Pavlova turns heads at dinner party
When our friends Vance and Robert invited us to dinner at their Watsonville home, we could hardly turn them down. I mean, when Ty Pearce of Busy Bees Catering is creating the meal, you change any other plans you had.
Eight of us gathered to sample appetizers of mushroom paté on toast, along with skewered prawns and plenty of wine. The kitchen was a flurry of activity as we sat down to a salad of frisée lettuce (also called curly endive) and Dungeness crab with house-made herb rolls. More, please!
The wine flowed liberally between courses, although Annie and I had alcoholfree Champagne. The entrée arrived with a flourish. Our luscious salmon filets were set on a puree of parsnips and spinach.
The pale green mash made an artistic color complement with the deep pink salmon, and the delicate flavors never overpowered each other.
What could possibly top this? As it was Linda's birthday, Ty brought out a confection topped with a sparkler candle. We expected cake beneath the whipped cream.
But no, it was even better than that.
“What's this crust? Is it pie?” No. Guess again. It was a Pavlova. If you've never enjoyed this airy creation, it starts with a meringue crust, then a filling of whipped cream, and a topping of mixed fresh berries.
But Ty added a surprise — a layer of rich lemon curd. I wanted to lick my plate, but Miss Manners would have slapped my hand. So, I contented myself with scraping the last bits with my fork.
Ty has had his catering business for a while, providing many of the meals at the Santa Cruz Yacht Club, lunches at Santa Cruz Rotary meetings, and now with a café and catering storefront at 1200 41st Ave. in Capitola — at the Begonia Plaza.
He's catered weddings, parties, baby showers and more. Yelp reviewers give the business a five-star rating. For catering information, call 831-435-6411.
Watch those morels
Following my column about mushrooms, Jeff Watkins emailed that about 20% of people are allergic to morels — including himself. He said that symptoms are like a bad flu. They show up within a few hours and last for two to three days. They include all kinds of digestive issues, dizziness, headache, muscle cramps and fatigue. Untreated, people may also develop confusion, delirium, seizures and coma.
Chef'Store
A new food emporium has opened where Toys “R” Us used to be at 1660 Commercial Way in Live Oak. It's called Chef'Store. I've visited a few times, and it's mostly a restaurant supply store. So, many of the products come in giant-size containers. Great for big families or parties! But many items come in regular sizes.
For instance, 20 pounds of tomatoes is about $16, a five-pound box of Krusteaz Belgian waffle mix is $7.99, and a gallon of Cattleman's barbecue sauce is $9.49. A jar of Christopher Ranch chopped ginger is $2.85, and a bottle of Torani sugar-free syrup is $6.29. Del Monte pineapples are $2.25, and five pounds of frozen mixed vegetables is $5.79. Products are also available by the case.
You can also purchase spices, hot drink cups, serving tongs, cleaning supplies, dishware, glasses, single-serve packs of jam, serving trays, aluminum foil pans, pie filling and a lot more. For information, go to chefstore.com.
Tip of the week
Charles Huddleston found a way to peel a banana easily without breaking it. He says to cut off each end. Then peel a strip from the side of the banana. The fruit will fall out in one piece.
Recipe of the week
I learned that Pavlova is surprisingly easy to make — if you follow the directions carefully. Note that the cornstarch and cream of tartar are essential to making the meringue properly so it holds up after baking.
Berry Pavlova Serves 8 INGREDIENTS
1 cup (200g) sugar
4 large egg whites
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1cup cold heavy cream or heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2cups mixed fresh berries
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Pulse the sugar 3-4 times in a food processor to reduce the granule size. Or use superfine sugar.
2. Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a 9-inch cake pan as a guide, draw a circle on the paper. Turn it over so the pencil mark is on the reverse side.
3. With a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat egg whites on medium-high speed until soft peaks form, about 5minutes. Add the sugar in 4-5 additions, beating for 30seconds between. Turn the mixer up to high speed. Continue beating until glossy stiff peaks form, about 2minutes. Add vanilla extract and beat for 1 minute. The peaks should still be very stiff. If not, keep mixing on high speed. Then beat in the cream of tartar and cornstarch for 30seconds.
4. Spread meringue onto the parchment, fitting it within the circle. Make a dip in the center, keeping the edges higher. Place meringue in the oven. Immediately reduce heat to 200F. Bake until meringue is firm and dry, about 90 minutes.
5. Rotate the baking sheet halfway through. Otherwise, do not open the oven door during baking. When done, turn the oven off and let meringue cool in the oven.
6. Meanwhile, make the whipped cream. Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla extract on medium-high speed until medium peaks form, about 3-4 minutes. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
7. To serve, carefully lift the meringue to a serving plate. Fill with the whipped cream, and top with berries. Serve immediately while the meringue is still crisp.
Option: Dollop a cup of lemon curd on the whipped cream before adding the berries.