Common-Taters on the Lax*

In addition to several naps, (maxin' and reLAXin'), I did rustle up some imagination this weekend, in that I imagined a parmasean-flecked pie-crust atop my scalloped-potato-and-asparagus pie. I think it hit the nail on the head as far as seasonal appropriateness, as the satisfyingly warm, cheesy potatoes were complemented by sprightly rounds of spring-fresh green. It snowed last week, and then on Sunday got up to the high 50s -- it seems NYC is emerging from the cold gray, and we won't need to fight off the piles of snow with piles of potatoes much longer. Perhaps the dish lacked complexity, but as Rachel pointed out, we cleaned our plates entirely, including the baking pan.

Hopefully it won't jinx the warm weather to look forward to summer bonfires for inspiration for my next Pills baking experiment. Matt and I enjoyed an incredibly charming and simple dessert, a toasted marshmallow on a stick dipped in chocolate, as part of a very enjoyable night hearing some of his music played live at Lincoln Center (he is an orchestral rock star!). While this is probably not the most original of concepts, I'd like to try my hand at a peanut-butter-s'mores pie. Graham crust, a dense layer of peanut-butter cheese-cake, a thin layer of melted chocolate, topped with marshmallowy meringue...such stuff as dreams are made on.**

*I cannot claim creativity points for this title. Yes, it is yet another girly childhood literary allusion: Pa Ingalls presented the riddle of two potatoes on an axe to the townsfolk on the prairie: common taters on the axe, or rather, Commentators on the Acts.
**Um, I can't take credit for this line, either. Thanks again, Bill.