Excerpt from the Market Newsletter originally published on 28 July, 2010. View the full newsletter for all the photos and links.
In keeping with this pause for breath, the raffle prize this week is eight yoga classes. I'm pretty excited about that, because yoga is the only "sport" I've ever found enjoyable (I was always the fat kid out in left field; which was fine with me, except they wouldn't let me sit down). Now, we all know how healthy yoga is, right? Makes you look 25 until you hit 90, and you live to be 150*? But what people don't always know is that it's not about doing pretzel imitations. It's about doing what you can TODAY. If that means you only touch your knees while the student on the next mat touches her toes -- with her elbows -- you still win, because you walked away without limping. And with time, you find yourself looking at a pretzel imitation and thinking, "wait, that's not so hard...". I encourage you to check out OlyYoga's website (the "Practicing Yoga" section has a lot of good information), contact them with your questions, or just go and see. If you have money issues they'll work with you -- they have senior and low-income rates, summer specials, multi-class and unlimited cards, all kinds of options -- so you can't use that excuse.
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Cooking, and reading about cooking
I went looking for something Indian to go with the yoga, but this wasn't really what I had in mind. Don't you just love serendipity?
Ginger Cardamom Oeufs à la Niege
3 large eggs, 2 separated
1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar, divided
2 cups whole milk
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup roasted shelled pistachios, chopped
Line bottom of a small 4-sided sheet pan with parchment paper. Separate 2 eggs; add whole egg to yolks. Beat whites with a pinch of salt until they hold soft peaks. Add 1/2 cup sugar in a slow stream, beating at medium-high speed until whites hold stiff, glossy peaks. Meanwhile, bring milk, ginger, and cardamom to a bare simmer in a wide 4-quart heavy pot over medium heat. Drop 4 large dollops of beaten whites into milk and poach at a bare simmer, turning once, 4 minutes. Transfer meringues with a slotted spoon to lined pan (reserve milk). Whisk remaining 3 tablespoons sugar, cornstarch, and salt into yolk mixture. Add hot milk in a slow stream, whisking until incorporated, then return to pot. Cook, stirring often, until thickened and an instant-read thermometer registers 170°F. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl. Stir in vanilla. Quick-chill custard by setting bowl in an ice bath and stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Ladle into 4 bowls and put a meringue in each. Sprinkle with nuts.
Here's one for apricot season. I've always been of the opinion that ice cream is not junk food, it's full of calcium and happiness. Vante has the quick-and-easy kind, but here's something for when you want to get fancy.
Apricot chocolate chip ice cream
3 eggs, separated
3/4 cup caster sugar, divided into two equal parts
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
6 apricots
3/4 cup choc chips
Split apricots and remove stones. Simmer gently until tender in just enough water to cover. Drain and sieve. Set aside to cool. Beat the egg yolks with half the sugar until thick and very pale in colour. Set aside. Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Add the other half of the sugar and beat to form a meringue. Gently fold into egg yolk mixture. Whip cream until very stiff (be careful not to overbeat). Gently fold cream into egg mixture. Add apricot puree and choc chips and fold through until thoroughly mixed. Pour into a suitable freezing container and freeze until solid (overnight is best). Makes ca. 2 quarts.
Unfortunately I copied this several years ago without noting the source.
*Results not typical.
