[cogito, ergo creo]

0_o

2011-11-02T08:37:00.001-06:00

...derp...

The gallery is open for business!

2009-08-14T07:11:00.002-06:00

I'm happy to declare my photographs for sale at my new store at Etsy.com! It's a small step towards making use of my photography degree, but it's a start!

My first two pieces that I've put up are both 8 x 12 prints, mounted on foamcore for easy hanging or framing.

Both are up for $20 each. Check out my Etsy shop for more details!

Tofooled You! Vanilla "Cream" Pie for Father's Day

2009-06-23T07:25:00.005-06:00

After a week of fun and relaxin' at Lake Powell, I return to the cadence of the everyday. O' that I were able to run away again! That doesn't sound like a bad idea, really...hm.

But I digress...

We returned from Lake Powell late Saturday, and I luckily had Sunday off from work, which allowed me to turn my attention to Father's Day, and what to make. I wanted something a bit on the light side, considering the week-long snacking fest on the houseboat. I thought about a cream pie, but wanted to lighten it up a bit. I then remembered (with a laugh) a few years back, fooling everyone at an Independence Day barbecue, by serving a chocolate cream pie that was no usual cream pie, in that it contained no cream...but instead used a base of tofu. ^_^ So I went back to that recipe (Alton Brown's Moo-Less Chocolate Pie), and did some modification to use what I had on hand. (I was still recovering from the long drive and unpacking and cleaning that accompanies one's return from vacation.)

I thus give you the Vanilla "Cream" Pie with a Gingersnap Crust!

As is, it makes a light, sweet treat for warm weather, though I think that next time I make it, I'll probably add some cardamom to the filling. I think it would accent the gingersnap crust perfectly! This recipe is also a good starting point for further modification. How does a mint cream pie with chocolate crust sound?

Vanilla "Cream" Pie with Gingersnap Crust

For Crust
1 2/3 cups Gingersnaps, finely ground
1/4 cup Butter, melted
1/4 cup Sugar

Combine all ingredients in a bowl, then press into a 9-inch pie pan.

Bake at 350° F for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.

For Vanilla "Cream" Filling
2 cups Vanilla (White Chocolate) Chips
1/3 cup Milk
1 block Silken Tofu (I used Mori-Nu)
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
2 tbsp. Honey

Using a double boiler, melt the vanilla chips and milk, stirring until smooth. Add vanilla and honey.

In a blender, combine the tofu and white chocolate mixture. Liquefy until smooth.

Pour filling into the gingersnap crust. Chill in the fridge until cooled and filling begins to set, then transfer to the freezer until the pie is set solid. This not only makes the pie all the more refreshing to east, but it also makes it much easier to cut and serve.

Galactic Cookies and Crappy Photoshopping...YAY!

2009-06-10T08:19:00.005-06:00

Just a quick post today and a really crappy Photoshop of one of the Galactic Spiral Shortbread Cookies I baked a few days ago. (Cut me some slack, I'm pressed for time this week, what with vacation prep and all!)

I've seen photos of these kinds of swirl cookies floating about Tastespotting and other food blogs and decided to add my own spin to them when I noticed their galactic nature. I settled on a recipe I found on FoodNetwork.com, but decided to top them with those chocolate buttons that are covered with those candy dots. I think the buttons add an accent of sweetness to an otherwise not-so-sweet cookie.

They are mighty tasty, though, if not a bit labour intensive. Give them a go if you're looking for a cookie with some visual punch for your next cookie swap!

Galactic Swirl Cookies
via FoodNetwork.com
modified by Tom

Vanilla Dough:

1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
1 large egg
1 to 1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup unsalted butter, (2 sticks), room temperature
2 cups all-purpose flour

Chocolate Dough:

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup natural cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
1 cup unsalted butter, (2 sticks) room temperature
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

About six dozen chocolate buttons

Directions

For the vanilla dough: Mix the 2 sugars and the salt together in a medium bowl. In another small bowl, whisk the egg and mint extract and set aside. With a hand held mixer beat the butter until smooth in a large bowl. While mixing, gradually add the sugar mixture, and continue beating until lightly colored and fluffy, about 1 to 2 minutes. Stop mixing and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the egg mixture and beat until smooth. Gradually add the flour, mixing slowly until blended.

Turn the dough out of the bowl, divide in half. Place the halves between 2 pieces of lightly floured parchment or waxed paper. Roll into a 10 by 12 by 1/4 inch rectangle. Slide the sheets of dough/parchment sheets onto a baking sheet, and refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours or overnight.

For the chocolate dough: Whisk the sugar, cocoa, salt in a medium bowl. With a hand held mixer beat the butter until smooth in a large bowl. While mixing, add the cocoa mixture, and continue beating until lightly colored and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Stop mixing and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the egg and beat until smooth. Gradually add the flour, mixing slowly until blended.

Turn the dough out of the bowl, divide in half. Place the halves between 2 pieces of lightly floured parchment or waxed paper. Roll into a 10 by 12 by 1/4 inch rectangle. Slide the sheets of dough/parchment sheets onto a baking sheet, and refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours or overnight.

For a spiral cookie: Put 1 of the chocolate doughs on the workspace and remove the top sheet of parchment. Brush dough lightly with cold water. Place a sheet of vanilla dough on the workspace, and remove top sheet of paper. Using the bottom piece of the paper to lift the dough, place the vanilla dough on top of the chocolate dough. Take care to line up the edges of the 2 doughs and trim as needed. Lightly press to smooth and seal the doughs together. Remove the top piece of paper. Brush the surface of the dough lightly with cold water. Position the sandwiched doughs with the long edge facing you. Using the edge of the paper as a guide, roll the doughs into a tight cylinder, 2 inches wide. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour. Repeat with remaining 2 sheets of dough.

Evenly position racks in the oven, and preheat to 325 degrees F.

Slice the dough crosswise into 1/4-inch thick cookies. Lay about 1/2-inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until just golden - not too dark you'll lose the definition of the spiral, about 14 to 16 minutes. After removing from oven, place one chocolate button in the center of each cookie. Allow cookies to cool until chocolate re-solidifies. I put mine in the fridge to expidite this process.

Strawberry Kiwi Oatmeal: Simple, Seasonal, and Slow

2009-06-03T08:10:00.003-06:00

Whew, it's been a while, hasn't it? Why have I not posted any new entries? Where I been? What have I been doing? Well, nowhere and not much; I just haven't been super inspired lately, nor have I really cooked anything of much interest (I'm not one to blog about every darn thing I eat, y'know). Excuses aside, I come to you this morning to break my blog fasting and to present you with a bowl of strawberry kiwi oatmeal.

I have had this love of oats for the past few years now, and I never seem to grow tired of them, especially Irish oats (a.k.a. pin-head oats or steel-cut oats). Sure, they take twenty minutes to cook, but they're well worth the effort. They're chewy and just more satisfying to eat than rolled oats. I don't really follow a recipe per se, when I make oats, I just go with the flow of what I have on hand. The only "recipe" is for the base oats...

1/4 cup Irish Oats
1 1/4 cups Hot Water
~ 1/4 cup Soy Milk, Buttermilk, and/or Plain Fat-Free Yogurt
Pinch of Salt

Throw the oats, salt, and water into a small sauce pan and boil on low until thick. Pour in your dairy, return to boil, simmer until thickened to your liking.

From here I add in whatever piques my palette. This morning I had strawberries and a kiwi on hand, so I took one big berry and diced it fine and did the same with half of the kiwi. These I added in about half way through the cooking process. Adding some of your ingredients while the oats boil allows them to cook into the oats and give you an overall background flavor. When the oats got to my desired creaminess, I sliced another strawberry and the other half of the kiwi and used them to top the oatmeal. I also took the liberty of adding a few drops of stevia extract to boost the sweetness factor, a bit.

Simple, seasonal, and slow.

Elderberry Liqueur

2009-04-08T08:09:00.004-06:00

I've been toying with the idea of making my own liqueurs again. I had some good success with steeping a bag of Good Earth's Tropical Peach Black Tea in a cup vodka for a about three hours and sweetening to taste with some stevia extract. It's just sweet enough, and nice enjoyed straight or as a part of a tea martini I have yet to attempt (I refuse to call it a "tea-tini." Have some dignity, people!). I therefor decided to make use of some of the frozen elderberries I picked last October. I sware I have twelve cups of the stuff and have yet to do anything with them. I found a simple and promissing recipe from Pattie Vargas and Rich Gulling's Cordials from Your Kitchen.

Elderberries, sugar, lemon, water, and vodka...that's it. Allow a month to mature and I should have my own wild elderberry liqueur!

I reduced the original recipe by two-thirds, to make a trial batch before committing more of these hard-to-find treasures of the mountain. ^_^

I'd like to note that this is not a place to use spendy vodka, I just used Smirnoff. Though I did go for the 100-proof stuff because I'd be watering the vodka down in the process of making the liqueur.

Wild Elderberry Liqueur
Originally by Pattie Vargas and Rich Gulling
Modified by moi

1½ cups Wild Elderberries
½ cup Sugar
½ tsp. Lemon Zest
2 tsp. Lemon Juice
½ cup Water
1 cup Vodka (100-proof)

Crush the elderberries and sugar in a bowl and let sit one hour. Add lemon zest and juice, stir to combine. Transfer the elderberry mash into a clean, quart jar. Add the water and vodka. Age in a dark, cool place for one month, shaking once or twice a week.

Strain and filter the mixture, then transfer to a bottle. Age another month for best results.

Now the long wait begins..................

Blood Orange Marmalade

2009-03-16T08:40:00.009-06:00

Okay, things are coming along and I'm starting to find my way back to ol' Cogito (sounds like an artisan brand of apertif or whiskey...I call dibs on the trademark!).

I decided, yesterday, to get off my keester and actually do some cooking; as I've been without much in the way culinary inspiration as of late, evidenced by my lack of posts this year, thus far. Yesterday, however, while at Harmon's I saw they had blood oranges for a reasonable $1.19/lb and was instantly hit with an idea...blood orange marmalade! I grabbed a bag of oranges and went home and looked for recipes.

I recalled having seen a recent episode of Good Eats where Alton Brown focused on the orange and even made marmalade. Alton's recipes have never let me down, so I decided his was the one. It is simple and pretty straight forward, which is what I like about Alton's recipes, he doesn't monkey around, just good food done right.

The blood oranges gave the marmalade a rich, ruby color and a slightly more tart flavor than other marmalades that I've had. It really does have a sense of being a more "grown up" marmalade. The only complaint I have is that there must be something awry in the recipe. First off, the recipe says that it should take 15 to 20 minutes for the marmalade to heat to 222°F, it took mine nearly an hour. I've never had it take so long to heat a pot of preserves. Also, now that it's set, the marmalade is very stiff, sticky and almost candy-like in texture. All the marmalades I've had in the past have a more loose consistency. I'm not sure if this is how Alton Brown intended in to be, or if there's a flaw in the recipe. I also ended up with about 60 oz. of marmalade, rather than the 80 oz. the recipe said I should have. It is good, though, and I do recommend you give it a try. Maybe we can compare notes and figure out what may or may not have gone wrong or right.

Blood Orange Marmalade
via Alton Brown's Good Eats

1 3/4 pounds blood oranges, 4 to 5
1 lemon, zest finely grated and juiced
6 cups water
3 pounds plus 12 ounces sugar
Special Equipment: 10 (8-ounce) canning jars with rings and lids, funnel, tongs, ladle, and 12-quart pot
Wash the oranges and lemon thoroughly. Cut the oranges into 1/8-inch slices using a mandoline, removing the seeds as you go. Stack the orange slices and cut them into quarters. Place the oranges into an 8-quart stainless steel pot. Add the lemon zest and juice and the water to the pot, set over high heat and bring to a boil, approximately 10 minutes. Once boiling, reduce the heat to maintain a rapid simmer and cook, stirring frequently, for 40 minutes or until the fruit is very soft.
While the fruit is cooking, fill a large pot (at least 12-quart) 3/4 full with water, set over high heat and bring to a boil. Place 10 (8-ounce) jars and rings, canning funnel, ladle, and tongs into the boiling water and make sure the water covers the jars by at least an inch. Boil for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat, add the lids and leave everything in the pot until the marmalade is ready.
Meanwhile, place a small plate in the freezer. Increase the heat under the orange mixture to return to full boil. Add the sugar and stir the mixture continually, until it reaches 222 to 223 degrees F on a deep-fry or candy thermometer, and darkens in color, approximately 15 to 20 minutes. You may need to adjust the heat in order to prevent boil over. Test the readiness of the marmalade by placing a teaspoon of the mixture onto the chilled plate and allowing it to sit for 30 seconds. Tilt the plate. The mixture should be a soft gel that moves slightly. If mixture is thin and runs easily, it is not ready.

Remove jars from the water and drain on a clean towel. Place a canning funnel onto the top of 1 of the jars and ladle in the marmalade just to below the bottom of the threads of the jar. Repeat until all of the mixture has been used. The amount of marmalade may vary by 1 to 2 jars. Wipe the rims and threads of the jars with a moist paper towel and top each with a lid. Place a ring on each jar and tighten.
Return the jars to the pot with boiling water, being certain that they don't touch the bottom of the pot or each other. (If you don't have a jar rack, try a round cake rack, or metal mesh basket. Even a folded kitchen towel on the pot bottom will do in a pinch.) Add additional water if necessary to cover the jars by at least an inch. Boil for 10 minutes. Using canning tongs, carefully remove the jars from the water, place in a cool dry place and allow to sit at room temperature for at least 24 hours before opening. Once open, store in the refrigerator. Unopened marmalade will last for up to 6 month.

I also want to note that if the canning portion of the recipe doesn't appeal to you, then you can also just freeze the marmalade. I wanted to go all out, though, so I pulled out my canning equipment and boiled away!

Epilogue: This morning I took my open jar of marmalade, popped it in the microwave at 50% power for about thirty seconds, then stirred in about one or two tablespoons of hot water. After sitting in the fridge for a couple of hours I found that it loosened up, so it's easier to scoop and has a consistency I more associate with a marmalade.

Chocolate + Cardamom + Bread = T3h Awesome!

2009-02-24T16:40:00.002-07:00

Work and life in general have both conspired to keep me too busy to do much in the way of baking or blogging, as of late. Thus, when I had two days off in a row (something of a rarity for me) I decided to take advantage of it and get off my lazy ass and bake something!

I don't know why, but the thought of a chocolate bread popped into my mind pretty quickly. I did not, however, want to end up baking what amounted to a chocolate loaf cake...I wanted bread, the kind with yeast you get to knead in a Tai Chi-like motion, thus gaining peace and mental centrality. (I think I just made up that last bit, but it sounds good so I'm rolling with it!) I hunted about for recipes and finally found one that fit the bill!

The bread come out looking like a loaf of whole wheat bread, even though it's all just unbleached AP flour--ah, the wonders of unsweetened cocoa powder. The chocolate flavor isn't apparent at first, but it sinks in as you chew. I took a little liberty with the recipe and added in a couple of pods worth of fresh ground cardamom seed (my favorite spice), which gave it that little something of curiosity. The white you see on top of the loaf is just more flour, though I did consider powdered sugar, but wanting to keep with a non-sweet chocolate bread, I opted instead for flour.

All and all I do like the bread, and it makes for a killer peanut butter and jelly sandwich!

Chocolate Cardamom Bread
via About.com and tweaked just slightly by moi.

4 cups Unbleached AP Flour, approx.
¼ cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
2 tbsp Sugar
1 tbsp Brown Sugar
2 ¼ tsp (or one packet) Active Dry Yeast
1 tsp Salt
1 tbsp Vegetable Oil
1 ½ cups Warm Water (about 110°F)

In large bow, mix together 2 cups bread flour, cocoa, sugar, brown sugar, yeast, salt, oil, and water. Mix in the remaining flour, about a quarter cup at a time, until a soft dough forms. Turn dough out onto lightly floured board and knead for 5 minutes, adding only a small sprinkle of flour each time the dough gets too sticky.

Put dough in greased bowl. Turn dough over in bowl so that the dough top is also lightly greased. Cover bowl with plastic wrap or clean kitchen cloth and let rise in warm place for 1 hour.

Punch down dough. Turn dough out onto board and knead for another 5 minutes. Shape dough into loaf. Put loaf in greased 9x5-inch loaf pan. Cover loaf and let rise for about 30 minutes or until double in size.

Bake at 400°F for about 25 minutes or until bread sounds hollow when you tap on it.

Excuses

2009-02-20T08:01:00.004-07:00

Sorry for the lack of posts, as of late. Just haven't had a whole lot of free time to do a lot of cooking or photographing or writing. I've also been suffering from a lack of inspiration, really. I've been through this many a time before and this, too, will pass. I've actually been ruminating over the many bags of frozen elderberries, and what to do with them. Perhaps some elderberry liqueur, or elderberry jam?

Hang in there folks and satisfy your hunger by rummaging through my previous posts to hopefully find your own inspiration.

Here's a subtly HDR-ified photo of a plate of shitake, crimini, and oyster mushrooms for your visual enjoyment and gastronomic salivation. ^_^

The five minute artisan bread that took a week to make.

2009-01-18T13:21:00.003-07:00

It's been a couple of years since Mark Bittman and the New York Times published their first articles on various no-knead breads, which have since popped up on sites like Tastespotting and many a food blog.

And now it's my turn! Hey, it had to happen at some point I suppose.

No-knead bread is something I've actually avoided ever since I first read about it one morning in the photo lab, on campus, a couple of years ago. Personally, if I want fresh bread, I want it today...not tomorrow. Then, a couple of weeks ago, while listening to The Splendid Table, I listened intently as Lynne spoke with Zoe Francois and Jeff Hertzberg, authors of Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day: The Discovery that Revolutionizes Home Baking. At first I thought their method was just another clone of the many recipes for no-knead bread which are mostly the same. The difference, and the step that really caught my attention, is that with this recipe, you actually want to let it age or ripen in the fridge for as long as two weeks. Now that had to make an interesting loaf!

Another point I like about this bread is that ou needn't bake it all at once. I have actually been using small handfulls at a time to make even a single roll, or rolling out a little bit and making flatbread on the grill, so this is a batch that you can come back to all week long. At least, that's how long I've been aging my dough! And the longer you age it, the more intense and flavorful it becomes. After a week it has an almost sourdough-like flavor to it.

This, being my first attempt, I didn't mess with the recipe much, with the exception of replacing three cups of all purpose flour with whole wheat, just to give it a bit more flavor and a more old worldliness, I suppose you could say. Next time, which will be very soon, maybe even tomorrow, I may try using bread flour cut with rye flour, or maybe barley flour.

Five-Minute Artisan Bread
From Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day: The Discovery that Revolutionizes Home Baking by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francois (Thomas Dunne Books, 2007). Copyright 2007 by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francois.

Serves 4

Note: This recipe must be prepared in advance.

1-1/2 tablespoons granulated yeast (about 1-1/2 packets)
1-1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
6-1/2 cups unbleached flour, plus extra for dusting dough
Cornmeal

In a large plastic resealable container, mix yeast and salt into 3 cups lukewarm (about 100 degrees) water. Using a large spoon, stir in flour, mixing until mixture is uniformly moist with no dry patches. Do not knead. Dough will be wet and loose enough to conform to shape of plastic container. Cover, but not with an airtight lid.

Let dough rise at room temperature, until dough begins to flatten on top or collapse, at least 2 hours and up to 5 hours. (At this point, dough can be refrigerated up to 2 weeks; refrigerated dough is easier to work with than room-temperature dough, so the authors recommend that first-time bakers refrigerate dough overnight or at least 3 hours.)

When ready to bake, sprinkle cornmeal on a pizza peel. Place a broiler pan on bottom rack of oven. Place baking stone on middle rack and preheat oven to 450 degrees, preheating baking stone for at least 20 minutes.

Sprinkle a little flour on dough and on your hands. Pull dough up and, using a serrated knife, cut off a grapefruit-size piece (about 1 pound). Working for 30 to 60 seconds (and adding flour as needed to prevent dough from sticking to hands; most dusting flour will fall off, it's not intended to be incorporated into dough), turn dough in hands, gently stretching surface of dough, rotating ball a quarter-turn as you go, creating a rounded top and a bunched bottom.

Place shaped dough on prepared pizza peel and let rest, uncovered, for 40 minutes. Repeat with remaining dough or refrigerate it in lidded container. (Even one day's storage improves flavor and texture of bread. Dough can also be frozen in 1-pound portions in airtight containers and defrosted overnight in refrigerator prior to baking day.) Dust dough with flour.

Using a serrated knife, slash top of dough in three parallel, 1/4-inch deep cuts (or in a tic-tac-toe pattern). Slide dough onto preheated baking stone. Pour 1 cup hot tap water into broiler pan and quickly close oven door to trap steam. Bake until crust is well-browned and firm to the touch, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven to a wire rack and cool completely.

Belated Christmas Cookies!

2008-12-29T13:29:00.004-07:00

Whew! What a busy month...not so much with the baking, but with work. The problem about working the retail shtick (even specialty retail) is the non-stop work work work nature of the Christmas season. It's been so hectic and exhausting that I had few chances to do much baking this year. Bummer, and now Christmas is come and gone...but that doesn't mean I can't get caught up, not does it? After all, Christmas cookies taste just as sweet, rich, and delicious after Christmas as they do at the height of the season! Therefor may I present to you, Mrs. Santa's Magical Cookies...

Now, these are no ordinary cookies, oh no, these cookies are truly of the magical variety; the recipe of which come not from a mere cookbook, but from the pen of Mrs. Santa herself. Allow me to regale you with the tale of how I came by this recipe...

About five years ago, in the month of December, my family and I were at the Heber Valley Railway Station enjoying the sites and sounds of the old rail station turned museum, when something amazing happened. A sky full of snow danced down from the heavens. "From outside came the sounds of hissing steam and squeaking metal. I looked through window and saw a train standing perfectly still."

Everyone rushed outside to the old platform to see a wondrous train, hung with the holly and the ivy, and garland. I looked at the engine and tried to read the big, white letters but could not make them out amid the steam. We all marveled at the site, wondering what to happen next? Was the train for us? Where would it take us? As we all talked and wondered at the mystery and the magic, a shadow, hidden in the steam, was seen to emerge from the front car of the train. Though most everyone stepped back, not knowing who or what it was, one little girl stood still without fear, looking with wonder at the shadow as it stepped out from the mist to reveal a nice old man, dressed in a conductor's uniform, a warm smile, framed in wrinkles, sitting on his face. He looked like he could be anyone's favorite grandpa. He patted the child on her head, then looked at the crowd.

"Well? You all coming?" he asked.

"Where?" the girl asked.

"Why, to the North Pole, of course!" He said, joy pulsing from his being. "This is the Polar Express!"

I would be lying if I said we all jumped on board without hesitation, but the conductor's warm smile reassured us. What followed is best documented in Chris Van Allsburg's "The Polar Express." As you may remember in the book, cookies and hot chocolate were served, and truly magical cookies the were, as they were made by Mrs. Santa herself. So delicious were those cookie that I could not help but ask for the recipe. After a few minutes, a grandmotherly woman, dressed in a red winter dress, trimmed in white, walked into the car. She came up to me, looked me over, and smiled.

"A cook's heart, pure and good, always striving for the perfect cookie and cake and showing his love and friendship with his cooking. Here you are, young man," and she gave me a red card with a recipe on it, and she walked away.

"The Polar Express is about faith, and the power of imagination to sustain faith. It's also about the desire to reside in a world where magic can happen, the kind of world we all believed in as children, but one that disappears as we grow older.” - Chris Van Allsburg

And it's all true, every letter! Well...most of it, anyway, and here's the very recipe she gave to me, which I have up until recently, kept secret. In the spirit of the season, however, I have decided to share it with the world!

Mrs. Santa's Magical Cookies
by Kay Shean

1½ cups white sugar.
The giggle from an elf
2 cups of brown sugar
Found high on a shelf.
1 pound of sweet butter
A reindeer’s shy wink,
Three eggs freshly chosen,
Fairy Dust colored pink,
1½ teaspoons salt
A wish from a child,
1½ teaspoons soda,
One griffin smile-wild.
6 cups of white flour,
One gallon of joy
The twinkle that’s found
in a small girl or boy.
2 cups nuts if you like them,
if not, leave them out.
4 cups chocolate chips.
Remove all signs of doubt.
2 tablespoons vanilla
A huge dash of love,
A sprinkle of peace
From the wings of a dove.

Cream the butter and sugars, ten minutes for sure,
Mix in the giggle and winks, add the eggs and beat more.
Add salt, soda, flour, fairy dust and the wish,
The griffin’s sweet smile and beat well - What a dish!
Add the chips and vanilla, and nut if you will,
Scoop with small ice cream scooper and your cookie sheets fill.
Bake 350 degrees, 7 minutes ‘til done,
Eat with love, joy and peace and have bundles of fun!

Joyeux Noël, everyone, even if I am a bit late in saying so.

Breaking cheese at Harmon's.

2008-12-02T15:38:00.005-07:00

The best grocery store in the area is by far the Harmon's in Roy. An artisan bakery, excellent deli that has some great ready-to-go foods, a great selection of gourmet food stuffs, and, best of all, a gourmet cheese counter! I often find myself at Harmon's on my way home from work, where I loiter around the cheese counter, chatting with John, my favorite of the cheese mongers. And it was fortunate that today I happened up to the counter just in time to watch as John cracked open a whole wheel of Parmigiano-Reggiano, something I've wanted to see for a long time now.

What luck! And I gotta tell ya, there is nothing like biting into a fresh sliver of Parmigiano-Reggiano, just taken from the core of the newly broken wheel, to die for. ^_^

(You'll have to excuse the poor photos, all I had was my camera phone. It was better than nothing, but doesn't compare to a real camera.)

A whole wheel of Parmigiano-Reggiano, about to be opened.

John scores the wheel to ensure an even break.

In go the wedges.

It took some work, but he got them all through the rind.

Out comes, and in goes, the big knife.

Ah, a newly opened canyon of Parmigiano-Reggiano!

John, the big cheese of Harmon's. Sorry, I couldn't resist. ^_^;

A few minutes of Thanksgiving downtime with an Apple and Prune Tart.

2008-11-27T12:58:00.005-07:00

Given that I've just received a few minutes of Thanksgiving downtime after the baking of my apple and prune tart, I thought I'd post a quick picture and the recipe for this delicious baby!

Mmm, rustic and warming. Perfect for the Thanksgiving dessert table!

Apple and Prune Tart
via Epicurious.com

For pastry dough
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 to 5 tablespoons ice water

For filling
1/3 cup water
2 tablespoons Calvados
1 cup packed pitted prunes (7 oz), halved
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of ground cloves
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
2 pounds tart green apples
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup nut pieces, toasted

1 tablespoon whole milk
1 tablespoon sugar

Make dough:
Blend together flour, butter, and salt in a bowl with your fingertips or a pastry blender (or pulse in a food processor) just until mixture resembles coarse meal with some small (roughly pea-size) butter lumps. Drizzle 3 tablespoons ice water evenly over mixture and gently stir with a fork (or pulse) until incorporated.
Squeeze a small handful of dough: If it doesn't hold together, add more ice water, 1/2 tablespoon at a time, stirring (or pulsing) until incorporated. Do not overwork dough, or pastry will be tough.

Turn out dough onto a work surface. Divide dough into 4 portions. With heel of your hand, smear each portion once or twice in a forward motion to help distribute fat. Gather all dough together with pastry scraper. Press into a ball, then flatten into a 5-inch disk.

Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill until firm, at least 1 hour.

Make filling:
Simmer water, Calvados, and prunes, uncovered, until most of liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Stir together cinnamon, cloves, 2 tablespoons flour, and 1/2 cup sugar.

Peel and core apples and cut into 1/2-inch wedges. Halve wedges crosswise and toss with cinnamon mixture. Add lemon juice and toss to coat.

Finely grind walnuts with remaining 3 tablespoons flour and remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a food processor.

Assemble and bake tart:
Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface into a 14- by 18-inch oval. Roll dough loosely onto floured rolling pin and unroll onto a large buttered baking sheet. Sprinkle walnut mixture over pastry, leaving a 2 1/2- to 3-inch border.

Stir stewed prunes into apple mixture and spoon over walnut mixture, evenly tucking prunes between apple pieces. Turn edge of dough over fruit to form pleats. Brush top of dough with milk and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake tart, loosely covered with foil, in middle of oven 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake until crust and fruit are golden and juices are bubbling, about 30 minutes more. Cool tart on baking sheet on a rack at least 20 minutes before serving.

Now, back to the madness, such as it is. I still have pumpkin butter to make!

P.S. Did anyone else see the Rick Roll they pulled in the Macy's Parade? I think it's a bit late for the meme, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. ^_^

Enjoy!

Lubkuchen: Time to put that candied peel to work!

2008-11-24T17:59:00.004-07:00

I don't know where I first had the thought to start baking lebkuchen. All I recall is that a few years ago I just had to bake them. It probably had something to do with my springerle fixation and wanting to become more versed in the Christmas baking of the Old World. Those Germans really know their sweets! ^_^

Well, regardless of where the impulse originated, I'm certainly glad it did, as these cookies are Christmas cookies incarnate! Plus they're made with the candied citrus peel I told you about yesterday! (double score!)

Lebkuchen are essentially a soft, German spice cookie (one among many). The base is a nut flour mixture, sweetened with honey and flavored with cinnamon, clove, ginger, and candied citrus peel. Originating in Franconia, Germany, the lebkuchen has had a place in traditional German Christmas celebration since the late 13th century. So the cookies have been around for over 700 years, they gotta be winners with that kind of record!

The recipe isn't hard, and is pretty straight forward. It is also fairly traditional from the sources I've looked at, and the lebkuchen I've tasted in the past. The only real part where I deviate from tradition is that in traditional lebkuchen, you place the cookie dough balls onto oblaten, a thin wafer cookie, which prevents them from cementing themselves to the pan. I've been unable to find small oblaten anywhere but online, and I'm not really keen on having to have them shipped every time I want lebkuchen. Thus I just bake mine on a parchment paper, which works beautifully. You could also do as the recipe suggests and use rice paper.

Lebkuchen
via Epicurious.com

For nut flour
3/4 cup hazelnuts (3 1/2 oz)
3/4 cup sliced almonds (2 1/2 oz)
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda

For cookies
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
3/4 cup mild honey
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs
1/2 cup finely chopped fine-quality mixed candied fruit such as citron, orange, and lemon
4 (11 1/2- by 8 1/4-inch) sheets edible rice paper, cut with scissors into 32 (2 1/2-inch) rounds (optional)

For icing
2 cups confectioners sugar
3 tablespoons water

Make nut flour:
Finely grind nuts with remaining nut flour ingredients in a food processor.

Make dough:
Beat together brown sugar, honey, and butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until creamy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in nut flour at low speed until just blended, then stir in candied fruit.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Arrange rice-paper rounds, shiny sides down, on 2 large baking sheets. Roll level 2-tablespoon amounts of dough into balls with dampened hands, then put 1 on each paper round and flatten slightly (dough will spread to cover paper during baking).

Bake cookies in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until surface no longer appears wet, about 15 minutes total. Transfer to racks to cool.

Ice cookies:
Sift confectioners sugar into a bowl, then stir in water until smooth. Evenly brush tops of cooled cookies with icing. Let icing set, about 1 hour.

Fröhliche Weihnachten!

Making Candied Cirtus Peel for Lebkuchen

2008-11-23T17:30:00.004-07:00

I realized a few days ago that I really haven't done much in the way of Thanksgiving/Christmas/Holiday cookie baking yet. Sure I've done some springerle (and have much yet to bake), but I don't feel like I've been baking the season...so to speak. Thus it was with this in mind that I decided to bake one of my favorite Old World Christmas cookies...Lebkuchen. The only problem, however, was that as hard as I tried, I just could not find any candied orange or lemon peel. Not even the chep, cloyingly sweet, jellified stuff. Oh sure, I found plenty of tubs of premixed stuff. You know the kind, with the atomic green "cherries" you find in cheap fruitcake.

I think not. "I shan't," I declared, "sully the good name of lebkuchen with such a thing." Nor, however, could I go without. So I decided, with the help from some friends at BakeSpace, it was time to take these lebkuchen to the next level with homemade citrus peel!

I know what you're thinking, I must be crazy to first make an ingredient from scratch to the be added to another recipe. Maybe I am crazy, but believe me when I tell you that it's so simple that you will never again resort to buying candied peel.

You need a mere three ingredients to make candied citrus peel. Water, sugar, and your citrus peel of choice. Three simple ingredients that, when combined alchemically, yield this shimmering, sweet and slightly bitter, but always elegant treat.

Candied Orange and Lemon Peel

The peel of 2 oranges (including pith), cut into 1/4 inch strips
The peel of 3 lemons (including pith), cut into 1/4 inch strips
2 cups white sugar
1 cup water

Take your peels and put them into a large sauce pan and cover with water and het on high. Let boil 20 minutes. Drain.

In another pan, combine sugar and 1 cup water over high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Heat on high until the syrup reaches 230º F. Add the peels, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Drain.

Separate pieces on a wire rack, sprinkle with more sugar. Let dry for several hours. Store in a cool, dry place.

What about the lebkuchen, you ask? You'll just have to wait until tomorrow for that tasty conclusion. ^_^

Cranberry and Apple Relish

2008-11-21T12:37:00.002-07:00

Every year we go and enjoy Thanksgiving with some neighbors of ours, and have done so for as long as I can remember. And also for as long as I can remember, the deep rouge cylinder accompanied the turkey at the table. Yes, ridges and all, on its side sliced up like an analogue to the turkey...the cranberry sauce.

Now don't get me wrong, I think the red cylinder is okay, and has it's place in the kitchen (stir some into your oatmeal with some cinnamon, über délicieux!), but just not at the Thanksgiving table. Try telling that to my family or our friends. Thus it was that a few years ago I decided to try and show them the light and bring to Thanksgiving dinner real, honest to god, homemade, from scratch, cranberry sauce!

AND...it was a flop. No one touched it, except for a pity nibble from Rita. To ad insult to insult, I was actually ridiculed for making it myself. Joking comments along the lines of, "Traditional cranberry sauce not good enough for ya?" and so forth. I tried again the next year, but yielded similar results. I have therefor decided that though this year I will again make my own sauce for Thanksgiving, I'll just keep it at home, private reserve, if you will.

Most recipes I've tried over the years involve cranberries, water, a lot of sugar and varying spices. All have been either simmered or baked and yield a candy-like sauce that though might good, is also very sweet and often heavy on the palate. I was therefor pleasantly surprised when I found and made this recipe for a cranberry-pear relish on FoodNetwork.com.

The relish is completely raw and is simply thrown together in a food processor, so it's fast and easy. I also find that the rawness makes the relish lighter in the mouth than its cooked counterparts. It strikes me as a grown-up variation on the Thanksgiving classic, being nicely balanced with the sweetness of the pear (well, I actually used an apple because that's what I had on hand), the acidity from the orange juice, tartness from the cranberries, and bitterness from the orange peel and pith (yes, you literally throw in an entire orange). It also uses only a half cup of sugar, versus to the one or more cups in previous recipes I tried. I actually used less than that and sill found it plenty sweet to ward off the tartness, especially after a day in the fridge.

Cranberry-Pear (or Apple) Relish
via Food Network, all credit to them for a wonderful recipe

1 small navel orange
1 (12-ounce) bag fresh or frozen cranberries
1 Bartlett pear or an apple, cored and cut into large chunks
1/4 to 1/2 cup brown sugar
Pinch kosher salt
3 tablespoons pecans or other nut, toasted and coarsely chopped

Wash and dry the orange. Cut the orange into small wedges, including the peel, and put in a food processor. Add the cranberries, pear, sugar, and salt. Pulse until coarsely chopped. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 2 days. Just before serving, stir in the pecans.

On a related note, I'd like to introduce the newest member of Cogito Team...my new Canon SX10 IS!

With his help, I hope to bring you ever tastier blog posts through ever more delicious photography.

Cooking with Alicia & Annie: Amish Shoofly Tart

2008-11-05T08:50:00.004-07:00

After taking the month of October off from blogging (no reason, really, just didn't feel inspired to type), I have been raised from the post-Halloween grave to blog once again! What has roused me, you ask? It was none other than Cooking with Alicia & Annie's November Blog Event!

The challenge: Choose a recipe from either Alicia or Annie's recipe sites, make it, shoot it, and blog it.

The stakes: The Holiday Baker's Bundle, a collection of collapsible bowls, measuring cups, cookie cutters, etc.

...Bring it on!

I chose the take another crack at the odd-ball Amish Shoofly Pie, a molasses pie of Amish and Pennsylvania Dutch origin. I've tried making this simple dessert before, and had mixed results. The pie was overall good, but the crust (having been par baked before adding the filling) came out, shall we say, "over-caramelized," i.e. burnt.

Now it was time for Round 2, and this time I'd call it a sweet success!

I stayed true to the original recipe except for two things: First, I cut the recipe in half to make one pie, rather than two. Second, I was aching to try my new tart pan, so in lieu of a pie pan, a tart pan it was. I also reduced the baking temps a bit, same with the time.

Amish Shoofly Tart

Crumb Mixture
1 c. flour
6 tbsp. brown sugar
3 tbsp. butter
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

SYRUP MIXTURE
1/2 c. molasses
1/4 c. brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 c. hot water
1/2 tsp. baking soda, dissolved in the hot water
1 (unbaked) 11" tart crust

Instructions
Mix crumb ingredients together until crumbs are formed. In separate bowl, mix syrup ingredients together. Pour the syrup into the tart shell, then top with crumbs.

Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for 45 more minutes, until the crust is, as Alton Brown would say, golden brown and delicious.

Cool completely before cutting.

If you've never tried shoofly pie, the flavor can be hard to describe. As I ate it, I couldn't help but think that I had tasted this somewhere before, but where? Then it hit me! Shoofly pie tastes remarkably like a S'mores Pop-Tart, only much better!

Springerle season kick-off, 2008.

2008-09-29T17:48:00.004-06:00

Yep, I'm at it again. With the turn of the seasons comes a desire to try and, again, perfect my springerle skillz and break-in my new mold, with visible success!

Those who were following my trials and tribulations last year, will remember my ongoing issue with big hollows forming in the cookies (pillowing, as I've dubbed it), and that I had to make some adjustments to the recipe. I think those adjustments have worked well, and I made another change by using extra large eggs, rather than just large eggs. I think the added moisture went a long way to help the dough stay "coherent," you might say. No large voids, no pillows, just a consistent cookie. And look, they grew perfect feet!

Now, the hardest part of all, allowing the springerle to ripen for a week before eating any more of them! ^_^;

Here's the recipe I've been using, along with my alterations...

Whole Egg Springerle
from cookiemolds.com
originally published by Sharon Hudgins
"Edible Art," The World and I Magazine, Dec. 2001

4 extra large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 tsp anise extract
4 cups confectioners' sugar*
grated zest of 1 lemon
4 cups all purpose flour*
3/4 tsp. baking powder
Optional: 2 Tbsp. whole anise seed

* First sift, then measure by spooning gently into a measuring cup and
leveling off the top with a knife.

Beat eggs in a large bowl with an electric mixer on high speed for 10 minutes, until they are very pale and thick. Reduce mixer speed to medium; add anise oil. Gradually add confectioners' sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating continuously. After all the sugar has been added, beat on high speed for 10 minutes longer. Stir in grated lemon zest.

Sift flour and baking powder together into another bowl. Gradually stir into egg mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, mixing with a large wooden spoon until dough is smooth. Transfer dough to a floured pastry board and knead by hand for 5 minutes, until dough is soft and smooth and doesn't stick to your hands. Wrap dough securely in Plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours.

Lightly butter (or spray with PAM) two large cookie sheets (not the air insulated variety). Optional:Put anise seed into a small plastic bag and crush them lightly with a rolling pin. Sprinkle crushed anise seed evenly over the cookie sheets.

Lightly dust a pastry board with flour or confectioners' sugar. Break off one-fourth of the chilled dough, leaving the remainder tightly wrapped in plastic (at room temperature if you are working quickly, or return to refrigerator if you not). Working quickly, because it dries rapidly, roll out dough with a standard rolling pin to a thickness of 1/4 inch. Dust top of dough lightly with confectioners' sugar, flour, or cornstarch.

Dust the mold to be used with confectioners' sugar and shake off excess. If using flat Springerle boards, press them firmly into the dough, to stamp the designs on the dough. If using a Springerle rolling pin, roll it only once firmly across the sheet of dough. With a fluted pastry cutter, pizza cutter, or sharp knife, cut the imprinted dough into individual cookies, each with a separate design in the middle. (If you plan to use the cookies as ornaments, punch a hole in the top of each with a skewer or matchstick. After baking, put a ribbon or piece of yarn through the hole to hang cookies on the tree.)

Use a spatula to transfer Springerle cookies to the baking sheets, placing cookies 1/2 inch apart Roll, stamp, and cut the remaining dough, re-rolling any scraps, until all the dough has been used. Let unbaked cookies sit in the open air, uncovered, in a warm room (away from children and pets) for 12 to 24 hours to dry thoroughly.

Preheat oven to 275ºF. Bake cookies on the middle rack of the oven, one baking sheet at a time, for 20 to 25 minutes. Watch carefully; don't let them over bake. They should be white on the top and pale golden on the bottom. Immediately remove the cookies from the baking sheets and transfer them to wire racks to cool for at least 1 hour. Brush remaining anise seed (if used) into an airtight container to use for storing Springerle.

When they have cooled completely, put them into the container with half an apple or a slice of bread set on top of the cookies, to make the Springerle soften while their flavor is developing. Cover container tightly. Leave cookies in container for at least 1 week (and up to 4 weeks), changing the apple or bread every few days to prevent mold from growing.

After their flavor has been allowed to ripen, Springerle can be eaten or stored for longer periods in the freezer. Stack them in a plastic freezer container, with a piece of wax paper between each
layer of cookies. Serve Springerle with coffee, tea, or a glass of chilled, not-too-dry, Alsatian, Rhine, or Mosel white wine. Makes approximately 60 two-inch-square Springerle cookies. (yield will vary, depending on size of cookie molds used.)

Note: Springerle cookies can be left totally white, or the designs on them can be painted with edible coloring materials.

New springerle mold.

2008-09-22T15:07:00.003-06:00

Readers who were following me last year know well of my struggles with trying to bake the perfect springerle, which yielded mixed results. This year, I intend to keep working on my springerle, and even ordered a second mold from Mr. Gene Wilson.

This time 'round I purchased a smaller mold (2.5" x 3.5") featuring a proud/prancing reindeer/stag. It's Christmassy, to be sure, but I can also see using it for a sort of St. Patrick's cookie, as in the White Stag of Celtic legend.

I'll keep you posted about my baking results. I think it's about time I got to practicing my springerle!

Gingerbread: A spicy, autumnal, kick in the face!

2008-09-13T20:42:00.006-06:00

Do you feel it? Can you smell it? It's in the air, growing ever crisper. It's in the leaves, growing ever redder. And it in the cooking, which grows ever more warming. Autumn is upon us! I revel is all things autumnal; the changing leaves, the shortening days, wearing sweaters, the cool, crisp days, and the warm cooking and baking, especially. I love the flavors of autumn. Pumpkin, butternut squash, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, apples, oranges, pears, all of these flavors work in a way that, regardless of what goes on in your life and around the world, well...they make you feel happy.

One of my all-time favorite autumnal sweets (besides candy corn) is gingerbread. Not the cookies (though I love those, too), but the cake. However, I sometimes find it hard to find a suitable recipe. So many that I read extol the virtues of how there is "but a hint of spice," or "a touch of ginger," or "just a touch of molasses" to the flavor. Now, I don't know about you, but when I want gingerbread...I want gingerbread! None of this holding back of flavor. Give it to me full flavored and don't wimp out. I now think I've finally found a recipe that lives up to my demanding expectation, Gramercy Tavern's Gingerbread.

Another wonderful recipe from the folks at Gourmet Magazine, Gramercy Tavern Gingerbread is a dense, almost sticky cake that delivers a kick to the face, as spice and flavor goes. Hell, there's a heaping two tablespoons of ginger in this baby, plus an entire cup of dark molasses. You also get the pleasure of adding a cup of stout beer to the batter, and as we all know, beer makes food better.

I've used stouts in baking before, and yielded delicious results. I've used both Guinness and Sierra Nevada Stout, and both work. However, I have found that Guinness, though great when drunk straight up, does not deliver as much when used in baking. Therefor, I recommend Sierra Nevada Stout, here. It's got more chutzpah, which comes through well when added to a cake batter. You don't really taste the stout so much, but it helps to balance the three cups of sugar (1 cup each dark molasses, dark brown sugar, and white sugar) with some bitterness. It also adds richness to the gingerbread.

Hm...a second slice is looking good, right about now. ^_^;

Gramercy Tavern Gingerbread
via epicurious.com

1 cup oatmeal stout or Guinness Stout
1 cup dark molasses (not blackstrap)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Pinch of ground cardamom
3 large eggs
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
Confectioners sugar for dusting
Special equipment: a 10-inch (10- to 12-cup) bundt pan

Accompaniment: unsweetened whipped cream

Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously butter bundt pan and dust with flour, knocking out excess.

Bring stout and molasses to a boil in a large saucepan and remove from heat. Whisk in baking soda, then cool to room temperature.

Sift together flour, baking powder, and spices in a large bowl. Whisk together eggs and sugars. Whisk in oil, then molasses mixture. Add to flour mixture and whisk until just combined.

Pour batter into bundt pan and rap pan sharply on counter to eliminate air bubbles. Bake in middle of oven until a tester comes out with just a few moist crumbs adhering, about 50 minutes. Cool cake in pan on a rack 5 minutes. Turn out onto rack and cool completely.

Serve cake, dusted with confectioners sugar, with whipped cream.

Elderberries

2008-09-12T20:50:00.003-06:00

A couple of weeks ago I went foraging for elderberries in the mountains in a couple of my usual foraging grounds, and met with little success, collecting a scant 2 cups of berries. This is not to say that I didn't find any berries, I just happened upon them before the vast majority were ripe and thus, inedible. (Unlike other berries, unripe elderberries are, in fact, toxic.) So I decided to give them a couple of weeks and was rewarded with a nice haul, today!

I ended up gathering about 12 cups of ripe berries, which are now chilling in the freezer as I decide what to do with them. Any thoughts? I've made jam before, and elderberry extract to treat friends and family who get the flu, but tonight I find myself without inspiration.

Although...elderberry liqueur is certainly an intriguing thought.

Apple Butter, an Autumnal Preview

2008-08-18T16:08:00.007-06:00

Autumn...it's still a little ways off, I know, but that doesn't mean I can't indulge in a little bit of Fall in August, does it? I think not! There's just something about Autumn that warms the heart. I guess that's why I love it so much. Plus, it doesn't hurt that the months of September, October, November, and December comprise Grand Tetrarchy of Cooking, what with Thanksgiving and Christmas. I love the flavors of pumpkin, spices, cranberries, cinnamon, cider, and, of course, apples. Thus it is with great joy, and a watering mouth, that I present you with...Baked Apple Butter (on toasted brioche anisée)!

As much as I love apples and apple butter, this is only the second time I'm ever made it. The last time was a year or two ago, when I used the recipe from the Complete Guide to Home Canning and Preserving. My main gripe with that recipe, though, is that it's all done on the stove, and you have to stir almost constantly while it cooked, lest it burn. It took almost an hour to cook down! My arms fell off...both of 'em! And if your stopped stirring, you were brought back to attention with a searing hot splatter of apple butter to the face. If that wasn't enough you were also instructed to use a food mill to puree the apples and remove the skins, thus took another hour. Then there was the matter of the spices, the USDA's recipe instructs you use a mouth-numbing 1 tbsp of ground cloves. Now, I like my apple butter spicy, but this was just ridiculous!

For these reasons, I went about searching for a similar, though easier, method of making apple butter, and one that used less sugar, too. I wanted an apple butter that was easy, tasty, and erring on the healthier side. And I think I found it.

I consulted many a recipe and combined the elements from each I liked, not the least of which is the fact that it's baked, so you don't have to worry about it scorching, and you only have to give 'er a stir every half-hour.

Baked Apple Butter

4 large Granny Smith apples
4 large Breaburn apples
1 cup unsweetened Apple Juice
1 cup Brown Sugar (or other sweetener)
2 (generous) tsp. ground Cinnamon
1/2 (generous) tsp. ground Cloves
1/4 (generous) tsp. ground Allspice
The ground up seeds of one large Green Cardamom Pod
Generous pinch of Salt

Core and cut the apples into chunks, but leave the skin on. Put apples and apple juice into a large sauce pan and boil over medium heat for 30 minutes.

Set oven to 275°F.

Using a stick blender, blend the apples and skins until smooth. You can also use a food processor or blender, working in batches.

Add the sugar , cinnamon, cloves, allspice, cardamom and salt. Stir to mix well. Pour into a 13x9 inch baking dish, and bake for 3 hours, stirring every half-hour, or until the butter reaches the consistency you like.

Notes:

- Feel free to use any kind apples you like, in this recipe, it's plenty flexible. I just happened to like the looks of the Granny Smiths and Braeburns today.

- If you can get apple cider, that would work great too. Cider is just yet to make an appearance around here, as yet.

- You can use white sugar, brown sugar, honey, or a sugar substitute. Just aim for a cup's worth. I didn't have enough brown sugar, so I topped it off with the Baker's Blend sugar substitute.

- Don't feel that you must use the cardamom, I know it can be hard to find, for some. I just love the warm, floral taste of the stuff so much...how could I not add it in? ^_^

- Next time, I'll probably add in some lime juice to lend a bit of acidity to the butter, to brighten it up a tad.

- This recipe is not meant to be processed and "put up," so be sure to keep it refrigerated.

Cahill's Irish Porter Cheddar

2008-08-15T15:57:00.002-06:00

I was at Harmon's today (my favorite grocery store!) and picked up a wedge of Cahill's Irish Porter Cheddar.

The cheese is a medium cheddar, but before they press the curd, they mix in Irish porter beer, which creates a beautiful marbled cross section. The flavor is nicely filling, and has just a bit o' bite, with a sweetness from the beer. The cheese also has an interesting distinction in that they use vegetable rennet to form the curd, rather than the rennet from a sheep's stomach, so you [i]could[/i] call it a "vegetarian" cheese, assuming you're a lacto-vegetarian, of course; or like me, an ovo-pesco-lacto-vegetarian. ^_^;

I think that a drink pairing is pretty easy here, Guinness, of course! A pint of Polygamy Porter from Wasatch Brewery would also be a great option.

Slàinte!

Potage Luzienne

2008-08-13T20:01:00.004-06:00

Some weeks ago, while wandering through Barnes & Noble and enjoying the smell of coffee and paper, I happened upon a jackpot of a find on a clearance table, Under the Sun: Caroline Conran's French Country Cooking. For $5.50, how could I not!? The book is filled with information on the ingredients, foods, and people of southern France, "...from Bordeaux to Nice..." and beyond. The recipes are pretty simple, down-home French cooking, you could say. None of the snooty stuff which often maligns French cooking in pop culture. Recipes include Sautéed Green Bell Peppers and Tomato Salad (Salade de Tomates aux Piments Verts), Cep and Potato Soup (Soupe aux Cépes), Lamb Couscous with Seven Vegetables (Couscous aux Sept Legumes), and Sweet Aniseed Brioche (Brioche Anisée) and so many more. Many of the recipes are accompanied with beautiful photographs, as well.

Tonight, I was set on making the Olive Soup from St.-Jean-de-Luz (Potage Luzienne).

Mmm, hearty, old world, rustic, and tasting of the country of the Pays Basque...at least, so I'd assume.

Olive Soup from St. Jean-de-Luz
(Potage Luzienne)
from Under the Sun, by Caroline Conran

1 cup dried fava beans, soaked for 2 hours until tender
1 smallish russet potato, peeled and diced
1 large leek, cleaned and sliced thinly
1 cup pitted kalamata olives
2 shallots, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp. dried thyme
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Slices of whole grain baguette, buttered and toasted and sprinkled with salt and pepper

Put the soaked and drained beans, potato, leek, olives, shallots, thyme and garlic into a dutch oven with 4 3/4 cups water. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer on low for 1¼ to 1½ hours.

Add slat and pepper to taste, and id you'd like, briefly blend with a stick blender.

Serve topped with a slice of toasted baguette.

Bon appétit!

Curried Pineapple Hummus with Herbed Egg Roll Chips

2008-08-06T11:56:00.004-06:00

I've said numerous times over on the BakeSpace forums, one of my all-time favorite food reads is 28 Cooks. There, Fiber has posted many a vegetarian (and pescetarian) delight, my favorite of which are her wonderfully flavorful and creative hummus recipes. Her hummuses (hummus's...hummuseses...hummi?) range from Thai Coconut Curry Hummus, to Cirtus Sesame Hummus, to Sundried Tomato Hummus, and Chipotle Cilantro and more. One recipe I made some time ago was her Pineapple Curry Hummus. I loved it and was inspired the other day to make my own variation on this unexpected combination of flavors.

Curried Pineapple Hummus with Herbed Egg Roll Chips!

My version is similar is concept, but differs somewhat in ingredients. Rather than using curry powder, I used red curry paste. Plus I added coconut milk in place of oil, to give a creamier consistency and a more curried flavor. Along side the hummus, I made Herbed Egg Roll Chips, which are relly no more than crispy egg roll wrappers with an some of Emeril's Asian Essence. They are wonderfully crisp and crunchy when you bite into them.

Curried Pineapple Hummus

All the ingredients are approximate, as I was simply adding them to taste. Feel free to adjust them to suit your own palette.

1 can garbonzo beans (chick peas)
1/4 cup pineapple chunks
1 - 1 1/2 tsp. red curry paste
1 - 2 tbsp. coconut milk
Pinch of salt

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and go at it until you reach the smoothness that suits you, add more or less liquid (including the juice from the pineapple chunks, if you'd like) to reach your desired consistency.

Herbed Egg Roll Chips

egg roll wrappers
Emeril's Asian Essence (or any other Asian spice mix)
cooking spray

Put a large, cast iron skillet over high heat.

Take an egg roll wrapper and spray it with a bit of cooking oil. Sprinkle with Asian Essence (or your choise of Asian, or non-Asian, herbes). Cook about 1 - 2 minutes on each side, until golden brown.

Allow the wrappers to cool, then break them into chips.

Homemade Marshmallows...now where's my 85% cacao Lindt chocolate bar?

2008-07-28T16:20:00.004-06:00

Throughout all of my time exploring the endless facets of all things food and cooking, one thing has always managed to foil me at every attempt...sugar. More specifically, making candy requiring the boiling of sugar. Time and again, I have failed in my attempts to craft candy and confections alike; but not so on this day...

On this day I set out to conquer the sugar hurdle and attempt a recipe from this month's Bon Appétit, homemade marshmallows.

The recipe is pretty simple, consisting mostly of sugar, gelatin, vanilla, and water, along with a few other things, so the ingredients didn't cause me any consternation. What has always beaten me is the boiling of the sugar. This step, above all others, had me on my toes. One way or another, I always end up with a syrupy, crystalline mess in my pot, rather than a smooth, pourable, syrup. Today, however, I was careful, took my time, and double and triple check my temps. The temperature of the sugar was another issue for me. The recipe calls for you to boil the sugar until it reaches a final temperature of 240° F, which is fine if you're at sea level. Me, however, I live in northern Utah at an altitude of about 4500 feet. Living this high up, water boils not at 212°, but at 203°. This fact has been my undoing on many a baking or candy making endeavor, so I had to make an adjustment. After consulting a variety of sources, I settled on reducing the target temperature by 2° for ever 1000 feet about sea level. Thus I set my probe thermometer to start screaming at 231°. The results speak for themselves. ^_^

They taste just like marshmallows, so I think I can call them a success.

The great thing about the recipe, is that you can probably change out the vanilla for just about any flavor your heart desires, and the imagination can dream. Amaretto marshmallows, anyone? How about lemon, or chocolate, or coffee, or rum? The possibilities are quite intriguing. ^_^

And if you were about to ask, yes, they are wonderful when roasted atop the stove.

Homemade Marshmallows
à la Bon Appétit, July 2008

Nonstick vegetable oil spray
1 cup cold water, divided
3 1/4-ounce envelopes unflavored gelatin
2 cups sugar
2/3 cup light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup potato starch*
1/2 cup powdered sugar
Line 13x9x2-inch metal baking pan with foil.

Coat foil lightly with nonstick spray. Pour 1/2 cup cold water into bowl of heavy-duty mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Sprinkle gelatin over water. Let stand until gelatin softens and absorbs water, at least 15 minutes.

Combine 2 cups sugar, corn syrup, salt, and remaining 1/2 cup cold water in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over mediumlow heat until sugar dissolves, brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush. Attach candy thermometer to side of pan. Increase heat and bring syrup to boil. Boil, without stirring, until syrup reaches 240°F, about 8 minutes.

With mixer running at low speed, slowly pour hot syrup into gelatin mixture in thin stream down side of bowl (avoid pouring syrup onto whisk, as it may splash). Gradually increase speed to high and beat until mixture is very thick and stiff, about 15 minutes. Add vanilla and beat to blend, about 30 seconds longer.

Scrape marshmallow mixture into prepared pan. Smooth top with wet spatula. Let stand uncovered at room temperature until firm, about 4 hours.

Stir potato starch and powdered sugar in small bowl to blend. Sift generous dusting of starch-sugar mixture onto work surface, forming rectangle slightly larger than 13x9 inches. Turn marshmallow slab out onto starch-sugar mixture; peel off foil. Sift more starch-sugar mixture over marshmallow slab. Coat large sharp knife (or cookie cutters) with nonstick spray. Cut marshmallows into squares or other shapes. Toss each in remaining starch-sugar mixture to coat. Transfer marshmallows to rack, shaking off excess mixture.

*A food thickener made from cooked, dried, ground potatoes, this gluten free flour is also known as potato flour; available at most supermarkets.

TSP or TVP...either way, gotta say not bad.

2008-07-27T16:53:00.003-06:00

Whether you call it TSP (textured soy protein) or TVP (textured vegetable protein), it doesn't change the fact that the stuff is versatile, easy to use, and, when cooked right, down right tasty.

While at Good Earth Natural Foods a few weeks ago, I was walking through their bulk foods room (where, I might add, you can buy Irish oats, granolas, dried fruits, sweeteners, and flours of every variety at a fraction of the cost of boxed brands) when I spied bags of TSP chunks for a mere 96¢ per bag (about 2.5 cups, raw). Of course, being a flexitarian (90% vegetarian), I am on a constant search for cheap, flexible, and useful sources of protein. Tofu is great, as are beans, lentils, and the like, but more options is always better, thus I grabbed a bag. and went to making a pot of TSP and veggie stew.

The chunks, when raw, were about a half inch or so in size, and wad the texture of remarkably hard croutons, and the just discernible flavor of plain soynuts. Actually, if they could make a less dense version, you could probably use it as a high protein substitute for croutons, hmm...but I digress. As I cooked the TSP in the stew, they softened and took on the texture of a sponge. But...after 45 or 50 minutes of cooking, they did indeed firm-up and have a tender, beefy texture. As for flavor, like tofu, TSP tastes like whatever you cook it with, or use to marinate it, so there are a lot of options. You can let your imagination go wild!

HAve you used TSP/TVP before? Any interesting ideas or recipes? Give us a hollar and post 'em up in the comments!

Hearty Vegetable Stew
via soyfoods.com
1 (16 oz.) bag frozen vegetables for stew
1 (14.5 oz.) can vegetable stock
2 (15 oz.) cans whole peeled tomatoes
2 cups water
2 cups textured soy protein chunks
1 Tbs minced dried onion
2 Tbs each of Worcestershire sauce
pepper, salt, oregano and garlic to taste

Combine all ingredients in a dutch oven or stock pot (3 quart size). Stir well and simmer over low heat for 45 minutes, or until textured soy protein chunks are tender.

The triumphant return!

2008-06-28T07:02:00.001-06:00

Joy abounds with the triumphant return of Tastespotting.com!

Under new ownership, the site is back to its old self, with only a few minor modifications. Rejoice!

Fare thee well, Tastespotting.com...

2008-06-13T07:48:00.002-06:00

I awoke this morning to find everything as it usually is in the morning. I went about my rituals of feeding the cat, making coffee, then sipping half of my first cup before taking a shower. After I was dressed I sat down at my computer and clicked my bookmark to Tastespotting.com, only to be met with this...

Say it ain't so! For the past 18 months, Tastespotting has been an addiction for me, not to mention the best way to see what was the latest and greatest in the foodie blogoshpere.

Thus far there are no further details about Tastespotting's evaporation into the ether.

You will be missed Tastespotting, here's hoping you shall someday rise again from the ashes.

Curiouser and curiouser: Cantaloupe Butter

2008-06-11T16:01:00.005-06:00

I am not sure why, but for the past couple of days I have been consumed with the desire to make jam, or jelly, or some sort of preserves. Oh sure, there are recipes for strawberry, raspberry, and *blank*berry jams a plenty, but I wanted to try something new, something I would never have thought of on my own. After having made (and loved) the strawberry preserves with black pepper and balsamic vingar posted by Leah at SpicySaltySweet, I've only experienced an even greater desire to try preserves that are, shall we say, a bit beyond the standard fare. Wonderful though a basic blackberry jam is, sometimes you just gotta try something a little new and unexpected.

Whilst scouring the tubes for an interesting recipe, I happened upon a plain looking and unassuming collection of jam recipes, called simply Jam Recipes. "Well, at least it's concise," I thought, as I started to explore what they had to offer. Recipes included various apricot jams, marmalades (including a carrot marmalade? I'm going to have to try that out sometime.), banana jam, and apple jams infused with flavors from ginger to thyme (ooh, that's another one for the books), and many more interesting recipes, many of which hail from our friends in the UK. The one recipe that really caught my eye, though, was the cantaloupe butter.

The recipe is simple and consists of a mere four ingredients: Cantaloupe, Sugar, Lemon juice (or in my case, lime juice), and Cinnamon. The butter certainly tastes of cantaloupe, but also has a surprising caramelized pumpkininess to it. It's actually quite autumnal in flavor. Excitingly unexpected. Did I mention that it also wonderfully compliments my Murcia al Vino cheese? Also excitingly unexpected! ^_^

I had thought about making and preserving more butter, but was unsure of cantaloupe's preservability. Thus I consulted my Complete Guide to Home Canning and Preserving, and as it turns out cantaloupe is not acidic enough to safely preserve without the use of a pressure canner, a piece of equipment I don't really want to invest in. While the average cantaloupe has a pH of 6.17 - 7.13, the USDA does not recommend the use of hot water canning for foods with a pH greater than 4.6 (carrots, pumpkin, melon, okra, corn, asparagus, etc), unless you're pickling them in a brine solution. Therefor, my cantaloupe butter gets to live in the fridge. ^_^

Cantaloupe Butter

1 Cantaloupe Melon
Sugar
Lemon juice
Cinnamon

1. Remove the rind and the seeds from the melon, then dice the fruit.

2. Place in a pan with enough water to cover the bottom and prevent burning (about 1/4 cup), and cook until the melon is soft and pulpy.

3. Pass the cooked mix through a sieve or, like me, just purée it with a stick blender until smooth.

4. For every 2 cups of purée, add:
-1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
-1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice
-1 cup of sugar

5. Bring the mixture to the boil, then reduce heat to low, stirring frequently to make sure the sugar is dissolved and the mix does not burn.

6. Simmer for 25 minutes or until the mix sets when tested. It took me about 40 minutes until I liked the consistency.

7. Pour into clean jars and let cool to room temperature. Store in the refrigerator.

When I finished, I ended up with a bit less than a pint of cantaloupe butter, so I suppose you can figure about one pint per large cantaloupe.

The Test Kitchen: Key Lime Meringue Cupcakes and Natur Baker's Blend

2008-06-09T08:20:00.010-06:00

A couple of weeks ago, Babette at BakeSpace made an offer I could not refuse. To the first ten people to respond to her that particular post, she would send a one pound bag of the new Natur Baker's Blend sweetener. The catch (if you can call it that), we would have to use it to bake up some sweet cuppin' cakes, then post not only photos of our test baking endeavors, but also an honest review of Baker's Blend. These postings would then be reviewed by BakeSpace and the winner will receive another bag of Baker's Bland. Not being one to pass up free food (or ingredients for the creation thereof) or the chance to test out a new product, I jumped at the offer. A week later my bag of Baker's Blend arrived at my doorstep.

There it is (though in this picture, the bag is now empty). The text on the back reads that "Baker's Blend Sweetener is the new natural sweetener that has 40% fewer calories then sugar, is low glycemic, taste, bakes and measures like sugar," and that it "is made with erythritol, which is commonly found in melons, grapes, mushrooms, and soy; organic sugar from cane juice; natural isomaltulose which is derived from sugar and has a low glycemic response; and oligofructose, a sweet tasting fiber." Other ingredients include calcium and the ubiquitous "natural flavors."

Baker's Blend also boasts a low glycemic index (GI), which means that it has a less drastic effect on blood glucose levels. This, in turn, means the sugar is absorbed more slowly and steadily into the bloodstream. This makes low GI foods better for diabetics. In general, lower GI foods are better for you. So Baker's Blend has a plus there.

Here's your basic nutrition data. Ten calories per teaspoon, verses 16 calories per teaspoon of sugar, no fat, few carbs, and looks to be fortified with calcium. At 1 teaspoon per serving, and 113 servings per one pound bag, that would equate to about 2 1/3 cups of Baker's Blend per bag.

At first glance the Baker's Blend looks a lot like sugar. It's white, granular, and of lacks any smell. Upon closer inspection, though, I noticed two distinct particles, larger, crystal particles, and a second type of small, powdery particle. One is perhaps the sweetener, the other a carrier? I also notice a fair amount of caking, but it is easily broken up.

Next I tasted the sweetener, straight up. It is sweet (of course), but has no flavor. This is what surprised me, as almost every other sugar substitute I've tried has had a distinct flavor. From the slightly bitter taste of stevia extract, to the distinct "diet soda" flavor and aftertaste of aspartame, they have all had a signature note on the tongue. Not so with Baker's Blend, in fact, I might go so far as to say sugar has more flavor than Baker's Blend; unexpected, but not unwelcome.

Now, on with the meat, um, cake of this article, the cupcakes. ^_^

I wanted to bake something to welcome the warmth of Summer; something that would awaken the taste buds with a refreshing kick. I originally thought on retrying the Lemon-Raspberry Cupcakes from April's issue of Bon Appétit, a recipe I tried last month, but yielded questionable results. But then I decided that if I was going to put Baker's Blend to the test, then I was going to put it to the test. So I looked for, and chose, a recipe that I thought would push this stuff to the limit of its ability to stand-in for sugar...Key Lime Meringue Cupcakes. I would have to make three separate elements using the Baker's Blend, then bring them together into a Summer dessert. First there's the cupcakes, the foundation. How would Baker's Blend effect the texture, flavor, tenderness, etc, of the cakes? Then there's the Lime Curd; would Baker's Blend be able to control the sourness of lime while making a stable curd? Finally, and this was the real test, the meringue; could Baker's Blend be used to create a stable, fluffy, and delicious meringue that could be beautifully browned beneath the broiler (how's that for some alliteration)?

I decided to base my cupcakes on Nicole's recipe for Lemon Meringue Cupcakes over at BakingBites. My only real change was to substitute key limes wherever it said lemon, and to replace all the sugar with Baker's Blend, cup for cup.

Aside from being a bit time-consuming, the cupcakes themselves are pretty easy, and very delicious. The texture of the cakes is slightly spongy, and tender. They are subtly sweet with just the right amount of "key limeyness." So far the Baker's Blend has proven itself useful. The Lime Curd came together with ease, and setup just like I had hoped. The curd was then piped into the center of the cupcakes to not only provide more moisture, but also a little surprise and an extra lime kick! A note here, citrus curd turns out to be so easy to make at home, that I will never again pay the small ransom they charge at the grocery stores. Mine was a bit on the tart side, and probably could have used a bit more Baker's Blend to tame the tang, but otherwise, I approve.

Finally, we come to the real test...the meringue...

I have to say, I am impressed. The meringue came together in about the same amount of time as it would, had I used sugar, and was just as delicious. Even better, it was lower calorie than a standard meringue using sugar. The Meringue spread on easily, and browned wonderfully, though very quickly, in the oven, so don't turn your back for a second while you brown these babies! And yes, I did claim "chef's prerogative" when I was done and absconded with some meringue and a spoon. Yum!

So, how does Natur Baker's Blend stand up to the test kitchen? Pretty well, I would say. I am indeed pleased with the results. The cupcakes taste like cupcakes, and the meringue is stable and tasty, and all without the "off" flavors of other sugar substitutes. Plus Baker's Blend makes for a lighter cupcake. With the help of nutritiondata.com, I was able to calculate the nutrition data for each cupcake (from a total of 16 cupcakes) with both sugar and Baker's Blend.

Key Lime Meringue Cupcakes with Sugar
Total Calories ≈ 184 kcal
Total Fat ≈ 4 g
Total Sugars ≈ 21 g

Key Lime Meringue Cupcakes with Natur Baker's Blend
Total Calories ≈ 155 kcal
Total Fat ≈ 4 g
Total Sugars ≈ 11 g

All and all, using Baker's Blend I achieved a 15% reduction in calories, no reduction in fat, but an impressive 48% reduction in sugar; yet the taste and texture remains as they should. Plus, when you take into consideration the low glycemic index of Baker's Blend and the benefits of low GI foods, I feel I can confidently give Baker's Blend another point or two.

My only remaining issue is price. With an MSRP of $12.99 for a one pound bag, I think that Natur Baker's Blend is too pricey to be a staple item in my pantry, especially seeing as how quickly it can be used up in the course of baking. In this case I used all but maybe 2/3 cup of my Blend. I could, however, see myself using it in place of sugar in more, sparing uses, like in tea, oatmeal, and recipes that use little sugar.

Financial issues aside, though, I think that Natur Baker's Blend is a welcome addition to the baking world, and has a lot of promise, and not just for diabetics and those looking to cut out some sugar from their diets, but for bakers and cakers and cookie makers throughout the bake-o-sphere.

Key Lime Meringue Cupcakes
as derived from Baking Bites

1 cup cake flour
1 cup all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
¼ cup butter, very soft
1 cup Natur Baker's Blend (or sugar)
2 lime zest (from 2 large lemons)
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup milk, room temperature

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line 16 muffin cups with paper liners.
Sift together cake flour, ap flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.
In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar and lemon zest until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in egg thoroughly, followed by vanilla. Alternate milk and flour in three additions, ending with flour.
Evenly distribute in prepared pans.
Bake at 375°F for 18-20 minutes, until a tester comes out clean and the cake springs back when lightly pressed.
Remove to a wire rack to cool.
Makes 16 cupcakes.

Once the cupcakes are cool, fill a metal-tipped pastry bag with key lime curd (recipe follows) and pipe into cupcakes. Poke the tip of the pasty bag 1/2-1 inch into the top of each cupcake and squeeze about 2 tsp lemon curd into it. You might not use all the curd.

Meringue
3 egg whites
½ cup Natur Baker's Blend (or sugar)
¼ tsp cream of tartar

Set a glass or metal bowl over a sauce pan with an inch or two of boiling water in it (i.e. use a double boiler) and beat egg whites in it until foamy. Add in cream of tartar and beat until fluffy but not yet at soft peaks. Stream in sugar until meringue reaches fairly stiff peaks. Spread on cupcakes with a small knife or offset spatula.

Brown with a blowtorch or place on a baking sheet under the broiler until lightly browned, less than a minute, so don't turn your back to it, for even a second!

Lighter Lemon Curd
(adapted from Chocolate and the Art of Low Fat Desserts)
1/3 cup fresh key lime juice
1-2 tsp lime zest
5 tbsp Natur Baker's Blend (or sugar)
1 egg, room temperature
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

In a small sauce pan, over medium heat, dissolve sugar into lemon juice. Add zest.
Lightly beat egg in a small/medium bowl. Whisking constantly, slowly pour lemon/sugar syrup into the egg. Beat for 2 minutes (only 1 if you’re using a mixer), then transfer back into the saucepan.
Heat over low heat, stirring constantly, until it just starts to bubble at the edges. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
Transfer to a small container and store in the fridge.
Makes 2/3 cup.

A French picnic!

2008-05-26T08:07:00.003-06:00

Last week a friend of mine was feeling a bit down, so on Monday I decided to steal her away from work to enjoy a warm spring afternoon in a park and a simple, fresh French-inspired picnic.

I did a little research on the usual fare for a picnic in France and settled on four items. For starters, I made Provençal rosemary almonds.

Provençal Rosemary Almonds

2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoons dried rosemary, crushed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cups raw almonds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt the butter in the microwave. Mix seasoning into the butter, and then toss in almonds. Bake seasoned nuts for about 10-12 minutes, stirring once, until toasted and fragrant.

Remove from heat and serve warm or at room temperature.

The main dish was a pan-bagnat (or a variation thereof), the traditional sandwich of Nice, based on the Salade Niçoise.

Pan-Bagnat

1 cloves garlic, pressed
2 tbsp olive oil
1/3 baguette
1/2 can quality solid white albacore tuna, drained
1/4cup red onion, sliced paper-thin
1 hard-boiled egg, sliced thin
1 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Tomato slices
Lettuce
Salt and pepper to taste

Split the baguette length-wise and dig out the center to make room for the filling. Rub the garlic all over the inside of the baguette, drizzle on the olive oil along with salt and pepper, to taste.

Layer on lettuce, onion, tomato, tuna, and egg. Add another little drizzle of oil.

Wrap the sandwich tightly in plastic wrap and chill for about 2 hours.

As a tangy side offering, I also made an easy, fresh cucumber and dill salad.

Cucumber Dill Salad

1 large cucumber, sliced thin crosswise (about 2 cups)
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon dried dill

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and give it a toss.

Chill a couple of hours, tossing every-so-often, until ready to serve.

Finally, I served it all up with a glass of chilled apple tea. I would much rather have gone with wine, but the local laws of Utah are very oppressive when it comes to alcohol. Thus, one cannot bring it into a public park without the risk of being stoned to death...or getting a ticket after some uptight soccer-mom sicks the cops on you.

Apple Tea

2 bags of black tea (or 3 tsp. loose leaf black tea)
2 cups apple juice, divided

Heat 1 cup apple juice on stove until just simmering. Pour over tea bags/leaves and steep 5 minutes. Remove tea bags (or strain out the leaves) and add the second cup of cold apple juice, to expedite the cooling of the tea. Chill your tea until cold.

Good food, good company, and a sunny afternoon...nice.

French Cooking 1: Delicious Simplicity

2008-05-10T07:45:00.004-06:00

When I mention that I like to cook French cuisine, most people I know react either with astonishment, or with a certain "f#$% that fancy French food" look to their faces. Really, I fail to understand how French food always seems to create such diametrically opposed reactions. Either you're amazing, or you're a snob. I think one reason is that so many people think of French food as being long prepped coq au vin, fragile beurre blanc, or the pricey epitome of French retro-chic cooking (à la Julia Child), la filet du bœuf Wellington. As for the negative reactions, well, maybe there's still some post-9/11 anti-French fallout among the "freedom fries" sect. Who is to say?

Myself, when I think of French cuisine, I think of dishes that are simple yet delicious. Take, for example, the cassoulet, simple slow-cooked, bean stew. The stew often includes meat, in the form of pork sausage, duck, mutton, and pork skin. Being a mostly-vegetarian, however, I have searched for, and found, a delicious recipe for a simple and easy cassoulet de légumes (vegetable cassoulet).

Veggie Cassoulet
(via epicurious.com)

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 zucchini, chopped
2 celery stalks, sliced
1 onion, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 cloves garlic, sliced
1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes, drained
3 cups drained cannellini beans, liquid reserved
4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 dried bay leaves
4 slices crusty whole-wheat toast

Heat oven to 400°F. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook zucchini, celery, onion, salt and pepper until soft, about 8 minutes. Mix in garlic and cook, stirring, another minute. Combine veggies, tomatoes, beans, 1/4 cup of the bean liquid, thyme and bay leaves in a 2-quart baking dish. Bake until golden, about 30 minutes. Remove bay leaves and serve warm with toast on the side.

Nutritional analysis per serving: 382 calories, 7.8g fat (1 g saturated), 66g carbs, 15.5g fiber, 19.6g protein.

The only change I really made, was to add a small block of crumbled tofu, just to up the protein a bit more. I also made the cassoulet in my 10-in dutch oven. The cast iron gives a wonderful, rustic flavor to the dish!

Bon appétit, tout le monde!

Savory Provençal Sun-dried Tomato Biscotti

2008-04-26T08:26:00.005-06:00

Long time no bloggage, yeah? ^_^;

Working from a recipe posted over at 28Cooks (one of my favorite food blogs, to be sure), I cooked up some Provençal biscotti. The original recipe called for more or less the same ingredients, but included green peppercorns in brine...which I have found absolutely impossible to find in my area. Granted, I did find them online for a good price, but I was unwilling to pay $15 shipping to get them. Thus, I simply struck them from the recipe and substituted a teaspoon or two of herbes de provençe.

Never having made a savory biscotti before, I was going into this one blind. I've only ever made sweet biscotti, so this was a fun adventure. The texture is softer than I was expecting, but I think I took them out of the oven a bit too soon. A little longer and they might have crispied-up a bit more. The texture and flavor are indeed savory, and more akin to a scone or soda bread than a traditional biscotti, and is delicious served along side a cup of soup or with a salad.

I think this idea of savory biscotti deserved further exploration.

Roasted Chicken and Pears...with Chef Christopher Walken?

2008-04-02T19:14:00.007-06:00

A bit of an off-beat posting today...

I don't remember exactly where I found this, but it cracks me up every time I watch it. It's a home video of Chef Christopher Walken (who knew?) sharing his recipe for Chicken and Pears.

Enjoy!

Cookbooks, Our Community Tomes

2008-03-05T08:10:00.010-07:00

I walked up to my bookcase, as I do almost daily, and ran my finger over the dozens of spines that line the shelves. In the middle of the case, next to my DVDs, where I keep some of my cookbooks, I pulled from the shelves a worn, spiral bound tome of recipes, some dating from the late 19th century.

The Clarks Mills United Methodist Church Centennial Cookbook: 1883 - 1983.

It's about as old as I am. My mom must have bought it shortly after I was born, back when we were still living in Greenville, Pennsylvania. The recipes are from the members of the church and their ancestors and range from classic fare like Sugar Cookies (from Margaret Boyd) and Chicken and Corn Chowder (from Cindy Graham), to less conventional family recipes like canned coleslaw salad, Methodist Pie (which seems to be some sort of cheesecake) and a simple casserole called Election Day Special.

As you I read through the book, I find it fun to try and pick out recipes from different eras. "Is this a Depression Era recipe?" "Waikiki Meatballs, must be a post-war recipe from the whole tiki craze of the '50s." Other times I just sit and ask myself, "Who is (or was) Nate Graham? How did he come across the Weaver's Cake? Did he create it, or was it passed down from his mother, or his wife's mother? Did he have a wife? Could he even cook?" There are so mane stories in these recipes...family histories and traditions, treats to help a mother comfort her kids during the Great Depression, everyday staples from over a century ago.

From time to time I can also see a few notes left by my mom, showing that a recipe doesn't work, or is something she needed to try. She used this book often. You can tell from the many stains, burns, and much discoloring through the pages. This cookbook knows its way around the kitchen, and has the scars to prove it.

Clarks Mills United Methodist Church still stands today, at 3813 Hadley Road, Clarks Mills, Pennsylvania. I sometimes wonder if they have made any new cookbook editions or if they could give me a copy of the lost recipes on the burnt pages?

(Bonus coupon! Don't thinks it's valid anymore, though, seeing as how it expired in 1994.)

----------------------------------------

This recipe was not only written on the first page of the book, but it was also circled, and the page is stained with the oversplash of repeated preparations.

Indeed, Strawberry Dessert (from Val Osborn) was a delicious treat that I remember well from many an Independence Day barbecue.

Strawberry Dessert

Crust:
2 cups Pretzels, crushed
2/4 cup Margerine, melted
(I'm sure butter would work, too)
3 tsp. Sugar

Middle Layer:
1 cup Sugar
8 oz. Cream Cheese
Container of Cool-Whip

Top Layer:
1 large package Strawberry Jell-O
2 cups boiling Water
2 - 10oz. packages frozen Strawberries.

Mix crust ingredients together; press into a 9x13" pan and bake at 425° for 8 minutes. Mix middle layer ingredients together and place on cooled crust. Mix top layer ingredients together and place on top of cream cheese mixture. Refrigerate.

I've never tried this one, but the name always makes me wonder about the maker, Bev Carey. Did she only make it on Election Day, or was it a staple dish for her family?

Election Day Special

1 ½ lbs. Hamburger (browned)
Onion

Add:
4 tbsp. Rice
1 can Tomato Soup

Cut enought cabbage to fill a casserole dish 2/3 to 2/4 full. Pour meat mixture over cabbage and bake 1 hour or until cabbage is done.

Note: Bev doesn't include an oven temp, but I'd guess 350°.

Here's a Baby Boomer era sounding recipe if ever there was one. ^_^

Tang-y Tea

2 cups Tang
¼ cup Sugar
1/8 cup Instant Tea
2 tsp. Cinnamon
½ - 1 tsp. Cloves

Mix all together. To make 1 cup, add 2 heaping teaspoons to 1 cup of boiling water.

Caffé Shakerato

2008-02-27T15:48:00.007-07:00

While wandering about Barnes & Noble the other day, a good way to kill an hour and you wallet, if you're not careful. While looking through the cookbooks I happened upon an eye catching book of coffee and espresso recipes. How could I not?

Among the 80 recipes, one in particular grabbed my attention as an easy and fast afternoon treat, the caffé shakerato. I had read about the drink briefly in the August 2007 issue of Bon Appétit in an article (or maybe comic would be more appropriate) in which the writer, Marisa Acocella Marchetto, details her road trip through the length of Italy.

The drink itself is very simple. All you need are:

2 (or so) ounces of Espresso
1 (or so) tablespoon Simple syrup
Ice (about 6 cubes are suggested by the book)

Place the ice, espresso, and simple syrup into a cocktail shaker, and shake about 45 seconds.

Pour into a clear glass or, ideally, a champaign glass.

See? Easy! Plus, if you shake it well enough you can enjoy the show as the foam cascades up the glass, like a pint of properly poured Guinness.

Mmm, just sweet enough, yet still has a good espresso kick. The foam is especially delicious. ^_^

Homemade nutella = blissful goodness in a jar.

2008-02-25T15:52:00.011-07:00

Having missed World Nutella Day, due to me not even knowing about it till yesterday, I decided to play catch up, by making my own 'tella, no less.

I went to rummaging through the vast tubes of the net until I found a recipe that sounded doable. The process isn't nearly as complicated as I had originally anticipated. Just a few simple ingredients, about an hour, and before you can say Tetaumatawhakatangihanga-
koauaotamateaurehaeaturi pukapikimaungahoronu-
kupokaiwhenuaakitanatahu, you have nutella.

It's quite exceptional when warmed up and drizzled on a fresh bosc pear.

The texture of homemade nutella is to Nutella, what Adam's Natural Peanut Butter is to Jif. Being sans hydrogenated oil, it is a bit more fluid and the oil can separate, thus requiring you to give it a stir if it's been sitting for a few days. But why would it? ~_^

Homemade Nutella
Yields about 1¾ cups of goodness.

2 cups raw hazelnuts
1 cup powdered sugar
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 tbsp. almond oil (any nut or vegetable oil will work)
pinch of salt

Heat you oven to 350°F. Place the hazelnuts onto a sheet pan and roast for 15 minutes, stirring once halfway through. Allow the nuts to cool before wrapping them in a dish towel to rubbing them to remove the skins. Don't fret if you can't get all the sinks off, we just want to get rid of most of it, lest out nutella be bitter.

Place the now cooled and skinned hazelnuts in a food processor and process on high until the nuts turn into a smooth butter. It took me about 3 mintues, but could take up to five. At this point, it should look like natural peanut butter. You now have some yummy hazelnut butter, but we're not done yet. Add the powdered sugar and cocoa powder and process until again smooth. Add the vanilla and salt. Process some more. The mix will be pretty stiff by now, so we want to add our oil. I used three tablespoons, but you may need up to ¼ cup, depending on how thick or spreadable you want your nutella. Process until smooth.

Now all that's left to do is jar it up and refrigerate. Or you could take a big spoon to the 'tella and enjoy straight-up.

For some ideas for what to do with your new jar of bliss, check out Ms. Adventures collection of 50 Nutella Day recipes.

Bemused By Butter

2008-02-11T09:49:00.000-07:00

I was making my way through a Wal-Mart the other day grabbing a few grocery items at a frenetic pace, mostly out of a deep desire to get out of that mullet convention as fast as possible, when I glanced at the dairy section. It was there that I spied something I had never seen in the blue-vested depths of Wal-Mart, Challenger Unsalted Butter, a go-to necessity in the kitchen, no? The low price struck me as odd, despite the fact I was--very annoyingly--in Wal-Mart, but I grabbed a box anyway. When I got home I soon found out why Wal-Mart even had the stuff, much less at such a low cost...

Seems Wally's World must get the rejected and diverted butter, deemed unsuitable for more better markets. ^_^; Granted, it is the same thing I'd find at Harmon's or Target...I just found this amusing.

To combat the flu, Elderberry Syrup.

2008-02-07T08:57:00.000-07:00

Having been assaulted by a touch of what I believe to be the flu bug, I figured now would be a good time to make a batch of my surefire flu and cold cure, Elderberry Syrup.

I was introduced to this amazing, though simple, extract in my Ethnobotany class, a couple of years ago. Under the instruction of the genius Dr. Clark, we were exposed to many uses for wild plants. One of the most useful, Dr. Clark taught us, was the Elderberry, often known as the "people's medicine chest" because of its many medicinal uses, not the least of which is a cure for flu. There is an element in the Elderberry which prevents the flu virus from attaching itself to the cells in your body, thus preventing it from spreading. This, in turn, reduces the severity and duration of the illness.

My method is simple, first, I thawed out about three cups of elderberries. I then took my stick blender to them and pulverized them as best I could. Next, I poured the puree into a pan, added a shot of vodka (this helps to extract the beneficial alkaloids), and brought the mix to a gentle boil. Finally, I strained out the pulp and bottled my syrup.

One shot in the morning, and one shot at night, just as the shaman ordered.

If you fear the flu as well, but don't want to go through the trouble of collecting wild elderberries and making your own extract, go check out your local health food store and look for Sambucol, a popular elderberry formulation that is said to also work wonders against influenza.

Samichlaus, "Ich bin ein überbier!"

2008-01-24T13:55:00.000-07:00

Okay okay, so Samichlaus is brewed in Austria, not Germany; but I was unable to find an English-to-Austrian online dictionary, so I figured that German was close enough. Cut me some slack?

Behold! From the master brewers in Eggenberg, Austria, I bring you Samichlaus! At 14% ABV, it is without a doubt an überbier, often known in the US as an EXTREME beer, along with the likes of Dark Lord Imperial Stout (13% ABV) and the ever-publicized Samuel Adams Utopias (25% ABV, if you can believe that!).

“Samichlaus” beer is brewed once a year, in each case on December 6th, and stored and matured afterwards for over 10 months before it is bottled.
- Schloss Eggenberger

This probably explains why this single, 11.2 fl. oz. bottle cost me a pretty $4.00, so it's certainly not an everyday beer. As a seasonal treat, however, it's a beer that's hard to beat.

There she is. Beautiful, no? Sami pours a warm, dark amber, and with only a little head to start with, that dissipates quickly. The first thing I noticed upon my first sip is just how sweet the beer is; so mush so that I was unable to take more than a sip at any time. The flavor is, in a word, Christmasy, with flavors of honey, molasses, spices, and even a soupçon of toffee. I also noticed that though the alcohol was very much there, it remained in balance with the other flavors, and wasn't overwhelming.

The mouth-feel is quite heavy, almost like a thin syrup. The heaviness gives the beer a smooth and creamy texture, and a medium finish. The carbonation is minimal, and exhausts itself soon after pouring, leaving only a hint of its ghost on the tip of your tung. It reminded me of Guinness, in that way.

The brewer's website suggests storing the beer away, as one would wine. Aging the beer is said to enhance the creaminess and warmth of the beer. I may heed this suggestion, myself, and pickup a few bottle for next Christmas.

I liked the beer, to be sure. Like I said, it's definitely not a beer I'd drink regularly, but it would be a perfect ending to a cold Winter's day, sitting in the living room with friends, enjoying the warm glow of the...TV (I don't have a fireplace).

If you can find yourself a bottle of Samiclaus, you should give it a try. It way not be your thing, but hey, how many of your friends can honestly say they've had a beer this strong?

Just don't drink too much of the stuff, you'll get wasted waaaay too soon. ~_^

Prost!

Tofu Joes

2008-01-14T13:11:00.000-07:00

For the past year-and-a-half or so, I have been sticking to a flexitarian diet, with pretty good success. I feel good, I feel healthy, I am saving money, and doing my part to shrink my carbon footprint without going through the hassles that some people go through. As part of my diet, I have been learning the ways of Tofu. My problem, however, is an inability to come up with new, creative ideas to use the stuff. I mean sure, stir-fry is great, but I quickly tire of the flavors of soy sauce, shredded cabbage, and bean sprouts. Thus my prayers were answered a few weeks ago while wandering through the aisles of Barnes & Noble when my eyes fell upon a small cookbook. Small, but full to bursting with ideas and recipes for tofu.

101 Things to do with Tofu, by Donna Kelly and Anne Tegtmeier, is a breath of fresh, non-soy sauce scented, air. Recipes range from the simple basics, like tofu fillets, to sauces, tofu Alfredo sauce, anyone?, to more creative fare, such as tofu tikka masala. Even desserts are covered, with recipes for raspberry chocolate chunk pie, chocolate cheesefake, and crème brûlée. On the menu today...Tofu Sloppy Joes.

This is one of those recipes that you need to plan ahead, as the first step is to freeze your tofu. Yes, freeze it. It sounded weird to me too the first time I did it, but in freezing the tofu you change the internal structure of the curd, causing it to release its water and become more porous and sponge-like.

Yum, a hot, open-faced tofu sloppy joe. Tastes remarkably like a sloppy joe...who'da thunk? I think I'll be making this recipe again. ^_^

Here's the recipe, with a few personal alterations.

Tofu Sloppy Joes

1/4 cup diced red onion
1/4 cup diced green bell pepper
8 oz firm tofu, frozen then thawed
half a can of tomato paste
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup water.

Sauté onion and green pepper in olive oil over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Press tofu to dry and crumble into the pan, cook five minutes, stirring constantly. Add remaining ingredients and simmer ten minutes, stirring frequently. Serve on a bun, or in my case, an English muffin.

Santé!

After note: I was wandering through the State Liquor Store on Pacific Ave, today and my eyes fell upon a beer (or malt liquor, technically, I suppose) that held my attention and imagination.

Stay tuned for my review...if I'm still able to type after drinking it.

Delicious Simplicity

2008-01-10T16:44:00.000-07:00

After the month-and-a-half of ornate, intricate, rich baking and cooking, I decided that today I needed something different, something simple, basic.

White bread. Yeah, that's the ticket.

I had seen a posting via Tastespotting, from Jennie at Straight from the Farm and decided to take a crack at it.

It's fluffy, light, and fall of flavor, which is a challenge sometimes with white bread. It is indeed Miracle Bread.

MIRACLE BREAD

Part I
2 c. boiling water
2 T. butter
2 T. sugar
2 t. salt

Combine above ingredients and cool to lukewarm.

Part II
1/2 c. hot (but not boiling) water
2 packages of rapid rise dry yeast (2T.)
1 T. (scant) sugar

Whisk together Part II ingredients in a medium bowl and cover with a towel. Let yeast rise for 15-20 minutes, being sure it froths up and expands considerably. If yeast doesn’t rise, toss it and get new yeast before proceeding.

Once yeast has risen, combine with Part I. Add 6 to 6 1/2 cups of flour*, mixing with a spoon at first and then using your hands as it comes together. Add just enough flour to keep dough from being sticky. Knead dough for a few times and then cover bowl with a towel to let it rise. Come back to it every 10 minutes to punch it down and knead it some more, repeating this process 4-5 times. Don’t worry if you leave it longer - just be sure to punch it down a few times before proceeding with baking.

Divide dough in half at least once as it makes two large loaves. You can also divide it more times if you want to make smaller loaves or rolls. Place loaves on a greased baking sheet or in greased loaf pans. Cover again with a towel and let dough rise to double the size. If you want, you can use a sharp knife to make cuts in the dough to create ridges when they’re baked. I used an X shape this time on my round loaves for a nice artisan look.

Preheat oven to 375 F and bake risen loaves for 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Take loaves from the oven and brush with melted butter or spray with cooking spray to give loaves a nice sheen.

*The flour can be all unbleached white flour or a mixture of whole wheat and white flour. Use at least 3 cups of white flour or else the dough won’t be as forgiving.

Paix et santé!

Camera Woes

2007-12-23T10:57:00.000-07:00

Sorry, again, for the lack of posts, especially considering the Halloween/Thanksgiving/Christmas seasons. These should have been three prolific months, but between work and personal issues, I have been unable to do as much cooking or writing as I should have liked. Add to that the terror of our camera having been run-over, I have also been sans camera for some weeks now; and as we all know, a foodie blog is as much about the pictures as it is the writing.

It's ironic, really, I work in a camera store, but have no camera myself. -_-;

Oh the woes of saving money to move to Oregon (though the reward will be measureless).

Joyeux Noël!

Look who's here!

2007-12-04T21:41:00.000-07:00

Boy, I just can't seem to keep myself from wandering off anymore, now can I?

I apologize (to all 20 of you), again, for the lack of consistent posting. I've been doing a lot of thinking about a lot of things, as of late. How to tolerate my present job (sales monkey at a camera store), how to find a job in Portland, how to get to Portland in the first place, love, and how to truly live (something that eludes me at every turn here in Utah). It's all a lot of little things that add-up to big dream.

Also, my camera broke. And as we all know, a foodie blog is as much about the pictures as it is the writing, or in my case "writing." You would think that working at a camera store would facilitate me having a good camera, but such is not the case, unfortunately.

I have been cooking though, and have found a good cookbook that I want to share with you all, soon.

Stay tuned, and Happy Christmas.

Tom

Voyons! Mon premier tart tatin aux pommes!

2007-11-04T20:41:00.000-07:00

Last week I was listening to NPR's All Things Considered. My interest became piqued when a segment celebrating my favorite Fall fruit, the apple, came on. In the report, chef Dorie Greenspan takes us through the simple process of making an apple tarte tatin (tarte tatin aux pommes, if my as yet poor French serves me).

Really more a technique than a recipe, the tarte tatin is a something of a deconstructed French apple pie (or pear pie, or peach pie, or tomato pie), and is really easy as pie, or easy as a tarte. Sorry, that wasn't even remotely funny. ^_^;

Ad without further ado, le recette pour le tarte tatin aux pommes!

Happy Halloween!

2007-10-31T21:51:00.001-06:00

I know it's late in the day and only two hours of Halloween goodness remain, but who cares?

Happy Halloween, to all my readers (all five of you)!

White Noise: The Photography of Michael Kenna

2007-10-29T20:18:00.000-06:00

Time for another one of those non-food posts, just to shake things up a bit.

Like so many of us, anymore, I found myself Stumbling through the internet during a lapse in personal activity the other day. While jumping from random page to random page, one photograph caught my eye. It was a line of trees in the snow, with no detail to speak of. Just a visual focus. It was beautiful. I decided to look further into this page among millions and saw that the photos displayed there were some of the art of Michael Kenna.

I think that Mr. Kenna's work can best be described as a visual white noise, a meditation. His work is almost Zen in its simplicity (to use an overused analogy).

These are just a few of his wondrous, magical photographs. To see more, go to Michael Kenna's homepage at michaelkenna.net.

Puns

2007-10-29T08:18:00.000-06:00

I was cleaning my desk of needless things last night (in my ever-continuing quest for the distillation of the material) when this bottle, which has sat for years atop my monitor, caught my eye.

Hm, an empty bottle shaped like a cello. How can I not? It would be a crime to pass up the opportunity, would it not? Do I dare? How can I pass up the chance for such a great culinary pun?

I see limoncello in my future. ^_^
(How wrong is it that I'm so proud of this idea?)

Stop the presses! Stop the (coffee) presses!

2007-10-28T08:59:00.000-06:00

Like most coffee lovers, I believe that the best cup of coffee that can be had at home comes from the best, yet simplest, pieces of coffee brewing equipment; I speak, of course, of the French press. Also like most coffee lovers who own a press, I have one of your standard-issue presses from the folks at Bodum, makers of beautifully designed coffee and tea paraphernalia. This entry, however, is not about the beauty of the presses (though that isn't a bad thought for a future blog), it is about the technique of The Press, that all important morning ritual for so many.

I have done a good bit of research on brewing methods over the past year-and-a-half, or so, and have come across all methods from drip brewing, to coffee presses, to gravity-defying vacuum pots, to cold brewing, and the Turkish method (which sounds like it makes a cup of coffee with enough chutzpah to rival any espresso). I have also delved deep into the seemingly endless variations on the use of all of these methods, but most heavily the methodology of the French Press.

You see, you can go from coffee site to coffee site and find many press techniques. If you follow the instructions that come with a Bodum press, you are told to use two scoops of coffee (the press comes with a scoop) for every 6 oz. serving. This part seems pretty universal, so I'm game. Bodum also tells you to boil the desired amount of water, pour it into the carafe, then brew for four minutes. Plunge and pour. This is the method which I have used even since I bought my press, and it has seemed to work well. However, I have never been able to achieve that same bright finish that I taste when I buy a cup of Hidden Peak's Kilimanjaro blend at Adventurous Coffee and Deli (2550 Washington Blvd. in Ogden). Every time I made it at home the coffee tasted...heavier. So I decided that maybe I should study the art of brewing a bit deeper.

I wish I could say that my research abilities led me to the revelation and technique to follow, but I can not, for it was my knack at clicking my Stumble button that finally opened my eyes. What was this divine afflatus, you ask? I answer you with Metropolis Coffee. The good folks at Metro have a great website and a beautiful looking café in Chicago. I wish I could attest to this from personal experience, however I will have to make such judgments from the photos they have posted on their website. Works for me. Included in their site is a page dedicated to the art the brewing with a coffee press. It is a bit more involved than my previous formula, but after trying it I can really taste the difference in my coffee. The same bright acidity I enjoy at Adventurous, I can now enjoy without having to make the 20 minute drive to downtown Ogden every morning.

-Preheat your French press carafe with hot water.
-Use 2 level tablespoons of freshly and coarsely ground coffee per 6/oz H2O—scoop the coffee into the carafe.
-Bring some cold, filtered water to a rolling boil, then allow it to cool for 30 seconds before using.
-Start a timer (preset for 3 & 1/2 minutes), then pour around 1/2 of the freshly boiled and slightly cooled water over the grounds.
-Stir the mixture until the bubbling subsides—around 20 seconds.
-Pour the rest of the water over the grounds to fill the carafe.
-Place the plunger at the top level of the water, then allow it to brew for 3 1/2 minutes from the time that the water 1st came into contact with the grounds.
-Plunge and enjoy!

Believe me, it works beautifully! Give it a try.

Top Image credit: Andrew Saur & Angel Sarekla-Saur, www.justcoffeeart.com

The Third Battle of Springerle

2007-10-22T10:13:00.000-06:00

The Sun rises from over the Wasatch Mountains. A lone baker stands in his kitchen, sipping a cup of assam tea. A low heat emanates from the oven behind him. Pacing back and forth, like a general about to lead his Six Hundred into the Valley of Death, he gives a final inspection to the 21 raw springerle cookies that are lined up like soldiers on two steel sheet pans. The Baker turns on his heel, opens the oven door, and places the first of the two pans into the oven. The Third Battle of the Springerle has begun.

The Baker, having closed the oven door, thinks back on his previous engagements with The Springerle. A veteran of two previous battles, he is tired of being beaten, and feels that victory is in reach. He remembers the First Battle. Though the cookies tasted good, the detail of the image pressed into the dough was poor, and all the cookies ended up having large voids or pockets just beneath the surface, and the springerle failed to grow their traditional "feet." The Second Battle ended again with the Baker in retreat. He had decided to reduce the amount of baking powder from one teaspoon, to 3/4 teaspoon. Still, despite this adjustment, the void persisted, though the "feet" almost grew; he could see that the bottoms of the cookies had risen, but not enough to be "feet." So the Baker, defeated a second time, went to consult with his advisers.

First, he went to the creator of the molds he had used to press the springerle, Mr. Gene Wilson. Mr. Wilson advised reducing the temperature of the oven a bit. He also mentioned the effects of humidity and altitude while baking springerle. The Baker agreed, having dealt with the challenge of high-altitude baking many times before. The Baker then consulted his baking allies at The Springerle House. They too agreed that he should reduce the temperature of his oven from 300º F to 250º or 275º F. They also advised that he extend the baking time from 15 minutes to 20 or even 25 minutes.

As for the lack of detail, the Baker decided to allow the rolled dough to first warm up a bit, then having placed the mold, he jumped up on the table and knelled on the mold. (Understand, the Baker is not a big guy, so it takes do effort to press the cookie.)

The Baker applied these insights and techniques on this morning, as he waited for the first tray to finish baking.

Five minutes passed...then ten minutes...then fifteen. He peeked in the oven to see what had become of his springerle. What he saw astounded him, the springerle were floating. He closed the door, while joy and anticipation welled within him. Finally, twenty minutes had passed. He once again open the oven door and pulled out the sheet pan. Here is what awaited his gaze...

good, sharp detail, and...

the Weinachtsmann, standing up on his foot. Yes! The springerle had doubled in thickness, not by puffing up, but by growing a foot.

Encouraged by this new success, he placed the second sheet pan, this one holding cookies made with his new thistle mold, into the oven. Twenty minutes at 275º F later, again, success!

Sharp detail and a fluted edge (thanks to a linzer cookie cutter he didn't even know he had), and...

strong, well formed feet on all of the cookies.

Finally victorious after three attempts, the Baker now begins the hardest part of making springerle...letting them sit to ripen for a week before really digging in.

New Cookie Stamp!

2007-10-19T20:28:00.000-06:00

What can I say? I couldn't help myself. I loved the springerle mold that I bought from Gene Wilson of CookieMold.com. The details were exquisite, and the old world charm is warming to the heart, so I figured, "Why not get another mold?" This time, however, I decided to get a non-seasonal mold, so as not to be limited in my use of it. After much thought and rummaging through Gene's site, I decided on a 2.25" cookie stamp.

I went with the Thistle Stamp because I am a hopeless Celtophile and love all thing Irish and Scottish. Plus I can use it for a variety of cookies, gingerbread, shortbread, and any other small cookie that doesn't rise much.

I have to, again, congratulate Mr. Gene Wilson on his remarkable craftsmanship. To think that he can make such great molds and stamps, with so much intricate detail, using a router, never ceases to amaze me!

A life lesson on Self.

2007-10-07T09:04:00.000-06:00

I want to apologize for my distinct lack of new posts lately. The past couple of weeks have been very turbulent for me and I just haven't had time to post, now have I really cooked or baked much. However, I think that things will settle out now and I can resume posting on my quasi-regular basis. I have come out of this past week saddened and somewhat disappointed, more with myself than anything else, but what's done is done (or what's not done is not done) and to dwell on it would serve no purpose. I have learned much from this experience, and I will take those lessons forward with me as I continue to dream of leaving for Portland. It may not happen this month, but I'm shooting for soon after Christmas or the New Year.

I will never stop dreaming.

In these tired and troubled times it's easy to feel afraid

And the angry young man - and the castles that he's made

In these long and empty days it's easy to feel the fool

The angry young man, he'll break every rule

She comes to me like a high flying seagull

She comes to me like a eagle, she comes like a swan

In these tired and troubled times it's easy to feel alone

The angry young man does not know where he's going

In these long and empty days he'll pull the curtain down

And the angry young man, he spins round and round

She comes to me like a high flying seagull

She comes to me like a eagle, she comes like a swan

In these tired and troubled times it's easy to feel confused

The angry young man he will not be abused

In these long and empty days he's going to get it right

The angry Young man, he's learned how to fight

She comes to me like a high flying seagull

She comes to me like a eagle, she comes like a swan

- Dougie MacLean; High Flying Seagull

Prima Castimonia, the Default State

2007-09-23T08:43:00.000-06:00

Our species, our social state as we have created it, have evolved (well, maybe evolve isn't the best term)...has transitioned through many incarnations. Hunter/gatherers, various preindustrial cultures, the beginnings of economy, moving ever farther from the Earth in a post-industrial electronic society...all of these changed and "advancements," though having supposedly improved our society (as most would agree) have also served to lead us to one end, that we are moving ever away from our Default State.

All people, all cultures and societies are created and born into a Default State of freedom, unburdendness, and happiness. However, we work and strive throughout our individual lives and societal histories to loose the freedom of our Default State, for the sake of advancement--however one wishes to define advancement On the surface this may seem logical, but it is also the ultimate incarnation of self-destruction. As we further distance ourselves from our Default State we loose more and more of our inborn innocence and thus, our happiness.

When you were but two year of age, you cared nothing for wages, or economy, or politics, or any of the other concerns which now undoubtedly fill our conscious mind. And I'll bet you were also happy. You cared about nothing more than dancing in the grass at the park, or hugging your mom and dad, or exploring the mysterious world beneath your bed. You cared not for things beyond that occasional dolly or G.I. Joe. This is what I speak of when I say Default State...our original state of purity in which we are free, our Prima Castimonia, if you will.

One can even take this thought to the societal level. If you look at the virgin, isolated, native tribes of the Amazon, like the Huaorani, you can see a people who live closer to the Default State than almost anyone else on the planet. They are not burdened by taxes, finances, mortgages, deadlines, traffic, or any of the other frivolous concerns of the so called "civilized" world. They might spend five or six hours a day tending to the needs of life, and spend the rest of their day with their family. We can even look at Europe and see a greater attention devoted to family, life, leisure, and happiness, than we ever see in the States. One might work six or seven hours in a day, then go home and completely leave work in the workplace, and think only of what is important in life, family, friends, and happiness. Hell, in France the law requires that one have 30 days vacation per year, in Canada they even require ten days, and they are happier for it. True, they may not make as much money per year as an American, but they don't care because they don't need that extra few dollars to be happy. Here we can see a closer proximity to the Default State, the Prima Castimonia. Now look at the US. No guaranteed vacation time, people work an average of 50 or even 60 hours per week (verses, for example, 35 hours, by law, in France), sure an American may have more money, but we also have a much higher rate of depression than almost anywhere in the world. This is an example of the benefits of be closer to the Default State and the consequences of straying ever farther from it. But I digress...

I believe that we as a people and as individuals must begin to seek and relearn our Prima Castimonia, to return, at least a little bit, to our Default State, for the closer one is to his or her Default, the happier and less burdened she or he shall live.

Such notions, being grand and simple simultaneously, are not always so easily found...this I know. It is much easier to speak of a return to simplicity than to actually live the change. However, one does not need to follow Thoreau into the woods to live more simply. One needs only to remove for his or her life the useless things, the needless clutter that not only makes a mess on the desk and just give you more things to dust, but also that clutter the mind and the soul.

"Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity! I say, let your affairs be as two or three, and not a hundred or a thousand; instead of a million count half a dozen, and keep your accounts on your thumb-nail."
-H. D. Thoreau

In short, the closer we can be to our Default State, the happier we are.

Pre-holidays Springerle Test Run.

2007-09-17T10:17:00.000-06:00

(Yes, I know, it's still too early for Christmasy stuff, but I wanted to give my new toy a spin.)

About this time last year, I became very interested in the art of springerle and other Old World Christmas cookies. At the time, however, I was unable to get any springerle molds and set my sights on the lebkuchen legacy (a blog to look for in coming months), and set aside my springerle dreams...until now.

I happened across the work Mr. Gene Wilson of Belleville, Illinois and his website, Hobi Cookie Molds. I looked about and almost immediately ordered my first hand carved springerle mold.

The molds features Weinachtsmann, one of what appear to be numerous variations of Santa in Germany. The mold is from Gene's Heirloom Springerle Collection, it measures three inches wide and five inches tall, and is 3/8 inch thick. The price was about even with most resin reproduction molds I've seen, at $26.

I am very impressed with the detail in the mold. The folds in Weinachtsmann's robe, the texture of the basket, the tree branches, even the three bags of coins...it's all there. But a mold is just a piece of kitchen decoration until one puts it to its intended use. So, I did.

The process of making springerle is pretty involved and requires a bit of planning. First, you have to let the dough rest and chill for two to three hours after mixing it. Second, after you do mold the cookies and cut them out, you have to let them dry on the counter for 12 to 24 hours. You then bake them "in a slow oven," which translates as 300º F, for 12 - 15 minutes. If that wasn't enough, after you cool them you need to let them "ripen" for a week (some recipes call for three weeks) in a container with a slice of bread. This lets you slowly reintroduce moisture into the cookies. Then you may enjoy.

I decided that I would use the included springerle recipe for my first try, and I'm fairly happy with the results.

They lack some of the finer details from the mold, but I guess you can't expect your first batch of springerle to be a blue ribbon entry. As you can see, they're quite puffy, which is a result I didn't see coming. Especially considering how flat and dense the dough was. When I broke one open (I couldn't help myself), the inside was almost cracker-like, with layers of air and cookie. Are they supposed to be like that?

I'll give them another try in a week or two, after my first batch ripens.

I'm already looking at the next molds I want to order from Mr. Wilson. This time I'm thinking...shortbread.

Sláinte!

The Great Wal-Mart Mango Mystery.

2007-09-16T21:18:00.000-06:00

Can someone maybe clear this up for me?

I was at Wal-Mart (yes, Wal-Mart, so sue me, I needed socks) and happened past their produce section and was puzzled to see this...

"Sweetened Mango?"

And what, pray tell, is a sweetened mango? Please don't tell me that Wal-Mart, in their ongoing quest to homogenize the world, is artificially sweetening their fruit!? What's next, apples with high fructose corn syrup and red #40?

Can someone clarify this mystery for me?

Final Fantasy VII: Voices of the Lifestream released at Overclocked Remix

2007-09-14T12:18:00.000-06:00

At the beginning of last year (28 January, 2006), over at Overclocked Remix (one of my frequent haunts), everyone's favorite remixer, composer, judge, and mod, Zircon, announced the formation of one of the most highly anticipated video game music remix projects in the site's history, Voices of the Lifestream, based on the ever popular and highly regarded Final Fantasy VII. For many months we in the OCR community waited and imagined the glorious arrival of the Project. And today, our eternal wait has come to an end...

The project spans an amazing four CDs with a total of 45 arrangements by 42 of the star Remixers from Overclocked, thus making it the largest OCR project to date.

Head over the the project's homepage to learn more about this amazing (and did I mention FREE) album, download the tracks, and learn about all the individuals involved in the project.

Great job, guys and gals, keep up the great remixing!

Peach Days and kick-ass fried chicken!

2007-09-08T18:53:00.000-06:00

Today was the culmination of Brigham City's Peach Days festival.

Started in 1904 as a day-off from the harvest and time to celebrate "an abundance of the best peaches in Utah", this city-wide event is the longest continually celebrated harvest festival in Utah, and is reported to be the second oldest in the country. Peach Days is an honored tradition that brings approximately 75,000 spectators a fun-filled weekend that the Top of Utah and Southern Idaho residents look forward to every year.

That pretty much sums it up. As great as the fair itself is, I tend to look forward more to the trip home, when I get to stop in at the famous Maddox Ranch House and buy a box of their locally famous fried chicken and rolls.

This is serious chicken that cannot be beat. Unlike KFC or other restaurant fried chicken, Maddox does not drown theirs in batter. Instead, it's tossed in a mixture of corn meal, spices, bread crumbs, and probably a lot of other secret ingredients. The rolls are to die for; fluffy with an ever-so slight crunch to the crust. I'm pretty sure that butter, and a good amount of it, plays a role in their goodness. They also serve a killer honey-butter (pictured front and right).

Another perk to attending Peach Days is partaking in the event's namesake...peaches.

All along Highway 89 between Brigham City and North Ogden--a stretch of road known as the Fruit Way--local farms and orchards set-up stands and small markets to sell their freshest produce. Peaches are among the favorite crops of the area. I foresee some pies, preserves, and cobblers in the very near future. ^_^

A Summer salad featuring the miraculous Mother Grain

2007-08-27T09:32:00.000-06:00

Quinoa has been in the news a lot these past few years, for a number of reasons. First, it is said to be one of the most nutritious foods known to human kind, with a near perfect balance of carbohydrates, fats, protein, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Second, quinoa will grow and thrive in soil that is sandy and alkaline and considered too hostile to other crops. Therefore quinoa holds hope to feed the starving on the world, as it grows almost anywhere. Third, it's culinarily flexible and just plain tasty. For these reasons I have been trying to cook more with quinoa, despite the complaints of my younger brothers, both of whom say white rice tastes better. Personally, I don't think American white rice has any flavor worth speaking of, but that's another blog.

Running with the desire for quinoa, I made an easy and simple quinoa and black bean salad for dinner.

Not only bright in flavor, but also vivid to the eye. A perfect, light, Summer dinner.

The original recipe came from Epicurious.com, but I made a few minor alterations to keep it simple. The method is so simply, I can already envision some other regional twists, like Italian Quinoa, Asian Quinoa, and French Quinoa. I'll keep you posted!

Sláinte!

Quinoa and Black Bean Salad

Salad
1 1/2 cups quinoa
1 can black beans, rinsed
1 1/2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
1 can sweet corn
3/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
2 pickled jalapeño chilies, seeded and minced
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
2 small tomatoes, diced

Dressing
Juice of two limes
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cumin, or to taste
1/4 cup olive oil

In a bowl wash quinoa in at least 5 changes cold water, rubbing grains and letting them settle before pouring off most of water, until water runs clear and drain in a large fine sieve.
In a saucepan of salted boiling water cook quinoa 10 minutes. Drain quinoa in sieve and rinse under cold water. Set sieve over a saucepan of boiling water (quinoa should not touch water) and steam quinoa, covered with a kitchen towel and lid, until fluffy and dry, about
10 minutes (check water level in kettle occasionally, adding water if necessary).
While quinoa is cooking, in a small bowl toss beans with vinegar and salt and pepper to taste.
Transfer quinoa to a large bowl and cool. Add beans, corn, bell pepper, jalapeños, tomatoes, and cilantro and toss well.
In a small bowl whisk together lime juice, salt, and cumin and add oil in a stream, whisking.
Drizzle dressing over salad and toss well with salt and pepper to taste.
Salad may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Bring salad to room temperature before serving.

Serves 4 to 6 as an entrée or 8 as a side dish.

Perfect Summer French Toast. Très Délicieux!

2007-08-26T09:30:00.000-06:00

I made the usual Summer trip to the farmer's market, yesterday morning, and came back with, among other items, a beautiful loaf of Volker's Lemon Sage Bread. It may sound a strange combination (I know I certainly would never have thought of it, myself) but I would definitely call it a great bread for Summer. The sage imparts an elusive earthiness to the loaf while the lemon peel gives the bread a slight sweetness and keeps it light in flavor. If this wasn't enough, I got the idea last night that this would make a great French toast.

The results?

Très Délicieux! The earthy, lemony bread makes for a bright Summer French toast. My dad and little brother Kenny both enjoyed it, but Sean--my other little brother--after hearing my plans announced with all certainty, "I don't think it will be very good." Incidentally he never touched his slice (the kid's a culinary curmudgeon). Oh well, more for ME! ^_^

À votre santé!

Baked Lemon Sage French Toast

4 (3/4 inch) slices of day old Volker's Lemon Sage Bread
1/2 cup soy milk
1 whole egg
1 egg white
1 tsp. vanilla extract
A pinch of kosher salt
A sprinkle of ground All-Spice

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Place heavy skillet over medium-high heat.

Whisk the soy milk, egg, egg white, vanilla, salt, and all-spice together. Pour onto a plate or baking dish and soak the bread about 45 seconds on each side.

Place slices in skillet for two minutes on each side. Transfer to baking sheet and bake 8 - 10 minutes.

Serve hot with maple syrup and enjoy!

Farm fresh tomatoes, fresh-picked basil, a modest pinot noir, and Diana Krall, all elements of a relaxing evening in the kitchen.

2007-08-12T19:59:00.000-06:00

Some of the best things in life are often composed of the simplest of ingredients and the same often goes for good food. Take this evening, for example. All Summer long I have wanted to make a pizza margherita from scratch, with fresh tomatoes, basil, a ball of mozzarella, and a crust to die for...and tonight was that night.

I started with the tried and true Giada DeLaurentiis pizza crust, as mentioned in a previous post, only this time I substituted half of the unbleached all-purpose flour for whole wheat. Other than that, I just went with the original recipe. I had originally hoped to use tomatoes from my home garden, but my vines just don't want to give me ripe fruit this year, so I instead went to the Ogden Farmer's Market and bought a bag of beauties, along with some other items (a baguette, some beets, and coffee). The basil, however, was from my garden.

I didn't use any recipe for the pizza, really, just sliced up the mozzarella and tomatoes and scattered then about the pizza dough, then topped it off with my basil, a twist or two of black pepper, a sprinkling of kosher salt and a drizzle of olive oil. No need for sauces or blends of cheese or stuffed crusts, just a pizza in its purest form. Throw it in the oven at 450°F for 15 minutes, uncork a bottle of modest pinot noir (2005 Harlow Ridge) and put on some Diana Krall and you have the recipe for a relaxing evening in the kitchen.

À votre santé.

Sweet Potato Pie, wait...is that a CAKE?

2007-08-05T15:40:00.000-06:00

Yes, any of you who may be of the culinary conservative, avert not your eyes and quake not in fear. It's not that weird, is it? After all, we eat pies of sweet potatoes and we eat cakes of pumpkin, so why not cakes of sweet potato? And why don't we go crazy and top it with a hearty drizzle of caramel icing. That KEHR-ah-mehl, not KAR-mehl, this is homemade and therefore by default it is more gourmet. Hence, KEHR-ah-mehl.

This recipe came to me courtesy of my very dear friend, Brittany.

And yes, I did eat a few fingers worth of that beautiful icing, and don't say that you wouldn't either.

Spiced Sweet Potato Cake

Cake
4 8-ounce red-skinned sweet potatoes (yams)
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/4 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Icing
1 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

preparation
For cake: Pierce sweet potatoes with fork. Microwave on high until very tender, about 8 minutes per side. Cool, peel and mash sweet potatoes.
Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 325°F. Spray 12-cup Bundt pan with nonstick spray, then generously butter pan. Sift flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking powder, baking soda and salt into medium bowl. Measure enough mashed sweet potatoes to equal 2 cups. Transfer to large bowl. Add sugar and oil to sweet potatoes; using electric mixer, beat until smooth. Add eggs 2 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture; beat just until blended. Beat in vanilla. Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake cake until tester inserted near center comes out clean, about 1 hour 5 minutes. Cool cake in pan on rack 15 minutes. Using small knife, cut around sides of pan and center tube to loosen cake. Turn out onto rack; cool completely.
For icing: Sift powdered sugar into medium bowl. Stir brown sugar, whipping cream and butter in medium saucepan over medium-low heat until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to boil. Boil 3 minutes, occasionally stirring and swirling pan. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Pour brown sugar mixture over powdered sugar. Whisk icing until smooth and lightened in color, about 1 minute. Cool icing until lukewarm and icing falls in heavy ribbon from spoon, whisking often, about 15 minutes. Spoon icing thickly over top of cake, allowing icing to drip down sides of cake. Let stand until icing is firm, at least 1 hour. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome and let stand at room temperature.)

Bon Appétit, November 2000

I also apologize for the lack of posts lately. Life evolves as does the person who lives it. I am excited to say, though, that I will be teaming up with some friends in the near future to do our own chai tasting. Keep an eye out for that.

In closing, I would like to welcome any and all readers who have found their way to my little blog from The Apartment Farm. Welcome and enjoy!

Ad Hoc Grilled Flat Bread

2007-07-26T12:22:00.000-06:00

I didn't wake up this morning with the intention of posting an entry, it just happened. Being my day off, I decided that I just had to bake something, but I didn't want to be at it all day. After ruminating on the thought a while, I remembered my previous experiments with Giada De Laurentiis' pizza dough recipe from March's Bon Appétit. It was easy, simple, and delicious, as good pizza dough should be.

I followed the recipe as I had previously; yeast, flour, sugar, salt, knead, rise, punch, and roll...you know the drill. However, because of the hot weather, I didn't really want to heat up the kitchen with a 450°F oven, so I looked, as many of us do in the Summer, to the grill. I just set the burners to a medium heat and let it warm up. Going back to the dough, I brushed it with some extra virgin olive oil ans sprinkled it with some Asian seasoning blend, sesame seeds, kosher salt, and fresh ground black pepper. I threw it onto the grill until the bottom was brown and had nice grill marks, then flipped it over and let it go until done.

The results...

( ^ That's my favorite picture ^ )

Right off the grill, the crust is hard and crunchy while the inside is soft and fluffy...in a word, perfect! And those charred bits, the bets part, if you ask me.

Just cut it up and dip into some duck sauce and you got a nice appetizer or snack.

Grilled Flat Bread
3/4 cup warm water (105°F to 115°F)
1 envelope active dry yeast
2 cups (or more) all purpose flour
1 teaspoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons olive oil

Pour 3/4 cup warm water into small bowl; stir in yeast. Let stand until yeast dissolves, about 5 minutes.

Brush large bowl lightly with olive oil. Mix 2 cups flour, sugar, and salt in processor. Add yeast mixture and 3 tablespoons oil; process until dough forms a sticky ball. Transfer to lightly floured surface. Knead dough until smooth, adding more flour by tablespoonfuls if dough is very sticky, about 1 minute. Transfer to prepared bowl; turn dough in bowl to coat with oil. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rise in warm draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 1 hour. Punch down dough. Roll out dough into desired shape (mine was rectangular) and brush with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with Asian seasoning (I had some Emeril's Asian Essence on hand), kosher salt, sesame seeds, and coarsely ground black pepper, all to taste.

Set grill to medium-ish heat and all it warm up, about 10 minutes. Transfer dough to grill, close top, and grill until the bottom is golden brown and delicious. Flip bread over and repeat on other side, until it looks done to you.

Chocolate Stout Cake, Modification and Gift Thereof.

2007-07-19T16:00:00.000-06:00

When my dad's birthday began to near, I decided that the best gift I could give him was not an impersonal DVD or some other mass produced thingamajig or gadget. When I think about gifts, my mind often goes back to Ralph Waldo Emerson's essay "Essay V: Gifts." In the essay, Emerson reflects on the nature and purpose of gift giving. In the second paragraph, Emerson explains it perfectly...

"Next to things of necessity, the rule for a gift, which one of my friends prescribed, is, that we might convey to some person that which properly belonged to his character, and was easily associated with him in thought. But our tokens of compliment and love are for the most part barbarous. Rings and other jewels are not gifts, but apologies for gifts. The only gift is a portion of thyself. Thou must bleed for me. Therefore the poet brings his poem; the shepherd, his lamb; the farmer, corn; the miner, a gem; the sailor, coral and shells; the painter, his picture; the girl, a handkerchief of her own sewing. This is right and pleasing, for it restores society in so far to its primary basis, when a man's biography is conveyed in his gift, and every man's wealth is an index of his merit. But it is a cold, lifeless business when you go to the shops to buy me something, which does not represent your life and talent, but a goldsmith's. This is fit for kings, and rich men who represent kings, and a false state of property, to make presents of gold and silver stuffs, as a kind of symbolical sin-offering, or payment of black-mail."

Following this thought, I decided that the best gift I could give my dad was a birthday cake, baked from scratch, in the spirit of his birthday. After much looking, I finally happened upon a cake that I thought he would truly appreciate, and enjoy, a Chocolate Stout Cake. I decided on this cake for a number of reason, including the fact that my dad does love beer, and stout, like Guinness, is one of my favorite styles of beer. Instead of using the ubiquitous Guinness, though, I decided to use my favorite American stout, Sierra Nevada Stout. It's a lot like Guinness, but with more chutzpah.

This recipe has been floating about the internet since after its original publication Bon Appétit Magazine, September 2002, and according to every review I read (and input at the BakeSpace forums) this recipe was to make a monster of a cake. Three 8-inch layers, with batter to spare. There was only one problem with this, and that is that I don't own a single 8-inch cake pan, nor could I really afford to go and buy three. I do however own a couple of 9-inch pans as well as a 9-inch springform that has produced good cake results in the past. So I decided to make a two layer 9-inch cake using a cake pan and my springform.

My thoughts then turned to the apparent large quantity of batter. I felt pretty certain that the two pans would not be able to accommodate so much batter, and not wanting to either guess too much about temperature and time alterations or throw away perfectly good batter, I instead decided to take the hard route and reduce the recipe by 1/4, which wasn't really that hard, and I ended up with some pretty reasonable measurements. I also went and replaced the sour cream with low-fat yogurt, just to make it a little less bad for you. (The recipe is at the end.) So I set forth hoping for the best, but preparing for the worst. By that I mean making sure I had enough money to run to Harmon's and buy a cake, if all else failed.

Here are the results after baking the two layers.

Looking very good, so far. Actually, these look better than most round cakes I've attempted lately. Nice and flat without any sink holes.

The frosting is a bit on the odd side. I suppose that you would classify it as a ganache, though it's texture before completely set is more like a pudding. It is good though, deep, dark, rich chocolate flavor without being too sweet. A frosting for grown-ups, I suppose. I found it easiest to spread it on the cake before it had completely set up. It made for easier spreading and a cleaner appearance.

Et voilà!

Beautiful, and one of my better frosting jobs, to boot!

Oops, almost forgot the recipe.

Chocolate Stout Cake à la Tom

Cake
1 1/2 cups stout (such as Sierra Nevada Stout or Guinness)
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter
1 1/8 cups unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)
3 cups all purpose flour
3 cups sugar
3/4 tablespoon baking soda
1 1/8 teaspoons salt
3 large eggs
1 cup natural, plain low-fat yogurt
Icing
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
3/4 pound bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
For cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter two 9-inch round cake pans with 2-inch-high sides. Line with parchment paper. Butter paper. Bring 1 1/2 cups stout and 1 1/2 cups butter to simmer in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.
Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and 1 1/8 teaspoons salt in large bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat eggs and sour cream in another large bowl to blend. Add stout-chocolate mixture to egg mixture and beat just to combine. Add flour mixture and beat briefly on slow speed. Using rubber spatula, fold batter until completely combined. Divide batter equally among prepared pans. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center of cakes comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Transfer cakes to rack; cool 10 minutes. Turn cakes out onto rack and cool completely.
For icing:
Bring cream to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chopped chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth. Refrigerate until icing is spreadable, stirring frequently, about 2 hours.
Place 1 cake layer on plate. Spread 2/3-ish cup icing over. Top with second cake layer. Spread remaining icing over top and sides of cake.

Culinary Epilogue (6:41 AM, 7/20/2007): The cake was delicious. It's pretty dense and rich, like a devil's food cake, and not too sweet. The stout, though not overt, adds a noticeable richness to the cake and a hoppiness that is especially tasted in the first few bites. When you sink your teeth in for the first bite, the beer announces its presence with gusto and ushers your taste buds into the chocolaty party, then steps aside and allows you to enjoy the cake, while itself staying off to the side, but keeping things interesting.

Opening day of the Ogden City Farmer's and Art Market

2007-07-14T12:09:00.000-06:00

(Before I go into the article, let me tell you that I had a real scare after I got home and put my photos on my computers. After dropping them into my photo folder, I opened Picasa to upload them to my web album and noticed that there was two copies of the folder listed, so I went to delete one, but instead of just removing it from Picasa, I accidentally deleted the photos all together. Luckily, though , I was able to retrieve them from the depths of my hard drive's temporary files directory. Heh, got lucky that time. Now, on to the story!)

Finally, after weeks of waiting (months actually, as I've been waiting since October), the farmer's market on Ogden's Historic 25th Street has officially opened, and of course I had to be there on the first day of festivities!

The market is held every Saturday morning, from 8am - 1pm starting July 14th through September 29th. I have always loved going to check out the freshest produce, artisan breads, and a plethora of food, art, crafts, and other stuff.

One of the first things you notice on the approach to 25th St. is the many wonderful, savory aromas of bratwurst, Korean cooking, and dutch oven cooking. All of which is very tempting, and often quite good, too. I decided to pass on the Korean barbecue, though, as 9:30am is a bit too early for me to want to eat barbecue.

My first stop of the morning was Volker's Bakery table. This table is always one of the most popular at the market. The bakery itself is up in Kamas, so the market is really the only place to get the great bread down here in Ogden. Here you can buy a couple dozen different types of breads ranging from Jewish Rye, Ciabatta, Cottage Cheese and Dill, and Rosmarino, to sweet breads like Cranberry-Orange, Lemon Sage, Stollen, and Apple Strudel. The average price is about $5 per loaf. Not too bad a price, really.

One of the main reasons for me to go to the market is to find the freshest, locally grown produce. I had hoped to find some fresh roma tomatoes, however I guess it's still a bit early for tomatoes. I guess my Pizza Margherita will have to wait a little longer. However, what produce I did see was not disappointing, in the least. Potatoes fresh from the ground, fresh picked basil, sweet corn, zucchini, cucumber, yellow squash, it all looked so very delicious. In the end though , I just went with a half-dozen ears of corn. I haven't had fresh corn for weeks!

Beyond the food and produce, one can also find a lot of hand-made jewelry, pottery, paintings, fashions, and other crafts. I won't try and hide the fact that I've never spent a whole lot of time shopping for these items. I guess I'm usually caught up in the farm-fresh goods and talking with the growers. I did buy a bracelet last year, as gift for a dear friend, but other than that I've usually come to the market for the food. There are always bits and pieces of things that catch my eye, though. Like today there was a table by Escape Design, a small mask and costume company. I was pretty impressed with their stuff. There is also the usual assortment of vendors and crafters selling polished rock necklaces, walking sticks, and knitted accessories.

Aside from the foods and arts, there are also cooking demos and live music at the market. This week featured the cowboy/folk/western music of the Blue Sage Trio. They were pretty good and I enjoyed listening to them, though I don't think it's the kind of music I'd go out of my way to hear. But here at the market, surrounded by all types of people, in a carnival-like atmosphere...I enjoyed it.

In the end I definitely say I had a good time and will certainly be going to the market more often this summer, especially seeing as how my new job will make it easier. At my last job I worked every Saturday from 8am - 1pm...the exact time of the Farmer's Market. Convenient.[/sarcasm] I even got out of the market with a few bucks in change left in my wallet, a rarity, I'll tell you. My haul included a loaf of Volker's Rosmarino bread (a loaf with rasins, rosemary, pine nuts, and sunflower seeds), a burlap Volker's market bag, six ears of sweet corn, and a bottle of grape juice from Winder Dairy. Not bad. Not bad at all.

Graphic Poetry and Farmer's Market Anticipation

2007-07-12T09:44:00.000-06:00

Time for another non-food related post (well, mostly).

I StumbledUpon GraphicPoetry.net a few weeks ago and fell in love with the site. It features short verses written by the site creator, W.C. Pelon, imposed over small triptics of images. I really like not only the concept, but the execution of the concept. Relating verse to images without it becoming cliché or simplistic is a challenge. I really respect Mr. Pelon's work.

Here are a few samples of his stuff.

Going back to the food scene, I'm happy to announce that the Ogden Farmer's Market will finally be opening its doors, street barricades, uh...doors this Saturday! I've been waiting and waiting for this all summer, as it is one of the few things that makes the heat, sun, and burns from said sun, bearable to any extent. The fresh, locally raised produce, the great music by locals bands, the arts, the crafts, the dutch oven cooking, the fresh baked bread...Heaven on Earth. I'm going up for opening day and will post about the morning's happenings. Stay tuned!

Lavender Pie and Cookies for Consideration

2007-07-05T08:25:00.000-06:00

If you look back to my very first post, I went over how I created my own, delicious, lavender honey which was to be for a pie. Well hold your breath no more as I made and we ate said pie yesterday.

May I present...*ta da!*

The Lavender Honey and Yogurt Pie. Beautiful, isn't it? *sniffle*
(The picture isn't very good, I know, but I had to snap it quickly then go to the barbecue)

Everyone at the barbecue seemed to be a little confused as to what lavender honey was. Some even seemed a little reluctant to try it, but once they did no one questioned my pie any further. The flavor is, of course, sweet but it doesn't punch you in the face. The lavender added a delicious, floral, freshness to the pie which when taken with the tangyness of the yogurt made this a wonderful dessert for a Summer evening. And the peaches added a fresh brightness to the pie.

I definitely will be trying the recipe again, but I'm thinking of what other flavors I could infuse with the honey to change the pie.

I also took a dozen on the Dark Chocolate Chipotle Cookies, too. Everyone was skeptical about them and hesitated to try them. But with a little push from me almost everyone tried at least a piece of a cookie. In general the cookies got a positive review. No one there had even tried the chocolate/pepper combo before, but they went over well. One reaction that I had not anticipated was that the spiciness of the cookies cause everyone to really stop and consider the cookie. They didn't just eat it and call it good. They would take a bite, chew it slowly, look at the cookie, inspect it, experience it, and continue. I enjoy it when my family and friends like what I cook, but I really love it when they actually stop and think about what they're eating. It's refreshing for me.

The kinetic sculptures of Theo Jansen

2007-07-02T09:31:00.000-06:00

Time for a short, non-food related entry, I think.

I know it's not entirely current, seeing as how this was originally posted online almost a year ago, but I still think it's amazing. I am referring to the kinetic sculptures of Theo Jansen.

His works are wind-driven and very organic. They're like alien creatures, with wings that instead of manipulating the wind to move, are instead manipulated by the wind. Mr. Jansen is a modern DaVinci.

Since about ten years Theo Jansen is occupied with the making of a new nature. Not pollen or seeds but plastic yellow tubes are used as the basic material of this new nature. He makes skeletons which are able to walk on the wind. Eventually he wants to put these animals out in herds on the beaches, so they will live their own lives.

- Strandbeest.com (Theo's website)

Chocolate cookies and chiles...who'da thunk?

2007-06-30T20:16:00.000-06:00

Some time ago, I happened on an amazing recipe for Dark Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies. The recipe is pretty simple and also original in that rather than using standard issue rolled oats the cookies use steel-cut or Irish oats. Though great, I was bothered by the seemingly needless inclusion of a mere two tablespoons of oatmeal. The average oatmeal cookie is full of oats, whereas with these cookies the oats were more of an al dente punctuation. I couldn't help but think "Are these oats even necessary? Can I do away with them and still obtain the same cookie?" I'm afraid that I didn't follow up on those thoughts...until today.

I took a long, hard look at the recipe and decided that it needed some tweeking, for the better I assure you. I first decided to double the recipe, as the original only yielded 12 cookies. Seriously...who bakes only 12 cookies? I then turned my attention to the oats, and thought of removing them from the recipe. At first I had been hesitant, as doing so could throw off the moisture balance in to cookies. However, I decided that since steel-cut oats take so long to cook and absorb moisture (about 20 minutes in boiling water) I figured that they would not have enough time to absorb any moisture from the dough to begin with. So out with 'em! Next I changed the semi-sweet chocolate chips to bittersweet chocolate chunks. The darker the chocolate, the better--in my book anyway. I also increased the amount of chocolate chunks from 1/4 cup (1/2 cup in the doubled recipe) to 2/3 cup in order to make up for the lost mass of the oats and besides, more chocolate is better, yes?

Finally came the biggest change in the recipe. I had thought back to the many instances I had read about, or seen segments of Food Network about chocolatiers and confectioners who had added the heat of chilies to chocolate truffles and fudge with great results. The Aztecs also added chilies to their chocolate, and if it's good enough for them, well, who am I to argue? I therefore added the new secret ingredient...

one teaspoon of dried chipotle powder.

You don't really feel the heat when you first bite into the cookie, until you swallow, then the heat makes its debut in the back of your throat. As you eat the cookie you can feel the heat slowly accumulating in your mouth. It's not an intense heat by any stretch of the word. It's a mellow, pleasant warmth that augments the rich chocolate body of the cookie. If the cocoa is the soul of the cookie, then surely the chipotle is the passion within that soul. It gives that extra kick to life.

Dark Chocolate Chipotle Cookies

1½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup unsweetened (natural) cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1/2 - 1 tsp. chipotle powder
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2/3 cup bittersweet chocolate chunks

Heat oven to 350° F.

Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

Sift together first 5 ingredients into a bowl. In a mixer, beat butter until fluffy. Add sugar and vanilla, beat until well blended. Add flour mixture and bet until moist clumps form. On low speed, mix in bittersweet chocolate chunks, just until evenly incorporated.

Shape half of dough by heaping tablespoonfuls into balls, flatten into 2 inch rounds. Place rounds onto parchment paper, spacing evenly, about 2 inches apart. Repeat with other half of dough.

Bake until center is slightly firm and top is nicely cracked, about 12 - 14 minutes. Cool on sheet pan for 2 minutes, then transfer to cooling rack. Cool completely.

Enjoy!

Makes 24 cookies.

First Posts and Lavender Honey

2007-06-29T09:26:00.000-06:00

Ah, my first posting in my first blog outside MySpace. Now don't get me wrong, I like MySpace and all, and will keep posting personal blog entries there for my own purposes and for my personal friends, but lately I've been wanting a better outlet for thoughts on cooking, art, music, and poetry--to name a few things. Will this blog stick? We'll just have to wait and see.

Let's start this blog off right with this morning's experiment in making my own Lavender Honey.

When looking for dessert possibilities for Independence Day I happened upon a recipe for Lavender Honey and Yogurt Pie, courtesy of Epicurious.com. One of the starring ingredients is, as the name suggests, lavender honey. I, of course, don't stock many such items at home and I knew that I would never find it in any stores around here at a reasonable price, I therefore did a little research on the stuff and how to make it. It seems that there are two schools of lavender honey; one is that it is honey made naturally by bees from the nectar of lavender flowers. Of course I could never make, nor afford, enough for the recipe. The other type is honey that has been infused with the flavors, oils, essence of lavender flowers. This I could do, and at a reasonable cost.

I took advantage of a sale at Winegar's and got a couple of 12oz bears of Western Family honey, and bought a small bag of dried lavender flowers at Good Earth Natural Foods, my favorite source for health food items, and something of a dangerous addiction for me.

After looking at myriad recipes for home made lavender honey online, I combined a few of them and settled on 12oz of honey (which equals about 1 cup) and four tablespoons of dried lavender buds. I poured the honey into a double boiler and folded in the lavender and put it over low heat for 30 minutes, stirring frequently.

I then strained the honey through a sifter and bottled it.

The results are amazing. The flavor of the lavender is very apparent, but not at all overwhelming. Sweet and floral, I'd easily use this honey beyond the pie recipe. Can you imagine this honey in a cup of green tea, or drizzled over fresh, grilled peaches?

This experience also has me thinking about other possibilities. How about chai honey, flavored with cardamom, anise, cinnamon, and ginger? Or maybe something simple, like chamomile honey, or rose honey? I think I'm going to have to explore this avenue a little further.