Many have advised me to write a book about my cooking and travel adventures. A few chapters have been written, and it is my focus to do more this year perhaps with an artist’s residency in France. Here is the forward and two chapters.
How My Current Life Evolved
Today in the eighth decade of my life, I have the privilege to have the career that I find remarkably fulfilling. It provides me the opportunity to be creative and bring joy into people’s lives. I help my clients with their joys, their sorrows, their celebrations, their business, and their friendships. With these opportunities, I seek to be their valued professional in this segment of their life.
This book is also intended to convey the evolution of the world that has allowed me to do this and highlights those who have been the inspiration and support for my work. At the end of each chapter, there will be something for you to take into your life and enjoy.
My Grandmother Is My Inspiration.
Her “best hope was to marry the butler” -and why she traveled from Sweden to New York to South Dakota
Jennie Nilsson was a young woman who traveled on a ship by herself from Sweden, at the age of 14 to become an American. She traveled to New York City, and as she had a ticket that was better that steerage (the lowest type of ticket) , she did not go through Ellis Island. She was met by aunts who found her a position as a maid in New York City. She came and learned the language and the world of service for a wealthy east coast family. She started to work as an assistant to the cook and learned about entertaining in the homes of the wealthy in NY and Connecticut. She remarked that at one time her job was salad and candles, as they ate by full candelabra each evening. She was taught that a candle is always pinched out with dry fingers, and never blown out, because of the odor. If you decide to master the technique, be sure your fingers are dry, as any moisture will cause a steam burn.
In Connecticut, she worked for the daughter-in-law of the Commodore of the New York Yacht Club, William Smith. His son died of an appendicitis at an at about 46, leaving a wife and daughters. Jenny appeared in the 1910 census as a part of their household in Connecticut. She learned about elegant entertaining and foods in these households.
After seven years, she was now twenty-one years old, and saved money to return to Sweden for a visit. She bravely set off on a two-week voyage. When she relayed the story of that trip, she said that after they left port, the captain determined that she was the only female onboard. As you might ascertain, this was a dangerous situation for her. At that time, it was a 14 day journey across the Atlantic. In response to this realization, the captain assigned her a cabin, and she was to remain there for entire trip, other than for her meals. She told me that four proper Englishman would call for her for each meal and walk at four points around her through the crowd, eat with her, and return her to her cabin. She survived the trip with her virtue intact, and a great respect for those men.
After nine years, it was time to be married. She met a man, who came to NY, looking for a bride. She had left Sweden, because her family did not own land to support her family. This man owned land, and she determined that this might be the future she wanted. She agreed to take a train to South Dakota, and immediately be married to him.
Sixty years later I interviewed her about this decision. She explained that the social norms of her time, prevented her from coming to South Dakota to live as a single woman. I had seen photos of her taken in New York in glamourous hand-me-down clothes. South Dakota was probably quite desolate in comparison to New York City. At the end of the conversation, I asked why she left her life there to come to the prairie. She explained that “her best hope in New York was to marry the butler.” There was a class system in that part of the world that prevented a servant from marrying someone who want not “in service”. Shades of Downton Abbey in the US.
Jenny was my grandmother. She taught me to make her Swedish pancakes and I have included the recipe for your enjoyment.
1 c. flour
1 egg
Pinch of salt
Whisk together by hand until there are almost no lumps. Refrigerate for at least one hour.
Use an eight to ten-inch nonstick skillet or a crepe pan that is well seasoned.
Warm the pan over gentle heat. Pour in 2 tablespoons of batter and quickly tilt the pan in all directions to cover the bottom of the pan. Cook until the edges are dry and the middle set. Loosen the edges and flip to cook the other side for a few seconds. Remove and hold warm. Repeat the process until all the batter is used. Serve with syrup, jam, or orange marmalade.
As you have now determined the Jenny’s Swedish pancakes were basically crepes. There will more information about her style of cooking as the book proceeds.
Thanksgiving – Sharing the American Holiday in London
One of the most unique experiences of my career is my Thanksgivings in Europe. In 2006, while vacationing with my friend Kathryn in London, I began an adventure that has shaped the subsequent years from 2006-2019. I was working for a high-tech company and had a week vacation planned in London. I understood that expats often shared their holidays, and since I would be there over Thanksgiving, I used Craigslist to seek a family for whom I might cook for a day. I found three who were interested. After doing an online interview and some background research on each, since I would be going into their home, I selected one family as my first choice. I went to meet them earlier in the week, and since we both felt comfortable, I agreed to return on Saturday, which was the day they were going to celebrate.
It was a full day of work in a new kitchen. And as I began to unwrap the beautiful heritage turkey, which had been ordered from a delightful butcher known as the Ginger Pig, there was a sudden flash back to the farm and the process used when we dressed our own chickens. Would there be pin feathers?? Oh YES. After a full hour with a tweezer to remove these follicles one by one, and as my schedule for the day was crumbling, my host and I agreed that we would abandon dealing this with on the back of the turkey, and make sure no one turned it over.
And entire Thanksgiving menu for 12 people was produced with many side dishes, with one tiny European oven, the capacity being approximately 18X18X15 inches plus a lovely new cooktop. The coordination of baking pies, stuffing, vegetables, and of course the turkey was challenging, but successful.
The family’s three-year old daughter watched me for much of the day. Chloe was able to help me find spices and other items needed in their kitchen at this young age.
And that young girl was the key to what has become a 13-year relationship with her family that has changed my life in many ways. She had a princess book with two crowns – pink and purple. At the end of the day, she gave me the purple crown, which was the key to my future years with her family.
Here is the technique that I have used each year, to create a moist turkey for their family.
Creating a moist and delicious turkey
Create a brine of 1-gallon water, 1 cup salt, 1 cup sugar, 4 bay leaves, 10 whole pepper corns, 1-quart apple juice or cider, 3 whole cloves, 1 sliced onion, 1 orange sliced. Bring that all to a boil for five minutes. Allow to cool.
Inspect the turkey for pin feathers or other unattractive elements and remedy them.
Put one gallon very cold water in a large plastic bin that will allow you to submerge your turkey. Add the turkey to the water. Add additional cold water and ice cubes until the turkey is ¾ covered. Now pour the cooled brine mixture into the cold water around the bird. Try not to pour the brine directly onto the bird’s skin. Keep the bird in a cool location at between 33-39 degrees for 8 – 24 hours.
Remove the turkey from the liquid and place in a roasting pan. Discard the brine. Roast the turkey breast up at 325 degrees. If you choose to stuff the inside of the bird, dry the interior a bit, and then add the stuffing until full but not packed. Roast the bird as soon as it is stuffed.
Roast until the internal temperature of the bird at the thigh and the breast is 160 degrees. As soon as you remove it from the oven, turn the bird over onto it breast to rest for 15-20 minutes. This allow the juices to settle in the breast for a moist turkey. Roll it back to the breast up position to display to the group, garnishing with herbs and fruits.