Tag Team eG Foodblog: Light My Fire!

[snowangel]

My bacon is out of the cure. It was cured in a mixture of salt, dark brown sugar and pink salt. Into a zip lock (each half in it's own zip lock) for a week. The bags are flipped over every other day. Then out of the zip locks, rinsed, pattied dry and sitting on racks on baking sheets in the fridge overnight, so it gets a sort of sticky surface.

The two hardest parts about making bacon are finding the 2 gallon ziplock bags and making space in the fridge -- 2 shelves worth of precious fridge real estate.

The sun is shining! So, I think I'll go out and hay the yard.

[Marlene]

Operation Buttercream was (surprisingly) a success. I've got the crumb coat on now and the cake is in the fridge for half an hour to set that up, then I'll finish frosting it. It has turned into a lovely day here, so I think a book and some lemonade is in order out on the deck.

[Lori in PA]

I've been away from egullet for DAYS, so I've just now done a fast blog catch-up session. Such impressive ways with fire and smoke, everyone! And Susan, I love my big orange Tupperware bowl so much, I own two!

[snowangel]

As I got the mower out, the skies opened up. It is raining. I need to mow. The grass is way too long.

My butt is stalled (in more ways than one!).

[Marlene]

Operation Buttercream. This is NOT the recipe from Fine Cooking.

First, I need to slice the cakes in half:

Beat butter until pale and creamy. Set aside, if you have two mixing bowls, otherwise tranfer the butter to another bowl and clean the mixing bowl:

In the meantime, melt chocolate, and heat milk and sugar to just boiling:

Beat egg yolks and sugar in mixer until pale and thick, then add the hot milk mixture to the egg mixture:

Transfer the mixture back to the pan the milk was heated in and whisk till the temp comes to 170:

Then back to the mixer, whisking until it's cool. When it's cool, add the chocolate:

And then the butter in small parts each time:

Houston, we have buttercream!

I use a cake lifter to put the layers of cakes together and make a crumb coating then chill.

I'm not a great cake decorator. I don't have a decorating comb so I just used my vegetable holder to make a few waves and added some shaved chocolate on top:

You'll have to wait for the slice picture until after dinner.

[snowangel]

I've ordered from Amazon for part of my Mother's Day present. Charcuterie and Bruce Springsteen's Seeger Sessions. I'm also getting a climbing hydrangea, but I won't get that until next weekend.

[snowangel]

Beautiful cake, Marlene! Do you deliver?

[petite tête de chou]

Susan,

What did you think of the planked salmon. I'm suspecting that you weren't blown away by it since you haven't mentioned it. What types of seasonings did you finally decide to use? Y'know, I have the exact same Weber grill (in the garage ) with the wooden handles and all. You have certainly inspired me to dust that sucker off and get smokin!

[Smithy]

I've ordered from Amazon for part of my Mother's Day present.  Charcuterie and Bruce Springsteen's Seeger Sessions.  I'm also getting a climbing hydrangea, but I won't get that until next weekend.

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I might have known we'd have common musical tastes.

I have been resolutely staying away from the charcuterie thread - not enough time, too many cookbooks already, don't need another space-and-time-intensive cooking mania. I feel myself slipping toward the edge. Home-cured bacon, eh? Home-made sausage? Ooh!

I also want to know about the planked salmon.

[snowangel]

The salmon was actually very wonderful. By the time I posted, I was absolutely exhausted (having unloaded the dishwasher three times in one day). It was moist, and Paul took it off at just the right moment. I chose not to season it at all, other than some cracked black pepper, and served lemon wedges and a great tartar sauce (from Fine Cooking) on the side. Cooking it on the plank over indirect heat is the way I will go with salmon and other fish in the future (other than sunnies, which I will continue to fry!).

Petite, do pull out the Weber. Like I've said above, mine is 25 years old, and with a new part of two, is better than ever. Let me know if you need smoking details. It's far easier than anybody would let on.

Nancy, do become a Charcuterie person. This is one of the most addictive "sports" there is. Now, I do warn you. You will need to devote a portion of the freezer to this. There's the freezing of the bowl. The grinder attachment for the KA (which lives in the freezer, nowadays), the space for the back fat. But, geez, the results are...no words to describe.

My butt is about to come out of the stall. Weber holding steady between 200 and 225. I don't need a bullet. I've got this Kettle nailed.

[Marlene]

Susan, congrats on the successful Weber surgery! Looks like the weather is holding for the moment here, although it's rather windy. Don has requested a gratin for the broccoli, so I'd best get to grating and blanching.

This evening, we will go through the rig and see what we need to stock. Once we get the fridge and staples stocked for the first trip of the year, the rest of the season's trips are easy. Just load up whatever we're going to cook for dinner, a few clothes and we're good to go at a moment's notice.

[Marlene]

I spoke too soon. The sky is darkening as I type and there are severe thunderstorm watches for the London-Windsor area. While those might miss us, we'll get the fall out wind and rain shortly. Good thing steak doesn't take that long to grill, and that Don will be home in time to be the one getting wet.

[snowangel]

This evening, we will go through the rig and see what we need to stock.  Once we get the fridge and staples stocked for the first trip of the year, the rest of the season's trips are easy.  Just load up whatever we're going to cook for dinner, a few clothes and we're good to go at a moment's notice.

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Marlene, thanks for the reminder that I need to think of food for this weekend at the cabin. Hmmm. I'll have butt. I've got sausages. I've got bacon. Time to delegate to the other family who will join us.

Marlene, I know you've urged me to just get a new Kettle. The performance on this old one is just perfect now. The bottom vents are nice and tight, and the top ones are still nice and loose, so I can smoke at lower temps than ever before. I think I'm the Kettle Queen!

I'm out of BBQ sauce (=Mark's South Carolina Mustard BBQ sauce). Better get the teen going on it while I finish haying the back yard. This is the toughest mow I've ever done. The grass is way long, and I realized that if I bagged the stuff for compost, it would have taken me all night. Makes me think I just might need to go and buy a new lawn mower.

The butt is at 170, coming out of the stall. Time to finish haying, then get the butt off and foil it.

[Smithy]

I spoke too soon.  The sky is darkening as I type and there are severe thunderstorm watches for the London-Windsor area.  While those might miss us, we'll get the fall out wind and rain shortly.  Good thing steak doesn't take that long to grill, and that Don will be home in time to be the one getting wet.

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I've been keeping an eye on the radar all day. Poor Mike has been inundated again. I hope he surfaces enough to post; it looks like the rain might be leaving his area...and heading for you!

[lancastermike]

I just went outside for a minute to check things. It looks grim once more. The sun put in a 10 minute appearence this afternoon. It is long gone now. I hope to be home in about an hour and I'll see if Arlo and Gus have had to doggie paddle all afternoon.

Edited May 15, 2006 by lancastermike (log)

[lancastermike]

Marlene,

Your cake is perfect, and a succsessful buttercream. I wish I had more time to bake. It is the first type of cooking I ever really did. Cakes, bread cookies. I really became pretty good at it. Now, i just never seem to have time to bake. I can't remember the last time I made a loaf of bread. I miss it. The bread making most of all.

Edited May 15, 2006 by lancastermike (log)

[CaliPoutine]

Marlene, you're butter cream looks fabulous. Did you happen to check out the IBC demo over in Pastry and Baking?

What recipe did you use?

[Marlene]

making cakes was the first thing I ever learned to do. I don't eat a lot of desserts so i don't make them as much anymore.

Cali, the recipe I used for the buttercream comes from the William Sonoma Cake book. I was thrilled that it actually worked!

[snowangel]

My butt is at 180, but I'm not getting the right wiggle from the bone. So, I'll finish haying. In the meantime, I think I deserve a cocktail or a beer!

[Marlene]

A cocktail sounds good right about now. What should we have?

[Marlene]

The rain has arrived, although it's not raining too hard at the moment. It's probably at least an hour and a half before dinner though so we'll see how it goes.

[snowangel]

A cocktail sounds good right about now.  What should we have?

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Vodka tonic with a ton of lime here. The lawn is mowed, I'm off to weed. And check my butt.

[snowangel]

My butt passed the 160 mark, but has been at 180 for a long time. The bone is still not wiggling, so I've goosed up the fire, so it goes just above 250. I've held steady at 200-225 easily all day and I'm really proud of that.

[Marlene]

I'll join you, although I'll make mine a CC and Coke. I've got the broccoli blanched, and the mustard streusel ready for the gratin. Now I just have to wait until Don gets home!

(I think I"ve run the dishwasher 4 times already0

[snowangel]

(I think I"ve run the dishwasher 4 times already0

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Oy. The unloading the dishwasher. And, the getting the family to realize that it sure doesn't take much more effort to open the door and deposit glass than it does to just set the glass on the top of the dishwasher. Burn those extra calories, kids and husband!

I'm not doing anything else for dinner except serving potato salad (made on Saturday) and tossing a salad. I'm ready for the butt to be done.