eG Foodblog: Kerry Beal and Anna N (2012) - Mixing it up in Manitoulin

[Kerry Beal]

Anna say's they aren't difficult to make - but she doesn't really like steamed buns so probably wouldn't make them again. Pork belly she'd do again but cooked less time. She didn't care that much for the pickles. She actually didn't have one of the put together buns - yes folks that means I ate all 5 of the ones I put together - so she will give them a taste today and maybe that will change her mind.

Did she mention she put the steamed bun dough in the clothes dryer to rise? It was warm, it was available space...

After all the hype - I enjoyed them - but didn't find them earth shattering. Perhaps eating them in the restaurant would be a different experience. Certainly a whole lot better than the average steamed bun you get where there is a ton of bread and only the tiniest bit of filling. I always found those kind of dry - this way you can have a big filling to bun ratio.

[rotuts]

do you have a ref. for the steamed buns/filling? thats something on my list of things to learn to do.

Thanks.

looked around are these from Momofuku p 79?

Edited May 18, 2012 by rotuts (log)

[Anna N]

do you have a ref. for the steamed buns/filling? thats something on my list of things to learn to do.

Thanks.

looked around are these from Momofuku p 79?

That is correct. It is a very easy dough to work with. I refused to cut up a zillion little squares of parchment though and just put them on a piece of parchment that fit the steamer.

[blue_dolphin]

Thank you both so much for taking the time to share your food (and drink ) related adventures, here and in other threads.

..... While things cook I am going to give the kitchen floor a bit of a clean and consider what we might enjoy for dinner tonight.

I sighed when I read that last sentence above yesterday morning and seriously contemplated doing the same instead of dashing off to work. Tomorrow morning, I will give the kitchen floor a bit of a clean and, inspired by your threads, I will think a little more broadly when I consider what I might enjoy for dinner!

Thanks again!

[Beth Wilson]

I am curious...How is little Ernie working out with you guys cooking up a storm in the kitchen. Is Ernie keeping up? Wondered if they are worth purchasing. I am pretty sure this is a scarce item for Sally Ann scores.

Love the blog

[Kim Shook]

This is so much fun. Obviously, we all envy you both - having a cooking/lunch buddy is something we'd all like to have! Those buns look wonderful - I've wanted to sample them forever, but can't find anyone near me that makes them and haven't come up with the courage to try them myself. Brava, ladies!

[Anna N]

This is so much fun. Obviously, we all envy you both - having a cooking/lunch buddy is something we'd all like to have! Those buns look wonderful - I've wanted to sample them forever, but can't find anyone near me that makes them and haven't come up with the courage to try them myself. Brava, ladies!

Kim, the buns are a breeze to make. They freeze well and become an almost instant meal. I warmed mine in the microwave and they were perfectly satisfactory. From the freezer for 3 buns - 1 minute at 30 per cent power and repeat once - hot and still moist. Give them a try!

[Anna N]

So again no breakfast photos. I warmed up three steamed buns in the microwave and filled them with sliced pork belly and Branston pickle. I also had one of Kerry's cookies that she made last night - perfect breakfast. No great cooking projects planned for today though that might change. At the moment I am just trying to keep warm - it's darn cold up here right now. Will flip through Momofuku and see if anything calls out to me to attempt.

[rotuts]

would these buns work for traditional chinese BBQ pork buns: both steamed and baked with a light glaze - the ones one finds in Chinatowns everywhere?

[Anna N]

would these buns work for traditional chinese BBQ pork buns: both steamed and baked with a light glaze - the ones one finds in Chinatowns everywhere?

Sorry but it's not an experiment I am inclined to try since I am less than a fan of steamed bread but perhaps someone else has tried and will answer you.

[Kerry Beal]

We are going to head into Sudbury tomorrow if I get any sleep tonight - and so I need some chocolates to thank the nice mechanic who fetched the oil cap out of my engine and to keep the chocolate discount alive and well at the restaurant supply.

I had a box of these that they were sampling at Costco - when I tasted them I knew they would be lovely dipped in chocolate. I also had a box of turkish delight - not a really great shape for dipping - but they end up tasting good.

Sadly I can't find the Chris Hennes ceremonial dipping tool that should be here - so had to use a little cheese cutting wire that lives in the drawer.

Finished up with a bark of the malt crumbs and some ovaltine.

These are the sad looking turkish delight.

Edited May 18, 2012 by Kerry Beal (log)

[Beth Wilson]

That bark sounds delicious! The looks of it, not so. That turkish delight looks just fine. It is the flavour that makes it so good afterall.

Looks like you got enough chocolate to get some decent discounts

[kayb]

Just read the entire blog in a single sitting (at work, yet; but, hey, it's Friday). Just marvelous! I love cooking with someone, or for someone to whom my experiments are something to enjoy, not something to look at suspiciously and say, "What's THAT?" like the teenaged boy does. My taste-testing friend is coming for Memorial Day weekend next weekend, so I'm planning some adventurous stuff. The kid can have burgers and pizza and mac and cheese.

[johnnyd]

You guys are clearly having fun.

Doing pork belly in steamed bus as well - store bought buns though. Belly was blanched for a few minutes and rubbed w/5spice, garlic powder and salt. They await a slow roast tomorrow.

ETA: Branston pickle sounds delicious - I just stuff a small handful of cilantro in mine

Edited May 18, 2012 by johnnyd (log)

[Anna N]

Lunch was leftover chicken with shallots in steamed buns:

Edited to change scallions to shallots.

Edited May 18, 2012 by Anna N (log)

[Kerry Beal]

Today's project - starch infused ultrasonic fries. I went 15 minutes in boiling water - vacuum sealed in brine. Added the starch solution, resealed, 20 minutes ultrasonic, flipped and 20 minutes more.

These are the fries after their starch cavitation drying out at room temperature for the day.

After their first blanching in oil at 160 C for 3 minutes.

After cooking at 190 C for 3 minutes.

They were decidedly crispy and remained that way even when cool. Are they the best fries I've ever eaten - no way, no how! No distinctly potato flavour. I used a combination of peanut and sunflower oil to cook them - perhaps a more exciting fat would have helped. Need to render some beef tallow for my next attempts.

The pork skin from the belly - dehydrated until fairly crunchy overnight in a low oven.

Popped one into the fat.

Waited.

Waited.

Up it puffs.

The suggestion was one at a time - did that for about 3 then lost patience.

Anna's drink - A Brother's Perryman - too bad I'm on call today.

Threw a couple of lamb chops on the egg - but had eaten enough chips - so they will make a nice snack either in the middle of the night or for another night at dinner.

[Kerry Beal]

Anna and I are off to Sudbury this morning - we will stop for breakfast the Anchor restaurant here in town. We shall report back much later and let you see what we found to eat today.

[Kerry Beal]

Back from Sudbury - enjoying a cup of tea and an 'Old Kentucky Rome' - made up drink, made up name - it's a Little Italy made with bourbon instead of rye. Don't have any rye!

Give me a few minutes to check in at home and I'll get the rest of our day posted.

And don't you love that measuring glass off to the left - measures 8 ounces in a variety of imperial and metric measures - great for mixing more than one drink at a time.

[Kerry Beal]

I had a long night - I was in at 10:30 at night to see one young lady with an problem not suitable for a family forum, up at 3 am to attend a delivery, then back up at 5:30 to see a lady who had fallen down a set of steep stairs in a rental cottage.

We headed off the the Anchor expecting breakfast and found out that it isn't open that early this time of year! Checked out the first day of the farmer's market as they were setting up, had a nice visit with Heather who grows rye, wheat and oats (among other things) using biodynamic and organic techniques. I still have some in the freezer here for now so won't grab any more until the summer. She's also selling the honey that I usually get from the producer here. We had a little discussion about how nicely the honey mousse from the Gentleman's Companion turned out - I'll have to get the recipe over to her in the next couple of days.

I have been searching for some bottles of rum that the LCBO has discontinued - very few bottles are showing on their website - but the website only shows the stock at their regular stores. There are also LCBO agencies in Ontario - liquor purveyors that carry the LCBO stock in something more akin to a convenience store - and their stock isn't in inventory. So a couple of days back I found 3 bottles of said rum in the grocery storey in Mindemoya, then 4 more bottles at the West Bay General store on the way home. So today I stopped at two agency stores - the first in picturesque Whitefish Falls.

This is the falls.

A couple of guys fishing below the falls.

Horsetails - understand they are theoretically edible - but better used to clean the pots you cook them in as the contain a lot of silica!

Sadly no more bottles were found.

Breakfast was in the truck stop in Nairn Center, a place that can be counted on for a reliable breakfast 24/7. Anna said she wanted her eggs sunny side up and the waitress asked her did she mean sunny side up up or down? Duh - apparently their computer makes a distinction - she seemed to think the down was still sunny side up but cooked until harder.

Sunny side up up!

Over easy - or what might be called sunny side down.

[Kerry Beal]

After a difficult day of thrift store shopping we settled in to our usual Sudbury meal - the My Thai Palace.

Of course I have to have tea - mostly because I love their tea pots. Anna enjoyed an Alexander Keith ale.

Variety of apps - spring rolls.

Thai sticky rice with peanut sauce.

Shrimp rolls.

And tom kha for both of us.

Were were glad to see the ass end of the bridge after coming across it.

Look at the clarity of the water - thank you zebra mussels!

[Kerry Beal]

One of the first stops was at Homesense as Anna wanted to pick up one of the Silicone Lids that sticks to the top of your bowl. We found a couple of other things we couldn't live without. Some Breton butter cookies that I'll dip in milk chocolate, some soft amaretti cookies - likely will be treated the same if they survive that long. And a light for my BBQ at home - I'm often out there after dark in the winter.

At our various thrift stores we managed to find some interesting goodies - on the far left - a Denby tea pot - $3.99. The Tiki mug, the really big Nick and Nora and the Old Fashioned glasses were 50 cents each - then he took off 50%.

The food savers heating bar doesn't seem to work - so I'll be taking it apart tonight and see if I can fix it - otherwise it goes home for hubby to tinker with. (or with which for hubby to tinker - as a 'preposition is a bad thing to end a sentence with')

[Kerry Beal]

Playing around with rice crispy squares this evening. Somewhere I picked up a recipe that added ginger juice and toasted sesame seeds to the mix. It was supposed to be half white and half black sesames - but I only had white up here so you don't get a great contrast.

I think I added a bit more ginger juice than called for and it was amazing how easy it was to mix them and press them into the pan - which leads me to suspect they aren't going to be the nice sticky squares I'm familiar with. Ah well - it's only the cost of a bit of cereal (which I refuse to buy if it's not on sale) and some marshmallows really.

[Kerry Beal]

Took apart the food saver - the inside was showered with something sticky that I cleaned out - but was unable to find any loose connection to the heating wire. Will have to let hubby do his magic.

But I had another look at the teapot I brought home - it's truly a beautiful little pot - not a bit of crazing inside - I don't think it's ever been used.

I think the oval Denby dish that I got from my mom is exactly the same colours and same vintage. The marking on the bottom is certainly the same. Trying to find a picture of on my computer with no success.

[haresfur]

I had a long night - I was in at 10:30 at night to see one young lady with an problem not suitable for a family forum, up at 3 am to attend a delivery, then back up at 5:30 to see a lady who had fallen down a set of steep stairs in a rental cottage.

So today I stopped at two agency stores - the first in picturesque Whitefish Falls.

...

This is the falls...

Beautiful pictures. I miss the Shield rocks. Any vegetation coming back to Sudbury these days?

Nice to see good looking Thai food in the small towns.

[Kerry Beal]

Beautiful pictures. I miss the Shield rocks. Any vegetation coming back to Sudbury these days?

Nice to see good looking Thai food in the small towns.

Trying desperately to respond - guess everyone in Little Current is online tonight so it's slow as molasses in January.

Sudbury is not the barren wasteland they test moon vehicles on anymore - they've worked hard at making it green. Anna and I were noticing that around INCO where the slag piles used to be barest and blackest that they have done something to green the entire landscape - with pegs running in long lines to hold it in place - we wondered how successful this would be with no under lying soil - lipstick on a pig was my thought. And the trees they've put in - there is a perfect single line of perfectly spaced trees at the top of the hill - we were laughing at nature using a ruler to get that perfection.

Picture here (I hope)

Edited May 20, 2012 by heidih
Fix link (log)