Who wouldn’t want to win a MILLION DOLLARS?.... That’s what I thought.
I was amazed when I read this article about the Pillsbury Company’s Baking Contest and the lovely woman who won last month. Out of 100 finalists, her peanut butter cookie recipe wowed the judges and she was the happy recipient of the grand prize.
My first reaction when I read this article was, “why on earth have I never done this contest?” And then I remembered, “oh, I don’t like to bake”… well, I would like to rescind that sentiment because for 1 million dollars, I am happy to be a little more flexible about this rule I have made for myself in the cooking department and apply the power of concentration to overcome this personality defect.
(See Link below to Pillsbury’s official website)
http://www.pillsbury.com/BakeOff/Default.aspx?WT.ac=bo_announcement
Since all of us love to cook or we would not be writing or reading this blog, I think we need to put our great cooking skills to work- wouldn’t you like to win big bucks? I can think of a lot of things I’d do with that money including buy a house with a great kitchen to support my cooking habit, go to Lorenza D’Medici’s cooking school at her palazzo in Tuscany, go on one of those week cooking journeys with Joanne Weir, etc.
It looks like the contest has different categories you can enter under. Since the most recent contest just ended, they don’t have the dates or rules posted yet for the next one. But check it out! Read the rules and start thinking about recipes you’ve created that might be possibilities for next year’s contest. What I love about this contest despite the fact that it involves baking (which is very detail oriented), is that it involves creativity and originality by the cook. Many of you have family recipes passed down through the generations or ones you make all the time that friends and family rave about. Now’s the time to get out the spatula and apron and start practicing!
This sort of event conjures up a feeling of a different era, circa 1960’s or 70’s when you think about a baking contest, doesn’t it? But that fact is, cooking is big business these days and what a great way to promote a brand name and public interest in a product. I’m perfectly okay with that because Pillsbury is not only making cooking fun, but they are also sharing the wealth! For some good cookie dough, they’ll give you a lot of dough.
A chronicle of culinary exploration and discovery
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Location, Location, Location
You read about how location is everything in the restaurant world; it's why some restaurants make it and others close anonymously... We're all pretty savvy about the "good" restaurants in town and are usually on the look out for the next "hot" one! A good location is important because it gets us there, right? Convenient, central or at least in an area that's accessible. But what brings us there, the reason for going, is the food, right?
Usually it's with anticipation that my friends and I will check out a great restaurant. The service, ambiance and (some type of available parking) all contribute to the experience, but at the end of the meal, it's the food right? That is what it's all about. We know that's true because my closest friend Angela and I will still swear by a Gordo's burrito in San Francisco and believe me, there's nothing to speak of in the way of location or ambiance when you're there- you stand in line and place your order for a fantastic burrito. You watch them place the paper thin tortilla in a steam press and then chop up the crispy and delicious carnitas, grilled beef or chicken and put it all together. No fake guacamole, no weird pretend sour cream. Only authentic ingredients with true pico de gallo and pinto or black beans that are firm and hot. We love Gordos. But again, it's all about the food, not the location.
I bring this whole thing up because I just read the most amazing article in a magazine today about a dining experience in the clouds- I know... HUH?? Okay, well, here's what it is. It is a very high end experience in Europe and South Africa 160 feet off the ground offered by a Belgian entrepreneur. You dine suspended at a large table for 22, seat belts on, with a canopy overhead. The article says for $38,000., you and 21 of your closest friends can have this dining experience....there was no mention of what the food is like. I suspect most people that sign up are doing it for the novelty of this unique experience in the sky and of course the view. Is the food incidental? I would hope not, but how hungry are you when you are swaying in the breeze on a platform, seatbelted in place with exposure to the elements? Just my opinion, but I wonder about that! No mention was made about the food actually, just a reference to "ordering in advance".. gee, what a surprise; it's not like a waiter is going to circulate menus and taking your order and then taking it back to the kitchen..or am I missing something? You're already in the sky suspended- it's not like they're going to take the platform up and down a million times to get everyone's different courses and orders.
I think this is a funny concept because this seems like something people would love to do for the novelty of dining in the sky. But what about motion sickness? And birds?? And what happens if you drop a fork?? Who on earth is going to get a little surprise on the ground when that fork lands? What happens when you shake the crumbs off your napkin or spill some water or drop your wine glass? It's seems a little humerous in a cartoon kind of way. And will you're food be hot? That's something most of us expect when we dine out unless I'm just being picky...
But here's an idea. Why not take your portion of the cost ($38K divided by 22= $1,727.) and create an alternative, amazing dining experience. Say you live in Monterey. Why not take a fabulous helecoptor ride to San Francisco, see beautiful landscape and views and maybe you'll even see a whale in the ocean if you're lucky. From there, take a limo to Gary Denko or the French Laundry in Napa and have an incredible and truly unforgettable meal. You should even have enough left over to stay at a great hotel. Sorry to rain on the parade(no pun intended since for those diners in the sky, inclement weather could "dampen" their spirits a little!) I think there are so many contributing factors to great dining, but I say, if you want to go on a ride, go to Euro Disney! Or take a balloon ride!
When comes to finding a great place to dine, my feet are planted firmly on the ground. I'm more interested in the dining experience than the ride that got me there. Location is of course important and how you got there is a contributing element, but in the end, it will always be incidental to the dining experience itself...
Usually it's with anticipation that my friends and I will check out a great restaurant. The service, ambiance and (some type of available parking) all contribute to the experience, but at the end of the meal, it's the food right? That is what it's all about. We know that's true because my closest friend Angela and I will still swear by a Gordo's burrito in San Francisco and believe me, there's nothing to speak of in the way of location or ambiance when you're there- you stand in line and place your order for a fantastic burrito. You watch them place the paper thin tortilla in a steam press and then chop up the crispy and delicious carnitas, grilled beef or chicken and put it all together. No fake guacamole, no weird pretend sour cream. Only authentic ingredients with true pico de gallo and pinto or black beans that are firm and hot. We love Gordos. But again, it's all about the food, not the location.
I bring this whole thing up because I just read the most amazing article in a magazine today about a dining experience in the clouds- I know... HUH?? Okay, well, here's what it is. It is a very high end experience in Europe and South Africa 160 feet off the ground offered by a Belgian entrepreneur. You dine suspended at a large table for 22, seat belts on, with a canopy overhead. The article says for $38,000., you and 21 of your closest friends can have this dining experience....there was no mention of what the food is like. I suspect most people that sign up are doing it for the novelty of this unique experience in the sky and of course the view. Is the food incidental? I would hope not, but how hungry are you when you are swaying in the breeze on a platform, seatbelted in place with exposure to the elements? Just my opinion, but I wonder about that! No mention was made about the food actually, just a reference to "ordering in advance".. gee, what a surprise; it's not like a waiter is going to circulate menus and taking your order and then taking it back to the kitchen..or am I missing something? You're already in the sky suspended- it's not like they're going to take the platform up and down a million times to get everyone's different courses and orders.
I think this is a funny concept because this seems like something people would love to do for the novelty of dining in the sky. But what about motion sickness? And birds?? And what happens if you drop a fork?? Who on earth is going to get a little surprise on the ground when that fork lands? What happens when you shake the crumbs off your napkin or spill some water or drop your wine glass? It's seems a little humerous in a cartoon kind of way. And will you're food be hot? That's something most of us expect when we dine out unless I'm just being picky...
But here's an idea. Why not take your portion of the cost ($38K divided by 22= $1,727.) and create an alternative, amazing dining experience. Say you live in Monterey. Why not take a fabulous helecoptor ride to San Francisco, see beautiful landscape and views and maybe you'll even see a whale in the ocean if you're lucky. From there, take a limo to Gary Denko or the French Laundry in Napa and have an incredible and truly unforgettable meal. You should even have enough left over to stay at a great hotel. Sorry to rain on the parade(no pun intended since for those diners in the sky, inclement weather could "dampen" their spirits a little!) I think there are so many contributing factors to great dining, but I say, if you want to go on a ride, go to Euro Disney! Or take a balloon ride!
When comes to finding a great place to dine, my feet are planted firmly on the ground. I'm more interested in the dining experience than the ride that got me there. Location is of course important and how you got there is a contributing element, but in the end, it will always be incidental to the dining experience itself...
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Decadent Cooking
My good friend Peter and I went to a cooking class at the Viking Cooking School in Walnut Creek a few weeks ago- you part of Home Chef Store. Have you been? I love this place, it is full of gorgeous cooking utensils, pots & pans and a myriad of baking tools.
I signed up for this class because the recipes sounded over the top -decadent, delicious... with recipes such as:
Lobster Cakes with Champagne Butter Sauce
Herb Crusted Beef Tenderloin Stuffed with Wild Mushrooms
Asparagus with Roasted Shallot Pancetta Vinaigrette
Blue Cheese Souffle
Mixed Greens with Walnuts & Port
Key Lime Cranberry Cheesecake with Chocolate Crumb Crust
I know...don't you wonder who thought of all these recipes, whatsmore putting them all in one class? This is an ambitious amount of recipes which equates to a lot cooking in a small amount of time but when we signed up for this we didn't realize what that really meant... good thing Peter is an accomplished cook because without advanced cooking skills this would have been a tough class to master! We were speed cooking trying to get the entire menu done by the scheduled class end and our partners, (the students we were paired with) seemed to have little culinary experience. You could tell this by one woman's attempt to finely cut herbs with a massive chef knife; Peter rescued her by getting her the appropriate 4" knife needed for the job. I love Peter because he always maintains a calm demeanor even under pressure- so when the knives were flying with all our cooking and the unexperienced woman was wielding a huge butcher knife, he simply walked over, removed it from her hand and gave her the proper knife. With relief she took the knife and those around her were secretly relieved as well.
With that being said, Peter whipped up the egg whites for the souffle, I browned the duxelle mixture and stuffed the tenderloin with it. Have you ever done that before? Okay, so here's what you do- you take a knife sharpener- you know, that round, cylindrical spear and poke a hole the long way horizontally through your beef. Work the spear in circular motions to create a large space in the beef and then stuff your mushroom duxelle mixture into that space, the entire length of the roast. From there, you roll the beef in the herb mixture, brown it then put it in the oven for 20 minutes. What you have when you are done is nothing short of a masterpiece. When you cut the meat into filet mignon sized slices, you see the gorgeous cross section of red meat with herb crust and the core of mushroom filling. We'd been standing and race-cooking at this point for 2.5 hours so we were ready to dive in!
This alone with a salad would have been enough but coupled with the lobster cakes which were unbelieveable with the champagne butter sauce, and the airy yet thick blue cheese souffle left us weak at the knees. It would be unfair to post the recipes since they were created by the Viking Cooking School so I encourage you to check this place out if you want great instruction and superlative recipes.
The end of the meal introduced the unlikely Key Lime Cheesecake for dessert and you know what? It was amazing. I couldn't have been more surprised as were most of the students. You have to keep in mind, we were really full. We'd had a very rich meal, with one too-many courses- kind of like Monty Python with the, "One thin mint" scene. We just didn't think we could do it. But somehow, we managed because it was so good!
The notion of creating menus that inspire romance, that are decadent and rich is one that most people only dream of doing or more likely than not you'd just go out to a restuarant and purchase said meal. But, if you're an experienced cook and want to wow your guests or create an decadent meal for 2, have fun and search for recipes that inspire. We did, and this class provided us with a variety of recipes we'll be able to use time and again for special occasion cooking.
I signed up for this class because the recipes sounded over the top -decadent, delicious... with recipes such as:
Lobster Cakes with Champagne Butter Sauce
Herb Crusted Beef Tenderloin Stuffed with Wild Mushrooms
Asparagus with Roasted Shallot Pancetta Vinaigrette
Blue Cheese Souffle
Mixed Greens with Walnuts & Port
Key Lime Cranberry Cheesecake with Chocolate Crumb Crust
I know...don't you wonder who thought of all these recipes, whatsmore putting them all in one class? This is an ambitious amount of recipes which equates to a lot cooking in a small amount of time but when we signed up for this we didn't realize what that really meant... good thing Peter is an accomplished cook because without advanced cooking skills this would have been a tough class to master! We were speed cooking trying to get the entire menu done by the scheduled class end and our partners, (the students we were paired with) seemed to have little culinary experience. You could tell this by one woman's attempt to finely cut herbs with a massive chef knife; Peter rescued her by getting her the appropriate 4" knife needed for the job. I love Peter because he always maintains a calm demeanor even under pressure- so when the knives were flying with all our cooking and the unexperienced woman was wielding a huge butcher knife, he simply walked over, removed it from her hand and gave her the proper knife. With relief she took the knife and those around her were secretly relieved as well.
With that being said, Peter whipped up the egg whites for the souffle, I browned the duxelle mixture and stuffed the tenderloin with it. Have you ever done that before? Okay, so here's what you do- you take a knife sharpener- you know, that round, cylindrical spear and poke a hole the long way horizontally through your beef. Work the spear in circular motions to create a large space in the beef and then stuff your mushroom duxelle mixture into that space, the entire length of the roast. From there, you roll the beef in the herb mixture, brown it then put it in the oven for 20 minutes. What you have when you are done is nothing short of a masterpiece. When you cut the meat into filet mignon sized slices, you see the gorgeous cross section of red meat with herb crust and the core of mushroom filling. We'd been standing and race-cooking at this point for 2.5 hours so we were ready to dive in!
This alone with a salad would have been enough but coupled with the lobster cakes which were unbelieveable with the champagne butter sauce, and the airy yet thick blue cheese souffle left us weak at the knees. It would be unfair to post the recipes since they were created by the Viking Cooking School so I encourage you to check this place out if you want great instruction and superlative recipes.
The end of the meal introduced the unlikely Key Lime Cheesecake for dessert and you know what? It was amazing. I couldn't have been more surprised as were most of the students. You have to keep in mind, we were really full. We'd had a very rich meal, with one too-many courses- kind of like Monty Python with the, "One thin mint" scene. We just didn't think we could do it. But somehow, we managed because it was so good!
The notion of creating menus that inspire romance, that are decadent and rich is one that most people only dream of doing or more likely than not you'd just go out to a restuarant and purchase said meal. But, if you're an experienced cook and want to wow your guests or create an decadent meal for 2, have fun and search for recipes that inspire. We did, and this class provided us with a variety of recipes we'll be able to use time and again for special occasion cooking.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Back To The Salt Mines
Back to the Salt Mines
Ever wonder where salt comes from? Where would we be without it? It has always been an essential in cooking, preserving, freezing, seasoning. Now, of course we all know salt comes from the sea. But in my world, great salts come from gourmet web sites, stores & farmer’s markets.
Growing up, we always had Kosher Salt and Morton’s Iodized Salt in the house. I remember as a little girl looking at the crystals in the salt jar containing the kosher salt and observing the flaky, rectangular shapes of them. You could dip your finger in the jar so one or two crystals would stick and then let the flakes dissolve on the tip of your tongue- Sharp and memorable in flavor.
Flash forward to today, in the haute cuisine world of the 21st Century and salt has taken on a whole new dimension adding excitement and creativity to cooking. Collecting salts today is almost inevitable if you are a cook, starting innocently with the graduation from regular salt to Sea Salt from France (Remember? That used to be the hot new salt) From there as I go to stores like Williams Sonoma, Sur la Table and the myriad gourmet cooking stores in the Bay Area and Farmers Markets salt has become the sexy new ingredient.
I find these ingredients irresistible, seductive- they beckon you at the store or market to take a closer look and imagine the possibilities. Because I have an active imagination and also love to cook, I have been lured by these glamorous blends of salts and have without realizing it become a collector of salts. I used to be this way with olive oils too with the broad varieties available from around the world and the impact they have on flavoring a meal.
So, I took a look to see what salts I have and was a little surprised at the number of jars I have amassed! I liken this to my olive oil phase or to my obsession with shoes. In the shoe world, there are sling backs, sexy sandals, pumps, flats, boots, you name it in my closet- each with a plan in mind…and so it is with salts.
Here is a snapshot of the gorgeous salts I have collected and what I’ve done with them so far-
Vanilla Fleur De Sel: I just made a pork tenderloin using a rub of this decadent Vanilla Salt blended with ground garlic and ground ginger powder and white pepper. Grill your tenderloin till browned then put in oven for about 20-25 minutes to finish cooking it. You can spread some pomegranate syrup or delicious chutney I get at the SF Farmers Market made with cherries, apricots & Pine nuts over the pork when you put it in the oven to create a caramelized glaze. Outrageously good.
Truffle Salt: This is unbelievable on mashed potatoes or scrambled eggs with chives & parmesan cheese. Quite addictive…this salt is made with black truffles.
NorthWest Alder Smoked Sea Salt: Smoked over Alder Wood, this dark brown salt needs a good meat roast to support its robust flavor
Fumee De Sel: This delicious Salt is smoked over oak barrels with Chardonnay. Elegant salt, great on ribs, lamb.
Garlic Salt: Great on popcorn, grilled chicken, the list goes on.
Rosemary Salt: Great on rack of lamb, roasted chicken etc.
Sea Salt: Use your salt mill to grind some sea salt over a salad of mixed greens with a home made vinaigrette of lemon juice, olive oil and garlic for a great salad.
Kosher Salt: Great anywhere you need salt
Black Sea Salt: This is a gorgeous finishing salt to use on white rice. Try making Chicken Marbella and using this salt and black sesame seeds on your rice side dish, it creates drama and beauty to this already sumptuous dish.
Hawaiian Red Sea Salt:
Parsley Salt: Nice on Pasta
Mixed Salt with dried fruit, citrus peel, spices, vanilla bean, dark chocolate, grape must & cane sugar: I found this on an Italian foods website and this mysterious & decadent salt requires thought on how to use. It is fascinating.
Now I know there’s another level for salt foodies- home blended salts. I have dabbled a little bit in this area mostly informally improvising to suit my own taste and the recipe I am creating:
Salt with zest of lemon and parsley
Salt blended with turbanado sugar & Espelete
I am loving my love-affair with flavored salts, and used with different food pairings and sauces it can elevate y our cooking to a very different level!
Ever wonder where salt comes from? Where would we be without it? It has always been an essential in cooking, preserving, freezing, seasoning. Now, of course we all know salt comes from the sea. But in my world, great salts come from gourmet web sites, stores & farmer’s markets.
Growing up, we always had Kosher Salt and Morton’s Iodized Salt in the house. I remember as a little girl looking at the crystals in the salt jar containing the kosher salt and observing the flaky, rectangular shapes of them. You could dip your finger in the jar so one or two crystals would stick and then let the flakes dissolve on the tip of your tongue- Sharp and memorable in flavor.
Flash forward to today, in the haute cuisine world of the 21st Century and salt has taken on a whole new dimension adding excitement and creativity to cooking. Collecting salts today is almost inevitable if you are a cook, starting innocently with the graduation from regular salt to Sea Salt from France (Remember? That used to be the hot new salt) From there as I go to stores like Williams Sonoma, Sur la Table and the myriad gourmet cooking stores in the Bay Area and Farmers Markets salt has become the sexy new ingredient.
I find these ingredients irresistible, seductive- they beckon you at the store or market to take a closer look and imagine the possibilities. Because I have an active imagination and also love to cook, I have been lured by these glamorous blends of salts and have without realizing it become a collector of salts. I used to be this way with olive oils too with the broad varieties available from around the world and the impact they have on flavoring a meal.
So, I took a look to see what salts I have and was a little surprised at the number of jars I have amassed! I liken this to my olive oil phase or to my obsession with shoes. In the shoe world, there are sling backs, sexy sandals, pumps, flats, boots, you name it in my closet- each with a plan in mind…and so it is with salts.
Here is a snapshot of the gorgeous salts I have collected and what I’ve done with them so far-
Vanilla Fleur De Sel: I just made a pork tenderloin using a rub of this decadent Vanilla Salt blended with ground garlic and ground ginger powder and white pepper. Grill your tenderloin till browned then put in oven for about 20-25 minutes to finish cooking it. You can spread some pomegranate syrup or delicious chutney I get at the SF Farmers Market made with cherries, apricots & Pine nuts over the pork when you put it in the oven to create a caramelized glaze. Outrageously good.
Truffle Salt: This is unbelievable on mashed potatoes or scrambled eggs with chives & parmesan cheese. Quite addictive…this salt is made with black truffles.
NorthWest Alder Smoked Sea Salt: Smoked over Alder Wood, this dark brown salt needs a good meat roast to support its robust flavor
Fumee De Sel: This delicious Salt is smoked over oak barrels with Chardonnay. Elegant salt, great on ribs, lamb.
Garlic Salt: Great on popcorn, grilled chicken, the list goes on.
Rosemary Salt: Great on rack of lamb, roasted chicken etc.
Sea Salt: Use your salt mill to grind some sea salt over a salad of mixed greens with a home made vinaigrette of lemon juice, olive oil and garlic for a great salad.
Kosher Salt: Great anywhere you need salt
Black Sea Salt: This is a gorgeous finishing salt to use on white rice. Try making Chicken Marbella and using this salt and black sesame seeds on your rice side dish, it creates drama and beauty to this already sumptuous dish.
Hawaiian Red Sea Salt:
Parsley Salt: Nice on Pasta
Mixed Salt with dried fruit, citrus peel, spices, vanilla bean, dark chocolate, grape must & cane sugar: I found this on an Italian foods website and this mysterious & decadent salt requires thought on how to use. It is fascinating.
Now I know there’s another level for salt foodies- home blended salts. I have dabbled a little bit in this area mostly informally improvising to suit my own taste and the recipe I am creating:
Salt with zest of lemon and parsley
Salt blended with turbanado sugar & Espelete
I am loving my love-affair with flavored salts, and used with different food pairings and sauces it can elevate y our cooking to a very different level!
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Pandora's Box
Pandora’s Box
If you’re like me, I can’t go into a specialty grocery store without spending double what I would have spent had I gone to Trader Joe’s or Safeway. I love Trader Joes and Safeway, they both fulfill exact shopping goals when I am in my regular routine. This is not to say that both stores don’t have extraordinary selections as well as high end breads and specialty items. But when I’m entertaining or having guests over for the weekend, I feel I must splurge and go to Draegers or Whole Foods.
Both stores were clearly designed by true foodies, people who have an ardent love of cooking and as important, the culinary tools & gadgets that make cooking possible. I always go into Draegers pretending that I am just running in to get a nice cake, (remember? I don’t do cakes) or some fabulous bread or cheeses. But there is a suspicious, ulterior motive to this shopping expedition, cloaked in food shopping- it is a vehicle to get me to the fabulous cookware department up stairs.
I casually look around on the ground floor of the food portion of the store but keep glancing at the escalator going up to the elaborate, heavily stocked cookware department that lies above. I finally take the leap feeling justified that I have entered the store to really do some grocery shopping even though I secretly know this journey to Draegers was so that I could be naughty and splurge on unnecessary but coveted cooking tools.
Does anybody really need an extra grater? I personally think that’s entirely beside the point. The fact is, cooking tools conjure up the possibilities of great cooking. Holding a micro plane grater or stainless steel box grater in my hand immediately instills confidence- I mean I actually feel more sure that I have a fighting chance of cooking something right if I have the right tools.
So, before you think this fluff-ball doesn’t know the first thing about making due, I did live for a year in corporate housing in 1999 in L.A. The accommodations I had were basic at best and very little was provided to make the apartment functional. I do know that it is entirely possible to live without even the most basic cooking tools.
Here’s what I mean:
Need a rolling pin? Wine Bottle
Need a Mallet? Wine Bottle
Cookie Cutter? Wine Bottle
Pitcher? Wine Bottle
Potato Masher? Wine Bottle
You get the idea, pretty amazing how versatile a wine bottle can be. I didn’t even mention that a wine bottle also acts as a decanter for wine : ).
Putting aside this small piece of martyrdom in my life, I completely glory in the abundance of relevant cooking tools and the kitchen equipment I have acquired. But here’s where Pandora’s Box enters the picture. One is not enough. Once you go down the path of acquiring kitchen tools there’s no end in sight.
It starts with upgrading your basic tools to higher end models- maybe small ones that have more comfortable grips like the OXO vegetable peeler so your hands don’t get cut when you’re peeling that potato. Once that’s done, suddenly your old Teflon cookie sheets need to be replaced. Then that 10 piece pots & pans set you got at Woolworth’s in 1976 needs to go- it’s dented and peeling and plus you just plain old want a new set.
From there you graduate to fine knives- cutlery in the cooking world. I could write a poem about my Shun, Santoko knife I love it so much. Or maybe a limerick is better:
There once was a knife by Shun,
Who knew exactly what needed to be done,
It sliced, diced and cut
It did everything but
Put an end to this terrible pun.
I know that was bad, but I think it’s important to be spontaneous and see where things go.
From there, you- like me are wandering into Draeger’s high end territory of exquisite kitchen supplies, china, glassware, cookbooks, and gadgets.
You know what’s next right? Yes, Pandora’s Box is pretty big. You’re now entering the consumer paradise of electrics:
Food Processor
Mixer
Blender
Immersion Blender
Pasta Maker
Bread Machine
The problem I see when you graduate to this level of consumerism is that all those tools you bought earlier aren’t really needed anymore. When you get to the electric tools category, they pretty much do everything for you! Again, entirely beside the point. It is pure fun to use these things and I think everyone would agree that it is okay to have an exception to the rule.
It may seem like all this is a complete digression from where I first started but everything is related. It’s like the chicken and the egg riddle. What comes first? A good recipe? The ingredients? The tools you’ll need to cook with? Let’s assume they all tie together and come in a big shiny box with a nice ribbon wrapped around it. Pandora’s Box.
If you’re like me, I can’t go into a specialty grocery store without spending double what I would have spent had I gone to Trader Joe’s or Safeway. I love Trader Joes and Safeway, they both fulfill exact shopping goals when I am in my regular routine. This is not to say that both stores don’t have extraordinary selections as well as high end breads and specialty items. But when I’m entertaining or having guests over for the weekend, I feel I must splurge and go to Draegers or Whole Foods.
Both stores were clearly designed by true foodies, people who have an ardent love of cooking and as important, the culinary tools & gadgets that make cooking possible. I always go into Draegers pretending that I am just running in to get a nice cake, (remember? I don’t do cakes) or some fabulous bread or cheeses. But there is a suspicious, ulterior motive to this shopping expedition, cloaked in food shopping- it is a vehicle to get me to the fabulous cookware department up stairs.
I casually look around on the ground floor of the food portion of the store but keep glancing at the escalator going up to the elaborate, heavily stocked cookware department that lies above. I finally take the leap feeling justified that I have entered the store to really do some grocery shopping even though I secretly know this journey to Draegers was so that I could be naughty and splurge on unnecessary but coveted cooking tools.
Does anybody really need an extra grater? I personally think that’s entirely beside the point. The fact is, cooking tools conjure up the possibilities of great cooking. Holding a micro plane grater or stainless steel box grater in my hand immediately instills confidence- I mean I actually feel more sure that I have a fighting chance of cooking something right if I have the right tools.
So, before you think this fluff-ball doesn’t know the first thing about making due, I did live for a year in corporate housing in 1999 in L.A. The accommodations I had were basic at best and very little was provided to make the apartment functional. I do know that it is entirely possible to live without even the most basic cooking tools.
Here’s what I mean:
Need a rolling pin? Wine Bottle
Need a Mallet? Wine Bottle
Cookie Cutter? Wine Bottle
Pitcher? Wine Bottle
Potato Masher? Wine Bottle
You get the idea, pretty amazing how versatile a wine bottle can be. I didn’t even mention that a wine bottle also acts as a decanter for wine : ).
Putting aside this small piece of martyrdom in my life, I completely glory in the abundance of relevant cooking tools and the kitchen equipment I have acquired. But here’s where Pandora’s Box enters the picture. One is not enough. Once you go down the path of acquiring kitchen tools there’s no end in sight.
It starts with upgrading your basic tools to higher end models- maybe small ones that have more comfortable grips like the OXO vegetable peeler so your hands don’t get cut when you’re peeling that potato. Once that’s done, suddenly your old Teflon cookie sheets need to be replaced. Then that 10 piece pots & pans set you got at Woolworth’s in 1976 needs to go- it’s dented and peeling and plus you just plain old want a new set.
From there you graduate to fine knives- cutlery in the cooking world. I could write a poem about my Shun, Santoko knife I love it so much. Or maybe a limerick is better:
There once was a knife by Shun,
Who knew exactly what needed to be done,
It sliced, diced and cut
It did everything but
Put an end to this terrible pun.
I know that was bad, but I think it’s important to be spontaneous and see where things go.
From there, you- like me are wandering into Draeger’s high end territory of exquisite kitchen supplies, china, glassware, cookbooks, and gadgets.
You know what’s next right? Yes, Pandora’s Box is pretty big. You’re now entering the consumer paradise of electrics:
Food Processor
Mixer
Blender
Immersion Blender
Pasta Maker
Bread Machine
The problem I see when you graduate to this level of consumerism is that all those tools you bought earlier aren’t really needed anymore. When you get to the electric tools category, they pretty much do everything for you! Again, entirely beside the point. It is pure fun to use these things and I think everyone would agree that it is okay to have an exception to the rule.
It may seem like all this is a complete digression from where I first started but everything is related. It’s like the chicken and the egg riddle. What comes first? A good recipe? The ingredients? The tools you’ll need to cook with? Let’s assume they all tie together and come in a big shiny box with a nice ribbon wrapped around it. Pandora’s Box.
Monday, January 21, 2008
Let Them Eat Cake
Let Them Eat Cake
You know how it seems that you're either a baker or a cook? Not that you're not capable of doing both, but you have a natural tendency toward one or the other...
I bring this up, because I figured this out the hard way with one too many cake, "situations." Now, with concentration I can make great brownies and cookies, but the precision that's called upon for baking- using exact measurements, sifting and such is too complicated and detailed for me. I've always felt more is better when it comes to cooking- a little more butter, seasoning etc which flies in the face of the true baker's technique.
I have had more than one cake go south and I bring this topic up because I just heard another cake-gone-wrong story from my Mom. She is an excellent cook and is one of the rare few who is a both-ee- she can bake and cook with equally great talent. I learned to cook from my Mom and she, to me, can do it all in the kitchen. Her cake gone wrong story had to do with a shared recipe from a wonderful friend; without me knowing how this happened, let's just say numbers were transposed and 1 cup of flour led to 4 or something like that and it went downhill (literally) from there.
Here is a list of my greatest cake fiascos. I am listing these not just to tell you my story but to remind myself if I ever get the wise idea to ever make a cake again, I will refer to this memo as a reminder of why not to do it...
Cake #1) Basic Yellow Cake for a birthday cake. I won't go into too much detail. Let's just say I forgot to mix the eggs in the batter and realized it happily within 10 minutes of having put the cake into the oven. It had started baking but I surmised that it was still liquid enough to whip in the forgotten eggs. So I did. I don't think I can go on with this story but you get the idea, right?
Cake #2) Swedish Door Stop: I'm calling this the doorstop recipe because I don't remember the name of this Swedish Coffee Cake and after I finished this yeast dough disaster, it resembled a brick of concrete and had no resemblence to a lovely coffee cake- at all. I would have thrown it in the wastebasket but it might have cracked the floor tile when it landed so instead, I placed it gently in the bin and said farewell.
Cake #3) Meringue Cake: I'm tired of people telling me how easy it is to make a meringue. Things seemed like they were going well. I made two fluffy meringue discs that I blobbed onto the cookie sheet to bake. The idea is I would have a 2 layer meringue cake that I would fill with sweetened whipped cream and chocolate chips. Well, I don't know what went wrong but they were flat and overall the cake was a flop- no pun intended. At the time, I blamed it on the recipe- you know, one of those great recipes you see in a magazine with a Hollywood photo showing a movie- star cake?
But you know, the problem was really me, the non-cake, non-baker girl.
Now, I know there are many people who are not only accomplished bakers but people who've taken baking to the another level. Artistry combined with baking to create fun, imaginative, irresistable, delicious baked goods. We know they're out there or there wouldn't be any bakeries in the world or cookies- we'd all be eating rice with a little sugar thrown on it and would think that was great.
My good friend Heather is one of these amazing people. She bakes using molds, creating adorable cakes shaped like cartoon characters- and this was before the TV show with the star cake bakers.
She is an original. She paints with icing, frosts like Leonardo with a paint bruch and makes the best sour cream pound cake in the universe. Her talent comes from within and her cakes are something to behold. She's the "fun" Mom, who all the kids love because she creates to bring joy to her children. Heather has patience, detail orientation and a large dose of creativity that makes her final product very special.
I take it back. There is one cake I make well and because of the initial success I have had with this, I have made it repeatedly. It's an olive oil cake. Now, don't run away, it's great. I don't want anyone to get the idea that I'm a baker because of this confession, this is an anomoly. I am really a cook.
I know, you're thinking olive oil cake? I hear you, I thought the same thing. But it's wonderful... I got the recipe from a cooking class I attended in Sonoma and I have made adaptions to the recipe to suit my taste. I top the cake with toasted pine nuts and serve it with a small scoop of vanilla bean gelato.
So there you go. I say, "let them eat cake", I myself will be buying it, not baking it. Happily the world has enough bakers to feed the non-baking cooks.
You know how it seems that you're either a baker or a cook? Not that you're not capable of doing both, but you have a natural tendency toward one or the other...
I bring this up, because I figured this out the hard way with one too many cake, "situations." Now, with concentration I can make great brownies and cookies, but the precision that's called upon for baking- using exact measurements, sifting and such is too complicated and detailed for me. I've always felt more is better when it comes to cooking- a little more butter, seasoning etc which flies in the face of the true baker's technique.
I have had more than one cake go south and I bring this topic up because I just heard another cake-gone-wrong story from my Mom. She is an excellent cook and is one of the rare few who is a both-ee- she can bake and cook with equally great talent. I learned to cook from my Mom and she, to me, can do it all in the kitchen. Her cake gone wrong story had to do with a shared recipe from a wonderful friend; without me knowing how this happened, let's just say numbers were transposed and 1 cup of flour led to 4 or something like that and it went downhill (literally) from there.
Here is a list of my greatest cake fiascos. I am listing these not just to tell you my story but to remind myself if I ever get the wise idea to ever make a cake again, I will refer to this memo as a reminder of why not to do it...
Cake #1) Basic Yellow Cake for a birthday cake. I won't go into too much detail. Let's just say I forgot to mix the eggs in the batter and realized it happily within 10 minutes of having put the cake into the oven. It had started baking but I surmised that it was still liquid enough to whip in the forgotten eggs. So I did. I don't think I can go on with this story but you get the idea, right?
Cake #2) Swedish Door Stop: I'm calling this the doorstop recipe because I don't remember the name of this Swedish Coffee Cake and after I finished this yeast dough disaster, it resembled a brick of concrete and had no resemblence to a lovely coffee cake- at all. I would have thrown it in the wastebasket but it might have cracked the floor tile when it landed so instead, I placed it gently in the bin and said farewell.
Cake #3) Meringue Cake: I'm tired of people telling me how easy it is to make a meringue. Things seemed like they were going well. I made two fluffy meringue discs that I blobbed onto the cookie sheet to bake. The idea is I would have a 2 layer meringue cake that I would fill with sweetened whipped cream and chocolate chips. Well, I don't know what went wrong but they were flat and overall the cake was a flop- no pun intended. At the time, I blamed it on the recipe- you know, one of those great recipes you see in a magazine with a Hollywood photo showing a movie- star cake?
But you know, the problem was really me, the non-cake, non-baker girl.
Now, I know there are many people who are not only accomplished bakers but people who've taken baking to the another level. Artistry combined with baking to create fun, imaginative, irresistable, delicious baked goods. We know they're out there or there wouldn't be any bakeries in the world or cookies- we'd all be eating rice with a little sugar thrown on it and would think that was great.
My good friend Heather is one of these amazing people. She bakes using molds, creating adorable cakes shaped like cartoon characters- and this was before the TV show with the star cake bakers.
She is an original. She paints with icing, frosts like Leonardo with a paint bruch and makes the best sour cream pound cake in the universe. Her talent comes from within and her cakes are something to behold. She's the "fun" Mom, who all the kids love because she creates to bring joy to her children. Heather has patience, detail orientation and a large dose of creativity that makes her final product very special.
I take it back. There is one cake I make well and because of the initial success I have had with this, I have made it repeatedly. It's an olive oil cake. Now, don't run away, it's great. I don't want anyone to get the idea that I'm a baker because of this confession, this is an anomoly. I am really a cook.
I know, you're thinking olive oil cake? I hear you, I thought the same thing. But it's wonderful... I got the recipe from a cooking class I attended in Sonoma and I have made adaptions to the recipe to suit my taste. I top the cake with toasted pine nuts and serve it with a small scoop of vanilla bean gelato.
So there you go. I say, "let them eat cake", I myself will be buying it, not baking it. Happily the world has enough bakers to feed the non-baking cooks.
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
San Francisco Farmer's Market
If you even remotely love food or are passionate about cooking, this market is the supreme gourmet's shopping paradise!
The San Francisco Farmer's Market is massive and encircles the San Francisco Ferry Building which is the crown jewel of the gourmet city's epicenter. With high-end aritsan cheeses and breads, wines, fresh yogurts and truffle butter, exquisite chocolates from Reccheitti and robust and elegant McEvoy olive oils. The crowds circulate among all these precious stores and shop as if it's Thanksgiving in July! I walk around in dazed awe of my surroundings- so prolific in its' wealth of foodstuffs and bounty of produce and gourmet restaurants in this beautifully restored historic building.
Walking outside, you are caught up immediately in the energy of the crowd as they circulate among the farmers booths. You see tables laden with pots of fresh honey, golden bottles of local California olive oils. Jars of chutney and preserves beckon you coming in traditional flavors, cherry and apricot with almond, and thick strawberry preserves. The most difficult event of the morning is not buying everything!
Vegetables are in abundance with stalks of thick, round brussel sprouts- green & firm, leafy swiss chard, bundles of spinach and green onions! Baskets with late season heirloom tomatoes draw you in with rainbow hughes of gold, orange, purple & yellow. Samples are prolific and as the throngs of people walk by the booths, the reach out to try a slice of crisp, sweet apple, chunks of tomatoes, pieces of cheese. Crescents of peaches & plums, all dripping in their juices provide a refreshing, sweet taste that satisfies.
At this time of year, Frog Hollow Farms, the famed premium peach farm offers table of fat, gorgeous pears. The large round apple pears are the size of a softball and the varieties of pears is impressive. You also see packets of dried peaches and apricots, nuts and other fruits to choose from; truly a delight. Nearby is a booth where bourbon, pecan pies are being sold. The adorable man selling these gave me a sample. After the decadent bite melted in my mouth, I looked at him as commented that it was so rich, you could seduce someone with a pie like this! The purveyor blushed marvelously and my friend who also had a sample laughed. We all agreed.
The range of products for sale at the market is broad with vacuum sealed salmon, fresh eggs, handmade soaps and geranium and lavendar salt scrubs to choose from. Also found near these gorgeous items are blended gourmet salts and sugars mixed with rosemary, lavendar, vanilla and mint!
What makes the Farmer's Market such a wonderful experience is the people who represent their special items. I love taling to the lady at the market who sells fresh, handmade butter and cheeses. When I first saw her, I was buying unsalted butter to practice making compound butters- (something I recently learned about when I took a cooking class taught by famed, local TV chef Joanne Weir- a talent who I personally feel embodies the spirit and joy of cooking like no other.) I was there with a friend and we were quite excited about the project:
The goat chees lady was interesting. She owns her own herd of goats in Northern California and has dedicated herselft to their care and production of milk. Se produces her own cheeses, which stands out as significantly different than the soft, creamy mounds of goat cheese you buy at the store. With texture and shape similar to a wheel of parmesan with ash crust, the results of her labor is truly high-end, artisinal goat cheese with a dense, hard texture and a rich, smokey tast. I noticed with surprise that she also produced her own sausage...goat. Intrigued, I bought one of them, but to date have not been brave enough to try it.
Truly an artist & craftsperson, she is generous with her time as she answers questions on her technique for producing her cheeses to a rapt audience of gourmet foodies clustered around her booth. You could see the appreciation and respect emanating from the the small group of people listening to her. They were peppering her with questions, fascinated with her craftsmanship and the labor involved with producing such fine cheeses.
Each time I come to this market I am filled with excitement and anticipation of what I might discover and who I might speak with. I wonder if the salt purveyor will be back on my next visit so I can purchase that rosemary salt that winked at me as I was leaving the market on my last visit. Being here is inspiring, energizing. Truly a celebration of California's bounty and the potential of great cooking to come!
The San Francisco Farmer's Market is massive and encircles the San Francisco Ferry Building which is the crown jewel of the gourmet city's epicenter. With high-end aritsan cheeses and breads, wines, fresh yogurts and truffle butter, exquisite chocolates from Reccheitti and robust and elegant McEvoy olive oils. The crowds circulate among all these precious stores and shop as if it's Thanksgiving in July! I walk around in dazed awe of my surroundings- so prolific in its' wealth of foodstuffs and bounty of produce and gourmet restaurants in this beautifully restored historic building.
Walking outside, you are caught up immediately in the energy of the crowd as they circulate among the farmers booths. You see tables laden with pots of fresh honey, golden bottles of local California olive oils. Jars of chutney and preserves beckon you coming in traditional flavors, cherry and apricot with almond, and thick strawberry preserves. The most difficult event of the morning is not buying everything!
Vegetables are in abundance with stalks of thick, round brussel sprouts- green & firm, leafy swiss chard, bundles of spinach and green onions! Baskets with late season heirloom tomatoes draw you in with rainbow hughes of gold, orange, purple & yellow. Samples are prolific and as the throngs of people walk by the booths, the reach out to try a slice of crisp, sweet apple, chunks of tomatoes, pieces of cheese. Crescents of peaches & plums, all dripping in their juices provide a refreshing, sweet taste that satisfies.
At this time of year, Frog Hollow Farms, the famed premium peach farm offers table of fat, gorgeous pears. The large round apple pears are the size of a softball and the varieties of pears is impressive. You also see packets of dried peaches and apricots, nuts and other fruits to choose from; truly a delight. Nearby is a booth where bourbon, pecan pies are being sold. The adorable man selling these gave me a sample. After the decadent bite melted in my mouth, I looked at him as commented that it was so rich, you could seduce someone with a pie like this! The purveyor blushed marvelously and my friend who also had a sample laughed. We all agreed.
The range of products for sale at the market is broad with vacuum sealed salmon, fresh eggs, handmade soaps and geranium and lavendar salt scrubs to choose from. Also found near these gorgeous items are blended gourmet salts and sugars mixed with rosemary, lavendar, vanilla and mint!
What makes the Farmer's Market such a wonderful experience is the people who represent their special items. I love taling to the lady at the market who sells fresh, handmade butter and cheeses. When I first saw her, I was buying unsalted butter to practice making compound butters- (something I recently learned about when I took a cooking class taught by famed, local TV chef Joanne Weir- a talent who I personally feel embodies the spirit and joy of cooking like no other.) I was there with a friend and we were quite excited about the project:
- Butter blended with honey and toasted pecans or cashews
- Butter blended with blue cheese and truffle salt
The goat chees lady was interesting. She owns her own herd of goats in Northern California and has dedicated herselft to their care and production of milk. Se produces her own cheeses, which stands out as significantly different than the soft, creamy mounds of goat cheese you buy at the store. With texture and shape similar to a wheel of parmesan with ash crust, the results of her labor is truly high-end, artisinal goat cheese with a dense, hard texture and a rich, smokey tast. I noticed with surprise that she also produced her own sausage...goat. Intrigued, I bought one of them, but to date have not been brave enough to try it.
Truly an artist & craftsperson, she is generous with her time as she answers questions on her technique for producing her cheeses to a rapt audience of gourmet foodies clustered around her booth. You could see the appreciation and respect emanating from the the small group of people listening to her. They were peppering her with questions, fascinated with her craftsmanship and the labor involved with producing such fine cheeses.
Each time I come to this market I am filled with excitement and anticipation of what I might discover and who I might speak with. I wonder if the salt purveyor will be back on my next visit so I can purchase that rosemary salt that winked at me as I was leaving the market on my last visit. Being here is inspiring, energizing. Truly a celebration of California's bounty and the potential of great cooking to come!
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