Manitoulin. If I can make it there…

[blue_dolphin]

...So our first "visit" from Mollie Katzen is likely the simplest of all from her book The Heart of the Plate.

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Pickled red onions. I have made the pickled red onions from Judy Rogers' The Zuni Café and they are delicious but these are a much simpler condiment. Only onion, vinegar, sweetener and salt and it is up to you which vinegar and which sweetener you use. I chose red wine vinegar and honey but as they were sitting on the counter I sprinkled in just a little balsamic because I could. I will let them sit on the counter for an hour or so before moving them to a sealed container and putting them in the fridge. I think both Kerry and I are partial to condiments even beyond the usual mustard, ketchup and mayo.

 

Anna, I'm curious how you liked the pickled onions?  How does the simpler recipe compare to the Zuni Café version? I've been tempted to try that one but it seems so fiddly with the multiple blanching and drying steps.   I'm wondering if you think the texture of the finished product is worth the effort?  I've got some sweet onions from my CSA box and you've given me the idea to pickle some.  Mine are white rather than red but when sliced, they have a blush of purple inside and might make a pretty pickle.

[Anna N]

Is Farquhar's a particularly good butter, or just what thy happened to have? Is that a pork roast of some sort at the lower left?

I will let Kerry answer on the butter and yes that is a package of pork tenderloins which were on sale for 3.99 a pound.

[Anna N]

Anna, I'm curious how you liked the pickled onions?  How does the simpler recipe compare to the Zuni Café version? I've been tempted to try that one but it seems so fiddly with the multiple blanching and drying steps.   I'm wondering if you think the texture of the finished product is worth the effort?  I've got some sweet onions from my CSA box and you've given me the idea to pickle some.  Mine are white rather than red but when sliced, they have a blush of purple inside and might make a pretty pickle.

They are pleasant enough and make a colourful garnish. It has been some time since I made the ones from Zuni but I doubt these even come close. I have made the romesco sauce from Zuni and any other method pales in comparison. Judy's recipes may sometimes seem complex but they rarely let you down and often leave you awestruck. We lost such a talent when we lost Judy.

[Anna N]

So the stout cake is in the oven. I tremble for its outcome. I think Michaela (Mjx) had me completely intimidated when she described the eruption that would occur once I added baking soda to the boiling beer and molasses. I have seen Kerry make sponge toffee and was expecting something similar. Certainly it bubbled up but it lacked any sort of drama. This may be due to either the potency of the baking soda or the fact that I did not use the Guinness called for in the recipe. The batter seemed lumpy and barely fit into the pan. I have put the pan on a rimmed sheet in case there is an overflow. Don't fancy cleaning molasses and beer off the bottom of the stove and the pizza stone!

Now to read up on the recipe for David Lebovitz' Faux Gras. Kerry tells me it is all over Facebook.

Edited to add

Just reread the recipe for the Guinness cake. Should have heeded the warning about the cake pan!

Edited July 9, 2015 by Anna N (log)

[Anna N]

I suppose it could have been worse.

[Shelby]

The upside is you'll have some for a cooks treat

[JohnT]

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I suppose it could have been worse.

Oh dear! But then, only a few drops on the stone. Like they say when an aircraft has a small accident - "it should buff out quite quickly"!

[Anna N]

Oh dear! But then, only a few drops on the stone. Like they say when an aircraft has a small accident - "it should buff out quite quickly"!

Apparently it is not my day today. I need walnuts or pecans for the faux gras. I did not check our supplies because we have a running joke about the amount of nuts in the townhouse (Not counting me and Kerry). I think there is every kind of nut known to man except the pecans that Kerry needed a couple days ago and the walnuts that I need today! Melissa just might have a point about recordkeeping.

[Anna N]

And so a rather sad looking ginger stout cake/loaf. But you have to admit-- if you come along with us you'll see everything including the warts.

So I am looking at the original recipe in the book The Last Course. It calls simply for a 9 x 5 loaf pan or a 6 cup Bundt pan. No questions at all about the size of the loaf pan. This leaves me thinking it was never tested in a loaf pan and it is illustrated with a cake made in a Bundt pan. I am not making excuses because if I had read the recipe I had linked to then I would have poured the batter into two 8 x 4 loaf pans. But still....

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Good morning.

After Kerry finished up at the hospital this morning we headed over to the grocery store to replenish supplies.

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Kerry assured me I would have no difficulty finding the red onion which was on my shopping list. But look as closely as you can -- there are no red onions there. Nor was there a shallot to be found! Curly parsley only and it is a little the worse for wear and even the asparagus should perhaps have been left in the store on closer inspection. Still it is what it is and one must make the best of it while turning green with envy looking at some members bounty from CSAs and farmers markets.

 

I note I good supply of limes.

[weinoo]

image.jpg

And so a rather sad looking ginger stout cake/loaf. But you have to admit-- if you come along with us you'll see everything including the warts.

So I am looking at the original recipe in the book The Last Course. It calls simply for a 9 x 5 loaf pan or a 6 cup Bundt pan. No questions at all about the size of the loaf pan. This leaves me thinking it was never tested in a loaf pan and it is illustrated with a cake made in a Bundt pan. I am not making excuses because if I had read the recipe I had linked to then I would have poured the batter into two 8 x 4 loaf pans. But still....

Pile on the whipped cream - it'll look fine!

 

As Julia (I think) once said, cake baking includes the art of disguise. Or something like that.

[Kerry Beal]

Is Farquhar's a particularly good butter, or just what thy happened to have? Is that a pork roast of some sort at the lower left?

Particularly good butter - unfortunately only salted for those who prefer unsalted. A few years back for our eG confectionary workshop in Niagara I made Beth bring down a number of pounds for our use as it is one of the nicest and the price is right.

[rotuts]

re: ginger cake

 

i would have loved the 'over-flow' part.

 

 

with a little fresh whipped cream

 

[Kerry Beal]

So I have just returned from Gore Bay, where I was enjoying a very pleasant visit with Lisabeth of Ultimately Chocolate. From her delightful century farmhouse she produces wonderful pastries and chocolate treats that are sold island wide and beyond and writes an extremely successful blog called Ultimate Chocolate Blog.

 

I was well fed!  

 

 

 

Multigrain bread.

 

 

Baked brie with a sweet nut topping.

 

 

Spinach salad with chicken and pumpkin seeds.

 

 

Squash bisque.

 

 

And after we played in her commercial kitchen for a while we had dessert! I chose the Peanut Butter Chocolate tart - it was an excellent choice!

[Kerry Beal]

 

Lua Bonita (Beautiful Moon) - aka a Brazilian Negroni (how many Negroni's is that George?)

 

 

[Tri2Cook]

 I chose the Peanut Butter Chocolate tart - it was an excellent choice!

Those look really nice... and I'm a sucker for most things peanut butter so it probably would have been my choice too.

 

[Kerry Beal]

 

BGE grilled pork tenderloin, asparagas and romaine with garlic oil. Some very nice parmesan was added.

 

 

Anna wants ice cream with her guinness cake - I'm in favour of whipped cream! 

[FauxPas]

Whatcha gonna do with all those mushrooms you bought? Any specific plans? 

[rotuts]

you betcha

 

whipped cream.   did anyone claim the 'overflow?'

[Kerry Beal]

you betcha

 

whipped cream.   did anyone claim the 'overflow?'

Kira got some - the rest is under that pile of whipped cream.

[Anna N]

Pile on the whipped cream - it'll look fine!

 

As Julia (I think) once said, cake baking includes the art of disguise. Or something like that.

Mitch,

You OK with ice cream?

[rotuts]

my personal view is that almost all cake(s) do better with vanilla ice cream

 

there is one exception  in my view 

 

cakes with ginger :  they do better with whipped cream.

 

just whipped cream  :  no vanilla, no sugar :  just whipped cream

[gfweb]

A southern friend of mine puts cake in a bowl and pours milk over it. He is otherwise a sensible fellow.

[Porthos]

This is one that MJX linked to in the cooking with beer cookoff topic. A single can or bottle of Guinness is just not accessible but I did buy a can of Newcastle Brown which I'm hoping will still do the trick. However we are short of some of the other ingredients I need so it will have to wait another day or so. One of the challenges of being in the townhouse is trying to keep track of what is here and what we need to bring up with us. But in my search for these ingredients I did find the green lentils I need to attempt the faux gras from David Lebovitz blog!

 

I found the recipe I was referring to: Irish Drunken Cake, found on www.eatthelove.com.

[Anna N]

I found the recipe I was referring to: Irish Drunken Cake, found on www.eatthelove.com.

Looks very interesting and very different from the rather plain (but extremely good!) cake that I made such a mess of.