madbaker: (Paul the Samurai)
This week's Resolution Recipe: Dark Chocolate Brownies.
"In a world full of great brownie recipes, this is the only one you need."
It's good, but I am not sure I would commit that far )
madbaker: (Pulcinella)
We absolutely would not have gone if not for the job, because the house is still a shambles from long Beltane. Nevertheless we did, and we had a reasonably good time chatting with mostly usual suspects. I'm looking forward to getting to know the now-former Prince/Princess better.

I mentioned a possible opening gag for this year's GSP production to Juan & Rose and was pleased that they both thought it had merit, although they said it needs work. I agree with that - this was just a joke that I thought was funny, so it's more concept than polished opener at this stage. Of course this morning my brain started fleshing out a possible approach that I also think is funny - we'll see if it lands with the cast when we start rehearsals. Assuming I remember then, but it will probably stick in my brain.

I entered a batch of Strong Green Sauce (16th c, Messisbugo) in the Silver Spoon, which was sauces. I've made it before (though never for a competition) and this was a particularly good batch. It was a close runner-up, although my documentation and presentation were better and I could probably have forced at least a tie if I had wanted to. I don't really have anything to prove though - I have three Silver Spoons already. And, well, a cooking Laurel. So I deferred to a newcomer whose dish really was very tasty. Speaking of, he is half of a couple we met at WCCS that are jumping in to All! The! Things! He cooks and bakes sourdough bread regularly, so I am thinking of approaching him with an offer to be a student for a year and a day... if he does and it works out, we can perhaps do a more formal apprenticeship. We'll see how that goes.
madbaker: (Paul the Samurai)
This week's Resolution Recipe: Upside-Down Blood Orange-Rosemary Tea Cake.
"This gorgeous ombré* cake features in-season blood oranges, rosemary for a subtle savory note, and cardamom** for a delicate floral touch. And don't skip the whipped cream - some things in life are simply better with it."***
Read more... )
* "shaded", presumably referring to the oranges fading into the cake?
** or not.
*** True!
madbaker: (Paul the Samurai)
This week's Resolution Recipe: (Spiked) Sourdough Bread.
I am giving you my revised version, with actual sourdough leavening rather than just flavor.
Read more... )
madbaker: (Paul the Samurai)
We day-tripped Crown this last weekend. Read more... )

All in all we had a decent time and enjoyed chatting with friends.
madbaker: (charcuterie)
This week's Resolution Recipe: Mortadella Cookies.
Medieval mortadella sausage is 1) not emulsified; 2) does not contain pistachios. But this is a thoroughly modern cookie recipe that (spoilers!) looks quite like its target. Pics on FB in the Saluminati group if you're interested.
Lengthy instructions, but surprisingly quick and easy )
madbaker: (Paul the Samurai)
This week's Resolution Recipe: Tunisian Orange-Almond Cake.
"Breadcrumbs, used in place of flour, give this Tunisian-style cake a delightful texture."
Read more... )
madbaker: (Paul the Samurai)
This week's Resolution Recipe: Autumn Galette.
"This recipe is a real celebration of autumn. It's a sweet-savoury combination of apples, shallots, and cheese. Serve with a sharply dressed salad." (Which I assume is made by ZZ Top.)
Galette Me Try This )
madbaker: (Paul the Samurai)
Thanksgiving with my dad went well. He is doing much better, although he still can't have alcohol or spicy food while he is on blood thinners. The traditional dishes tasted like my childhood ones. The Marlborough Pudding (apple custard pie) was good and fully set, despite some crust failure. I used a bit too much butter/lard and the sides slumped, so the slightly over-full filling covered the crust completely. And of course that meant a soggy bottom. But making a day ahead meant that it removed from the pie pan easily, at least, and I am looking forward to leftovers with tea today.
madbaker: (Paul the Samurai)
This week's Resolution Recipe: Chocolate Olive Oil Cake.
Read more... )
madbaker: (Paul the Samurai)
This week's Resolution Recipe: Yorkshire curd tart.
"This is traditionally eaten at Pentecost. It's an old form of cheesecake that was traditionally made with beestings, or colostrum, the first milk a cow produces after calving. In more recent years, the cake has been made with curd cheese."
Read more... )
madbaker: (charcuterie)
Thursday the wife and I drove to the other side of the City for dinner and a movie. We went to our usual place when visiting this theater - a family-run Chinese restaurant. Sadly they aren't doing soup dumplings anymore but we still enjoyed some of our usuals: green onion pancake, green beans with chile, and dry-fried chicken wings (which are fabulous). The service is pretty slow but even with commute-hour traffic we had plenty of time.

We saw Spinal Tap II the day before it opened. I'm not quite sure how this indie theater gets to do that but I'm not complaining. The movie wasn't as good as the original, but it was never going to be. The Comicle put it well: it may not go to 11, only 8, but still rocks. We enjoyed it.

I have started brining 5 lbs pork loin to replenish our lonza stores, and am attempting a puff pastry sausage roll tonight for dinner. Mildly ambitious but that's okay for a weekend, and I'm using commercial puff pastry because I am not insane.
madbaker: (Paul the Samurai)
This week's Resolution Recipe: Small-Batch Biscuits.
"With just five ingredients and ten minutes of prep time, you can have two golden, tender biscuits ready in time for breakfast."

America's Test Kitchen delved into making fruit cobbler some time ago - their conclusion was that it is impossible to get a consistent bake on the biscuit topping when it is on the fruit; the underside always is doughy. (Confirmed with experience, although I usually don't mind.) Their suggestion was to make deconstructed cobbler, with baked fruit cooked separately and topped with a biscuit. That's what we did here - we each had a small Pyrex pan of cooked apricot/sugar/cinnamon, with a split biscuit on top. It was lovely... but I will take apricot cobbler in pretty much any form during the season.
Read more... )
madbaker: (Paul the Samurai)
This week's Resolution Recipe: Banana Bread Blondies.
"These bars have the chewy and fudgy texture of a great blondie but the big banana flavor of the quick bread."
Read more... )
madbaker: (Chef!)
This week's Resolution Recipe: Turkey and Bean Tamale Pie.
"A tamale pie has little to do with an actual Latin American tamale. But the dish is retro comfort food you wax nostalgic for whether it was part of your childhood or not."
It was not part of mine... nevertheless )
madbaker: (Paul the Samurai)
This week's Resolution Recipe: Baked Lemon Custard Brulée.
"This is one of the simplest, classiest treats ever to come out of my kitchen. Baking is both science and magic."
Yes, I am aware I am mixing two different Led Zeppelin songs. Squeeze my lemon...
I like your custard pie )
madbaker: (Paul the Samurai)
This week's Resolution Recipe: Sourdough Discard Lemon Crinkle Cookies.
Ten internet points if you correctly identify the title reference. Hint: Not my usual cup of tea.
Read more... )
madbaker: (Paul the Samurai)
This week's Resolution Recipe: Tangerine Cake.
"I think this is better a day after it's made, but I don't complain about eating it anytime."
I'll come following you )
madbaker: (Paul the Samurai)
This week's Resolution Recipe: Cranberry-Rosemary Breakfast Pudding.
"Your kitchen will smell like French toast when you pull this sweet, custardy casserole from the oven. This creative combination of tart cranberries and piquant rosemary makes an ideal holiday breakfast."
Read more... )
madbaker: (Chef!)
This week's Resolution Recipe: Salmon Wellington.
"Swaddled in buttery puff pastry, this is a stunner of a holiday centerpiece even a novice cook can nail."
Read more... )

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