Obsession

I dragged my friend, Alejandra, down to the book store at the Ferry Building in San Francisco, on a Friday night, to see Christopher Kimball from America's Test Kitchen. It was pretty awesome to see him in person. He had a cute yellow bow tie on. He answered questions for half an hour and when asked about the ties, he estimated that he owned seventy of them. People asked all kinds of questions. About organic food, which to sum up, he said, doesn't really have any regulations in the states, and that a producer can essentially use the title without really providing an "organic" product.

I don't remember everything that was said however, someone inquired how it was that he got into food. The story is this: When he was about seven he made a chocolate cake for his family that wasn't good, and the frosting came out looking like snot. But, when he served it to the family, everyone remarked how good it was. It was because of that feeling, of making something and then having people appreciate it, that made him gravitate to food.

I even asked him a question. Here's the background: When I make their desserts at home, they'll usually call for a one to two hour cooling time. I can never wait that long to get my hot little hands on the goods, so I, from time to time... okay, I admit it, more often than not, will, take a little bite off the corner immediately after it has emerged from the oven. This mostly pertains to desserts like lemon bars, or brownies, but isn't limited to these by any means.

The question: Do you sneak bites of the desserts before they've cooled, or do you wait the recommended cooling time? My answer: Because we're filming, and we don't want the the whole film crew to wait for hours for the dessert to be ready, we have a backup waiting that is ready to taste.

Ah yes. I always think it's so cute, when on the show, he says he's going to talk to Adam Reid in the equipment corner, or Jack Bishop in the tasting lab, while he's waiting for his dessert to cool. Damn you magic box for fooling me... I shake my fist at the heavens!

He even signed my book. Me and my new BFF Chris!

Baking With Tom

One of my favorite things to do on a day off is bake while listening to Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. One of my favorite songs is Breakdown.

When I moved to San Francisco seven years ago my palate was limited. I didn’t eat goat cheese. I didn’t like tomatoes, or avocado. To say the least, my food world was limited. But yesterday, I was about to order geoduck sashimi for lunch! It didn’t happen for a two reasons; 1. It was priced at 30 dollars a pound, while the required amount to purchase was at least 2 pounds, and 2. There were only 2 of us. Today, I made rosemary polenta cake with peaches and honey whipped cream for dessert. For dinner, we’re having enchiladas verde, refried beans, with guacamole and chips for starters. All made by ME! Okay, I didn’t make the chips, but 4 out of 5’s pretty good. A few years ago, I would have never considered a savory dessert, but today I’m excited to try it. I did turn 30 this year, so that may have something to do with my new found love of eating delicious, interesting food.

Paris recently gave me his recipe for homemade refried beans. I’m using it again tonight, and I’ve gotta say, I will never eat canned beans EVER again. It’s too easy to make them from scratch. There’s a little more work involved besides popping open a can, but the reward for flavorful beans is so worth it. I’ll never go back! Make your own beans!

No surprise here that the recipe for the cake comes from America’s Test Kitchen. I’m hooked. But, if it weren’t for some of my favorite shows like ATK, Top Chef, and No Reservations, I just may be relegated to eating beans from a can, and never enjoying savory sweet baked goods like this…

Cake:
1 cup whole milk
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 ½ cups instant polenta
3 large eggs
¼ cup honey
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup cake flour
¾ cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces and softened

Topping:
2 large ripe peaches, peeled and sliced into ¼ inch thick wedges
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon sugar
Pinch salt
½ cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon honey

1. For the cake: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat to 350. Grease a 9-inch cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.

2. Bring the milk and rosemary sprigs to a simmer in a medium saucepan, then let steep off the heat for 10 minutes: discard the rosemary sprigs. Meanwhile, spread the polenta over a rimmed baking sheet and toast in the oven until fragrant and lightly golden, about 10 mins. Carefully whisk the hot toasted polenta into the steeped milk.

3. Whisk the egg, honey, and vanilla together in medium bowl. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together. Using an electric mixer on medium-low speed, beat the butter into the flour mixture, one piece at a time, about 30 seconds. Continue to beat the mixture until it resembles moist crumbs, 1 to 3 minutes.

4. Beat in the egg mixture until combined, about 30 seconds. Break up any large clumps of the polenta with your fingers, then beat it into the batter, one handful at a time, until combined, about 30 seconds. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat the batter until smooth and uniform 2 to 4 mins.

5. Give the batter a final stir with a rubber spatula to make sure it is thoroughly combined. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and gently tap the pan on the counter to settle the batter. Bake the cake until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 30-35 mins, rotating the pan halfway through baking.

6. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 mins. Run a knife around the edge of the cake, then flip it out onto a wire rack. Peel off the parchment paper, then flip the cake right side up, and let cool completely, 1-2 hours.

7. For the topping: While the cake cools, toss the peaches, rosemary, sugar, and salt together in a medium bowl and let sit until the peaches release their juices, about 20 mins. Before serving, whip the cream and honey together with an electric mixer on medium-low until frothy, about 1 min. Increase the mixer speed to high and continue to whip until the cream forms soft peaks, 1-3 mins.

8 To assemble: Spread the whipped cream over the top, leaving ½ inch border around the edge. Discard the rosemary sprig from the peaches and arrange them in a concentric patter over the cream.
Voila! I am considering messing around with the peaches. My peaches were ripe and tasted great, but weren’t soft enough for the fork to slide through them while they were on top of the cake. Had to push them off and construct the perfect bite. Maybe I didn’t let them macerate long enough, maybe they weren’t ripe enough, but would love to find a way to have softer peaches consistently, maybe sauté, or bake them.

Meats and Sweets

Or, Seattle Happy Birthday Time
Or, I turned 30 in Seattle,
Or, My continued obsession with Anthony Bourdain and cured meats!



My obsession with Anthony Bourdain and cured meats continued during my trip to Seattle. While I was visiting Portland, I watched the Portland episode of No Reservations. It only stands to reason that, while visiting Seattle, I indeed watch that episode of No Reservations as well, which led me to Salumi, only a hop, skip and a jump away from Pikes Place Market. I bought Paris a pre-birthday meal, since his birthday is the day after mine, and with lunch in our hot little hands we crossed the street and ate picnic style. We made sure to purchase a log of delicious cured meats to take with us so everyone could partake in the joy that is Salumi.

In the Italian episode of his show, Anthony Bourdain remarked that he kills that which he loves. By enlightening the masses, we come and tour and eat and crush, and eventually, squeeze the essence from these unique food sanctuaries. I want him to know, I am grateful for what he has done for me personally. I'm sure many would agree with me... I am a better person with delicious, juicy, particles of meat and fat and grease dribbling from my mouth and eventually making there way into my grateful tummy. My knowledge of food has grown exponentially because of him and his show, and I say thank you, my tummy thanks you. I promise to not crush, and to always tip generously!


Ceviche ala Paris, recipe...Rick Bayless, winner of Top Chef Masters Season 1. It is delicious and super easy, exactly my kind of cooking!


Beecher's was also on No Reservations. It's at Pikes Place Market, across the street. I ordered mac-n-cheese and watched them make the cheese right there. Good times!


Salumi meat, provolone, apples, and a baguette, a perfect afternoon snack.


Paris and I made birthday cakes for each other. He requested carrot with vanilla frosting. Which, I was opposed to immediately, since carrot cake usually dictates a cream cheese frosting, but you have to make concessions, and give people what they want on their birthday, if at no other time during the year. It was pretty tasty, since it was, America's Test Kitchen recipe all the way baby. I used fresh ground pepper this time, and there was no doubt that pepper was in there, which made it interesting, but didn't ruin it. For mine, I wanted none other than my go-to-have-to-have-above-all-else...yellow cake with chocolate frosting. Num num in my tum. His recipe came from Flour, a book that he remarked, is his new favorite. I had lots-o-fun, until next time Seattle!

Molasses Cookies, A Holiday Preview

Yum. The best part about these simple molasses cookies is the 3 tablespoons of dark rum added to the powdered sugar for the glaze. Really good, and gives them a little kick. Just use rum instead of water or milk in the glaze. Like I do in my cereal.


*pics taken with our new Canon camera!

She's My Cherry Pie!

Cherries are in season! I love this season, and with all the great great fruit available ask yourself why you haven't made a fruit pie yet, seriously!





1 recipe double-crust pie dough:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoons salt
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces and chilled
1/2 cup vegetable shortening, cut into 4 pieces and chilled
1/4 cup vodka, chilled (do not substitute water, vodka cooks out and helps to make the dough easier to roll out, will be moister than most pie doughs but inturn will require up to 1/4 cup flour to roll out)
1/4 cup ice water

1. Process 1 1/2 cups flour, sugar and salt together in a food processor until combined. Scatter the butter and shortening over the top and continue to process until incorporated and the mixture begins to form uneven clumps w/ no remaining floury bits, about 15 seconds.

2. Scrape down the bowl and redistribute the dough evenly around processor blade. Sprinkle the remaining flour over the dough and pulse until the mixture has broken up into pieces and is evenly distributed around the bowl, 4 to 6 pulses.

3. Transfer mixture to medium bowl. Sprinkle the vodka and water over the mixture. Stir and press the dough together, using a stiff rubber spatula, until the dough sticks together.

4. Divide the dough into 2 even pieces. Turn each piece of dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap and flatten each into a 4-inch disk. Wrap each piece tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. Before rolling the dough out, let it sit on the counter to soften, about 10 minutes.






Now the insides:

6 cups fresh sour cherries, pitted
1-1 1/4 cups plus 1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
pinch salt
1 egg white, lightly beaten

1. Roll out one disk of dough into 12-inch circle on a lightly floured counter, then fit it into a 9-inch pie plate, letting the excess hang over the edge; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate about 30 minutes.

2. Roll the other disk of dough into 13 1/2 by 10 1/2-inch rectangle, then transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Trim the dough to a 13 by 10-inch rectangle w/ straight edges, slice it lengthwise into eight 13-inch-long strips. Separate the strips slightly, cover with plastic wrap, and freeze until very form, about 30 mins.

3. Toss the cherries and 1 cup sugar together in a large bowl and let sit, tossing occasionally, until the cherries release their juices, about 1 hour. Adjust an oven rack to the lowest position, place a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet on the rack, and heat oven to 425 degrees.

4. Drain the cherries thoroughly through a colander, reserving 1/4 cup of the juices, In a large bowl, toss the drained cherries, 1/4 cup reserved juice, cornstarch, cinnamon, almond extract, and salt together until well combined. (If cherries are too tart, add up to 1/4 cup more sugar.)

5. Spread the cherries into the dough-lined pie plate and weave the chilled strips of dough over the top into a lattice. Let the strips soften for over 5 to 10 minutes, then trim, fold and crimp the edges. Lightly brush the lattice with the egg white and sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar.

6. Place the pie on the heated baking sheet and bake until the top crust is golden, about 25 mins. Reduce the oven temp to 375, rotate the baking sheet, and continue to bake until juices are bubbling and crust is golden brown, 25-35 more mins. Let the pie cool on a wire rack until the filling has set, about 2 hours.


I know, I know, lots of directions, but look at all the work I put in to letting you know about this amazing recipe. It's really not that hard, just takes patience and thinking ahead to pull this one together. Try it, you'll be sooooooo glad you did. Enjoy!