Tea and Travels

 
The four weeks before Christmas are a joyful time of planning and anticipation for our holiday celebrations with family and friends. Not only do we participate in the flurry of decorating and shopping for the big occasion, but we also eagerly plan the meals and food gifts we will prepare for our loved ones. For me, the food I make, often far in advance of Christmas, is my most heartfelt gift. The kitchen is my happy place when the oven is on and I’m stirring up fruitcakes, pumpkin bread, panforte and Christmas cookies to store in the dark corners of my pantry or in the freezer as the Holy Night approaches. 

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I have shared many of my favorite Christmas desserts in my “Tea and Travels” blogs over the years and hope my readers have experienced the same creative excitement as they make their lists and set their schedules to bring their edible masterpieces to life. Some of these old favorites include Caramel Toffee Yule Log, (December 2018,) Watsonville Caramel Apple Spice Cake, (December 2019,) Panforte, (December 2020,) Orange Ginger Cookies, Cranberry Ginger Pound Cake, (December 2022,) and Spiced Apple Gelatin, December, (December 2023.) As I review this list, I have already prepared some of these holiday sweets to share with the family again this year, and others are coming up on my baking schedule. However, I was startled to notice that none of these Christmas treasures contain chocolate, with the exception of Panforte, which includes a small amount of dark cocoa powder mixed with dried fruits, almonds and honey.  
 

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What was I thinking? Every Christmas needs chocolate, and I have plenty of recipes for chocolate cookies, brownies, pies and candies for the holidays. But this year it’s time for a truly splendid chocolate cake, big and rich enough to serve the whole family on Christmas Eve or for dinner on Christmas Day. For Christmas, 2024, I have chosen Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake, which I have adapted from The Dessert Lover’s Cookbook by Marlene Sorosky, (Harper and Row, 1985.) I have made this glorious mega-chocolate pastry on many occasions over the years, and the compliments have been unanimous! 
 

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But first, let me direct you to some of the other chocolate delights that have been featured in my blogs and in my niece and co-author Kathleen’s blog, “Cakes and Tea.” I was delighted to learn that our Christmas blogs will be intersecting this year, as both of us will be featuring foods and traditions from the Spanish Speaking world. Kathleen’s December blog, which includes the recipe for Sweet Tamales, also directs you to our Mexican-themed menu in The Tea Book, (in the calendar section: October, A Tea to Honor Our Ancestors, “Dia de Los Muertos,”) which contains the recipes for Mexican Hot Chocolate, comforting on a chilly Christmas Eve, and Mexican Chocolate Cookies with Chile, a spicy surprise. Kathleen’s September 2021 blog is also a treasure trove of chocolate treats, including Friday Brownies and Chocolate Sugar Cookies, perfect to decorate for Christmas. Also in 2021, I wrote a two-part blog series on Chocolate entitled “Chocolate to the Rescue!” In my August 2021 blog, I shared the recipe for one of the best chocolate desserts ever—Chocolate Mocha Cake with Fresh Cherry Sauce. This one would be beautiful for Christmas, perhaps with candied cranberries substituted for the cherry sauce. I also included a very special rich chocolate pudding that is both vegan and gluten free—Tibok Tibok, a luscious Chocolate and coconut pudding from the Philippines.
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My September 2021 blog is also all about chocolate, Mexico’s gift to the world, with a nod to our readers who prefer to purchase their chocolate teats instead of making them at home. I include a list of some of the finest chocolates available to purchase online from top quality American, Canadian and French chocolatiers. To that list I am happy to add Dandelion Chocolates of San Francisco, whose ethereal chocolate bonbons, truffles, cakes and Advent Calendars my husband Wayne discovered a couple of years ago and has generously shared with me. Dandelion has a beautiful website and offers tours of their factory in San Francisco. And their chocolates are truly divine!
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Alice’s book covers ingredients, tips for handling chocolate, equipment and resources as well as various categories of chocolate desserts. She even has a special chapter on chocolate Christmas desserts and gifts that will take your breath away. Alice’s Christmas recipes build on the traditions of classic European baking (note that the title of her book Chocolat, uses the French spelling,) with elegant and beautiful updates. Her Frozen Chocolate Buche de Noel (Yule Log,) is a wonder to behold, as is her Black and White Raspberry Cake, made with both semisweet and white chocolate and covered with snowy white chocolate shavings and fresh or candied raspberries. This chapter also teaches you, in easy steps, how to make two different types of Chocolate Truffles from scratch for memorable Christmas gifts. Cranberries, a winter fruit associated with both Thanksgiving and Christmas, star in Alice’s recipes for Cranberry Christmas Cake and Christmas Bombe, a stunning domed cake covered with molded cranberry and raspberry puree-filled jellyroll slices and filled with White Chocolate Mousse. Amazing!

I love cranberries also, and this year I decided to make a simplified version of Kathleen’s elegant-as-Alice Fresh Cranberry Cake with Walnut Paste and Cranberry-Apple-Cherry Filling and Topping for Thanksgiving. Since this cake needed to be transported, I just made the Fresh Cranberry Cake and baked it in a decorative 13 by 9-inch ceramic baking pan. I topped it with cream cheese icing, sprinkles and candied cranberries to please my seven- year-old and two-year old friends, Willa and Giulia, at whose home Wayne and I celebrated Thanksgiving. Reflecting on how lovely and much-enjoyed this Fresh Cranberry Cake was on Thanksgiving, I’m thinking that it would also be a wonderful and festive Christmas Cake, topped with Chocolate Fudge Icing and red and green Christmas Sprinkles along with candied Cranberries. I hope some of my readers will try this relatively simple but quite luscious Fresh Cranberry Cake with Chocolate Icing for their family’s Christmas celebration. Meanwhile, I am happy to share the recipe for my adapted version of Marlene Sorosky’s Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake. 

​Marlene Sorosky’s own words introduce this festive Chocolate Cheesecake perfectly: How do you describe a chocolate lover’s fantasy? Take one buttery chocolate pastry and top it with a layer of dark chocolate truffle and creamy chocolate cheesecake filling. The result is a melt-in-your- mouth dessert that’s too moist to be a cheesecake and too dense to be a mousse. It’s positively paradise.
 
I am grateful to my niece and co-author Kathleen for two contributions to this recipe that make this divine cheesecake even more heavenly. I have chosen to use Kathleen’s Chocolate Cookie Crust recipe from her February 2023 Valentine’s Day blog last year. Also, Marlene’s recipe does not include a topping, and Kathleen suggested the addition of a snowy white Mascarpone cheese topping, easily decorated with red and green Christmas motifs to make this chocolate holiday fantasy extra memorable.
 
Special Equipment for the Crust and Cheesecake:
 
For the Crust:
Large mixing bowl and pastry blender or food processor, scraper, plastic wrap or waxed paper, rolling pin, 9-inch springform pan, sprayed with Pam cooking spray
 
For the Cheesecake Filling and Topping:
Large mixing bowl, large glass measuring cup, large baking sheet, aluminum foil, rubber spatula, electric mixer, wire rack, medium mixing bowl, offset spatula, decorative platter or cake pedestal.
 
Makes: 12-16 Servings

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This recipe from Kathleen’s February 2023 blog can also be rolled out to make chocolate wafer cookies as well as the crust for cream pies and cheesecakes.

• 1 cup flour
• 1/3 cup dark cocoa powder
• ¼ cup sugar
• ½ cup (1 stick) butter, cut into large pieces and chilled
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons cold water

 

1. In a large mixing bowl or food processor, combine the flour, cocoa and sugar until mixed. Cut in the cold butter with a pastry blender or pulse in the food processor until the mixture is in pea-sized chunks. Add the vanilla and cold water and mix until a rough dough is formed.
2. On a sheet of plastic wrap, pat the dough into a circle. Wrap and chill the dough for 20 minutes or up to 2 days.
3. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Remove the dough from the fridge and unwrap it. Place the dough between 2 sheets of plastic wrap or waxed paper. Roll the dough into an approximately 12-inch circle to a thickness of about 1/8 to ¼ inch. Fit the crust into the prepared springform pan (or pie pan if making a pie.) Press the dough into the crevices between the bottom and sides of the pan and about 1 inch up the side of the pan.
4. Prick the bottom of the crust with a fork and chill it for 15 minutes. Bake in the pre-heated oven for 10-12 minutes or until the crust feels set. Cool completely before filling with the cheesecake mixture or pie filling.

 
For the Filling:

• 18 ounces of semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (18 one-ounce squares,) divided
• 1 pint of heavy whipping cream, divided
• 3 (eight ounces each) packages of cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 ¼ cups white sugar
• 5 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

 
For the Topping:

• 1 (eight-ounce) package mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Red, green or gold Christmas sprinkles or candied cranberries for decoration

 
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F after step 1
 

1. Prepare and bake Kathleen’s Chocolate Pie Crust as directed and set aside. Place 6 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate in a large glass measuring cup and microwave for 30 seconds until the chocolate begins to soften. Add 3 tablespoons of heavy whipping cream and microwave for another 30 seconds.  Stir the partially melted mixture with a rubber spatula and microwave again for another 30 seconds. Stir until the mixture is melted and smooth. Pour the melted chocolate truffle mixture into the pastry-lined springform pan and spread to within ½ inch of the sides.
2. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. In the same glass measuring cup, place the remaining 12 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate and microwave at 30- second intervals until melted, stirring between intervals. Set aside to cool slightly. Meanwhile, beat the 3 packages of cream cheese and sugar in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
3. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until the mixture is incorporated, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Mix in 1 cup of cream, 2 teaspoons of vanilla and the melted chocolate. Beat briefly on low speed until the mixture is uniform and no streaks are visible. Pour the batter into the prepared pie crust.
4. Place the pan on a large foil-lined baking sheet and bake at 425 degrees F for 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 225 degrees and bake for 45 minutes or until the center jiggles slightly. Turn off the heat and allow the cake to stand in the oven for at least 2 hours or overnight with the oven door closed. Remove from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack.

 
For the Mascarpone Topping
 
Place the softened Mascarpone cheese, whipping cream, sugar and vanilla extract in a medium sized mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Gently pour the topping over the cooled cheesecake and smooth it out with a kitchen knife or an offset spatula. Decorate as desired with Christmas sugar sprinkles or candied cranberries. Cover the top of the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours until chilled. To serve, remove the sides of the springform pan and transfer the cake to a decorative platter or a cake pedestal.
 
Prior to adding the topping, the cake can be refrigerated, covered in the springform pan for up to 1 week, or frozen in the springform pan wrapped with additional foil. Defrost the cake in the refrigerator overnight before adding the topping and serving. 
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Every autumn, when November arrives, my first thought is Thanksgiving. I love this holiday because it is all about hospitality, good home cooking, friendship, family and most of all—gratitude! We all know the historic origins of the American Thanksgiving Holiday when the Wampanoag people, who had inhabited the area now known as Cape Cod, Massachusetts, for twelve thousand years, welcomed a group of English colonists in 1621 to share a harvest feast. To this day, many of us still make the effort to include in our Thanksgiving Dinner some of the ingredients that were present in the original harvest celebration. Foods that were plentiful in the Massachusetts coastal area in the 1600s include wild turkey, shellfish, venison, foraged mushrooms, cranberries, corn, green vegetables, nuts, and pumpkin. Sugar, potatoes and apples, staples of today’s Thanksgiving dinner, were not available in the area in 1621.

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In 2016, the year Kathleen and I introduced our first blogs to the myteaplanner.com website, I shared our family’s traditional Thanksgiving menu and included the recipes for home-made Cranberry Ginger Sauce, Wild Rice Dressing and Pumpkin Praline Pie. You can access these free recipes by scrolling through the Archives on the right side of my “Tea and Travels” blog. My November 2019 blog contains the recipe for a Thanksgiving appetizer, Mushroom Sage Crostini and a luscious condiment good for Thanksgiving and Christmas tea parties, Cranberry Curd. The same blog includes the recipe for old fashioned and always delicious Lemon Chess Pie, wonderful to serve on Thanksgiving along with the traditional Pumpkin Pie, as I am a firm believer that Thanksgiving Dinner requires a minimum of two different desserts. Three or four desserts would be even better! Another fabulous autumn and winter dessert can be found in my November 2020 blog: Apple Butter Pie.

​Sadly, Thanksgiving does have a dark side, on which we will not dwell for long. While we love to imagine the Native Americans and the “Pilgrims” forming fast and enduring friendships in this “new” land, the initial cordial welcome lasted only a short ten years. And not surprisingly, the colonists soon began appropriating land and resources from the Wampanoag people and claiming it as their own. Today the Wampanoag who still reside in the region do not participate in Thanksgiving celebrations. A more contemporary shadow cast over Thanksgiving, often depicted in movies and television shows, many intended as comedies, is the predictable family squabble that erupts at the Thanksgiving dinner table. In this all-too-frequent view of American family life, anger and age-old resentments are as ubiquitous on Thanksgiving as Roast Turkey and Apple Pie.
 

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Is this discord really necessary? Can’t we just behave ourselves on Thanksgiving and be grateful for the family we have and the food we are privileged to eat? A little less alcohol might help. I was recently delighted to be included in an autumn Charcuterie party hosted by my friend Vivian Flora whom you met in February of this year in my blog, “A Festive Filipino Afternoon Tea.”  That lovely event for ladies was a Christmas celebration that featured holiday pastries, sandwiches, scones, savories and elegant herbal teas. Vivian is a super-hostess and an excellent home cook and herbalist. Her social gatherings reflect her aesthetics and her meticulous attention to planning every detail. To provide her guests with relaxation, welcome, joy and companionship, Vivian includes games, crafts and time for spiritual reflection during her women’s gatherings. So far, neither of the festivities I have attended in Vivian’s home included alcoholic beverages.
 

​A the Charcuterie party I attended this fall, instead of serving hot herbal teas, Vivian dedicated a section of her kitchen counter to a “Mocktail Bar” where guests could create their own non-alcoholic mock cocktails. This beautifully designed serving area included pitchers of freshly pureed fruit bases, mango-cucumber and strawberry, which guests could combine with citrus flavored sparking waters or still water filled with orange slices.
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To add even more fun to this creative mixology, guests were encouraged to dip the edges of their cocktail glasses in lemon and lime juice then in a sweet, hot and salty mixture of sugar, salt and cayenne pepper, imitating the classic Margaritas. Lemon and lime wedges were available to attach to the rim of the glass. The final touch, which was my favorite, was a bottle of fine quality Grenadine to add a sweet splash of glorious pink liquid to an already charmingly decorated drink. French bottled sweet cherries were also available, reminiscent of the childhood favorite, the Shirley Temple. Thin plastic stirrers, which doubled as straws, made it easy to impale a cherry and easy to drink one’s own self-created festive beverage.
 

​I admit I enjoyed more than one of these delightful mocktails and left the party perfectly sober. So did all the other ladies. A good time was had by all, and nobody got a DUI! Reflecting on how much I enjoyed Vivian’s Charcuterie party, it occurred to me that a Mocktail Bar would be a perfect addition to the traditional North American Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah or New Year’s Eve party. And children who are present at these celebrations would love to make their own brightly colored, sweet but healthy over-the -top beverages. Vivian has generously agreed to share the procedure for making the fruit purees, and at the end of this blog, we provide a simple check list for setting up a Mocktail Bar for your family holiday celebrations. 
 
For those of you who are not entirely familiar with Charcuterie, it is a generic French culinary term for pre-cooked or cured and usually pre-sliced meats, pates and sausages that can be quickly assembled and served at room temperature with cheeses, crackers, fresh and dried fruits, olives, pickles, nuts and breads for an elegant feast that is not intended as a sit-down meal.  Meats that are often included on a charcuterie tray include salami, pepperoni and prosciutto. The word charcuterie also refers to the traditional meat shop where these sausages and cured meats are prepared and can be purchased.
 

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A Charcuterie tray is a hostess’ faithful companion, as Charcuterie can be served as an appetizer to a full meal, but the hostess will not have to cook any of these hors oeuvres.
A Charcuterie selection can be very elegant, and can be included in a festive Afternoon Tea, a reception, a baby or wedding shower or any other notable or seasonal occasion, including a memorial gathering. A sensitive host or hostess like Vivian will include seasonal elements such as the almonds and dried apricots that graced her autumn Charcuterie tray.
The Cranberry Curd from my November 2019 blog, to which I alluded earlier, would fit beautifully with a Thanksgiving or Christmas Charcuterie selection. For Vivian’s party, I brought thin slices of my tried-and-true Pumpkin Bread, which contains chopped dried dates and toasted slivered almonds. You can find the recipe in my October 2018 blog. Fruit breads harmonize well with cheeses and cured meats, as I pointed out in my October 2024 blog last month, entitled, “Cheese, Please!” 
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​Vivian’s Make-Your-Own Mocktails
 

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Vivian’s home-made festive Mocktails reflect her experience as a gardener tending to her own herb garden and drying and grinding some of her own herbs. She is also an expert in preparing Filipino cuisine and is familiar with a wide range of ingredients indigenous to the Philippines, many of which are also available in Hawaii and other areas of the mainland.
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The fruit puree that forms the base for these festive Mocktails includes Calamansi, a small, sweet and tart Philippine citrus fruit sometimes referred to in the Untied States as Philippine Limes.
 
Calamansi are used extensively in the Philippines to marinate and season fish, pork and poultry and to prepare soups and fruit juices. Fresh Calamansi fruit is available here in Honolulu at Asian markets and at Foodland Farms, Whole Foods, Safeway and Walmart. In addition, 64-ounce cartons of Sun Tropics Brand Calamansi Lime Nectar are sold at Safeway. 
 
Vivian’s hosting and food preparation skills are further enlivened by her extensive travel adventures with her husband Maurino. I was delighted to see imported Italian fig jam gracing the top of a large round of Brie in the center of her Charcuterie tray, and two excellent French jams were placed next to the Filipino Pan de Sal rolls, which were offered to accompany the savory home-prepared Filipino fried meats, lumpia and tofu on a tray next to the vast array of Charcuterie meats and cheeses. A charming little bowl of Italian Lemon Drops from the Amalfi Coast added a sweet and tangy taste for the guests to experience after all the savories. I encourage our readers to incorporate their own travel experiences as well as local ingredients and family favorites when arranging their own Mocktail Bar and even their own Charcuterie trays. A familiar banana, coconut milk and lime puree might be just as welcome as mangoes and cucumbers, and a mixed berry puree with some fresh lemon juice would also be refreshing. 
 

 
Creating a Mocktail Bar
 

 
Equipment:
Blender, paring knife, citrus juicer, mint muddling tool, 20 eight-ounce plastic beverage cups or glass cocktail glasses, decorative serving dishes: 2 flat bowls wide enough to accommodate the top rim of an 8-ounce cup, ice container with tongs, plate for mint sprigs, decorative bowl for lemon wedges, small stirrer-straws
 
Ingredients:
See the list below. Note that you will need at least 9 limes (or 30 calamansi) and 5 lemons for the puree, dipping juice and garnish for the mocktails. Calamansi are smaller than limes, and you may need as many as 30 calamansi for the puree and dipping juice of you choose to use calamansi rather than limes.
 
Makes: Approximately 20 Mocktails
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To Garnish the cup rims:

• Freshly squeezed juice of 2 lemons 
• Freshly squeezed juice of 2 additional limes (or 10 additional calamansi)
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

 
For additional garnish and finishing:

• 5-6 sprigs of fresh mint
• Additional 3 lemons and 3 limes, each fruit cut into 6-8 wedges
• 1 bottle of Grenadine
• 1 jar of pitted French sweet cherries
• 2 large bottles of unflavored sparkling water such as San Pellegrino
• 4 large bottles of flavored sparkling water such as lemon, lime, grapefruit or pomegranate
• Ice Bucket full of Ice with Tongs
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 Puree and Garnish for Vivian’s Mango Mojito Mocktail

1. Make the Mango Puree Mixture by blending the following ingredients:

           2 cups ripe peeled and seeded mango fruit
           1 cup sliced cucumber
           ½ cup lime juice or calamansi (a Filipino citrus fruit) juice

1. ​Adjust the sweetness by adding honey or syrup to taste.
2. Squeeze 2  lemons and 2 additional limes (or 10 additional calamansi) and place the juice in a small shallow bowl, large enough to fit the top of an 8-ounce cocktail glass
3. Measure the sugar, salt and cayenne pepper into a small flat bowl or saucer and stir to mix thoroughly.
4. Cut 3-6 lemons and limes into wedges and place them in a decorative bowl near the juice and the sugar mixture. Place the mint sprigs on a small serving plate near the cherries and the bottle of Grenadine.

                

To Assemble a Make Your Own Mocktail

1. Turn an 8-ounce plastic cup or cocktail glass upside down and dip the rim of the cup into the citrus juice. Then place the rim of the moistened cup into the salt and sugar mixture. 
2. Tear off 5-6 mint leaves from the available springs and muddle them in the bottom of the cup to release the flavor.
3. Add 2-3 ice cubes and pour mango and cucumber puree to cover the bottom third of the cup. Stir gently with a straw stirrer and top off with sparkling water of your choice.
4. Optional: Add a splash of Grenadine and 1-3 cherries, and top with 1 or more lemon or lime wedges. Stir again and enjoy. You will want to enjoy more than one of these Mocktails, varying the additions to suit your taste.

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As October arrives, I find myself musing like Hamlet, though my thoughts are not on life and death but on the big culinary question of the season: “To cheese or not to cheese.” My late mother-in-law, Misae Higashi, an excellent home cook who grew up in Japan, once told me in complete seriousness, “Cheese is not food.” It’s true that cheese has only recently started to appear on restaurant menus in Japan, in very limited portions. Dairy products in general are used sparingly in Asian cuisine, where lactose intolerance is wide-spread and soy-based products such as tofu and miso are the preferred protein sources along with fish. India is the notable exception, as yogurt, ghee and paneer, a soft Indian cheese, are all dairy products used extensively in Indian cuisine. Cheese is also produced and eaten throughout the African continent.

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My oldest first cousin, Jane Murdock Snaidas, a devoted home cook with vegan tendencies, also shared Misa’s disdain for cheese. When Jane came to visit us in California for one of our family reunions, she was horrified by the amount of cheese that appears on restaurant menus in the Golden State. When I pointed out to her that California is one of America’s primary cheese-producing states, second only to Wisconsin, she was even more upset, as though cheese should be outlawed as a dangerous substance. It is true that cheese is high in calories, salt and saturated fat, but cheese is also packed with protein, calcium, phosphorous, zinc and probiotics.
 
Every country in Europe has included copious amounts of cheese in the daily diet for centuries, yet Europe, especially the Mediterranean region, is known for one of the healthiest diets on earth. In fact, Sardinia is one of the Blue Zones of the world. For those of you who are not up to speed on the Blue Zone concept, the term refers to a geographic area where diet, environmental factors and a supportive social structure have harmonized to create a setting where a disproportionate number of citizens live beyond the age of one hundred. Okinawa is a Blue Zone with an extensive elderly population as I discussed in my July blog earlier this year. (You might even want to check out the super-healthy recipe for Okinawan Bitter melon with Tofu and Eggs.)
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However, we are discussing cheese and its significance in the human diet. UNESCO has designated the Mediterranean Diet, (which includes Sardinia, a Blue Zone,) as an “intangible cultural heritage.” The healthy Sardinian diet includes whole-grain bread, beans, seeds, garden vegetables, foraged greens and mushrooms, soups, pasta and pizza and like the rest of the traditional Italian diet—cheese! Pecorino, a sheep’s milk cheese produced in Sardinia, is the regional favorite, delicious with spaghetti and pizza. I’m afraid that I will have to disagree with my beloved mother-in-law and my precious cousin Jane. Cheese is here to stay, and it is even healthy!
 

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Mozzarella is one of America’s favorite cheeses. It is a semi-soft cow’s milk cheese which originated in southern Italy. Americans love it grated and melted on pizza, lasagna and sandwiches. Mozzarella is lower in fat and salt than most other cheeses and is viewed as a nutritious health food. Caprese Salad, a simple combination of sliced mozzarella, sliced tomatoes and fresh basil leaves flavored with olive oil and salt, is an easy and enticing combination that can be served with lunch or dinner or as an Afternoon Tea Savory atop little baguette rounds. This is the same classic partnership that comprises a Margherita Pizza, very popular in Italy, as the white of the mozzarella, the red of the tomato and the green of the basil are the colors of the Italian flag. This light and healthy meatless pizza originated in Naples in 1889, created by Chef Raffaele Esposito in honor of Queen Margherita of Savoy when she visited the birthplace of pizza. The popularity of this divine taste, color and texture combination has never waned.
 

 
Cheese is an important staple in world cuisine, although as I mentioned earlier, cheese is far more significant in Europe and the Americas than it is in Asia. There are approximately 1,800 different types of cheese, and categorizing these various kinds of cheese can be complex. Sometimes cheeses are referred to by the type of milk used to create them: cow’s milk, sheep’s milk, goat’s milk or buffalo’s milk. Texture and flavor are also factors in classifying cheese.  Fresh cheese, recently produced, can be eaten immediately, but aged cheese can be kept for several months as the flavors ripen. Cheeses are referred to as soft or hard, with semi-soft and semi-firm in between. In general, the harder cheeses have been aged longer and have lost some moisture in the process, intensifying the flavor. Place of origin is also used to classify and name cheeses. Cheddar, one of America’s, and indeed the world’s favorite cheeses, is named for the village in England where it was first produced. Here’s a partial and unofficial list of some of the world’s most popular cheeses and their places of origin.

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After six months of drought in the American West, October usually brings the first autumn rain, the evenings grow cooler, and everyone in every corner of the Western World starts to think about all the holidays and festivities lying ahead in the next few months—Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, the New Year and Valentine’s Day. All of these times of joyful celebration will be on us before we know it, and soon we will all be snacking like egrets at Afternoon Tea parties, family dinners and seasonal gatherings of all kinds. Cheese can be our best friend as we plan our menus for these special occasions. Let’s keep in mind that we do not have to make our own cheese. Individual families and towns have been making these precious gifts for us for generations, and all we have to do is purchase an interesting selection of cheeses, place them on a decorative cheese board, surround them with some good bread, crackers, a few nuts and fruits and the star of your party is born!
 

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What to choose? I have my own favorites developed over the years, and you will find yours.
I wrote the haiku above to honor one of my favorite cheese combinations, Spanish Manchego, a hard, aged sheep’s milk cheese from La Mancha served with Spanish quince paste, called Membrillo, fortunately available at Whole Foods and many other specialty markets throughout the United States. Another personal favorite of mine is the Dutch cheese, Leyden, with cumin seeds added during the processing. This mild, semi-soft cow’s milk cheese originated centuries ago when the Dutch trading ships traveled to Asia for the spice trade. Fortunately, Leyden with Cumin is also available today at Whole Foods.

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To help you plan the menus and Cheese Trays for your autumn festivities, whatever they many be, I have turned to two classics for inspiration, the “Autumn High Tea” menu in Patricia Gentry’s seminal work, Teatime Celebrations, and The Beatrix Potter Country Cooking Book by Sara Paston-Williams. The recipes I have chosen to adapt and share with you are: Baked Brie with Roasted Garlic and Borrowdale Teabread. 
 

 
Patricia Gentry’s “Autumn High Tea Menu” includes:

•             Baked Brie with Roasted Garlic
•             Acorn Squash Bisque
•             Calico Cornmeal Scones
•             Roast Beef Sandwiches with Corn Relish, and
•             Southern Bourbon Cake.

Doesn’t this sound divine? Baked Brie with Roasted Garlic has been popular in California, Gentry’s home state, for decades. After all, California is the garlic capital of the world! Let’s not forget the annual Gilroy Garlic Festival featuring garlic in every imaginable form and preparation, including Garlic Ice Cream. The aroma emanating from Gilroy during festival time spreads throughout the central valley and all the way to the coast! In deference to those who find the scent of garlic just a bit too much, however, Gentry suggests that you could serve your Baked Brie with another California favorite, Jalapeno Pepper Jelly. Baked Brie can be paired with pieces of sliced French baguette, Italian bread or even sliced Challah, but I recommend freshly sliced Sourdough, also of California origin. Baked Brie with Garlic is a finger-food, so provide your guests with small serving plates and plenty of napkins.

• 1 whole garlic bulb
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary
• 1 wheel of Brie, approximately ½-1 pound
• 1 loaf of fresh sourdough, sliced and warmed in the oven
•          Extra sprigs of rosemary for serving
•          Pickles, olives, dried fruits and nuts as accompaniments
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Special Equipment: 2 foil-lined baking sheets, kitchen knife, decorative oven-safe serving dish, cutting board, serrated knife, decorative serving board or tray, small spoons, knives, plates and napkins for serving.
 
Serves: 6-8

1. Preheat the oven to 350 Degrees F. Cut the garlic bulb in half horizontally and brush the cut sides with olive oil. Sprinkle both halves with chopped rosemary. Wrap both pieces of garlic side by side in aluminum foil and place the packet on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes.
2. Unwrap the brie and place it in a decorative oven safe serving dish. Place the dish in the oven during the final 8 minutes while the garlic is roasting. The Brie should only be slightly melted. 
3. While the Brie and garlic are baking, slice the sourdough bread with a serrated knife into finger-food sized pieces and spread them on another foil-lined baking sheet.
4. Turn off the oven and remove the garlic and the dish with the Brie. Place the bread slices in the oven to warm them slightly.
5. On a large, attractive tray or cheese board, place the garlic and the Brie side by side and surround them with additional sprigs of rosemary, pickles, olives and other accompaniments. Place the warmed bread around the garlic, Brie and other items in the middle of the board.
6. Provide small spoons and knives so the guests can serve themselves. For self-service, guests can use a spoon to dig a garlic clove out and spread the garlic on a piece of bread, then scoop up some Brie and spread it on top of the garlic.

 

 
Borrowdale Teabread, spelled in the old-fashioned English manner, is intended to be served with cheese for Afternoon Tea. To create a cheese board with several types of cheese, look at the list above and choose three or four different cheeses, offering a variety in texture and intensity of taste. Two harder and strongly flavored cheeses like Cheddar and Manchego would be nice, with two softer and milder cheeses such as Camembert and Gouda. Traditional French restaurants that offer multi-course menus often serve a Cheese Course in which several varieties are brought to the diner’s table on a cheese cart, and the guest can select small portions of two or these cheeses. These cheeses are usually served with small slices of a traditional quick bread made with dried fruits and nuts. You can create the same charming effect by preparing a cheese board for your Afternoon Tea or family gathering, and as with the Baked Brie with Roasted Garlic recipe above, guests can help themselves. For a slightly larger group, you could serve both the Baked Brie with Roasted Garlic on one tray and another Cheese Board with several selections offered with Borrowdale Teabread and other accompaniments such as Quince Paste (Membrillo,) butter and sliced apples and pears. 
 
Beatrix Potter’s Borrowdale Teabread was served traditionally as part of a farmhouse tea in the rural Lake Country in England where Beatrix lived. This rustic bread is made with currants and raisins soaked in strong tea, creating a perfect partner for cheese, especially English Cheddar. Note that making this very simple quick bead is a two-day process, as the raisins need to be soaked overnight.

• 3 cups of dried fruit, such as currents, raisins or finely chopped apricots
• 1 ¼ cups brewed strong black tea, such as English Breakfast or Earl Grey
• Finely grated zest of half a lemon
• ¾ cup soft brown sugar
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 2 tablespoons melted butter plus extra for greasing the pan
• 1 ¾ cups flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda

 
Special Equipment: 1-quart measuring cup, citrus grater, large mixing bowl, rubber spatula, flour sifter, 9”x 5” loaf pan, parchment paper, bamboo skewer, wire rack, aluminum foil, serrated knife
 
Makes: a 2-pound loaf, which can be thinly sliced
 
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F beginning at step 2

1. Brew a pot of strong black tea, such as English Breakfast. Steep for several minutes. Place three cups of mixed currants and raisins into a 1-quart measuring cup and pour 1 ¼ cups of the brewed tea over the dried fruit. Stir to combine, cover and soak the fruit overnight at room temperature.
2. The next day, preheat the oven and grease a loaf pan with butter and line it with 2 layers of parchment paper. Pour the soaked raisins into a large mixing bowl and stir with a spatula. Place two tablespoons of butter into the measuring cup and microwave for a few seconds until the butter is melted. Set aside.
3. Grate the zest of half a lemon over the raisins in the bowl and stir to combine. Add the brown sugar, beaten egg and melted butter and stir again. Place the flour and baking soda into a sieve or flour sifter and sift over the raisin mixture in the bowl. Stir gently with the spatula until no flour is visible.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake in the pre-heated oven for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes until a bamboo skewer inserted into the middle comes out with no moist crumbs attached. Cool the raisin bread on a wire rack for ten minutes then turn out of the loaf pan and continue to cool on the rack. When completely cooled, slice thinly with a serrated knife and serve with cheese or wrap tightly in aluminum foil and store at room temperature to slice and serve the following day.

 
The annual North American autumn migration of birds reaches its peak in September and October each year. During this time, three hundred million birds begin the long flight to warmer areas with longer hours of daylight and a more abundant food supply to the south. Scientists tell us that this seasonal migration has been occurring on planet Earth for hundreds of thousand of years. And during this time of energetic flight, birds exhibit an astounding level of stamina and directional perception, often returning to the same location where they have lived during previous winters.
​

 
The star of this massive seasonal exodus is the Arctic Tern, who flies 90,000 miles from Canada to South America. Thousands of Canada Geese live in the Great Lakes region, and those who migrate follow one of four “flyways,” or bird highways: The Atlantic Flyway, following the eastern coast of the United States, The Mississippi Flyway, following the river, the Central Flyway, south across the Rocky Mountains or the Pacific Flyway, west of the Rockies and along the Pacific coastline.
​

 
Anyone who loves birds can easily observe them in their migratory patterns at this time of year. According to the Audubon website, the six best places to view migrating birds are:
 
Great Salt Lake, Utah, avocets, stilts, sandpipers, ducks and later in autumn, swans
 
Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park, warblers, thrushes and hawks
 
Cape May, New Jersey, shorebirds, warblers, hawks, robins, sparrows, peregrine falcons
 
Monterey Bay, California, Sabine’s gulls, black-footed albatrosses and other long-distance migrators
 
Izembek Lagoon, Alaska, emperor geese, Taverner’s cackling geese, Steller’s eiders, sandpipers
 
Hawk Ridge, Duluth, Minnesota, raptors, broad-winged hawks, peaking in September and red-tailed hawks peaking in October.
 

If you live close to one of these locations, it might be fun to pack a picnic lunch and spend a lovely early autumn afternoon bird watching with friends. I have loved birds all my life and write poems about birds all the time. Others of you might enjoy painting or sketching birds, or simply including avian motifs in your home décor or on your clothing. My husband Wayne loves photographing birds. I admit that I am not the kind of disciplined bird watcher who keeps a notebook of all the species he or she has viewed and learns to identify all the bird calls, though I think this might be a satisfying and certainly harmless vocation.
​

 
However, bird watching is not just a form of entertainment. Founded in 1905, the National Audubon Society, according to its website, “…protects birds and the places they need, today and tomorrow, throughout the Americas, using science, advocacy, education and on-the -ground conservation.” Interestingly, it was two women from Boston, Harriet Hemenway and Minna B. Hall, who laid the groundwork for the bird protection movement in America. Horrified by the number of shore birds who were killed for their plumes and feathers to decorate hats in the late Victorian era, these two women, in 1896, organized a series of Afternoon Teas to convince Boston society women to stop wearing hats with bird feathers. How delightful that Afternoon Tea has contributed to the safety and well being of our avian friends!
​

 
Today the Audubon Society publishes Audubon Magazine, a cornerstone of environmental journalism and photography and maintains a catalogue of over 800 North American Birds. Through the Annual Christmas Bird Count, which began in 1900, members of local Audubon Society chapters count the number of birds in their local regions, aiding in habitat conservation and identifying vulnerable species. Through the efforts of Harriet, Minna and those who followed, there is now federal legislation protecting water birds from plume hunting and protecting all migratory birds in the United States and Canada.
 

 
Even if you do not live near any of the famous bird sanctuaries listed above, birds are nevertheless all around you. All you need to do is watch and listen, as my poem “Bird Dance” suggests. Birds bring lyrical sounds, color and joy into every corner of our world. And in September we can learn from the birds, look as the birds do, for the subtle signs of fall, cooler mornings and evenings, earlier twilights and later dawns—time for the harvest, time to get up and fly away to a warmer and lighter place.
​

 
To prepare for your last of summer or first of autumn, Bird Lovers’ Afternoon Tea, you might want to review the menu on this website for “An Autumn Afternoon Tea,” in the Afternoon Tea and the Four Seasons section of The Tea Book. This menu includes autumn produce, spices and flavorings, including cinnamon, cardamom, maple, apples and pumpkin. Another option in the calendar section of The Tea Book is our September Ozark Farm Harvest Tea. The Ozarks, where I was born, are a bird-lover’s paradise, filled with red-tailed hawks, Great blue herons, American kestrels, sparrows, cardinals, robins, golden eagles, Screech owls and whip-poor-wills. This area is also a place where simple home cooking has reached its zenith. Our Ozark Tea menu offers a variety of basic and truly delicious picnic and tea party foods that could be in enjoyed in a park, a garden, a lake side filled with birds or even your back porch. These are the foods I enjoyed as a child—peanut butter and honey sandwiches, pimiento cheese sandwiches, deviled eggs and corn bread.
​

 
When I wrote this menu, I included a complete Planning Guide along with the recipes, so that one person could prepare this Afternoon Tea at home and serve it to friends indoors or out with the level of relaxation and elegant simplicity that Ozark foods deserve.
 
But if you only have time for a quick pot of tea or coffee and a few really good cookies to enjoy with your friends as you witness the autumn migration and listen to the birds in the bushes and trees around you, I’m sharing a very basic but astonishingly satisfying cookie recipe, my husband’s very favorite: Brown Sugar Cookies.

 
My husband Wayne found this recipe on the website: dinnerthendessert.com and begged me to bake these cookies for him. Sabrina Snyder is listed as the author. The instructions are pretty minimal, and I have made a few tweaks to the recipe, but the secret seems to be browning most of the butter in a skillet to create the deep butter flavor that makes these dark brown sugar cookies so special. I also added a little pinch of sea salt to the top of each cookie to create a salted caramel effect. These are the chewy in the middle, crunchy on the outside sugar cookies that we all crave but can never find in a grocery store or even in a bakery. Like all-American Chocolate Chip Cookies, these Brown Sugar Cookies are best on the day they have been baked and are still ever so slightly warm. They will still be good for two or three days, but they will harden, and the chewiness will disappear. Be sure to store them at room temperature in a tightly covered container. This recipe creates 30-34 fairly large cookies, so the process will go more quickly if you use two parchment-lined cookie sheets. However, it takes a while to form the dough balls and roll them in sugar, so I found that the first batch was almost done by the time I finished shaping and rolling the second batch, so I just used one cookies sheet.

• 14 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 ¾ sticks)
• ¼ cup white sugar
• 2 cups packed dark brown sugar
• 2 cups flour plus 2 tablespoons
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
•                   Additional white sugar for rolling the cookie dough
•                   Pinches of sea salt crystals

 
Special Equipment: 1 or two baking sheets, parchment paper, skillet, whisk, rubber spatula, 2 large mixing bowls, 1 tablespoon measuring spoon, dinner plate, small shallow bowl, disposable kitchen gloves, offset spatula, air-tight covered container for storage.
 
Makes: 30-34 cookies
 
Preheat Oven to 350 Degrees F

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a skillet, melt 10 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat. Whisk the butter constantly until it starts to brown, about 3-4 minutes, taking care not to burn the butter.
2. Pour the browned butter into a bowl and add the remaining butter. Stir until all the butter is melted and set aside.
3. In another bowl, whisk together the white sugar, ¼ cup of brown sugar, all of the flour and the baking soda and baking powder until the mixture is well combined.
4. Add the remaining brown sugar and salt to the bowl containing the browned and melted butter. Whisk until smooth. Then whisk in the whole egg, egg yolk and vanilla until the mixture is smooth.
5. Using a rubber spatula, slowly add the flour mixture to the butter and egg mixture and mix slowly until no flour is visible and a uniform dough has formed. Cover a dinner plate with additional white sugar. Place a small amount of sea salt crystals into a small bowl.
6. Using disposable kitchen gloves, use a 1-tablespoon measure to create balls of dough and roll each in the white sugar to coat. Place the balls of dough on the prepared cookie sheet about an inch apart and flatten each ball slightly with the palm of your hand.
7. Sprinkle the top of each dough ball with a small pinch of salt crystals. Bake for 12-14 minutes until the cookies begin to set and are just starting to brown around the edges.  Do not overbake, or the cookies will be crunchy and not soft in the center.
8. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack. When cooled, remove to a flat surface, (a large piece of parchment placed on the kitchen counter,) with an offset spatula. When cooled, serve immediately or store for 2-3 days in an airtight container.

 

 
Last year, my June 2023 blog, “Treasures of Tokyo,” offered a quick introduction to some of Tokyo’s most famous and beautiful destinations: The Imperial Palace East Garden, The Meiji Shrine and Ueno Park. As I pointed out a year ago, these places reflect “Japan’s reverence for the past and its continuing commitment to decorum, elegance and artistic excellence.” This year, in early summer, my husband Wayne and I had the opportunity to visit Japan once again and to delve even more deeply into Tokyo’s ancient past and vibrant present.
 

 
This time, we traveled alone, although a family friend, Misa Kokuba, (who stayed with Wayne’s sister Kathleen and her family when Misa came to California thirty years ago as an exchange student,) offered to host us on two fascinating “road trips” to nearby Narita and Kamakura. During our time in Tokyo, we tried to stay focused on our continuing theme—the intermingling of past and present in one the world’s largest and most energetic cities, which has been the cultural and economic center of Japan for more than four hundred years.
 

 
Tokyo is also a culinary magnet, as Japan is second only to France in the number of Michelin Stars that have been awarded to restaurants in each country—625 for France and 414 in Japan. Of those, there are 194 Michelin-Starred restaurants in Tokyo. We are always interested in good food when we travel, and we are on the lookout for creative food and tea customs to bring back home. I wrote the following haiku in the historic town of Suigo Sawara after admiring the nearby Naritasan Buddhist Temple with Misa:
 

 
We were not given a menu, but some of the highlights included scallops, prawns, shrimp, eel, various ocean fish and small green peppers, chunks of eggplant and even little rows of fresh corn kernels, still clinging together in the crisp batter. The meal concluded with small bowls of rice, red miso soup with clams, Japanese pickles, hot tea and four perfect red cherries each, as it was cherry season in Japan.
 
Wayne made our lodging and food reservations before we traveled to Japan, and another exciting discovery was the news that there is a trend in Tokyo today to build new “traditional” country inns right in downtown Tokyo among the modern skyscrapers. The Japanese word for a country inn is ryokan, and a ryokan which is located at a natural hot spring is called an onsen. My June 2023 blog included a mention of our trip to Arima last year to stay at an authentic onsen resort that is more than 1,300 years old.

 
These traditional country hot spring inns are famous for spotless and comfortable rooms where guests sleep on the tatami mat floors with shoji screens for privacy and views of the quiet and elegant Zen-style garden surrounding the inn and the relaxing and healing mineral baths. Old-fashioned onsen are also known for excellent breakfasts and dinners served in the privacy of each guest room.
 
Wayne was able to secure reservations in two of Tokyo’s modern onsen, complete with hot spring water, piped into the new “traditional” mineral baths from somewhere in the Japanese countryside. Both were outstanding in every way, but our favorite was Hoshinoya, right in the middle of downtown Tokyo, in the historic center of old Edo, the original name of Tokyo during the Tokugawa Period. The Tokugawa Samurai clan under the leadership of their founder, the Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu, ruled Japan from 1603 to 1868 during a golden age of peace, stability and flourishing of culture and the arts.  
 
Hoshinoya’s hot spring mineral baths are located on the top floor of an unassuming and unadorned modern building just steps away from the historic Tokyo Station. This famous transportation hub was built in 1868 in the brick British style when Emperor Meiji regained control of Japan, the Tokugawa rule and its isolationist policy ended, and Japan opened its doors widely to the rest of the world. The Rikshaw parked outside Hoshinoya’s seventeen-floor structure should have given us a hint that this was not just a modern office building. As we entered, the lobby appeared to be a long, dimly lighted hallway with a small, raised platform at the end on which a young woman was seated, wearing an elegant kimono in the style of the Fifteenth Century. She was playing a koto, an ancient Japanese stringed instrument. We were greeted by a team of young women all dressed in modern gray business suits with kimono-like jackets and white tabi (split-toed socks) on their feet. All of them wore their hair pulled back into a bun at the nape of their necks.
 

 
We were asked to remove our shoes, which were placed in a cabinet hidden in the decorative wooden wall. Our shoes were returned to us each time we left the building.
Our room had sliding shoji screens on two sides, tatami mats on the floor, a large furo (Japanese-style deep soaking tub,) in the bathroom and a king-sized bed on a very low platform close to the floor. We were both given a cup of traditional Japanese tea upon arrival, along with a leaf-shaped piece of wagashi (artistically designed sweet Japanese pastry.) There were summer kimonos for us to wear while we were guests at Hoshinoya and a tearoom right down the hall where we were welcome to help ourselves to more tea, coffee or other various Japanese snacks.
 
Our rickshaw ride the next morning, arranged by Hoshinoya, was one of the high points of this year’s trip to Tokyo. While one might think of rickshaw rides as a bit touristy and perhaps snooty and entitled, the rickshaw rides in contemporary Tokyo are a trendy mix of history and cutting-edge technology. We stepped into a modern metal rickshaw navigated by a strong young man who spoke good English and was an excellent communicator and guide. Our itinerary focused on the gems of old Edo, including a Shinto Shrine dedicated to the Shogun, Tokugawa Ieyasu, who is now one of the thousands of deities in the Shinto pantheon. This lovely little place, decorated with fresh hydrangeas, was full of everyday workers, washing their hands, ringing the bells, bowing, clapping their hands twice and offering their prayers to Ieyasu, hoping for love, good health, money and successful careers.
 

 
Running us and the rickshaw safely through heavy traffic, our guide took us over Nihonbashi Bridge, the center of Tokyo, pointing out the stone statue of Kirin on the bridge. Kirin is a dragon-like mythological creature for whom the world-famous beer is named. We also rolled through a neighborhood where many signs saying CREDO were evident, indicating the center of Edo. In this area, many new shops and restaurants have been developed using the historic architecture of old Edo and selling clothing, food and other items, both new and traditional. After viewing many other statues and historic buildings close up, our tour ended at the moat of the Imperial Palace, on the massive walkway that connects the Palace grounds to Tokyo Station, linking the ancient monarchy with modern Japan.
 
Not surprisingly, the Japanese breakfasts and dinners at Hoshinoya were outstanding and perfectly balanced between old and new. Our breakfasts were served in our room from a hand-crafted wooden breakfast cart designed to keep the traditional Japanese breakfast items piping hot or at perfect room temperature. And cherries appeared at both our elegant breakfast and our gourmet kaiseki dinner. This memorable meal was based on regional Japanese seafood and produce presented with a slight French accent that included plenty of garlic, chives and even cheese. My favorite item from this eight-course dinner at Hoshinoya was one of the desserts, Shoga Buntan, a light, ginger flavored gelatin that contained small pieces of fresh grapefruit. I was so delighted by this refreshing summer dessert that I figured out how to make it at home and am sharing the recipe at the conclusion of this blog.
 

 
Our adventures with Misa Kokuba, who has returned to Tokyo after her time as an exchange student in California, were a delightful mixture of summer flowers, glorious historic architecture in local villages, temples and shrines and wonderful food. Our first excursion beyond Tokyo with Misa was a day-long bus tour to the Chiba Prefecture to visit the Suigo Sawara Ayame water garden and flower park, stroll through the charming Edo-era village of Suigo Sawara and admire the massive Naritasan Shinshoji Temple complex. All are worth a visit for various reasons, and I hope you will enjoy Wayne’s photographs of these visual wonderlands.
 

 
We were just in time to enjoy the more than one million irises (ayame) that bloom in the Suigo Sawara botanical water garden each year. There are more than four hundred types of irises in the garden, many of them dating back to the Edo period. We enjoyed boarding a small boat, reminding us of a gondola in Venice, and floating through a system of canals and under an arched bridge, providing up close views of the irises and the gorgeous hydrangeas and rose gardens also in full summer bloom.
 

 
Wandering through the Edo era village of Suigo Sawara was also a pleasure, as many wooden farmhouses and other buildings from the Tokugawa Period are still in good condition and in use as shops, restaurants and other businesses.
 

 
Narita is known world-wide for its International Airport, but the Naritasan Buddhist Temple is far more elegant and interesting. This impressive complex, founded in 940, long before the Edo era, is in excellent condition with well maintained buildings, a massive stone staircase, a huge incense burner sending out perpetual prayer smoke and a lovely pond full of turtles.
 

 
On our second and final day-long outing with Misa, she and her husband Keisuke drove us to the ancient city of Kamakura to admire the glorious hydrangeas at the Hase Buddhist Temple, visit the magnificent Great Buddha of Kamakura once again, savor a charming Japanese-French fusion four-course lunch and express our gratitude for this  precious time in Japan at the most famous Shinto Shrine in the world, the Hachiman Shrine.
 
I will let my haiku and Wayne’s photographs speak for themselves.

 
We are grateful to Misa and her husband Keisuke for taking the time to share some of Japan’s most historic and beautiful places with us and for generously driving us to Haneda Airport on our last poignant summer day in the Tokyo area. On this trip we ate some of the best food of our lifetime and had the privilege of experiencing the beauty of summer in a place that genuinely appreciates and celebrates the seasonal changes in the natural world while cultivating one of the most high-tech cultures in the world. With joy I offer you the recipe for this lovely Japanese summer dessert: Shoga Buntan, Ginger Gelatin with Grapefruit.
 

 
This light and refreshing Japanese dessert was one of two desserts that we were served in the eight-course Kaiseki dinner we enjoyed at Hoshinoya in Tokyo, a contemporary “traditional” hot springs spa and hotel. The second dessert, also quite delicious, was called Ikinari Dango, and was a bit more complex than this simple ginger gelatin with grapefruit. Ikinari Dango contains sweet potato and mugwort, a bright green and highly nutritious herb that is very popular in Japanese cuisine. This dessert consists of a yeast roll  filled with a mochi-like substance that contains sweet potato with a small amount of gin poured over it just for moistening, then a scoop of vanilla ice cream on one side and a scoop of bright green mugwort ice cream on the other side, sort of a Japanese summer trifle. I mention Ikinari Dango only because the extreme simplicity of Shoga Buntan, nothing but flavored gelatin and fresh fruit, lends itself to a little enhancement. When I made the Ginger Gelatin with Grapefruit at home, I served it over scoops of vanilla ice cream for a nice summer refresher. I was told that Shoga Buntan is supposed to be made with pomelo rather than grapefruit, and that the Japanese word for pomelo is buntan. I think this dessert would be good in all four seasons and with any kind of fruit. I’m picturing it at a Christmas tea with pieces of Port-poached pear and a home-made ginger cookie on the side.

 

• 2 large grapefruits
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup ice water
• 1 envelope unflavored gelatin
• 2 tablespoons of peeled and freshly grated fresh ginger or
•                   2 packages 5 g (0.17 oz.) each, Gingen Real Ginger “tea” bags

 

Special Equipment: apple peeler, paring knife, medium sized bowl, medium sized saucepan, strainer, decorative bowl for serving or individual sherbet or other dessert bowls
 
Makes: 4-8 servings
 

1. Wash and peel two large grapefruits with an apple peeler, making sure to remove all of the white pith from the fruit. Reserve some of the brightly colored peel. Set aside.
2. In a medium sized bowl , combine the ginger and gelatin powder and add 1 cup ice water. Stir until the mixture is clear and there are no lumps.
3. In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup sugar, 1 cup water and some of the grapefruit peel. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium high heat. Then simmer for 8 minutes.
4. Pour the hot syrup through a strainer into the cold gelatin mixture and stir until completely combined. Set the cooked grapefruit peel aside at room temperature to cool and dry. Pour the hot gelatin mixture into a decorative serving bowl and refrigerate for 2 hours.
5. Meanwhile, using a paring knife, separate all the sections from both peeled grapefruits from the membranes connecting the segments. Remove as much of the white pith as possible. Be patient and meticulous, as this will take time. Cut the grapefruit segments into small pieces, including any of the juice that is released, and refrigerate.
6. Two hours after the gelatin mixture has been refrigerated and is partially set, add the grapefruit pieces along with any juice, stir gently to distribute evenly in the gelatin, and refrigerate for an additional 2 hours or overnight.
7. Chop the reserved candied grapefruit peel, removing any white pith still attached.

​To serve the Shoga Buntan, spoon the gelatin from the bowl into attractive individual bowls and scatter some of the candied peel over the top. You might want to serve this dessert in Japanese style bowls to highlight its origin as an Asian dessert or claim it for your own culture and serve it in glass sherbet bowls, ceramic or any other dishes that you deem appropriate for the season and the occasion. I recommend scooping the gelatin over vanilla, dulce de leche, rum raisin or any other flavor of ice cream, including chocolate!

My husband Wayne and I have always wanted to visit Okinawa. His father, Kiyoshi Higashi was stationed in Okinawa with U.S. Army Intelligence during the years that Wayne and I attended high school together, and Wayne has always wondered what his father’s life was like while we were experiencing the giddy ups and downs of high school. Although we have visited Japan numerous times (see my June, July and August 2023 blogs,) we had never been to Japan’s southernmost prefecture: the archipelago of Okinawa. This year we decided it was time. Our goal was to learn more about the culture, history, food and people of Okinawa, and to experience the beauty of this ancient place. We chose not to join a tour but to travel on our own with our limited command of Japanese and to hire local guides and drivers as needed.

 
It is not possible to fly directly to Okinawa from Honolulu, so we flew first to Tokyo’s Haneda Airport for an overnight stay before the two-hour flight from Tokyo to Okinawa’s capital, Naha. Our plan was to spend a few days in Naha, to observe ordinary daily life and to explore the remnants of ancient Okinawan culture still being preserved in the Naha area. Then we would travel to the western coastal area to enjoy Okinawa’s natural beauty at the elegant Halekulani resort and end our adventure at the Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium and Ocean Expo Park.
 

 
Within a few days of our arrival in Okinawa, the similarities between Okinawa and Hawaii became more and more evident. Both are Pacific Ocean archipelagos with tropical climates and extensive areas of rainforest. Consequently, the natives of both areas rely heavily on the ocean for sustenance with diets that include plenty of fish, shellfish and seaweed supplemented by a generous supply of tropical fruit, rice, root vegetables such as taro and sweet potatoes and gourds, including bitter melon, squash, kabocha and pumpkin.  Feral pigs live in both island chains, and pork plays a major role in the cuisines of both Hawaii and Okinawa, and ginger, which grows abundantly in both ecosystems, is used extensively to flavor fish, meat, vegetable dishes and desserts. Brown cane sugar and the ubiquitous Spam are ever popular in both cultures.
 

 
In addition to comparable ecosystems, we also learned that Okinawa and Hawaii have similar histories and cultural values. As residents of Hawaii, we are familiar with Hawaii’s history, but in Naha, the parallels between our home state and Okinawa became clear. Both were once independent monarchies with royal families, castles, palaces, sacred burial sites and imperial gardens. Okinawa was once the Ryukyu Kingdom, and the archipelago was referred to as the Ryukyu Islands, just as Hawaii was the Kingdom of the Hawaiian Islands with kings and queens of Hawaii. These two cultures had their own languages and ethical and religious practices in which women played highly respected roles. And ultimately, both cultures were conquered by their more powerful neighbors, who repressed and attempted to eliminate their languages and unique identities.
 
Japan now “owns” what was once the Ryukyu Kingdom, but as we observed contemporary life in Naha and the areas near Onna to the north, the people and culture seemed to differ from the rest of Japan. In fact, Okinawa began to remind us more of China than Japan. In exploring Naha’s ancient historic sites, we became aware that beginning in the 1300s, the Ryukyu Kingdom regularly sent diplomatic messengers to mainland China for cultural exchanges with the government officials of the Ming Dynasty. As a result, the architecture of ancient Okinawan Castles and burial places resembles the aesthetic values of China’s Ming period with red tiled roofs, massive wooden pillars elaborately decorated in primary colors and sculptural lion and dog-like guardian figures protecting the stone walls and gates of the wooden royal structures.
 
The influence of Chinese Confucian values is also evident in the emphasis, even in Okinawa today, of religious devotion to ancestors, respect for elders, and the importance of maintaining life-long family ties and personal friendships. This emphasis on the sacredness of personal relationships combined with a diet of approximately 90 percent whole-plant foods, is often cited as the primary reason for the astounding longevity of Okinawans.
​

 
The United Nations has designated nine areas in Okinawa as World Heritage Sites. We visited several of these places with our trusty and eminently knowledgeable local guide, Kumiko, and learned more about Okinawa’s fascinating history and the rise and fall of the Ryukyu Kingdom. Three of these sites which I found especially engaging were Shurijo Castle, The Royal Mausoleum, (Tama-U-Dun,) and the Shikinaen Royal Garden.
 

 
Shurijo Castle and the surrounding park in Naha is the shining jewel in Okinawa’s crown.
This World Heritage Site was constructed in the 1300s and was the largest wooden structure in the Ryukyu Kingdom. It was the home of the King and his family and also the seat of the Royal Government and the nexus of the network of religious rituals and ceremonies managed by female Priests throughout Okinawa. Built on a hilltop in the medieval Chinese architectural style, Shurijo Castle is protected by elegantly designed and decorated entrance gates and massive stone walls. An elaborate arrangement of gardens, temples, water sources, offices and housing for court officials circles the park area. Sadly, Shurijo Castle has been destroyed by fire and reconstructed three times during its long history.
 ​

The first fire occurred in 1709, and the castle was finally repaired in 1768. However, shortly after the Meiji Restoration in Japan when Emperor Meiji took control away from the Samurai families and ended Japan’s long history of isolationism, Shurijo Castle was surrendered to Japan and the Ryukyu Kingdom collapsed. In 1789, Okinawa became a prefecture of Japan.
The castle was destroyed a second time in 1945 during the Battle of Okinawa in the waning months of World War II when American, Australian and South Korean troops invaded the island and destroyed much of its infrastructure in a major defeat for the Japanese. As we know, America and her allies won the Second World War, and after Japan’s surrender, the US occupied Japan from 1945 to 1952; however, Okinawa was not returned to Japan until 1972, and America retains a military presence in Japan to this day. The slow process of restoring Shurijo Castle took place between 1957 and 1992.
 
Another devastating fire destroyed the Castle in 2019, and the reconstruction, which began in 2020, is ongoing. On the day we visited Shurijo Castle with our guide Kumiko, a typhoon was forming offshore, and we toured the Castle and park area in heavy rain. Somehow, the warm rain seemed to make the beauty of Okinawa’s luxurious tropical plants, birds and butterflies even more exquisite. Every garden we saw in Okinawa was filled with enormous orchids, red and white flowering ginger plants, birds of paradise with their orange and blue blossoms and big, busy butterflies. Even the spiders in their webs were lovely, covered with raindrops.

 
We were able to walk to the top of Shurijo Castle’s location and view all the surrounding buildings and gardens below. We were even able to view the reconstruction area through protective glass windows, but for safety reasons, we were not allowed to approach the ruins in their current condition.
 
Tama-U-Dun is another of Okinawa’s World heritage Sites and a National Treasure of Japan. Tama-U-Dun is the Royal Mausoleum of the second Sho Dynasty of the Ryukyu Kingdom. It is also in Naha near one of the entrances to Shurijo Castle and was constructed in 1501 on the orders of King Sho Shin, who wished to re-entomb the remains of his father, King Sho En and to provide a solemn and dignified burial place for future kings, queens and other members of the royal family. This expansive site is constructed primarily of local limestone in the Chinese-influenced style of Shurijo Castle, with sculptured Lion gate guardians, a large coral gravel courtyard, protective stone walls and stairways and a wooden roof. The ancient stone steps and walls are now covered with moss, creating a somber and reverent ambience. Like the Castle, Tama-U-Dun was extensively damaged in the Battle of Okinawa but has been restored to its original appearance.
 
My favorite of the three Okinawan World Heritage Sites we visited is the Shikinaen Royal Garden, a villa and garden constructed in the 1700s as a retreat for royal family members and guest house for visiting dignitaries from China. I am a garden lover, and the Shikinaen is one of the loveliest gardens I have ever seen. The traditional wooden “family home” is elevated by wooden stairs within a kaiyu-style garden, sometimes called a “strolling garden,” as its design is based on circulating pathways. Each turn in the path reveals a new and stunning view of various trees, flowers or water features intended to reveal the most beautiful elements of each of the four seasons. There are many kaiyu gardens in Japan, but the Shikinaen has a more Chinese appearance, as one of the primary features is the Rokkaku-do, or Hexagonal Hall, an open-air pavilion modeled on Chinese prototypes. This lovey “gazebo,” has a double roof, like a pagoda, with the top pointed roof providing deep sheltering eaves. The roofs are covered in Chinese-influenced black and white glazed tiles, highlighting the greenery behind the pavilion and the green willow tree beside it.
 

 
As a city that was essentially destroyed during the Battle of Okinawa, one of the bloodiest battles of World War II, Naha cannot boast of a large number of traditional buildings, temples or monuments other than the reconstructed World Heritage Sites I have just described, but before leaving Naha for more adventures in the coastal regions to the north, we visited the Okinawa Prefectural Museum of Art. Established just after the war, this museum of natural history and art moved into its current ultra-modern building in 2007. The museum’s collection includes over 100,000 artifacts in exhibits that focus on the sea and island life, nature, culture, and the history of Okinawa. We enjoyed our stroll through the museum, which was well organized, with the artifacts and displays clearly arranged in context to present the entire history of the Ryukyu Kingdom from paleolithic times to the present. It was at the Okinawa Prefectural Museum that we learned about Minatogawa Man, a human skeleton discovered in 1970 in a limestone quarry in southern Okinawa, considered the oldest human remains in East Asia, dated at 20,000 to 22,000 years before the Current Era.
 
Two trivia facts I learned during my visit to Naha are that both Easter Lilies and Karate originated in Okinawa. I also learned that the 7-11 Stores, located not just in Naha, but throughout Okinawa, are secret and cheap gourmet paradises that sell the freshest and most delicious egg salad sandwiches and loads of other yummy and quality snacks, including Okinawa’s famous Blue Seal Ice Cream. While in Naha, we also sampled some of Okinawa’s other favorite snacks: soba noodles, sweet potato doughnuts and bitter melon with scrambled eggs. And before heading off by taxi to the glorious Halekulani Resort, not far from the village of Onna, we spent one last day in Naha visiting shops that sell Okinawa’s most famous arts and crafts— brightly colored pottery in rustic styles, elegant red and black hand-crafted lacquerware, and exquisite scarves and clothing hand printed in delicate coral-shaped motifs. We got lost a few times on these unescorted adventures, due to our rusty Japanese language skills, but we made a charming discovery. The ancient Lion/Dog guardian sculptures at the gates of Shurijo Castle and other remnants of the great Ryukyu Kingdom are alive and well as garden decorations, porch statues, inexpensive pottery souvenirs and all-purpose gifts. In fact, the Lion Dogs of Okinawa seem to have become the identifying icons of this island prefecture.
 

 
After a taxi ride of more than an hour, with a soba stop along the way, we were delighted to arrive at the soothing, beautiful and welcoming Halekulani Resort, where we were warmly received by well-dressed and well-trained staff members, handing us refreshing pineapple-mango slushes as we rested in the elegant lobby before check-in. We knew what to expect, as we have been to the mother resort, The Halekulani Hotel on Honolulu’s Waikiki Beach, where we have stayed as guests, enjoyed the spa services yearly on our anniversary, and dined at all the restaurants at this intimate and relaxing little corner of paradise. However, we were startled to discover that the Halekulani Okinawa is more than twice as large as its parent in Honolulu. Halekulani Okinawa is clearly the go-to tropical getaway for well-heeled Japanese urban professionals and their families. The place was packed with young couples who were obviously on their honeymoons, but there were also many families with young children. I was charmed by the number of babies whose parents were taking them on a very upscale “Hawaiian” vacation. Orchids (Halekulani’s logo,) were everywhere throughout the resort, inside and out, and Hawaiian music was playing in the background. And there are Hawaiian food items on the menus of all four of the restaurants.

 
Halekulani Okinawa is sited on a hilly expanse of tropical rainforest that reaches down to a quiet and peaceful beach. Guests can rent Villas near the beach or rooms or suites in the Hotel above. There are several swimming pools throughout the property, including one for children. There are also cabanas, deck chairs and lounge chairs as well as fountains all around. Secluded pathways meander through the expansive gardens. On one of our walks in soft, gentle rain, we noticed a “Beware of Snakes” sign in English, another learning experience. Apparently, there are not just snakes, but poisonous snakes in Okinawa.
On our stroll we noticed that the grassy areas are monitored by cute little robot lawnmowers that look like tiny cars and have their own little docking stations to recharge when they are not at work. The gardens around the hotel are a loosely landscaped rainforest with palms, pines and large leafy trees filled with birds and butterflies. Flowering vines with blue blossoms also fill the garden along with a joyful abundance of tropical flowers—lilies, bougainvillea, white ginger, flame ginger, hibiscus, impatiens and birds of paradise.
 

During our short stay at Halekulani, we temporarily paused our self-assigned history lessons for a few days of shameless self-indulgence. This included more than one visit to the spa, starting with a heavenly ninety-minute full body massage with aromatic essential oils, a foot reflexology treatment and a scalp massage with excellent therapists in a private room where Wayne and I received our treatments on side-by-side tables. Halekulani’s Spa, like the rest of the resort, is a lovely healing oasis of serenity and calm. Upon arrival, we were greeted with a warm foot soak, and before we departed, we were served Japanese Green tea and a small scoop of soothing milk sorbet.
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The first course, described on the menu as Peanuts/Caviar, was a delicious broth-based soup containing home-made tofu and peanuts topped with caviar. It was served in an exquisite black lacquer soup bowl with a bright red hibiscus on the lid. I will tell you that the third course, vaguely described as Three Kinds of Today’s Recommendation, was sashimi, (raw fish,) which was quite excellent, and I assume small pieces of the three best and freshest fish available that day. The final course was dessert, a small bowl of milk sorbet topped with a strawberry, another decorative bowl with something like panna cotta, which may have contained cream cheese and walnuts, and a tiny and colorful ceramic box containing a small slice of candied winter melon peel. There was also a miniature pitcher of brown sugar syrup to pour over the milk sorbet. The meal was one of the best Kaiseki meals of our lives so far, but I will leave the rest to your imaginations and trust that Wayne’s photographs will give you a sense of the exquisite umami and elegance of this astounding two-hour dinner.
 
While we were spoiling ourselves at Halekulani, we took another taxi ride north along the coast to the Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium and Ocean Expo Park on a peninsula not far from Motobu Town. This massive complex, opened in 2002, was built on the site of the International Ocean Expo held there in 1975. The primary attraction at the aquarium is the Kuroshio Sea, an enormous tank housing a huge whale shark, very large manta rays, yellowfin tuna, skipjack tuna, additional sharks, schools of smaller fish and an “entourage” of symbiotic fish who surround the whale shark and accompany him as he swims around the huge tank. In fact, Kuroshio Sea was the largest aquatic tank in the world until it was surpassed by the Georgia Aquarium in 2005. Since then, the aquarium in Singapore and the Chimelong Ocean Kingdom in China have created even larger tanks to house and display marine species.

 
This expansive complex also includes a manatee pool, a sea turtle pool, a dolphin lagoon with a theater for dolphin shows, as well as restaurants and gift shops. Wayne and I have both been uncomfortable for a long time at the prospect of using captive marine animals for human entertainment, so we chose to visit other areas of the Ocean Expo Park, The Ocean Culture Museum and Planetarium and the quietly lovely native Okinawan Village and Omoro Botanical Garden. Both places were essentially deserted, and we were free to wander as we wished. We found the museum to be an interesting and well-presented showcase illustrating the construction of early Polynesian canoes and highlighting local maritime culture, including the navigation and astronomy associated with historic ocean voyaging. The Native Village, set in a lush habitat of indigenous trees and flowers, provided an uncommercialized look at the architecture and design of a typical village in the era of the Ryukyu Kingdom.
 
Looking back at our time in Okinawa, I am astounded at how much we learned in the few days we spent in the former Ryukyu Kingdom and embarrassed by how ignorant we were about all things Okinawan. Our journey in Japan continued with more adventures in Tokyo, Narita and Kamakura focusing on flowers, food, temples and shrines. I look forward to sharing more Japanese food and fun in future blogs, but for now I am happy to share the recipe for a classic Okinawan dish from the culture with the healthiest cuisine on earth.
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This recipe was shared online by Foodland Super Market, a Japanese American grocery store chain established in Hawaii in the 1940s. Foodland Farms, the motherhouse of this family-owned, health-oriented enterprise, is located in Honolulu at the entrance to the enormous Ala Moana Shopping Center, right next to the apartment building where I live.
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We zip over to Foodland Farms regularly for excellent locally grown produce, top quality poke and freshly made Asian deli items like salmon bento, sushi, fried chicken and an occasional Spam musubi for Wayne, the family carnivore.
 
While we were in Okinawa, we ate Goya Champuru on several occasions and really enjoyed it. Stir-fried bitter melon is often made with pork belly, but I am sharing Foodland’s vegetarian version. Don’t let the word “bitter” scare you. Okinawan style bitter melons have a mild flavor that will not disturb your palate. In this recipe, which includes mildly flavored tofu and eggs, the dish is seasoned with chicken or fish stock, soy sauce and bonito flakes. This delicious stir-fly can be eaten at breakfast, lunch or dinner and can be served as a side dish to heartier meals that include meat or fish. Goya Champuru is equally at home at everyday lunches or gourmet Kaiseki dinners. I would love to see one of the faithful readers of myteaplanner.com make Afternoon Tea Sandwiches on soft white bread, crusts removed of course, with a filling of Goya Champuru. You can call them Egg Salad Sandwiches if you must.

• 2 small bitter melons (or zucchini if you can’t possibly find bitter melon)
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 7 ounces extra firm tofu
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup chicken broth or packaged Japanese dashi, prepared as a broth
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
• ¼ cup bonito flakes (packaged fish flakes available in Asian markets)

 

Special Equipment: medium sized bowl, paring knife, spoon, colander, paper towels, large bowl, 12-inch skillet, rubber spatula, attractive serving bowl or platter.
 
Makes: 4 servings, (can be doubled for 8 servings)

1. Cut each bitter melon in half lengthwise, and using a spoon, scrape out and discard the seeds and white pith. Slice the bitter melons crosswise into ¼ inch half moons and transfer to a medium sized bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of salt, toss until evenly combined, and let stand for 20 minutes.
2. Squeeze the bitter melon to release as much liquid as possible, then transfer to a colander and rinse thoroughly under cold running water. Squeeze again to drain any remaining liquid and pat dry with paper towels. Dry the tofu with paper towels, trying to remove as much liquid as possible. Using your hands, crumble the tofu into 1-inch pieces into a large bowl.
3. In a 12-inch skillet, heat the oil over high heat. Add the prepared bitter melon and cook, undisturbed, for 5 minutes, allowing the melon to caramelize. Add the tofu along with the broth or dashi and soy sauce and cook until the liquid has almost completely evaporated, about 1 minute.
4. Add the beaten eggs and cook stirring with a rubber spatula to break up the chunks until the eggs are just cooked. Remove the skillet from the heat and place the mixture into a serving bowl or platter. Sprinkle with bonito flakes and serve immediately. Refrigerate any leftovers and eat them for breakfast.

 

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In the beautiful warm month of June, we associate delicate and fragrant white orange
blossoms with weddings and brides’ bouquets. And throughout the year, we enjoy eating fresh oranges in various forms, as juice for breakfast, fruit peeled and eaten by hand and as luscious cakes and pastries prepared with care. Like their sister citrus fruit, lemons, oranges can also be incorporated into savory dishes, such as the world-famous French creation, Duck a L’Orange.  My May 2021 blog, “Lovely Lemons,” included the recipe for the classic Greek savory soup, Avgolemono, a chicken broth-based lemon soup.
 

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Oranges, along with all citrus fruits, originated in the southeastern Himalayan foothills in areas which are now India, Myanmar and China. Oranges evolved as a hybrid of mandarins and pomelos and are known to have grown in south central China eight million years ago. The orange tree is an evergreen, and interestingly, the orange blossoms themselves grow into the fruit during a process that can take between seven to fifteen months. A single orange tree can produce both blossoms and ripe fruit at the same time. Ripe oranges can remain on the tree for months without spoiling, and when picked, they are still sweet and juicy.
 

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An orange orchard in full bloom, covered with shimmering white blossoms filling the summer air with their heady floral fragrance, is a glorious experience for the sight and the other senses. Bees are a primary pollinator of orange blossoms, and Orange Blossom Honey is highly prized for its delicate flavor as well as its health benefits, including antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. A favorite sweet and savory dish here in Hawaii is Baked Salmon with Orange Blossom Honey and Miso glaze. Orange Blossom Honey is produced in France, Mexico, Israel, Spain and Italy, all countries where orange fruit also plays an important role in the local cuisine. In the United States, the biggest producers of both oranges and Orange Blossom Honey are California, Florida and Texas. World-wide, however, the most productive orange-growing countries are Brazil and China. There are varieties of oranges, the two most popular being Navel and Valencia. Both are seedless and bright orange in color, though Valencias have somewhat thinner skins. Many orange lovers seem to agree that Navels are sweeter and better for cooking, baking and eating by hand, while Valencias are juicier and better for squeezing your morning orange juice. And don’t forget that oranges love to be combined with chocolate. There is nothing more elegant and delightful than an Orange Pound Cake with a deep dark Chocolate Glaze.
 

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Our website and blogs abound with orange and other citrus-flavored recipes, including my favorite Easy Orange Pound Cake which appears in the “A Calendar of Tea Parties: December, In Defense of Fruitcakes” in the Tea Book section of myteaplanner.com. Here are the recipes for some additional special citrus desserts from my blogs:
 

 
For a recent family gathering, I dug into my old cake recipe file and baked an Orange Polenta Cake, which includes two fresh navel oranges, toasted ground almonds and polenta. I saved this recipe from the February 2009 edition of Gourmet Magazine and remembered that it is dense, rich and delicious, and that my husband Wayne loved it. At the time, I didn’t notice that the originator of this recipe is the Israeli super-chef, restauranteur and cookbook author, Yotam Ottolenghi, and that the recipe was adapted from his book, Ottolenghi: The Cookbook. A few years after I baked this cake, I received as a gift which I still treasure, a copy of Ottolenghi’s now world-famous book, Jerusalem A Cookbook, which he co-authored with his friend and business partner, the Palestinian chef Sami Tamimi. This beautifully written and photographed book bursts with fresh, healthy and delicious recipes from Israel and Palestine, and I thought that now might be an appropriate time to point out how harmonious and compatible the cuisines of these two countries really are. I also noticed that the Jerusalem Cookbook includes two additional orange cake recipes that differ slightly from the orange Polenta Cake that appears in Ottolenghi’s previous book: Semolina, Coconut and Marmalade Cake and Clementine and Almond Syrup Cake, which features a Dark Chocolate Glaze. Both of these will be fun to bake in the future, but for now, I’m happy to share with you the recipe for Orange Polenta Cake. 
 
Meanwhile, enjoy your summer vacations. I wrote the little poem below on a summer vacation at Lake Tahoe years ago. For this year’s summer vacation, Wayne and I will spend late May and early June in Okinawa, an area of Japan which we have never visited. I’ve been reading about all sorts of citrus fruits that grow in this tropical area and am looking forward to sharing our Okinawan food adventures with you later this summer.

 
Summer in the Mountains
 
The solstice brings innocent clouds
Like silky lingerie draping the pine’s
High shoulders. The air throbs
With the warm scent of resin,
And the Stellers Jays 
Are in their blue glory
While the Canada geese strut
On the deep lake’s shore.
Even the chipmunks
And the splendid little ants,
Scurrying among the pinecones,
Lupine and poppies,
Walk the Great Walk.

​Orange Polenta Cake
 

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In some respects, this luscious Israeli Orange Cake resembles the classic Pineapple Upside-Down Cake popular among North American bakers for decades. This recipe produces a one-layer nine-inch round cake which would look beautiful on a cake pedestal, showing off the topping of fresh orange slices embedded in caramel with a sparkling marmalade glaze. Adventurous home bakers might even want to give this recipe a French twist by using peeled Bosc Pears instead of oranges to create a Pear and Caramel Upside-Down Tart. 
 
I have made a few changes in Yotam Ottolenghi’s ingredients list to make the process a little simpler for American and Canadian bakers. The original recipe calls for superfine granulated sugar for both the caramel layer and the cake, two teaspoons of orange-flower water in the cake and quick-cooking polenta. If these ingredients are easy to find in your neighborhood, by all means, use them, but I am suggesting a simple brown sugar and butter caramel topping and a small amount of McCormick’s Pure Orange Extract instead of orange-flower water. I also used regular grocery store polenta, as I have difficulty finding quick-cooking polenta here in Hawaii. The effect will be a slightly crunchier texture in the cake, but this cake is not intended to be the light golden sponge cake we usually find in Pineapple Upside-Down Cake. The density of this Orange Polenta Cake comes from two cups of ground toasted almonds as well as the polenta. 
 
The introduction to this recipe which I found fifteen years ago in Gourmet Magazine states: “We love the way this one-of-a-kind dessert incorporates so many dimensions into a sophisticated whole.” I agree, and when you bake this cake for your family, you will be giving them a special gift. And don’t forget that orange and chocolate are best friends. You can wow your guests by serving this elegant cake with dark chocolate ice cream. When I baked it recently for a family dinner, small children were present (Willa and Giulia whom I love to babysit when I’m not writing, baking or traveling,) so I chose to eliminate the glaze, as not all children love orange marmalade, and instead I surrounded the cake with dark chocolate kisses, which all children love.
 

 
For the Caramel Orange Layer

• 2/3 cup light brown sugar
• 4 tablespoons butter (1/2 stick)
• 2 navel oranges

 
For the Cake

• 1 ¾ sticks (14 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs at room temperature
• ½ teaspoon pure orange extract
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
• 2 cups toasted almonds, finely ground
• 2/3 cup polenta
• Baking spray and parchment for the pan

 
For the Glaze

• ¼ cup orange marmalade (I recommend Bon Maman)
• 1 tablespoon water 
• Dark chocolate ice cream for serving, optional

 
Special Equipment: 9-inch round springform pan, wire cooling rack, large mixing bowl, medium sized mixing bowl, flour sifter or sieve, large glass measuring cup, disposable kitchen gloves, citrus zester or hand grater, paring knife, cutting board, electric mixer, rubber spatula, food processor or grinder, parchment, offset spatula, foil-lined baking sheet, bamboo skewer, oven gloves, pastry brush, decorative platter or cake pedestal
 
Preheat Oven to 350 degrees F.
 
Makes: 8-10 servings

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1. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Cut two layers of parchment to fit the bottom of the pan. Place the parchment layers into the pan, spraying each. Cut strips of parchment to line the inner sides of the pan, spray them and insert them into the pan. Set aside. Toast 2 cups of whole almonds on a foil-lined baking sheet in the 350-degree oven for about 10 minutes, stirring 2 or 3 times to prevent burning until the almonds just start to turn a light golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. When the almonds have cooled, grind them in a food processor or grinder (I always use my trusty Ninja,) until they are very fine. Set aside.
2. Prepare the Caramel Orange Layer: Place 2/3 cup light brown sugar and 4 tablespoons of butter, cut into small pieces, into a large glass measuring cup, and microwave at 30-second intervals until the butter is melted. Stir to combine, and wearing disposable kitchen gloves, press the mixture firmly into the bottom of the prepared parchment-lined pan. Place a large sheet of parchment on the counter and grate the zest from both oranges (still wearing the gloves to prevent grating your knuckles,) onto the parchment. Focus only on the bright orange outer layer of the peel, not on the inner white pith. Reserve the zest for the cake batter. 
3. Using a paring knife, cut off all the remaining peel from both oranges removing all of the white membrane. Cut both oranges into thin round slices, removing as much of the connective membrane between the segments as possible. Then cut each round orange slice in half. Starting with the outside edge of the pan, gently press the orange pieces into the caramel layer making concentric circles of orange “half moons” in a decorative pattern to cover the entire bottom of the pan. Set aside.
4. Prepare the cake batter: Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a medium sized mixing bowl. Add the ground almonds and polenta and stir gently until the mixture is uniform. Set aside. Place 1 ¾ sticks of butter, cut into small chunks, and 1 cup of sugar into the large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until just combined. Add 3 eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add orange extract and the reserved orange zest and beat just until incorporated into the mixture.
5. Add the dry ingredient mixture and beat on low speed just until no flour, almonds or polenta are visible. The mixture will be thick.  Carefully spread the batter evenly over the caramel and orange layer, smoothing the top with an offset spatula. Place the cake on the foil-lined baking sheet and bake in the pre-heated 350-degree oven for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes until a bamboo skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 10-15 minutes. 
6. Run a kitchen knife around the inside between the pan and the parchment, and using oven gloves, as the pan will still be warm, invert the pan on a decorative platter or cake pedestal. Gently remove the parchment and prepare the glaze. Place ¼ cup orange marmalade and 1 tablespoon water in a large glass measuring cup and heat at 30-second intervals until the marmalade is melted. Stir to combine and brush the marmalade mixture over the warm cake. Serve warm or at room temperature with dark chocolate ice cream if you wish. Leftover cake can be stored covered at room temperature.

 

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As summertime arrives, Hawaii is a favorite tourist destination for vacationers from throughout the Americas and Asia. Now that the Covid scare is over, 9.8 million visitors are expected to arrive in Hawaii this year. During the next three years, that number is predicted to rise to 10 million. From the windows of our condo in downtown Honolulu, we witness at least thirty large airplanes a day arriving or leaving the island of Oahu, and early in the mornings around dawn, the huge cruise ships arrive.
 

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Most of the tourists who arrive here will stay in the Waikiki neighborhood, long famous for its gorgeous beach, elegant hotels, high-end shopping and fabulous local food. This decision is reasonable, as Waikiki has made itself a visitor-friendly destination with everything a tourist could want within walking distance of dozens of conveniently located hotels. The beautiful beach, a legendary hangout for surfers, is well-supervised by competent lifeguards perched in their lookout towers, and surfing lessons and swimming and snorkeling gear are readily available, along with booths selling tickets to sunset cocktail cruises in charming catamarans.
 
Hawaii’s oldest hotel, the Moana Surfrider, (2365 Kalakaua Avenue, Honolulu, 1-808-922-3111,) still reigns supreme on Waikiki Beach, and still serves High Tea on the Veranda on Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 11:30-2:303. They also have a charming Keiki Tea for children.  This glorious Victorian beauty opened in 1901, and now a Westin Resort and Spa, it has been elegantly maintained over the decades. 
 

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Another Waikiki Beach treasure is the Halekulani Hotel, quietly hidden away from the hustle and bustle. (2199 Kalia Road, Honolulu, 1-808-923-2311) In my opinion, the Halekulani is the best hotel in Hawaii, and one of the finest hotels in the world. Established in 1917 as a set of beach bungalows located on the site of an ancient Hawaiian settlement, Halekulani is now a modern hotel and spa under Japanese management and maintains the highest standards of elegance and serenity characteristic of Japanese hospitality. The award-winning La Mer, the best French restaurant in Hawaii, is located at Halekulani, directly overlooking Waikiki Beach. The Orchids Restaurant at Halekulani offers a breathtaking Sunday Brunch from 9-2:30 that melds the best of Western, Hawaiian and Japanese cuisine. And the Veranda Restaurant, overlooking the Garden Courtyard, serves a stunning Afternoon Tea from 2-5 PM, Tuesday through Saturday. If you happen to be one of the ten million visitors who come to Waikiki each year, and you want to give yourself a special treat, Halekulani is the place, but be advised that this quiet and dignified hotel has a dress code. Do not even think about showing up in a tank top for Afternoon Tea! And you will need reservations well in advance for any of the other elegant events at Halekulani.
 
For more casual and family-oriented adventures, Waikiki has a small but charming zoo with animals that are well cared for in a tropical garden setting. The Honolulu Zoo is located in Queen Kapiolani Park on the Diamond Head side of Waikiki. The 1,230 birds and land animals who live at the zoo appear to be thriving in their specially designed habitats. If you take the family to the zoo, be sure to stop at the snack bar for a refreshing Dole Whip, a pineapple flavored soft serve ice cream popular in Hawaii for decades. The resident peacock might be wandering around to greet you.

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The Waikiki Aquarium, the second oldest aquarium in America, is very close to the zoo, and can be reached by walking from any place in the Waikiki neighborhood. Established in 1904, the Aquarium is now managed by The University of Hawaii Manoa and features over 3,500 marine fish and animals in indoor and outdoor habitats. The exhibits and research focus on understanding, appreciating and conserving Pacific marine wildlife. The Aquarium has a strong educational component with excellent docents and hands-on exhibits that actually encourage children to touch some of the living specimens. There is also a kid-friendly gift shop at the Aquarium.
 

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As I have pointed out, Waikiki is a visitors’ wonderland, and many of the tourists who stay there never leave the neighborhood. This fact makes me a bit sad, as Honolulu is a large cosmopolitan city with many unique neighborhoods that have their own charm and their own cuisine. I happen to live in a downtown neighborhood called Kakaako, an easy bus ride from Waikiki. Kakaako is located along Ala Moana Boulevard facing Ala Moana Beach Park and the ocean. Our neighborhood is squeezed between the massive Ala Moana Shopping Center and the slightly smaller Ward Village, with active construction of new parks and condos going on all around us. Although Kakaako is an old residential neighborhood, with traditional breakfast and lunch cafes serving local Hawaiian style and Asian immigrant meals, it has recently become a trendy destination for new restaurants, coffee and tea shops and businesses. We even have a Whole Foods in our neighborhood!
 
I encourage visitors to branch out a bit and try eating in some of the special spots in Kakaako and the surrounding neighborhoods that might not show up in every tourist guidebook but can offer you a delicious breakfast in an interesting setting, either traditional or trendy. Here are a few hidden gems that Wayne and I have visited more than once because we enjoy the food and the local ambience. 
 

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Harry’s Café is an old time Hawaiian style diner with a slight Korean accent. The menu is heavy on meat, including Spam and Vienna Sausage, still popular decades after these military provisions were introduced to the Pacific islands during the Second World War. Entering Harry’s Café, a couple of blocks from our condo, feels like walking into a 1950s movie. The eight tables, all covered with red and white checked tablecloths, are often filled by 6 AM, when Harry’s opens, if indeed they decide to open at all on any given day. The only frills in this bare-bones, nothing extra breakfast and lunch joint are the little bouquets of fresh flowers on each table, usually occupied during the week by construction workers in their neon green tee shirts having breakfast, then ordering lunch for takeout before they get to work on the nearby new condos, moving upward toward the clouds. These guys are at Harry’s to eat Hawaii’s favorite breakfast—Loco Moco, a plate of white rice topped with a hamburger patty and a fried egg, all drowned in brown gravy. Kim Chee Fried Rice, often topped with a pork chop, is another popular breakfast item at Harry’s, and Portuguese Sausage is available with every meal.  Almost everything at Harry’s includes fried meat, but basic buttermilk pancakes, and a competently cooked fresh spinach, mushroom and cheese omelet are also on the menu. Hamburgers, available with Kim Chee, are the primary lunch item, along with old-style beef stew and beef pot roast. Trendy Asian Fusion is nowhere to be found at Harry’s, but you can always get coffee; just don’t ask for a cappuccino.
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In contrast to Harry’s, Tango Contemporary Cafe, located nearby in Kakaako, calls itself a Gourmet Bistro and serves Scandinavian, Asian and Pacific Rim, Hawaiian and Mainland American Food. It’s a pleasant little place with indoor and outdoor dining. People in the neighborhood often bring their dogs along for breakfast, and the canines sit politely under the well-shaded outdoor tables. We like the food at Tango, but potential clients should check Tango’s website to discern when the menus may change between Breakfast, (Monday through Friday 7-10 AM,) Brunch, (Saturday and Sunday, 8 AM-2 PM,) Lunch and Dinner, which apparently always ends at 8 PM. Tango’s breakfast menu starts out with a decidedly European nuance, with Danish of the Day, Berry Compote, Muesli and Yogurt, Florentine Benedict, and Shredded Duck Confit Hash. Crab Hash and Salmon Benedicts are also available for breakfast as is a Half Papaya with Lime. And in a nod to old Hawaii, Tango serves the decidedly updated Braised Beef Loco Moco with Crispy Onions. Dessert, including Kona Coffee Ice Cream Cake and Affogato, is served all day every day, and you can definitely get a Cappuccino at Tango.
 

 
Guieb Café
​(1311 N. King Street, Suite F06, Honolulu, 1-808-913-2131)
 

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Guieb Café is our favorite new place for breakfast. It’s located in the Kalihi neighborhood of Honolulu in what appears to be an alley within a tiny shopping center elegantly named Kapalama Shopping Plaza, housing a little string of locally owned restaurants. Guieb Café is a popular bustling place run by a group of young, friendly and innovative Filipino Americans who have developed an exciting menu incorporating both native Hawaiian produce and food preparations and traditional Filipino favorites. The pancakes and waffles at Guieb Café seem to be very popular with the clients who live in the neighborhood, and the choices include colorful Ube (purple yam) and Mascarpone Pancakes and Poi Mochi Waffles with Haupia (coconut) Sauce. Fried Chicken and Waffles are also on the breakfast menu along with Crab Cake Benedict and Bao Bun Benedict, featuring a Chinese style cha shu pork belly-filled bun. Filipino breakfast options include Bangsilog, fried boneless milkfish with garlic fried rice and eggs as well as Adobo Fried Rice Omelet. The skillful chefs at Guieb have gone over the top in updating good old Hawaiian Loco Moco into Loco Moco with Prime Rib or with a Wagyu Beef Patty and Crab Cake. A Lobster Sensation Roll is also available at Guieb.
 

Some of our readers may recall that my February blog this year, “A Festive Filipino Tea,” included a brief introduction to Filipino cuisine. Since then, Wayne and I, along with our friends Vivian, hostess of the fabulous Filipino Tea Party I described in my blog, and her husband Maurino, have had a few more Filipino-themed foodie adventures. We had an impressive lunch at Elena’s  (94-866 Moloalo Street D4A, Waipahu 1-808-676-8005,) voted numerous times Best Filipino Restaurant in Hawaii. This fifty-year-old treasure is in the town of Waipahu, which appears to be the Filipino capital of the state. According to Vivian and Maurino, Elena’s is as authentic as restaurant Filipino food gets. All the dishes we ordered were bursting with the freshest vegetables, fish and meat, and the cooks do not start preparing the food until the order is placed—nothing pre-packaged, left over or frozen comes out of that kitchen. Guy Fieri himself, of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives fame, has visited Elena’s and raved about the food. And according to the website, Elena herself developed the recipe for Pork Adobo Fried Rice Omelet, currently served at Guieb Café and many other restaurants in Hawaii and beyond.  
 
While we were in Waipahu, about thirteen miles west of Honolulu, we stopped at Seafood City Supermarket in the Waipahu Town Center (90-050 Farrington Highway.) This enormous market, complete with all the produce needed for Filipino home cooking, an expansive fresh fish and meat department and a deli with an impressive variety of prepared Filipino food, is the go-to destination for Filipino cuisine aficionados throughout Oahu. Two Filipino bakeries, Red Ribbon Bakeshop (1-808-691-9848) and Valerio’s Tropical Bakeshop are also located within the supermarket, along with Magnolia Ice Cream & Treats, where the famous Filipino dessert, Halo Halo, made with Ube ice cream, is available along with numerous other Asian-derived ice cream creations. Red Ribbon Bakery is famous for its gorgeous purple Ube Chiffon Cake, as well as pandesal, ensaymadas and other luscious freshly baked Filipino breads and pastries. We picked up several pastries while we were there and feasted at breakfast for several days. 
 
For those of you who are interested in learning more about the Asian purple yam known as Ube, I am happy to share the recipe for Ube Muffins, perfect for a Mother’s Day brunch or Afternoon Tea, at the end of this blog. But before we get to the recipe, I would like to introduce you to two local breakfast and lunch destinations that not only serve good fresh food, but also serve the people of Oahu with important social commitments that have brought healing to our community for decades.
 

Waioli Kitchen and Bake Shop
(2950 Manoa Road, Honolulu, 1-808-744-1619)
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In the lovely old Manoa neighborhood of Honolulu, where the University of Hawaii is located, Waioli Kitchen and Bake Shop, previously known as Waioli Tea Room, has been “on a mission” for more than a hundred years. Managed by The Salvation Army, the original tearoom supported vocational training for the orphaned girls who were housed at the Salvation Army Girls’ Home. Social needs have changed over the decades, and today The Waioli Kitchen and Bake Shop supports the Salvation Army’s services to provide treatment for “individuals suffering with substance abuse disorders or recently released from incarceration.”
 
Still housed in the beautiful old tearoom, surrounded by mature tropical trees in a shady garden setting, Waioli Kitchen is a popular spot enthusiastically supported by the local Manoa community, and the food is fresh, healthy and delicious. The small breakfast menu includes Acai Bowl (acai, honey, fresh fruit and house made granola,) Banana Macadamia Nut Pancakes with homemade Coconut Syrup, available with Bacon and a Breakfast Sandwich of Scrambled Eggs and Cheddar Cheese with Grilled Tomato on a Freshly Baked Croissant. Other fresh baked goods, including brownies and cookies, can be purchased at the counter when you place your order. And yes, the Waoli Kitchen serves an excellent Short Rib Loco Moco.

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If you’re up for a good old fashioned road trip for a worthy cause, head for the town of Waianae on the leeward (western) side of Oahu. The Kahumana Organic Farm and Café, thirty-three miles from Honolulu and two miles inland from the beach, is an authentic farm to table breakfast and lunchroom with the freshest food imaginable, grown on the farm surrounding the café. The café is open from 10-2:30 for late breakfast and lunch and from 9 AM-1 PM for Saturday Brunch. The farm is closed on Mondays. The food is simple yet delicious, making no pretenses toward gourmet cuisine. The lunch menu includes Macadamia Nut Pesto Pasta, Coconut Dal Lentil Curry and Tofu Vegetable Stir-fry. Each entre comes with fresh vegetable soup or salad straight out of the garden. Fresh fish of the day, chicken or tofu can be added to each meal, and duck eggs are available.  Guests can also order an appetizer of Goat Cheese and Herb Hummus with Pita Bread, and for dessert, Banana Bread, Chocolate Brownie or Lilikoi (Passion Fruit) Cheesecake. The Saturday Brunch menu adds Banana Bread French Toast with Coconut Cream and Banana Crepes with various fillings. Portuguese Sausage and Chorizo can be ordered with the omelets and egg dishes.
 

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Kahumana Organic Farms produces fruits and vegetables that are sold throughout the island and served at some of the best restaurants. Visitors are welcome to wander around the farm and admire the gorgeous mango and other trees, birds and butterflies in an utterly natural setting. 
 

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Since 1989, Kahumana Farm’s mission has been to combat homelessness on Oahu, especially in the Leeward Coast area. Since then, the farm has provided housing and employment for 100 families each year. In addition, the farm helps support the Leeward Learning Center in Waianae. Kahumana’s Adult Day Health Program offers opportunities and activities for adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities and autism. Not every tourist at Waikiki is aware of the meaningful work that the Waioli Kitchen and Bake Shop and Kahumana Organic Farms are doing to improve the quality of life for all the residents of Hawaii along with the delicious food they produce for our enjoyment. I hope some of our readers will remember these two breakfast and lunch spots if they choose to vacation on the beautiful island of Oahu.
 

Ube, which means “tuber” in Tagalog, is a popular ingredient in Filipino desserts. Ube is a bright purple yam, often confused with taro and Okinawan sweet potatoes, which are also nutritious purple tubers. The ube is packed with healthy carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants. Ube often appears in Filipino treats such as flan, cheesecake, cakes, breads, ensaymadas and ice cream. Bright purple Ube Ice Cream, irresistible to children and fun-loving adults, is definitely here to stay! I hope you will enjoy this easy Ube Muffins recipe, which I adapted from a recipe by Catalina Castravet which I found online. Ubes are easy to find in Hawaiian grocery stores, but if you can’t find them in your neighborhood, try Whole Foods. If ube is simply not available where you live, use good old Sweet Potatoes. Your muffins won’t be purple, but they will be orange and delicious! Both the topping and the glaze are optional, but I used the almond and brown sugar topping for the muffins and the glaze with decorative sprinkles for the mini-Bundt cakes.
 

For the Muffins:

• 3-4 purple yams, (ubes) about 2 cups boiled, cooled and mashed
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 cup white sugar
• ½ cup canola or olive oil
• ½ cup whole milk or cream at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup chopped toasted macadamia nuts and or sweetened toasted coconut flakes
• Butter if serving the muffins warm

 

For the Muffin Topping:

• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• ¼ cup chopped toasted macadamia nuts

 

For the Mini- Bundt Cake Glaze:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons whole milk, cream or coconut milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

                  Additional chopped nuts, toasted coconut or colored sprinkles for decoration

Special Equipment:  medium sized saucepan, paring knife, large fork or potato masher, large mixing bowl, medium sized mixing bowl, flour sifter or sieve, rubber spatula, hand-held electric mixer, 12-well muffin pan, 12-well mini-Bundt pan (or 2 muffin pans,)cooking spray with flour or paper muffin pan liners, ice cream scoop, bamboo skewer, wire rack, decorative serving platter
 
Makes: 12 muffins and 12 mini-Bundt cakes
 
Preheat Oven To: 400 degrees F
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Breakfast has always been my favorite meal, even back in my late teens when my preferred breakfast was Rice Krispies with whole milk and loads of sugar on top or perhaps doughnuts with coffee. I’ve learned a lot about the nutritional importance of breakfast since then, and my eating habits have certainly changed. Currently, the breakfast I enjoy most is Almond Granola, which I make myself. (You can find the protein-packed recipe in my June 2020 blog.)  I like my granola with vanilla yogurt or soy milk, and if fresh berries or bananas are available, they are a great addition to this simple starter of the day. My husband Wayne and I also add green juice fortified with flaxseed meal and a hot cappuccino to the first meal of our day.
 

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Now that spring is here and everyone is planning spring breaks, road trips, long weekends and long-distance vacations, many of us will be eating breakfast in far away and unfamiliar places. My May 2018 blog, “Breakfast in San Diego,” introduced you to several innovative restaurants which serve the healthy and hearty breakfasts we enjoyed on our many California road trips to historic San Diego, one of my favorite American cities. For me, one of the true joys of travel is experiencing the flavors, ingredients and preparation of foods that are not available or included in the culture and cuisine where I live. Breakfast away from home is a delightful way to explore life-long learning. And in my world, whether at home or away, skipping breakfast is unthinkable!
 

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Many of my travel blogs have included detailed descriptions of the breakfast menus in the places I have visited. The traditional English Breakfast, for example, described in my August 2022 blog, “The latest from London, Part III,” lists the astounding volume of food that is routinely consumed every morning in England: bacon and eggs, several types of sausage, mushrooms, sliced tomatoes, baked beans, cheeses, buttered toast with jam and a strong pot of tea. In July of 2023, my blog about Osaka details the traditional Japanese breakfast, which invariably includes, rice, grilled fish, miso soup, pickled vegetables, seaweed, a small, rolled egg omelet or perhaps an onsen egg (recipe included,) and a pot of green tea.
 

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In Germany, I was stunned and delighted by the variety of cheeses, soft, hard, cow’s milk, goat’s milk, and more, available for breakfast along with freshly baked hearty brown bread filled with seeds, nuts and other fiber-packed delights along with boiled eggs, yogurt, muesli and piles of butter, cherry preserves and other fruits and jams.
 

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One of the most interesting traditional breakfasts I discovered in my travels, was Ful Medames (also spelled foul or ful mudammas), pronounced and often referred to simply as “Fool,” the ancient and hearty Egyptian breakfast. Ful is a thick fava bean stew, flavored with cumin and olive oil and simmered for many hours to develop the flavors and texture. In rural areas, making Ful is a daily community celebration. Individual families donate their portion of beans to the huge outdoor communal pot, and after the stew cooks overnight, everyone arrives in the morning with their soup bowls to enjoy a delicious breakfast, filled with fiber and protein and to share the news of the day with their neighbors. Ful can also be elevated to a more sophisticated level by including additional flavors and ingredients such as lemon juice, parsley, onions and garlic to the basic mix. Boiled eggs are also frequently added to this homey breakfast menu, along with freshly chopped tomatoes and cucumbers and freshly baked pita bread for a bright and classic Mediterranean morning meal.

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What do these diverse breakfasts available in various locations throughout the world have in common? They are all designed to get humanity out of bed and ready for the day’s work. And each of these basic breakfast menus has stood the test of time by providing protein, carbohydrates, calcium, vitamins and fiber for energy and stamina throughout the day. Additionally, breakfast has an affinity with Afternoon Tea, which provides not just companionship and pleasant conversation, but also a boost in the afternoon when our energy may be flagging but we still have dinner to prepare and our domestic tasks to complete before bedtime. Like breakfast, Afternoon Tea provides both savory and sweet food to enjoy along with a selection of breads and an invigorating hot beverage. And both contain the protein and carbohydrates we all need to thrive.
 

 
While Teatime comes to the rescue in the afternoon, some of us also need a mid-morning pick-me-up. This is where the coffee break comes in, and along with the coffee break, the wonderful invention, Coffee Cake, provides something sweet, but not too sweet, to enjoy along with our second (or third) cup of morning coffee. I was surprised to learn that Coffee Cake has been around since the Seventeenth Century. In the 1600’s, coffee was introduced to Europe, and simultaneously, the northern European countries, especially Germany, Austria, France and Denmark, experienced a boom in gourmet baking and pastry making. We have all admired the exquisite elegance of flaky Danish pastries, German strudel, and French croissants. Austria is also famous for its coffee houses, serving elegant little pastries such as Sacher Torte, to accompany steaming hot and beautifully presented cups of coffee. For a gentle cruise down memory river, feel free to re-read my October 2016 blog, “Dining on the Danube,” which includes a menu of classic coffee and desserts served along the Danube from Austria to Hungary.
 
Some people mistakenly assume that Coffee Cake is a coffee-flavored cake. No. Coffee Cake is a cake specifically developed to be eaten to enhance the enjoyment of drinking coffee. Coffee Cakes are usually a single layer, and they are not iced with butter cream or any other kind of frosting. Coffee Cakes are deliberately less sweet and more bread-like than the sweets served as after-dinner desserts or to accompany the savories at Afternoon Tea. Coffee Cakes often contain local seasonal fruits, such as cherries, apples, or cinnamon and nuts, all of which harmonize well with coffee. Streusel, which is not overly sweet, is often the topping for Coffee Cake. I like Coffee Cake, and I believe that whatever its original purpose may have been, it should always be welcome at breakfast, brunch, coffee break or Afternoon Tea. And why not serve Coffee Cake after a hearty dinner?
 

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As spring flourishes all around us and fresh fruits and berries begin to appear in the markets, I am happy to share with you a delightful recipe for Blueberry-Cream Cheese Coffee Cake. I found this recipe in the January 2005 issue of Sunset Magazine and have baked it numerous times over the years. It is easy to make and has never failed. It also brings a bright and festive air to any special occasion. It will make breakfast more blissful than ever, and it can sit on your tea table, along with the scones and feel right at home.
 

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This recipe calls for either fresh or frozen blueberries, but you should feel free to substitute raspberries, cherries or any other fruit that fits the season, the occasion or your family and friends’ preferences. The fruits or berries will be cooked and made into a filling for this luscious, cheesy Coffee Cake, so you will need to cut larger fruits or berries into small pieces if you are not using blueberries. This attractive cake can be served still warm from the oven or at room temperature. If you are serving it for breakfast or brunch, you can make it the day before and keep it covered at room temperature overnight. You might want to re-warm it slightly in the oven before serving it. Be sure to place it on an attractive cake pedestal and offer good quality butter nearby for those who love their Coffee Cake slathered with butter.

 

• 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
• ¼ cup apple juice, 
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 2 cups flour 
• 1 cup sugar (divided)
• ½ cup (1 stick) cold butter, cut into small chunks
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1 lemon (1 teaspoon grated lemon peel, 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• ¾ cup unflavored yogurt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature (divided)
• 6 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• ½ cup sliced almonds
• Cooking spray for the pan 
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• ½ cup butter at room temperature for serving, optional

​​Special Equipment: 9-inch springform pan, parchment, medium saucepan, rubber spatula, small bowl, food processor, medium sized mixing bowl, citrus zester or grater, citrus juicer,  wire cooling rack, decorative serving platter or pedestal
 
Serves: 10-12
 
Preheat Oven to 350 degrees F. at Step 2

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1. Spray the bottom and sides of a 9-inch round springform pan with baking spray. Cut 2 rounds of parchment to fit the bottom of the pan and place them into the pan. Spray the parchment rounds and place the prepared pan aside. Place the blueberries and apple juice in a medium sized saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat; then lower the temperature and simmer, stirring occasionally with a rubber spatula, until the blueberries have released their juices, about three minutes. In a small bowl, blend 1 teaspoon of cornstarch with 2 teaspoons water and stir into the blueberry mixture, continuing to stir until it simmers and thickens, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature. Prepare the grated lemon peel and juice. Set aside.
2. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the flour and ¾ cup sugar into a food processor and whirl until blended. Add the cubed butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Reserve ½ cup of the flour and butter mixture and set aside. Add salt, baking powder, baking soda and grated lemon peel to the butter and flour mixture remaining in the food processor.  Pulse briefly to blend. Add 1egg, yogurt and vanilla to the mixture in the food processor and pulse briefly until well incorporated. Spread the batter evenly into the bottom of the prepared springform pan.
3. Place the cream cheese, remaining ¼ cup sugar, remaining egg and lemon juice into the food processor. (No need to clean after previous use.) Whirl the mixture until it is smooth. Spread the cream cheese mixture over the batter in the pan, leaving a ½-inch border bare. Gently spread the cooled blueberry mixture over the cream cheese mixture. Stir the sliced almonds into the reserved flour mixture and sprinkle this streusel over the cake, placing more of it around the edges which have not been filled and leaving some of the blueberry filling in the center visible.
4. Bake in the center of the pre-heated oven until the center of the Coffee Cake barely jiggles when it is gently shaken and the top is golden brown, about 30-40 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes; then remove from the springform pan and place on a decorative serving platter or cake pedestal. Serve warm or at room temperature. Place leftovers in a covered container and keep at room temperature for 2-3 days.

 

 
March is the magical month when the first signs of spring appear. Crocuses peek through the snow, and bright yellow daffodils sprout up from the damp, cold ground. Vibrant green asparagus and spring onions appear in our kitchen gardens, and the earth wakes up to a thousand different shades of green. This year, Easter, the universal symbol of new life, will be celebrated on the final day of March. St. Patrick’s Day will also take place on a Sunday in March, and numerous other birthday parties, baby showers and Afternoon Tea celebrations will take place this month. And let’s not forget the farmers who will make all these celebrations possible. March is the month when the first spring wheat is planted.

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All of these joyful occasions will require baked goods, especially bread, as bread has long reminded the human race of civilization’s development. Thousands of years ago, humans survived primarily as hunters and gatherers. Then they discovered grain, and farming began. Flat bread, made primarily from wheat flour, salt and water, resembling today’s pita and tortillas, came first. The oldest archeological evidence of bread making was found in a 14,500-year-old site in Jordan. In about 6,000 BC, the Sumerian civilization in Mesopotamia, often referred to today as the cradle of civilization, produced early forms of leavened bread and passed this skill on to the Egyptians, who refined bread baking by adding yeast. With each improvement, bread became more flavorful, the texture was more pleasing, and the proper amount of yeast allowed the loaves to rise into beautiful, rounded shapes.
 
In fact, the ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans looked to the degree of refinement in bread baking as signs of cultural growth and development. While yeast bread is an ancient art form, the invention of baking soda and baking powder are much more recent and allow bakers to create “quick breads” that do not require the long periods of time for yeast to rise prior to baking the bread. The French chemist, Nicolas Leblanc invented baking soda in 1791, and an English chemist, Alfred Bird, developed Baking Powder in 1843. These advancements fortuitously coincided with the British Victorian passion for Afternoon Tea, allowing professional and home bakers to create a limitless supply of cakes, cookies, muffins, quick breads and scones for every imaginable kind of social celebration. Even today, all sorts of special breads, quick or made with yeast, are still being created by innovative bakers. I certainly do not remember eating rosemary and truffle focaccia or yuzu and matcha muffins when I was a child.

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Kathleen and I have shared many recipes for various types of bread in our website and our blogs over the years, and we hope our readers’ lives and family celebrations have been enriched as a result. Kathleen is especially adept at yeast baking and has a gift for making this ancient procedure easy to follow. I encourage you to review her May 2020 blog, which provides an easy overview of the bread baking process. Here you will learn to make Oatmeal Bread, Lemon Yogurt Poppyseed Loaf, and California’s gift to the world, Sourdough. She also shares her own recipe for Savory Black Pepper and Morels Babka, which contains asiago cheese. I think the ancient Romans would have been impressed!
 
My April 2020 blog shares my favorite yeast bread, Danish Pastry Easter Wreath, which I hope some of you will make for your family’s Easter Celebration this year. All this glorious buttery almond-filled pastry will require of you is time and love, and your family will thank you forever. I also love making quick breads, leavened with baking powder and or baking soda. Among my favorites are Pumpkin Bread, featured in my October 2028 blog, Hawaiian Banana Bread, perfect for beginning bakers, in my May 2017 blog, and Irish Brown Bread, a hearty and flavorful dark bread that would be the star of your St. Patrick’s Day revelries. The recipe appears in my March 2021 blog.
 

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In addition to its sacred significance in Christian tradition, bread is also responsible for improving the health, vitality, stamina and longevity of the human race. Bread can be eaten at every meal, and combined with fruits, vegetables and additional sources of protein, bread can add the healing properties of vitamins, minerals, needed carbohydrates, protein and fiber to the human diet. 
 

​Bread is also astonishingly versatile. It can be sweet, sour, savory or a combination of all three. Bread is the star of every holiday and the hidden helper at every meal. Bread appears as croutons in the Caesar Salad, dressing for the Thanksgiving turkey, the binder for the ground meat in everyday Meat Loaf, and what would the world be without sandwiches?
 

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Bread comes in an amazing variety of shapes and forms and serves as the foundation for gourmet delights throughout the world. The humble tortilla makes tacos, enchiladas and even huevos rancheros possible. Middle Eastern pita forms a pocket that can be stuffed with falafel, meats, cheeses and every kind of fresh vegetable. Indian nan, warm and chewy from the tandoori oven, can be filled with garlic, jalapenos, cheese and spices to complement the elegant and healthy curries of Indian cuisine. A French baguette is a work of art and has found its way to Vietnam as the receptacle of the world-famous Banh Mi sandwich. Bread is also child-friendly, and kids can easily make their own snacks when the parents are busy.
 

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As Afternoon Tea lovers well know, bread appears in various forms in every tea party menu. Savory foods include the charming little sandwiches we have all grown to love, but mini pizzas, and savory muffins also often appear in the first course at Afternoon Tea. The Scones Course, served between the savories and the sweets, forms a bridge between the two that can include both. Savory scones can be flavored with cheese and herbs, and sweet scones often include berries, citrus fruits, maple or chocolate. And butter and jam, always served with scones, is a perfect pairing of savory and sweet. The sweets course at afternoon tea is a veritable tribute to yeast, baking powder and baking soda, with an abundant array of cakes, quick breads, cookies and pastries. As the quintessential example, Lemon Tea Bread is a favorite at tea parties world-wide. Our recipe for this classic appears in the Tea Menu Basics chapter of The Tea Book on this website.
 
Sweetened breads such as Fruitcake, Raisin Babka, Stollen, Brioche and the Easter Breads unique to each country throughout Europe and the Middle East, are served as dessert on special occasions. As my spring and Easter gift to you this March, I am happy to share with you the recipe for one of my favorite bread-inspired desserts, Warm Bread Pudding with Lemon Sauce.

 
Warm Bread Pudding with Lemon Sauce
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I first discovered this satisfying old fashioned bread pudding under the title “Creole Bread Pudding” in my favorite dessert cookbook, Gourmet’s Best Desserts, published in 1987 by Conde Nast Books. I made a few adjustments to the original recipe, as it called for two-thirds cup of whiskey in the pudding and a cup pf whiskey in the sauce that is poured over the pudding when it is served warm. Somehow, that amount of whiskey seemed a bit too much for me.
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Bread Pudding, which has a relatively mild flavor, can be served with any flavor of ice cream, whipped cream, custard sauce or other appealing sauces such as chocolate, caramel, lemon or cherry. I prefer this Bread Pudding with Lemon Sauce, and we included a similar recipe in our Tea Book on this website in the “Afternoon Tea for Special Occasions” chapter in the “Afternoon Tea for a Large Group” menu. I hope you and your family will enjoy it. Please note that the Bread Pudding mixture is intended to chill in the refrigerator overnight before it is baked, so start the day before your special occasion when you plan to serve this charming dessert. And please read the recipe carefully before you begin. Making Bread Pudding is a simple process, but a few of the steps, such as squeezing the orange and lemon juice, grating the lemon peel, and melting the butter, need to be done before the other ingredients can be combined before baking.
 
For the Bread Pudding:
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• 1 1/3 cup golden raisins
• 2/3 cup fresh orange juice (from 2-3 oranges)
• 8 cups of day-old French Bread, cut into ½ inch cubes (about 1 ¼ loaves)
• 6 cups whole milk
• 5 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2/3 cup sugar
• ¾ stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• Baking spray
  
  

For the Lemon Sauce:

• ½ cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 cup boiling water
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 -3 tablespoons lemon juice, (from 1 large lemon)
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

 
Special Equipment:
 

​2-cup glass measuring cup, large mixing bowl, medium sized mixing bowl, serrated knife, cutting board, whisk, 2-3 quart glass or ceramic baking dish, plastic wrap, small, heavy saucepan, citrus juicer, citrus peel grater, 2-cup glass storage jar with lid, large serving spoon
 
Makes: 8-10 servings
 
Preheat the Oven to 375 Degrees F. Before Step 4
 
Make the Bread Pudding:
 

 

1. Place the golden raisins in a glass measuring cup and pour the orange juice over the raisins to macerate. Cut the bread in ½-inch cubes on a cutting board with a serrated knife. It is not necessary to remove the crusts. Measure the bread cubes until you have 8 cups.
2. Place the bread cubes in a large mixing bowl, pour the milk over the bread, letting the mixture stand at room temperature, stirring occasionally until the crusts are very soft, about 2 hours. 
3. In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, melted butter, vanilla and salt until the mixture is well incorporated. Add the egg mixture to the bread mixture along with the raisins and orange juice and stir until well combined. Spray the baking dish with cooking spray and transfer the bread pudding mixture into the baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap and chill overnight.
4. Remove the prepared mixture from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Gently stir the mixture and bake it in the middle of the oven for 1 ½ hours, or until the edges are puffed and golden brown. (The center will not rise and puff as much as the edges.) Serve the Bread Pudding warm by scooping out portions with a large serving spoon and pour Lemon Sauce over each portion. Refrigerate any leftovers, covered.
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​Make the Lemon Sauce:
 
​In a small, heavy saucepan, stir together the sugar and cornstarch. Add the boiling water, whisking briskly. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, and boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly. 

1. Remove the sugar mixture from the heat and add the butter, salt, lemon juice and lemon peel, stirring until the butter is melted. Serve warm over the warm bread pudding, or cool and serve at room temperature. 
2. This sauce may be prepared in advance and refrigerated in a glass container, covered, for several weeks. To rewarm, microwave at 30-second intervals, stirring until the sauce is warm.