apronstrings

Thanks!!

Thanks! I've ordered invertase as well, but am hesitant to try it. I will be making truffles that will be taken to Europe, and want to increase their shelf life- keep the ganache smooth and fresh. If it turns out that my invert sugar is indeed a dud ( I don't want to find out by wasting a batch of truffles) I guess I'll have to go with the invertase instead. BTW, I should be receiving Greweling's book in the mail this week. See what he has to say.

I used 2 cups finely granulated sugar, 1 cup of water, and 2 teaspoons lemon juice, simmered for 30 minutes. PLEASE tell me if I should chuck this, as I don't want to ruin my truffles!! Let me add that this is my first time making my own invert sugar (duh!).

How long can I expect my home made invert sugar to last? How do I store it?

Thanks! I'll check out lahmahjoon right now.

I host our monthly book clubs (CUZ IT'S ALL ABOUT THE FOOD!). Next month we will be discussing Hosseini's latest novel, A Thousand Splendid Suns. I am preparing lunch for the meeting. The foods will tie in with the book, which takes place in modern Afghanistan. Everything will be cold or room temperature. Can anyone help me tweak my tentative menu? We're about 12 people. So far this is what I'm thinking--- Paula Wolfert's walnut and olive spread, spicy eggplant salad, fattoush, chicken and couscous salad, chick pea and spinach salad. For dessert -- mint tea, pistachio cake, and either stuffed apricots or a dried fruit compote. Thanks so much!!!

After making breakfast this morning for weekend guests, I was prompted to return to this thread. The Amazing Overnight Waffles were truly amazing... crisp on the outside and craemy on the inside (although I DID add mini -chocolate chips to the batter). Yesterday I made the String Beans with Fennel and Tomatoes. Rigatoni alla Toto was simple, and great with a nice crusty bread (for dipping into the rich sauce in the bottom of our bowls) and a big salad. I forgot about that one! The Salsa Baked Goat Cheese has become a Go To recipe for company. Sweet and Spicy Pecans are always a hit. I've been making Marcy Goldma's Matzo Buttercrunch for years, pounds and pounds and pounds of it.

I have made the Chocolate Sorbet several times. It's heavenly. Thinking of adding some mix-ins next time, but would that be gilding the lily?

Ground walnuts are part of the dough. No eggs.The dough is rolled and then formed into crescent shapes. A heavy dose of confectioners sugar is sifted over the baked cookies. I love the way they feel when I place the baked crescents on my tongue, and they don't taste too bad either. I LOVE this recipe. Oh, and they remind me lot of Mexican wedding cakes.

Love this thread!! I've just checked my cookbook and saw that I made 38 different types of cookies from it. My faves were--- sesame sticks, hazelnut rusks ( they both are just like the Italian Bakeries in Brooklyn!), rugelach (equal parts cream cheese and butter), Supremes ( great for crowds, makes a ton), Viennese Linzer cookies, cream cheese brownies, dark rocky roads, and Austrian walnut crescents. I have all of Maida Heatter's cookbooks and she's my kitchen goddess.

Thanks!

That'll be great for my Memorial Day barbecue! Can you share the recipe?

My all time favorite recipe for chocolate chip cookies is from Cook's Illustrated. They use a very interesting technique. You take 1/4 cup of the batter/dough and roll into a ball. Pull it into 2 halves. Rotate the halves 90 degrees and join the halves together at the base with the rough edges facing up. Again form a single ball, keeping rough surface. Cool the baked cookies on the parchment paper you've baked them on for 1/2 hour before removing. Wah Wah Wee Wah!

I just made Nigella Lawson's Damp Apple and Almond Cake. Just lovely!! Very easy to prepare. No butter or oil, so that's good. You're gonna have to roll me away from the table tonight.

So I made what I call chocolate matzo balls. I had lots of matzo farfel and nothing to do with it, having already made sooo many kugels. I made a ganache, and set it aside to cool briefly. I then toasted walnuts and matzo farfel together. I tossed some dried cherries and cinnamon into the whole thing--ganachefarfelwalnutscherriescinnamon. Then I squooshed and squeezed the mass into matzo ball sized balls. About 25, I think. Refrigerated briefly. I dipped the cooled balls into another bowl of melted ganache. I just put the whole thing in fridge-- no idea how they will ultimately taste. But it was fun. And my kitchen smells so yummy.

I use a parsnip as well...

It doesn't dissolve. It gives the soup a very subtle sweetness. And of course, as soon as the soup has cooled, I fish out he potato and eat it!!! Yum!

Lyle, try tossing in a sweet potato, halved.

Thanks, guys! No, those weren't the brand I remember ( I mean CAN'T remember). But if I have no success, I will definitely order the Bliss. Have either of you tried it? I wonder how the home version is.

Beefsteak tomatoes,kosher salt and mayonnaise.

For ammonia carbonate, try www.bakerscatalogue.com. I believe they carry it.

I'm not sure it would fit what you are thinking of for a birthday celebration dessert but I remember having wonderful scroppino in Venice in the summertime. It's basically an "alcoholic smoothie" blend of lemon sorbet, prosecco and vodka. One could serve them with "Zaletti" or Venetian cornmeal diamond cookies. I've made the cookies and and served them with sorbet or ice cream.. The zaletti I've made have some grappa, raisins and lemon peel in them in addition to the base ingredients of flour, cornmeal, butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla. I've served lemon sorbet with vodka but have not made scroppino, persay. Here is a recipe I found on-line that also adds a little cream to the mix. click Thanks so much for the link. I have been looking for a good scroppino recipe for a long time. Sounds just like the one I had in Venice this fall. I am making it for my party tomorrow. What perfect timing!!! The other pastry-like dish I've read about from Venice are their Carnivale fritters. ←

All throughout Croatia, we feasted on the amazing hot chocolate. It was so luscious and thick that you could stand a spoon up in it. It came in colorful little packets, and, I think, had a photo on each one. The chocolate came in a variety of flavors. Inside many of the cafes were posters advertising this drinking chocolate. I want to buy my hubby a box of these packets for his b-day, but can't remember the brand name. I know this particular brand is popular throughout the former Yugoslavia, and Venice, where we savored it as well. I've been searchng the web, without any success. Can anyone help me????

Silver Palate may be precious, but they have some kick ass recipes. Chili, lime mousse, cold crab claws, chicken Mirabella. The books I never use are Paul Prudhomme's. And I have over 400, not counting the magazines. I try to utilize 3 recipes from each cookbook I buy. I'v gotten a lot of nice ones at COSTCO...New York Times Desserts, Kafka's Roasting, Martha Stewart Baking, Gourmet, Dorie Greenspan. If I don't care for them after a week or two, I just bring them back with no problem!

The Baker's Catalog sells the chocolate batons for pain au chocolat. They also sell "Chocolate Shmear" which comes in a can. It's pretty good. I have been coating my raw rugelach dough with raspbery jam, and then plopping some chocolate shmear over it. Gloppy, gooey, thick, and good. They also sell an almond shmear as well.