gingerfreak
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Posts posted by gingerfreak
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I made the French Pear Tart for Thanksgiving dinner yesterday. My grandma is a bit confused about things these days, and thought they were apples, but she loved it. Very high praise indeed from the baking queen of my childhood. I've made this recipe before and it's always a winner
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I've been avoiding studying by making marshmallows (first time so it took a while) and making my Christmas gingerbread snowflakes. Nothing like doing all those little cutouts ever so carefully...
My justification for procrastibaking is that I'm putting off studying for my baking and pastry theory class. This sort of counts as studying, right? Right?
Eh, maybe not. But it's a lot more fun
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I don't have a whole lot of industry experience, but I can't use normal sized cutting boards anymore either. So I got a giant one that is hugely out of scale in my tiny apartment kitchen. The "blue monster", we call it.
I also don't get people who have bad knives - if I'm cooking at my mom's place I just take my own.
Oh, and I freak out if my husband sneaks up behind me to get affectionate and kiss the back of my neck while I'm chopping anything. I'm gonna lose a digit that way...
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Two things from this book today. First up was the Coffee Break Muffins. Whenever I bake something "plain" that doesn't have nuts, raisins, etc. in it I'm tempted to add some but I wanted to see how the coffee flavour came through. These are really nice - not overly sweet and the coffee is subtle but definitely there. Next time I might add some bittersweet chocolate, or walnuts.
Next was the Peanuttiest Blondies. My failure here is not the book's fault! They baked up beautifully, and I had just placed them on the rack on the counter when my cat decided HE needed to be on the counter. He's a clutz so all he managed to do was pull the whole rack down on the floor, sending brownies all over the floor and scaring the crap out of himself. My first instinct was to think "FIVE SECOND RULE!"
but they were still smokin' hot. I'm sure they WERE good - and next time I make them the cat is locked in the bedroom. 
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You need to ask yourself if there are other redeeming qualities that make the effort worthwhile. But I'm skeptical - it's almost like he's threatened by your love of food. As someone else pointed out earlier, it's not totally necessary to have your partner completely share your passion for food (hey, I have my husband, and then I have my food-freak friends), but the fact that he doesn't respect and even belittles you for it sets the alarm bells off.
I'm not sure that you want to put the effort into someone who's so dead set against what you love. At any rate, good luck figuring this out.
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I think that they had hoped the variety would be fun and surprising;
That's exactly what I'm finding so far. I just received my copy yesterday and in flipping through it I come across so many items that I just wasn't thinking of at that moment. Then I run off on another tangent and am amazed at where I ended up from the original search.
One thing I find though is the pointing out of what to avoid makes me want to try those combinations to see for myself! (the contrarian in me I suppose...)
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Peanut butter slices!
Wow.
That product is new to me. I saw the link briefly, the site's goofy arcade aesthetic is hard to look at. Is the peanut butter cold, or frozen? Has it been chemically altered to remain between two slices of plastic from factory to table?
I've never actually seen these things but remember reading a snarky article about them a while back. Apparently they solve the problem of overprocessed white bread tearing when spreading normal PB. Oh, and these are FUN!!!
I have no idea what they've done to it to make it stay in that form, and I don't want to! Seems that info is overlooked in the website's wackiness.
Other lazy products: anything "portion-controlled". Come on. You want to lose weight, how hard is it to figure out your own portions?
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Peanut butter slices!
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Oh I agree...that's a huge incompatibility! Be careful about deciding to upgrade this to "SO status"
Reading this thread I realize how lucky I am. My husband doesn't share my love of cooking (though he likes being my sous chef) and if left to his own devices becomes purely functional about food and would eat the same thing day in and day out. But fortunately he LOVES to eat new things and loves that I'm always experimenting, and is very adventurous when we eat out.
Prior to him, I dated someone who declared that "bread is bread" and "coffee is coffee". Unrelated to the topic at hand, he thought of my dear cats as "just cats". They're family! We see how THAT turned out...
Good luck, gingerbeer, I hope you can somehow inspire this guy.
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Ditto on the thanks for the typos. I've only had trouble with the Espresso Walnut Meringues, but I think that was the fault of my technique more than the recipe
.And yes on the date walnut bread! I made it as well, but substituted dried figs, which I had on hand. Worked really, really well.
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My problem is, I'm so ridiculously thin skinned, I'm not sure how I would cope being shouted at. I envisage myself being stunned to tears by the slightest raise of voice. I'm incredibly weak when it comes to authority.
Which is annoying. I hate the idea of that standing in the way of me doing a job I'd otherwise enjoy.
I'm pretty sensitive myself, and working in a kitchen and getting yelled at definitely toughened me up a lot. Quite often it's really a matter of the stress of service and it's all forgotten afterwards. If you can get over the shock of it the first few times you'll learn to shrug it off and perhaps learn to yell at a few people yourself
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I saw my first Cadbury's creme eggs yesterday! They're *somewhat* lost - I used to inhale them when I was younger but they lost their charm once I had some higher end versions. But I still can't help but have a few...
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Could be! And you just reminded me that I need to change my profile as I'm now in Toronto.
*scurries off to change location...and maybe grab some chocolate
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Lastnight I had cheesecake and a manhattan (or 3) for dinner.
Two of my husband's favourite things! And he's been known to have them together, I'm sure. Funny how it doesn't take any hormonal justification for him..
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My first post in THIS particular forum. After a five year unexplained hiatus, the "beast" is back, with newly developed pms-ing. I've been teetering all over needing chocolate or salty, and salty has won..for now. Hello olives out of the jar and a caesar!
But there ARE two chocolate tarts left over from Christmas in the freezer...
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patris - no they weren't piped, I just spooned them on the parchment.
alanamoana - I think you're right that it's a combination of the two. I was suspicious of the oven temp to start with and wasn't sure if the whites had reached the volume necessary. Oh well, lesson learned!
Thanks for the tips
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I've never made meringues before but with a bunch of egg whites left over from Christmas thought I'd give them a try..
I used Nick Malgieri's recipe for Espresso Walnut Meringues, which calls for 4 egg whites and a cup of sugar, plus 1 1/4 cup of walnuts and 1 tbsp espresso powder. It also included 2 tbsp of cornstarch and a pinch of salt.
I know the egg whites are supposed to be at room temp and they were, but I've heard conflicting advice on how fresh they should be. As they were leftover, they weren't so fresh.
The taste is delicious, but..they all have a very large air pocket in the centre.
One thing that I thought was odd about the recipe was that it called for a 300 degree oven and a 30 min. baking time. Other recipes call for a lot lower temp and longer time. Would this have caused the air pocket? Any other thoughts or advice?
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Soup is my favourite! I've made two so far this year:
- Roasted golden beet and fennel with orange zest (from Christmas leftovers)
- Roasted garlic (lots of garlic) and cauliflower with thyme and spinach
Both yummy, both feeling very healthy after the holidays.
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All that being said, I do confess to once or twice a year enjoying a very toasted frosted strawberry pop tart with butter on both sides.
I never thought to put butter on pop tarts!! They used to be my downfall - I wouldn't have them in the house or the box would be gone.
I can't eat bad chocolate anymore either - it's like sugared wax. Like a lot of people have said, now that I can make most things better than what you can buy, why buy? At least I know what's gone into it.
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In a fit of ambition I volunteered to make dessert for Thanksgiving (Canadian) dinner this past weekend at the inlaws. My MIL is quite the accomplished baker. I'm a culinary student but this made me more nervous than any culinary exam I've taken!
I made the French Pear Tart, with the poached pears and the regular tart crust. The almond cream is divine. Verdict was unanimously positive and I believe I'm on the hook for desserts from now on...
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I have reservations for Flow on the 9th (they're extending their Winterlicious menu through February) and am really looking forward to it.
My dilemma is for next weekend: I have the options of Biff's, Courthouse Market Grille, or Tutti Matti. I've not been to any of them - does anyone have any recommendations?
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I know you said you checked the St. Lawrence Market but I was there a few days ago and recall seeing a variety of capers in that store on the lower level (sorry I'm blanking on the name), the one that carries a range of products from italian, indian, and asian cuisines.
At any rate, f you find some, let us know, they sound good!
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sounds great, Justin.
I just like to be clear since to some people "no chocolate" means "but a little is okay, right?" No extreme measures required.
Looking forward to sampling!
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Well fortunately I've only done the lid-not-completely-on-the-bottle thing at home (fish sauce everywhere!
).I guess I have fairly bad circulation, and had been sitting the entire meal with my legs crossed. My partner and I got up to leave the table and I got just far enough away before I realized my leg was entirely asleep.
He was halfway out the door before he turned around to see me splayed out in the middle of the restaurant protesting that really I HAD only had one drink
What Will You NEVER Eat Again?
in Food Traditions & Culture
Posted
Sad to say, but nothing cooked in the restaurant I'm currently working at (and hopefully not much longer). I'll eat toast, that's about it.