Super Spice

     As I was doing my annual inventory of spices a few days ago I noticed there was one that I rarely use.  It was turmeric.  It seems there are very few recipes that call for it, outside of the ones that are for Indian dishes.  Perhaps that's why the nickname for turmeric is Indian Saffron.  After all, it is what gives Indian curry its flavor and yellow color.  It's also used to provide mustard its characteristic hue, as well as being used as a coloring agent for butter and cheese. 

     Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is a relative of ginger, a perennial plant that grows 5 to 6 feet tall in the tropical regions of southern Asia.  The plant produces a trumpet shaped dull yellow flower but it is the root, the rhizome, that is used to create the powder that we are familiar with when it is boiled and then dried. 

     But according to the University of Maryland Medical Center, turmeric has been used for over 4,000 years as a powerful and effective medicine to treat all manner of ailments and diseases.  It has been used for centuries by Ayurvedic and Chinese herbalists for everything from liver problems to skin diseases and wounds.  Now modern scientists are beginning to understand that it is also a powerful anti-oxidant that fights free radicals in the body and helps to reduce and prevent the damage they can cause.  It also lowers the levels of 2 enzymes in the body that cause inflammation and stops platelets from clumping together to form blood clots.

     The medicinal properties of turmeric are impressive as it is known to treat the following conditions:

Dyspepsia & indigestion                                          Rheumatoid Arthritis
Ulcerative colitis                                                      Cystic Fibrosis
Stomach ulcers                                                        Childhood leukemia
Osteoarthritis                                                           High cholesterol
Heart disease                                                           Alzheimer's disease
various cancers                                                        Uveitis (inflammation of the iris)
Bacterial & viral Infections

Wow!  Think I'll go and sprinkle some on my cereal this morning for breakfast and feel healthy!

Xtreme Eating 2013

     I enjoy eating someone else's cooking on occasion.  It's nice to have a good meal at a place where no prep work or clean up is required on my part.  But eating healthy can be quite a challenge, especially in January when the extra holiday poundage needs to be shed.  Unfortunately most franchise (read: chain restaurant) establishments don't care if customers are trying to shape up.  The goal of places like IHOP, Cheesecake Factory, Chili's, Johnny Rockets, and Uno Chicago Grill is to boost the bottom line.  And to do so they offer up meals that include things like a 2,000 calorie order of mac 'n cheese, a 1 pound slice of chocolate cake and a milkshake that contains a slice of apple pie.

     The January/February issue of Nutrition Action Newsletter cites IHOP as a good example of a bad example.  Their mantra is, "It's all about flavor.  Not about limits."  Their Country Fried Steak & Eggs breakfast is Exhibit A.  In the IHOP website they proclaim, "When it comes to breakfast, why choose just one thing?  Our breakfast combos put your favorites together on one plate, so you can dig into everything you love - from eggs to steaks to pancakes!"  

     Let's consider what goes into that meal: 8 oz. fried beef steak smothered with country gravy, served with two eggs, hash browns and two buttermilk pancakes.  Yep, a mix of fried red meat, fried eggs, fried potatoes (picking up a trend?), and a load of refined carbs all in one meal.  The meal really does have it all -- all the calories (1,760-almost a day's worth), all the saturated fat (23 grams-a full daily quota), all the sodium (3,720 mg-2 1/2 days worth), and all the sugar (11 tsp-almost enough for two days), considering that you pour on a typical quarter cup of syrup.  All that is equivalent to eating 5 McDonald's Egg McMuffins sprinkled with 10 packets of sugar.

     Perhaps the Cheesecake Factory's Crispy Chicken Costoletta would be a better choice.  The lightly breaded chicken breast comes with mashed potatoes (not fries) and fresh asparagus.  Well, surprise!  That seemingly healthy meal packs 2,610 calories, 89 grams of saturated fat (enough for a full work week), and 2,720 mg of sodium.  In fact, the dish has more calories than any steak, chop, or burger on the menu.  It's like downing an entire KFC 12 piece Original Recipe bucket, except with less than half the saturated fat.

     Gee, on second thought, maybe I'll stay at home and wash my own dishes...

In a Stew

    

      Invariably almost every recipe for a hearty soup or stew includes the addition of a bay leaf or two.  The leaves of the evergreen bay laurel tree, Laurus nobilis, native to the Mediterranean, is frequently used to flavor soups, stews and braises and enhances meat, seafood and vegetable dishes.  It is an important component in numerous cuisines across the Mediterranean, as well as in French, Thai, Indian, Pakistani and Arabian kitchens.  There are two major varieties: Turkish and Californian and although the Turkish is considered more flavorful, the Californian is stronger and thus halved as an ingredient in recipes.

     Ironically the fresh leaves are very mild and do not develop their full flavor until several weeks after picking and drying.  Subsequently they then become stiff and rigid even during cooking and if ingested can be abrasive to the digestive tract.

     Historically the bay leaf has been used in a number of interesting ways.  It has a long standing reputation with herbalists and has been employed to improve digestion and reduce flatulence.  And a bay leaf rinse is also considered as a treatment for dandruff.  Bay leaves were used to recognize achievement in battle, in sport and in academics as a crown of garlands of bay leaves were given to those being honored.  Another more practical use of bay leaves is to scatter them in the pantry to repeal insects and vermin.  It is thought to be useful in discouraging meal moths, flies, roaches, mice and silverfish.  It also inhibits the growth of certain molds.

     Sounds like good stuff to have around the house!  And when you've cooked up a good meal with it you can wear some in your hair to recognize your achievement...

Righting Leftovers

     By the end of the week the chill chest begins to fill up with left overs.  The challenge then becomes what to do with them before they become science projects growing strange green furry stuff.  I looked into the refrigerator Saturday and saw some things that had potential for dinner, with a creative mind and the right recipe.

     I had a slice of ham, some Dijon mashed potatoes and a wedge of Gruyere cheese that were all approaching the end of their normal life.  So consulting my 3 ring binder of recipes, sorted by categories like entree, sides, seafood, and dessert, I looked up the main meal file under "ham."  Much to my delight I came across a Ham and Cheese Croquette recipe that specifically called for leftover mashed potatoes, cooked ham and grated Gruyere cheese.  What a find!  All I needed to add was a little flour and the meal practically made itself.

     Adding a bit of seasoning I blended all the ingredients together and then heated some oil in a large pan to shallow fry the disks that I pressed together with my hands.  (See VinnyPost  January 23 "The Unplugged Kitchen")

 

     The result was so good that the recipe will be headed into my culinary hall of fame!  Here it is, just in case you find those same leftovers in your refrigerator some day.

HAM & CHEESE CROQUETTES

 

1 cup leftover mashed potatoes                      1/2 cup finely diced cooked ham

1/4 cup all purpose flour                                  kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup shredded Gruyere cheese                  1/4 cup vegetable oil, for frying

 

In a bowl, mix the potatoes, flour, cheese and ham until combined.  Season with salt and pepper, to taste and divide the mixture into 8 equal portions.  Rub your hands with a small amount of flour and form the portions into small flat disks about 1/2" thick.  Use just enough flour to keep the potatoes from sticking to your hands, but do not coat them completely.

 

Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat.  Shallow fry the croquettes, turning once, until golden brown, about 4 minutes per side.  Remove from the oil and drain on a paper towel lined plate.  Let the croquettes cook for about 5 minutes before serving.

 

Recipe courtesy of Claire Robinson, 2009, Food Network.

Never to be foiled again

    

      Have you ever attempted to tear off a piece of aluminum foil from the dispenser only to have the entire roll leap out of the box and land on the floor unraveling as it goes?  That is a frustrating and unfortunately not uncommon occurrence in the kitchen.  It has happened to me more times than I care to admit.  But there is a way to prevent that.  If you look carefully on each end of the box of Reynolds aluminum foil (and freezer paper, and also Saran wrap) there is a small triangle with perforations on the sides.  Punch that little tab in on each end and those "horns" will hold the roll in the box and keep it from escaping.  That's something I only learned a few years ago and since that time I have never had the problem again.

     And here's another tip, this time using Saran wrap.  Instead of attempting to use an entire pound of bacon before it goes bad, or alternately try to chip away one or two slices from the block solid pound that you froze to preserve it, take a 3 inch wide strip of Saran wrap and into the center of it lay 2 strips of bacon.  Fold the Saran wrap over it from each side and then roll it up like a sleeping bag.  Continue to do this for the entire pound of bacon until all 14 strips are rolled up in pairs.  Find a suitable container and put them in your freezer.  Next time you need a few strips of bacon to season a meal you can simply pull out as many rolls as you need and thaw them without affecting the rest of the slab.  Pretty neat, huh?



A Shopper's Manifesto

     Lynne Kasper and Sally Swift in their Splendid Table cookbook, How to Eat Weekends, begin with these words:

     "It's no longer about just us.  Buy food today and you might as well have dropped a pebble in a pond -- that purchase reverberates in the world.

     "Some of us believe we're healthier for eating from local, organic, and sustainable farmers and producers.  Hopefully that's true, but eating today touches the environment, the ethical treatment of people and animals, the vitality of communities and their lands, and the value of the small and unique.  And yes, how we eat directly touches the people we care about.

     "These days we're all doing the best with what we have, but if at all possible, please try to prepare these dishes with organic ingredients.  That USDA "Certified Organic" sticker isn't the perfect solution.  But for now, though, it is a better option than most.

     "In the best of all possible worlds, shop as close to the source as possible.  When we can, we get a lift from handing our money over to the farmer who actually grew the lettuce."

     I would agree with much of what they have written and am a staunch advocate of local and sustainable.  If you can't grow it yourself, find someone near to where you live who does.  So that makes me a locavore, I guess.  And I also find concurrence with their statement on governmental regulation of organic certification.  It is still an imperfect science.  Unfortunately it is still difficult, at times, to determine the qualitative difference between organic and non-organic foods items, except for the price.  More work needs to be done to raise both awareness and acceptance of the organic process America.

     Perhaps 2013 will be the year.

The Unplugged Kitchen

     When asked about his favorite kitchen tool, award-winning San Francisco chef and writer Daniel Patterson said that two things found in every kitchen can give you more information, more accurately and more consistently, than anything else:  your hands.

     In the simplest of all illustrations, he says to think about the difference between tossing a salad with tongs versus using your hands, and innocently asks, "How can the tongs tell you when the leaves are evenly coated?  Only your fingers can do that."  And to that I would add the wisdom only your hands can provide to know when dough has come together to just the right consistency.

The Unplugged Kitchen written by Viana La Place takes up that theme, as does the book, Cooking by Hand, by author Paul Bertolli.  And when you think about it, nearly every high tech gadget in today's kitchen replaces a tool that existed long before the electric outlet was even dreamed of.  Before the food processor there was the food mill, before the blender it was the manual ice crusher.

     Over a decade ago we were all caught up in a frenzy about the potential effects of Y2K when all our digital electronic devices were supposed to stop functioning.  I went out and purchased a hand operated can opener to keep my kitchen up and running.  Using our hands and manual tools hones our instincts and our common sense.



Have a parsnip, Sweetie!

     With the coldest temperatures of the Winter now upon us and wind chills near zero, it is colder outside right now than a well digger's watch pocket!  What better time than now to make a warming stew to stave off the chill outside?  I found an interesting recipe on line with the help of my new iPad and printed out a Chicken Stew with Cider and Parsnips. You can click on to the highlighted title to get the complete recipe.  I chose it for both its simplicity and its ingredients.  There is the usual cohort of things you would expect, like carrots, onions, and of course, chicken.  But I was intrigued by the inclusion of parsnips.  So I went on an investigative search and here's what I found.



 

     The parsnip, Pastinaca sativa, is a root vegetable in the carrot family with a similar shape but a more pale color.  Like its relative, the carrot, parsnips contain less starch than potatoes and are notably sweet with a flavor some liken to butterscotch or honey.  It contains distinctive aromatic molecules and is a favorite for use in stocks, stews and soups.

     Native to Eurasia, it has been a staple in the diet there since the time of both the Greeks and Romans centuries before the introduction of the potato.  It was considered to be a food of the aristocracy and thought by some to even be an aphrodisiac.  Before the advent of commercially processed cane sugar parsnips were used as a sweetener in baking cakes and preserving jams in Britain and was also fermented into "Tanglefoot" wine (the name coming from its effect in the imbiber) and also a beer in Ireland.

     Parsnips are traditionally a winter root vegetable, picked after the first frost, due to the process whereby its starch is converted into sugars when exposed to cold temperatures.  So parsnips harvested during the Winter are naturally sweeter than their autumnal counterparts.

     But a word of caution should be heeded in their handling.  First, larger parsnips contain a woody stem that should be cut away after the vegetable is cut longitudinally.  And more importantly, serious chemical burns and blistering can result on exposed skin to the leafy sprouts.  Wild parsnips are an invasive species that can cause serious consequences to the inattentive wanderer.

     Last evening's chicken stew was wonderful and the cider gave it a gentle tang.  But I may have to add a lot more parsnips to achieve the full aphrodisiac affect :])

A Better Batter

     "Picky though it may seem,"  says the authors of How to Eat Weekends, " the butter's temperature is crucial in a cake recipe.  At the right temperature, you can beat it up to three times its original volume.  This is how cakes get their height and lightness.  The butter has to be soft enough to fluff into pockets of air, and cool and firm enough to securely hold it(65F to 68F).  Tuck an instant-read thermometer in your butter as you're bringing it to room temperature and you'll know exactly where you are.

     "Also, for the most volume, never beat butter faster than at medium speed.  Lastly, have all ingredients at room temperature before starting to mix."

Take Five

A few months ago I took a circuitous ride to the Scholastic Book Warehouse in New Jersey.  (Did you know there are 10 Washington Townships in that state?)  They were having a sale and I picked up a number of interesting tomes, one of them being Fix-it and Forget-it: 5 ingredient favorites, Comforting Slow-Cooker Recipes by Phyllis Pellman Good.  It is an amazing collection of recipes from around the country using no more than 5 ingredients and cooked in a crock pot.  There are recipes that you would expect, like pot roast, chili and stewed chicken, but there are also some unusual ones like pizza fondue and apricot cider.

The table of contents ran the gamut from appetizers to desserts with a heavy emphasis on chicken, pork and beef main dishes.  There were even recipes for breakfast oatmeal.  (But I'm not sure how you would get the slow cooker going at 4 am for breakfast at 7.)  What did disappoint me, however, was the inclusion of canned condensed soups and frozen vegetables in so many of the recipes.  I am opposed to those kind of ingredients that are sodium laden and unnecessary for a healthy meal.  I am also at a loss to use a slow cooker to heat up such items as smokie links and canned baked beans.  Low and slow does nothing to improve their taste.

So while Ms. Good, from Lancaster County, may be a New York Times bestselling author, I believe she has sold us short on the benefits of a slow cooker.  Even at 50% off the book was no bargain.

Keeping up with the Joneses'

     It was my good fortune to be the recipient of a free ticket to the theatre last night.  To celebrate  I decided to take myself out to dinner prior to the 8 pm performance and not wanting to feel stuffed and uncomfortable as I sat in the Walnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia, the town affectionately known as "The Big Scrapple" I thought of a place just one block over on Chestnut Street, Jones.  It is just one of many arrows in the quiver of the Starr Restaurant Organization,  the brainchild of the amazing Stephen Starr.  He is the mastermind behind a dozen or so themed and cuisine conscious eateries around town.

     Jones is billed as a contemporary American comfort food restaurant.  It has an all day menu of items your mother would make and includes 3 breakfast all day offerings: a 3 egg omelet, egg sandwich, and breakfast burrito.  The menu lists the standard fare with appetizers like hummus and pita and cheese pierogies, soups and salads, sandwiches and over a dozen entrees including such favorites as meatloaf, chicken pot pie and sesame seared tuna.  Nothing is exceptional but everything is good.  And the prices do not break the bank.

     The contemporary design is a bit dated at this point with the sunken living room, see through fireplace and swivel chairs at the table opposite a surprisingly low bench seat.  Unfortunately the rough hewn stone walls and columns, along with the wooden panels throughout serve only to bounce the sound around which makes the space uncomfortably noisy.  There is precious little to absorb the decibels created by the crowd that arrives to get a first come, first served, no reservation table.

     It was refreshing to be served by a genuinely friendly staff that did not have an "I'm doing you a favor to serve you" attitude that is found in other more pretentious dining establishments around town.  Each member of the team was cheerful, courteous, and most importantly, prompt.

     So what did I have before my evening out and about town?  I decided on a soup and salad and began with a warming bowl of chicken rice soup, a meal in itself with the warm dinner rolls provided.  The salad was a mountain of mixed greens, diced tomatoes, onions and corn with still warm lightly fried calamari and drizzled with a spicy chipotle dressing.  It was a challenge to clean my plate as I had been taught to do as a child but I was successful as I enjoyed dinner conversation above the din with the diners to each side of me who were also marveling at the portions they received.

     Good food, reasonable prices.  Two reasons to return to Jones.

Slow Food

     It's been a week since we have seen the sun here.  January can be damp, dreary and generally dismal for many.  So it's a great time to dust off the slow cooker and prepare a healthy warming meal to lift sagging spirits and boost the soul.

     We all know the benefits of slow cooking.  Low temperatures and moist heat is the way to produce tantalizing stews and roasts that take all day to reach their culinary perfection.  But don't limit yourself to just a hearty beef stew.  The slow cooker (aka "crock pot") can be the "go to" kitchen device for everything from appetizer to dessert for the creative mind (or someone like me who has a cook book dedicated to slow cooker recipes.)

     Here is one of my favorite seasonal dessert recipes made in the slow cooker:

WINTER FRUIT CRISP

 



cooking spray                                                    1 whole cinnamon stick

6 oz mixed dried fruits                                      grated zest of an orange

     (apples, pears, apricots, plums)                   1/2 cup sugar

2 large golden apples                                         1 tsp ground ginger

     peeled, cored, cut into 1/8" dice                   1/2 tsp grated nutmeg

2 Bosc pears                                                      3/4 Tbsp dark rum or brandy

     peeled, cored, cut into 1/8" dice                   1 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 cup dried cranberries

 

for the crumb topping:

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour               1/2 tsp grated nutmeg

1 cup uncooked oats, quick or regular          12 Tbsp unsalted butter

3/4 cup packed brown sugar                                   ( 1-1/2 sticks)

 

     Lightly coat the interior of the ceramic pot of the slow cooker with cooking spray.  Cut any large pieces of dried fruit into 1 to 2 inch pieces; place in prepared slow cooker.  Add dried fruits; stir gently.  Add cinnamon, orange zest, ginger, sugar, nutmeg, rum and vanilla; stir gently to combine.

 

     Place the four, oats, brown sugar, and nutmeg in a medium bowl; stir.  Add the butter and knead, using fingers, until the mixture resembles large crumbs.  Sprinkle this crumb topping over fruit, patting it down lightly.  Cover and turn on slow cooker and set to four hours on low.  When done, fruits will be tender and bubbling and topping will be lightly browned.

 

     Serve warm with ice cream or frozen yogurt.

 

recipe courtesy of Slow Cooker Cookbook by Cuisinart.

For crying out loud

    

     Ever wonder why you cry when you're cutting onions?  There's a simple scientific answer to that age old question, it turns out.  The sulfur-containing compound, syn-propanethiol S-oxide, that gives onions their characteristic flavor and odor are also what causes our eyes to burn.  Once an onion is sliced volatile sulfur compounds are released in the form of enzymatic gases that react with the water in our eyes, our tears, and becomes sulfuric acid, a caustic, burning irritant, which then causes more tears to be produced.

     Most of the afore mentioned compounds are concentrated in the root end of an onion.  So slicing and chopping while leaving the root as intact as possible helps keep the tears at bay.  There are other ways to diminish the effect of the sulfuric gas and they include refrigerating the onion for about a half hour before slicing to slow down the chemical reaction.  And another possibility is to cut the onion under water, which doesn't strike me as being very practical.  And if you're into kitchen gadgets you can always purchase a pair of onion glasses to protect your eyes.

     And what about the smell that's left on your fingers after the onions are chopped?  You can remedy that with another chemical process.  Simply wipe your fingers on stainless steel to neutralize the odor of the onions!

Egg-cellent!

     When I go food shopping I usually purchase eggs by the half dozen since we use them infrequently.  But the last time I was at the market I noticed that there were  eight in the package.  I reluctantly put them in my cart, wondering how I was going to use all of them.  The thought came to me this weekend to cook up a frittata.  Never having attempted that before I did some research on this all purpose meal made with eggs.

     The term frittata is Italian in origin and literally means "to fry."  It is a general term for cooking eggs in a skillet and runs the spectrum from a fried egg to an omelette.  But a frittata differs from a conventional omelette in four distinct ways.  They are:

• There is always at least one optional ingredient in a frittata that is combined with the beaten egg mixture while the eggs are still raw, rather than being laid over the mostly cooked egg before it is folded as an omelette.
• The mixture is cooked over a very low heat, more slowly than an omelette, for at least 5 minutes, typically 15, until the underside is set but the top is still runny.
• The partly cooked frittata is not folded to enclose its contents like an omelette, but is instead either turned over in full or broiled in an oven to set the top layer, or baked for 5 minutes.
• Unlike an omelette, which is generally served whole to a single diner, a frittata is usually divided into slices.  It may be served hot or cold, accompanied by fresh salad, bread, or beans.  

Here is the recipe that I used to create our meal on Saturday evening:

BACON & POTATO FRITTATA

 

8 large eggs                                               2 Tbsp EVOO, divided

2 Tbsp chopped parsley                            1 onion, chopped

3 Tbsp grated Parmesan                           2 garlic cloves, chopped

salt & freshly ground pepper                   2-3 cups arugula, chopped

6 slices of bacon, chopped                       1/2 cup chopped roasted red peppers

1 lb. potatoes, peeled, into 1/2" pieces    3 oz. Provolone, optional

 

     Preheat broiler.  Whisk eggs, parsley, Parmesan, 1/4 tsp salt & pepper in a large bowl.  Cook bacon in a 10" heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring until crisp.  Transfer bacon with a slotted spoon to a large bowl.  Add potatoes and 1/4 tsp each of salt & pepper to skillet, and saute over medium-high heat until golden, about 3 minutes.  Cover skillet and continue to cook over medium-low heat, stirring a few times, until potatoes are just tender, about 3 minutes more.  Transfer the potatoes with a slotted spoon to bowl containing the bacon.

     Add 1 Tbsp oil to skillet and saute onion and garlic over medium-high heat until pale golden, about 4 minutes, then add arugula and saute until just wilted.  Gently add the potatoes and bacon, the roasted red peppers and remaining tablespoon oil into the onion mixture, spreading it evenly.

     Pour egg mixture evenly over vegetables and cook over medium-high heat, lifting up cooked egg around edges with a wooden spatula to let uncooked egg flow underneath, 2 to 3 minutes.  Reduce heat to medium and cook, covered, until it appears mostly set, with a moist top and center, 3 to 5 minutes more.

     Remove lid.  If using Provolone, broil frittata 5 to 7 inches from heat until set, but not browned, 1 to 2 minutes, then top with an even layer of cheese and continue to broil until browned and bubbling, 1 to 3 minutes (watch carefully).  If skipping the cheese, broil frittata until the top is lightly browned, 1 to 3 minutes.

     Cut into wedges and serve directly from the skillet.

 







Market Watch

     In December a quick weekend trip to The Big Apple provided me with an opportunity to tour the Chelsea Market in the Meatpacking District with Allison.  Located on a full city block between 9th and 10th Avenues and 15th and 16th Streets, it is the site of the former National Biscuit Company (NABISCO) dating back to the 1890's.  It's where Oreos and Saltines were created.  But the massive building was vacant for over 4 decades, the haven of hundreds of pigeons. 

     That was until Ira Cohen had the vision of a mixed use office and retail development for the old building.  He and a band of investors came up with $9.5 million and purchased it and began to entice tenants with an amazing lease offer.  For only $1 million any business could rent 10,000 square feet of space for 20 years.  That was undoubtedly the cheapest floor space in the entire city.  And move in they did, to the longest indoor walkway in New York City.

     We spent a full 3 hours learning about the Chelsea Market: it's origins, it's architecture, and it's many cuisines.  And we also were able to sample the diverse foods of the market, from cupcakes to meat pies, to spelt and olives.  We also walked along the "highline" and down to the street level where deliveries of fresh meat were brought to be butchered and packaged, giving the area its name.

     The Chelsea Market is a remarkable accomplishment.  Locals and visitors to the area are encouraged to "...stroll through a sort of postindustrial theme park, carefully festooned with the detritus of a lost industrial culture, interspersed with food stores and restaurants."



Essential Baking 101

In the How to Eat Weekends book by Splendid Table there is a page dedicated to a very basic baking concept "How You measure Your Flour. " It reads as follows:

"How you measure flour can make a recipe fly or fail.  A single leveled measuring cup of flour can hold 3 1/2 to 5 ounces of flour, which is a huge difference in a recipe for brownies or birthday cake.

     "All of our recipes use the 'dip and level' method, which yields a 5-ounce cup.  the technique is simple: dip the measuring cup into the flour and lift it out with the flour heaping, then sweep a straight edge, like the back of a knife, over the cup to level it off.  Don't tap or tamp."

     And there are also some interesting quotes scattered throughout the book as well.  Here are two of my favorites from the grand dame of the kitchen, Julia Child:

"I am not interested in dishes that take three minutes and have no cholesterol."

"It's so beautifully arranged on the plate, you know someone's fingers have been all over it."

Spicing it up

     Yesterday I mentioned the shelf life of spices.  So after you have discarded all those old stale spices that you've been keeping in the kitchen in those red and white metal tins, where do you go to replenish them?  My suggestion is to go on line and look for a nearby Penzey's store and restock your pantry with a few of their multitudinous offerings.  Now that might not be such an easy task considering that there are only 2 of their stores in the entire commonwealth of Pennsylvania.  It might be easier to purchase their products on line, come to think of it.

     I'm very fortunate to have one of their outlets in nearby Chestnut Hill, an affluent section of Philadelphia.  It's only a short 20 minute ride there and I find myself in their store at least once a month to purchase the smallest jars of spices.  That way they do not linger on my shelves for months (and years) on end.

     Bill Penzey, the founder, has an interesting philosophy.  He equates cooking to world peace and elevates the simple task of cooking to an act of compassion that is at the heart of humanity.  Here is one of his quotes, "...the reality is that each act of cooking honestly creates a better future for everyone everywhere."  And he admonishes us with these words: "Bring those you care about together and share your love for them.  And if possible, cook.  It really does make the world a far more perfect place."

Gee, I couldn't have said it better myself.

The Spice Rack Scam

In The Splendid Table cookbook, How to Eat Weekends, Lynne Kasper & Sally Swift uncover a problem in the kitchen, "The Spice Rack Scam."  Here's what they have to say:

     "Don't fall for the scam of buying a complete spice set with every herb and spice known to humankind.  The only thing you'll be guaranteed to have is a complete collection of dead flavors.  Instead, buy as you go, in small quantities, and for the fullest flavors, buy whole spices and grind them yourself.  The difference is amazing.
    
     "Dried herbs and ground spices are in their prime for 3 months; whole spices are good for a year.

     "ONE MORE THING:  You know those nicely designed spice racks that hang over your stove?  Forget them, too.  Heat and light are the enemy of seasonings.  Could anyone have designed a worse place to hang a spice rack?

     "How about starting a new household tradition at the New Year?  Get family and friends together and pitch out all the past year's spices, or better yet, do a ceremnial burning in the fireplace, or outside in the snow."

Sounds like a good way to spice up your life in 2013.
    

Lot's of Fluff

     From souffles to pie toppings to cookies, meringue can be sered in any number of forms.  But each recipe you'll come across is essentially one of three types, according to an article in the most recent issue of Cuisine at home.  The distinction depends on how the key ingredients -- egg whites and sugar -- are combined.

     French meringue is the one most often made by home cooks.  Preparing this firm, yet airy meringue involves gradually beating sugar into beaten egg whites until stiff peaks form.  It's then usually baked.

     Swiss meringue tends to be denser than other firm meringues.  It's made by heating egg whites and sugar together in a mixing bowl over a pan of simmering water until the sugar dissolves, then beating the mixture until stiff peaks form.

     Italian meringue can be either firm or soft in consistency, depending on how long you cook the sugar syrup that gets beaten into beaten egg whites.  Either way, the hot sugar syrup immediately cooks the meringue through, making it very stable and able to hold its volume.  Unfortunately, this technique is the most challenging of the three.

     Think about that the next time you put your fork into a slice of lemon meringue pie...

Editor's note:  Today is the first anniversary of "Home, Home on the Range: Musings from my Kitchen."  Thanks to all the over seven thousand readers around the world who have enjoyed the daily postings.

Vinny

The Secret Sweetener

     "Vinegar is a powerhouse seasoning when you add a little heat," so says Lynne Kasper & Sally Swift in their book, How to Eat Weekends.  "For instance, cook off the acid and vinegar becomes sweet.  Reducing it is also a great way to bring new flavor to inexpensive vinegars and to get bonuses of spendy ones."

     "Cook it with a little fat and it becomes syrupy, which makes it an ideal glaze for anything from savories to sweets."

     "When you boil it down with sugar to a syrup, you get a seasoning the French call gastric -- an unfortunate name, yes, but one of the great secrets behind a proper canard a l'orange and so many of those other streaky sauces you find on your place in fancy restaurants.  Gild your own gastric by throwing spices, bits of fruit, garlic, chile, or bits of bacon into that simmering reduction and you have a fast and fabulous sauce."

Mais oui!

    

How to Cook an Onion

     One of my Christmas presents was a book published by The Splendid Table entitled "How to Eat Weekends" written by Lynne Rossetto Kasper and Sally Swift.  It is an amazing collection of recipes and stories that I have already consumed from cover to cover.  So for the next few days I will be posting some of its wit and wisdom.

     "How to Cook an Onion" is one of the many tips contained there in.  Here is their advice:

So many recipes begin with "saute the onion" that one would think this is simple, right?  But how you cook that onion can change how your recipe is going to taste.  There are two basic approaches:
     For sweet, clear, and gentle onion flavor, cook the onion covered, in a light film of butter or oil very, very slowly over low heat.  The onion will actually sweat out its essence.  You can add aromatics to this process -- a bay leaf, a sprig of celery leaves, parsley.  Remove them when the onion is cooked and their flavors linger.
     For meaty, rich flavors, brown an onion in a generous amount of oil or butter over medium to medium-high heat.  Cook the onion to a deep golden brown and you have the perfect start for a robust saute, stew or soup.

Vive la difference!

Just Desserts

     Our Christmas Dinner was a huge success I'm happy to say.  I experimented with some new recipes and they all worked.  The creamed spinach with parsnips was a wintertime delight.  But the star of the show was dessert, a Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake. 

     I tweaked the recipe just a tad in that I did not make my own graham cracker crust and neither did I bake it in a spring form pan as recommended.  Instead I used a "cheater" ready made store bought graham cracker pie crust, thus altering the shape of the dessert from a true cheese cake to a cheese pie.  But the end result was still the same, a delightful and incredibly rich tasting chocolate dessert.

     Here is the recipe:

Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake

 

2 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped                          1 egg

24 oz 1% cottage cheese                                             2 egg whites

8 oz 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened                   2 tsp instant espresso powder

3/4 cup granulated sugar                                          2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder                          fresh raspberries

2 Tbsp all purpose flour                                              mint springs

 

Position the racks in the lower and upper thirds of the oven.  Put a small roasting pan on the lower rack and fill about 1/3 full of water.  Preheat oven to 325 F.

 

Put the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl.  Microwave on medium power until soft and melted, about 1 minute, depending on the power of the oven.  Stir until smooth.  Puree the cottage cheese in a food processor until smooth.  Add the cream cheese, sugar, cocoa, and flour and continue to puree, scraping down the sides of the bowl until smooth.  Add the egg, egg whites, espresso, and vanilla and puree until incorporated.  Add the melted chocolate and pulse until just combined.  Pour into prepared crust.

 

Place onto the upper rack of the oven and bake until set and the center jiggles slightly, about 50 to 55 minutes.  Turn off the oven and let stand in the oven for 1 hour.  Remove the cheesecake to a cooling rack.  Let stand at room temperature until cooled, about 2 hours, then refrigerate until well chilled, 8 hours or overnight.  Let stand at room temperature for about 1 hour before serving.  For easier serving, slice with a clean hot knife, wiped clean after each slice.  Serve with a few fresh raspberries and a sprig of mint.