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My husband and I just returned from six days in Santa Fe, New Mexico. It was a business trip for him and sheer pleasure for me. Let’s see—a 90 minute massage, a visit to the hair salon, poolside cocktails, fine dining at an exclusive resort and yes, star gazing. In the desert it seems the skies were wider and less obstructed. Of course there are no trees anywhere to get in the way. Grass doesn’t even grow easily in New Mexico; you can, however, see the wide open skies for miles and miles.
I remember my first view of the wide open skies on a camping trip in the Boundary Waters with my family. My brother and I would also say the wishing rhyme from the bow of the boat. "Starlight, star bright, first star I see tonight, I wish I may, I wish I might have the wish I wish tonight." I’m not sure if any of these wishes actually came true but considering I live a pretty good life I am sure at least one was the ticket.
Santa Fe is the highest capital in the United States, at 7000 feet elevation (2000 feet more than Denver) so we were warned to take it easy and drink lots of water. Thestaff told us if we had any ill effects we were to blame the altitude. We used this excuse for everything over the next six days. Couldn’t catch our breath just walking to the room, must be the altitude. Couldn’t remember your boss’s wife’s name, must be the altitude. Ate until we thought we would burst, must be the altitude. And the most common excuse came with the bar bill. They said one drink was equal to two at our usual elevation. Feeling a little tipsy after only two drinks? Definitely must be the altitude.
On our last evening in Santa Fe, the Encantado set up three high-powered telescopes. I had to climb a ladder to look into the scope, balancing in heels, but in the first we were able to see the moon really, really close up. Couldn’t quite make out the American flag but it was almost that close. In another telescope we saw Saturn and the rings around the planet. The best view was looking in the third telescope. It was set on the Big Dipper, my favorite constellation. (Probably because it is the easiest for me to find.) I was not aware that the brightest star on the handle is actually the first double star ever photographed, Mizar and Alcor. In the telescope you could easily see that these are two stars side by side. The guide must have thought I slept through astrology because my eyes glazed over as he started naming all the different stars and planets…no I’m sure it wasn’t the margaritas, but it might have been the altitude. Hmmmm…
I also found there are two kinds of star gazing in Santa Fe. Just to drop a name or two and start a Hollywood rumor, Sarah Jessica Parker and Hugh Grant were having a drink on the patio one evening. By the time we pulled out our camera phones the staff had surrounded them and blocked the view of these "hot stars." I asked my hairdresser at the salon the next day if he knew if they were dating. (As we all know hairdressers have the best inside scoop on all the gossip.) He rolled his eyes and shoved the current US Weekly under my nose. Of course not, she and her husband are having twin baby girls. (Uh a no way, she was so small she would have waded in a double zero I told him.) Again he stabbed at the cover…Surrogate. (Why didn’t I think of that? Could have been the altitude.) Thetruth seems to be that they are making a movie together and the filming is to take place in Santa Fe. As we left on Wednesday we gathered up all the flowers from our stay and had them sent to her room. We love you SJP and it’s not just the altitude!
If I could reach up and hold a star for every time you’ve made me smile, the entire evening sky would be in the palm of my hand.
Unknown Here are three recipes from the trip and I must admit they are fussier than the desserts I usually make. If you have the time, these are well worth the effort.
Chocolate Éclairs
Ingredients:
Pastry:
1 cup water
1 stick margarine or butter
1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
4 eggs
Filling:
3 cups milk
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
Icing:
2 (1-ounce) squares chocolate
2 cups sugar
1 cup whipping cream
Direct ions: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Heat water and margarine or butter to boiling point. Add flour and stir constantly until mixture is smooth and forms a ball when tested in cold water. Remove from heat and let cool. Beat in 4 eggs, one at a time. Drop dough from teaspoon to form small éclairs onto greased cookie sheet. Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until light brown. Set aside to cool. Prepare filling by combining milk, sugar, salt and flour; cook slowly until thickens. Add 3 beaten eggs and continue to cook until mixture is even thicker. Remove from heat, cool and add vanilla.
With a serrated knife, slice pastry puffs lengthwise, but not all the way through. Pipe custard mixture into the center. Melt chocolate for icing, add sugar and cream. Cook over medium heat until soft ball stage. Let cool and beat until smooth. Ice tops of the éclairs.
Key Lime Cheesecake
Ingredients:
3 c. pecans, chopped fine
1 c. butter (melted)
1/2 c. sugar
16 oz. cream cheese
1 tbsp. vanilla
1/4 c. or slightly more key lime juice
3 eggs
Topping:
2 c. sour cream
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. key lime juice
Direct ions:
Blend together first three ingredients and form into a large pie plate. Blend cream cheese and sugar together. Add vanilla and key lime juice. Beat in eggs one at a time.
Blend well and pour into pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Test for doneness. Remove from oven and let stand for 15 minutes. Blend together sour cream, sugar and key lime juice. Spread on top of cake. Return to oven at 325 degrees and bake for 10 minutes. Remove and chill before serving.
Lavender Creme Brulee
Ingredients:
4 cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon dried lavender flowers
8 egg yolks
3/4-cup sugar, divided
Direct ions:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Butter (6-ounce) custard cups and set them into a glass baking dish. If cooking custards in a metal pan, cover the bottom of the pan with a layer of newspaper to ensure an even temperature on the bottom. Place custard cups in a shallow ovenproof roasting or baking pan.
In a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat, add cream and the lavender flowers; heat just to a simmer. Remove from heat and allow lavender flowers to infuse with the cream for 5 minutes. Strain cream mixture through a fine mesh strainer to remove lavender flowers.
In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and 1/2 cup sugar until light and creamy. Slowly add the strained cream to the egg mixture, blending well. Divide custard mixture among the custard cups.
Bring the water for the water bath to a light simmer on top of the stove; carefully pour hot water into the baking pan to come halfway up the sides of the custard cups. NOTE : The most common mistake people make in baking a custard is not putting enough water in the hot-water bath. The water should come up to the level of the custard inside the cups. You must protect your custard from the heat.
Baked 60 minutes or until set around the edges but still loose in the center. The cooking time will depend largely on the size of the custard cups you are using, but begin checking at a half hour and check back regularly. When the center of the custard is just set, it will jiggle a little when shaken, that’s when you can remove it from the oven.
Remove from oven and leave in the water bath until cooled. Remove cups from water bath and refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.
When ready to serve, sprinkle approximately 2 teaspoons of remaining sugar over each créme brulee. For best results, use a small hand-held torch. Hold the torch 4 to 5 inches from the sugar, maintaining a slow and even motion. Stop torching just before the desired degree of doneness is reached, as the sugar will continue to cook for a few seconds after flame has been removed.
If you don’t have a torch, place créme brulees 6 inches below the broiler for 4 to 6 minutes or until sugar bubbles and turns golden brown. Refrigerate créme brulees at least 10 minutes before serving.
Makes 6 to 8 servings (depending on size of custard cups). Tastes Like Home columnist Sandy (Anderson) Holthaus lives on an alpaca farm in South Haven, MN with her husband, Michael, and their children Zoe, Jack and Ben. Her heart remains on the North Shore where she grew up with her parents, Art and LaVonne Anderson of Schroeder. She enjoys writing about her childhood and mixes memories with delicious helpings of home-style recipes.
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