Midday Entree: Key Lime Tarts

The Music:

Florida Suite, by Frederick Delius
Orchestra of Welsh National Opera, Sir Charles Mackerras, conductor
Decca 289460290

The Recipe:

Don't trust yourself to be alone with a whole key lime pie? No problem. Give these tarts a try.

Like they say on the About.com website,

"Yummy little key lime tarts are just perfect for a special dessert, and you can freeze some for the future. Serve these key lime tarts with a whipped cream topping and garnish with fresh berries or lime slices."

Get the recipe by clicking here.

This week's recipes are underwritten by the Grosse Pointe Fresh Farms Market

The Music:

Piano Trio in D major, Op. 22, by Sergey Taneyev
Mikhail Pletnev, piano; Vadim Repin, violin; Lynn Harrell, cello
Deutsche Grammophon 4775419

The Recipe:

Here's a vegetarian dish you can make as an appetizer or a main course, served in individual ramekins or one family-style casserole.

And get a load of this rave review from RecipeZaar:

"This unspeakably delicious, meatless Russian dish is called Mushroom Julienne in Russian cookbooks. Serve it as an appetizer, a meatless entree or a light, late supper."

It's just a lovely thing to do with mushrooms, vermouth, onions, some cheese and seasonings. Get the particulars by clicking here.

This week's recipes are underwritten by the Grosse Pointe Fresh Farms Market

Midday Entree: Salzburger Nockerl

The Music:

Requiem, K.626, by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Barbara Bonney, soprano; Anne Sophie von Otter, contralto; English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner, conductor
Philips 420 197

The Recipe:

Turning "the big two-five-four" is an occasion that calls for something special. So today we celebrate Wolfgang's birthday with this legendary dessert from his hometown.

From the website Suite 101 comes this description:


"The Salzburger Nockerl is said to have been traced as far back as the early 17th century. Local folklore says that the fluffy mounds of egg whites represent the hillside surrounding Salzburg.

"The dusting of powdered sugar turns them into snow-covered peaks. It has even been praised in Fred Raymond’s 1938 operetta, Season in Salzburg as 'Suess wie de Liebe und zart wie ein Kuss' (Sweet as love and tender as a kiss)."

Start your own masterpiece by clicking here.

This week's recipes are underwritten by the Grosse Pointe Fresh Farms Market

Midday Entree: Ukrainian Apple Squares

The Music:

String Quartet No. 8 in e, Op. 59 No. 2, "Razumovsky," by Ludwig van Beethoven
Emerson String Quartet
Deutsche Grammophon 447075

The Recipe:

Though he spent much of his adult life in Vienna, Count Andrey Kirillovich Razumovsky was born in the Ukraine, hence this tasty dessert, as described on the Ukrainians.ca website:

"Ukrainian apple squares are a rich pastry dessert with a top and bottom crust and baked apples in the center, much like a square apple pie. Like Hungarian apple strudel, Ukrainian apple squares are traditionally made around the holidays to make use of the stored apples that have become too soft for eating.

"Since most of us buy our apples at the store whenever we want them, this Ukrainian dessert can be made and enjoyed at any time. Although very tasty, Ukrainian apple squares are best served in small quantities, due to the richness of the pastry."

You can live it up like the good Count Andrey by clicking here.

This week's recipes are underwritten by the Grosse Pointe Fresh Farms Market

Midday Entree: Pesto Crusted Salmon

The Music:

Symphony No. 22, Op. 236, "City of Light," by Alan Hovhaness
Seattle Symphony, Alan Hovhaness, conductor
Naxos 8.559158

The Recipe:

We return to the Pacific Northwest and the music of Alan Hovhaness for our Entree today, so naturally a nice salmon dish would be appropriate.

RecipeZaar assures us this recipe is "delicious and simple! Always a crowd pleaser for sure!"

How can you resist that? See if they're right by clicking here.

This week's recipes are underwritten by the Grosse Pointe Fresh Farms Market

Midday Entree: Austrian Appelpfannkuchen (Apple Pancakes)

The Music:

Piano Trio No. 1 in B flat, Op. 99 by Franz Schubert
Eugene Istomin, piano; Isaac Stern, violin; Leonard Rose, cello
Sony 64516

The Recipe:

Here's something we like a lot: simple, with a sensuous aroma and a heavenly taste. We found it on a food blog called The Way the Cookie Crumbles. Give it a try for your next brunch.

Of course, if you feel you need to try it out by yourself a few times before you serve it to your guests, we won't try to stop you. The details can be had by clicking here.

This week's recipes are underwritten by the Bloomfield Hills Long Lake Market.

Midday Entree: Russian Potato Bread

The Music:

Symphony No. 2 in E minor, Op. 27, by Sergei Rachmaninoff
Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Leonard Slatkin, conductor
Naxos 8.572458

The Recipe:

There's something special about warm, home-baked bread, fresh out of the oven. This Russian potato bread is easy to make and, according to Dixie Vader writing for RecipeZaar,

"It was made for dinner, but almost all of it got eaten the instant it got out of the oven. The number of servings is approximate, our bread-loving family of 5 ate it in two sittings, but it might last longer for other people."

Get those heavenly aromas going in your kitchen by clicking here.

This week's recipes are underwritten by the Bloomfield Hills Long Lake Market.

Midday Entree: Boston Baked Beans

The Music:

Concerto for Violin and Orchestra by John Adams
Chloe Hanslip, violin; Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Leonard Slatkin, conductor
Naxos 8.559302

The Recipe:

The composer John Adams was born in Worcester, MA, so today we offer a true classic recipe: Boston Baked Beans.

And why did Bostonians develop such a taste for baked beans? Well, according to the EnjoyMA website,

"Boston had tons of beans, because they´re cheap and easy to grow, store and cook. Boston had tons of molasses because of trade. Sugar and Molasses were brought in by the shipload from the West Indies, to be sold in Boston in exchange for rum and other local goods."

Put it all together and an American culinary icon is born. Get the details by clicking here.

This week's recipes are underwritten by the Bloomfield Hills Long Lake Market.

Midday Entree: Coeurs à la Crème with Blackberries

The Music:

Dardanus Suite, by Jean-Philippe Rameau
Tafelmusik, Jeanne Lamon, conductor
CBC 5229

The Recipe:

Why serve cheesecake when you can have "Coeurs à la Crème?" Reminds me of some wag who commented that the French "have a different word for everything."

This is one of those recipes where a little extra fussing pays off in a very elegant individual dessert to cap off a fine meal.

For the complete lowdown, click here.

This week's recipes are underwritten by the Bloomfield Hills Long Lake Market.

Midday Entree: Easy Cheesy Tortellini Bake

The Music:

Daphnis and Chloe (complete) by Maurice Ravel
Montreal Symphony Orchestra, Charles Dutoit, conductor
Decca 475 689

The Recipe:

Today's recipe is not so much about the music as it is about one of our own here at WRCJ. Her name is Hattie Jackson, who is a DPS Security Officer, and sort of our "concierge," greeting guests as they come by and generally looking out for us.

She's also a veteran of the 323rd Combat Hospital, U.S. Army, and today's her birthday. So here's something to go with the party, from allrecipes.com:

"This is such an easy recipe, but it looks and smells great, and tastes even better! Your guests will think you spent hours on it. You can add cooked Italian sausage, too! Great with a salad and garlic bread."

Let the celebration begin, by clicking here.

This week's recipes are underwritten by the Grosse Pointe Fresh Farms Market

Midday Entree: Chocolate Truffle Brownies

The Music:

Symphony No. 2 by George Chadwick
Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Neeme Jarvi, conductor
Chandos CHAN 9334

The Recipe:

Imagine this: a fragrant pan of home-made brownies, hot out of the oven, brimming with the promise of culinary ecstasy in the near future.

Talk about the thrill of anticipation!

Well, if you click here, you won't have to settle for just a mental picture of these beauties.

This week's recipes are underwritten by the Grosse Pointe Fresh Farms Market

Midday Entree: Swiss Apple Roesti

The Music:

Sinfonietta, Op. 5, by Erich Wolfgang Korngold
BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Matthias Bamert, conductor
Chandos 9317

The Recipe:

Here's another one that sounds like a good Sunday brunch item. Conductor Matthias Bamert is Swiss, hence this melding of apples, raisins, French bread, cinnamon, etc. The Swiss call it "Oepfelbroeisi." You'll call it "Yum."

Want to know more? Just click here.

By the way, has anyone else noticed the startling resemblance between Mestro Bamert and the esteemed actor Stanley Tucci?

Conductor Matthias Bamert (L) and actor Stanley Tucci

I mean c'mon, don't you think? At least a little bit? Maybe with a chin job?

Hmmmm.

This week's recipes are underwritten by the Grosse Pointe Fresh Farms Market

Midday Entree: Italian Chicken with Green Olives

The Music:

Symphony No. 2 in F, Op. 81, by Giuseppe Martucci
Philharmonia Orchestra, Francesco D'Avalos, conductor
ASV 689

The Recipe:

Signore Martucci hails from southern Italy, a region that's known for its distinctive (and irresistible) cuisine. Today's indigenous offering comes from epicurean.com:

"Chicken and green olives play nicely off each other, and it often seems that most regions in central and southern Italy have several recipes combining them.

"This vigorously flavored version is from Benedetta Zaccheo, of the Carpineto winery, an estate in the heart of Tuscany that treads a fine line between tradition and sophistication in admirable style."

Bring the aromas and flavors of Italy into your home by clicking here.

This week's recipes are underwritten by the Grosse Pointe Fresh Farms Market

Midday Entree: Beef Wellington

The Music:

Violin Concerto, "The Leeds," by Howard Blake
Christiane Edinger, violin; English Northern Philharmonia, Paul Daniel, conductor
Sanctuary 505

The Recipe:

Blake wrote his concerto to celebrate the centenary of the City of Leeds in 1993 so we thought we'd offer an appropriately celebratory dish. Says Normala on the allrecipes website:

"This is a very easy recipe that I learned when I was living in England. Note that Beef Wellington should always be served with the center slightly pink. Enjoy!"

Let the festivities begin, by clicking here.

This week's recipes are underwritten by the Grosse Pointe Fresh Farms Market

Midday Entree: Russian Potato Salad

The Music:

Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18, by Sergei Rachmaninoff
Vladimir Ashkenazy, piano; London Symphony, Andre Previn, conductor
Decca 473 251

The Recipe:

The Russians call it "Vinegret iz Kartofelya i Svyokly." Others, because of the hue caused by the beet mixed in, call it "Pink Potato Salad."

Don't be timid; try something different. Where is it written potato salad always has to be white? Get out of the box by clicking here.

This week's recipes are underwritten by the Bloomfield Hills Long Lake Market.

Midday Entree: French Chocolate Terrine

The Music:

Stabat Mater by Francis Poulenc
Orchestre National de France, Charles Dutoit, conductor
Decca 475 845

The Recipe:

Throughout today's Well-Tempered Wireless we celebrate the birthday of Francis Poulenc, who was born on January 7, 1899.

Our recipe today is very simple, just chocolate, chocolate, more chocolate and some cream. How can you lose?

Check it out by clicking here, and bon anniversaire, Francis!

This week's recipes are underwritten by the Bloomfield Hills Long Lake Market.

Midday Entree: Buckinghamshire Stokenchurch Pie

The Music:

Concerto for String Orchestra by Rutland Boughton
New London Orchestra, Ronald Corp, conductor
Hyperion 67185

The Recipe:

Rutland Boughton was born in Buckinghamshire, and lo and behold we stumbled across an authentic recipe from that region that turns leftovers into a crowd pleasing meat and pasta pie.

As described on The Green Chronicle:

"This recipe post dates the introduction of pasta into Britain and is an ideal way of using up leftover meat which in more frugal times used to be a housewife's main preoccupation."

Get some help with your own frugal times by clicking here.

This week's recipes are underwritten by the Bloomfield Hills Long Lake Market.

Midday Entree: Frozen Peanut Butter Mousse Squares

The Music:

Symphony No. 7, "Sinfonia Antarctica," by Ralph Vaughan Williams
London Symphony Orchestra, Bryden Thomson, conductor
Chandos 9088

The Recipe:

To go with the frozen grandeur of the South Pole, a frozen dessert sure to provide a happy ending. As described by "Fluffster" on RecipeZaar:

"This is wonderful! My sister sent me this recipe to try, after telling me about it. You will love it! Easy to make, simple directions, and just plain delicious!"

Interested? Then get the scoop by clicking here.

This week's recipes are underwritten by the Bloomfield Hills Long Lake Market.

Midday Entree: Russian Sirniki (Cheese Pancakes)

The Music:

Concerto for Violin No. 1 in A minor, Op. 99, by Dmitri Shostakovich
Viktoria Mullova, violin; Royal Philharmonic, Andre Previn, conductor
Philips 475 260

The Recipe:

From the RecipeZaar website we found this tasty pancake variation for your next Sunday brunch. As described by Lori:

"These Russian Cheese Pancakes are delicious served hot out of the pan, the outsides still crispy, the insides creamy. They are very easy, and the dough can be made ahead. Sirniki are usually served as a brunch or breakfast dish, or as a dessert, with sour cream or jam."

Of course, you don't have to wait til Sunday to serve them, and to get the complete lowdown all you have to do is click here.

This week's recipes are underwritten by the Bloomfield Hills Long Lake Market.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

From your friends at WRCJ, 90.9FM.


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