The Shrone

Comparative Food: Beans with Meat Stews

2012-01-06T14:45:00.000-08:00

When I take up a particular food to learn how to cook and perfect to my satisfaction, I will read about the origins and history of the dish. As I absorb information I make connections with other things, spotting commonalities and patterns. I thought I'd write a few blog posts about "comparative food", sort of like comparative religion but with a lot less deity and twice as much calories. Keep in mind that what I write is not authoritative, just my observations. When applicable, I will provide my favorite recipe for creating the food. Since these foods can be highly personalized to suit your taste, I suggest doing a search to find a recipe to your liking and experiment! If you know of any information that would help expand any of my comparative foods topics, please e-mail me or leave a comment.

My first exploration will be Beans with Meat Stews. These two ingredients are combined in similar ways, yet the type of seasonings and meat will make all the difference in how it tastes. Some common beans with meat stews include: Chili Con Carne, Calico Beans, Cowboy Beans, 15 Bean Soup, Pasta e Fagioli, and Harira or Moroccan Lentil Soup.

Chili Con Carne: Hot & Spicy

The basic ingredients are meat (usually ground beef), beans (usually kidney), and chili peppers. The origins of chili are geographically linked to Mexico and Texas. It was a meal easily prepared by the early settlers. Variations have become popularized to suit specific tastes or dietary needs, such as vegetarian or chicken. Non-traditional forms of chili, such as white chili and chili verde, are accepted as still being part of the larger chili family.

One defining characteristic of this beans with meat combination is the amount of heat, or piquancy, imparted by the form and types of chili peppers used. Most chili is mild, but some prefer a good tongue burning. I don't often make chili, but when I do, I take it easy on the cumin. I like a little heat, but like to keep it mild.

Calico Beans: Sweet & Tangy

The basic ingredients are meat (ground beef and bacon), beans (an assortment, but typically lima, kidney, and white), sugar, vinegar, and mustard powder. Calico beans can also be called "cowboy beans", but I've searched through enough recipes to discern that there is enough distinction for them to be two separate beans with meat stews. I'm not certain of the origins of calico beans, but I think it might be from the northern mid-western region, like Minnesota.

The distinction of calico beans is the sweetness imparted from the use of sugar, either white or brown, coupled with the tangy from the vinegar. Neither sweet nor tang is dominate, and blends well with the flavors from the meats. There is additional tang and sweetness from the ketchup that is used. The mustard powder interacts well with the bacon to provide a bit of a Germanic flavoring to the stew.

Cowboy Beans: Bold Barbecue

The basic ingredients are meat (ground beef, bacon, ham, or similar smoked pork meat), beans (an assortment like calico beans), sugar, and barbecue sauce. While some cowboy beans recipes will be exactly the same as for calico beans, there are enough variations using barbecue sauce or spices similar to chili, to recognize it as a distinct stew. In some cases, cowboy beans seems to be a hybrid of the sweeter calico beans and the spicy chili con carne. Some recipes call for brewed coffee as an ingredient, claiming that out on the prairies, cowboys would use leftover brewed coffee to cook their beans.

I have only made cowboy beans once using a coffee recipe, and it was not as successful as I would have liked. I wasn't adequately prepared with enough ingredients, and to add insult to injury, I overcooked it. I may try again using one of these interesting looking recipes: Spicy Red-Eye Cowboy Baked Beans or Cowboy Beans

15 Bean Soup: Smokey

The basic ingredients are meat (smoked pork or sausage), beans--actually, more than 15 different beans! I'm not sure how long the recipe for 15 Bean Soup has been around or where it originates. All I know is that it is good! The recipe I use is the one on the Hurst Bean package of 15 Bean Soup mix. Though the recipe calls for a smoked pork meat, I make mine using hot Italian sausage as I think it gives the soup a nice warm glow for a cold wintery day. I've made it with ham once and thought it tasted too similar to the standard Ham & Bean soup. This meal is one of our cold weather standards and makes plenty of leftovers.

Pasta e Fagioli: Tangy Savory

The basic ingredients are pasta, beans, and vegetables. The modern Americanized variations include ground beef. The dish originated as a peasant food in Italy. If you've ever eaten at the Olive Garden, you've encountered this soup.

The recipe that I use to make my pasta e fagioli is an Olive Garden copycat. I have made it with pasta a few times, but began omitting it since neither Pooky or I care much for pasta. What is nice about the recipe I use is that the soup takes only about 30-45 minutes from start to finish since canned beans work well. Though it does taste a bit better if allowed to simmer awhile before serving.

I recently discovered that swapping the V-8 juice for a quart of reduced sodium beef broth gives the soup a better flavor and tastes more like Olive Garden's.

Harira or Moroccan Lentil Soup: Savory

The basic ingredients are meat (lamb, beef or chicken), beans (lentils and chickpeas), and sometimes pasta. The soup is seasoned with Middle Eastern spices, such as saffron, cinnamon, ginger, tumeric, etc. The origins of this soup are the Middle East and it is a meal prepared and eaten during the holy month of Ramadan. However, in our country the soup is prepared and eaten according to desire.

My first attempt to make this soup didn't turn out very well, as I seem to have a problem with properly cooking lentils. Before I attempt to make it again, I'd like to find some available in a restaurant to get a sense of how the soup should taste.

Lessons in Cooking: Jody Teaches Me How to Make Gumbo

2011-12-30T08:56:00.000-08:00

Recently I helped my fellow crochet guild member, Jody Witt, build her website for her crochet designs. She wished to reciprocate my help, so I asked her if she'd teach me her favorite family gumbo recipe. Jody is from Louisiana, the home of gumbo. She said she'd teach me her maternal grandmother's recipe which uses shrimp, sausage, and chicken.

After my instruction, I was inspired to try my hand at making gumbo. What follows are Jody's instructions and how I adapted them.

The Chicken
Jody says she uses a pressure cooker to cook her chicken for gumbo. The advantages are the meat can be cooked while frozen solid, it makes the chicken tender, and cooks in just 15-20 minutes. My adaptation: Until I acquire a pressure cooker, I poached defrosted chicken.

The chicken is shredded before being added to the pot of ingredients.

The Sausage
Traditional gumbo uses a smoked andouille sausage, but since andouille sausage in general is a specialty outside of Louisana (or neighboring states), those of us without easy access to it will have to make do with what is available. Fresh andouille sausage will not be cheap, as I discovered at the Whole Foods meat counter. I splurged and got one pound. Any packaged smoked, or highly spicy sausage will work. Whatever you think would taste good, but try to get something with heat, because andouille sausage is all about the spicy heat.

The Roux
A cook's best friend is roux. It's a simple 1:1 ratio of fat and flour used to thicken liquids. The ratio can be altered depending on who is doing the cooking, or the cooking style. In regard to cooking the traditional dishes from Louisiana, the roux is always cooked to achieve a specific color, usually brown to chocolate brown. Jody's recipe has you cook the roux for about 20-30 minutes to make a roux the color of a brown bag. I used some of the rendered fat from the sausage to make the roux. This wasn't a good idea as the red oil made it difficult to see the flour's color change. However, the flavor was outstanding.

Before and After of Roux

The Vegetables
Most gumbo has bell pepper, which is part of the holy trinity of Cajun/Creole cooking. I'm not able to eat those kind of peppers as I'll repeat them all day. Okra is commonly used, but seems to not be used very much outside of the south. As gumbo originated out of what vegetables were in season, the mix can vary. Typically you'll find onions, celery, bell peppers, okra, tomatoes, and green onions used as a garnish.

The Most Important Ingredient: Filé
When making gumbo, you can adapt to whatever sausage you like or have available, and the vegetable ingredients vary according to what's on hand, or the cook. But you CANNOT substitute the filé powder and still call it gumbo. In short, filé is ground sassafras leaves. If your local specialty or grocery store doesn't carry it, Cajun Grocer is a good source. And if you have a sassafras tree, you can try your hand at making your own. The powder is added at the very last, when the heat is turned off and the gumbo is not boiling. Adding the filé to boiling liquid results in badness, and you don't want to destroy a gumbo when you've made it this far.

Other seasonings will be added, such as the vague "Cajun" or "Creole Seasoning". These are usually spice blends of cayenne pepper with herbs, with or without salt. Hot pepper sauces can be added during the simmering process, or at the table. Parsley can be added for color and flavor.

My First Gumbo
I was so inspired by how excellent the gumbo tasted, that I needed to make some immediately! (And to do so before I forgot everything--even though I took pictures and took extensive notes.)

I had had gumbo before, but wasn't that impressed by it. The sauce was classic dark chocolate, and what I had seemed to lack flavors--all masked by a lot of peppery heat. As I've learned, restaurant versions of classic foods can sometimes not be a good example of a classic home-cooked dish. Gumbo is so varied that it is difficult, if not impossible, to make a standardized version that captures all the dish entails. Thus when I learned that Jody was born and raised with eating gumbo, my intuition told me she'd know how to make an exquisite gumbo.

I made extra sauce, and made it a bit thicker than what Jody had prepared, as I'm all about the sauce. I used half the amounts of the meats because I didn't want to make an enormous batch. My first gumbo might be a little too oily from the sausage fat, but I don't mind the richness it imparts. This version of gumbo is sublime, and I'm very pleased with the combinations of meats and flavors.

My next adventure with gumbo is to invest in some real smoked andouille sausage and see how that cooks up. I found some that is smoked over pecan wood. I bet it will be amazing!

It all begins with...
2 lbs of chicken
2 lbs of sausage (preferably something seasoned like andouille)
2 pounds of shrimp
2 pounds of okra
2 medium onions
3 quarts of chicken broth
1 large can of diced tomatoes
1 large heaping spoonful of tomato paste
1-2 teaspoons of Cajun or Creole seasoning (like Tony Chachere's)
1 teaspoon of filé powder
Minced garlic (use amount according to taste)
Tabasco or hot sauce (use amount according to taste)
For the roux:
¼ cup vegetable oil
½ cup flour
(More roux can be made if you like a thicker sauce

Basic instructions: Cook chicken and shred. Cube sausage and saute to render out fat. Save some of the reserved fat, but not too much as a greasy gumbo is not good. In a large pot, at least 7 quart size, add some EVOO and add medium-coarsely chopped onions, along with garlic if you are using any. Once the onions are starting to become translucent, add the sausage and gently saute on medium to low until it become aromatic. Add the shredded chicken, 1 quart of broth, diced tomatoes with juice. Add the seasonings you will use, but NOT the filé powder. Set this to simmer, then begin the roux.

Heat the oil in a regular pan, do not use a non-stick pan--preferably a cast iron skillet, but a stainless steel will do. Add the flour and whisk consistently over a medium to medium-low heat. If you burn or scorch the roux, you'll have to start over. The roux will take at least 20-30 minutes to become the color of a brown paper bag. Lower or remove the roux from heat when it is done; whisk in the heaping spoonful of tomato paste. Once the paste is incorporated, slowly pour in 1 quart of chicken broth, furiously whisking to make sure no lumps form. Return the skillet to medium heat to bring it to a boil. Once it has boiled, pour it into the larger pot with everything else.

Add the okra after about an hour of simmering. Add more broth if necessary, using the full quart if desired. Simmer either covered or uncovered on low, but make sure not to reduce the sauce too much. The shortest amount of time simmering would be an additional hour after the first hour of simmering, for a total of 2 hours, but it should simmering about 3-4 hours.

About 30 minutes before serving, prepare the shrimp. Make sure the gumbo is nice and bubbly, then turn off the heat. Add the shrimp and filé powder when the gumbo just stops bubbling. Cover the pot and allow it to rest about 15-20 minutes. Serve over rice. Leftovers are good to eat for up to 3-4 days.

Occupy Together

2011-10-10T08:57:00.000-07:00

As I've gotten older, and hopefully wiser, I have wanted to engage more in political-community activities and groups, yet not entirely sure where to direct my energy. After spending much time reading about Occupy Wall Street, and the spin-off local groups through Occupy Together, I decided it was a group I wanted to check out and become a part of.

Through my own trials by fire, I've learned that I can be insanely insistent, demanding, and forceful in why I think someone should get involved, going so far as to cut people out of my life for disagreement. I have found that such tactics create barriers, resistance, alienation, and kill relationships. My wisdom from all of this is if something is truly a good idea, people will find out for themselves by example--living what I believe, and hearing by word-of-mouth the positive experiences someone has had. Which is why I'm about to share the pictures I took and let some of that do the talking. I've also been collecting other people's words that I have read from reader's comments to articles about the original Occupy Wall Street and want to share them because this is not about what I think per se, but what we all think, because this groups is about us. (I highly recommend reading this editorial.)

Hopefully, what I've shared here will pique your interest and you'll want to learn more, maybe even get involved. Everyone is welcome, everyone truly matters, has something to contribute, because we're all in this together. Additional pictures are available for viewing in this album.

Freedomny writes: I pray that this movement does not get bought and sold. It is not about Democrats. It is not about Republicans. It is about AMERICANS! I personally feel that if this movement is not co-opted - it will grow in the organic way it should. The criticism that there is not "one" or "two" demands is because MSM, corporations and our government...just don't "get" it. This is a cultural and social shift of what democracy really is. People are finally questionning...what is democracy? What does it mean to me? What is my part? Why does such a small percent of the majority dictate the vision for the rest of us? But...what about MY vision? About OUR vision? The 99%. The majority.

I am proud that my fellow Americans are fighting for real democracy. And I will join them when I can. And if the unions want to join in and support...that is great. But it doesn't mean this movement will totally support them....because there are definately issues with unions. Pension costs are killing the average American, that doesn't get those benefits and pensions.

And unions lobby and buy off Democrats in the the same way that coporations buy off Republicans for votes. There is no lobbyist for the average American. So, think of OWS as a lobbyist for you...and they aren't paying off a politician. I am a banker and I support OWS and "ethical" capitalism.

annenigma writes: No, they're not listening to the voters at all, or we wouldn't need to take to the streets. Heck, they're not even listening to their own words, those promises they ran on then serially broke. The only ones they listen to are their fellow millionaires, crooks and liars all.

Anyone who claims that protesters want the 'government' to fix things is wrong, wrong, wrong! They created this mess, they sure aren't the ones to fix it, because the fix is in. The entire system is CORRUPT. What we are saying is that we need to take out the trash. Start over completely.

We are on the streets because VOTING IS MEANINGLESS! It's an empty exercise encouraged to make us feel invested in the system so we'll donate to campaigns and keep paying taxes. Money, money, money. They need it so they can keep sending us into endless wars to kill and die for war profiteering corporations. For money, money, money.

We have no elected representation, period. Even in jury trials you get a jury of your peers, but we get Millionaires representing us?

We have even more justification for another Revolution than the first time around, and by golly, we've got one started right now. Finally.

Les Dryer writes: The middle-aged, middle class has watched in silence as the Repubs and then the Dems stripped them of their modest assets,health and education. They have aided and abetted the wealthy and their institutions. Finally the young, facing a lifetime of under-employment, have seized the discontent. It is in all our interests (the 99%) to support them. Their demands are obvious and well articulated, just the media needs to relay the message correctly. "Protestors Against Wall St" editorial got it right,finally.

Richard Williamson writes: One sign said it all: "I couldn't afford a politician, so I made this sign." Representation in Congress is for sale, and we don't have enough money to enter the bidding. (Even though our taxes provide the lawmakers' base pay).

Beef Burger: 50 yrs of Biff Goodness

2011-09-08T10:08:00.000-07:00

My perpetual quest to find The Perfect Cheeseburger has increased my awareness of burger stand history. On occasion I've come upon some establishments with a rich history, like XXX Rootbeer. For awhile I've known about Beef Burger (aka Biff Burger) located in Greensboro, NC. Last week we had the inclination to pay a visit. The restaurant is one of the two remaining vestiges of the Biff Burger franchise that started in the 1950s. The chain began in Florida and had locations primarily in the southeast. (The website has a really great history section, so go read it!)

There are two distinguishing characteristics to the Biff Burger. One is the method of cooking the patty. They use a proprietary device called a roto-broiler. The other is their special sauce.

It is interesting to me that burgers in the PNW are often served up with a special sauce, secret sauce, or locally referred to as "goop". A true goop is mayonnaise-based with numerous ingredients. Outside of the PNW, the local burgers are typically served with the standard condiments--no goop to be found. However, as we've become more mobile, regihttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifonal quirks are being shared and adapted. The popularity of the NYC Shake Shack burger that uses a very PNW style goop is evidence.

I would classify the special sauce used on the Biff Burger to be a truly unique southern "goop". The sauce is very much like the vinegar based barbecue sauces of eastern North Carolina. The surprise ingredient that gives the sauce a true signature is the ground ginger. Do not despair if you live nowhere near Greensboro, for the website provides the recipe for their signature special sauce!

The most basic burger is served with a patty dunked in the special sauce. The cheeseburger adds a slice of cheese. My first impression of the burger was that it strongly reminded me of Manwich sauce, but with some differences. The flavors of the sauce began as tomato-y, then the tang of vinegar, finishing with the pleasant, unexpected flavor of the ground ginger. The sauce is balanced so that no one flavor dominates. It stood on its own without additional toppings.

The dining area was kept pretty clean, though the walls were decorated with very antiquated signs. There was a space on one wall paying homage to the history of the restaurant. Any place that has been in business for 50 yrs and counting should tout their accomplishment!

Identifying the Loss of Capsaicin-Induced Heat Sensation in Humans as a Result of Culinary Experimentation

2011-08-25T12:28:00.000-07:00

Abstract
Culinary experimentation can often result in unexpected results. Most recently, an experiment in making a Thai-Mexican pork taco hybrid resulted in a significant reduction in a much-desired capsaicin-induced heat sensation experienced by the human tasters. A simple design experiment was conducted to determine the apparent "loss" of capsaicin when in the presence of citric acids and a fatty acid, in this case canola oil. A review of the literature concerning the chemical properties of capsaicin revealed that the compound is alkaline, highly soluble in vegetable oils, and immiscible in water. The results of the experiment conformed to the known properties of capsaicin.

Introduction
In the process of creating a new culinary creation, unexpected results can often be achieved without intention. Determining the cause of such unexpected results can be done by random trial and error, or by applying knowledge of chemistry, since the essence of cooking is the combination of various chemical molecules and compounds into a form suitable to both taste and nutrition.

Recently, an experiment conducted to achieve a Thai-Mexican pork taco hybrid marinade resulted in the unexpected loss of the capsaicin-induced heat sensation in the final product. A simple experiment was conducted to determine the cause of the apparent "loss".

Materials and Methods
Materials used were similar to, or actual ingredients, that would be used in the marinade. A standardized source of capsaicin was used to provide consistency. Two solutions were made, each containing 1 oz. of Sriracha chile sauce dissolved into 4 oz. of reduced sodium chicken broth, and were labeled Solution A and Solution B respectively. Both solutions were tested before the additions of citric or fatty acid by a high sophisticated organic piece of equipment that is known to lack objectivity, but is highly sensitive to the presence of capsaicin, to confirm that they both had a similar capsaicin-induced heat sensation.

Next, 2 oz. of bottled lime juice were added to Solution A. To Solution B, 2 oz. of canola oil were added. Both solutions underwent mechanical agitation (vigorous shaking), then were placed within an environment of approximately 35°F for approximately 4 hours. After the 4 hours, Solution B was observed as being a heterogenous solution consisting of a top oily layer and a bottom aqueous layer. Solution A was observed to be a homogenous solution.

The top oily layer of Solution B was not distinct enough for mechanical extraction by a spoon. A culinary marinade injection syringe with an attached needle was inserted to extract a portion of the bottom aqueous solution below the oily layer. The obtained solution was placed within a spoon to be tested by the highly sophisticated organic equipment. A second sample from Solution B was obtained by using the same syringe apparatus to extract a portion of the top oily later, which was placed in a second spoon to be taste-tested.

A sample of Solution A was obtained by using a third spoon.

Both solutions were returned to the cold environment for approximately another 3 hours before a second extraction was obtained to be tested by a second piece of sophisticated organic equipment.
Results
The sample obtain from the bottom aqueous solution layer from Solution B was found to taste very bland and watery. The distinct absence of a capsaicin-induced heat sensation was very pronounced in comparison to the original solution before the addition of the fatty acid. The secondary tester (without being informed of the first taster's experience) reported similarly that the aqueous solution was bland and had a less than expected heat response.

The sample obtained from Solution A was found to have a very pronounced sour-tang taste at first, then followed by an immediate intense burning sensation that was determined as being near equivalent to the original solution before the addition of citric acid. The second tester was observed not to be expecting such an intense heat sensation from the sample and involuntarily coughed when the capsaicin-induced heat sensation was first experienced. The second tester reported that the heat sensation experienced was intense.

A sample from the top oily layer of Solution B was tested and was found to induce a capsaicin-induced heat sensation, but not as intense or shocking as that of the original solution prior to the addition of the fatty acid. The oil seemed to slightly mitigate the sharp intensity of the heat. The second tester reported the presence of heat as well, but was still recovering from the shock of having sampled Solution A.

Discussion
Capsaicin is basic in its chemical properties, thus it was expected that the addition of an acid, in the form of citric acid, would neutralize it. While no measurements of the respective pH for any of the solutions were taken, no neutralizing effects were detected by the pieces of sophisticated organic equipment used. It may be that the type of citric acid used was not a strong enough acid, or that a different ratio needed to be used before any neutralizing effects could be detected. It was therefore concluded that the type citric acid used, and the volume and/or ratio that would be used in the marinade had little to no effect of causing any loss of the capsaicin-induced heat sensation experienced by the testers.

Canola oil is a fatty acid derived from a genetically modified species of the rapeseed plant. The modification is to reduce the levels of erucic acid, a known toxin. It could be considered to be part of the generic term "vegetable oil", which according to the literature, is highly soluble with capsaicin. The canola oil did not solidify in the cold environment, which would have made it easier to extract the oily layer from Solution B. The use of extra-virgin olive oil would have been better suited as it would have solidified for removal. The sample of solution that was obtained from the bottom aqueous layer had noticeable minute oil globules, therefore the samples acquired were not of ideal purity. Nonetheless, there was a noticeable lack of capsaicin-induced heat sensation experienced by both testers. The samples tested of the top oily layer were both experienced to contain an expected amount of capsaicin-induced heat sensation, but not as sharp as those samples tested from Solution A.

The samples obtained from the two layers of Solution B most conformed with the expected interaction of capsaicin when dissolved in a fatty acid or "vegetable oil". It was expected that the capsaicins would dissolve into the oil and no longer be present or detectable by the testers in the separated aqueous layer. It was concluded that the unexpected loss of capsaicin-induced heat sensation from the experimental marinades was most likely caused by the omission or removal of the oily layer that formed during the cooking process caused by fat rendering from the meat.

While it was found that the citric acid had undetectable effects on the capsaicin-induced heat sensation, it was realized that the acid could be used to create an unstable emulsion to combine the oily layer and aqueous layer of the marinade mixture, thus preventing the separation and hence loss of capsaicin-induced heat sensation. In other words, the marinade would become like a simple oil and vinegar dressing.

Thai-Mexican Pork Taco Hybrid Experiments: Trial #1

2011-08-18T20:45:00.000-07:00

While I was making my favorite Mexican chile pepper marinade/sauce for pork tacos, I had an epiphany culinary in nature. The piquant nature of the ancho and guajillo chiles reminded me of Thai chile peppers, and then it struck me how both cuisines use the same ingredients and have some similar taste profiles. I spent some time thinking about what would a Thai-Mexican pork taco taste like? It would definitely have heat from chiles, hints of spices, tang and sweet from citrus, and some savory-salty from a sea source. I decided I would make two different sauces for marinades. One would be Mexican chile based, the other Thai chile based.

Thai Chile Based Meat

When I was learning about making a good, homemade tom kha gai, I also learned about nam prik pao. During our last excursion to stock up on Asian foods, I bought a bottle of nam prik pao for future recipes. It's interesting stuff, and I like it. It's a nice blend of heat, salty, and sweet. I thought it would be the perfect base for my Thai-Mexican pork taco hybrid.

Here's what I used for the sauce for one pound of meat:
¼ cup nam prik pao
¼ lime juice
4 Tablespoons fish sauce
2 teaspoons freshly ground spice blend*
½ orange juice
1 cup chicken broth
>>Add enough water to cover the meat if this volume of liquid does not<<

Mexican Chile Based Meat

I've always used dried Mexican chiles for my sauces. The drying process concentrates flavors as well as develops them, much like wine taking on hints of various flavors. My rationale that what is missing from a Mexican-based sauce that is present in a Thai-based sauce is the savory/salty/sea flavor. Therefore, I added both oyster sauce and fish sauce. In reflection, I think the oyster sauce was not necessary, making the final product taste more Chinese.

Here's what I used for the sauce for one pound of meat:
⅓ cup of ancho/guajillo sauce**
⅓ oyster sauce
¼ fish sauce
¼ lime juice
¼ orange juice
2 teaspoons spice blend*
1 cup chicken broth
>>Add enough water to cover the meat if this volume of liquid does not<<

** Ancho/guajillo sauce: 4 ancho & 4 guajillo chiles lightly toast on a hot skillet before being steeped them in water that is just below the boiling point. Remove from heat before adding chiles. Steep until chiles become very soft. Blend them with a little of the steeped chile water, then strain to remove seeds and pulpy bits. Will make much more than required, but good for other uses.

* Spice blend: Using whole all spice, star anise, cumin seeds, and cloves in portions you prefer, grind up into a powder.

Taste-Testing the Meats

Though both sauces initially started out tasting very "hot" from their respective chiles, in the cooking process both became very mild. I was a bit disappointed about the loss of heat, so I will figure out where it went for future experiments.

My impression was that the Mexican version had a much tangier citrus taste followed by a deeper savory/salty/sea flavor. The Thai version was a nice balance of heat, tang, and salt, with a very subtle hint of sweet. Out of the two, both Pooky and I preferred the Thai based version. The Thai version struck me as being more Thai than a blend of Thai-Mexican in flavor. I may have to tweak my spice blend and add Mexican oregano, which I did not in this first round of experiments.

Both version were very tasty, and successfully included a savory/salty/sea dimension to the meat that is not present in a purely Mexican version. Both lacked the heat of their respective chiles, so I will explore what caused them to lessen in intensity. I was very pleased with my initial results and will continue to tweak until I find the balance of flavors.

Tostones, Patacones: It's All Plantain Good!

2011-04-30T18:16:00.000-07:00

Awhile back we enjoyed some delicious Colombian food in downtown Durham at Guajillo's Mexican Grill. I was inspired to try my own hand at making patacones, or tostones. There are many regional terms for a twice-fried plantain patty, much like the various names for subs, hoagies, grinders, etc.

How the plantains are cooked into patties is fairly universal. They are cut into slices then allowed to soak in water that has a bit of minced garlic added. The slices are briefly fried in some hot oil until they are golden. The slices are allowed to cool for a few minutes before being smooshed into patties. (There is a wonderful gizmo called a tostonera that flattens the slice to the perfect thickness. I will need to get one!) Once the patty is made it is put back into the hot oil and fried until crisp and browned.

The toppings vary according to region, but it seems standard to use refried beans, meat, maybe veggies, then cheese. All is popped underneath a broiler to melt the cheese. I made mine inspired by a Colombian recipe, adapting it to suit some preferences. I used seasoned chicken, bacon, sauteed mushrooms, onions & garlic, and topped with pepperjack cheese. Just a few them are all it takes to make a very satisfying, tasty meal!

Call Me Cap'n

2011-04-30T12:19:00.000-07:00

I have replicated to my satisfaction Cap'n Yoby's fish batter!

It's been awhile since I had their famous fried fish, so I hope my taste memory is reliable. I was able to achieve the perfect crunch, greasy quality, creamy interior texture, and outstanding flavor. I used cod for this attempt since halibut wasn't available. And it didn't taste like cod!

My Cap'n Yoby's Inspired Fish Batter
1 cup of cake flour
1/4 cup corn starch
1 rounded teaspoon of baking powder
1 rounded teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon of salt
¼ to ½ teaspoon of both onion powder and garlic powder
1½ cup cold beer (can adjust according to desired batter thickness)

Mix ingredients together to form a thick-ish batter. Coat pieces of fish with batter and deep fry until deep to golden brown.

Now, if only I could remember how their tartar sauce tastes, as Kraft tartar sauce doesn't really work for me.

Cap'n Yoby's: How I Go About Replicating a Food I Like

2011-04-17T10:44:00.001-07:00

One will find Cap'n Yoby's near one of the bridges in downtown Longview, Washington. It's a quaint place that's been around forever that serves the best fish n' chips I've ever eaten. I must emphasize how much I dislike fish in general. My dislike has greatly eased up over the years, but I find most breaded/battered fish to be awful. What makes the Cap'n's fish exemplary is that they use halibut, not cod. I don't care how fresh the cod is, I will taste the cod oil flavor. I have found that halibut imparts very little fishy-oily flavor, and has a nice texture.

Yoby's uses a beer batter that is thicker, definitely greasy, yet also crunchy. I recently set out to attempt to recreate their fishy goodness since traveling to Longview is not possible. First, I found a recipe to use as a starting point. Why did I pick this particular recipe? After years of experimenting, I have developed some ability to understand how ingredients work, and what ingredients might be used in a recipe I'm trying to replicate. I selected this recipe because it called for pastry flour instead of AP flour. I was intrigued by this, as I know cake flour does make a difference when it comes to making a cake. I was curious to see what the results would be.

I'm the type of cook who isn't afraid to substitute, embellish, or improvise with a recipe. I know that when dealing with baking there are precise measurements for a reason, and I try to comply as much as possible. Since I didn't have pastry flour I used cake flour. I did review what the differences are between the two. Pastry flour has less gluten than AP, but has more than cake flour. I didn't feel like tracking down pastry flour, so I went with cake flour.

A thicker batter will result in a heavier crust, so I tweaked the batter thickness to find the sweet spot. My efforts were tasty in their own right, but not quite what I recall Yoby's fish to be. I need to get more crunch and find a way to increase the greasy factor. What I plan to do next time is reduce the amount of milk and increase the amount of beer as it seemed to increase the crunch texture. I'm also considering increasing the amount of cornstarch as that will increase the crunch. I don't think the eggs are necessary. I liked the texture the cake flour gave--it was light and delicate.

Overall, I was pleased with my first attempts. I learned quite a bit and have a sense of what I'll do with the next batch. Hopefully I can find some more halibut at mark down :-) When I perfect the recipe, I'll include pictures.

A Chapter in the Quest for the Perfect Cheeseburger, Part 4

2011-04-02T20:10:00.000-07:00

Applewood Bacon & Pimento Cheese: Quite possibly the best burger I've made so far

Tonight I conducted a second condiment-free cheeseburger experiment. Pimento cheese is a southern favorite which has recently gained some attention in the national food spotlight. It seems like the perfect topping for any self-respecting cheeseburger maven.

While there are commercially prepared pimento cheese spreads available in the grocery store, I'm hesitant to use them because I fear the mayo to cheese ratio would be out of balance to my taste. I like just enough mayo to hold everything together, and of course I use Duke's. In fact, I can't imagine using any other mayo since discovering it. A nice sharp cheddar is essential to creating the right amount of tang to compliment the taste of the pimentos. I added about a teaspoon of minced garlic into the mixture to add a hint of savory flavor.

Months ago, mostly on a whim, I bought some fancy Yakima Applewood Smoked Salt mostly because I was curious how it tasted. It truly does taste like smokey applewood! The flavor is bold even for a finishing salt, making it a challenge for me to think of how it could be used. I thought since I would be using applewood smoked bacon that seasoning the patties with the same salty flavor would be the perfect use; indeed it was!

I thought last night's bacon, apple & blue burger was great, but this pimento cheese & bacon came out even better! The melty pimento cheese created a condiment-like sauce that combined into a sublime flavor explosion with the bacon and seasoned patty. I hope I can replicate the results, so if anyone would like to come try one let me know.

Tomorrow I'm going to try an ultimate umami burger. I have a rough idea of what toppings I'll use. Results of the third experiment to follow.

A Chapter in the Quest for the Perfect Cheeseburger, Part 3

2011-04-02T13:19:00.000-07:00

My Burger Philosophy

A good burger should not require condiments! If a burger can stand on its own without condiment use, I consider it a grand achievement. I have had the exquisite experience on occasion in which the patty and toppings worked in absolute harmony to create a blissful umami taste that surely would inspire bards of old to sing about. (Before the word umami was used to describe this taste sensation, I called the burger tasting "creamy".)

I'm not against the mirepoix of condiments (mayo, ketchup, mustard) in principle, for condiments can be masterfully used to enhance flavors, impart flavors, create a signature flavor, or cover up undesired tastes due to a ruin patty. Much of the time the condiments are working to cover up flaws of the meat.

In order to have a good burger, it needs a good bun, and in proper ratio to the patty. Most burgers have no moisture, so they don't require a bun that can handle the sop. A juice patty combined with a wimpy bun causes catastrophic bun failure. Finding the balance in the bun to patty ratio is in the realm of preferences. I'm not one for making my own buns or using artisan buns, unless it's something special.

The perfect patty should be in the range between rare and medium rare, but it also depends on the thickness. Seasoning the meat while cooking can enhance the patty, but I find isn't always necessary. It's more important to cook the meat to the ideal state of being done. When the patty is in the zone, it will be safely cooked and have all of its juice. Going beyond will cause loss of juice, toughen the meat, and result in a puck.

From my experiences, using freshly ground meat isn't as good as freezing the meat, thawing it, then cooking it. I'm not sure why I'm experiencing this. I think it may have to do with the fact I freeze my meat in a vacuum-sealed bag which draws the juice of out the meat cells. I will need to conduct some experiments to find out what is making the frozen/thawed patties juicier. One thing is certain is that the frozen patties taste as fresh (even better because of the juiciness) than the ones that are ground and directly cooked.

Having Fun With Toppings

We live in an age where putting bacon on a burger is considered mundane. There's a lot of experimentation with various condiments and toppings--the purpose of which I'm not quite sure. A well made burger with just the basics is not as easy to make as it sounds for it takes some finesse, knowledge, and care to craft the iconic cheeseburger. Not to say that the Frankenstein creations aren't works of art in their own context; however, I think there is a tendency to over-do and become ridiculous.

The Bacon & Blue Burger

This week I set out to experiment with making a condiment-free burger. My thought was that if I had a flavorful combination of toppings, condiments would get in the way. I decided upon bacon, blue cheese, granny smith apples, and the usual assortment of lettuce, onion, tomatoes.

My goal was to keep the patty juicy so it would create a sauce-like effect with the softened blue cheese, hence making a condiment of sorts. For the most part, my goal was achieved. The tang from the apple and blue cheese paired well with the salty-savory of the bacon and patty. The lettuce got lost in the favors, but the onion served as a gentle addition. Texture-wise, there was a lot of crispness to balance the soft mush of blue cheese and patty. All around, this Frankenstein creation was a success.

My next two burger experiments will be using pimento cheese, and then another using fish sauce to create the ultimate umami patty.

A Chapter in the Quest for the Perfect Cheeseburger, Part Two

2011-04-02T12:34:00.000-07:00

A Good Burger Begins with Grinding

I was resistant to the idea of grinding my own meat as I thought it was being too fussy. What convinced me to give it a try were the testimonials of many burger mavens, and that some restaurants make a point to let it be known that this is what they do. The equipment I acquired for the task is the grinder attachment for my Kitchen-Aid.

Confession time: My first attempts to grind meat were disasterous! How I managed to bungle something so simple and easy is beyond my understanding. So I slunk away, tail between my legs, head lowered. I then tried using a food processor, which was okay, but it seemed to lack something. I began questioning whether or not store bought hamburger was any different than what I was creating in the food processor. I conducted a comparison and was stunned. Even though my food processed meat seemed wonky, it tasted fresher, meatier, and juicier. The results encouraged me to try the fancy grinder attachment once more, and I'm glad I did because it was a success! It's very unlikely that I'll ever used store bought hamburger for patties.

An Apology of Grinding Your Own Meat in the Form of FAQS

How much time does it take to grind meat?
It will depend on how much you want to grind at one time. I estimate it takes about an hour or less (depending on how prepared I am) to cut the meat into cubes, grind it twice, then weigh out patties. I typically grind one to two pounds per grinding event.

How much does it cost?
It depends on the cut(s) of meat used. I buy marked down meat to reduce costs. I pay about $5.00/lb. I make 4 oz. patties, for a total of 4 patties per pound. That works out to be $1.25 per patty.

What cut(s) of meat do you use?
I use chuck cuts. They have a nice fat ratio. Fat is necessary to bind the meat, make it juicy, and give it flavor. I'd estimate that it creates an 80/20 mixture. Some people swear by using different cuts to create complex flavors and textures, but I'm into keeping things simple.

Does patty size matter?
It's all personal preference. I like a 4 oz. patty because it cooks up quickly but still is meaty enough to make a hearty burger.

A Pictorial Tutorial of Grinding Meat

I begin with a cut of chuck meat. Any meat with chuck in the description will work. I purposefully pick fatty cuts because it is an important part of making good ground meat. Lean cuts like sirloin can be used as part of a meat blend, same as brisket and flank. A chuck roast could be used, too, if you want a lot of meat.

The meat should be cold, even slightly frozen. This helps the meat grind better and keeps the fat from smearing. It's also helpful to freeze the grinder parts, too.

I cut the meat in small bits, cut out gristle, and trim of fat pieces that are too big. I don't get crazy with trimming fat, because it's necessary. I have come to think the hamburger comes out pretty lean, as it doesn't taste fatty. It tastes juicy and meaty, the way a burger should be.

On the first grind, I use the larger hole die for a coarse grind. I do a second grind with the smaller hole die. I used to only use the coarse ground meat, but I didn't like the results. It seemed too dry as the fat didn't incorporate well. A second grind seems to emulsify the fat into the meat. Some say to avoid emulsifying the fat, but I prefer a touch of emulsification.

The second grind makes nice ribbons of meat that have a marbled appearance.

I weigh out ~4 oz. clumps of meat. I handle the meat as little as possible to avoid it becoming tightly packed causing it to be dense and chewy. I will do as little patty shaping as possible. If I am freezing the meat, I freeze it as clumps.

A Chapter in the Quest for the Perfect Cheeseburger, Part One

2011-04-02T10:18:00.000-07:00

Some History of the Quest

I have been on a quest to find and eat the perfect cheeseburger since 1996. My quest companion has been Pooky since 2001. Together we've sampled the offerings at many a dive, mom & pop stand, chain, restaurant, and our own kitchen. Perhaps I was a little ahead of my time in my quest and love for cheeseburgers, or that I was merely in synch with many other people. The burger has become a trend in new ways beyond the fast food drive-thru window. It's been exalted to gourmet levels at upscale boutiques, modernized at food trucks, and made into Frankensteins by adorning them with odd condiments and toppings. Many try to copy the old mom & pop/roadside stand that typically have decades of history. What I have found is that the decades of history cannot be made instantly, it really does require decades to achieve that particular flavor found in those types of eateries. I think it's because the equipment gets well seasoned, and that there isn't any pretension to be had or deliberateness in creating the burger: it's a happy accident that occurred over time, like geological formations or ancient forests.

I used to maintain a website and even had people submitting their burgers with a scoring system I created. Somewhere, I may have actually saved all of the HTML files I created for the site. (This was back when I was learning web site development.) Pooky and I scoured the great northwest from Portland to Bellingham, thanks to another site that listed places where burgers were served, while we resided in Washington from 2002-2008. When we moved to North Carolina, my quest for cheeseburgers enjoyed many detours to other types of specialties like pulled pork sandwiches, and pit beef sandwiches. My continuation of the quest has slowed due to the fact that North Carolina state law requires burgers to be cooked to medium. In my opinion, this ruins the meat.

As I like a medium-rare to a little more done than rare patty, and I'm always looking for the next culinary challenge to develop my skills, I took on the mission to learn how to create a tasty, cooked-the-way-I-like-it burger. My primary sources for learning are The Food Lab and A Hamburger Today. I have adapted the techniques from these sources to craft my burgers. Subsequent posts will share the knowledge I've gained.

Forget the Girl Scouts!

2011-02-10T13:13:00.000-08:00

Samoas (Caramel De-Lites) are a favorite offering by the Girl Scouts each year. I found a wonderful copycat recipe that is simple enough to make, and probably more cost-effective.

While the recipe calls for getting caramels in a bag and unwrapping them, I found a much easier method and probably costs less. I used two cans of sweetened condensed milk. I used a double boiler set at low heat to turn the SCM into caramel. In about an hour it becomes a lovely, gooey caramel. I only needed to stir it periodically. (It seems some people simply put an unopened can of SCM into a pot of water and let it softly boil for 3-4 hrs to make it into caramel. My problem with the unopened can method is the risk of the can exploding.)

I admit I'm not good at the presentation part of the cookie making, but that hardly matters. The wonderful rich flavors of homemade samoas makes up for the aesthetics.

Reading This Entry Will Make You Hungry

2011-02-06T19:46:00.000-08:00

It's been awhile since I shared what I've been making in the kitchen. Tuck in your bib and get ready to drool!
A Greek-style cheesesteak. Made from homemade gyro meat.
A vanilla-chocolate cookie made with baker's ammonia
Hot Brown Sandwich (Our Thanksgiving dinner)

A Snarkist's Review of 2010 (Now with Personal Insights & Reflections)

2010-12-31T14:19:00.001-08:00

First, the Snark

Congratulations! We all made it through the first decade of the new century--all without too much plague, famine, apocalypse, rapture, Armageddon, destruction of the Gulf of Mexico, or socialist-communist policies that will invoke all previously mentioned catastrophes.

While house values went down, entertainment value went up. Singing has been greatly advanced by auto-tuning so that talentless warblers sound like the voice from the Texas Instruments Speak & Spell*. Movies that weren't worth the effort to make or watch now are in spectacular 3D, and cost more to enjoy! Though I am a little perplexed that the adult entertainment industry hasn't yet been consumed by the gratuitous use of 3D technology.

Now that we've ended the first decade of the 21st century, I wonder how future generations will think of us? I offer a possibility concerning language.

That was the time when English devolved into a hodgepodge of numerals and abbreviations to convey mundane ideas within the limitation of 140 characters or less. Words and phrases became chronically commercialize with ™, ®, and ℠ symbols, almost to the point where communication ceased due to multiple copyright infringements. New suffixes and prefixes littered the language as a means of marketing various goods, such as the lowercase "i" (as in iPhone), "Touch", (as in iTouch), and "my" (as in myTouch and myFord), "HD" or "Hi-Def" (as in Valspar HD paint, or HDTV). The excessive use of these verbal adornments spawned bizarre combinations like
iTouch myGenitals℠
iThink™, therefore iAm™
me, mySelf™ and i™
youScream^®, myScream^®, we all scream for iScream^®

These are the happy events I'll remember from 2010

For the first time in my life, I interacted with a celebrity! And it was someone I like and admire. In my brief encounter with Stephen Colbert, I came to fully understand why Marcia Brady went all dreamy and chanted, "I'll never wash my face again!" Though I enjoyed no physical contact with Stephen, I vow to never wash my brain, use eye drops, or clean my ears.

I made lots of good tasting food. I've put on some weight, though I like to think of it as culinary success and/or "putting on wisdom". I've also expanded my culinary talents as well as my pant size. I stopped killing yeast, and I can now make my adipose cells grow, along with lovely yeast cells. I think I need to adopt some kids or adults to spread around all of these calories. Anyone want to be my taste-testers?

By a power beyond my own brain, I designed a doily---one that is highly mathematical to boot. I'd like to think that the design wasn't a fluke. I've got more ideas rattling around in my head; it's simply a matter of discipline and insanity to bring them to fruition.

Pooky and I frolicked through the historical district of Savannah, falling in love with the architecture, numerous town squares, and tasty food. It's the first place I can recall being to in which I didn't need to wear a coat, jacket, or layers of clothing in the evening. We learned that a strapless sundress is unflattering to any figure.

*That computerized voice makes me think of War Games. Would you like to play a game?

If Holiday Stories Were Rewritten for Modern Times

2010-12-18T14:46:00.000-08:00

Lately as I’ve been watching the standard holiday stories, I can’t help but imagine how they would be rewritten for these modern times. What follows are the fruits of my brain:

Santa Claus is Coming to Town
When local school teacher Jessica sees an oddly dressed young man hanging around the playground, attempting to give out free toys, she quickly calls the police to report a suspected child molester/kidnapper. Kris Kringle plea bargains to attend six weeks of sexual predator rehab instead of serving jail time. Meanwhile, a legal battle develops when the local wingnut city council outlaws toys.

A Year Without a Santa Claus
Elves Jingle and Jangle soon regret their visit to South Town, USA, when they are taken into custody on suspicion of being illegal immigrants(or possibly terrorits), cruelty to animals, and the corruption of minors. Local news claims global warming is false after South Town is hit by the biggest snow storm of the century. A silver alert is issued in South Town as an elderly man, who suffers from Alzheimer’s and claims to be Santa Claus, goes missing from a local nursing home. He is reunited with his family just in time for the holidays.

A Christmas Carol
Scrooge is a highly esteemed billionaire who isn’t afraid to say that he supports “decreasing the surplus population.” Scrooge partners with the Marley brothers to mount a $500 million campaign to fight the war on Christmas. Yet, regrettably, Scrooge must terminate 1,000 employees due to declining profits.

One such employee is Bob Cratchit. This holiday seasoning, Bob and his family come to terms with an impending foreclosure on their home, as well as the untimely loss of their disabled son (due in part because of not being able to afford health insurance and/or denied coverage). Cratchit attempts to renegotiate his salary and benefits to retain his position. Scrooge denies him, stating that unemployment benefits should be sufficient, as well as any savings Cratchit put away for such hard times. After the encounter, Scrooge immediately calls various lobbyists and politicians to express his disapproval of unemployment extensions, and his full support of tax cuts for the top 2% wage earners.

The story closes with the Cratchit family finding comfort and solace at church, and being thankful of Scrooge for fighting to keep the Christ in Christmas, and donating a life-size nativity scene that is displayed on the lawn of city hall.

It’s a Wonderful Life
A lifelong citizen of Pottersville, George Bailey commits suicide on Christmas Eve when he learns that his family-owned business is about to fold. Efforts to save George’s business by the community had been denied, with many people believing that George didn’t deserve a “bailout” and “should have known better” and he “should have been more responsible.”

Meanwhile, the wealthy Mr. Potter (for whom the town is named), receives a free, life-saving operation for his chronic heart condition (he was a top ranking politician for three decades). Unfortunately, the operation comes too late and Mr. Potter dies. The community is deeply saddened by the loss of such a great citizen and quickly raise money to build a memorial in his honor.

The Powers That (Mr.) B

2010-10-28T10:33:00.001-07:00

Last night, The Powers That Be worked mysteriously through Mr. B. (He is the guilty-looking solid black cat in the photo to the left.) I was working on my latest design, trying to solve a particular dilemma. Pooky had gone to bed, so Mr. B took the opportunity to fill the vacant space next to me. He normally flops down and enters into a deep kitty sleep coma, and last night was no exception.

I have been working on a particular design issue every day for the last week or so. Trial and error, thinking, over-thinking, even trying to simplifying the problem was not producing the effect I was after. I was starting to think that the best thing I could do was start over, but I was determined not to scrap what I had already accomplished.

I was starting to arrive at a breakthrough when I noticed one of the threads lost all tension. What happened?!?!?! I pulled up the end of the thread and saw that it traced back to Mr. B. He looked up at me rather innocently, and there in his paws and mouth was the rest of the thread. I had been concentrating so much I failed to notice he was enticed by the thread!

As I hurriedly scooped up the other threads to keep them from a similar fate, I realized that The Powers That Be might possibly working through Mr. B. I saw the chomped thread as a sign. I had been denying the option of scrapping and starting over. The severed thread helped me accept that sometimes in the design process the way to make progress/breakthrough is to make the cut, wipe the slate clean, and re-start from the very beginning.

Now, if only Mr. B or any of the other cats could be intentional design assistants, I'd be very happy!

My First Design

2010-10-13T10:59:00.001-07:00

Tapestry-overlay spirograph design
I proudly present my first-ever doily design! I haven't yet bestowed a name upon this design. I was inspired by a mandala design, and wanted to translate that into a doily. I used Lizbeth size 20 thread in a lot of shades of purple, on a 1.25 mm hook.

Tapestry techniques were used to achieve the solid mat and overlay stitches. The overlay stitches are a progression of split stitches beginning with a double crochet increasing to a 5 yo stitch. The overlay forms a simple spirograph.

Baked Doughnuts

2010-09-17T18:04:00.000-07:00

Baked doughnut goodness
I like doughnuts, especially chocolate glazed ones. As it is with all good-tasting foods, a good chocolate glazed doughnut contains a week's supply of calories and fat. Though I typically don't care too much about those evils, I'd like to make a good tasting baked doughnut. The idea of a baked doughnut intrigues me, and seems like a good baking challenge.

The recipe I used was from the doughnut pan I bought at Sur La Table. I may have made the batter too thin, as I ended up with more doughnuts than the recipe said I'd yield. So, taking that into consideration, it may be that I've got some tweaking ahead of me. Also, I tried to find the level in which each well was the standard two-thirds full. Why don't they make a mark inside the well indicating the two-thirds mark? It would be so nice!

My result was tasty, but far from being like a doughnut. I think I need to make a denser batter, more on the order of a muffin or scone. Thus, my doughnut baking adventure is just beginning. I'm not too heart-broken that we may have to eat the experiments along the way.

Carnitas Possibly Perfected

2010-09-17T17:38:00.001-07:00

Moist and flavorful
Previously, I have been experimenting with making authentic carnitas. (See previous posts) Real carnitas are simmered in large amounts of lard, then finished in hot lard to crisp the outside and carmelize the meat. Faux carnitas are braised in liquid and then broiled in the oven to achieve the crispness.

The braising method infuses the pork with tons of flavor, but the meat can be a bit dry. Broiling in the oven doesn't quite bring out true pork goodness like a hot fry bath. The advantage of the simmer in its own fat method keeps the meat moist, and really puts a nice crust on the meat, yet it is lard. Finding the right balance between the two has been my quest.

Whole pork shoulders were on sale awhile back at less than a $1/lb. That is a wonderful price to be had. 10 pounds of meat for about $10. Only a whole shoulder has bone and skin and cutting one of them up becomes an ordeal. I grumbled "never again" would I succumb to seductive sale prices and have to cut up meat, but that was only because I hate getting my hands grimy with meat juice, and I do not want to cut my fingers.

I decided to make larger chunks of meat than I had been making in order to retain more moisture in the meat. I also let it sit for about 12 or so hours in a simple brine of bitter orange juice, lime juice, onions, cinnamon sticks, a few whole cloves, and a couple of tablespoons of kosher salt.

I wanted to revisit oven cooking the meat. I removed most of the brine liquid and added about one pound of fresh lard. I cooked the meat at around 200°F for a couple of hours, then began raising the temperature a little bit at a time to help it achieve and sustain a soft simmer. In about four hours the meat was fork tender.

Next, I removed it from the fat/liquid to let it cool and drain. I had some previously well-used peanut oil in my ancient relic of a Fry Daddy, so I heated it up and added a few chunks at a time for a quick 1-2 minutes. The pork pieces create a really deep bubbling of the oil, and fattier pieces have a tendency to spit. They cooked up nicely, and I regret not taking a picture of their lovely crispness.

The moment of truth was revealed came when the chunks were opened up and shredded. Inside the meat was moist, infused with good flavor, and had the perfect exterior crispness without the heavy lard quality. Thus, I declare that I have quite possibly perfected carnitas!

92nd PK Doily Pineapple Delight

2010-09-04T12:58:00.000-07:00

Bagels!

2010-08-30T11:13:00.001-07:00

Pooky loves bagels. I think it is because he was born in Brooklyn and raised there until he was about 5 years old. Bagels are in his blood, if not his DNA. So when I decided to take on the challenge of yeast doughs, bagel making was inevitable.

I used the bagel formula from The Bread Baker's Apprentice. (Thanks to Google, I haven't yet had to buy the book.) Also, there's a group of devotees to the book who do baking challenges, so I've scoured blogs a-plenty to see how to make these circles of love. (I love Brown Eyed Baker's post about making the bagels.)

I halved the recipe, making a total of 6 bagels, divided as three salt and three onion. The recipe is a two day process. On the first day I made the sponge and shaped the bagels. They get put in the fridge overnight, then the following day they are boiled and then baked.

The sponge, freshly mixed

The sponge is nice and bubbly, ready to be made into dough

Shaped bagels, ready for a chilly night in the fridge

One helpful thing is to have a sturdy Kitchen-Aid mixer to knead the dough. Not all Kitchen-Aid mixers are alike, some more powerful than others. Thankfully, my dad gifted me with one that can handle bagel dough. (The dough is very stiff and so hand kneading would be a great work-out.) Periodically I performed a window-pane test to make sure the dough was coming together nicely.

Some people recommend adding enough malt syrup to the boiling water to make it tea colored, others recommend baking soda. I did add the baking soda, but not the malt syrup. The reason being is that having too many variables at once makes it harder to determine what effect a particular ingredient has on the final product. I will try both additives next time, as I would have liked my bagels to have a darker, more carmelized exterior.

I'm not sure where in the second half of the process, but it seems my bagels lost some loft. The holes should have filled in more, and they should have had more loft. Mine were flatter than loftier. I also think that my oven doesn't get hot enough, so I will have to adjust baking times. However...the taste was truly, wonderfully bagel! As far as flavor, texture, and chewy, that part was perfect!

Pooky figured out how much it costs for me to make bagels at home versus buying them, and it looks like I'll have plenty of chances to develop my mad bagel making skills.

Fresh from the oven bagels!

Charcuterie Mexicaine

2010-08-21T14:16:00.000-07:00

Food sounds more sophisticated if it is given a French make-over. Consider carnitas. If I called them porc confit it sounds mysterious and marvelous.

Since it seems that Rick Bayless' recipes yield enough food to feed a couple of villages, I scaled his authentic carnitas recipe to make about two servings. The last time I made a big batch of something, I really didn't care for it and we had copious amounts of it. I wasn't quite certain I'd like the results of pork cooked in pork fat.

Armed with a couple of pounds of pork shoulder and five pounds of lard, with my handy cochran atop stove, I ventured forth into unknown territory. Let it be known that the initial smell of pork meat going into lard must be an acquired taste. It is quite pungent. What really helped the meat smell good was the addition of the bacon pieces. I could have probably added more. Bacon smells good; lard: not so much. The funky pork smell reduces after the initial shock wave, and the bacon scent becomes more apparent. Once I put the lard away there was no more piggy smell in the kitchen or apartment.

Using a food thermometer, I kept the pork around 212°F until it easy separated. The meat gets scooped out, the lard turned up to 325°F for a quick splash to crisp up the meaty exteriors. It took about 90 minutes for the meat to slowly cook.

Delicious carnita taco!
The result of the pork was much different than the braised carnitas I previously experimented with. The outer crispness and inner tenderness has a richer flavor--no doubt because of the lard. Yet the meat lacked subtle flavors gained by being braised using organges, spices, and such. Next time I will find a recipe that uses the oranges in the lard to see how that turns out. I know carnitas are supposed to be all about the pork, but I do like the subtle flavors that pork can carry.

Both versions of my carnitas were drier than I expected. It may be that I need to make bigger pieces of meat so that the interiors retain their moisture. Plus, I can always experiment with brines before dunking the pork into the fat bath. I'm also curious how the pork would taste if prepared according to a duck confit recipe, only using lard instead of duck fat.

So far I'd say that both versions of carnitas have their respective merits. If I can take the good from both methods and combine them into one recipe to rule them all, I'll be as happy as a pig.

Cupcakes, Dreams, and Mystery Diagnosis

2010-08-20T09:16:00.000-07:00

What to do with a package of cream cheese? Why make black bottom cupcakes, of course! These choco-cheesy cups of cakey love are quick and easy to make, and just as quick and easy to eat.

I had a dream this week in which I was riding around a tricycle type bike in an airport, and I was causing some minor security breaches. I escaped punishment by committing my actions in the future. When I returned to the past, I was able to avoid being caught. Isn't it amazing how our subconscious mind communicates to the conscious mind?

As a bio-medical science geek, I regularly watch Mystery Diagnosis. While watching the latest installment of delayed diagnosis, I soon realized the featured story was about IBD and the patient in question needing an ileostomy. I had a moment of feeling represented by the story, then felt disappointed in how they made it seem having an ileostomy was gloom and doom. Granted the patient was 13 years old and was suddenly given one, which I can understand the impact. It took me 15 years to come to the conclusion to go this route, and I had an ileostomy twice before at 18 yo and 23 yo respectively. Without TMI, there are benefits to pooping in a bag. Trust me, there are.

I still find it mind-boggling that I've lived more than half of my life now without a colon. This year is my 5th anniversary of having my ileostomy. I'm as fat and sassy as ever!

An Imaginery Pizzeria in My Kitchen

2010-08-17T17:30:00.000-07:00

Mouth-watering, isn't it?
It's only been in the last two weeks that I finally have cracked the code to making great pizza at home, and I've tried off and on for over 8 years. It seems to me in my culinary adventures that the more simple a food is, the more difficult it is to make it "restaurant" like.

One of the biggest obstacles in homemade pizza is the oven. Pizza ovens are big and get really hot. That really hot heat is the secret to making pizza crust crisp, yet chewy. The typical kitchen oven has a max temperature of 500°F which is on the low-end for making pizza. It's not unusual for pizza ovens to operate between 600-800°F.

Pizza stones came about to help the home cook get the most out of their ovens. For years I'd dabble with my round pizza stone but seldom was happy with my efforts. Then one fateful day I came upon some helpful tips from various sources. I tried out the new tips and presto! Yummy pizza!

My not-so-secret methods: Place the rack on the lowest position so that the stone is as close to the bottom heating element as possible. The temperature I set the oven to is 475°F and let it heat up.

As for dough, I make Alton Brown's Pizza Pizzas dough. I make a double batch using two packets of rapid rise yeast and Pillsbury bread machine flour (plus the other ingredients). I'm lazy and use our handy-dandy bread machine to mix the dough, knead it. I also like to proof my yeast, just to make sure the yeast will do its job. I notoriously kill yeast. There's nothing like having dough that doesn't rise!

My sauce is just this: canned tomato sauce, garlic and onion powder to taste, and some olive oil. I like the flavor and buttery quality the olive oil gives the sauce.

I like cheese blends, so I usually get a pre-shredded Italian or pizza cheese blend.

Some people like to use cornmeal to slide the raw pizza from the peel, but I prefer parchment paper. Plus when I go to remove the parchment paper there is that danger factor of setting an accidental fire that gets my adrenal glands frisky.

Being I'm usually starving to death by the time the dough is done in the bread machine, I roll it out and use it immediately. After I slide the pizza in the oven, I let the dough set on the parchment for about 2 minutes, then quickly yank out the scorching parchment using tongs and the peel. (Note that parchment paper is rated to only 420°F)

I let the pizza cook until the cheese is all melted and starting to brown. Here comes the next secret: About half-way through cooking, or for the last 1-2 minutes, switch the heat to 500°F broil. This will brown the crust on top and will darken the cheese. The broiling can go quickly, so the pizza can go from brown to black if not watched. (Ask me how I know this.)

What's amazing is that making a basic cheese pizza at home costs about $1.50 to make. The most costly parts of the pizza are the cheese and meat toppings. Each time I make pizza at home, it's like I'm earning a $20 tip!

Lard

2010-08-16T15:18:00.000-07:00

Cracklings
If you read the Little House books then you might recall Laura fondly writing about cracklings. The way she exalted them always made me curios to want to eat them. How they are made is to take pork fat and render out the lard. The leftover pieces are the cracklings. I didn't eat any of these cracklings, by the way.

My purpose for rendering pork fat was to make lard with the intention of making authentic carnitas. I bought almost 2 pounds of fatback at the store. It comes covered in coarse grained salt. I cubed the fat, rinse off the salt, then put it into one of my fancy French pots. I added about ½ cup water and put it on a low heat to simmer. In about an hour the water evaporated and the fat began to pop and crackle. At this point I began stirring frequently. Once the pieces began floating, at about 90 minutes, I scooped them out. I then poured out the liquid into a measuring cup to cool before putting into a storage container that eventually was refrigerated.

Little Meats Sans Bucket O'Lard

2010-08-15T10:23:00.001-07:00

The pork ready to go into the slow oven (250°F)

I've wanted to make homemade carnitas, but I have an aversion to lard. Hot lard smells unsavory to me*. So when I came upon Kenji Alt's recipe for carnitas made without lard, I was anxious to give it a try.

I prepared the meat following the recipe, making some changes according to my preference and ingredients available.

The cooking process of carnitas struck me as being similar to the preparation of duck confit. Confit is a process of cooking a meat in its own fat to preserve the meat. It is cooked "low and slow". Traditional carnitas are cooked in lard at a low temperature. Then prior to serving, the meat is cooked a second time in the lard but at a higher temperature to make it crispy.

My concern about the recipe I used is that there was the chance the pork would braise instead of be cooked in its own rendered fat. Only time would tell what exactly would happen. I let the meat work its magic over 5 hours. It smelled wonderful while cooking.

Pork cooked for about 3 hours. I cooked it for another 2 hours before declaring it done
I removed the pork pieces and shredded, then placed them on a cookie sheet and popped it under a 500°F broiler to crisp up the meat. Judging by the texture and dryness of the meat, I think it mostly braised. The liquid left in the pan seemed to be a juice/fat mixture. While the meat wasn't as moist as I'd have liked it to be, it is still very tasty. The pork has a subtle flavor of orange and cinnamon.

Crispy carnitas ready to fill freshly made corn tortillas

I'd like to try cooking the meat in oil to have a comparison. I am not sure if I will use lard or a different oil. It depends on if I can get some true leaf lard. If not, I think I will use peanut oil.

*The bad smell of the lard may have been due to having some that had gone bad. Good lard will go rancid quickly if not properly handled.

Fun with Science & Blue Tongue

2010-08-14T09:38:00.000-07:00

Why is my tongue blue? No, I'm not anoxic or frozen. I dyed it as part of a fun with science in the home experiment to see if I'm a non-taster, normal taster, or supertaster.

In my reading up on supertasting, it would seem that white males are the least likely to be supertasters. This may account for them liking beer and bar food. (Snark!)

I applied a slip of hole-punched paper to my tongue and took a super-macro picture. I then tried counting the bumps as best I could. It would appear that I have more than enough bumps to be classified as a supertaster. I'm not that surprised. It accounts for a lot of my food preferences. Supertasters have demonstrated to be more sensitive to bitter tastes, tend to use more salt, and typically avoid certain foods.

The interesting part is that supertasting is thought to have some genetic components. I'd so very much like to bitch out my mother for her negativity toward my picky eating as a child. Chances are she gave me the genes for it!

Interesting to note as well, children typically are more sensitive to bitter foods. As we get older our sense of taste matures. I am now able to tolerate the taste of certain foods that in my youth I could not imagine why any sane person would want to eat that particular item.

It also explains why my beloved husband has a greater tolerance for the taste of food. I've not cornered him yet and dyed his tongue to find out his fungiform papillae count. I expect him to be a normal taster. He is able to discern a variety of tastes and seldom is negatively bothered by them.

I think that supertasting does not give me an advantage in cooking, and can be more of a limitation in my ability to enjoy a wide variety of flavors. There are many herbs that are too overwhelming for me: rosemary, oregano, cumin, sage, basil, caraway seeds, dill, and fennel seed. If I must use them, I do so in minute amounts. I'm prone to use a lot of salt on my food, so I just don't use it when I'm cooking. I figure it is best that way so everyone can salt to their taste and not mine.

The Joy of Experimenting in Cooking

2010-08-06T12:02:00.000-07:00

Cooking is like performing experiments in a lab, with the lab being a kitchen and usually the end results in something to eat.

Here's what I've recently added to my culinary knowledge:

Freshly made hamburger really does taste better than store bought. It is so worth the time to make it.

Sometimes you got to push your boundaries in cooking.

There's probably an inverse ratio to how difficult an exotic item is to find to how good you think that exotic item will taste once prepared.

Always use a toothpick to check a cake.

Mr. Doo likes the smell of cooking pork.

91st Elegant Pineapple

2010-07-28T16:00:00.001-07:00

Completed July 26, 2010

My Fake Shake Shack

2010-07-23T14:50:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the great Internet, I have been able to replicate an accurate copy-cat of the famous Shake Shack cheeseburger. How did I pull this off? First, I watched this video featuring the tips and techniques of the blogosphere's burger guru, Kenji Lopez-Alt.

I chopped my meat a lot longer than Kenji does in the video. I'm wiling to sacrifice a little tenderness for non-clumpy meat. My food processor is only a two-cup cheap appliance with a single blade. I used country style ribs (boneless beef chuck) and sirloin tip steaks, with silver skin removed. I looked for very marbled cuts. I'm not sure if these were the right cuts to use, but I didn't feel like going to a real meat store.

As for other ingredients, I got sliced American cheese from the deli counter, green leaf lettuce, potato rolls, and squirt bottle (for easier application of the fake Shake Shack sauce). How I'd copy-cat the sauce? Someone reversed engineered the sauce and posted the recipe. It's like any standard "goop" available in the Northwest. On the east coast, goop is a strange, alien condiment, but seems to be catching on.

After I chopped the meat, I was concerned that it felt too dry, not enough fatty feel, and absence of juice (which is blood). I seasoned the meat, slapped it into my sizzling hot cast iron pan, and hoped for the best. I think because the meat was not very fatty, it didn't form the ideal crust. I was skeptical, but plated my first two patties and presented them to Pooky. I quickly fried up my serving, and joined him at the table.

My expectation was to chomp into a dried, flavorless puck. I about fell over when I was greeted with a burst of juice, flavor, and sublime salt-creamy beefy goodness that is Shake Shack. The center was rare, but I don't mind that. By the time I finished my burger, I was overwhelmed with burger-y goodness.

The burger gods would be pleased!

Some burger pr0n

The Cochran

2010-07-23T14:07:00.000-07:00

Pointy iron projections that look like a Medieval torture device! What the heck is this?

These sinister looking nubs are found on the under-side of the lid of my new culinary entourage! I acquired a 5 qt. Lodge cast iron pot for the purpose of deep fat frying. The bumps act as a continuous self-basting device. The Lodge brand features these bumps and so does Staub. Le Creuset does not.

The pot comes pre-seasoned. Not that I don't mind the seasoning process. I opted for the Lodge brand because...I have two other pieces. I'm highly abusive to them and they only seem to get better. The price of Lodge is affordable. I got this pot for $35.

I decided that since Le Creuset translates to mean "The Crucible", I shall keep in that spirit and call this one The Cochran. This comes from the Pyrdain Chronicles, the official name of The Black Cauldron. Cooking is a lot like doing chemistry--or as I think to think of it, conjuring magic.

90th Beguiling

2010-07-22T17:18:00.001-07:00

Completed July 10, 2010

89th Harmony

2010-07-21T13:04:00.000-07:00

Completed July 2, 2010

88th Pineapple Round

2010-07-21T12:55:00.000-07:00

Completed June 24, 2010

87th Majestic

2010-07-21T12:51:00.000-07:00

Completed June 13, 2010

86th Spellbinding

2010-07-21T12:46:00.000-07:00

Completed March 17, 2010

85th Pineapple Passion

2010-07-21T12:08:00.000-07:00

Completed March 8, 2010

84th Pineapple Beauty

2010-07-21T12:04:00.000-07:00

Completed February 27, 2010

83rd Sunflower Bloom

2010-07-21T12:00:00.000-07:00

Completed February 18, 2010

82nd Refined Beauty

2010-07-21T11:56:00.000-07:00

Completed February 10, 2010

81st Doily Penny Lane

2010-07-21T11:47:00.000-07:00

Completed November 26, 2009.

My Signature Dish

2010-04-08T09:19:00.000-07:00

I developed Pear Marinated Chicken from two different recipes around the summer of 2003. The chicken is marinated in a mixture of pear vinegar, mustard, oil, and seasonings. Pear halves are grilled after being brushed with a glaze made of honey, Asian sauces, and shallots. The grilled chicken is finished off with a light sprinkling of crumbled blue or gorgonzola cheese.

The perfect bite is a little bit of chicken, pear, and cheese. Not just for the flavors, but for the textures.

While lasting enjoying this meal, I pondered how to add just a touch of bacon-y goodness without overwhelming. Perhaps what might make that work is to turn the chicken into a sandwich filet, turn the halves into slices, add the cheese as usual, and include the bacon as small crispy bits. Pooky masterfully suggested a good quality applewood smoked bacon. Indeed, this would be my first choice, too.

Pooky took it a step further and remarked that the pear, cheese, and bacon combination would work well for a hamburger topping. That will be something I experiment with as well.

A Tale of Two Vinegars

2010-04-02T12:35:00.000-07:00

I saw pears at the grocery store the other day, so I thought of making my signature Pear Marinated Chicken dish. I checked my pantry and discovered I had used all of the pear vinegar I had, so today I ventured forth to find some. I was hoping to purchase this pear vinegar. I've used it many times before with good results, and the price is reasonable. I could acquire this vinegar at Whole Foods. It just so happens there are many Whole Foods stores in this area (which speaks to the affluence of the local demographic). Plus, there is the gourmet store I fondly call "The Southern Comfort Store".

Whole Foods didn't have the brand I was used to, so I opted to try the only pear vinegar they carried, which is a "pear infused" vinegar. Being that the gourmet store is literally around the corner, I popped in to see what pear vinegars they carried. I opted for one that was "Anjou Pear" since the pears I purchased for the dish are anjou pears.

What kind of flavor difference would there be between these two vinegars? Would the cheaper one (the pear infused) at $5 be better than the pear juice at $9? As soon as I got home I opened the bottles and did the definitive taste-test. The pear infused vinegar had a sharp tang that lingered into a very subtle sweet after taste. This vinegar tasted more grape than pear, but had a good acidic tang. The pear juice vinegar was very sweet and fruity, with it tasting more like a liqueur than a vinegar. There was also another strong taste of "something" and I discovered it was vanilla. The pear juice vinegar had very little tang, but a lot of bold flavor. The pear infused had a lot of tang, but not much else.

I then experimented with blending the two. Two parts of the sweet to one part of the tang captures the best of both vinegars. The final test will be to make up the marinade and grill up some chicken, which will happen this weekend.

Sometimes I dream of foreign words

2009-11-13T07:41:00.000-08:00

I was dreaming this morning of some weird stuff, like I was part of this group that had gathered for some reason, and in this group was an elder woman who held a lot of power. I went to her and asked her to help me vanquish my enemy, and that I was willing to assume the karmic debt. She asked me how much debt did I think the deed I wanted to perform would be worth. Not much, I replied, but I was willing to take it on.

So she assisted me in my request, which of course used a lot of old magical powers. It was through the process of sharing energies that I realized she was something more to me, not exactly a mentor--more like one of many guides. I proclaimed to her that I knew our connection, and she acknowledged the same. I asked her what is her name, and she said something like, I have no name, you name me.

I then said after an instant epiphany that her name is Kenai/Kinai. She nodded yes. I said, somehow knowing, that she was Inuit. She nodded yes. I kept repeating her name, so I could remember it.

Curiously, I looked up the word to see if it has any meaning. It's the name of a town in Alaska, and it is an Inuit word meaning "black bear".

Having a dream like this makes me wonder that not all dreams are merely subconscious processing of the day's activities, but perhaps sometimes seep over into the collective unconscious. I've never had an interest in Alaska, nor the Inuits. Perhaps now I should take a look.

Valerie Makes 80

2009-10-30T11:19:00.000-07:00

I have completed my 80th doily in my self-imposed PK Doily Challenge! That means just 56 more to go! I could possibly complete the entire challenge in about 2 years!

I've added additional doilies to the list as remakes, because I am not satisfied with my initial attempts. The use of variegated colors on some patterns does not bring out the awesome details.

Another Food Post

2009-04-21T08:13:00.000-07:00

We recently dined at Chap's Pit Beef in Baltimore, MD. The place is a carnivore's paradise. Their specialty is pit beef, huge chunks of meat cooked over charcoals. It is sliced thin and cooked to order. Sandwiches are loaded with choices of meats. All I can say is: I anxiously await my next visit.

When my reasoning stops, I'll be in trouble

2009-01-29T10:47:00.001-08:00

The evil ovarian cyst has been making itself known. Acute stabbing attacks that pop up. Just as I'm about to say out loud to Pooky, "There she blows!" the pain ends as quickly as it began.

I shared with Pooky one of my scary thoughts. I told him about the day I learned there is a syndrome named Capgras syndrome in which the sufferer believes that their spouse or loved ones have been replaced by imposters. I think this sometimes, but what keeps me from thinking it is true is a little voice of reason that kicks in. My scary thought is what happens on the day when my reasoning voice fails to kick in?

He seemed rather nonchalant about my confession. When I pressed him for a response, he said he'd still love me. That's when I know he had been replaced with a fake Pooky! LOL!

Supreme Image

2009-01-29T10:43:00.000-08:00

This doily took me awhile, as I worked on it little bits. I worked the colors simultaneously, carrying the non-working thread. It has good results as this pattern is dense and hides the carried thread well. It took exactly two balls, one of each color to make the pattern. It is Supreme Image from Ultimate Doilies.

I Feel My Heart Seizing

2009-01-24T16:45:00.000-08:00

Recently I learned about the pâte of the south: pimiento cheese. It's basically three ingredients: diced pimiento peppers, mayonnaise, and sharp or extra sharp cheddar cheese. Mix these together and eat on bread or crackers.

In my research of this simple spread, I learned that I should use Duke's mayo, because it does not contain sugar, and will make the cheese more authentically southern tasting. It seems that some food process the cheese and mayo to make a paste, but I like texture so I grated the cheese. I used a sharp cheese because I was afraid of extra sharp. I bought store brand cheese because this was an experiment. I'd really like to use Tillamook cheddar, but that will have to wait.

After mixing it all together, I looked at it and was scared to try it. So I called over my official tasting kitchen helper, Pooky. He is not big on the mayo/cheese front, but he immediately proclaimed: Oh, that's good!

I couldn't resist any longer, and I was blown away! It's rich, creamy, and fully loaded with fatty good flavor. I can't imagine that a commercially made pimiento cheese would taste as good. The Duke's mayo does taste a little different. It has a tang to it, and with the tang of the sharp cheese, it becomes a wonderful meld of goodness.

The Great Snow of 2009

2009-01-20T14:03:00.001-08:00

Snow 2009

This is the south?

2009-01-20T07:30:00.000-08:00

We came to the south to escape the snow, but the snow falls briskly as I type. Snow isn't uncommon, but uncommon enough to make everyone freak out. It was just six months ago that the temperatures were a lovely 99 degrees. Sweet memories!

ETA: I read in the local paper the last time it snowed here was in 2004. My, aren't we lucky?

Yesterday I learned about another southern comfort food, simply known as pimiento cheese. Fondly referred to as the pate of the south, it is a blend of sharp cheddar cheese, pimiento, and mayonnaise with optional finely chopped onion and tobasco sauce. Add bacon for a Paula Deen effect. Spread it on crackers or make crustless sandwiches.

I also learned that I should be using Duke's mayonnaise because it is made in the south.

Surprisingly, Pooky says that the pimiento cheese sounds tasty enough to try. He isn't a big mayo fan, but when I said that bacon can be added, he perked up. I guess I'll try making some next time we go grocery shopping.

I'm up to 60!

2009-01-16T16:24:00.000-08:00

My milestone of my self-imposed doily challenge: my 60th PK doily completed! This is Pure Rhythm from Pineapple Elegance, measures about 18 inches in diameter.

I Can Never Be Single Now

2009-01-02T12:03:00.000-08:00

I completed this doily, Alinda, on the 31st, making it my 19th doily of the year, and it is the 59th doily completed from my self-imposed PK Doily Challenge. As I placed it inside of my doily drawer, I commented to Pooky that my sex appeal is now at zero. The reason being: I have too many doilies and cats. These are not big on the sexy scale, and may actually plunge me into a negative score. Pooky must be made immortal to spare me a life of widowhood.

If I told the truth about myself in a personal ad, my penchant for doilies and cats, I may as well have that condition where my body odor smells like fish. In fact, having that condition (the fishy smell) would no doubt make me more desirable to cats.

There are other reasons for making Pooky immortal, and I shared them with him. He helps me determine what secret ingredients are missing from any sauce I make. He eats any mistakes I make while cooking. He puts the toilet seat down. He is cuddly. He helps me decide upon doily patterns. He likes kitties, and does not like dogs at all. Plus, he has no fishy odor whatsoever.

Doilies of 2008 Part One

2008-12-31T20:11:00.001-08:00

Doilies of 2008 Part Two

2008-12-31T20:07:00.001-08:00

It's all about the eating of food

2008-12-26T08:08:00.000-08:00

As I've gotten older, the holiday has shifted from being about gifts (toys and bobbles) to food. Holiday cooking is extra special. It's time to bring out the full arsenal of flavor, the roasting pans, traditional recipes, and grow two to three additional stomachs to be able to ingest everything and not feel miserable.

This year I've done fairly well in not baking cookies, treats, and calorie loaded holiday goodies. I broke down and did make a cream cheese ball for Christmas Eve dinner. It contains three ingredients and one of them is bacon. Bacon always seems to work itself into the food somehow.

I've been resistant to making us a big holiday dinner; it is simply too much food for two people, and I'm not a big leftovers eater. My plan was to make pastitso (Greek lasagna), the delicious casserole I discovered at the Broadway Diner in Baltimore.

Just days before the bid day, my brother invited us down to spend the day with him. He said he'd have a full spread, and I offered to still make and bring the lasagna. He gave the green light for the lasagna to be included.

The pastitso is to die for! It contains 9 eggs, one and a half cups of parmesan cheese, and 10 tablespoons of butter, plus pasta, ground beef, etc. As delicious as it is, it is very rich and I can only eat a small piece before I feel my heart seizing.

The cats were given Christmas tuna, too. It's regular tuna, only I call it Christmas tuna so they will feel included in the specialness of the holiday.

Brace of Dogs

2008-12-23T07:26:00.000-08:00

Wilson touts a world famous hot dog eatery known as Dick's that has been in business since 1921. The standard dog is dressed with mustard, onions, and chili. A cheese dog comes with all of that, plus cheese. Upon request, slaw and ketchup can be added.

I miss a good hot dog stand. In Pennsylvania, there was the hop, skip and jump to Hot Dog Johnny's. In Washington there was that place out in Aberdeen (when they deemed to be open). Here we have a southern style dog that has its own unique flavor, one that sates my hot dog needs. Oh, yes--there are times where the need for a good dog riddles through me and I have no choice but to become a pilgrim to this higher power.

Yesterday was the day we re-visited Dick's. I tried both regular and cheesed versions, without the mustard. Mustard is an evil condiment. I'm not usually fond of chili on a dog, but thought I should try it to see what is considered famous.

The chili is not saucy, nor greasy. It is a lightly flavored meat with seasonings. The hot dog has a smoky taste, reminding me of a cheaper type of nitrated frank. The dog and chili combination melded together to make the bun become "creamy". Over all, the tastes were delicious and worthy of praise in its own right. My favorite dogs still come from Hot Dog Johnny's, but considering that is hundreds of miles away, Dick's will do and is just around the corner.

My one lament about Dick's is they do not have unsweet tea! Yet, they do put slaw on their dogs, so next time I'll try a slaw dog with chili and onions. I learned that my stomach can only synthesize one dog at a time. These dogs pack a processed food wallop, and I spent the rest of the day feeling funky. One thing is certain: the taste is good enough to have kept them around for 87 years and counting.

Santa Peppers

2008-12-23T06:53:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I misread things on reader board signs. Like the time I thought a bank was giving out FREE CHICKEN instead of FREE CHECKING. I have had my eyes checked. I see clearly, but my brain processes the letters/words strangely. Could be the early signs of some brain wasting disease.

Well, yesterday as we drove through fast food restaurant row, the sign for Chick-Fil-A was touting SANTA PEPPERS CHICKEN SANDWICHES. I asked Pooky, "What are Santa Peppers? Are they red and white? Extra sweet or hot? Just what are Santa Peppers?!?!?" He looked at the sign and said I should get my eyes checked again. It actually said "SANTA PRAFFERS CHICKEN SANDWICHES". (Note: Preferred was truly spelled with an "A")

All is well in Smee Lanka, the mystical land where Pooky and I live with the six beasties. I have fallen prey to the Sims! Oh, how I have sworn never to be sucked into the gaming world! How I mocked and laughed those who wasted away before their computers creating little people and cities, allowing real life to pass by. Now I must point my bony finger of shame at myself, for I have become one of those wasting people. I chirped with glee when my Romantic themed city was upgraded to cobblestone streets and gas light lamp posts. Do I know this person who exclaimed this accomplishment?

I shall be saved by penguins. I received a Pajama-Gram from my sister. The irony of it is I'd see the commercial and coo at Pooky, "I need a pajama-gram!" and he'd say how warm we already are. I require soft clothing and penguins. My sister understands this and psychically knew that this was exactly what I needed.

Food love

2008-12-12T14:41:00.000-08:00

From December PA

Go ahead and look at this album of food. You'll not regret it.

We went to the Broadway Diner in Baltimore, MD, after I saw it on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. It's like the diners from New Jersey that I fondly recall. The kind that serve chocolate mousse mice, and the menu is a small novel.

New laptop, lots of joy

2008-12-12T14:05:00.000-08:00

Black Friday feels like a long way off. And it was a couple of weeks before that when my laptop died. Today joy returned with a brand-new laptop full of bells and whistles. Check out the cool webcam that made a gratuitous feline video of Smee, and the swanky Vista software added the titles.

I even have a slot for my digital camera media! OMG! It's all I can do to keep from wetting myself! I've not had a computer be so technologically advanced. Now everyone can enjoy Smee.

Did you get hungry seeing that deep-fried turkey picture? The story is, my BIL and SIL bought a huge fryer because they like wings and things. The fryer is a counter top kind so no risk of fires. The turkey was injected with a marinade and cooked perfectly. Gosh, I didn't know that a bird would be so tasty prepared this way. As good or better as the rotisserie.

On our way back from Pennsylvania, we stopped at the Broadway Diner in Baltimore. Please, if you live anywhere near Baltimore, go eat there already! Pictures to come. Must upload them. Prepare for Greek cuisine goodness.

Deep-Fried Turkey Goodness

2008-12-09T08:17:00.000-08:00

Ingredients: One deep fried turkey. Directions: Slice, eat, repeat.

I Was Lost, Then Found

2008-12-09T07:16:00.000-08:00

From Sheep Across the East Coast

Over the weekend we went north to visit Pooky's family. Along the way, we decided we'd stop at Cabela's for some photo opps, and check out the largest store. We had previously stumbled upon the world headquarters, and we didn't go inside that store. We found out we missed out on an elongated penny, so not wanting to repeat our mistake, we decided we could get the one at the Hamburg store.

The store was packed with outdoor and hunter enthusiasts. Too many! I took Sheep inside for photos. As we made our way through the mob, I suddenly realized I had lost Sheep! I was distraught! Sheep has been across the country twice, has been in danger, but never lost! To die at a mega-store would be undignified.

We spent an hour looking for him, asking clerks if they had seen him, or if he had been turned into lost and found. We left our name with the customer service desk. With tears and despair, we parted with hopes that Sheep would be found and safely returned.

Sunday morning came and I found the store's number and asked Pooky to call. He went into the other room. He came out into the room wearing no emotion. I asked, "Well?" He announced that Sheep had been found! He was going to retrieve Sheep that very moment. I said I should go along to apologize to Sheep for my carelessness.

Sheep was found by the cleaning crew during the night and that was all we knew. Sheep is far too precious to us. He has a lot of history for a little Sheep.

Winter scares me

2008-12-07T12:09:00.000-08:00

We actually awoke as planned and were on the road by 6 am to head north to Pennsylvania to visit Pooky's family. There was an adventure in the Hamburg Cabela's that will be blogged later. Anyhow, shortly after we settled in for the night, the snow came.

Yes, snow. I shutter just typing that word. With a wind chill. Pooky asked me, "Do you miss the snow?" Heavens! I can hardly wait to fly south and get warmed up.

I miss the kitteh babies like crazy! I just know Smee is suffering. Mr. Doo is dying because there was no tuna this morning!

Tonight we'll have deep fried turkey. I will take plenty of pictures. On the way home we'll stop at the Broadway Diner in Baltimore. The reason being is I saw it on the Food Network with Guy Fieri, and it looked like good food. So I'll take plenty of pics and post later.

Oh, and the new laptop was shipped--all the way from China! I should arrive on the 10th. Yeah!

Fried Green Tomatoes

2008-12-04T08:58:00.000-08:00

From Mama Dip's

The back story: In July, an ovarian cyst was found during a CT scan to check for an intestinal obstruction. The cyst has been watched since then. It hasn't presented with any pain until about two weeks ago. I called my gyn on Monday and I was seen the following day. Not only was the big cyst still there, but a second hemorrhagic cyst had developed. The gyn said she didn't want to deal with my case, being I have an ileostomy and all, so she referred me out to a tertiary care doctor at Duke University.

Yesterday we ventured forth to the Durham area to have the gyn check me out. But before that, we stopped at Mama Dip's. I've been wanting to try Mama Dip's culinary offerings for almost a year. The promise of fried green tomatoes on the menu is the primary impetus for my desiring to sample Mama's comfort food goodness.

The last time I have fried green tomatoes was at least eight or more years ago, back when I could grow my own tomatoes. That's how I came to enjoy this southern taste treat.

How Mama Dip's did not disappoint! The tomatoes were perfect! I was humming with taste bud bliss! My entree was the chicken fried steak. I almost cried with glee at how soft, tender, and perfectly crunchy the steak was prepared. I never knew a chicken fried steak could be moist and tender. Pooky said his fried okra was cooked to perfection as well.

So, the outcome of our main reason for venturing west was to see the gyn. He said he'd like to try me on progesterone for a month to see if that will do the trick to shrink down the cysts. If that doesn't work, he'll consider removing them.

Just how much cyst do I have? The combined pair is about 12 cm, or a little more than 4.5 inches. He said that is pretty big, and that most women would have been complaining awhile back. I said I only know bowel pain, so unless it has me keeled over and writhing, I don't consider it serious.

Oh, and he said if either rupture, then I'll be keeled over with the writhing. Either rupturing is not a good thing. Lots of fluid going into the abdomen, that kind of thing. Now, how am I to relax knowing that these things could blow, but that it is fairly unlikely that they will? Frankly, I'm on edge that they will explode when I'm far from home, or during the holidays.

I am thinking positively. In fact, I am thinking about more fried green tomatoes. If I think about how yummy those tomatoes tasted, I may just keep those cysts from bursting.

Italiano Cooking

2008-12-01T07:52:00.000-08:00

I get cooking urges. I am in my Italiano phase. Carbonara started it off; last night I tried chicken Parmesan. The breasts would not pound out! It could be I need a real meat tenderizer. I made a marinara sauce from scratch, letting it simmer for hours. I hand breaded the filets and made some pasta. It was all finished off in the oven with a mound of mozarella. Pooky proclaimed I could make it again.

We prepare to drive up to Pennsylvania this weekend. I located my remaining winter wear. I have a dread that I will take on a chill that will not leave me for days. I always thought it odd how in those Victorian novels people would get a chill and then die. Now I know how lethal a chill can be.

And so another Thanksgiving is flushed

2008-11-29T06:30:00.000-08:00

Pooky and I have gotten wise in our years. We either get invited to a dinner, or if we must cook, we keep it simple. Enter the beef tenderloin. It cooks in about an hour and tastes like heaven! Our spread did not include green bean casserole. My favorite, but not Pooky's. We had sweet potatoes and corn. The roast mooed it was so rare.

And I gave thanks for 6 kitties and a Pooky.

We debated going to the early bird sale at Wally World. For all of 5 minutes. It is a good thing we didn't. We could have lost life or limb. People lose their senses with these early bird deals. Its like starving a tiger and then tossing out scraps of meat. I wonder if those most vicious in these mobs are the same who get irrate about the secular commercialism trampling Jesus (the reason for the season), and insist on "Merry Christmas", not "Happy Holidays"?

Well, our venture into Black Friday was much better than we feared. We ventured forth at 10 am to buy DVDs at loss leader prices. The throng of folk was steady, but not swarming. Our big ticket items we bought online--all from the ease and comfort of the recliner. We still will go out shopping at my favorite store, A Southern Season, to get some gifts.

And so another Thanksgiving eaten and flushed.

Closed for Winter

2008-11-25T16:42:00.000-08:00

If I could wear a sign, it would say "closed for winter". It always feels like I'm going against the grain this time of year. I must be part ground hog or bear. I have this vision of being inside of a warm, rock cave and I am nested in furs and surrounded by cats. I sleep until winter's hold breaks and spring returns.

The solstice is next month and that brings me some joy. The days get "longer".

I think I understand why the winter solstice was a big deal to peoples of the past. I guess being huddled inside with stinky people and animals was trying on the nerves.

I still think about the cave filled with cats, though. All of them purring, or making trills. It's a comforting thought to get me through these winter days.

The carbonara experiment

2008-11-18T15:41:00.000-08:00

I got some panchetta and Romano and parmesan cheeses. It was just a matter of boiling the pasta, and tossing, mixing, and doing so without scrambling the eggs.

Pooky doesn't like pasta--long noodles in red sauce. When I said this pasta has bacon he was willing to try it.

My tossing skills proved effective: the eggs and cheese formed a sauce. Scrambled eggs avoided!

I plated a sample for Pooky. He took a bite and kept eating! I think the bacon made the difference. Italian bacon is a little different than our version. It was a very rich and tasty. Both the bacon and the carbonara.

I will need to tweak the egg to cheese to pasta ratio. If you want to stop by and help me eat my mistakes, just let me know!

Musings of an Ambien Mind

2008-11-18T06:40:00.000-08:00

I saw organic turkeys in a local grocery store selling for $50. Now, an organic bird has no artificial "stuff", so shouldn't it cost less? Not to worry. We're having beef tenderloin for our meal.

I should get my LMFTA by the end of the year! It's about time!

I want to make carbonara. It seems like a challenge. I like a culinary standard that has a challenge. I think sometimes I should have gone to culinary school. Only I knew I'd not survive the long work hours.

Our local pizzeria does have gyros on the menu! I'm in meep heaven! (Meep is my word for the beef/lamb meat in a gyro.)

Everything tastes better with bacon.

Any day now, I should get my prize money from the fair. It will promptly be used to buy thread.

My laptop died so I use my iPod Touch. It is real slow for typing. I'm using it now. It took me 5 minutes to type that last sentence.

Pooky came up with the land where Smee comes from. It is called Smee Lanka.

Mr. Doo: His Impending Fame

2008-10-30T07:45:00.000-07:00

Check out this video about a cat that has boosted a local struggling economy in Japan. They attribute the kitty's fame to generating $10 million! Mr. Doo has star-power (plus a truly evil aura), and I'm convinced he could generate $1 billion!

All I need to do is get a marketing wizard, and convince Mr. Doo to possibly wear a hat.

He'll make you feel worthy if you give him tuna or money.

Mr. Doo Always Gets His Turkey!

2008-10-29T15:44:00.000-07:00

We made a turkey breast today. Later it will be used for delicious Hot Brown Sandwiches. We had a more traditional turkey meal with the first slices of meat. I made a sweet potato casserole, brined the breast, and Stove Top stuffing and canned corn rounded out the feast.

Most importantly, Mr. Doo received his serving of turkey! Indeed, I fixed him up a plate. He had needs. It is my duty to meet those needs. He can kill me as I sleep if I fail to meet those needs.

I have learned to cook with Mr. Doo always laying on the floor in the kitchen. As soon as I start any culinary endeavor, he'll come rub against me, then flop and lay in the center of the very small floor space. He often gets stepped on.

But he always gets his turkey.

Fine Grade Mental Lint

2008-10-24T17:21:00.003-07:00

I'm in love with cotton plants. Just look at the future Q-tips, cotton balls, skeins of yarn or thread, clothes, oil, and numerous other products. I snuck across the non-existant fence and took this picture. I look out at the cotton field outside the window and marvel. (In fact, I highly recommend the episode of Modern Marvels on cotton.)

Imagine if we had cotton hair. The softness would be fantastic, plus super absorbent!

Cotton should purr. Like a tribble or cat. I'd love to fall into a big bin of cotton and just roll around.

If I stare long enough at the fluffy goodness I see all of the doilies just waiting to be born from the bolls.

Free is Cheap

2008-10-24T09:27:00.000-07:00

In attempt to scale back our monthly budget I'll be using a free blogging service. The $10 I'll save each month will allow the felines to continue to enjoy their daily can of tuna. Tuna prices have gone up by 40% since about a year ago. I knew we should have bought stock in Chicken of the Sea! It's life threatening to deny the beasties their tuna. They have the power to kill us as we sleep.