The Baltimore Sun from Baltimore, Maryland • C6

C6 Wednesday, October 15, 2014 Carroll County Times CULINARY GIANTS: BARBARA TROPP Interpreter of Chinese food for U.S. home cooks Five-flavor oil Prep: 10 minutes Cook: 15 minutes Makes: 1 3A cups Barbara Tropp's "China Moon Cookbook" was notable for its DIY sauces, flavored oils and condiments, including this spicy, aromatic oil. "This is a wonderful oil for dressing noodles and salads. Its lemony tang makes it a great partner for fish," she wrote. in I -V4 cups corn or peanut oil cup Japanese sesame oil large green onions, cut into 3 thick green and white rings 10 quarter-size thin coins fresh ginger, smashed 1 V2 teaspoons shockingly pungent dried red chili flakes 2 teaspoons Sichuan peppercorns 1 Combine all the ingredients in a heavy, non-aluminum 1- to 1 'z-quart saucepan.

Rest a deep-fry thermometer on the rim of the pot. Over moderately low heat, heat the mixture to a bubbly 225 degrees, stirring occasionally. Let simmer for 15 minutes, checking to ensure the temperature does not rise. Remove from the heat and let stand until cool or overnight. 2 Strain the oil without pressing the solids; then, discard the solids.

Store the oil in an impeccably clean glass jar at cool room temperature. Nutrition information per tablespoon: 154 calories, 18 fat, 3 saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 0 carbohydrates, 0 protein, 0 mg sodium, 0 fiber By Bill Daley Tribune Newspapers Barbara Tropp helped interpret Chinese food for the American home cook through two esteemed cookbooks, classes and a successful, nationally renowned San Francisco restaurant called China Moon Cafe. She also worked to improve conditions for women in the restaurant industry, co-founding the organization now known as Women Chefs Restaurateurs. "She was a mighty mouse," recalls her good friend Joyce Goldstein, a San Francisco restaurateur and author. "She had a very large personality in a tiny body." Tropp, whom the Los Angeles Times would later describe as "a petite fireball in the Bay Area restaurant world," didn't set out to own a restaurant or write cookbooks.

Born and raised in New Jersey, she studied Chinese culture and language. However, her knowledge of Chinese food, as she told Craig Claiborne in a 1981 New York Times profile, "was not much beyond barbecued ribs and egg drop soup." Then came the opportunity to go to Taiwan to live, study and, fatefully, eat. "Classic Chinese with refined taste taught me how to eat and how to live," Tropp told Claiborne. Back in the United States, Tropp couldn't get an academic post in her specialty (Chinese literature and art), recalled her husband, Bart Rhoades, now partner and chief operating officer of Oxbow Public Market in Napa, Calif. Hungry for the foods she had left behind, she taught herself to cook Chinese and then started teaching others.

She moved to San Francisco and got hooked into the Bay Area food community. Tropp put aside her academic career and started in on a cookbook. Five years later, in 1982, Tropp's "The Modern Art of SIERRA NICOLE RHODENILLUSTRATION FOR TRIBUNE NEWSPAPERS Chinese Cooking" was published. At a time when Chinese cookbooks were often little more than lists of ingredients and terse directions, she offered detailed and often lengthy recipes aimed at addressing every conceivable conundrum a home cook might face in the ldtchen. "Barbara used to joke she was of the Julia Child school of cookbook writing, which she described as tell it all," Rhoades says.

And Tropp did tell it all. The cookbook opened with an essay on Chinese cooking philosophy, a 20-page tutorial on using a Chinese cleaver, and in-depth explanations of techniques. A detailed 51-page glossary not only told you what was what, but also when and how to buy it or, failing that, what to use instead. In 1986, Tropp opened China Moon Cafe in what she described as a "1930s art deco coffee shop" in downtown San Francisco. "Her concept from the get-go was to take California ingredients and prepare them in a Chinese way.

That was the magic of China Moon Cafe," Rhoades says. Tropp's second book, "China Moon Cookbook," was published in 1992. It was notable for its chapter of do-it-yourself sauces, flavored oils and condiments. She was among the first to focus on the pantry that way, says Deann Bayless, the Chicago restaurateur BILL HOG ANTRIBUNE NEWSPAPERS; LISA SCHUMACHERFOOD STYLING and co-owner of Frontera Grill and other restaurants. Around that time, Tropp joined with Goldstein and six other prominent women in the food world to form, in 1993, Women Chefs Restaurateurs.

The group's mission, according to its website, is: "To promote and enhance the education, advancement and connection of women in the culinary industry." "Barbara took the idea and ran with it," says Bayless, who was the organization's president from 1999 to 2001. "She was a visionary and had so many good ideas. She could rally people around her." Rhoades says Women Chefs is Tropp's legacy. Diagnosed with ovarian cancer, she closed China Moon in 1996. She died Oct.

26, 2001, at age 53. A scholarship in Tropp's memory was established by Women Chefs in 2003. The award, which Rhoades presents every year at the group's conference, covers the expenses of a woman chef living, learning and cooking in China Ten chefs have been sent so far, says Lisa Necrason, the group's executive director. "I think the thing that made her such a unique person was that she was extremely modest," Rhoades says of Tropp. "If you came into her circle even for a brief moment, you thought you knew her.

I still get notes from people who say she had a huge impact on their lives." wdaleytribune.com from Darryl jf jj ZBIGNIEW BZDAKTRIBUNE NEWSPAPERS; LISA SCHUMACHERFOOD STYLING DINNER TONIGHT Fresh figs ground a quick quinoa dinner Brightview Westminster Ridge is highly regarded for exceptional service and outstanding care to residents and families. With a passion for service to seniors, and over 30 years of experience in the senior living field, I am honored to work with and lead our talented and dedicated team of associates as Executive Director continuing that tradition of excellence. The community is filled with great people with a broad range of interests. It is the perfect size in an ideal, convenient location with an abundance of amenities. There is no large entrance fee or onerous refund requirements.

And best of all, no hard-to-manage chores or home maintenance worries. Simply put: Brightview Westminster Ridge is an excellent value. Come see for yourself. The energy here among residents, associates and families is palpable. Please call Cindy at 410-871-2225 to schedule a personal visit.

By Joe Gray Tribune Newspapers A friend gave me a beautiful potted fig tree this summer, with several small, very young and very green fruits already hanging among the leaves. Alas, just a few of those ever ripened in the not-ideal growing conditions of our rooftop deck. So instead I've been stocking up on fresh figs at the grocery store whenever I have seen them at a decent price. In playing with those figs in the kitchen, I came up with a quick saute that keeps their fresh flavor front and center. They're grounded by quinoa, with onions, chicken and cheese to bolster the dish.

Tips Dried figs can be substituted for fresh ones. Before being cooked, quinoa should be rinsed to remove its coating, called saponins, which has a bitter flavor. Rinse in cold water until the water runs clear. You can use any color of quinoa here; I like the nutty flavor of the red. You can also substitute with any whole grain.

The unripened fruit may wither on the tree, but we can have figs for dinner nevertheless. jxgraytribune.com Sauteed figs with quinoa, chicken and blue cheese Prep: 10 minutes Cook: 18 minutes Makes: 4 servings Sincerely, 1 V2 cups water 1 cup red quinoa, rinsed 1 teaspoon salt, plus more as needed 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 small red onion, chopped 1 pint fresh black mission figs, sliced in half lengthwise, or brown turkey figs, quartered 2 cups cubed, cooked chicken IA cup blue cheese crumbles Chopped flat-leaf parsley BRIGHTylEW Westminster Ridge Independent Assisted Living IHeat the water, quinoa and 1 teaspoon salt in a saucepan over high heat until boiling. Reduce heat to a simmer; cook, covered, until water is absorbed and quinoa is tender, 15 minutes. 2 Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat; add the onion. Season with a pinch of salt.

Cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to soften. Add the chopped figs; cook until they're softened and flavor deepens. Stir in chicken; cook until heated through. Taste for seasoning. 3 Stir the fig and chicken mixture into the quinoa; stir in the blue cheese and garnish with parsley.

Serve with a green leafy salad alongside. Nutrition information per serving: 407 calories, 11 fat, 3 saturated fat, 55 mg cholesterol, 53 carbohydrates, 27 protein, 729 mg sodium, 5 fiber Darryl Clemmer Executive Director 6- 505 High Acre Drive, Westminster, MD 21157 BrightviewWestminsterRidge.com.