Welcome Page

As the weather is warming up, please see the warm and lovely letter that we received from the director of the Union Colony Civic Center just outside Denver, CO where we recently appeared.

Thanks to Mark for verifying what we already know, that my show is a fun, family-friendly, laugh fest.  There seemed to be lots of rumors out there that suggested otherwise.

Since I always close this page with a recipe.  Here is one of my favorite new ones from Ina Garten.  You know what a huge fan I am of hers.  Make this for someone you love.

Coeur a la Creme with Raspberries

12 oz cream cheese, at room temperature

1 1/4 cups powdered sugar

2 1/2 cups cold heavy cream

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp grated lemon zest

seeds scraped from one vanilla bean

raspberry sauce (recipe follows)

1 pint fresh raspberries

Put cream cheese and powdered sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  Beat on high speed for two minutes.  Scrape down the beater and bowl with a spatula, change the beater to for the whisk attachment.  With the mixer on low speed, add the heavy cream, vanilla, lemon zest, and vanilla seeds.  Beat on high speed until it is very thick like whipped cream.  Line a 7 inch sive with cheese cloth so the ends drape over the sides place it on a plate or over a bowl.  Pour the cream cheese mixture into the cheese cloth and fold the ends over the top and refrigerate and let it drain over night.

To serve, discard the liquid, unmold the cream onto a plate and drizzle raspberry sauce around the base.  Garnish with extra raspberries.

Raspberry Sauce

Half pint of fresh raspberries

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup (12 oz) seedless raspberry jam

1 tbs framboise liqueur

Place the raspberries, sugar, and quarter cup water in a small sauce pan.  Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 4 minutes.  Pour the cooked raspberries, the jam, and framboise into a food processor.  Process until smooth.  Chill.

*Both the Creme and the sauce can be made a few days ahead.