For those of you interested in cooking news, recipes, tips and general fun, Serious Eats is a great website. A bit NYC-centric (which is fine by), they’re trying to branch out and definitely have a friendly vibe. How friendly? They have cookbook contests like crazy! In fact, I won a cookbook from Serious Eats! WHOOO! I really like cookbooks. Sometimes I don’t use them as much as I feel like I should because I like to improvise, but I love looking at recipes and pictures and imagining flavor combinations…
Anyways, I managed to win a copy of The 25th Anniversary Silver Palate Cookbook and I am pretty psyched to try some of the mousses - Lime Mousse and Ginger Pumpkin Mousse to be precise. Updates will be posted.
In other fun recipe news, if you’re a Harry Potter fan and always been intrigued by Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes and other delicacies that haven’t been co-oped by JellyBelly, check out this website that has a whole bunch of crazy Potter recipes. I kinda dig her Peppermint Toads.
Food in books has always been interesting to me. I’m trying to think back about books that have made me want to get up and make something, but I can’t think of anything offhand. A high tea is something I’ve always wanted. Ideas people?
There is actually a book that compiles recipes from literature. Anyone want some Dump Punch from Pride and Prejudice?
I am a huge baking dork with no friends.
Bakespace is actually pretty cool and a great concept. I suggest signing up if you like baking/cooking at all.
I am also getting to test out the new Chow.com and it is awesome.
Canoe camping is seriously the way to go folks. Sometimes it means a daunting paddle ride against the wind with some crazy choppy lake conditions to your campsite, but the important thing to remember that it’s YOUR campsite on a private island or peninsula. One word: awesome.
While the weather wasn’t entirely agreeable, we made the best of it. After the crazy paddle to get to the site before the rain really started coming down on Saturday, it was smooth sailing…I mean canoeing, all the way. At least the drizzle kept the bugs away and maybe bears too.
Everything also tastes better when you cook it on a campfire and eat outside. The aforementioned Hazlenut Cornmeal pancakes and bannock were made and were really tasty.
The cornmeal pancakes didn’t come out like pancakes (I think I added too much water to the mix), but this was super delicious. I call it Hazlenut Cornmeal Hash instead.
We ate the hash with a luscious baked apple drizzled with whiskey honey….mmmmmm
Likewise, we tried making the bannock on a stick, but ended up making a tinfoil tray for our grill and creating a more biscuit-like substance.
They were still really good with our eggs on Monday morning.
Oh, and of course the actual lake itself - I got so excited by that patch of blue sky.
The site in all of its glory.
In response to this week’s Whiplash challenge: “Your Surly Side,” I created a mirror out of a plate I broke (breaking things is a fun surly activity - as long as no one gets hurt) and then painted using these fantastic ceramic markers. You can use these markers to draw on most ceramics and then bake them at 300 degrees for the colors to become permanent and safe to eat on. You can be sure I’ll be picking up some plates at stoop sales this summer to decorate in this fashion.
What I liked about this project was that when I broke the plate it formed an almost perfect hollowed out circle - which is when I thought to put a mirror in to reflect my surly eyeball (see pic above). The flower petals were also created by the fortuitous break - which was great because I can’t draw. I also outlined the breaks that I had to glue back together to accent the fact I smashed this plate up good.
(see it’s kinda like a flower)
I attached a picture hanging hook to the back of the plate with superglue and it is safe to hang on a wall…I hope.
Thanks to the folks at Whipup for the excellent contest and for motivating me to get crafty again.
Anyone interested in forming a band called a-flat? I think the name lends itself to some brilliant (or just annoying) noise rock.
I have been remiss at posting my own crafts and foodporn - I think I need Whiplash to help me out. A nifty idea thought up by the Whipup folks, Whiplash is a weekend competition whereby you must create something out of a theme they give you on Thursday. This week’s theme is: “Your Surly Side.” Grrrr.
Definition of a cougar.
That was meant specifically for you and you.
Yes, pupcakes. Right before I moved down Fifth Avenue in the Slope to the double-digit streets, I noticed that they were building a fancy looking bakery on the corner of Fifth and St. Mark’s was a little bit disgusted to find out that it was a doggie bakery. They don’t bake dogs. Just treats for dogs (cats? I dunno). I think this article in the Time’s got it right when it states: “This is what it’s come to on Fifth Avenue in Park Slope, Brooklyn, a once-mean street now practically paved with foie gras.”
Frank Bruni now has a blog. You’ve got to be kidding me.
This was all started by Heather, who is infamous of her love of cheese. This girl once dipped a huge chunk of brie into a cheese fondue - she is that serious.
Sunday or Monday
Would both be just divine times
For the queso love!
-Heather
Either day is fine.
No classes Thanksgiving week.
I can get shit-faced.
-Philip
Monday please for me
But around seven-thirty
I must volunteer
-Tina
Monday sounds divine
I dare not decline
Tis a fine day to combine
Our dairy and red wine
The details of which
I’m sure you’ll assign
(I’m a little sad I couldn’t work in malign)
-Heather
Will your male friend dine too
Or is it just you
For if it is the two
Then bringing red wine will do.
We shall provide the cheesy bit
Or else Heather will be in a snit
Bring anything else you see fit
Mayhaps a red onion confit ?
Will a full dinner be required
Or will our stomachs be expired
For Turkey Day must later be admired
Even though pilgrims were a bunch of liars
-Tina
Heather K. we know, for one
Will bring for us the finest vino
Will along Heather follow
One particular Filipino?
-Philip
Renato Carlos will definitely attend
But hopes his gas does not offend
Due to a bad diet I cannot defend
Many odors do escape his rear end
Given his gastrointestinal distress
I think just cheese and wine would be best
Lord knows main courses won’t digest
And I don’t wish to be cleaning up that mess
But perhaps some extra food surprise
Might yet catch our sharp shopping eyes
And I’ll probably pay for all supplies
Too make up for my cruel, but rhyming lies.
-Heather
Yes, I know we are dorks.