tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78105706348483959662024-03-20T08:11:45.216-07:00Ceci n'est pas un repaskaty robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12801763595340263298noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7810570634848395966.post-24446921793404730922011-10-09T14:11:00.000-07:002011-10-10T18:51:03.839-07:00L'Shana TovaHappy New Year! May it be a sweet one!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPylVtR_AEyzAMQrorsvJwRgzbF6jT1_g1YTMeR1YrkjF8O2g1S-Oo38v0KeMixVU0Av7sxVgzT2UWj4KXrab8UKT2QZdLPd5JK-07qp2m66Ak19LWk96ecJeDV5w20DFxgUF1dzf19HA/s1600/PICT0007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPylVtR_AEyzAMQrorsvJwRgzbF6jT1_g1YTMeR1YrkjF8O2g1S-Oo38v0KeMixVU0Av7sxVgzT2UWj4KXrab8UKT2QZdLPd5JK-07qp2m66Ak19LWk96ecJeDV5w20DFxgUF1dzf19HA/s320/PICT0007.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chopped apples.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMzK0uweZlvt4Sx4iHhpidaebo4U0li9o7ToBEfacsCBJj3VC1tIyEnqiWtlZC6nIM1uBD_DvrJ_ifEPDIlpS6C5j14993MHjW6NMypw4J1QvedElH2wjQBGWASqE0TIJoTQY79cLNkBg/s1600/PICT0004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMzK0uweZlvt4Sx4iHhpidaebo4U0li9o7ToBEfacsCBJj3VC1tIyEnqiWtlZC6nIM1uBD_DvrJ_ifEPDIlpS6C5j14993MHjW6NMypw4J1QvedElH2wjQBGWASqE0TIJoTQY79cLNkBg/s320/PICT0004.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Almonds and rosemary, later mixed with honey for a frangipane.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH81N5Go4A3pBb8iIVXS3xzm_S6CKiSZZk4kuZfaL1GRq98IEIN1xb4BVoClKWE7xd0FLzww_LxgzERO4Dv48ysBqxikgqIDvFsVobyNqyaVNiWSLE-xS2g5WD6wzvYMCdcYJ332UWn7Q/s1600/PICT0014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH81N5Go4A3pBb8iIVXS3xzm_S6CKiSZZk4kuZfaL1GRq98IEIN1xb4BVoClKWE7xd0FLzww_LxgzERO4Dv48ysBqxikgqIDvFsVobyNqyaVNiWSLE-xS2g5WD6wzvYMCdcYJ332UWn7Q/s320/PICT0014.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Apples and sugar.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</tbody></table>Taking cue from the Kitchen Window series, I gave this year's apples and honey new style in the form of a <a href="http://www.npr.org/2011/09/20/140639750/grown-up-apples-and-honey-for-rosh-hashanah#140640920">rosemary honey apple galette</a>. It would also make a good yuletide dessert—the sugar shimmers like a <a href="http://www.thomaskinkade.com/htmlroot/tk/images/catalog/product/chrcot_f0.jpg">Thomas Kinkade</a> scene, and alternating rows of un-peeled Granny Smiths and Galas work in the whole red and green thing. <br />
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I opted for the galette because, well, pre-made crusts make them oh so easy. On this one, the nuance of rosemary kicks it up a notch from its core simplicity. For ease of execution, leave the skins on even if you have a monochromatic apple selection. It is, after all, one less step. And since everyone—yes, everyone—agrees galettes are charmingly rustic, why not play it up au naturel?<br />
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Simplify your prep with this <a href="http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/cooking-tips-techniques/kitchen-tips-techniques-00000000043045/page3.html">apple coring method</a>. Bon appetit! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLrWBPocOiC79bFUnBdELarf8KT-N24nVfqfD2dbkVbHY762hC92uLggIv5eqbxCTXUZ7clo79pIubrUbn4zAa-5tbpdLapKCBJwjfOmxejS9exDsT_e-8DNGg95hBjLNUzHDFoQsRMgc/s1600/PICT0022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLrWBPocOiC79bFUnBdELarf8KT-N24nVfqfD2dbkVbHY762hC92uLggIv5eqbxCTXUZ7clo79pIubrUbn4zAa-5tbpdLapKCBJwjfOmxejS9exDsT_e-8DNGg95hBjLNUzHDFoQsRMgc/s320/PICT0022.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The final thing was garnished with a rosemary sprig.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>e.t. inghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05225810630929734370noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7810570634848395966.post-77751192611721519032011-07-04T21:54:00.000-07:002011-07-05T09:20:01.532-07:00Julia Child: Coast to Coast Ratatouille<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVEdZdky-2dSGakh3Hf8sWxqN2RjYc6IxFGJeuLh5B9sSVWMZgJ9euyCmRg08BtJpzbeTE0UmosjxZSOS-iKnGOOTNux5NoVjrdEe_MrKY6bKvtj93JAPCAvsHCOLqkQUb7_NPX4AAiMc/s1600/Ratatouille_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVEdZdky-2dSGakh3Hf8sWxqN2RjYc6IxFGJeuLh5B9sSVWMZgJ9euyCmRg08BtJpzbeTE0UmosjxZSOS-iKnGOOTNux5NoVjrdEe_MrKY6bKvtj93JAPCAvsHCOLqkQUb7_NPX4AAiMc/s320/Ratatouille_02.jpg" width="240" /></a>Summer is here. We are officially thirteen days into the season—Fourth of July. A temperature spike caused me to spend most of my three-day weekend sprawled out on the floor. Yes, summer is here! So what better way to celebrate than with a piece harkening back to Christmas?<br />
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You see last December Dad & Co. gave me Julia Child’s two-volume <i>Mastering the Art of French Cooking</i> along with the “Julie & Julia” DVD—fancy, indeed. This themed gift was the impressive brainchild of my ten-year-old (now eleven) sister. Maybe I don’t give her enough credit, but I’m not sure I was that clever at her age. I’m not sure I’m that clever now, almost twenty years later. It did shed new light though, to learn she herself has the famed Julia Child bug. Of all the things at the Smithsonian, it was the installation of Child’s kitchen that lured her away from the group. Lucky gal that she is, my sister received a matching cookbook-and-DVD care packet of her own on Christmas morning.<br />
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Since then, cross-country projects from <i>Mastering the Art of French Cooking</i> have ensued. My sister, our dad, and I take turns selecting recipes to make together from our respective kitchens. We sometimes miss our self-imposed deadlines—currently three months late on a lamb dish—but it is a fun migration through Child’s classic how-to.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNKiA0dNcJI-3xS2T0MYGjExWlkoMrfNM2Mj3QkCvfmkG9W2EvGJyV0gZ0h-hvDq_WEX0IdLeDX7wcEMmwEE0846IbRjbMJLWhTPUtsMG1XbJ1723geVnUm1H06pMjvT6ZlfcPhz9Td4A/s1600/Ratatouille_07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNKiA0dNcJI-3xS2T0MYGjExWlkoMrfNM2Mj3QkCvfmkG9W2EvGJyV0gZ0h-hvDq_WEX0IdLeDX7wcEMmwEE0846IbRjbMJLWhTPUtsMG1XbJ1723geVnUm1H06pMjvT6ZlfcPhz9Td4A/s320/Ratatouille_07.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mastering the art of French cooking... and fashion.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlpwZ8VVNAlfXpwksFtdlJwElwTZq7MYBooGWAB_HYgot1IFilnZmTyd3FLDHk1dYCOf5gkQ7wjVowE7_w8QjQFcmmMjrQtkS5EO-jmPHMDmGshkEfeiR9uV2qYftXTSYqAemWtFX4_z8/s1600/Ratatouille_05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlpwZ8VVNAlfXpwksFtdlJwElwTZq7MYBooGWAB_HYgot1IFilnZmTyd3FLDHk1dYCOf5gkQ7wjVowE7_w8QjQFcmmMjrQtkS5EO-jmPHMDmGshkEfeiR9uV2qYftXTSYqAemWtFX4_z8/s320/Ratatouille_05.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Prepped and sauteed veggies.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>For our first feat, my sister selected ratatouille. The main entries in <i>Mastering the Art of French Cooking</i> cross-reference others, making it as much a lesson plan as it is a recipe guide. The ratatouille entry sends readers to a tutorial on seeding tomatoes. I typically like cooking with tomato innards, especially where you might otherwise add a splash of oil or water. Too much tomato is a concept I do not know. However, when the recipe’s first step is to set chopped vegetables aside with salt (to pull out their natural waters a la Biology 101 osmosis experiments), even I will seed a tomato. The remaining pulp still renders plenty of juice for basting.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxXOmRffznbII090c3WLD3MVTMw2wjrKxAiGilTQWL4n8ECj7ET18Th3jRBXReDNDZ67u2XEp_d8AhJHJ3IhKOOQnu8AWKXnPeBkytC4rCPOysGXKu1v-XSm4YNY1O5JsAaiFZWWPx9t8/s1600/Ratatouille_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxXOmRffznbII090c3WLD3MVTMw2wjrKxAiGilTQWL4n8ECj7ET18Th3jRBXReDNDZ67u2XEp_d8AhJHJ3IhKOOQnu8AWKXnPeBkytC4rCPOysGXKu1v-XSm4YNY1O5JsAaiFZWWPx9t8/s320/Ratatouille_01.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Poblano, zucchini, tomato, chayote, tomatillo, onion.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>In addition to the book’s planned lessons, we had some self-made ones of our own. A loud “pop” greeted my dad and sister as they photographed their final product. It seems they used an oven-only dish on the stovetop. Oops! With the heat of their camera flash (or so the physics play out in my antiquated version) the pottery was pushed to its limits and cracked. The lesson of the day? Know the abilities of your clay cookery—unless, of course, you’re looking for an excuse to replace it with something new. Ruined cookware aside, they served the salvaged ratatouille with grilled filet mignon and had a big hit at the dinner table.<br />
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I served my ratatouille with wild rice and gave it a regional twist by trading out the eggplant and bell pepper for chayote, poblano, and tomatillo. Mmm-mm-good.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg88ZxaJLg6REvjQG0lKAo-Jg23BQfPAGrzmVR-xxXF-gArMoohz5RC8qxWAH5hAE4HPK_XpGvGCu8v1eN-QIDfWMuhMw75rnoTzkb2pV9nXRL8pQMhONqIw2HuePrp2jJsg5AhG-UIPIE/s1600/Ratatouille_04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg88ZxaJLg6REvjQG0lKAo-Jg23BQfPAGrzmVR-xxXF-gArMoohz5RC8qxWAH5hAE4HPK_XpGvGCu8v1eN-QIDfWMuhMw75rnoTzkb2pV9nXRL8pQMhONqIw2HuePrp2jJsg5AhG-UIPIE/s320/Ratatouille_04.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9awWdfVameGq3p6GxmA1htRDuDJpVCiZcLtIaq99wdBiXukRwbCrzJD3hlj01nSBqdM_do09TamIC_teV9_yygRWnlKGzkr3MSm16ocn5f7712ln29SIkKEIt65DqSDR5YnA9W8KsLYg/s1600/Ratatouille_03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9awWdfVameGq3p6GxmA1htRDuDJpVCiZcLtIaq99wdBiXukRwbCrzJD3hlj01nSBqdM_do09TamIC_teV9_yygRWnlKGzkr3MSm16ocn5f7712ln29SIkKEIt65DqSDR5YnA9W8KsLYg/s320/Ratatouille_03.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9awWdfVameGq3p6GxmA1htRDuDJpVCiZcLtIaq99wdBiXukRwbCrzJD3hlj01nSBqdM_do09TamIC_teV9_yygRWnlKGzkr3MSm16ocn5f7712ln29SIkKEIt65DqSDR5YnA9W8KsLYg/s1600/Ratatouille_03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a></div>e.t. inghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05225810630929734370noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7810570634848395966.post-58422619687586719912011-03-05T21:33:00.000-08:002011-03-05T21:36:14.594-08:00Cabbage, Kale, and Carrots - Oh My!<style type="text/css">
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<div class="p1">At long last, I've found my way back to Un Repas, to create a new (long-ish) post! In between studying for my finals next week, I decided to take a break and to utilize some of the great veggies delivered to me from <a href="http://www.farmfreshtoyou.com/index.php"><span class="s1">Farm Fresh To You</span></a> (my new favorite service!). </div><div class="p2"><br />
</div><div class="p1">Mid-morning revealed a beautiful day to prepare my first attempt at making sauerkraut. While chopping up my cabbage, I had a view of our newest members to our front yard family - a flock of goldfinches. I discovered this was a lovely way to begin a cooking endeavor.</div><div class="p2"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHEc3stCC9XyL5UA7oKpet84nokrMcqsdufIwVPO98Ho5u2SR4zUybQCwiRrMjqWFaANGaoY7ylL4AgBVSAWwfe6GvxRn7LAJwowmJGxfjXjZTwW8rK9cECj4g-XufOlDxEfO2X7eoDZsA/s1600/P1000811.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHEc3stCC9XyL5UA7oKpet84nokrMcqsdufIwVPO98Ho5u2SR4zUybQCwiRrMjqWFaANGaoY7ylL4AgBVSAWwfe6GvxRn7LAJwowmJGxfjXjZTwW8rK9cECj4g-XufOlDxEfO2X7eoDZsA/s320/P1000811.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
</div><div class="p1">I decided to read over a <a href="http://www.motherearthnews.com/Real-Food/2006-08-01/Got-Cabbage-Make-Sauerkraut.aspx?page=2"><span class="s1">couple</span></a> of <a href="http://www.wildfermentation.com/resources.php?page=sauerkraut"><span class="s1">recipes</span></a> for making sauerkraut and chose to wing it - using some oddly shaped carrots from my garden that I had plucked from the dirt last night and one of the red onions delivered from farm fresh.</div><div class="p2"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT_9TPdCr7agZKT_FPC_uTXEdg15irgP4jy7V1CwsNXYfwBCfOj4Fu4YYCTIWjZMzJMFCIUf6hyphenhyphenbjtxMkqIW-4BhjNG1cVMnWnjE9f1W_lzQiKmq4yTD_y6_GUV9Ul6-qpwEr4dsFtfEQf/s1600/P1000803.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT_9TPdCr7agZKT_FPC_uTXEdg15irgP4jy7V1CwsNXYfwBCfOj4Fu4YYCTIWjZMzJMFCIUf6hyphenhyphenbjtxMkqIW-4BhjNG1cVMnWnjE9f1W_lzQiKmq4yTD_y6_GUV9Ul6-qpwEr4dsFtfEQf/s320/P1000803.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
</div><div class="p1">I chose to use glass jars for the fermentation process - a google search indicated that others have been successful with glass - even though many others tend to use crocks or large plastic containers. Uncomfortable with plastic (toxic?) and not being in possession of a crock - glass jars it is! I've never attempted to ferment anything without a starter before, but my hubby has been keeping a jar of yeast dormant in the fridge for a while now - so I have at least seen it ferment freely and I now feel secure in giving it a go on my own. </div><div class="p2"><br />
</div><div class="p1">Tangentially, I enjoy listening to podcasts or audiobooks while preparing food - and today's listening included a segment on ancient shipwrecks from <a href="http://blogs.howstuffworks.com/category/stuff-you-missed-in-history-class/"><span class="s1">Stuff You Missed in History Class</span></a>. Oddly enough, it had a great side-note that dealt with food. Turns out that there was a very famous fish sauce that well-to-do Romans loved to eat and was apparently worth a whole lot of money. This fish sauce, called <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garum"><span class="s1">garum</span></a>, was the primary cargo in several of these sunken ships that were discussed in this segment. A little food history while preparing food is always welcome!</div><div class="p2"><br />
</div><div class="p1"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX3Lw_8y5fj0AILQ8EGiTB01ctiBh8Xl5nxSJ64WiDYuTt6BGmVZUgneL308FVQr0cED7m9G_IvQH3Xz-0dghRnp5Mblw2TmGhey0au5-9WS0ubeUi1rW5mvjCwGiHPfLOdnkzBAZ7f6jZ/s1600/P1000817.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX3Lw_8y5fj0AILQ8EGiTB01ctiBh8Xl5nxSJ64WiDYuTt6BGmVZUgneL308FVQr0cED7m9G_IvQH3Xz-0dghRnp5Mblw2TmGhey0au5-9WS0ubeUi1rW5mvjCwGiHPfLOdnkzBAZ7f6jZ/s320/P1000817.JPG" width="320" /></a>Anyway, I was pleased to find that there was a nice amount of water expelled from the cabbage while I mashed it down. I did have to add some salt water to the "jarred" cabbage just to make sure I was keeping as much oxygen away from the cabbage, carrots, and onions as possible. People recommend using a plastic bag full of water to help weigh down the mixture - but again, wary of the plastic off-gassing into my food - I found two small glass jars that fit inside of the larger jars I used to ferment my cabbage, filled them with water (to make them sink below the water line) and lo and behold, they worked perfectly!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQGHtnyRoeBG_bT9CLNkgBUqY3D-I10RXfmdRfWBqFdMmf_fSg-nOS9gbYlKwwMDrzQaiF6jo0UEkrxIVC7j9fTiVDca5swgQ_q21y2VFe4hMIxXT1DwQFzStFaDMs8NxprJq61DoSTBPX/s1600/P1000819.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQGHtnyRoeBG_bT9CLNkgBUqY3D-I10RXfmdRfWBqFdMmf_fSg-nOS9gbYlKwwMDrzQaiF6jo0UEkrxIVC7j9fTiVDca5swgQ_q21y2VFe4hMIxXT1DwQFzStFaDMs8NxprJq61DoSTBPX/s320/P1000819.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">can you see the other glass jars inside<br />
that are weighing down the ingredients?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I'm going to keep my eye on the process of fermentation as the days go on - I hope to hold out for at least a week of fermentation before I give it a taste. Wish me luck!<br />
<br />
<br />
</div><div class="p2"><br />
</div><div class="p1"><i><b>*Late Afternoon/Early Evening Update</b></i></div><div class="p1">Somehow, I managed to get a good deal of studying completed in addition to a fair amount of food preparation! I finished off the cabbage and carrots with a batch of cole slaw - super tasty with veganaise, vinegar, sugar and toasted sesame seeds. Yum! </div><div class="p2"><br />
</div><div class="p1"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTbj1gL8GG6r14is0QnFFgM-U09aJRWE4HPu31JKSmIw-UCZrilpC0lAOpYV9RI9kxsyAg4lGos0Zr41Rpb9evXeeA0MTrfxo5CZZ-iYuUqI3MgbJBonJT502xhsfqA5HwcS6sjYJ28IEe/s1600/P1000821.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTbj1gL8GG6r14is0QnFFgM-U09aJRWE4HPu31JKSmIw-UCZrilpC0lAOpYV9RI9kxsyAg4lGos0Zr41Rpb9evXeeA0MTrfxo5CZZ-iYuUqI3MgbJBonJT502xhsfqA5HwcS6sjYJ28IEe/s320/P1000821.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">serving of cole slaw</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: right;"></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbWPaVeG0FRJIfBFC4e05F97PERQZrm9-TbYFRFCDdr7krfanZGyvFoDZ6-CtKziYC-Vc_C1y43jaZ1_ZDpYU48w8qHZVPNaLH23B04waqp4YYTu1hhDTZ4ZYxTprPeHCSJvkIt3NfeP0Y/s1600/P1000825.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbWPaVeG0FRJIfBFC4e05F97PERQZrm9-TbYFRFCDdr7krfanZGyvFoDZ6-CtKziYC-Vc_C1y43jaZ1_ZDpYU48w8qHZVPNaLH23B04waqp4YYTu1hhDTZ4ZYxTprPeHCSJvkIt3NfeP0Y/s320/P1000825.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">kale, chard, onions and pine nuts<br />
(shallot-potato mash in the background)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Then, I made a really good dinner (and future take to work/school lunch) with the remaining kale and chard (also delivered by <a href="http://www.farmfreshtoyou.com/index.php"><span class="s1">Farm Fresh To You</span></a>). I used my homemade preserved mushrooms (a wonderful oil, thyme, lemon-y concoction from my <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1791828.Preserving">favorite food book of all time</a>) to saute the greens along with white onions and toasted sesame. I also roasted shallots in oil and added them to freshly-mashed potatoes. Let me just say -<i> this is a very satisfying meal</i>. I strongly recommend having a large container full of marinated oil to use with sauteing greens - it is so flavorful and is great as an addition to so many things!<br />
<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
</div>katy robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12801763595340263298noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7810570634848395966.post-32789390903119843072011-01-10T19:44:00.000-08:002011-01-10T23:11:44.362-08:00Truffles: A Pinch of Coffee and A Splash of BourbonI had great plans for the holiday season. Great, great plans. Condiments. Can you think of a better way to spread the yuletide cheer? Who doesn’t like a good condiment? Let me rephrase that: Who doesn't <i>love</i> a good condiment? And homemade!<br />
<br />
I like them so much I have created meals based on the condiments found in the refrigerator. These meals are generally not very satisfying. And yet, I continue with this approach to food preparation. Maybe I am blinded by love, but I assume others must be equally infatuated with spreads and sauces. My cousin once had with the idea of a weekly column on the topic.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm39zMiLFz-arBrDxl4mXp0Rs-8DURn38HsM6OWrf-lAng1oM4m5T5_ivK3F-9bz-JIersRftmbNzloNcrU4pPfE1iGgk5cNpZgCX9Wp9lftQhRvt7uIwquzvevpiKxtkGuEtjQEYsmPQ/s1600/PICT0401.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm39zMiLFz-arBrDxl4mXp0Rs-8DURn38HsM6OWrf-lAng1oM4m5T5_ivK3F-9bz-JIersRftmbNzloNcrU4pPfE1iGgk5cNpZgCX9Wp9lftQhRvt7uIwquzvevpiKxtkGuEtjQEYsmPQ/s320/PICT0401.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bourbon balls ready to be dredged in sprinkles.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
When Katy and I decided to undertake this gift making together, I thought for sure a robust production schedule was on its way. Maybe this <a href="http://www.thehungrymouse.com/2009/06/04/sweet-cherry-jam/">cherry jam</a> Katy emailed a while back or this <a href="http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/ingredients-fruit/recipe-for-winter-citrus-tangerine-curd-074398">tangerine curd</a>. You might have guessed my grand plans did not come to fruition, but I hold out hope I might still make these things as Just Because gifts.<br />
<br />
By the way, I saw Katy while writing this, and she gave me a jar of homemade habanero sauce!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQDLfGPBurmENT3jxGPoRJejNZR9p08nMO3EH4OGZLc9c-xiXTdX7n7CxF7eRPw-ohSTTErh1dqZEKpufisyybvAxkP6O_mg1Jo2tjgm4NaT3wPzCR_yJ1WG5yPBje5cEblY8mxaZePlY/s1600/PICT0399.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQDLfGPBurmENT3jxGPoRJejNZR9p08nMO3EH4OGZLc9c-xiXTdX7n7CxF7eRPw-ohSTTErh1dqZEKpufisyybvAxkP6O_mg1Jo2tjgm4NaT3wPzCR_yJ1WG5yPBje5cEblY8mxaZePlY/s320/PICT0399.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pecans</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgFfX9gdrbjOq-EM0ok7kgkacr8L4Na_6aAvp_eJA88JSJJ2ueQIyrld2haGBjRk0I8_HDh6IDmvMpSw4x0dgytWGxjBrxkPLNQR33SDNP33KV8Bnk7BbnPlvvPDa-l2z38SRP41pu7oA/s1600/PICT0395.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgFfX9gdrbjOq-EM0ok7kgkacr8L4Na_6aAvp_eJA88JSJJ2ueQIyrld2haGBjRk0I8_HDh6IDmvMpSw4x0dgytWGxjBrxkPLNQR33SDNP33KV8Bnk7BbnPlvvPDa-l2z38SRP41pu7oA/s320/PICT0395.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two sticks of whipped butter with sugar, chocolate, cocoa, and coffee.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Segueing to the treats I did make ::drum roll:: truffles! <a href="http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Chocolate-Truffles">Chocolate (coffee) truffles</a> and <a href="http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Bourbon-Balls">bourbon balls</a>, both conveniently ganache-free. My impression is that ganache is simple, but time-consuming. This was my first venture into candy kitcheneering (unless you count the caramel incident I <a href="http://unrepas.blogspot.com/2010/10/tart-my-sweet.html">chronicled</a>). I shut myself behind closed doors Christmas morning, and emerged about three hours later with a whole lotta sugar spheres. The near-by grocer and the Ninety-Nine (99 Cent Store) do not sell candy wrappers so I made little packets of wax paper tied with gift ribbon.<br />
<br />
As one person noted, coffee and whiskey are a good pairing. With that in mind, I orchestrated a top-notch Sunday morning with the puzzle, a cup of coffee, and a couple bourbon balls for myself.<br />
<br />
<b>Recipe </b><b>Notes</b><br />
<br />
<ul><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNWJcpWrmDMljw2axPcfEDjOJ05UvR5-dCVLClZCO05_7wpMF4NS7HVn4Zd6Cuq469FDpqFsLqKTObLSzIHUMPN_dPrpf-8sLlcLT9slduXeEM3mq5YkpJuQ2Rv4I2xoj8IRmbVHcr1p8/s1600/PICT0394.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNWJcpWrmDMljw2axPcfEDjOJ05UvR5-dCVLClZCO05_7wpMF4NS7HVn4Zd6Cuq469FDpqFsLqKTObLSzIHUMPN_dPrpf-8sLlcLT9slduXeEM3mq5YkpJuQ2Rv4I2xoj8IRmbVHcr1p8/s320/PICT0394.jpg" width="240" /></a>
<li>I opted for a mortar and pestle instead of the food processor. I used the stoneware to turn fine-grain sugar to super fine, and to crunch up the oats, pecans, and wafers.</li>
<li>Wanting a strong coffee flavor, I skipped the brewing and dumped 2 Tbs straight grounds into the chocolate truffles. I worked in the requisite moisture by melting 2 oz bittersweet chocolate shavings with 2 Tbs water in what is commonly known by the Turkish word <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cezve">cezve</a>, or as a surjep in Armenian. That language lesson noted, as an Anglophone I call it a coffee pot.</li>
<li>The bourbon balls were a muddy mess and hard to roll. This was pretty frustrating. I had Crass and Dead Kennedys going, but my laptop's built-in speaker didn't meet the needed level of cathartic aggression. </li>
<li>The coffee-flavored truffles were much easier to roll, probably because it was a base of chilled butter instead of syrup and wafers.</li>
<li>I think extra oats would be good for more grit. I like that kind of texture.</li>
<li>I think some of the whiskey evaporated with time. Or, I acclimated to the taste.</li>
</ul>e.t. inghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05225810630929734370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7810570634848395966.post-26269972598199560242010-11-06T14:43:00.000-07:002010-11-07T11:40:52.564-08:00I Coo, You Coo, We All Coo For Couscous!Yes, it’s true. The first annual Pasadena Couscous Festival was last month. Equally true: I was there! Originally scheduled for one day, the festival was extended a second day to accommodate the response. Organized by <a href="http://ecolecuisine.com/">Ecole de Cuisine Pasadena</a> at the <a href="http://www.ehala.org/ChefsCenter_of_California/AboutUs.html">Chefs Center of California</a>, the festival aimed to "raise awareness and admiration of the glorious flavors and techniques in North African cuisine.” That’s according to the press release.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo4ruj8WJH5bj8Sc_jBJi-1-u2LFbnIuz54zDheHRSKAvnOtrxGifE0Sxnz5K_g_FdzY7NYLpnl8jVBpd7FkrRL6ATGKOkgRpF0fGNIV0KCV4nmSsKknvASOLZJc-n1CgeESK30IhyrRw/s1600/401731_9851.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo4ruj8WJH5bj8Sc_jBJi-1-u2LFbnIuz54zDheHRSKAvnOtrxGifE0Sxnz5K_g_FdzY7NYLpnl8jVBpd7FkrRL6ATGKOkgRpF0fGNIV0KCV4nmSsKknvASOLZJc-n1CgeESK30IhyrRw/s320/401731_9851.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stock photo by Meghan Anderson-Colangelo</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Ana_winds">Santa Anas</a> came late this year so there were gray skies and a mild drizzle as Armand and I passed the entry gate to the grill stations set up in the parking lot. We oriented ourselves with batata chips, lamb-beef merguez, and live nomadic Saharan music. The couscous, vegetable tagine, and preserved lemon chicken tagine eaten later kept me full all day. With the balance on our food tickets, we finished the outing with Arabic coffee and a pastry sampling that included beignets I have craved ever since.<br />
<br />
The chair was taken out from under as I listened to <a href="http://www.cliffordawright.com/caw/">Clifford A. Wright</a> and <a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/dailydish/2008/04/last-friday-the.html">Charles Perry</a> discuss food history. Did you know we use a totally bastardized method to cook couscous in this country? Couscous is not to be steeped lest it be heavy. Clifford Wright—a prolific academic and popular author on topics of Mediterranean and Arab cuisine, among others—presented Origins of Couscous and the First Pastas and stressed the grain product is at its best when steamed. This traditionally takes about three hours. Fortunately, the commonly used instant varieties can be steamed in a fraction of the time at only an hour or so. It becomes all the more flavorful when steamed two or three times, using broth or olive oil on the subsequent goes. Talk about dedication! During the Q and A, a savant-type in the audience provided the anecdote of a couscous box that said to add boiling water in English, French, and Spanish. Yet that same box instructed Arabic speakers to steam.<br />
<br />
Turns out the savant was accomplished culinary expert Charles Perry, which explains his agility with the four languages. I did not hear much of what was said about couscous, but his lecture on Medieval North African and Andalusian Dishes introduced me to unexpected origins for fish and chips and Baja tacos, which I investigated further at home. Fish and chips, that iconic British dish, resulted from the Sephardic diaspora. Fried fish was among the cuisine Portuguese and Spanish Jews brought to England, where it became <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8419026.stm">custom in the 1800s</a> to serve with fries. Quintessentially British, the meal was born with one foot on the Iberian Peninsula and the other in Belgium or France (the origin of fries is disputed).<br />
<br />
Likewise, named for the Mexican peninsula of their origin, Baja tacos resulted from a meeting of cultures. Japanese immigrants who were part of Baja’s fishing economy brought new customs, and introduced their own twist to the local food—fish tempura. Using the fried fish in place of traditional meats gave way to the tacos de pescado frito everlastingly loved by so many on the Mexico-California coast.<br />
<br />
All in all: the eating was good and the information was interesting. I look forward to next year’s Couscous Festival.e.t. inghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05225810630929734370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7810570634848395966.post-52358085389432135052010-10-31T17:14:00.000-07:002010-10-31T17:17:02.477-07:00Peremptorily Plump Persimmon Pudding (Cake)This weekend, I am moved once again to write about yet another neighborly gift turned tasty treat. Several nights ago, while watering my garden - I heard a kind "hello" coming from the sidewalk. Our neighbors from down the street who had given me that giant pink banana squash came by to say hello. This is the first time I've seen them since our introduction. They asked me if I like persimmons and I happily replied that I do. Well, these kind folks said that they would be by tomorrow night with some persimmons for me. I felt so lucky! I also immediately started to think about what I could give them? After a brief online conversation with Ms. E.T. herself - we came to the conclusion that I should give them some cherry preserves produced from a previous cherry picking excursion that E.T. and I conducted.<br />
<br />
The next evening, around the same time, the husband came by the house with a bag FULL of persimmons: 3 ripe hachiyas and many more of the fuyu. I ran back inside the house to grab my jar of preserves - I was so happy to give something back!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkVV4bGMNWGDPERdjzhVcPMqaZCDCeV04ej5ZhjTaycI53PLF1f_vZ3jXY9KQNy6iEUAsHMSlEWxWhBKrfmAWuOPCUZZz_WyZDb8tlkUGI1YrF5ODdv4aeSXIpUsDKJOwKMwG66KwvWeb1/s1600/boo-bear-and-persimmons.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkVV4bGMNWGDPERdjzhVcPMqaZCDCeV04ej5ZhjTaycI53PLF1f_vZ3jXY9KQNy6iEUAsHMSlEWxWhBKrfmAWuOPCUZZz_WyZDb8tlkUGI1YrF5ODdv4aeSXIpUsDKJOwKMwG66KwvWeb1/s1600/boo-bear-and-persimmons.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">boo bear really seemed to appreciate the persimmons</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5b9gUCtDf91R0mk956Bkw_W7eDMSnEbclmYqRisp59LKAxaKtiDj3jbmSAKC5qph5VKQ7WHKUBpL1XCKtTsq4xszYV-bI4Pq5JGjAHUzawSh3v2F7kUPnCAkHaKdpTr7F12nJt2FRxRTO/s1600/ingredients.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5b9gUCtDf91R0mk956Bkw_W7eDMSnEbclmYqRisp59LKAxaKtiDj3jbmSAKC5qph5VKQ7WHKUBpL1XCKtTsq4xszYV-bI4Pq5JGjAHUzawSh3v2F7kUPnCAkHaKdpTr7F12nJt2FRxRTO/s1600/ingredients.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">vanilla, flour, baking powder and soda, walnuts, eggs, milk, <br />
butter, and of course, persimmon pulp</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
I ended up finding a <a href="http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/persimmon_pudding_cake/">recipe for persimmon pudding cake</a> that sounded pretty good and decided that I should give that a try! It was perfect for my 3 ripe hachiyas. It's a very simple recipe and I am proud to report that only a few snags occurred along the way. There is not a size requirement in the recipe for the square glass pan - and I was not keen on putting the mixture in a pan that was too large or too small. So I decided to compromise and split the mixture between two cooking pans. About half-way through the baking process, I noticed a whole lot of smoke coming from the top of the oven. Nothing smelled burnt - but boy was there smoke! I opened the oven door to see that my pudding cakes were both a good inch or so above the rim of the pan - and juices were spilling out onto the foil I had (thankfully) lined on the bottom of the oven. I made the decision to just keep keeping' on and to open up some extra windows/doors around the house to manage the smoke. This recipe was going to work, damn it!<br />
<br />
After waiting a couple minutes beyond the suggested time - I took out the two items and left them on the cooling rack. They looked pretty good, especially that pool of butter that was swimming around the center of both cakes.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi08HUUlVbjBPym_L3_FAoTNRU8cOHKTHu6YIqnxct_LyLYeuSHyWYO0QQR8y9jrhCdUlmjmZy3zbjXfheuJ-dvifgmfTBMy1EDNh0b1gnLXE_9yZgl_qkotNBUsZLawTzo9ymzY4dkkIKd/s1600/baked!.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi08HUUlVbjBPym_L3_FAoTNRU8cOHKTHu6YIqnxct_LyLYeuSHyWYO0QQR8y9jrhCdUlmjmZy3zbjXfheuJ-dvifgmfTBMy1EDNh0b1gnLXE_9yZgl_qkotNBUsZLawTzo9ymzY4dkkIKd/s1600/baked!.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">note: the butter pool and the plumpness of the <br />
out of oven experience</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Fifteen minutes later and my pudding cakes were super-deflated, but my happiness was not. I figured that a pudding cake is probably not too different from a bread pudding - so a deflated cake was still an acceptable cake in my book.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuGh3zOUX_6W1BhE7lx53TM__XQmHFwlzHOQMZ0CHzVEdPbSxxVxvTGEZ8EcK742kEsegwjF3XS6vjuEfZa8PV6zHoLr7MtfxI9ZrHNXyZmvADZPG_1AJJkWMFRiNS5K5NKD7eYSpk5qKb/s1600/deflated.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuGh3zOUX_6W1BhE7lx53TM__XQmHFwlzHOQMZ0CHzVEdPbSxxVxvTGEZ8EcK742kEsegwjF3XS6vjuEfZa8PV6zHoLr7MtfxI9ZrHNXyZmvADZPG_1AJJkWMFRiNS5K5NKD7eYSpk5qKb/s1600/deflated.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">no more butter pools and mr. rectangle cake <br />
in the back is severely deflated</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
I'd probably use a bit less butter in the recipe next time, it's a bit overwhelming on the soggier portions of the cake - ya know, probably those parts that absorbed the previous pool of butter? I'll probably also use that large glass pan next time too, rather than these deeper, smaller dishes I used today. But, despite some slightly overwhelming butter bites, the cake is good and is none too sweet either!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe9BUkjHIxdp2_6BeDBvpU15ATPvLeZIlGEXPs3h6uGxfoo0w1QYfNmfyBLvUy_HvDfJTTp4oozzPJykPbS8D2KtNUWMypy9_f5D0PIb8eKZH9jcTE8JAo3E4RWYR81okr7Ub-nAxmBYaJ/s1600/eating-time.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe9BUkjHIxdp2_6BeDBvpU15ATPvLeZIlGEXPs3h6uGxfoo0w1QYfNmfyBLvUy_HvDfJTTp4oozzPJykPbS8D2KtNUWMypy9_f5D0PIb8eKZH9jcTE8JAo3E4RWYR81okr7Ub-nAxmBYaJ/s1600/eating-time.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">all is yummy on the Katy front...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>katy robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12801763595340263298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7810570634848395966.post-85167615579285495152010-10-03T11:22:00.000-07:002010-10-03T11:22:12.439-07:00Early Dawning, Sunday Morning...<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">After my requisite cup(s) of coffee, some hummingbird field recording, and a little bit of reading, my tummy began to call out for some morning nourishment.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoaafYrNN2XmnooJG8rx4rmkPK7Q7Y5QtgZdE0fU-iC5k0TifjMnPqP8Fa-QYAObaHKwnB4eV4oJE5G7dsOJ4FjIZSxnh6UAbVEtIgnZHGK5MRfphJQcVejJUJzq5q0FfmAcJ0fcGjh0eb/s1600/P1000086.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoaafYrNN2XmnooJG8rx4rmkPK7Q7Y5QtgZdE0fU-iC5k0TifjMnPqP8Fa-QYAObaHKwnB4eV4oJE5G7dsOJ4FjIZSxnh6UAbVEtIgnZHGK5MRfphJQcVejJUJzq5q0FfmAcJ0fcGjh0eb/s400/P1000086.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">ready to serve</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Quick and Easy Swiss Chard Scramble (Serves Two):</span></b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Eggs beat with cream, fresh ground pepper, and paprika</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Cubes of aged cheddar</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Swiss Chard harvested minutes before slicing - stems sliced into quarter inches, leaves very casually chopped (really just sliced a couple times)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Two small (rather garlicky) shallots harvested last weekend diced</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Handful of cherry tomatoes sliced in two</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Olive oil</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfUyPbzvlFMwyvIkd0nmaun3FLjNAKilZYWgfHTE7gKymF5KuJZ8xMBI5nYiTezaluW9-bh_91kN1YOL8Ldvm1iC7BcqSKa70cbcbqbRWYaxmoGFAvOV7Axm7Yzlem76YA55ltDsIRne91/s1600/P1000080.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfUyPbzvlFMwyvIkd0nmaun3FLjNAKilZYWgfHTE7gKymF5KuJZ8xMBI5nYiTezaluW9-bh_91kN1YOL8Ldvm1iC7BcqSKa70cbcbqbRWYaxmoGFAvOV7Axm7Yzlem76YA55ltDsIRne91/s400/P1000080.JPG" width="300" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">harvested shallots</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidPQVAtQK3qYGx6CJkgiV42X_ul99GjWNYEKbKOgq-FFzT75qZOvLPV_7eYgK9HRa_DYsno8xBgv0VnMSkA2HDmC93Sx7IU36VmbBRj05cW-LMNJpXJVAgNyQk0YY_RH0vhYgYWKzAZbPW/s1600/P1000081.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidPQVAtQK3qYGx6CJkgiV42X_ul99GjWNYEKbKOgq-FFzT75qZOvLPV_7eYgK9HRa_DYsno8xBgv0VnMSkA2HDmC93Sx7IU36VmbBRj05cW-LMNJpXJVAgNyQk0YY_RH0vhYgYWKzAZbPW/s400/P1000081.JPG" width="300" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">prepped ingredients</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Heat pan, add olive oil, add shallots and chard stems. 3 minutes. Add tomatoes. 1 minute. Add chard leaves. 1 minute. Reduce heat and add eggs. Slowly turn the eggs, keeping them moist and cooking slowly on low heat. Add the cheddar last. The slow/low heat gives me time to take care of the toast, wash out the prep bowls, and keeps the eggs from overcooking or burning. Quick and easy way to add some extra veggies to my favorite breakfast item: eggs! The hubby seemed to enjoy the end product.</span>katy robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12801763595340263298noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7810570634848395966.post-8998960862249120082010-10-02T16:42:00.000-07:002010-10-03T00:12:42.308-07:00Tart, My Sweet<div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVnC4pkiKck98huzBxm2k434OXqyuLPxmGe8JooY9iqQ9qJ8Ltv3rsKmrEwnF4y_TY1lIWKGzXD_KiMYJAzCUyHOttxaAUbVValtv0c7H3sH9ZZFy_705eYE6aYFzNpjYQvPW8YnEXzq4/s1600/PICT0208.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVnC4pkiKck98huzBxm2k434OXqyuLPxmGe8JooY9iqQ9qJ8Ltv3rsKmrEwnF4y_TY1lIWKGzXD_KiMYJAzCUyHOttxaAUbVValtv0c7H3sH9ZZFy_705eYE6aYFzNpjYQvPW8YnEXzq4/s320/PICT0208.jpg" width="320" /></a>Toe (as in Term Of Endearment) was out for the night. What was I to do with the place to myself? I knew the answer before the final, upturned syllable of inquiry had a chance to manifest: yummy <a href="http://gimmesomeoven.com/asparagus-spinach-pesto-pasta-with-blackened-shrimp/">asparagus-spinach pesto</a> and <a href="http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Banana-Tarte-Tatin?cmpid=enews060710">banana tarte tatin</a>. My tart looked nothing like the Saveur photo. It baked as a blob in the middle of the dish. Caramel bubbled from underneath like a burnt sea beyond the reach of my banana-pastry island.<br />
<br />
It was my first time making caramel—and my second, after burning the first batch. The kitchen pursuit, gone awry, took on something of a Keystone Kops quality. Having heard horror stories of burned caramel, but not remembering what those actual stories were, I feared it might ruin my pan. I was afraid to leave the goo, but equally afraid to pour it down the drain. I couldn’t find a paper bag and grabbed a plastic one to dump the liquefied sugar. It was not my finest synaptic firing. The bag melted and caramel glopped to the floor. Scooping it up with paper towels, I made contact with the pile where pinkie meets palm. I peeled the caramel from my skin, which gave way to a red burn that blistered in short time. The bag had melted, not from caramel, but from the pan. Deep as I was into the culinary expedition I’d embarked on—the pesto was well under way—I wasn’t about to tuck my tail and pack up shop. There would be tart by night’s end. I methodically removed the bits of plastic glued to the bottom of my cookware, and began round two of caramel production.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6KL0RKWyyUA9KnmKJH6KTr3nh4shB4TaCxHUaGYn63sImogOLAq400wNMvYCvUGDfrRjdAwk4PEPVX_hZeJwd8nfQu60Z-UGpui8g-p1Zv042TUHPpvLvRWze3RttnOJPH3ktf8b2aOM/s1600/PICT0228.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6KL0RKWyyUA9KnmKJH6KTr3nh4shB4TaCxHUaGYn63sImogOLAq400wNMvYCvUGDfrRjdAwk4PEPVX_hZeJwd8nfQu60Z-UGpui8g-p1Zv042TUHPpvLvRWze3RttnOJPH3ktf8b2aOM/s320/PICT0228.jpg" width="320" /></a>I had lost my groove. I kept ice tucked in hand and hid the burn from steaming pots. I spilled more caramel on the stove, counters, and floor. Pushing air out of the sugar bag, I puffed a cloud of granules onto my face and kitchen fixtures. By the time I noticed my sandals tracking sugar into the living room, the obligatory post-cook cleaning had already doubled. Have I mentioned I don't actually like caramel? Oy vey.<br />
<br />
With camera batteries charging in the other room, I forgot to photograph the folly. Toe returned home, and we dug into the pan without getting a snap or shot. Naturally, I recreated the banana blob this weekend for a photo op. Despite my best-worst efforts, it looked relatively nice. While at it, I also made a <a href="http://www.suite101.com/content/peach-galette-recipe-with-fresh-ripe-peaches-a65024">peach-raspberry galette</a>. And even though I unknowingly turned off the oven, instead of resetting the built-in timer, the tarts were tasty.<br />
<br />
<b>Lessons and Notes</b><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #990000;">Peach-Raspberry Galette</span><br />
It was a busy weekend so I used premade dough. I evaded blanching and pitting with well-drained canned peaches. I then:<br />
<ul><li>Hand-mixed the peaches with almond extract, ground clove and nutmeg. I chose almond over vanilla since peaches are a stone fruit.</li>
<li>Spread raspberry jam because my desired fig jam was not an available option.</li>
<li>Sprinkled the layered peaches with almonds (because we had them).</li>
<li>Served with roasted banana gelato.</li>
</ul></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
<span style="color: #990000;">Banana Tarte Tatin</span><br />
The tarte tatin story more-or-less goes: The Tatin sisters ran an eponymous hotel. An overworked sister stumbled upon the upside-down tart by throwing a crust on top of the baking apples of her flubbed pie.<br />
<br />
Recipe Notes:<br />
<ul><li>I’ve been substituting dried lemon peel for orange zest.</li>
<li>When pouring caramel, hustle but don’t fret. Hardened clumps in the baking dish will remelt and spread while baking.</li>
<li>Lacking a 7.5 x 12 dish, I used a 9 x 13. This was too big. My 8 x 8 would have been better.</li>
<li>Paired with blackberry rum sorbet. Flipping the tart, bananas up, is a prettier way to serve. I keep forgetting this.</li>
</ul>Safety & Cleanliness:</div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><ul><li>Hot caramel burns, and it quickly adheres to skin as it cools and hardens. Do not touch hot caramel.</li>
<li>The quick-cooling caramel spills seem easier to scrape up after they harden. </li>
</ul></div>e.t. inghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05225810630929734370noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7810570634848395966.post-70300223731113897982010-09-21T21:36:00.000-07:002010-10-03T11:23:55.158-07:00Neighborly gifts are the best gifts ever!<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I've been hesitating to make a first post here, as E.T. and I have been conducting an ongoing email chain that describes every little detail of our cooking, canning, garden-growing experiments. I had all these grand ideas about what my first post should be - but I'll never actually be that grand and since E.T. is on a mini-vacation visiting her father and I can't share with her immediately my thoughts on creating tonight's recipe, it seems appropriate to bite the bullet and make a darn post.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Here goes...</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Using this </span><a href="http://www.grouprecipes.com/103086/roasted-pink-banana-squash-with-farfalle-and-wild-mushrooms.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">recipe</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> for farfalle with pink banana squash and wild mushrooms, I embarked on a weeknight dinner experiment. Altering the menu to adjust to what I did have in the house, I substituted dry vermouth for the sherry (google searching revealed that it was a good option) and I used only chantrelles and these pretty little organic maitake mushrooms I found at Gelsons.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img alt="" border="0" height="400" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519598822372386050" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji25IywZFFqJuC_eRYVwRjdsikl8EL8IqAMjO1Ahxw6Ej8O0gtK26zCvv69f1Uyy7UlquizQq1oyg-AfsX2kQVHnceNIsLZs0TrLMTYpBnlG9IAfMC62mULEqOxEKgn5rdIG0f5AFHjUJ_/s400/2010-09-21+18.35.25.jpg" style="height: 200px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 150px;" width="300" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Aren't those maitakes pretty?</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Let me back up a bit. Four weeks ago (if memory serves) I was getting dropped off from work by my boss. As we rounded the corner and slowed to a stop, I observed a couple walking past our yard, stopping to look, and pointing. My hubby and I are quite proud of our yard - more of which you will be certain to hear about in great detail. So, with one proud eye on the observant couple I said my goodbyes. I began to approach our front gate and the couple turned around to ask, "Oh? Is this your house?" Thus began a long conversation about various garden-related items. this lead to an admittance on part of my newly-realized neighbor, that she only knows how to cook from her native Philippine repertoire. She and her husband brought up the fact that they only actually eat or cook squash blossoms and that they have this giant squash in their yard that they have no use for and wondered if I knew what it was (assuming, mistakenly, that I was some sort of squash know-it-all). The woman abruptly told her husband to go back and get it…which left me confused, since the strong accent made it difficult for me to understand absolutely everything I had heard…I had no idea what to expect when the husband returned. But sure enough, he comes running back with a gigantic yellowy-pink squash in his arms. He immediately handed it over to me and they hung out for a little while longer before they continued their walk. We shook hands, and I was left with this big mystery squash and some new neighborly pals. I felt so triumphant as I entered my house that evening.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span> </div><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519599550134112546" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCPewUK_HaZ6SP0ughYkqYSLuZvfbohFTN1yK1gRs1Aszf_XINbDVlZUXu0UtUkNXast1UibPrJdBlKRfneo5ZkqrdLzu9S9anNEmOAvZECI_GHgfPfmOSem-s5tniPbpK-1Dmm3S-c_TS/s200/2010-09-21+18.35.03.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 150px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 200px;" /><br />
<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Turns out this squash is a pink banana squash and it's supposedly sweeter than the butternut. Some searches tell me that this is an heirloom variety (I am now wondering if I should dig those seeds out of the compost bin and try to grown 'em in the public walk-way - no room in the small front yard for these giants!).</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span> </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And so, four weeks later, I finally gave myself the permission to spend tonight making this large, large recipe. Apparently in order to use all of this squash in one recipe, the recipe itself, had to be quite large. And my weeknight stamina did not call for two separate kinds of squash meals.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span> </div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Lesson one</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">: wax paper is not parchment paper.</span></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Lesson two</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">: dry vermouth as it's cooking smells just like marsala wine! Yummmm.</span></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Lesson three</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">: wax paper burns when it's in the oven. I really should have deduced this prior to actually putting it in there. There's no excuse.</span></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Lesson four</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">: chiffonade is not a fancy prom dress, but a pretty way to cut herbs.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span> </div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519601183153204834" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivgwnc_4yhGtyKlgf90xVS7_tHfp7g3N2e5cHnkFfAUEMWx_IDMmsltBvUGvdaCZLhw4nOZLiXwXMWERRdHV4jHH-xWB_o31TNyz7k35nZP_c367vO8UNy1JmVhtR0pKv_iqcew3pXgzsI/s320/05.jpg" style="display: block; height: 200px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center; width: 150px;" width="240" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My proud chiffonade...</span></span></td></tr>
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</span> </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A couple of things to note about my developing cooking style…</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I like things very orderly and I like to clean as I go. This usually means that I am not a fast-paced cook or, if I am - my meal probably won't turn out. I blame this on my slight propensity for order or some call it mild OCD. I also blame this on my inexperience with cooking. If I were more comfortable with timing and the materials and foods I was working with, I could probably work faster. I am pretty sure that with experience, I'll still always prefer to keep things as tidy as possible. So, I always start out the cooking process by setting out all of the ingredients I'll need, in their called for proportions. The random salt, pepper or oil addition can be the only exception to my pre-proportioned rule. So, this means that I like to do all of my slice and dicing prior to any heat is turned on (Assuming my recipe calls for heat). My little bits of experience has shown me that I tend to panic and cut corners when I don't have everything prepared and available. For example, tonight's recipe called for the butter to be browned and then dipped into ice water, then separated, leaving the sediment behind to use later on. Well, I hadn't prepared the ice water bath prior to browning the butter, so I just played it by ear. This resulted in a bowl of hot brown butter, with a sauce pan slightly coated in "more brown" butter. This itty bitty mistake, threw me for a loop and when the next step to the recipe called for melted butter (not the browned melted butter, mind you) I threw in my set-aside bowl of sorta browned butter, leaving my regular melted butter waiting in the wings for the last part of the recipe. A minor mistake, I am aware, but it was a mistake that illustrates some of the ways in which a non-prepared Katy turns out a mildly-altered recipe.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" height="240" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519602641138828498" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0_xCW_bFYf-7-q0gP0uMamnFJf0D6iLHP4aQh1mWRTbCv5d6LjxNXP8w0E0rskQhwQyzUqxOm4mUj6qsvl4admw8Xfem7jswLczvdYMWGl9SwH8oo5cLTbsQhSBBpuSzw0FyMNBC3NvmZ/s320/06.jpg" style="display: block; height: 150px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center; width: 200px;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">All sliced and diced, just the way I like it!</span></span></td></tr>
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</span> </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; color: #0000ee;"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519603539510482082" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigaM2t3nheTcWq163yTSHxGX4TuCI82jy26PrPTwa1ats0yYPRDzOFuwehcT2r3JgYGHdbQZUNYW8oCb-pr7i-QKG-THkcChJwCRzRqHmK-V3_NeHRudK4uFWpczWfvQswKm595We07CBi/s320/03.jpg" style="display: block; height: 200px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left; width: 150px;" width="240" /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The final product? I am happy with it. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Quite tasty - very rich, and very sweet as well. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I couldn't quite place if the sweetness was due to the large amount of butter in the recipe, the large amount of sugar in the recipe, or the large amount of super-sweet squash with the butter and sugar in the recipe. Either way, I'm happy to report that the flavor was full and decadent. </span></div><div><br />
</div></div>katy robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12801763595340263298noreply@blogger.com5