forever_young_ca
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Posts posted by forever_young_ca
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Another question...forever young...I am assuming in the mini tarts. you do not pre-cook the tart shell?
No I don't pre cooke the tart shell. The raw filling goes into the raw pastry and is cooked all together in the oven. The top of the tart is bare - no pastry topping - this is an "open" tart.
Hope you enjoye them.
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Pardon me for interrupting but I am fascinated by this thread and by the variety of cookies that people bake and the effort that they expend in so doing. I am from the UK (Northern Ireland to be precise) and we don't have a tradition of this frenzied baking. I speak as someone who loves baking and loves collecting recipe books and I've never heard of a lot of the cookies mentioned in this thread. What do you do with all those cookies? Keep them in the house to serve with coffee? Give them as gifts? I'd love to know the background to all this cookie baking. Is it widespread across the US? Canada?
I am from western Canada and it is very much a tradition here to do Christmas baking. I use the baking in a variety of ways - I keep them on hand to serve with coffee for "drop in" Christmas well wishers and I give them to friends as gifts. Last year I participated in a cookie exchange - I did a few of my favourites, my friends did the same, then we swapped. The result is an incredible array of great sweets.
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Do you bake mini tart shells...or can this even be done? What size tarts do you bake
My mother used to make the tarts in regular size muffin tins - so you got a huge tart. Myself, I do a variety of sizes, from mini tarts to larger, depending upon how I am serving them. Personally I prefer the mini tart shells, so you get a couple of bites of sweetness without being tooooooo much. I make the pastry quite thin when I do the minis so it cooks through and does not overpower the filling.
I made some minis last night, cooked until the pastry was brown and the filling was bubbly - sorry did not time it. They are great for breakfast too...
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This is my favorite Christmas cookie. It is a light, rich bite that is not sweet at all.
I have these cookies for years, and have no idea where the recipe originated from.
HUNGARIAN CRESCENT COOKIES
1 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg yolk
1 1/2 cup ground unbleached hazelnuts, or 3/4 cup almonds and 3/4 cup walnuts or pecans
1 cups cake flour, sifted
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp almond extract
1/4 tsp salt
Cream butter, beat in sugar. Beat until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and nuts.
Add flour and salt in 3 batches, then extracts.
Chill dough 30 minutes. With lightly floured hands roll into one long rope, cut into 2 1/2 " pieces and curve into crescent shape.
Bake at 350 for 15-17 minutes.
Let cool and dust completely with icing sugar. Freezes well.
Also, in our family at Christmas butter tarts are a must. I don't think that there are as common in the USA as they are in Canada, but here is my mother's recipe -it is always a hit and truly the best butter tarts I have every eaten.
BUTTER TARTS
1 cup raisins, soaked in boiling water
3/4 cup brown sugar
3 tbsp butter
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
bit of salt
Drain raisins and put in large bowl. While raisins are still very hot add butter, stir, add brown sugar. The heat of the raisins should melt the butter and sugar. Add remaining ingredients.
Fill favorite tart shell and bake at 400 degrees until bubbly. Do not overbake or they will be dry.
Freeze well.
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This is slightly off topic, but still along the cutlery line..........
I purchased Oneida's stainless steel Puccini pattern about a year ago. I love the shape and weight. However, the knives (and only the knives) have developed darkish spots on them. The only way I can get this off is polishing with Silvo silver polish.
I don't think it is the dishwasher - I use liquid detergent. Also none of the forks or spoons have developed this problem.
Suggestions?
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My best service experience was in Vancouver at West (then O'uest). It was in July, 2001 and we had friends visiting from England. We went in high spirits and looking forward to an excellent meal and a great evening. Just as we were seated one of our friends started to feel queasy. However, he didn't want to make a fuss and galantly looked at the menu and ordered hoping that it would pass.
By the time the 1st course came he knew that he could not eat dinner and had to go back home right away. We quietly explained this to the waiter. (By this time I am sure that the main course had been started in the kitchen.) The waiter immediately called a taxi and discretely informed us when it arrived. Our friend went home and his wife and the two of us stayed on for the remaining dinner.
The entree arrived at the table and this is where is where the restaurant showed its class act. The 3 entrees came, minus the entree for the sick friend. There was no question from the restaurant as to "what did we want to do with the 4th dish". The three of us continued on with dinner, dessert, etc. When the bill came, the restaurant had only charged us for 3 entrees. When we questioned the waiter - we were more than willing to pay for the 4th plate - they indicated that there was no charge.
Our friend was very embarrased by the situation, but throughout the entire evening the staff showed much discretion and class. We were so impressed that we went back a few days later when the illness had passed.
I have always enjoyed West for the food. However, because this treatment was so "above and beyond", it will remain as one of my favourite Vancouver eating spots.
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A couple of weeks ago I made the Gruyere Cheese gougeres from the French Laundry Cookbook (page 48). The recipe was more than I needed, so as an experiment I piped the entire recipe onto parchment lined sheet pans, cooked 1/2 of the recipe and served them as an appie. (delicious and rave reviews)
The remaining 1/2 of the recipe I froze right on the sheet pan. I pulled them out of the freezer tonight. I popped the still frozen gougeres right into the oven and baked as per the instructions - they were great.
Your guests will think you are a miracle worker to produce these babies piping hot out of the oven
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Good choice, but a bit seasonaly limited?
Yes, you are right. I do eat other cheeses in the "off season". However, it is still my all time favorite.
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1. Mont D'or
2. Mont D'or
3. Mont D'or
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I ate at Rob Feenie's new restaurant - Feenies - for Saturday lunch. The teenager next to me had the biggest burger I have every seen. I don't know how he got his mouth around it. It was served with homemade fries. I can't remember the price of the burger, but I don't think it was outrageous. It looked beautiful, but I don't know how it tasted.
Just a suggestion - but you may put this place on your list for one of your burger tastings.
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Generally I am pro animal rights. However, when it comes to rats and mice in the house, I draw the line. Having had the problem, the exterminator quickly got rid of the offending creatures with a trap baited with peanut butter.
It seems they cannot resist pb!
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Make Ahead Horseradish Whipped Potatoes
Serves 12 as Side.
9 large potatoes
250 gram pgk cream cheese
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp salt
2tbsp butter
finely chopped green onions (optional)
1 egg, beaten
1 tbsp creamed horseradish
Cook and mash potatoes well. Add rest of ingredients, beat until fluffy. Place in large greased casserole. Dot with more butter. Cover and refrigerate.
To serve - remove from fridge one hour before serving and bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until heated through.
This may be prepared 5 days ahead and reheated. Wonderful as a side dish to roasted meat.
This is a very large recipe and can be easily cut in half.
Keywords: Potatoes, Side, Dinner
( RG743 )
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Make Ahead Horseradish Whipped Potatoes
Serves 12 as Side.
9 large potatoes
250 gram pgk cream cheese
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp salt
2tbsp butter
finely chopped green onions (optional)
1 egg, beaten
1 tbsp creamed horseradish
Cook and mash potatoes well. Add rest of ingredients, beat until fluffy. Place in large greased casserole. Dot with more butter. Cover and refrigerate.
To serve - remove from fridge one hour before serving and bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until heated through.
This may be prepared 5 days ahead and reheated. Wonderful as a side dish to roasted meat.
This is a very large recipe and can be easily cut in half.
Keywords: Potatoes, Side, Dinner
( RG743 )
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I am doing this dish on the weekend for some dinner guests - BEEF TENDERLOIN WITH ROASTED SHALLOTS, BACON AND PORT. It is a recipe from the epicurious site. I did not use canned beef stock as the recipe calls for
, I used my own home made beef stock.I have made it before and it was great with a great old bordeux. I put a crust on the outside prior to roasting made of a mixture of fresh rosemary, garlic, s & p, and mustard. For sides I am doing a hoseradish whipped potato, beets that have been roasted and pureed, green beens.
I will post the potato dish tonight in the recipe section. It is great and can be made a couple of days ahead and reheated.
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This weekend is Canadian Thanksgiving and I am thinking of preparing the traditional turkey. I was thinking of trying your chicken trussing method for the turkey.
Sorry Dave, I did not get to try the Chef Fowke trussing method on my turkey. My sister-in-law decided to have Thanksgiving at her house instead of mine so all I had to do was the dessert, bring wine and show up and eat!
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I buy Herbes de Provence every time I go to France. My husband loves to sprinkle it into scrambled eggs and omlets prior to cooking. I sprinkle it over chicken before I put it into the oven to roast, great with pork and lamb dishes, great with some fish dishes. Use it over all manner of roasted meats.
In the markets of Provence you can buy H de P that are especially made for different uses - lamb, pork, chicken, etc.
It is great stuff! Maybe I will have scrambled eggs with H de P for breakfast Bon appetit!
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I don't have a convention oven and I make crispy skin chicken all the time.
I have never brined before - does brining the skin make it as crispy as normal?
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I will keep you posted
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Chef Fowke -
This weekend is Canadian Thanksgiving and I am thinking of preparing the traditional turkey. I was thinking of trying your chicken trussing method for the turkey. I am assuming that the trussing method that kept the chicken moist should work (in principle) for a larger bird as well.
I will be cooking a free range organic bird, I have not determined the size as yet.
Comments, please
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Thanks for the very informative post malachi. It makes my mouth water just reading it. It is several months since I have been to West and it has always been one of my favourite restaurants in Vancouver. Time to return
If I can be so bold to ask - 1) do you pay a premium price for the Chef's table or is the price the same as on the tasting menu? 2) Also, is the food at the Chef's table the same as on the regular tasting menu, or it specially prepared?
Thanks again.
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On the west coast of Canada, at the moment, we have a surplus of blackberries growing wild everywhere. Also the Okanagon peaches are at their best so...........peach and blackberry pie, peach and blackberry cobbler, etc, etc.
It is a wonderful combination (in my opinion) as the peaches cut the seediness of the blackberries and team up beautifully.
mmmmmmmmmmmm good (especially with some home made ice cream or whipping cream poured over it all) .........
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Wow - Thanks so much Chad!!!!
You have finally motivated me to sharpen my own knives after years of thinking about it. I hate dull knives, but have always had someone else do the sharpening. I plan to print out your tutorial, digest it a second time and decide on a system that will work for me.
Thanks for all your words of widsom and hard work.
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So when is that dinner rescheduled for? Perhpas you would like to try out some new recipes I am working on?
Thank you for your kind offer Monica.
The dinner was to be in July, but is now cancelled. Because of too many other summer committments in August and holidays in September I am not sure when it will be rescheduled. Will keep you posted. I will look forward to any new book that you publish. I have enjoyed the last one immensely.
Sorry it took me several days to respond, but I have been out of town.
Christmas Cookies
in Pastry & Baking
Posted
I would love to post my recipes on RecipeGullet, but alas I cannot get into that screen anymore - it has been unavailable to me since the new look has come on line