The “Bring-Spring-Early” Award Winner – better than any Oscar, Emmy, Grammy, SAG – well, you know………. (photo courtesy the Washington Post)
According to popular opinion and the omnipresent media, the award season is rightly over. But, here at my house, not only is it not over, but we’ve saved the best for last. This is a week for just plain saying thank you – to Herr Groundhog, signature omen of February in my poem, Months circa 1987 (but, better known in these parts as Punxsutawney Phil), my buddy, my pal! I’m giving a huge donation or pile of whatever they snack on, in lieu of a statue (you can’t eat that) as THE Award for the “Bring Spring Early” campaign. (I’m totally over the other one.) This is by far the most satisfying of all award shows – and, as far as I’m concerned, his dress is just perfect (he’s wearing Armani).
So, let’s just see. I didn’t want to get caught without a good supply of meyer lemons, blood oranges and mangoes as the Winter season slowly begins to come to a close. The supply of the former two have gone out at Whole Foods. So, earlier in the week I trekked on over to Eataly and stocked up, yet once again so I could execute my #3 iteration of the cake in the Rosewater collection – I tend to get stuck on an idea in case you haven’t noticed. Today I’m trying out the combo of Blood Orange and Rosewater – after #1 Pear and Rosewater and #2 Mango and Rosewater.
Number 3 is in the oven as we speak. Eataly still has an amazing and broad selection of wonderful citrus – including blood oranges from both California and Italy. I bought both – to see if I could tell the difference. I am really in love with their produce selection and don’t mind a bit going out of my way to get what I like there – until the Farmer’s Market gets some new season offerings, that is!
first crocuses in Basking Ridge yesterday
Yesterday, I got into the weather with both feet – even though I have a dastardly cold that someone in my family (ahem) gave to me. I began my inquiring about my beloved Ranunculus a week ago, inquiring at J&M in Madison first, as this is where I got my earliest ones last year. I was told to try back in a week and so I did. I scored a small flat of 4″ pots. I happily brought them home to await some additions. The blooms cheered me totally. Later in the afternoon, I headed over to The Farm at Green Village and feasted my eyes on a color extravaganza that is their beautiful pansy display. I inquired here about Ranunculus too and was told to come back tomorrow (today) – the delivery is coming in late morning. Ok! After discussing the weather forecast with a staff member at The Farm (next 2 weeks look to be moderate – that’s risk-ok for me right now even though that frost date of 5/15 ran through my brain – I let it go out the other side, being giddy with anticipation right now) and the fact that Facebook provided me with a post from a year ago yesterday with at least 6″ of snow on my patio, I was quite the happy one and acknowledged the possibility that this year we might get almost 2 months more to the growing season! Wouldn’t that be amazing?
first Ranunculus from J&M in Madison
among the brightly colored and expansive pansy extravaganza at The Farm at Green Village
Well anyway, this morning as I’m waiting for that truck to be unloaded, I’m in the Baking Department. First up were my Double Ginger Banana Pecan Scones:
the Double Ginger Banana Pecan Scone – the rolled scone in a small brioche pan
Then I got to work on my #3 iteration of the Rosewater Cake Collection – the one with Blood Oranges:
Added Bonus: forget about Pop Sugar – there’s nothing like a pile of pink sugar courtesy of fresh blood orange juice
couldn’t have designed it better myself
THE BLOOD ORANGE-ROSEWATER CAKE – adapted from Maja’s Kitchen and the Pear and Rosewater Cake (k-i)
12 tblsp unsalted butter at room temp
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
zest of one large navel orange
1 tsp rosewater
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
3-4 medium, firm blood oranges, sliced thin; cut 1 orange and set aside and the remaining, cut the slices in half and bath in sugar.
Preheat oven to 350F. Butter and flour a 9″ springform pan and set aside.
In the bowl of your stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy – about 3-4 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time and beat in. Add the orange zest and rosewater and beat in.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix only until the flour just disappears. Take the bowl off the mixer and finish blending with a rubber spatula. Place 1/2 the batter in the prepared pan and smooth with a small offset spatula. Arrange the bare orange slices around the perimeter of the cake and fit a few small pieces in the center. Place the remainder of the batter on top and smooth. Arrange the sugared 1/2 slices around the cake perimeter in a pinwheel form. Fit small pieces in the center.
Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan. Run a very sharp knife around the edge and remove collar of the pan. Cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar and the pink sugar remnants.
Enjoy!
Now, let’s just hope Herr Groundhog’s prognostication holds up! 🙂