Adapted from "Blue Eggs & Yellow Tomatoes," by Jeanne Kelley)

2 to 3 servings

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 baking potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch sticks

Sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Brush a jelly-roll style baking sheet with olive oil.

Spread the potatoes in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until the potatoes are golden brown, crisp on the edges and tender inside, about an hour. Stir every 15 minutes.

Sprinkle the fries with salt and pepper.

"Hold the mayo, hold the lettuce..."

Sometimes a recipe veers so far off course that it turns into another beast entirely. I started with a recipe for charred tomato soup with lump crab. I changed it from the get go because I didn't want to go to the expense of using crab and there is no substitute. I changed the pancetta to bacon because it's easier to find and dropped the cornstarch entirely. Slowly, but surely it turned into an independent soup with nothing but the tomatoes to tie it to the original.

I'm glad this was good because I managed to set-off the smoke alarms while trying to char the tomatoes. Ironically, the debacle was not due to the tomatoes burning, but rather a blob of batter that had overflowed to the bottom of the oven when I made the Blackberry-Apple Cake. Once the smoke cleared and the cats came out from hiding, dinner was enjoyed and deemed worthy of posting.

Almost BLT Soup

Serves 4

1/2 pound smoked bacon, roughly chopped

2 medium red onions, chopped

4 Roma tomatoes, quartered

1 (14.5 ounce) can of fire-roasted tomatoes (Muir Glen)

1 cup chicken stock

1/2 teaspoon smoked salt

Juice from one lime

Parmesan cheese, optional

In a saute pan combine the bacon with the onions. Saute over medium-low heat for about 20 minutes, until bacon has crisped and onions are translucent. Place the bacon-onion mixture into the Vita-Mix container along with all the other ingredients. Start on variable #1, increase to 7, then high. If you prefer the soup on the chunkier side, reserve the Roma tomatoes until you've pureed the soup and add with pulses on #3. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese if desired.

New Traditions

A birthday just isn't a birthday without a cake. At least, that's what I used to think. My boyfriend doesn't have much of a sweet tooth and with his birthday coming up I was trying to think outside the box. He mentioned loving the crepes he'd had while in Paris. So, a little Nutella, a few strawberries and viola, a bit of Paris was recreated in a Washington apartment.

Strawberry-Nutella Crepes

Makes about 10 crepes

1 cup milk

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

3 eggs

1 cup flour

2 tablespoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

Nutella

2 pints strawberries, quartered

Powdered sugar for garnishing, optional

Place all ingredients in the container of the Vita-Mix container. Start on variable #1, increase to #10. Run for 20 seconds. Refrigerate crepe batter for at least one hour. Make crepes and fill with Nutella and sliced strawberries. Garnish with powdered sugar and more berries, if desired.

It's All About the Dressing

I have been looking for this elusive "Japanese restaurant" salad dressing for the longest time. It seems easy enough to recreate, but I've just never nailed it. I found it in an unlikely place. I was flipping through an article in Eating Well magazine about working more spinach into your diet and there it was. I've doubled up the recipe ratios because you will definitely want more than one salad's worth.

Japanese Ginger Dressing

(Adapted from Eating Well, Sept/Oct 2008)

Makes about 1 1/2 cups

2 scallions, coarsely chopped

6 tablespoons saffron oil

1/4 cup distilled white vinegar

3 tablespoons finely grated fresh ginger

2 tablespoons ketchup

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 small garlic cloves (or one large one)

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 this recipe dressed:

10 ounces spinach

1 large carrot, "ribboned" with a peeler

1 medium red pepper, julienned

4 radishes, sliced

Artistic License

This one is a bit of a stretch. There's only one step of this recipe for which I used Thor, but it's too good not to post, so indulge me.

Blackberry and Apple Cake

(Adapted from Saveur, Sept. 2008)

Serves 8-10

3/4 cup softened unsalted butter

1 1/2 pounds blackberries (about 6 cups)

2 tablespoon brown sugar

3 granny smith apples, cored and peeled

1/3 cup pear or apple brandy

2 1/2 cups cake flour

2 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon fine salt

3/4 cup milk, 2% is fine

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Zest of 1 lemon

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

4 eggs

1 tablespoon Kirsh

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9" springform pan.

In a small bowl, toss 2 cups blackberries with brown sugar; set aside to let macerate.

Meanwhile, cut each apple half into very thin slices; toss with brandy; set aside. Sift the dry ingredients; set aside. In another bowl, stir together the milk, vanilla and lemon zest; set aside.

Using a standing mixer with a paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating for 15 seconds after each addition. Reduce speed to low. Alternately add flour and milk mixture in thirds, beginning and ending with flour, until just incorporated. Scrape down sides of bowl with rubber spatula and gently fold in the apple-brandy mixture.

Transfer batter to the prepared pan; spread evenly. Scatter remaining blackberries over top of batter. Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 1 hour and 30 minutes. Cool on rack for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the pan. Release the sides of the pan and cool completely.

For the sauce: (Here's where the Vita-Mix comes in if you were holding your breath)

Place reserved macerating berries and Kirsch in the container of the Vita-Mix. Start on variable #1, turn to #10, then high. Run for at least a minute to pulverize the seeds.