Cirque Du Soleil & Lemon Lavender Sables

Last Saturday, I know, I know--a whole week ago! I finally had the opportunity to fulfill one of my dreams and see a performance by Cirque Du Soleil. I was thrilled when I found out they would finally be coming to Boston. In the months leading up to my birthday, I dropped some not-so-subtle hints to Daph about how much I wanted to see the show, something he already knew. But this show in particular, 'Ovo',' which means 'Egg' in Portuguese. The story is told through the eyes of insects. The premise of the story revolved around the search for this 'Ovo', and the love story between two bugs.

I've long been fascinated by a bugs life, and creatures too small too matter in any significant way until you're bitten or find yourself swatting at one that's buzzing around your head. If you read my birthday post, you already know that Daph got me a ticket to the show for my birthday.

As this was my first Cirque Du Soleil experience, I haven't any other of their shows to compare it to. I loved it. Despite being there alone on, what was apparently "couple's night", I was very close to the stage, so it was easy to get caught up in the magic. One of my favorite things is how interactive the show was.
From the moment we entered the big top we were greeted by men wearing bee keeper uniforms who searched us all for bugs. Throughout the show different cast members would come into the audience which made you feel a part of the show. I laughed out loud. I was drawn in by the acrobats, synchronized balancing performances, costumes and, what could only be described as, a gravity defying use of bodies.
A headstand on the seat of a unicycle while riding back and forth on a rope suspended in the air, Really? Wow!

Being part Portuguese but growing up in an English speaking home, I also had a special appreciation for the music, which was all sung with a live band playing background, in Portuguese.

During intermission we were treated to a 10-minute fireworks display that was pretty spectacular. But I always find fireworks spectacular. Not sure if that display is something that takes place often over Boston's New Waterfront or not. Nonetheless, I really appreciated it.
At the end of the show all of the cast members came out onto the stage to sing, dance and take their bow. Everyone cheered the masterful performances while gold and orange butterflies rained down on the stage and first few rows of the audience.









































With my handwritten directions from google maps to guide me, I headed down Seaport Blvd., over the bridge, by foot.
















In the distance I spot what appears to be a blue and yellow big top. Cirque was set up to look and feel like a traditional circus.
















Finally! Running a few minutes late, so no interior shots, but I made it.
















*This recipe is essentially Joy the Baker's Citrus Sables which I've blogged about Before. I adapted the recipe by omitting the lime, doubling the lemon, adding extract and lavender (flowers, buds and sugar).



















Lemon Lavender Sables (Suh-Bleez)

Recipe courtesy and Adapted from Joy the Baker

Ingredients:

2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted before measuring
1/2 teaspoon salt, preferably sea salt
2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
2 cups all-purpose flour
1-2 Teaspoon(s) culinary lavender (dried is fine)

Zest of 1-2 lemons, Two teaspoons
1 teaspoon lemon extract


To Finish:

Dust cookies with confectioner's sugar (Powdered sugar)

Directions:

1. Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment or hand mixer, add butter to bowl and mix on medium speed until light and creamy. In small bowl, add sugar and, using your fingertips, rub lemon zest into sugar. Pour granulated sugar and sifted confectioner's sugar, salt and lemon extract to bowl with creamed butter, mix on medium speed until until smooth and satiny, about 1 minute. Reduce speed to low and mix in egg yolks one at a time, mix until blended.

2. Turn mixer off, In medium bowl, add lavender and flour, mix with fork, Add flour to bowl with creamed butter and other ingredients. You may want to partially cover bowl with clean dish towel before proceeding to next step. Once flour is added, pulse mixer five times on low speed for 1 to 2 seconds. Remove towel. If flour remains that has not incorporated, stir to incorporate for about 30 more seconds. You want the dough to be moist throughout, and soft, but remain clumpy.

3. Lay plastic wrap over clean, flat surface. Scrape dough out of bowl onto work surface. Gently work dough into ball, If making shapes with cookie cutters form dough into ball and flatten, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready. If slicing round shape cookies form dough into ball then cut into two equal parts. Shape each divided half into log shape. Wrap both logs individually, using two separate pieces of plastic and place in refrigerator to chill for no less than two hours. Dough can be stored in refrigerator for 3 days or kept frozen for 2 months.

4. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees For Cookie Cutter Shapes OR, 350 degrees For Round Shape. Use parchment paper to line baking sheet.

5. For cookie cutter cookies: Remove ball of dough from refrigerator and unwrap plastic. Place dough onto wax paper. Roll out ball of dough to between 1/2 & 1/3 thickness, cut out shapes using cookie cutters.For round shape cookies: If edges of log are not smooth, trim off so log if uniform in size and shape from end to end. Slice cookies to 1/3 inch thickness.

6. Leaving an inch of space between each cookie, place cookies on baking sheet and bake for Cookie Cutter Shapes, 10-13 minutes OR for Round Cookies, 17 to 20 minutes. Turn baking sheet around halfway through baking. Once baked, cookies will be light golden brown around edges, even lighter on top and golden brown on the bottom. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 1 to 2 minutes before using metal spatula to transfer cookies to cooling rack.
Once baking sheet has cooled completely repeat same process with second log of dough if using now.

7. If dusting cookies with confectioner's sugar, allow cookies to cool completely. Place cooled cookies on wax or parchment paper and lightly sift with confectioner's sugar.























Butterfly and Ovo shaped cookies cooled and ready to be shared.

I'm a klutz & Lime Squares (with Pistachio Graham-Cracker Crust

I'm a klutz! I often joke that I could trip over my own shadow. I have tripped over my own shadow. Last week, wheeling, what I affectionately refer to as my "Granny cart" home, filled to the brim with groceries, the two front wheels give out and break off causing me to fly nearly over the thing in an attempt to break my fall and save the goods. Stunned, I sat on the curb and began to cry, and then, realizing the sheer comic nature of it all, started laughing hysterically. This event resulted in bumps and bruises from the top of my thighs to my ankles. In the days to follow I would sprain a toe, and my most recent injury, a bruised heel incurred while wheeling my brand spankin' new "Granny cart" home from the fruit and vegetable store. Although the last (and most painful) injury kept me light on my feet for a few days, the trip itself was pretty successful; It garnered me a ginormous bag of baby spinach for 3 bucks, 2 beautiful watermelons for the same price and 20 limes at 10 for a dollar. What to do with all those limes?!

Keeping things in perspective, I tend to recover pretty quickly; Time away from the kitchen allowed me to finish the book I was telling you about last week, Markus Zusak's 'I am the messenger' and begin a new one, Chris Cleave's 'Little Bee'; Florence + The Machine's album 'Lungs' has been damn good medicine; I'm vertical again; My 31st birthday is in exactly one week (the 27th); And I found a purpose for some of the limes!

First, Citrus Sables
Followed By, Lime Ricotta Cake
Now...

Lime Squares with Pistachio Graham-Cracker Crust

Recipe courtesy and Adapted from MarthaStewart.com

Ingredients:

For the crust

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus more for pan
2/3 cup shelled pistachios
1 cup (4 ounces) graham-cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoons grated lime zest

For the filling

2 large egg yolks
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup fresh lime juice

*Serve with gently whipped cream.

To Make Crust:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. With melted butter, brush bottom and sides of 8-inch square baking dish. Measure a piece of parchment paper over baking dish to allow for 2 inches of overhang on two sides, either each of the long or each of the short.
Add broken graham-crackers to bowl of food processor and pulse until it becomes crumbs. Add in pistachios, sugar and zest, mix until finely ground. Add in butter and blend until incorporated. Transfer graham-cracker crumb mixture into parchment lined baking dish and press mixture into bottom and 1 inch up sides of pan. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes, until lightly browned. Allow crust to cool for 30 minutes. Turn oven off.






















To Make Filling:

Again, preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
In medium bowl, add 2 egg yolks and sweetened condensed milk. Add in lime juice and whisk until incorporated. Carefully pour mixture into cooled crust; Spread to edges if necessary.
Bake until mixture is no longer liquid, about 15 minutes. Transfer pan to cooling rack. Once it has cooled down, cover and chill in refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving. Lift out of baking pan using parchment paper overhang and transfer to cutting board. Use serrated knife to cut into squares, clean knife with dampened kitchen towel before each cut for cleaner cuts. Cover uneaten squares with plastic wrap and store in refrigerator.

Pineapple-Lemon Sherbet

Every great artist has had or has at least one, something that speaks to the viscera of their very being, igniting inspiration;
A book, a song, a person, the sun: A muse. Da Vinci, Dali, O'Keefe, all the greats, I'm sure, were fueled by something that set their senses on fire.
In no way am I comparing myself to these artists', however, what we do share, what we all share in common, is an innate need to respond to a call that begs us to create. For me, in regards to cooking, often times this call is heard through The Food Network and dictated by my mood and/or the weather. The latter two are usually intrinsically connected.
On a rainy day last week I came across a recipe for Pineapple-Lemon Sherbet and thought to myself 'I bet that would taste like the sun, if the sun had a taste.' I know, I have some of the oddest thoughts. True as that may be, this was delicious and did succeed in filling me with the spirit of the sun.

What inspires you?


I'm all in favor of copious amounts of ice cream, but even for me, I found the Original Recipe a little too large to work with, so to make it more user-friendly, I cut the recipe in half.

Enjoy!

Pineapple-Lemon Sherbet

Recipe courtesy and adapted from Paula Deen, The Food Network


1 quart whole milk
1/2 can sweetened condensed milk (8 ounces)
1/2 can crushed pineapple (10 ounces)
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice (3-4 lemons)


Combine all ingredients in large bowl. Stir until blended well. Milk mixture will curdle some once the lemon juice is added, this is normal. Pour liquid into your ice cream maker. Leave to churn according to your ice cream maker's instructions, generally 20-25 minutes. Transfer churned mixture into freezer safe container and place in freezer. Sherbet will take at least to hours to set up.