Housekeeping and Cornmeal Buckle

Many of you have written to ask about the archiving of past posts and recipes. Here's the deal: on the left-hand side of the site, right over there, that's it, are the monthly archives. If you click on the general archive link, it takes you a page where you not only can browse through all the months this blog has been in existence (do yourself a favor and don't go too far back, and if you do, don't say I didn't warn you) and below the monthly archives, you'll find the recipes grouped by categories (Soups, Desserts, New York Times, etc). I've done my best to be thorough, but if you can't find something you're desperately seeking, just drop me a line and I'll direct you to where you need to go.

I would love to have all the recipes indexed somewhere centrally, but as far as I can tell, it's not possible to do so on Typepad, so individual category pages it is, at least until I get struck by lightning and figure out how to code HTML and suddenly find myself whipping up fanciful weblogs with ingenious archiving at the drop of a hat.

Hoo.

As for the rest of this post, well, you know what it's like when everything just goes pear-shaped on some days? That's kind of what happened with this cake, Russ Parsons's Cornmeal Buckle with Plums (from a 2002 article and also excerpted in his new book, How to Pick a Peach, but more on that another day). It was a good enough weekend, you know, with two birthday parties, Don Giovanni at Lincoln Center, fried artichokes and Pinot Noir prosecco at Morandi and a driving excursion through our new borough into our old one (with me at the wheel, thankyouverymuch), but the cooking just seemed cursed.

Cursed really is just an excuse for the fact that I didn't buy more white sugar and tried substituting brown sugar in the topping and half of the cake (which I knew - knew! - wouldn't work, but it was late and I was frustrated and have I mentioned the fourteen zits currently residing on my face, making me look like a teenager all over again, except when I was a teenager I didn't have bad skin, so why-oh-why am I apparently going through puberty now, and then the thought - perish it! - that maybe, maybe, if I want my skin to start behaving again, I should stop baking plum cakes - wah - did I mention I was frustrated?), which made the topping sort of ooey-gooey, but in a bad way, and led me to believe the cake wasn't done when the recipe said it would be done, so I left it in for a little longer, leading to an overbaked cake with a dry crumb and a too-brown bottom, plus I didn't chop the plums and fold them into the batter like I was supposed to do, I sliced them into crescents and laid them over the batter and under the topping instead, which sounds just fine, but really wasn't and oh, phooey, there's no one to blame but myself.

Ben loved it, though, for what that's worth. (He's sweet. Though possibly also just feeling guilty because of the fact that his nightly fidgeting kept me awake at some seriously ungodly hours this weekend, making me wish for the sleeping set-up that Julia and Paul Child had (is there something wrong me with me that I like the idea?) and putting me in an absolutely foul mood by Sunday night.)

The rest of this week, I'll just get it out of the way right now, is kind of a personal minefield of sadness, so I'm stepping out of the kitchen to spend every possible minute out with friends (after I buy myself some Retin-A or Accutane or whatever the kids are using these days, unless my readers have any tips? And contemplate buying two twin beds to shove together so we can live like every day's a new day in a European youth hostel) at dinners and breakfasts and lunches galore. Distraction is sometimes the best medicine. Hopefully, by the time I resurface, I can look in the mirror without cringing (teenagers, I feel you) and have something a little more interesting to tell you about.

Cornmeal Buckle with Plums
Serves 6 to 8

Topping
1/2 cup sugar
6 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1-tablespoon pieces

1. In a food processor, pulse together the sugar, flour, salt and butter until the pieces are the size of coarse crumbs.

Buckle
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for preparing the pan
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1 pound of plums (about 4, though I only needed 3), cut up

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch glass pie plate and set aside.

2. In another large bowl, beat the 1/4 cup butter with the sugar and egg until it is fairly light and fluffy. Add half the milk and beat until smooth. Gradually add the remaining milk while beating.

3. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until well-moistened. Fold in the plum pieces. Pour the batter into the pie plate and spread evenly. Scatter the topping mixture evenly over the top. Bake until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes.

4. Remove the buckle from the oven and let stand 20 minutes before serving.

Comments

[anne]

If nothing else it at least looks good. And significant others are there to remind you that it tastes good too.

[Protagitron]

I hear you on the zits. I currently have a zit on my chin that looks more like a malignant growth, and stubbornly refuses to be covered up with any cosmetic.

I think the standard plan of attack on the zit front is to make sure you're not using any new products that would make you break out. If you aren't, and you don't have chronic acne, it may be from stress or hormones, and will probably clear up on its own, although it will still annoy the crap out of you. Then, drink more water and try using a dependable over-the-counter treatment with AHA or BHA. If you can stand the twee speak, Make Up Alley usually has fairly in depth reviews.
http://makeupalley.com/
Although I think you have to sign up to see them (they're also, amusingly, in an article of a recent Bitch Magazine). Both Retin-A and Accutane need a derm to prescribe, at least in Ontario, so I would only go to them if the problem persists. Exercise caution if your skin is at all sensitive with prescription creams. I had a nasty reaction to Differin, for example. If you have a couple of huge zits that you just want gone, I know most derms offer services like extraction or cortisone injections, if you don't mind paying the $$$. I don't know much about holistic treatments, but maybe some reader does and can help you out there.

Sorry about my rambling answer, but I love lurking on your blog and you've turned me on to some brilliant recipes, so I thought I'd try my best to help.

[Christine]

That is so sad about the buckle, because it looks delicious. But then again, I've been a sucker for all things baked plum this summer.

And man, since "adulthood" each month around that special time the planets align and bless me with a zit that could be mistaken for a newly sprouted second head. Usually on my chin. Tres sexy. I feel your pain. I used to not get such monsters as a teen either. I currently blame stress.

[Casey]

If your skin can tolerate it, Retin-A is a friggin miracle worker. I'm waaay older than you, but my skin is GOOD, thanks to my dermatologist and the Magic R.

[Molly]

Oh my friend! I hear you. If it's any consolation, I had an ENORMOUS zit squarely in the middle of my right cheek on our wedding day. To make it worse, my right side was the one facing the assembled crowd during most of the ceremony. I did my best to cover it up, but I knew it was there, and big, and gnarly, and it may sound silly, but it kind of put a damper on a lot of the day for me. Sigh. Nothing makes a girl crankier than zits.

But chin up, my friend, because I know for a fact that you're a serious, serious fox. Just ask Ben. Go forth and get this week behind you!

xo

[Maria Bonn]

I love that you share your failures as well as your triumphs. Sometimes I start to feel a little pathetic out here in the blog world where everyone seems to live such idyllic lives . . . and it is nice that a failure can be so pretty, no?

[Leah]

To join in the zit fray, I had absolutely gorgeous, perfect skin all throughout adolescence. And then I got acne when I was in my 20s and 30s. WHAT IS THAT. It was horrible, especially since it wasn't just on my face. Being 31 (and then 32...) and breaking out constantly was making me so, so, so sad.

My skin has finally - finally! joy of joys! - cleared up again, but it's partly the result of a topical ointment and facial scrub combo, both of which are from the dermatologist, and partly the result of having done a three-week intense cleanse/detox diet - albeit one that did allow me to eat and remain healthy (photo on flickr, but you have to be friend/fam). So anyway, like someone said above, I have had success with a combo of western western medicine and holistic remedies. You're probably just having a post-move uber-stress breakout session, but if it's something more and you want to go AUGH BLUH ZITS HELP at someone, you know where to find me.

In other news, even your "mess ups" look beautiful and I want to eat them anyway. You are a wonder.

[janet]

your throwaway line about European hostels made me laugh

[Hillary]

Even though you didn't necessarily feel fantastic, the cornmeal cake sure looks fantastic!

[gemma]

1. If you ever need sugar (white/brown/confectioners) just come upstairs.
2. If you don't like the dessert you make PLEASE just come upstairs :)

[radish]

There must be something in the air, because I too woke up with a gynormous zit on my face. How?? Why?? Oh cruel world! Happy belated birthday - Don Giovanni is my all time favorite opera!! Hope you had a wonderful weekend and sorry about the zits being unruly. Hopefully they'll disappear quickly!

[lauren]

Just a thought.
Anticipating a week of sadness would be enough to give me a faceful of zits...
Separate bedrooms, so civilized. Thanks for all your wonderful food. I am dying to make that paella!

[Lydia]

I never heard of buckles until a couple of summers ago, when we were visiting friends of friends in Maine. Our host make a blueberry buckle with blueberries we all picked that afternoon. I fell in love -- it was so good.

[Mercedes]

Ugh, I feel your pain. Last weekend I got too much sun, and afterwards my skin went into total revolt. But don't worry, I doubt it's the plum cakes!
Oh, and sleeping, for future reference it helps to get a big bed. We're pretty good in any close-knit situation, but it's always good if one of us can't sleep, to have a big enough bed where you can roll over and really have you're own space. Not that there's any space in new york, in general.
Too bad about the plum buckle. I wish you all the best this week. And should you need it, I have plenty of leftover green gage plum crisp, and you're welcome to it.

[Abby]

Well it certainly is pretty! I wouldn't know that about brown sugar, but duly noted.

I use differin as needed, but you can always try a big daily jug of water to see if flushing your skin works - less expensive and fewer chemicals, obviously. But drugs might be the only answer!

And my husband and I have a king bed so that a) he doesn't touch me by accident and wake me and b) i don't feel like i'm too close to toss and turn when needed and fear waking him.

[Honeybee]

It looks good, anyway! Just say cornmeal and I'll try it.

Zits - unlike you, I also used to get them when I was younger but I don't think they made me feel quite so bad as they do now. There is a huge one on the left side of my chin right now. I know it's nothing really, but I wish I could just have crawled back into bed this morning (more than on any other day). How can I do a grown-up person's work with the chin of a thirteen year old?

[thejinius]

I love Morandi. Have you tried the beignets with ricotta, pine nuts, and gelato? It screams end of summer treat.

[Lisa (Homesick Texan)]

I know this may sound weird, but I find that rubbing a sliced clove of garlic on a zit makes it go away in no time. Using apple cider vinegar as an astringent works as well. I know, both are rather pungent, but you can just pretend you're a messy eater.

[Vanessa]

Hi there! Your buckle looks delicious. Plums are my favourite fruit!! As for your skin, I had perfect skin until two years ago, in my thirties, when all of a sudden I looked like a BEFORE picture for Proactive. I thought it was chocolate setting it off. Or sugar. Or stress. I tried everything...then I went to a dermatologist. I barely was in there 2 seconds when he and his associate said "Classic Rosacea" (definitely not a dessert). Turns out, I've had this skin condition called Rosacea my whole life and never knew it! Stress, getting older, the sun, etc. set it off...but it has been there all along. He gave me a prescription cream called Finacea. A miracle! I swear. It is the best thing ever. I am back to being normal again. So get your skin checked by a doctor...I really don't think you get spots from the sugar. Have you walked up to Eddie's Sweet Shop yet? He's closed on Mondays, btw. Have some whipped cream on whatever you order; you'll want to eat the whole bowl.

[Caroline]

Pretty pretty plums everywhere!
Good luck with your tough week.

[jance]

That slice of garlic comment was interesting and with added vinegar. My mom thinks vinegar is the cure-all for everything.

I am so sorry you are in zitsville. It's funny how a few zits can just take over your life--hope you clear up soon. I love to read your post, so hang in there.

[bryan]

I learned this one from a model friend.

But a tube of regular Crest toothpaste. Dab on zits. Normally after a night or two they're gone. Sometimes even sooner.

[ann]

I swear by the blue zit stuff at Kiehl's. I hope you're holding up. It's a crap week, that's for sure, but at least the sun's come out. *fuzzy kitten hanging from a branch* Hang in there Luisa!

[mallow]

Sorry about the zits. And sorry about the buckle (although it looks great). I think the cookies I have in the oven may have the same fate (spilled the almond extract resulting in something closer to a Tbsp than the 1/4 tsp called for - eesh.)