Turkey Sandwiches and Best Friends

I met my best friend Angela over a turkey sandwich on our last day of class during freshman year of college. I ran into a group of friends as I was walking to my car after my last final and they asked if I wanted to go to the campus cantina for lunch.  Being a true New Yorker, I wanted a deli sandwich.  I thanked them for the offer but said I was going to grab lunch at a deli right off campus.  I asked if anyone wanted to go there instead, and Angela, who I had just met, accepted my offer to come along.  We got sandwiches and sat on a bench by the deli and got to know each other.  We hit it off.  We almost had nothing and everything in common, if that make sense.  Instantly I had a friend crush but I played it cool.  This was college after all.  I didn't want to be a dork.

After the sandwich I dropped her back on campus and I went home to catch up on some much needed sleep.   I realized on the way home I forgot to get her number so we could keep in touch over the summer.  She lived 45 minutes from me so we could have hung out.  I was going to reach out to a mutual friend but was afraid Angela would think it was weird so I just hoped that I'd see her once our sophomore year started.

About 2 months later, I got a call from a number I didn't recognize so I let it go to voicemail.  It turned out that Angela got my number from a mutual friend and was just calling to say hi.  I called her back and we chatted for a bit and were both excited to see each other when school started.  We spent the whole of Sophomore year by each other's side and have been that way ever since.

I have travelled all over the country, even living as far as Alaska, and I have never doubted that she is there.  Even now when I live in San Francisco and she is in Middletown, NY, I know that I can pick up the phone and she is there.  When I am having a rough patch and can't seem to figure out what I am doing in my life, she is there to ground me.  Reminds me of what is important.  

She knows me better than I know myself.  She probably knew I was going to marry my husband even before I did. We have been through so many things in our lives as most best friends do.  Some of my scariest moments in life, moments when I had no idea how I was going to wake up and go one the next day, she has been there to help me pick up the pieces and been at my side to make that first step.










We have also been with each other through some amazing moments in life.
 
I got married in October of last year.  She was of course my Matron of Honor (she was actually the second call, after my family of course, that we made from Italy when we got engaged) and I have no idea how I would have gotten through planning a wedding without her.  There is a lot of emotions when you get married and it can be a little overwhelming.  She stayed with me the night before the wedding and I'll never forget waking up to her in my face, literally, with the biggest smile and screaming "you're getting married today!"  That moment is burned into my brain forever.

 

Photo by Jackie Pfeffer  

Angela gave birth to her first son, Austin John Strahl in August of 2010.  Watching her become a mother has been one of the most amazing things I have ever seen.  I can't put into words what has changed about her but it just makes me feel even more centered when I am around her.  When I get lost in the race of life, she reminds me what is really important.  Family, friends and living each day to the fullest. 

Last night at 9:34 EST, my God son and Angela's second child, was born.  Preston James Strahl.  I am already in love with him.  I love that Austin has a big brother.  I love that they can be partners in crime.  I can't wait to see the mess they get into.  

 

It's amazing how much a turkey sandwich changed my life.  I found my best friend, better half and sister and I can't imagine my life without her.

Congratulations on becoming a Mommy again.  You continue to amaze me in all you do and I can't tell you how thankful I am that you are in my life.

Rasa Malai

One of my favorite things to make with my Mom is Rasa Malai.  I remember pulling one of our yellow vinyl dining room chairs (yeah, it was the 80's) to the stove and stirring a pot of milk that I could barely see over.  My one job was to make sure the milk didn't burn and I took it very seriously.

Once the milk started to boil, I had to stir while my mom added lemon juice to break the milk so it would separate the curd out.  This was my favorite part and it was like magic.  As as she added the lemon juice we would both just stare at the pot waiting for the curds to appear. 

As I made this same recipes in my kitchen in San Francisco almost 25 years later, I could still feel the excitement as I waited for the lemon juice to take action. 

 

Once the milk breaks, you have to drain it in cheese cloth.  Try and squeeze as much water out as possible without burning your hands.  This can get tricky since it is milk that was just boiling.  Watch your finger!

Let it sit in a colander over a bowl for an hour.

While this sits and drains, it's time to get started on the sauce.  Reducing a gallon of milk by half take a lot of patience but it is worth it.  As the sugars start to caramelize and the milk gets velvety, I add some saffron that I steeped in warm milk and cardamom

 

This should take about an hour and if you arms isn't hurting from stirring milk, you haven't been doing you job!

Once the sauce is done, it's time to make the milk patties.  The curds have been draining for an hour and now you have to kneed them for a bit to make them smooth and uniform so you can roll them into patties.

Once they are all shaped, its time to steep them in the sauce for 10 minutes.

At this point I let them cool in the fridge overnight to give the patties time to absorb the flavors of the saffron and cardamom. 

Milk Patties

1 Gallon of Whole milk
2-3 Tbls of Lemon juice

See sauce recipe below

Bring the milk to a boil on medium high heat stirring constantly as to not burn the milk.  Once the milk comes to a boil, add the lemon juice and turn off the heat.  Once the milk has broken, strain the curds through cheese cloth and place in a colander over a bowl for an hour.

Once the curds have had time to drain, place in a bowl and kneed till soft and uniform but make sure to not over do it.  You should feel the fat from the milk coat your hands lightly.

Take about 2 Tablespoons of the dough and roll it into a ball.  Light press it down into a disc shape.

Once you have made all the patties, place them in the sauce which should be simmering.  Cook for about 10 minutes.  They should puff up and look swollen.

Let them rest in the fridge overnight.

Garnish with sliced almonds or pistachios

Milk Sauce

 

1 Gallon of Whole Milk
1 Cup of Sugar
big pinch of Saffron
10-12 Cardamom pods tied up in cheese cloth

Bring milk, sugar an cardamom to a boil and reduce to a simmer.  Place the saffron in a bowl and add some of the warmed milk.  Let the saffron sit for 5 minutes an then add to the pot of milk.  Once the milk has reduced by half, take off the heat till it's time to cook the patties.