The day that cows fly

You probably didn’t see this one coming. Today is national Cow Milked While Flying in an Airplane Day. You’ve heard people talking about when pigs fly. Well, this is even better. Try saying I’ll believe that “The day that cows fly”. But, that day actually did happen: 95 years ago. That’s right. On February 18, 1930, there was an airplane exhibition in St Louis. It was a day of firsts. So, someone had the brilliant idea to put a cow on a plane and milk it. Elm Farm Ollie (aka Nellie Jay) became the first cow to be milked on an airplane while in flight. She produced 24 quarts of milk. Charles Lindbergh was the recipient of one of the quarts. It was a big day for aviation and the legend continues with this treasured holiday.

This was, possibly, the freshest food product ever on a plane. Airlines aren’t exactly noted for their food. A bag of peanuts and something that looks like a TV dinner are about what to expect. First class may do a little better. But, it’s not like you have a chef onboard creating a gourmet feast. You definitely aren’t getting chocolate souffle. As a chef, I have sent some pretty nice meals onto private planes. But, they sat in boxes for hours before being opened. Imagine having farm fresh dairy on a plane. That’s pretty impressive. So, today, let’s celebrate this milestone with some dairy based food.

We’ll be fine on The day that cows fly

That day in 1930 seems pretty remote now. In modern times, the only time cows fly is when transported internationally or in an emergency. So, it’s not necessarily an everyday occurrence. It’s kind of like a blue moon. And, we could use one of those moments now with all the unrest in the world. I hear people say all the time that “We’ll be fine on The day that cows fly”. Actually I don’t hear that and neither does anyone else. No one really says that. But, the sentiment is there, meaning we do have hope. And, the fact that cows have and continue to fly is even more encouraging. They even show up in movies, like Twister, but not in a fun way (well, fun for us, but not the people or cow in the movie).

While Ellie Jay didn’t literally fly on her own, the feat was pretty miraculous at the time. They brought a 1,000 lb cow onto a tiny plane. We’re not talking anything like a passenger plane today. The plane used was a ford tri-motor plane that seats about a dozen people, is less than 50 feet long, and weighs about 8,000 lbs itself. Compare that to a modern 737 weighing in at around 90,000 lbs. Don’t forget, they had to have a pilot, and several other people and equipment onboard. So, combined, the payload was probably about half the weight of the plane itself. Of course, the cow is the equivalent of 5 to 8 adult passengers. Still, it’s pretty impressive. The first airplane flew in 1903. The first commercial flight was 1914. This model plane first flew in 1925 (5 years prior). It was all experimental.

‘Tis a silly holiday, but worth celebrating

If you’re afraid of flying, this should help put your mind at ease a bit. If a half ton cow can comfortably fly and produce milk on a tiny plane, you should be okay getting on and off a jet liner. Of course, recent events may reinforce your fears. But, that’s not the fault of the plane itself. These are modern miracles. We’re overly accustomed to them. But, think back to what it must have been like when the first planes left the ground. The wright Brothers and their peers had at least 15 failed attempts before finally going airborne. And, that first flight only lasted 12 seconds and 36 meters. So, to go from a 12 second flight to milking a cow on a plane in less than 30 years when people dreamed of flight since the days of Da Vinci is pretty impressive.

So, yeah, celebrating the milking of a cow on an airplane may sound silly. But, it definitely proved some points. And, it shows the science is real, with everyday applications. Thanks to that stunt (and other accomplishments of the time), we now have an incredible capacity to move people and goods all around the world faster and more efficiently than ever. In that light it makes more sense to celebrate this than a fictitious fat guy breaking into house on a flying sleigh. And, it definitely makes more sense than a bunny delivering eggs and marshmallow peeps. So, get ready to party like it’s St Louis 1930. Start milking, baby!

What’s on the agenda?

If you happen to live near St Louis, you could take a trip to where the second largest indoor arena in the country once stood: The St Lois arena. It was the destination of this storied flight. But, you won’t find anything of note there today. The arena was imploded February 1999. Now it’s apartments, shops, and restaurants. So, the best thing to do is celebrate this momentous occasion by enjoying all things related to milk, cows, and airplanes. Besides, it’s The day that cows fly. Maybe doing something you never thought you would or could is in order. How about finishing that project you started 6 years ago, writing that book you said you would, or just not being a couch potato?

While we can’t do much to help you with those projects, we do have some dairy based recipes to help celebrate Ellie Jay and the 95th anniversary of The day that cows fly.

I know we have vegan readers too, so we’ll start with a vegan recipe. Good luck milking those almonds:

Raspberry Mascarpone Cream Pie

cheffd

Print Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

cooling time 2 hours hrs

Course Dessert

Cuisine American, Italian

Servings 1 Pie

Ingredients

  

• 2 Lb Mascarpone Cheese
• 1 Pint Heavy Cream (Divided into 2 separate cups)
• 4 Large Eggs
• 1 Cup Sugar
• 1 Whole Lemon, use the zest and juice only
• Seeds from 1 vanilla bean
• 4 Cups Fresh Raspberries (1/2 for the filling and 1/2 for garnish)
• powdered sugar and vanilla extract for the whipped cream
• For Crust:
• 2 Cups Graham Cracker Crumbs
• 1/2 Cup Melted Butter
• 2 Tbsp Sugar

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 325
• Stir together Cream, seeds from vanilla pod and sugar in a pot. Bring to a simmer to infuse the flavor of the vanilla. Cool this down, and remove vanilla bean pod if you put it in. Then add in half of the raspberries and puree in a blender until smooth. If you don't want the seed, strain before adding to the other ingredients.
• Make the crust: Mix melted butter, sugar and graham crackers together until they bind well. Add more butter if it seems too crumbly. Spray a pie pan with pan spray. Press the crust into the pan until it creates an even crust. Bake at 325 for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Beat the mascarpone in a mixer. fold in the cream mixture. Continue mixing. Do not overmix. Add in the eggs one at a time until incorporated. Fold in the lemon juice and zest. Pour this mixture into the pie crust. Place the pie pan into a pan with a little water to allow it to bake evenly. Bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes. It will still be a little wiggly. But, it wont be liquid at this point. Cool for at least an hour. If it is warm when you top with whipped cream, it will melt the cream.
• Whip some heavy cream with a little powdered sugar and vanilla extract to stiff peaks. Place in a piping bag and pipe florets onto the pie. Garnish with whole fresh raspberries. Cut and serve.

Keyword cheese, Cheesecake, Mascarpone, Pie, Raspberries, Raspberry Cream Pie, Summer fruit

Lemon and Salted Caramel Cream Puffs

cheffd

Print Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 50 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine French

Servings 3 Dozen Puffs (approximately)

Ingredients

  

• For Pate A Choux:
• 2 Cups Light Cream or milk (or water)
• 2 Cups AP Flour
• 1 Stick Unsalted Butter
• 7 large Eggs
• 1 Tbsp Sugar
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• For Pastry Cream:
• 2 Cups Light Cream
• 2/3 Cup Sugar
• 1 Tbsp Vanilla Extract or 1 vanilla bean, scraped
• 3 Large Eggs (2 Yolks and 1 whole)
• 1/4 Cup Corn Starch
• 3 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
• 1 Large Lemon, just the zest and Peel
• For the Whipped Cream:
• 2 Cup Heavy Cream
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1/4 Cup Powdered Sugar
• For The Caramel:
• 1/2 Cup Water
• 2 Cup Sugar
• 1/2 tsp Large Flake sea salt, plus extra for garnish
• 1 Tbsp Unsalted Butter

Instructions

 

• Make the Caramel: Melt the Sugar in a pot over medium heat. Stir in the water and allow to caramelize, stirring continuously. Let the This forms a syrup. Allow the syrup to brown into a caramel. When it reaches a nice color, stir in the butter and salt. You want it to be relatively stiff. Set aside for later.
• make the Pastry Cream: Heat the cream and half the sugar in a heavy pot over medium heat, whisk until well blended. In a separate bowl, Whisk the egg yolks and eggs with the remaining sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, and lemon zest. Then ladle a little of the hot cream mixture into the eggs, whisking the entire time, you don't want the eggs to cook. Continue adding the cream a little at a time until all is mixed. Then, return the mixture to the pot and return to a low heat. Whisk until it thickens, but be careful not to curdle the eggs. Remove from the heat, and stir in the butter and lemon juice. Sprinkle a thin layer of sugar on top and refrigerate.
• make the Pate a Choux: Heat the milk or cream and butter over Medium heat in a heavy pot until it comes to a boil and the butter is melted. Then stir in the flour, sugar, and salt. Mix it with a wooden spoon. Keep stirring to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pan. It will come together to form a ball of dough. Continue cooking for a couple minutes, stirring as need, to cook the flour and remove excess moisture. Remove from the heat and transfer to an electric mixer. Mix the dough at a medium speed. Add in the eggs, one at time until they are all incorporated. The mixture will be a sticky beige batter.
• Preheat the oven to 400.
• Line sheet pans with parchment paper and spray with pan spray. Put the Choux paste into a pastry bag with a plain tip. Pipe the paste into quarter sized mounds on the parchment. If you want to make eclairs, pipe it into logs. Space the mounds at least an inch apart, so they have room to puff out. Once piped out, dip your fingertip in cool water and flatten the point left from where you pulled the pastry bag off the mound.
• Bake the Puffs at 400 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes. They should be golden brown and semi-hollow inside. Air cool them.
• Make the Whipped Cream: Whip the Cream in an electric mixer or by hand until it begins to stiffen. Then add in the sugar and vanilla. Whip until it holds its shape, but don't over-whip or it will begin to break down and become butter. Keep this cold. Put in a pastry bag with a star tip.
• Using a bread knife, carefully cut the puffs crosswise so you have a top and bottom for each.
• Put the pastry cream and whipped cream into pastry bags. Pipe a little of the pastry cream on the bottom halves of the cream puffs. Then pipe the Whipped Cream vertically on top of that. Top with the top half of the puffs. Then re-warm the caramel and drizzle over each. For an extra touch, you can also sprinkle with powdered sugar and top with a couple grains of flaked sea salt. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes. Serve cold.

Keyword Cream Puffs, dessert, Eclairs, Lemon, Pastry Cream, Pate A Choux, Profriteroles, Salted Caramel, Whipped cream

White Chocolate Apple and Beetroot Ice Cream

cheffd

Print Recipe

Prep Time 35 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Freezing time 2 hours hrs

Course Dessert

Cuisine American, French, Italian

Equipment

• Ice cream machine

Ingredients

  

• 8 oz Whole fresh beetroot
• 1 Cup Peeled and Cored apple, cut into 1/4 inch dice
• 2 Tbsp Orange zest
• 1 Cup Orange juice
• 1 Cup Chopped White chocolate
• 4 Cups heavy Cream
• 4 Large Egg Yolks
• 1 Cup Sugar
• 1/4 tsp Kosher or sea salt
• 1 to 3 cups Water to boil the beats
• Olive oil to saute the apples

Instructions

 

• Cut the beets into 1 to 2 inch chunks. Put in a pot with orange juice and water. Boil until soft. and most of the liquid has evaporated. If they aren't soft enough, add more water and continue cooking. But, in the end, you want just a coating of liquid.
• Puree the beets until smooth. Refrigerate until needed.
• Heat a little oil in a saute pan over medium high heat. Saute the apples until lightly browned and softened, but not mushy. Refrigerate until needed.
• Heat cream, white chocolate and sugar in a heavy pot over medium heat until it comes to a simmer. Whisk to melt the chocolate and sugar. Put the eggs in a bowl. Whisk in a couple tablespoons of the hot cream to temper the eggs. Then slowly add in the rest, whisking continuously. Return to the pot over low heat and continue stirring until it slightly thickens. Be careful not to "scramble" the eggs. Transfer it back to a mixing bowl and set that bowl into an ice bath. Whisk it until it cools completely.
• Whisk in the beets and orange zest. Then fold in the Apples.
• Transfer the ingredients to your prepared ice cream machine. Then follow manufacturer's instructions. You will see it thicken in the bowl. Depending on the machine, you may be able to serve right from the machine, or it may require additional time in the freezer.

Keyword apple, Beetroot, Custard, Frozen, Ice Cream, Sweet, White Chocolate