The next chapter is on sauces. Sauces are essential to french cooking, so I have learned. Take a nice omelet, add hollandaise sauce and viola! Something simple and and nice becomes something delectable and savorable. My experience was with meatballs.
My husband and I wanted to have Swedish meatballs unfortunately I had no recipe to go by, but the Swedish meatballs that I've had have always had a sweet brown sauce. So I turned to my Julia Child Cookbook. I learned a sauce consists of a few important components: a good roux, hot liquid, enrichment's and time. The most delicate sauces are cooked for 2 hours or as long as a whole day! The roux is made with fat (or butter) and flour. No more than 3 Tbsp of flour per cup of liquid for a thick sauce. For a good sauce I had to first cook the roux for several minutes (little bubbles) this step is key because if I didn't cook the roux long enough it would make the sauce pasty and raw tasting. Next I stirred in the beef stock and other seasonings, and let it simmer for a few minutes to thicken to the desired consistency. Adding butter or cream to enrich the sauce a few minutes before serving.
I dumped the hot meatballs into the sauce and served them spilling over the edge of mashed potatoes with salad on the side. It was delicious and I was impressed with how simple it was to make such a top notch sauce.
Sauces come in many forms, there are marinara sauces, brown sauces, white sauces, and gravy. I look forward to making hollandaise and Mayonnaise.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Hot and Steamy Liquid Love
The Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce and rice was absolutely delicious, so tasty in fact, that I didn't have enough time to take a picture before it was all gone. The chicken was marinated in a coconut and fish sauce mixture with some herbs and curry powder for about an hour, and then cooked on the grill outside in the pouring rain. Thankfully the grill is on the porch so the down pouring didn't ruin my Malaysian/Indonesian-barbecued-chicken-kabob-plans. The Peanut Sauce is where the real effort was in preparing. Many ingredients and techniques are called for; first pounding in a mortar with pestle, then sauteing, and last simmering. Next time I make Satay I now know I can make the Peanut sauce ahead of time. The Lemon Grass added a subtle tangy ..green-leafy flavor to the Peanut sauce that I admit doesn't sound altogether appetizing, but really was very pleasant.
It's nice to have something unusual for dinner from time to time, and I feel making it at home is much more healthy and satisfying than going out to eat (not to mention spending half as much money on the meal.) It's much more rewarding too, when my husband enjoys the meal that I prepared instead of a high end restaurant meal. For example; we never go out for curry, or mango and sticky rice anymore (one of our favorite meals and dessert) because I now can make it at home just as well as the restaurant. Curry and Mango with Sticky Rice is so simple and cheap to make, so I can spend ten dollars making it at home instead of thirty dollars plus tip to eat it at a restaurant! Learning to cook ethnic foods has definitely made my life a little bit easier and more fun.
I finished reading
the first chapter of Mastering the Art of French Cooking entitled Soups. My family have never been big soup eaters; although I do enjoy soup, beyond what comes in a can I have just never had much exposure to making soup or the varieties available. Growing up, my mother would make potato soup from time to time, or a pot of beans, or a minestrone soup from scratch, but it just was not a big part of my meals. As an adult, when eating out, I hesitatingly would order a soup from time to time to see what as out there: French Onion, Clam Chowder, and Tortilla Soup but it was either a hit or miss as to which restaurants had good soup. So it was with courage I took on the task of choosing and making a soup last night. There were Potato and Leek Soup, Watercress, Vichyssoise, Garlic, Onion, Mushroom, and Fish Soups recipes to choose from. I have come to the unfortunate discovery that I dislike Leeks very much. I am not very picky as a rule and generally force myself to give all food a fair chance to win my taste buds over so I will allow myself to dislike leeks. Needless to say I did not want to make a leek soup, and I want to make sure I can make good soup before I take on a Vichyssoise, so since my husband 
and I both love mushrooms I settled on a Cream of Mushroom Soup.
It took an hour of my careful and inexperienced preparation, a half a cup of some Wanna-Be European Butter (I bought special for the occasion,) and about half a cup of cream to make the rich "Grand Occasion or.. Sunday Supper" soup. It was divine. Not bland and viscous like that canned stuff you buy at the store for a dollar and a quarter, but steamy with a soft liquid creamy richness that makes one pause after a sip to savor and ponder the experience. I toasted some white bread and melted some real butter on it as an accompaniment to the lovely soup. Soup and bread was just the thing after a rainy day and a chest cold! Other than adding a bit too much salt at the end I would have to say my hard work definitely paid off. I think I will try making a Potato and Onion soup soon and maybe a fish soup as well. Mrs. Child said, "Once you have mastered a technique, you hardly need look at a recipe again." and I mean to master Soups.
The next chapter is on Sauces and I am so looking forward to making Hollandaise for the first time as well as Mayonnaise! Yippee!
It's nice to have something unusual for dinner from time to time, and I feel making it at home is much more healthy and satisfying than going out to eat (not to mention spending half as much money on the meal.) It's much more rewarding too, when my husband enjoys the meal that I prepared instead of a high end restaurant meal. For example; we never go out for curry, or mango and sticky rice anymore (one of our favorite meals and dessert) because I now can make it at home just as well as the restaurant. Curry and Mango with Sticky Rice is so simple and cheap to make, so I can spend ten dollars making it at home instead of thirty dollars plus tip to eat it at a restaurant! Learning to cook ethnic foods has definitely made my life a little bit easier and more fun.
I finished reading
the first chapter of Mastering the Art of French Cooking entitled Soups. My family have never been big soup eaters; although I do enjoy soup, beyond what comes in a can I have just never had much exposure to making soup or the varieties available. Growing up, my mother would make potato soup from time to time, or a pot of beans, or a minestrone soup from scratch, but it just was not a big part of my meals. As an adult, when eating out, I hesitatingly would order a soup from time to time to see what as out there: French Onion, Clam Chowder, and Tortilla Soup but it was either a hit or miss as to which restaurants had good soup. So it was with courage I took on the task of choosing and making a soup last night. There were Potato and Leek Soup, Watercress, Vichyssoise, Garlic, Onion, Mushroom, and Fish Soups recipes to choose from. I have come to the unfortunate discovery that I dislike Leeks very much. I am not very picky as a rule and generally force myself to give all food a fair chance to win my taste buds over so I will allow myself to dislike leeks. Needless to say I did not want to make a leek soup, and I want to make sure I can make good soup before I take on a Vichyssoise, so since my husband 
and I both love mushrooms I settled on a Cream of Mushroom Soup. It took an hour of my careful and inexperienced preparation, a half a cup of some Wanna-Be European Butter (I bought special for the occasion,) and about half a cup of cream to make the rich "Grand Occasion or.. Sunday Supper" soup. It was divine. Not bland and viscous like that canned stuff you buy at the store for a dollar and a quarter, but steamy with a soft liquid creamy richness that makes one pause after a sip to savor and ponder the experience. I toasted some white bread and melted some real butter on it as an accompaniment to the lovely soup. Soup and bread was just the thing after a rainy day and a chest cold! Other than adding a bit too much salt at the end I would have to say my hard work definitely paid off. I think I will try making a Potato and Onion soup soon and maybe a fish soup as well. Mrs. Child said, "Once you have mastered a technique, you hardly need look at a recipe again." and I mean to master Soups.
The next chapter is on Sauces and I am so looking forward to making Hollandaise for the first time as well as Mayonnaise! Yippee!
Monday, August 31, 2009
Arrival of a Long Awaited Package
My Julia Child cookbooks finally arrived this afternoon! They were shipped late so I had to wait an extra four days for them. My fingers trembled with excitement, as I opened the cover of Julia's Kitchen Wisdom, eager to absorb all of the experience and instruction she had so meticulously and thoughtfully measured into it. (I know not everyone gets this excited about cook books, but cum' on it was a package! Alright, I know I'm a dork so get over it.) I eventually set Julia's Kitchen Wisdom down after reading the introduction, as it is mostly a reference book, and soon began to devour Mastering the Art of French Cooking. The "Introduction" is an appropriate title because I was introduced to Julia Child, the circumstances which led her and her associates to writing this book together, and Mrs. Child's successes thereafter.
Next I read the "Forward" in which Mrs. Child explains her purpose of writing and the most effective way in which to read Mastering the Art of French Cooking, which led me to believe it was really a textbook. I intend to treat it as a textbook at any rate. I will carefully read through the instruction and recipes of each section, and then selecting recipes out of each category to fit my needs and pocketbook, I will test my comprehension and practice what I have learned. I'm so excited to broaden by abilities in cooking; Julia says that French Cooking provides a skill level that will act as a foundation to many other ethnic cooking. I believe it will; if only to help me take cooking more seriously -pushing me to sacrifice the time to make a dish excellent instead of opting for a shortcut, as Julia says, and hoping no one notices the difference.
Reading through the techniques and processes remind me of times when, as a child, I watched my mother from the kitchen table or received instruction from her that I had long forgotten until now. How to fold egg whites in properly for example, or when my father taught me to slice and chop vegetables so as not to cut myself or fear the knife. I wonder to myself; as I read, absorb, and reflect, whether my mother or father had ever read these things themselves or if they had learned it from their parents. Maybe my grandparents had read it! How much has this book really influenced our world and we don't even realize it because it is just a trifle like a cookbook. But, deeper thoughts are for other writings and so my friends until next posting, Happy Cooking!
Next I read the "Forward" in which Mrs. Child explains her purpose of writing and the most effective way in which to read Mastering the Art of French Cooking, which led me to believe it was really a textbook. I intend to treat it as a textbook at any rate. I will carefully read through the instruction and recipes of each section, and then selecting recipes out of each category to fit my needs and pocketbook, I will test my comprehension and practice what I have learned. I'm so excited to broaden by abilities in cooking; Julia says that French Cooking provides a skill level that will act as a foundation to many other ethnic cooking. I believe it will; if only to help me take cooking more seriously -pushing me to sacrifice the time to make a dish excellent instead of opting for a shortcut, as Julia says, and hoping no one notices the difference.
Reading through the techniques and processes remind me of times when, as a child, I watched my mother from the kitchen table or received instruction from her that I had long forgotten until now. How to fold egg whites in properly for example, or when my father taught me to slice and chop vegetables so as not to cut myself or fear the knife. I wonder to myself; as I read, absorb, and reflect, whether my mother or father had ever read these things themselves or if they had learned it from their parents. Maybe my grandparents had read it! How much has this book really influenced our world and we don't even realize it because it is just a trifle like a cookbook. But, deeper thoughts are for other writings and so my friends until next posting, Happy Cooking!
Thursday, August 27, 2009
The Smoking Point
When buying oil for cooking and baking it's important to consider the smoking point of an oil and what oil will contribute the best flavor at the temperature you will be cooking or baking at. The media and health experts are always promoting olive oil for good health, but my husband can't stand the flavor. I never noticed the bitter flavor until I tried to fry pancakes in olive oil (aw, don't snicker at my naivety) and they were just aweful! As a newly wed wife it is important for a woman to feel like her husband can appreciate her efforts in the kitchen. (At least a woman like ME feels that way.) So I threw out the olive oil altogether and looked up cooking oils on the internet to educate myself after crying on the phone to my mother about my failure. Soon after reading about "smoking points" I went out and bought a gallon of Peanut oil. I'd heard it makes everything taste like peanuts, but that doesn't bother me and hasn't bothered my husband. However, when deep fat frying foods I found that Peanut oil does not flatter all foods, especially doughnuts so I will have to try Almond oil sometime because it seems to me that it wouldn't taste so bitter. I'm looking forward to trying several different oils for different things. Walnut oil is supposed to be highly healthful (with omega 3 and 6 that olive oil is revered for) and is recommended drizzled on salad. So I may be able to avoid Olive oil altogether and still get the benifits desired! I found on line, "The cost of walnut oil is higher than that of most other oils, but the payoff is worth it. In addition to providing a delicate flavor that enhances many foods, walnut oil also has therapeutic properties when applied to the skin, and may even act to ward off both cancer and heart disease." Excellent! I'll take a double serving for MY family!
I added a link with a chart of Smoking Points but here's another from Wikipedia that shows more of them.
I added a link with a chart of Smoking Points but here's another from Wikipedia that shows more of them.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
A Matter of Altitude
An important thing to consider in your kitchen activities, is elevation. I found this to be a tedious section in Better Homes and Gardens, so I condensed it into a simpler list for quick reference. Basically; since water boils at lower temperatures 3,000 feet above sea level or higher, moisture evaporates faster and can cause cooking food to dry out. Elevation can also effect the leavening in baked goods causing them to "fall," this explains a lot of the problems I had making biscuits when I moved to go to college! I'll have to invest in a meat thermometer so I can check the temperature for doneness since it takes longer to cook meat at higher altitude. After I moved to "the Valley" I noticed meat cooks allot faster; I love it, but now I have to be careful to not over cook dinner. Adjusting to altitude seems to be one among many of the challenges of moving.
A couple of days ago my sister sent me an e-mail about Allspice and it's origin she looked it up out of curiosity. I've heard Allspice is it's own spice, but I've also heard otherwise so I thought I'd share our findings with you. Wikipedia says, "Ground allspice is not, as some people believe, a mixture of spices. Rather, it is the dried fruit of the Pimenta dioica plant. The fruit is picked when it is green and unripe and traditionally dried in the sun. When dry, the fruits are brown and resemble large brown peppercorns. The whole fruits have a longer shelf life than the powdered product and produce a more aromatic product when freshly ground before use." Many spices are better freshly ground; therefore, a great appliance for a serious cook to have on hand is a spice grinder.
My husband bought me a mortar and pestle for my birthday earlier this year (a much longed for kitchen item), but I will soon be investing in a spice grinder or coffee grinder for finer textures. I am also excited to be able to produce my own nut fours, (such as almond flour) which are sometimes hard to find and an adequate grinder may be used for.
A helpful convenience, if you only want to try a spice without buying the bottle, is to buy only a measure of a spice. Several farmers markets carry an assortment of herbs and spices to measure out a desired quantity to purchase. I've found even irregular items such as chamomile flowers at a farmers market! I feel it's worth the extra effort to find and take advantage local farmers markets, they carry fresher ingredients at lower cost and it's usually grown locally so you know what your eating and cooking with. I love to experiment, find new things to try, and ask questions! I've found it's the best way to learn about food and it's potential.
A couple of days ago my sister sent me an e-mail about Allspice and it's origin she looked it up out of curiosity. I've heard Allspice is it's own spice, but I've also heard otherwise so I thought I'd share our findings with you. Wikipedia says, "Ground allspice is not, as some people believe, a mixture of spices. Rather, it is the dried fruit of the Pimenta dioica plant. The fruit is picked when it is green and unripe and traditionally dried in the sun. When dry, the fruits are brown and resemble large brown peppercorns. The whole fruits have a longer shelf life than the powdered product and produce a more aromatic product when freshly ground before use." Many spices are better freshly ground; therefore, a great appliance for a serious cook to have on hand is a spice grinder.
My husband bought me a mortar and pestle for my birthday earlier this year (a much longed for kitchen item), but I will soon be investing in a spice grinder or coffee grinder for finer textures. I am also excited to be able to produce my own nut fours, (such as almond flour) which are sometimes hard to find and an adequate grinder may be used for.
A helpful convenience, if you only want to try a spice without buying the bottle, is to buy only a measure of a spice. Several farmers markets carry an assortment of herbs and spices to measure out a desired quantity to purchase. I've found even irregular items such as chamomile flowers at a farmers market! I feel it's worth the extra effort to find and take advantage local farmers markets, they carry fresher ingredients at lower cost and it's usually grown locally so you know what your eating and cooking with. I love to experiment, find new things to try, and ask questions! I've found it's the best way to learn about food and it's potential.
Monday, August 24, 2009
A Case of Pots and Pans
Choosing the right cookware is very important especially when starting out. I don't want to go buy just whatever, and it matters a lot because I don't want to waste my money, so I'm finding out what items are going to give me the results I like best.
Some pointers I picked up in the BHG cookbook are:
Shiny metals reflect heat and result in a lighter thinner crust.
These are Aluminum, Stainless Steel, and Tin.
So I'm going to want to buy shiny stainless steel pans for cookies, cheesecake, cake, bread, muffins, bundts, and brownies.
"Dark or dull-finished bake ware, such as tin, glass, and many non-stick pans, absorbs more heat, increasing the amount of browning." If you use these check the directions for decreased heat and bake time.
I'll use these for pie (since I'll need the [extra browning factor so the bottom does not become soggy]) and any goods with acidic ingredients which can react with other bake wares. I found out I need to be sure to remove baked goods (such as lasagna or lemon bars) from the pan and not leave them overnight, since acidity strips non-stick off of my pans.
Another helpful hint my husband discovered and shared with me the other day:
If I use a non-stick pan to fry, say.. eggs, wait for the pan to get hot before putting anything in it. What happens is the non-stick molecules are spread out when they are cool and get close and tight together when they are hot, so if you put something in there during the shrinking process, it will stick in my non-stick pan. Wish I'd known that a long time ago!
5-10-15 Revision
I have decided not to use non-stick anymore, since writing this post I have found that non-stick just isn't as safe as it once was. Instead, I now use a buttered hot cast iron pan to fry eggs. I am careful not to use a stainless steel spatula in the pan to avoid scraping the iron pan into what I'm cooking. I also use parchment paper and non-metal utensils in aluminum pans since aluminum is a health hazard if it enters your food.
Happy Cooking!
Some pointers I picked up in the BHG cookbook are:
Shiny metals reflect heat and result in a lighter thinner crust.
These are Aluminum, Stainless Steel, and Tin.
So I'm going to want to buy shiny stainless steel pans for cookies, cheesecake, cake, bread, muffins, bundts, and brownies.
"Dark or dull-finished bake ware, such as tin, glass, and many non-stick pans, absorbs more heat, increasing the amount of browning." If you use these check the directions for decreased heat and bake time.
I'll use these for pie (since I'll need the [extra browning factor so the bottom does not become soggy]) and any goods with acidic ingredients which can react with other bake wares. I found out I need to be sure to remove baked goods (such as lasagna or lemon bars) from the pan and not leave them overnight, since acidity strips non-stick off of my pans.
Another helpful hint my husband discovered and shared with me the other day:
If I use a non-stick pan to fry, say.. eggs, wait for the pan to get hot before putting anything in it. What happens is the non-stick molecules are spread out when they are cool and get close and tight together when they are hot, so if you put something in there during the shrinking process, it will stick in my non-stick pan. Wish I'd known that a long time ago!
5-10-15 Revision
I have decided not to use non-stick anymore, since writing this post I have found that non-stick just isn't as safe as it once was. Instead, I now use a buttered hot cast iron pan to fry eggs. I am careful not to use a stainless steel spatula in the pan to avoid scraping the iron pan into what I'm cooking. I also use parchment paper and non-metal utensils in aluminum pans since aluminum is a health hazard if it enters your food.
Happy Cooking!
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Sharpening My Knife
To begin my education I decided to start by reading the Cooking Basics found in the front of my Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. Most people probably already know most of the basics like: Measure dry or solid ingredients with Graduated Measuring Cups, and measure liquids with Liquid Measuring cups. Level off dry ingredients with a straight edge, such as the back of a table knife as my grandmother did, and place liquid measurements on a flat surface bending yourself down to eye level to read the right amount. I personally use the shake method for dry ingredients I watched my mother do; fill the cup and shake it back and forth until the excess falls back into the flour bin and your left with a level cup of flour, of coarse it is not always the most precise measurement. Sifting ingredients is not necessary except with cake flour as long as you give it (flour or whatever) a stir before scooping out your measurement. Always pack brown sugar so that it has the form of the cup when you dump it out, unless the recipe directs otherwise, which you may not ever see in your lifetime. Here's a new slice I hadn't known about and actually wondered about before; when measuring dried herbs, fill the measuring spoon until it is level and then if the recipe calls for it, crush it with your other hand or with a mortar and pestle. You should "refrigerate red spices, such as paprika, to preserve their flavor and color." Store other herbs and spices in a cool spot away from sunlight in airtight containers. I once left Cayenne Pepper out on the counter and it got sun bleached, I haven't opened it yet to see if the flavor was effected.
The next section was on kitchen appliances and equipment, beginning with knives. Julia Child said "Yes, you've got to have good knives that will sharpen and that can cut. You should be able to do all the dog work very fast. You need a great big chef's knife, a medium one, and a paring knife. You could get along with three. I have dozens because I'm a knife freak. " Better Homes and Gardens suggest making sure you have: a bread knife (serrated blade), a Chef's or cook's knife (8 inch wedge shape blade), a paring knife (3-4 inch blade), and a utility knife (6 inch thin blade good for soft foods such as sandwiches fruit and cheese.) I also find a carving knife to be necessary (10 inch blade) if you plan to ever have roast or turkey, and if you plan on cooking fish, a fillet knife will come in handy (7 inch blade), a boning knife is also mentioned (5 inch blade) maybe someday I will find it useful to have if I ever finally get a chance to bone a duck. Keep a wet stone in your kitchen because a dull knife is the most dangerous, and be sure to straighten your blades with a sharpening steel from time to time. BHG says to always clean knives with hot soapy water directly after use to preserve the blade. I also heard that you shouldn't use soap with citrus in it because it will ruin the blade.
On that thought (boning a duck) if you have an interest in cooking you should definitely see the new movie that came out to theaters, Julie & Julia. I especially enjoyed the parts about Julia Child, but the whole movie was cute and a laugh. It gave me extra encouragement to take on this cooking education project and to cook MY way through some of my own cookbooks! Not to mention the Julia Child cookbooks I am so impatiently awaiting the arrival of!
Next comes thermometers and I didn't realize it was so important to double check with a thermometer that your oven, refrigerator and freezer are at the right temperatures! I will have to buy some for the oven, refrigerator and freezer now, I suppose. Your refrigerator should never be above 40 degrees Fahrenheit, and your freezer should be zero or below for food safety. Food Safety is VERY IMPORTANT! So remember to check your temperatures. Happy Cooking! I'll be back with more about pots and pans later!
The next section was on kitchen appliances and equipment, beginning with knives. Julia Child said "Yes, you've got to have good knives that will sharpen and that can cut. You should be able to do all the dog work very fast. You need a great big chef's knife, a medium one, and a paring knife. You could get along with three. I have dozens because I'm a knife freak. " Better Homes and Gardens suggest making sure you have: a bread knife (serrated blade), a Chef's or cook's knife (8 inch wedge shape blade), a paring knife (3-4 inch blade), and a utility knife (6 inch thin blade good for soft foods such as sandwiches fruit and cheese.) I also find a carving knife to be necessary (10 inch blade) if you plan to ever have roast or turkey, and if you plan on cooking fish, a fillet knife will come in handy (7 inch blade), a boning knife is also mentioned (5 inch blade) maybe someday I will find it useful to have if I ever finally get a chance to bone a duck. Keep a wet stone in your kitchen because a dull knife is the most dangerous, and be sure to straighten your blades with a sharpening steel from time to time. BHG says to always clean knives with hot soapy water directly after use to preserve the blade. I also heard that you shouldn't use soap with citrus in it because it will ruin the blade.
On that thought (boning a duck) if you have an interest in cooking you should definitely see the new movie that came out to theaters, Julie & Julia. I especially enjoyed the parts about Julia Child, but the whole movie was cute and a laugh. It gave me extra encouragement to take on this cooking education project and to cook MY way through some of my own cookbooks! Not to mention the Julia Child cookbooks I am so impatiently awaiting the arrival of!
Next comes thermometers and I didn't realize it was so important to double check with a thermometer that your oven, refrigerator and freezer are at the right temperatures! I will have to buy some for the oven, refrigerator and freezer now, I suppose. Your refrigerator should never be above 40 degrees Fahrenheit, and your freezer should be zero or below for food safety. Food Safety is VERY IMPORTANT! So remember to check your temperatures. Happy Cooking! I'll be back with more about pots and pans later!
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Spices and Herbs
I think my love of culinary arts started when I was a little girl. I was often in the kitchen helping my mother slicing olives, stirring batter, or reading off a recipe to her. I don't have my own kitchen right now since I live with my mother-in-law. To me, sharing a kitchen is one of the hardest things to do. Ask any of my college roommates, if I were an animal I would mark the kitchen perimeter with a stream of urine. (Maybe that's to vulgar talk around food.) For some reason, when I'm in the kitchen, I am the alpha female and any other woman needs to get out. I don't really do anything mean, I just seem to put off this vibe like some sort of repelling chemical to ward off potential crowding bodies. I don't mean any rudeness by it you know, I only need room to create and focus on my project is all! Anyone is welcome to the kitchen when I'm through.. just so long as they clean up after themselves.. Alright I admit it; I'm a kitchen Nazi, and I'm a terrible little beast for being so. Will you forgive me if I bake brownies for you?
Ever since I discovered spices I've been determined to learn to use them all. I have accumulated quite a collection now, so many that I can't fit them all into a spice rack. Since I don't have a kitchen of my own right now, it's okay I don't have a spice rack big enough, because I keep them nestled contently in a cardboard box for the present. Since I still have plenty of room in my "spice" box I bought a few new additions that I have never tried before and I am so excited to see what I can make with them: Whole Nutmeg, Lemon Grass, Whole Cloves, Cardamom, and Arrowroot! Not to mention Seasoned Salt. Now there is a very yummy Texas caviar recipe I got from a former co-worker that I can use my new Seasoned Salt for, and a fabulous recipe for pear bread to try my Cardamom in, and we all know that whole cloves go well in a Christmas Ham. There are several Asian recipes that call for Lemon Grass, and Whole Nutmeg is used just like preground Nutmeg only in smaller doses and I hear the taste is a bit spicier which I am looking forward to trying. But, what in the world is Arrowroot! Culinary Cafe says: "Arrowroot is a white powder extracted from the root of a West Indian plant, Marantha arundinacea. It looks and feels like cornstarch... Arrowroot is used as a thickening agent for sauces, fruit pie fillings and glazes, and puddings. " Okay so if I have cornstarch and Tapioca Flour already what do I need Arrowroot for? Skipping down to the end, "Arrowroot mixtures thicken at a lower temperature than mixtures made with flour or cornstarch. Mix Arrowroot with cool liquids before adding hot liquids, then cook until mixture thickens. Remove immediately to prevent mixture from thinning. Two teaspoons of Arrowroot can be substituted for 1 tablespoon of cornstarch. One teaspoon of Arrowroot can be substituted for 1 tablespoon of flour. Arrowroot makes clear, shimmering fruit gels and prevents ice crystals from forming in homemade ice cream. " Oh goodie! What could be more enticing than a glossy lake of raspberry sauce on top of a cake covered in creamy frosting! Oh thank you gut, for telling me I would like to have Arrowroot in my pantry! I know just the cake to make for this project too, Perfect Party Cake. Doesn't it look just delectable? Thank you Tuesdays with Dorie!
First thing is first, you cannot have dessert until you have had dinner. How about Chicken Satay with Peanut Dipping Sauce from my Williams-Sonoma Asian cookbook using my new Lemon Grass and served with rice and bell peppers. I can almost smell it now.
Ever since I discovered spices I've been determined to learn to use them all. I have accumulated quite a collection now, so many that I can't fit them all into a spice rack. Since I don't have a kitchen of my own right now, it's okay I don't have a spice rack big enough, because I keep them nestled contently in a cardboard box for the present. Since I still have plenty of room in my "spice" box I bought a few new additions that I have never tried before and I am so excited to see what I can make with them: Whole Nutmeg, Lemon Grass, Whole Cloves, Cardamom, and Arrowroot! Not to mention Seasoned Salt. Now there is a very yummy Texas caviar recipe I got from a former co-worker that I can use my new Seasoned Salt for, and a fabulous recipe for pear bread to try my Cardamom in, and we all know that whole cloves go well in a Christmas Ham. There are several Asian recipes that call for Lemon Grass, and Whole Nutmeg is used just like preground Nutmeg only in smaller doses and I hear the taste is a bit spicier which I am looking forward to trying. But, what in the world is Arrowroot! Culinary Cafe says: "Arrowroot is a white powder extracted from the root of a West Indian plant, Marantha arundinacea. It looks and feels like cornstarch... Arrowroot is used as a thickening agent for sauces, fruit pie fillings and glazes, and puddings. " Okay so if I have cornstarch and Tapioca Flour already what do I need Arrowroot for? Skipping down to the end, "Arrowroot mixtures thicken at a lower temperature than mixtures made with flour or cornstarch. Mix Arrowroot with cool liquids before adding hot liquids, then cook until mixture thickens. Remove immediately to prevent mixture from thinning. Two teaspoons of Arrowroot can be substituted for 1 tablespoon of cornstarch. One teaspoon of Arrowroot can be substituted for 1 tablespoon of flour. Arrowroot makes clear, shimmering fruit gels and prevents ice crystals from forming in homemade ice cream. " Oh goodie! What could be more enticing than a glossy lake of raspberry sauce on top of a cake covered in creamy frosting! Oh thank you gut, for telling me I would like to have Arrowroot in my pantry! I know just the cake to make for this project too, Perfect Party Cake. Doesn't it look just delectable? Thank you Tuesdays with Dorie!
First thing is first, you cannot have dessert until you have had dinner. How about Chicken Satay with Peanut Dipping Sauce from my Williams-Sonoma Asian cookbook using my new Lemon Grass and served with rice and bell peppers. I can almost smell it now.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
A New Approach
I've decided to try a new approach.. I'm 27 years old and have been married for nearly two years. I thought I knew how to cook until I got married. My husband is a very thoughtful and particular eater, he knows more about flavor and texture than I've ever thought about in my whole life. I have therefore come to the conclusion I need to learn how to REALLY cook. I usually just take what knowledge I have and wing it with a new recipe, but I'm going to start doing some studying of proper cooking skills and techniques and learn how to make meals without a recipe.
Don't get me wrong, I know more than just how to boil an egg and make macaroni and cheese. In fact, it didn't take long for me, during college, to earn the title of Betty Crocker. I was always baking a cobbler or a cake or bar cookies in order to stave off hunger and homesickness. I can also make a salad as well as the next going-on-30-year-old-woman. But, although my mother trained me how to bake and my father taught me how to make gravy; and it was enough to get me through college and even single-hood-dom, it isn't enough to get me through life. Since I don't have a personal cheif and we can't eat out half the time, I am going to have to learn how to cook.
Okay so I'm not going to just blog about my experiences in the kitchen, although entertaining they may be. I've realized that not many people I know are as intrigued, no, obsessed with kitchen activities as I am. And can I just say, the kitchen has to be my most favorite room in the whole house; in my mind, it is it's own dwelling apart from the rest of the house, a refuge of flavor, aroma, and magic from the ever so discouraging unextraordinariment of life. So as there is no one for me to really bond my culinary zeal with, I thought at least I can journal my thoughts off into the void of the Internet to perhaps find some kind of validation with myself.
No other occupation in this life gives me more satisfaction than to place something I've created in front of a loved one and to hear that irrepressible Mmmmmm resonate through his or her nasal passages at first bite. Baking is a noble work indeed, it brings smiles to a child's face, comfort to a lonely heart, and warms the soul that's been left out in the cold unkind world. If you want to make a friend out of an enemy, bake him something! As wonderful as baking is, and I do adore it, there is an area of my education that until now has been left to chance. Cooking dinner. Now I don't claim for an instant to know everything about baking or even enough, so I will be schooling myself in this art as well, and I'm sure you will be able to read plenty about it. I am going to try to focus on cooking and invite it to win my heart. I have too much of a sweet tooth that my thighs will tell you I've indulged too much, so I am switching gears and looking forward to a courtship with cooking and thinner years ahead.
I've ordered myself a couple cook books by Julia Child : Mastering the Art of French Cooking Volume 1 and Julia's Kitchen Wisdom. I also have a Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book Special Edition given to me as a wedding gift, three french cookbooks, a couple Williams-Sonoma, and a Yogurt cookbook. I recently read the French Women Don't Get Fat books and have tried a few recipes included in them, and I will probably try a few more on my new cooking journey. A Betty Crocker Cookbook will have to be added to my collection later, but for now these are what I have to work with. Happy Cooking! I've some reading to do tonight!
Don't get me wrong, I know more than just how to boil an egg and make macaroni and cheese. In fact, it didn't take long for me, during college, to earn the title of Betty Crocker. I was always baking a cobbler or a cake or bar cookies in order to stave off hunger and homesickness. I can also make a salad as well as the next going-on-30-year-old-woman. But, although my mother trained me how to bake and my father taught me how to make gravy; and it was enough to get me through college and even single-hood-dom, it isn't enough to get me through life. Since I don't have a personal cheif and we can't eat out half the time, I am going to have to learn how to cook.
Okay so I'm not going to just blog about my experiences in the kitchen, although entertaining they may be. I've realized that not many people I know are as intrigued, no, obsessed with kitchen activities as I am. And can I just say, the kitchen has to be my most favorite room in the whole house; in my mind, it is it's own dwelling apart from the rest of the house, a refuge of flavor, aroma, and magic from the ever so discouraging unextraordinariment of life. So as there is no one for me to really bond my culinary zeal with, I thought at least I can journal my thoughts off into the void of the Internet to perhaps find some kind of validation with myself.
No other occupation in this life gives me more satisfaction than to place something I've created in front of a loved one and to hear that irrepressible Mmmmmm resonate through his or her nasal passages at first bite. Baking is a noble work indeed, it brings smiles to a child's face, comfort to a lonely heart, and warms the soul that's been left out in the cold unkind world. If you want to make a friend out of an enemy, bake him something! As wonderful as baking is, and I do adore it, there is an area of my education that until now has been left to chance. Cooking dinner. Now I don't claim for an instant to know everything about baking or even enough, so I will be schooling myself in this art as well, and I'm sure you will be able to read plenty about it. I am going to try to focus on cooking and invite it to win my heart. I have too much of a sweet tooth that my thighs will tell you I've indulged too much, so I am switching gears and looking forward to a courtship with cooking and thinner years ahead.
I've ordered myself a couple cook books by Julia Child : Mastering the Art of French Cooking Volume 1 and Julia's Kitchen Wisdom. I also have a Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book Special Edition given to me as a wedding gift, three french cookbooks, a couple Williams-Sonoma, and a Yogurt cookbook. I recently read the French Women Don't Get Fat books and have tried a few recipes included in them, and I will probably try a few more on my new cooking journey. A Betty Crocker Cookbook will have to be added to my collection later, but for now these are what I have to work with. Happy Cooking! I've some reading to do tonight!
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