Living a Truly Sweet Life

This is the time of year when Jewish people contemplate their lives. For my family, this season started early, when my beloved father in- law, Arthur Shoyer, z”l passed away in July. His death has helped me appreciate what is means to live a good life.

Every summer I teach cooking and baking at Camp Ramah New England. My husband Andy and I arrived at camp for Shabbat laden with goodies for our kids and their friends. After morning services we hosted everyone on the back porch of the guesthouse, overlooking the lake. We fed the crowd bagels, cakes, homemade challah, fresh mozzarella, arugula, avocados, berries and cherries -- food they do not get at camp. As they stuffed their faces, the kids shared stories of camp life. Andy and I were too full for lunch but Emily the counselor told all the campers that they had to make an appearance. Andy and I made cups of mint tea, sat down, gazed at the lake and had a conversation about our future. 

I remember thinking to myself, “wow, this is what a good life feels like: a full belly, a full heart and a view.” I also recall thinking that for the next seven hours there was nowhere I had to be, nothing I had to do. And then the picture changed.

After we learned that Andy’s father died, I went to the dining hall and gathered up the five (out of 6 total) grandchildren, my four plus our niece. As we walked back to the guesthouse, I told them the news. They adored their Grandpop and took it very hard. Looking back, it was truly a blessing that Andy and I were there to be with them as they worked through their grief to get to a place where they could reminisce together.

We know his death was not tragic because he was almost 95, still had his wits about him and he went quickly and spared all of us difficult decisions. Nevertheless, we miss him.

Arthur Shoyer was my biggest cheerleader. He made me feel that he was happy I was around, probably because I always fed him. He also had a special relationship with my grandmother who baked him sponge cakes. He had an appetite to the end – the last time I saw him, at the Citron and Rose kosher restaurant in Philadelphia, a not-hungry Arthur tasted everything and then returned there the next week to eat more.

Arthur was modest, philanthropic, elegant and a big tease. He had a fabulous singing voice and we have a video of him singing in our house with Andy on piano accompanied by dear friend and American Idol contestant, Ilanna Starr.

Last March I was in Florida for a few baking events and met Arthur’s physical therapist. The man said he had never met anyone like Arthur Shoyer. A year after his hip surgery, Pop was still trying to walk without the walker. At 94 years old, there was no “this is the best I could do,” or “this is good enough.” His approach was that you just keep pushing yourself as far as you can go. And then you work even harder.

Pop's life is really what a good life looks like. He built a bookbinding business to support his family. He traveled the world and collected art. He had a positive attitude. He enjoyed a large community of friends. He loved his family and left a legacy of menches. 

Life is measured by small pleasures: a slice of challah, a hug, teaching your daughter-in-law about cookbook bindings, celebrating three bar mitzvahs this year in spectacular fashion, turning “happy birthday to you” into a Broadway showstopper, a bite of sponge cake.

For the month of Elul before Rosh Hashanah we blow the shofar every day as a wake up call. Let Arthur Shoyer’s life well lived be the wake up call that reminds us how to be the best we can be both to ourselves and to everyone around us.

Apple Pastry Pie

Arthur loved all my desserts and liked to forget that he was a diabetic. Here is one of the many desserts I brought to camp to feed my children and their friends. Puff pastry is so easy to work with that you will forget your past frustrations assembling a lattice over a pie made with flakey pie dough. 



Ingredients

8 apples (Gala, Fuji, Granny Smith), peeled, cored and halved and then each half sliced into quarters (8 pieces per apple)

1 tablespoon canola oil

¼ cup sugar, plus 1 teaspoon to sprinkle on top

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 tablespoon honey

¼ cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup light brown sugar

One 17.3-ounce box parve frozen puff pastry sheets (2 sheets)

1 large egg white

Preheat oven to 400°F. Remove frozen puff pastry from the freezer and thaw at room temperature for 45 minutes, or until you can roll it out without it breaking.

Meanwhile, cook the apples. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat and add the apple wedges. Cook for five minutes, stirring often. Add the granulated sugar, cinnamon and ginger and cook for 20    minutes, or until fork tender, stirring often. Turn down the heat to low after ten minutes. If some pieces soften sooner than others, remove them to a large bowl. When cooked, place the apples into the bowl and let cool. If rushed, place the bowl of apples in the freezer for 15 minutes.

When the pastry is ready to be rolled, place a piece of parchment on the counter and sprinkle with flour. Unroll one of the pastry sheets and place on the parchment with the creases vertical. Roll with a rolling pin to smooth out the creases and to roll out the rectangle about 2 ½ inches larger on each side, trying to keep the rectangular shape. Every once in a while. Lift up the pastry and sprinkle a little flour underneath.

Take a 9 X 13-inch pan and turn onto the pastry so the pan bottom is facing up. Holding the parchment and pastry to the pan rim, turn the pan over so the pastry is now in the bottom of the pan. Press into the corners and sides and remove the parchment. Use a fork to prick some holes in the pastry and place in the freezer until ready to bake.

Sprinkle some flour on the parchment you just used and roll out the second sheet of pastry about 14 inches wide and 16 inches long. Use a knife to cut the long way into 1-inch long strips of dough. Cover a cookie sheet with more parchment and lift up the strips and place them on the covered cookie sheet, about ½ inch apart. Place into the fridge.

When the apples are cooled, add the vanilla and honey and stir. Add the flour and brown sugar and stir to distribute; the apples with be coated with a gooey glaze. Scoop into the chilled pastry-lined 9 X 13 inch pan and spread evenly. 

To assemble the lattice: Place half the dough strips (about 7) diagonally across the pie, about 1/2 inch apart. Fold the first, third, fifth and seventh strips back over themselves. Place another strip vertically across the unfolded strips. Unfold the folded strips over the new strip. Now fold back the strips that were not folded before, the second, fourth and sixth strips. Add another vertical strip, about ½ inch from the other, over the unfolded strips and then unfold the folded ones. Keep alternating until you have covered the pie. Trim off the edges and press to seal the edges of the lattice strips to the rim of bottom crust.

Use a pastry brush to brush the egg white all over the top of the lattice. Sprinkle the remaining teaspoon sugar all over the top. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until pastry is golden. Serve warm. May be made a day in advance and stored covered at room temperature and reheated.

12 servings

Gratitude

This Mother’s Day, I am celebrating my kids. Note to Shoyer children: do not buy me flowers, gifts or chocolate. No need to schlepp up breakfast in bed. Just continue to be nice to me all year round and you will always be off the hook on Mother’s Day.

I now have four teenagers, which would scare most people. Mine do not scare me. I am not saying that they are perfect, but they are definitely my four favorite people in the world. When given the choice, I would rather be with them (and husband) than anyone else. They are witty, interesting kids with strong opinions across the social, political and religious spectra and extremely entertaining. They have introduced me to Macklemore’s poetry, opened my eyes to new sports, taught me to see Renoir paintings in a whole new way, and inspired me to be a better friend. I am a better person for having mothered them and cannot wait to see what they teach me next.

As my kids will happily tell you, I tend to mother with a huge dose of neglect -- but in a good way.  When I redesigned my kitchen years ago, I put all the dishes and breakfast food in low cabinets so they could feed themselves. I still buy only the half gallons of milk that little people could lift and pour into their cereal themselves. I am not one of those mothers who sit next to their kids while they do homework and I do not edit all their English papers. One of them would have to have foot surgery to get me to make him or her breakfast or a school lunch at 7:15 am. They have thrived and become capable people who can all load and unload the dishwasher, change planes in large foreign airports by themselves, do laundry, appreciate the value of coupons, and cook their favorite dishes without my help.

They will tell you that they like the neglect and appreciate that I am not a Tiger Mom. All I know is that one of my kids was accepted to a top college, another takes Chinese online in the evenings, and they all do pretty well in school. But most of all, they are nice people. Their best quality is their gratitude. They truly know that they have a great life of summer camp, vacations, and Apple products. They always thank me -- for dinner every night, for takeout on Sundays, for a haircut, for letting their friends stay over and for every vacation. And they always thank me for the homemade desserts, even the rejects.

So here is the dessert that says “thank you” to the Shoyer kids for being such wonderful children. Moms  -- make these for your kids this Mother’s Day and thank them for making you a better person for mothering them.  Any kids over 10 reading this -- BAKE THEM FOR YOUR MOTHER. Have a sweet Mother’s Day this Sunday, and every day.

Enjoy this dairy dessert on Shavuot as well.

Cinnamon Apple Pop Tarts 

a la Mode with Caramel Sauce

Makes 12 -16, depending on size and shapes

My children rejected the jam, berry and Nutella-filled ones, but your family can fill the dough as they like. For my own mother, she will only eat them if filled with chocolate. Kids like the cinnamon glaze, but I prefer my pop tarts straight up and less sweet. You can omit the ice cream and caramel sauce and just eat the pop tarts, or you can spread the caramel sauce on top of the pop tarts.

Dough

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting work surface and sprinkling on dough

3 tablespoons sugar

½ teaspoon salt

2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons

2 tablespoons milk or soymilk

6 tablespoons ice cold water

Apple and Cinnamon Filling

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

¼ cup sugar

2 medium granny smith apples, peeled, cored, cut into ¼-inch cubes

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 pinches nutmeg

1 large egg, beaten mixed with 1 teaspoon water for assembly

Glaze

¾ cup confectioner’s sugar

1/8 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon boiling water

To serve: any flavor ice cream and caramel sauce

Caramel Sauce

1/2 cup sugar

1 tablespoon water

1/4 cup whipping cream

1 tablespoon salted butter

Dough

Place the flour, sugar, salt, and butter into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade and pulse for 20 seconds, or until the mixture looks like sand. Add the milk and process for 10 seconds. Add the cold water, 2 tablespoons at a time, and process each time for 10 seconds, just until the mixture comes together. Divide in half, wrap each piece in plastic, and flatten. Place in the freezer for 40 minutes, or overnight in the refrigerator.

Apple Filling

Meanwhile, prepare the apple filling. Heat a medium frying pan over medium heat and add the butter and sugar. When the butter has melted, add the apple cubes, cinnamon and nutmeg and stir. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until the apples are fork tender. Place into a bowl and let cool to room temperature, about 10 minutes. 

Assembly

Set one piece of parchment on the counter, sprinkle it with some flour, and place one of the dough halves on top. Sprinkle a little flour on top of the dough and then place the second piece of parchment on top. Roll on top of the parchment to roll the dough until it is about 9 X 16 inches. Lift up the top parchment several times and sprinkle the dough with more flour. Try not to roll the edges too thin.

Cut the dough into either 3 X 4-inch or 2 ½ X 4-inch rectangles, squares, or use cookie cutters, making sure you have pairs of each shape. Re-roll scraps. 

Use a metal spatula to lift up each pair of dough pieces and place onto a piece of parchment trimmed to fit a cookie sheet. Brush half the shapes with the egg wash. Scoop up a heaping tablespoon of apple filling and place onto the brushed dough pieces, spreading in one layer and leaving a ¼ to 1/3-inch border. If using jam, two teaspoons is usually enough per pop tart. Place a second piece of the same size of dough on top, stretch a little to cover, and press tightly to seal the edges. Use the tines of a fork to seal the edges and leave decorative lines. Place the cookie sheet with the assembled pop tarts in the freezer for 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Use a fork, toothpick or skewer to poke holes in the top dough to let the steam out. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the bottom and edges are lightly browned. Let cool on a wire rack.

Glaze

Place the confectioner’s sugar into a medium bowl. Add the vanilla, cinnamon and boiling water, and whisk until smooth. Let sit for at least 5 minutes to thicken up and either drizzle the glaze over the tarts or spread to cover, as desired.

Caramel

To make the caramel, place the sugar and water into a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cook on medium-high heat without stirring. When the sugar starts to color on the edges, stir the mixture, then let cook, stirring occasionally, until it is a uniform amber color. Turn heat to low, remove saucepan from the heat and add the cream.  Be careful, as the mixture will bubble up.  Add the butter and stir. Return to the heat and cook for one minute, or until the mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and let cool. The caramel can be made 5 days in advance.  Store covered at room temperature.

Serve the pop tarts with ice cream and caramel sauce.

If you fill your pop tarts with jam, omit the cinnamon in the glaze to make the pretty white glaze shown here.

My Life as an Air Traffic Controller

One day last year I was sitting in my kitchen at 5:00 pm checking email while dinner was cooking.  The house was quiet and I had a disconcerting realization: no one needed me. Each of my four children was in their own “cave,” doing homework (I hoped), while simultaneously surfing YouTube (unfortunately) and video chatting with friends (perhaps about homework?). 

My job had shifted from being the pilot who transported everyone everywhere, from being asked to fulfill every need, to just making sure everyone was busy doing what he or she was supposed to be doing. My job description had shifted from flying the planes to directing them. I had become an air-traffic controller.  I had to make sure the planes were clean, fueled, de-iced and fully stocked.  I supplied the flight plan while they just had to periodically call in their location and status.  Sometimes the planes would fly off for a few hours, sometimes for days and then for weeks in the summer, when they are parked in Camp Ramah’s hangar in Palmer, Massachusetts. There the planes get a tune up socially, athletically and Judaically. 

I soon learned the best way to bring in the planes: homemade desserts.  When the planes are at the airport in their separate hangars, nothing brings the pilots into the control tower faster than chocolate desserts, such as the Chocolate, Zucchini and Walnut Muffins below. The pilots sit around the tower and discuss each version of the muffins. Are they sweet enough? Do they need more or less walnuts? Their input has always been valuable. They also discuss their trips, where they are going next, whether they found a better route they want to share or give support to a fellow pilot who got a little lost on their last flight.  Sometimes they even want to paint their planes a new color and I assist with that too. 

When they are properly fueled, the planes go off again. As my daughter prepares to go to college next year, I accept that it is time for her to direct her plane to a new airport. She is ready. She has gone through the pilot training program and graduated with honors. 

Soon the planes are ready to fly off again. They submit new flight plans for approval. I fill out the paperwork and I stand in the control tower and watch the jets go off on their separate ways, marveling at how independent they are. Off they go, until the next batch of muffins.

Chocolate, Zucchini and Walnut Muffins

makes 18 muffins

These muffins are healthy enough for breakfast. They have whole grain flour, a vegetable and protein from the walnuts. You really do not even have to tell anyone that there is zucchini inside as they will never know; the zucchini strands melt into the batter when baked and just add moistness to the muffins.

1 1/3 cups white whole-wheat flour

1 ½ cups sugar

1 cup dark unsweetened cocoa

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

1 ½ teaspoons baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup orange juice (no pulp)

1/3 cup canola oil

½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 large eggs

1/3 cup boiling water

¾ cup shredded zucchini (from about 6 ounces zucchini), unpeeled, shredded on the small holes of a box grater

1 ½ cups walnut halves, chopped into ½ inch pieces, and ¼ cup chopped walnuts separated out to sprinkle on top

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Place paper cups in muffin tins for 17 muffins. 

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the orange juice, oil, vanilla, eggs, and boiling water and first stir with a silicone spatula (so water does not splatter) and then use the mixer to mix for one minute, until everything is thoroughly combined, scraping down the bowl as needed.  Add the shredded zucchini and mix in well to distribute.  Add the walnuts and mix in. 

Use a 1/3 cup measuring cup to scoop up batter and divide among the 18 cups, filling no more than ¾ full. Bake for 30 - 33 minutes, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes in the pan and then turn muffins out onto a rack to cool to room temperature.  Store covered at room temperature for up to 5 days or freeze for up to three months.