Margie Lapanja, is the author of Goddess in the Kitchen and The Goddess' Guide to Love. A former magazine food editor, restaurant critic, and professional baker, she has appeared on national television and radio programs demonstrating trade secrets. She enjoys life at Lake Tahoe in Nevada with her husband and daughter.

Romancing the Stove

Celebrated Recipes and Delicious Fun for Every Kitchen Goddess

Red Wheel/Weiser, LLC

Contents

CHAPTER 1

Good Goddess, Let's Eat!

The Kitchen Goddess Manifesto

Kitchen Goddess:

a luminary;a person who enlightens others through her grace and craft;a woman whose charm and cooking arouse adoration.

Her motto:

Eat dessert first!

Once upon a time, when I was a child playing make-believe with my SusieHomemaker light bulb-powered oven, I daydreamed I was a spell-mixing sibyl whocould concoct magic love potions. The Fates seemed to seal this childhoodfantasy when, some twenty-odd years later, I found myself the proprietor of apopular bakery in California.

During my many years as a professional baker, I observed the seductive effectsof food on the human psyche and soul. Hearts and palates beamed when offeredbirthday cakes, wedding cakes, hot, heart-warming strudels, homemade applesauce,and of course, the ultimate love potion—cookies. Over and over, certain foodsseemed to cohere relationships, mend broken hearts, and energize athletes to thepoint of victory. Clearly some foods possess magical qualities—and I wanted tocapture that magnetism.

As time went on and I saw the magic happen over and over, I asked people to tellme about their most favorite food and explain why it was sacred to them. As Icollected, tested, revised, and retested these favorite recipes, I took care toprepare each in the same spirit of its owner's spicy love or groundingtradition. In 1991, I sold my cookie business and packed my recipes in asuitcase until I had time to write a cookbook.

But the spell-binding aspect of food continued to captivate me. When everyoneelse jumped on the Martha Stewart bandwagon, raising spotless, cut-glass,antique crystal goblets in a toast to perfection, I remained loyal to myfavorite kitchen courtesan of all time—Samantha Stevens, the blithe, blondenchantress of the television classic, Bewitched. With a quick twitch of thenose, she could certainly stir it up! With this in mind, I raised my measuringcup to her and learned to "wiggle my nose." Having a grand time in the kitchenwhipping up "spells" was certainly fun! When people began telling me my cookiestasted better than Mrs. Fields', I began to playfully fancy myself a "GraceKelly of the kitchen" and laced my cooking with a good measure of class andcharisma— I was never destined to be an average, mortal, commoner cook ... Then ithit me—I was a kitchen goddess!

A kitchen goddess is a food sensualist who honors every aspect of creating ameal, from choosing the raw ingredients to artfully blending them and servingthem with unique panache—be it coq au vin that took three hours to prepare or atwo-minute peanut butter and jelly sandwich. A kitchen goddess moves throughlife with a buoyant and reassured attitude and knows it is her culinaryresponsibility to play and have fun. In particular, she's not afraid of food:Rather than anxiously counting calories and fat grams, she basks in the beautyof a fresh lime, the succulence of a ripe pear, the crispness of a chocolatechip cookie. She embraces any challenge with a sans souci spirit that is cradleddeeply within an open-hearted, secure love for herself, her friends, and herfamily. She makes mealtimes a sacred connecting experience for those around her,and her food offerings flow from a sense of generosity, not obligation. Sheblesses the moment with her presence.

For too long, women have been burdened with the three-meal-a-day obligation,losing their sense of the joy of cooking under the endless expectations ofhungry families. For many, cooking has come to be seen as drudgery at best, ananxiety-provoking experience at worst. And with performance pressure whispering"perfection" at every turn, an unsettling feeling of domestic deficiency hascrept into many a kitchen.

We now know it doesn't have to be that way—we can reclaim our connection to thedivine feminine and to the playful, sensuous experience that cooking can be.Cooking doesn't have to be a chore or a social-status do-it-perfectlyexperience; the time has come to energize and personalize cooking and relaxwhile mixing up marvelous concoctions. Becoming a kitchen goddess is easy. Allit takes is a certain attitude, a pinch of love, and a few great recipes.Believe this: A special, desired dish, prepared and served with love and yourbest intentions, possesses the power to brighten the world.

Goddesses of Yore

In mythology, the goddess was a woman of intuitive knowledge, numinous power,and abiding wisdom. Revered, honored, held in awe, sometimes feared, she was thedivine feminine personified in her many forms: Aphrodite, the alchemical goddessof creativity, passion, and love; Demeter, the Earth-Mother goddess of grainsand the nourishment of the soul; Artemis, the wild woman-sister goddess of theforest, the moon, and the hunt; Vesta, the maiden wise woman and goddess of thehearth and home; Hera, the queen of contracts, marriage, and order; Persephone,the vulnerable goddess of the night; and Athena, daddy's girl and the goddess ofwisdom, victory in conflict, and worldly knowledge.

But my question is, could they cook?

And if so, what would be their legacies in the kitchen?

Aphrodite would certainly stir up some tried-and-true love potions, such asaromatic apple pies; Hera would leap into the role of the culinary bellwetherMartha Stewart; and Artemis would probably give ferociously festive and untameddinner parties for her women friends—and a few brave, well-behaved men.Persephone might graciously and demurely pass on cooking altogether, preferringto eat pomegranates and take-out by the light of the half-moon; Vesta and herGreek doppelgänger, Hestia, would stay home alone and indulge in secret,satisfying pleasures; Demeter, Ceres to the Romans, would feed the kids, bakesome bread, and keep great reserves of her beloved signature dish—cereal—on handin the cupboard; Athena would hire a caterer.

It is in the spirit of these gallivanting gourmets that I invite you to exploreyour own thealogy of the goddess in the kitchen, and encourage you to infuseyour knowledge of the culinary crafts with your own inspired brand of humor andgenius. You might lean toward the style of earth-mother Demeter and make hugemeals for loved ones. Or you might be more of an Aphrodite, saving cooking forspecial romantic occasions. Or perhaps, day by day, your affinities change.Whatever your tendency, I urge you to embrace it fully, to explore its myriadpossibilities in the kitchen.

In this light, I have cooked up Romancing the Stove. This zesty collection offeel-good favorites and free-flying fun is dedicated to every one of you,kitchen goddesses and demigods, who are ready to roll up your sleeves, "face thestove," and start waving your mixing-spoon scepters.

To begin, post the following on your refrigerator—If you ever wish to add to thehappiness of another individual, simply ask, "What is your favorite food, drink,or dessert?"—then serve it forth.

Preparing food and cooking it with the flair of a kitchen goddess can be agrounding, spiritual, art form, especially when you have recipes that are:

* legendary in effect

* pleasurable to make

* not too much work

* expressive and creative

* what people love to eat

When consumed, these foods will never make you or anyone else fat, will alwaystaste good, and will bring about smiles; even the preparation will add deliciousfun and a joie de vivre to an otherwise mundane kitchen. And, best of all,you'll forever stop comparing your talents with those of Martha or yourhusband's mother.

In order to really be a goddess in the kitchen, it's essential to embrace a fewbasic attitudes and behaviors. They will all make cooking and eating more fun,but the first rule is essential.

The Kitchen Goddess Manifesto

1. Do not cook if you are in a bad mood, lack the desire, or feel pressure fromnagging obligation to another. Wise woman Brenda Ueland once said, "Do not doanything you don't want to do." Frame this mantra and hang it where you'll readit every day. And remember—you can always go out, order take-out, or enticesomeone else to host a cook out.

2. Keep your life full of the freshest ingredients. At least once a week exploresomething completely new: A new recipe ... a new book ... an unfamiliar song. Trynew things: Make a new friend ... dance outdoors ... take a walk somewhere you havenever been before ... kiss a baby ... write to someone you admire and include afavorite recipe ... talk to someone who doesn't speak your language ...

3. Delighten up and play with your cooking! Read the recipe, then have fun! Themore you play, the more you do what you love to do, the more you reconnect withyour talents and power.

4. Always sit down when you eat; share most of your meals if you can.

5. Customize your creations and spice them with your own unique delicioushallmarks. As the saying goes, "Don't be the best at what you do; be the onlyone who does what you do."

6. Take a deep breath and bless your kitchen before you cook; clean up all rampantclutter, light a candle, open a window, turn on music. When in the mood, pouryour favorite drink, be it wine, water, whiskey, or an ice-cold root beer in afrosted mug.

7. When recipes are given to you, save the original in the handwriting of theperson who shared the recipe; he or she will be honored this way. Create abeautiful binder of recipes in sheet protectors for your collection. If you wantto frolic and improvise, rewrite your new recipe on a page next to the original.

8. Never, ever think that food will make you fat! Delete the words "fat-free" and"sugar-free" from your culinary vocabulary and replace them with "fear-free,""guilt-free," and "feel free!"

9. Whenever you taste something that sparks your spirit and your taste buds, askfor the recipe. Trade, beg, or borrow—but get it.

10. Trust yourself, and have fun.

I don't like to say that my kitchen is a religious place,but I would say that if I were a voodoo princess,I would conduct my rituals there.

—Pearl Bailey

The present momentis a powerful goddess.

—Goethe

Serve It Forth

Armed with the Kitchen Goddess Manifesto, let your kitchen be a playground whereculinary magic is shared and enjoyed, evolving with time and tastes. A goddessin the kitchen feels free to alter and enhance recipes and simply frolic whilecooking; she knows that it is often the serendipitous approach that creates amasterpiece.

Now step into your kitchen and cook with a confident, inspired élan vital. Ifyou sprinkle illuminated thoughts, wishes, and desires into your mixing bowl,you'll provide fertile nutrition for the spirit and mind as well as for the bodyand taste buds. As you begin to radiate a refreshing presence of enthusiasm,energy, and joy between the counter and the stove, the light will pour out intothe world around you. Kids, friends, and mates will all want to join you in yourdomain.

Don't be afraid to create your own traditions—through the power of suggestion,your specialties will become legendary. You'll smile knowingly when you hearthat people are still talking about that Garden of Eden Apple Pie or CasablancaCheesecake you brought to the party!

Kitchen play can serve as a lively springboard for exploring a multitude oftalents and other goddess-given gifts. With this treasure trove of rollickingrecipes, spicy advice, and entertaining insights, I invite you all to do afront-flip dive into the spirited, sensuous art of cooking, loving, and living.Just as Aphrodite stirred up history with her legacy of unabashed passion andlove, you have the opportunity to stir up your own brand of culinary magic.

The goddess is in every kitchen. Join me now as we heat up a caldron ofdelicious fun and serve ourselves some passion-provoking "food of the goddess."

CHAPTER 2

Demeter's Delights

Heartwarming Treasures for the Kid in All of Us

Give happiness and joy to many other people.There is nothing better or greater than that.

—Ludwig van Beethoven

Demeter, the great goddess of grain, was the kind of doting mother who wouldhave indulged us with the magic that comes with hot, homemade cookies, a bigglass of milk, and long, loving hugs. She would see to it that our lives andplates were chock-full of all the sustaining staples that keep kids feelingsafe. We would learn from her that it really is never too late to have a happychildhood, that chicken soup really does make you feel better, and that the sunalways rises, bringing into each new day a fresh measure of enchantment andaccomplishment.

As legend has it, Demeter was distraught and heartbroken over losing herdaughter Persephone, who was abducted by Hades and made queen-consort of theUnderworld. In her sadness, Demeter donned an emotional version of a full-lengthapron to disguise her radiant beauty and wandered in desperation, refusing tocook or brush her hair, searching for her abducted daughter. Amber waves ofgrain were scorched to the ground and a blight of famine and drought descendedupon the earth.

This mighty mama was not to settle for being a victim, however. Upon findingthat Zeus, her indiscreet brother and the father of Persephone (oops), had donesome dirty dealing with Hades, promising Persephone as the prize, Demeter fumed.As tough mothers can do, she put her divine foot down and forced Zeus into acompromise: When the grain was in the ground, heralding eight months of lushfertility and nourishment, Persephone would be with her beloved mother and thegifts of fruitfulness and abundance would shine over the lands. But for fourmonths of the year when Persephone was with Hades in the shadowed netherworld,Demeter's earth would lie barren, devoid of life.

And so the grain goddess regained her cherished role of mother. To pass the timewithout her daughter, she was known to lavish other children with herattentions. She tried to immortalize the babe Demophon by feeding and massaginghim with ambrosia while holding him close to a fire, warming the mortality rightout of him. We can only imagine what she cooked for him.

In the name of the supermom Demeter, and in honor of children of all ages, Ioffer these time-tested, smile-raising recipes for some of life's sweetesttreats, let's-eat-with-our-fingers fun foods, the heart-warming, hug-filledfavorites of childhood.

In a true sense, a cookbook is the best source of psychological adviceand the kitchen the first choice of room for a therapy of the world.

—Thomas Moore, The Re-Enchantment of Everyday Life

Prescription for a Playful Palate

Next time you are feeling desperately overextended with obligations, deadlines,work, concern, and unfulfilled responsibility, remember that there are suchthings in life as Cookie Dough Pancakes. These little islets of lumpy, puffy,flapjacks in a sea of grown-up worries have the power to transform muddledtension into childhood bliss. It takes only a few bites. Just allow yourself toimagine the delicious feeling of triumph over those brow-furrowing issues tryingto knock you off balance.

To eat a Cookie Dough Pancake you have to glide into a fairly naughty state ofconditional anarchy—you are challenging the breakfast establishment when bitinginto this territory. Raw cookie dough at breakfast? Forbidden! Yet, whenenveloped in a hearty, wholesome breakfast pancake, with mom or dad or thelittle angel sitting on your shoulder flipping it, it transcends all restrictionand becomes one of the most-fun-to-eat foods in the universe.

Cookie Dough Pancakes

1 cup buttermilk
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter, melted
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup unbleached white flour
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
Oil for griddle
Powdered sugar, optional
Maple syrup
¾ cup cookie dough, homemade or packaged (I recommend the Royal Oatmeal Raisin
Cookie dough on page 50)

In a large bowl, beat the buttermilk and egg together. Add the melted butter andsalt and mix well. In a medium bowl, measure out the flour and blend the bakingsoda and baking powder into it. Add the flour mixture to the buttermilk and mixeverything together.

When you are ready to make the pancakes, lightly grease a griddle or pan andheat on medium heat. Without stirring, ladle batter from the bottom of the bowland pour onto the griddle forming 4-inch pancakes. Drop ½-teaspoon measures ofcookie dough onto the pancakes. When the surface of the pancake is covered withbubbles, flip it and cook for another minute.

Dust with powdered sugar or serve with real maple syrup.

Makes a dozen 4-inch pancakes.

A la Goddess

* This batter will hold its form if refrigerated for a day or two. However, do notstir it very much before cooking; simply spoon it from the bottom of the bowl.Always add the cookie dough at baking time. If you use homemade dough and areconcerned about bacteria in raw eggs, either freeze the dough before you use itor prepare the cookie dough recipe with the proper amount of pasteurized liquideggs.
(Continues...)Excerpted from Romancing the Stove by Margaret Beiser Lapanja. Copyright © 2002 Margaret Beiser Lapanja. Excerpted by permission of Red Wheel/Weiser, LLC.
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