Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Apollo





Here are some shots from Balanchine's "Apollo"
I was one of the hand maidens with my "twin", Natalie Varnum.
After Apollo was birthed by the lovely mother who was on top of a platform extremely high in the air (Ms. Samantha Lynch pictured below) it was our job as maidens to rock Apollo as a baby, unwrap the swallowed up Apollo from his white clothes, do some cutesy poses (without looking cute!) deliver his guitar, as well as teach him to play, all while looking lovely in our Royal Blue ice skater outfits complete with a pony tail. :)











Monday, March 8, 2010

YUM YUM QUICK BREADS


I made some quick breads the other morning before a double show day of La Bayadere. It amazes me how completely exhausted I can be and still have the worst time in the world falling asleep. I came home after waking up at 6:30 for a student matinee show followed by a night show on Friday night and climbed in bed and absolutely could not get comfortable. Then of course woke up in the morning at 6:50 wide awake with no chance of going back to sleep... "GREAT. I guess i'll bake." That's always the answer.


I made 3 mini loaves (pumpkin chocolate chip-walnut, blueberry walnut, and pumpkin walnut) and two large loaves (plain pumpkin, and a large blueberry walnut)


Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Walnut Bread



Pumpkin Walnut Bread



Blueberry Walnut Cornmeal Quick Bread:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup white whole wheat flour (if you don’t have whole wheat flour, just use all-purpose flour)

1 cup medium or fine ground cornmeal

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

1/2 cup honey (or pure maple syrup if you have it on hand)

1 1/4 cup buttermilk

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup chopped walnuts (reserving a few whole walnut halves for decorating the top)

1 heaping cup to 1 1/2 cups blueberries

Arrange a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour one 9×5x3-inch loaf pan, or two slightly smaller loaf pans. I think mine are 8×4x3-inches and I made two smaller loaves. Set aside the greased and floured loaf pans.

In a large bowl, whisk together both flours, cornmeal, sugar, salt and baking powder.

In a smaller bowl whisk together honey, eggs, buttermilk, melted butter and vanilla extract.

Add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture and stir just until blended.

Fold in the blueberries and walnuts.

Divide batter between two smaller loaf pans or into one large loaf pan. Spread evenly. Add the whole walnut halves and place in preheated oven. For smaller loaves bake for 40-50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center of the loaf comes of clean. For the larger loaf, bake for 60-70 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.

Cool loaves in pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Invert onto a plate or board. Serve warm with butter or wrap and freeze for future you.


Vegan Pumpkin Bread:

Everyone is so turned off by the phrase "VEGAN". But in reality for baking quick breads I would say 99% of the time it comes out tasting so much better! And it MUCH MUCH more moist.

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour ( or whole wheat flour… or just use only all-purpose flour)

2 cups light brown sugar, packed

1/3 cups granulated sugar

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon allspice

1/2 teaspoon cloves

1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree, or just under two cups

1 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup maple syrup

1/3 cup water

1 cup chopped walnuts, or chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place a rack in the center of the oven. Grease and flour two loaf pans (mine are 8×4x2) and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together flours, sugars, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices.

In a medium bowl, carefully whisk together pumpkin puree, oil, maple syrup and water.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and use a spatula to fold all of the ingredients together. Make sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl well, finding any stray flour bits to mix in. Fold in most of the chopped walnuts, reserving some to sprinkle on top of the batter once in the pan.

Divide the dough between the two greased pans and sprinkle with a few walnut pieces. Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven. Let rest in the pans for 20 minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack.

Serve warm.

Make your own variations: add chocolate chunks, forget the walnuts, add raisins??? :)

BEST SNICKERDOOLES EVER!



These were the best snickerdoodles I have ever put in my mouth! They were crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside. When you bite into them they just melt in your mouth. YUM YUM YUM.



BEST EVER SNICKERDOODLE:

  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup shortening
  • 1 1/2 cups white sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons white sugar
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
  2. Cream together butter, shortening, 1 1/2 cups sugar, the eggs and the vanilla. Blend in the flour, cream of tartar, soda and salt. Shape dough by rounded spoonfuls into balls.
  3. Mix the 2 tablespoons sugar and the cinnamon. Roll balls of dough in mixture. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.
  4. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until set but not too hard. Remove immediately from baking sheets.



ENJOY!

Monday, March 1, 2010

LA BAYADERE

We have survived our first weekend of the new production of La Bayadere.
In the ballet world La Bayadere is the ballet of all ballet's for the corps.
There is nothing more beautiful than 24 dancers dressed exactly the same, weaving around the stage doing the same port de bras and movements.
In the first and second act I am a temple dancer and for one show I am one of Gamzatti's sisters, in the third act I am one of the 24 shades.
The first time I did shades was at a summer intensive in Torrington, CT at Nutmeg Conservatory for the Arts. I just remember performing it in their fully windowed studio, and I had the chills while we were doing our 48 arebesques. There is nothing more beautiful than the music and the movements we are doing to it. I will never forget how I felt and how I knew this is what I wanted to do with my life.
When I am onstage performing shades, all negativity is lost. Every grueling rehearsal, negative comment, and rough day doesn't matter. I get the chance to lose myself in a dream that I thought would never come true.


Gamzatti's sisters Costume


Temple Dancer's Costume

This is the beading on our shades tutu's. Gorgeous.