July 26, 2010
[caption id="attachment_855" align="alignleft" width="225" caption="Coke."][/caption] I probably have 3 cans of Coke a year, but when I’m in the right mood, they’re really good. A little tart with sweetness that isn’t cloying (until you get about halfway through the can). How anyone could drink one a day, though, I’m not sure - the aftertaste isn’t that pleasant, it’s just sugary and sticky.
Read more...July 24, 2010
It turns out that it’s possible to make ice cream using solely coconut milk and cream. (This is one way, for example, that vegan ice cream is made). I assume you usually end up with very coconut-flavored ice cream, but you can also mix in other flavors. It’s just another way of assembling an ice cream.
Read more...July 23, 2010
beets, blue cheese, cheddar, cheese, ginger, grapes, munster, walnuts
In trying to educate myself about eating and cooking, one area I haven’t spent a lot of time on yet is cheese. By itself, cheese comprises a whole culinary world with thousands of combinations of flavor and texture, like wine or beer. And that is leaving aside the use of these cheeses in various dishes, or pairing cheeses with accompaniments that enhance their flavor.
Read more...July 19, 2010
blueberries, chocolate, corn syrup, gelatin, kahlua, marshmallows, strawberries, sugar, vanilla
Marshmallows have been on my “to make” list for a long time. How interesting it would be, I thought, to be able to make a marshmallow in any flavor I want! Also, it would be interesting to understand their chemistry.
Read more...July 18, 2010
I heard about the maple bacon latte served at the Pirate Cat Cafe in San Francisco about a year ago, from Anthony Bourdain’s show. Since then, I’ve wanted to try it, and have tried to stop by the Pirate Cat every trip I’ve made to SF… with success only recently.
Read more...July 14, 2010
allspice, cardamom, chai, cinnamon, cloves, flour, ginger, naan, onions, tea, tomatoes, yogurt
Recently I decided to make an English breakfast. But I had three things on my “to cook” list that I figured I could knock out at the same time - naan, chai tea, and tomato chutney. So I decided to serve these together with mushrooms, asparagus, scrambled eggs, and orange juice.
Read more...July 11, 2010
crackers, creme fraiche, cucumbers, dill, gelatin, jelly, poppyseeds, salt, sesame seeds, sugar, trout
This recipe gave me the chance to do a few things: cure some fish, make jelly from scratch, bake crackers, and in the end assemble an impressive-looking dish relatively cheaply.
Read more...July 9, 2010
banana, beets, blackberries, blue cheese, carrots, cheddar, chicken, creme fraiche, cucumber, dill, flowers, ginger, grapes, gravlax, ice cream, kiwi, marshmallows, mint, munster, parmesan, peas, poppyseeds, red wine, service a la russe, sesame seeds, sorbet
I have many times in the past made 3 course dinners, and a few times I’ve also gotten to 5.
But, fairly soon I won’t be able to spend as much time cooking. So, I thought, why not go for 7? (I later increased this to 8). It took me about three or four days of solid cooking, but overall it went well. Why yes, I am unemployed…
Read more...July 9, 2010
carrots, celery, chicken, port, sabayon, strawberries, zabaglione
Recently for a quick dinner I made this French farmer’s chicken, together with a port sabayon and strawberries.
Read more...July 8, 2010
avocadoes, chipotles, coconuts, crab, cucumbers, mangoes, nori, rice, sushi, tuna, vinegar
Near Portland (actually in Beaverton) there’s an awesome Asian supermarket called Uwajimaya. They have tons of Japanese pastries, different types of rice, implements for various types of Asian cooking, fresh fish of all types, and lots of other interesting stuff that I’d love to experiment with one day. Imagine a normal supermarket, but there are also sections with ten different types of things like nori.
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