Introductions, and answers...

Well congratulations folks. You recognize yourselves! Thanks for joining in and playing along (even those of you who weren't aware you were part of the game.) You've become the friends I've never met. Kept me company on hot sleepless summer nights and cold rainy afternoons. Introduced me to new restaurants, wines, kitchen gadgets, market vendors, local resources. Made me pause and think about what I feed my family and what that says about me.

Now allow me to introduce you to each other...without further ado: the answers -- the authors.

Number 1: a professional writer, amateur foodie, avid traveler and all-around bon vivant.

I grew up an Italian-American adjacent to the city by the bay... but I've grown to appreciate it in a brand new light through Sean's words and DPaul's images. Sean's introduction to Hedonia reminds me of a personal ad -- the only personal ad I've encountered that's encouraged me to linger a while, pull up a chair, pour a glass of wine, and join in the conversation.

Number 2: There are a lot of traditions associated with the coming of the new year, whether it’s the Western New Year that we ring in on January 1, the Chinese New Year (this will be the year of the Cock) which lands some time in February, or even Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year, in September or October. I’m American, and ring in the new year at midnight on December 31 with lots of champagne, hugs and kisses all around, and pretty much all kinds of other decadent debauchery.

And then there's Sarah, living The Delicious Life in Los Angeles. Part social commentary, part confessional, neatly wrapped up in 'deluscious' restaurant reviews delivered with delightful doses of pop culture, humor and sarcasm. And it all started here.

Number 3: In a busy kitchen a sharp knife is your most important tool. With continual use, it dulls, but much like watching yourself slowly age you don't realize it's gotten quite as dull as it has until you find yourself using massive force to cut an onion. It's time to sharpen.

I don't think it's any secret that I am obsessed with intrigued by the restaurant industry, in how things *really* work in a commercial kitchen. Thankfully, there are a handful of blogs out there that satisfy that jones. The Knife's Edge is one of my favorites. Haddock takes the time to explain the pros and cons of taking reservations, the challenges of balancing budgetary issues with employee morale, offers some sage advice to his dining public, and in the process sharpens your mental edge by getting you to think. His is a story worth reading from the beginning.

Number 4: Bienvenue a Welcome to! This simple title is enough to sum up my destiny...

When I visit Helene's Tartlette, I find myself flooded with mental images of beautiful homes dotting the French countryside, juxtaposed with the action-packed but warm-and-welcoming Midwest American kitchens where I spent many summers of my youth. We've never met, but we've shared Sunday breakfast and Gateau St. Honore and many, many things in between, if only virtually. I'm grateful our destinies have crossed and that she's welcomed me at her kitchen table.

Number 5: Let me start off by saying that I can not spell and my grammar is horrible (thank you public school…I can say that since I taught school for 9 years…public school).

That being confessed to the six people who will read this, I shall proceed. My goal here with my blog is undetermined at this time. I will mostly write about food, share recipes, restaurant reviews as well as cookbook reviews…. but I admit from time to time that the subject of ice hockey just might sneak in.

Peabody really defies introduction. She's developed quite a reputation in my office... any time I bring sweets or snacks to share, everyone wants to know if "it is a Peabody." Spelling and grammar be damned! Just keep providing crowd-pleasing, no-fail recipes -- and the tips, tricks, and stories that go with them. :)

Number 6: There are some moments when I almost believe that the New York Times Dining & Wine section reads my mind.

She lives and works in Brooklyn, arguably one of the food-Meccas of these United States. Yet Cathy's quite passionate about NOT eating out in New York. And not out of some bizarre misguided (or even well-founded) sense of self superiority, but for some very interesting reasons. She seems to be living quite well on not-takeout. And I LOVE the cost calculator and the brownie points! And it all started with a New York Times article on gazpacho...

Number 7: While running this morning, I passed a long hedge and noticed a violent disturbance in the leaves. Then I heard fluttering overhead. To the west, an ominous shadow of a flying bird on the pavement followed mine. I ran and ran and it cawed and cawed, and the bird shadow stayed exactly five feet behind my fleeing shadow. My eyes widened as I anticipated that horrible moment when the shadow would gradually grow bigger and bigger until it finally merged with mine, and I’d see nothing but crimson clouds from a bloody eye-pecking orgy that would put a damper on running ever again, not to mention staining my shirt so thoroughly that I’d have to resort to presoaking with Tide detergent on laundry day.

At the very least, I anticipated that the bird might crap on my head out of spite and/or entertainment and/or target practice. It didn’t, but now that I’m out of danger, the thought of a tiny poo shadow falling from the bird shadow and landing on the head of my running shadow makes me giggle uncontrollably. Hee hee. But nothing happened. The bird left, perhaps assured that I wasn’t trying to eat its chicks or its food, and my head and shoulders remained poop free. That’s when I noticed squashed black splotches on the ground under the trees.

Mulberry season has begun.

I love the way Bon Appegeek's Annie approaches food -- and life: "Does a healthy eater write about rice cakes and celery sticks? No way. Nothing is more exciting to a semi-retired glutton than the pursuit of forbidden excess." A consummate story teller with a natural curiosity about all things edible, Annie serves up some righteous recipes with a healthy dose of sarcasm; she's got a unique style that simultaneously makes me laugh *and* makes me think. And a healthy respect for Hitchcock. Or Mulberries. Take your pick.

Number 8: I swear to God, I'm gonna' get fired and I won't have anyone to blame but the coalition of S.F. food bloggers. They have gotten me addicted to their damn food blogs. I read them all day. They're like my coke, but without the 80's music in the background.

The "shibby" Garrett of Vanilla Garlic routinely reports on the greater Sacramento area food scene, expanding my list of "must tries" in his part of California. His cupcake recipes rock! And he's always good for a laugh...even if he's got some strange vendetta against his neighbors to the west.

Number 9: Shortly after I graduated from university I moved to a small town perched high in the mountains of central Japan. The name of the town literally means high or highest mountain and it is surrounded by breathtaking peaks, many of them capped in snow year round. I arrived in October, just in time to witness the flaming autumn foliage. Soon, however, the leaves had fallen off the trees, the days turned bitterly cold, and winter was upon us.

Rather than repeat myself, check out my thoughts on Tea & Cookies on this post. Then go read her from the beginning. You won't be disappointed.

Number 10: sometimes things aren't always what they seem - often...they're much, much more.

Her photography captured my attention. Her recipes intrigued me. Her stories drew me in. And her soul refuses to let go. She's Tami of Running with Tweezers, and over the months we've spent together, she's offered all of this... and so very much more.

Introductions

I don't know about the rest of you, but I have a handful of food blog favorites that I don't read every day, but save to enjoy like a late season summer peach, lingering over the words, the images and the emotions they evoke. Tea and Cookies is one of those blogs. Whether she's sharing the diary of a mad food blogger, reflecting on the quiet tranquil beauty of the winter market, or deliberating over what to take and what to leave behind, Tea's observations of the "intersection between food and life" are best savored thoughtfully over with a glass of wine and a hunk of artisan cheese, or a cup of tea and cookies.

A few weeks ago she offered us a collection of beginnings... reminding us how some of the more famous and infamous among her blogging friends got their start in cyberspace. I found myself revisiting her post and the blogs she featured again and again, fascinated by the promise reflected in their first words.

Since Tea missed a few of my favorites -- and plagiarism really *is* a sincere form of flattery, I offer the first words of ten of my favorite food bloggers. Feel free to play along, guess at the authors in the comments... and I'll be back in the next couple of days with the "answers".

Number 1: a professional writer, amateur foodie, avid traveler and all-around bon vivant.

Number 2: There are a lot of traditions associated with the coming of the new year, whether it’s the Western New Year that we ring in on January 1, the Chinese New Year (this will be the year of the Cock) which lands some time in February, or even Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year, in September or October. I’m American, and ring in the new year at midnight on December 31 with lots of champagne, hugs and kisses all around, and pretty much all kinds of other decadent debauchery.

Number 3: In a busy kitchen a sharp knife is your most important tool. With continual use, it dulls, but much like watching yourself slowly age you don't realize it's gotten quite as dull as it has until you find yourself using massive force to cut an onion. It's time to sharpen.

Number 4: Bienvenue a Welcome to! This simple title is enough to sum up my destiny...

Number 5: Let me start off by saying that I can not spell and my grammar is horrible (thank you public school…I can say that since I taught school for 9 years…public school).

That being confessed to the six people who will read this, I shall proceed. My goal here with my blog is undetermined at this time. I will mostly write about food, share recipes, restaurant reviews as well as cookbook reviews…. but I admit from time to time that the subject of ice hockey just might sneak in.

Number 6: There are some moments when I almost believe that the New York Times Dining & Wine section reads my mind.

Number 7: While running this morning, I passed a long hedge and noticed a violent disturbance in the leaves. Then I heard fluttering overhead. To the west, an ominous shadow of a flying bird on the pavement followed mine. I ran and ran and it cawed and cawed, and the bird shadow stayed exactly five feet behind my fleeing shadow. My eyes widened as I anticipated that horrible moment when the shadow would gradually grow bigger and bigger until it finally merged with mine, and I’d see nothing but crimson clouds from a bloody eye-pecking orgy that would put a damper on running ever again, not to mention staining my shirt so thoroughly that I’d have to resort to presoaking with Tide detergent on laundry day.

At the very least, I anticipated that the bird might crap on my head out of spite and/or entertainment and/or target practice. It didn’t, but now that I’m out of danger, the thought of a tiny poo shadow falling from the bird shadow and landing on the head of my running shadow makes me giggle uncontrollably. Hee hee. But nothing happened. The bird left, perhaps assured that I wasn’t trying to eat its chicks or its food, and my head and shoulders remained poop free. That’s when I noticed squashed black splotches on the ground under the trees.

Mulberry season has begun.

Number 8: I swear to God, I'm gonna' get fired and I won't have anyone to blame but the coalition of S.F. food bloggers. They have gotten me adddicted to their damn food blogs. I read them all day. They're like my coke, but without the 80's music in the background.

Number 9: Shortly after I graduated from university I moved to a small town perched high in the mountains of central Japan. The name of the town literally means high or highest mountain and it is surrounded by breathtaking peaks, many of them capped in snow year round. I arrived in October, just in time to witness the flaming autumn foliage. Soon, however, the leaves had fallen off the trees, the days turned bitterly cold, and winter was upon us.

Number 10: sometimes things aren't always what they seem - often...they're much, much more.

Thanks Tea! This was great fun!

Exploring Jamie's Italy...

I don't think it's any secret that sweet and sassy Ivonne over at Cream Puffs in Venice is someone I look to for inspiration. And judging by the monthly internet-explosion of flour, sugar, butter and eggs that she and Lis of La Mia Cucina have nurtured through its adolescence, I'm not the only one.

So when Ivonne spent April investigating Jamie's Italy, I eagerly tagged along. And when her soul-soothing story of his Torta di Riso evoked vivid memories of Nonna Sylvia's kitchen at Easter, I hurried to the library in search of the book.

Rural and rustic, Jamie's Italy is MY kind of Italy -- delightfully unpretentious down-home cooking celebrating the bounty of each region, and the recipes passed down through generations of its residents. Shrimp and Parsley Frittata. Sausage Carbonara. Ligurian "Silk Handkerchiefs" al Pesto. Tuscan Panzanella. Insalata Caprese. Tuna Meatballs. Bolognese Polenta & Apple Cake.

Where on this tour of my mother country would we begin? I've promised John REAL Italian home cooking for the duration of 'us' and he's been a very patient man; I've probably only come through on that commitment a dozen times in as many years. So I left the selection to him -- he would choose a recipe and I would prepare it for him.

After much deliberation he selected Pasta con Acciughe e Pomodoro -- Anchovies in Tomato Sauce with Pasta. Sicilian Poor Man's Pasta.

There's a lot of complexity in this sauce, rich with red wine, tomato puree, anchovies, raisins, garlic and pine nuts. Its heady aroma hijacked my kitchen, holding us hostage in anticipation of the final result. Sadly, with all of its promise, the plated pasta failed to deliver. Perhaps I shouldn't have substituted tagliatelle for the margherita? Or I didn't use enough anchovies? Or garlic? I'm not sure. It was good enough that we'll try it again, tweaking it until it works for us.

And as I plan to turn this culinary Festa d'Italia into a monthly event during our 13th year, I'll continue to use Jamie's Italy as an inspiration.

Technorati Tags: Cookbooks | Italian Food | Jamie Oliver | Jamie's Italy

Magic Mirror on the...Cake?!?

Heigh Ho! Heigh Ho! It's off to work I go...
In an attempt to get people out of their cubicles and interacting outside of meetings, email and instant messages, my company sponsors monthly social events. In the spirit of teamwork, they're hosted by a single work group that chooses a theme and plans the parties. This month's theme: the County Fair, courtesy of the Marketing Department. Complete with an executive dunk tank, an artwork contest, snow cones, cotton candy, and a pie eating contest.

What's this doing on my food blog?

The last event listed on the promotional flier was a bake-off.

From the moment the event was announced, eager colleagues encouraged me to participate. Having tasted several of her culinary concoctions (as duplicated in my kitchen), they wanted to know if I was "making a Peabody."

Hmm... Peabody's hosting this month's Daring Baker Challenge... The Strawberry Mirror Cake... And I've got a week to prepare...

T-minus-four- Buried in strawberries...
I decided to tackle the berry components first. Hulled and quartered 2 pounds of strawberries. Said a silent prayer of thanksgiving that I have a manicure appointment on Thursday. Not sure how my manicurist will feel about using my thumbnails as strawberry hullers, but hey! it works!

Once they were hulled, cleaned and chopped, the process went quickly. Half in the blender to create strawberry puree. Half in a saucepan with sugar and water to become strawberry juice. A-MAY-zingly fragrant strawberry juice. So far, so good...


T-minus-three - If it's Tuesday, it must be genoise...
Here's where the challenge started for me -- with the genoise.

Peabody was clear in her instructions: the cake components are supposed to be white. I knew as I poured the batter into the sheet pan that mine was not going to comply. I blame the organic egg yolk and beg her indulgence.

Things got even more interesting when I turned the cake out of the pan as instructed. If I try this again (and so far its a possible repeater) I'm going to skip that step and do my cutting in the pan on the parchment. Because even employing my paper-thin bench scraper, I lost bits of cake from the bottom and my layers are a half layer shorter than they were on the counter. I think this is actually going to work to my advantage -- I had some concern the layers would be too thick to work in my miniature springforms.


T-minus-two - A Bavarian Creme Dream...
I owe my success with the Bavarian Creme portion of this assignment to the amazingly talented Shuna of Eggbeater. Her earnest explanation of all things Anglaise in her most recent ice cream class gave me just the confidence I needed to combine scalding milk, beaten eggs and sugar into strawberry-creamy goodness. The recipe suggested adding food color at this juncture, but I skipped that step as my strawberry mixture was a pleasant pink without enhancement. After I shuttled the assembled cakelettes to the refrigerator to set I sampled a bit of the leftover cream from the side of the bowl. I've decided that Bavarian & Diplomat Creme are the crack cocaine of the baking world (and I can't *wait* to see what kind of searches this post yields). I don't need that kind of temptation in my refrigerator (nor any additional "insulation" on my hips) so I'm glad these are going to work with me on Friday...

T-minus-one - Images viewed in this mirror do not reflect reality...
My Bavarian creme was a success; my mirror, not so much so. Shuna? Are you listening? I need a class in working with gelatin...

The mirror experience actually started out quite smoothly after a late night trip to the grocery store for kirsch... but the end result was anything *but* smooth. I think my mistake was in my interpretation of syrupy. Perhaps stirring with a spoon rather than a whisk might have helped. Because what was 'syrupy' in the bowl was congealed and clumpy by the time it hit the third of my six cakes. I could spread it across the cake with the back of a spoon, but the resulting mirror was way beyond warped.

I also left the food coloring out of my mirror -- it was an intense red without it.

Let the games begin...
My colleagues take their baking seriously, and the competition was stiff. Luscious Lemon Squares. A promising Croissant Pudding with Brandy Sauce. Peanut Butter & Jelly Bars. And our corporate logo turned Carrot Cake.

Our CIO went through the California Culinary Academy's pastry program, and his creamy summer cheesecake took the top prize.

The Director of Human Resources grew up assisting in grandma's bakery, and her very berry pavlova came in second.

Me and my "Peabody"... we came in third. And we're quite proud of our white ribbon!

To see how my brothers and sisters in pastry fared with their mirrors, check out the Daring Baker Blogroll.

Technorati Tags: Daring Bakers | Strawberry Mirror Cake

Mint and Mustard, sittin' in a tree... K-I-S-S...

Okay, maybe that's going a bit overboard.

But they *do* go really well together... making an interesting combination in a marinade that's been our go-to solution to flavorful grilled tri-tip for several summers now.

Stay tuned for further details on my contribution to this month's They Go Really Well Together, hosted by Dennis at Kook Jegek.


Technorati Tags: They Go Really Well Together

Dining Around Salt Lake City

Between stints at the Family History Library, where we spent large chunks of our holiday week surrounded by films and fiche of 19th century New England and 18th century Italy, we had some interesting dining experiences during our stay in Salt Lake City.

John had enjoyed Happy Sumo Sushi in the Gateway Shopping Center during a previous visit, so we made sure to add it to our lineup. The short story: I thought it was a bit over-trendy, but quite tasty. The fish was uber-fresh, the rolls were creative and well-executed, and the Dragon Scales - spicy tuna tucked between two shiso leaves and lightly tempura battered and fried - was the runaway hit of the meal for me.

When we're out of town, we like to try new restaurants, steering clear of the chains we see at home. Lunch at Z'Tejas was the closest we came to the chain restaurant experience; they have nine other locations around the western United States. The menu showed potential. Unfortunately, it failed to deliver. I'm allergic to many legumes, most acutely black beans. Which appeared anonymously in both of the lunch entrees I ordered.

Looking for picnic fare for the fourth, we stopped by Caputo's Market & Deli... and walked out forty minutes later with an eclectic collection of salumi and cheese. Prosciutto. Mortadella. A yummy aged goat. A creamy herb-crusted blue cheese with hints of nutmeg and clove. And in deference to my immigrant grandfather, the imported chocolate hazelnut biscotti he doled out as treats in my childhood. Who knew I'd find a sense memory in Salt Lake City?

The in-room restaurant guide suggested that we'd find "traditional, authentic sushi" in a "fun and funky atmosphere" at Ginza Japanese Cuisine and Sushi Bar. Well they were partially right. The atmosphere *was* fun and funky, our sushi chef Brendan was friendly and attentive, and the dishes he put before us were creative and tasty, but the 'Jezebel' (tuna, cilantro, tempura-fried jalepeno, avocado, lime and cream cheese) doesn't strike a 'traditional authentic' tone. If you can accept a bit of creative license in your sushi experience, Ginza's worth a stop though.

Our favorite appetizer at The Garden at Temple Square was the chef's special Fried Dill Pickles -- carefully coated in a delightful dill-seasoned batter, deep fried and served ala pommes frites with a trio of dipping sauces. Dill on dill. But it worked. What I loved about The Garden was the simplicity; from the friendly, unpretentious service to the simply seasoned but soul-satisfying entrees, the Mormon community has hospitality figured out.

Happy Sumo Sushi | 153 South Rio Grande (at the Gateway), Salt Lake City, UT | 801.456.7866
Z'Tejas | 191 S. Rio Grande (at the Gateway), Salt Lake City, UT | 801.456.0450
Caputo's Market & Deli | 314 West 300 South, Salt Lake City, UT | 801.531.TONY
Ginza Japanese Cuisine & Sushi Bar | 209 West 200 South, Salt Lake City, UT | 801.322.2224
The Garden at Temple Square | 10th Floor Joseph Smith Memorial Building, 15 East South Temple, Salt Lake City, UT | 801.539.3170

Technorati Tags: Restaurant | Salt Lake City

Opa!

We're on vacation in Salt Lake City and looking for dinner options outside of the standard hotel fare.

I've had a jones for Pastitsio since Becke tempted me with her solution to "Presto Pasta."

The in-room "discover Salt Lake City" magazines indicate that Greek food's a popular local commodity.

We turn to our favorite Web 2.0 solution to the munchies: Open Table.

Open Table introduces us to Aristo.

Before we even got to the menu, we knew we had a hit.

The website greets you:

Ok. Here is the story, it’s pretty simple.

>> Browse our full selection of menus.
>> Make your Reservation online with our new Reservations System.
>> Get driving directions from our Contact Us page.
>> Show up the date of your reservation with an empty stomach.
>> We’ll take care of the rest.

Following instructions, we pull up the menu.

Calamari, check.
Pastitsio, check.
And a selection of gyros.

Sold.

Table for two, 9:00 PM.

And that's what we ordered.

We started with the calamari, which was amazing in its simplicity: tossed in lightly salted flour and flash fried, with a ramekin of marinara for dipping. That's it. Because when you start with the highest quality ingredients and treat them with respect, that's all you need.

John had the gyros with the most amazing "oven roasted potatoes" I've ever encountered. Crispy on the outside. Buttery soft on the inside. And seasoned with a complex blend of herbs and spices that scream GREEK!

I had a Greek salad -- a delightful blend of farm fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, kalamata olives and tangy feta cheese -- followed by the much-anticipated Pastitsio. Oh. My. Gawd. This Greek chef's answer to lasagna combines perfectly seasoned ground beef with tender pasta, smothered lovingly in a creamy cheesy bechamel sauce. It took every ounce of self-restraint I could muster not to lick the plate.

Desserts, we learned, were prepared by the owner's mother from recipes passed down through the generations. Okay, count us in. John chose rice pudding which I can typically take or leave. Unfortunately for him he coerced me into trying it, and I became an instant convert.

We'd been so focused on the food, I'd neglected my camera for almost the entire meal. As I reached for it to photograph the empty plate that carried my baklava, Aristo himself stopped by to introduce himself, clearly pleased that we were delighted with our meal.

Originally from the east coast, Aristo opened his tribute to "the old country" near the University of Utah in 2003 -- and turned it into Salt Lake City Weekly's best Greek Restaurant in a reader poll less than two years later. Why Salt Lake? His family's here. And as his menu illustrates, his heritage and his family's traditions are what matters most.

I think we've found our favorite restaurant in Salt Lake!

Aristo's Greek Restaurant & Cafe
244 South 1300 East, Salt Lake City UT | 801.581.0888

Technorati Tags: Restaurant | Greek | Salt Lake City

Resourcefully Re-deploying Resources...

First, I want to thank David for offering me the privilege of hosting episode 6 of Leftover Tuesdays, his event celebrating the underdog in all of our kitchens. I also want to apologize to the participants for the delay in getting the round up out -- it's been a hectic summer around here. And now, without further ado, I bring you this month's collection of leftover masterpieces:

1. Dayna from Vegan Visitor starts us out. Have you got veggies languishing in the back of your crisper? Too hot to cook? Who needs a burger? Head on out to the grill and try her Grilled Veggie Panini.

2. Next up, Johanna of Green Gourmet Giraffe in Melbourne Australia provides another inventive solution for leftover veggies: turning leftover dumpling stuffing and a carrot bean dip from previous projects into some eye-catching Beetroot Koftas in Carrot Sauce. She goes on to whip up a couple of sides from yet more stockpiled leftovers, and emerges with a "delicious pot luck supper."

3. Lisa of Lisa's Kitchen in London, Ontario Canada offers us a third summer-light vegetarian venue for leftover refried beans with her Egg & Cornmeal Pudding with Refried Beans. No refried beans in the 'fridge? Toss in some mushrooms, grilled corn, roasted peppers, grilled zucchini -- whatever's available in your kitchen or abundant in your garden.

4. Indulging our sweet tooth, Sarina of TriniGourmet in Trinidad delivers these tempting Ginger Trigs -- taking a disappointing recipe for Ginger Squares and adding a bit of her own spicy Carribean flair.

5. Last month's LOT hostess Pam of Project Foodie in Silicon Valley, California checks in, completely revamping leftover grilled chicken into some mouth-watering Chicken and Black Bean Burritos. Pam's goal: a one dish meal that transforms the chicken beyond leftovers. Mission Accomplished.

6. Another bay area neighbor, Tigerfish of Teczcape shares her passion for soba noodles with this alliterative Korean Spicy Seafood Soba. Twenty minutes, fridge to table, using a handful of leftovers and pantry staples. My kind of meal!

7. From Ontario Canada, Megan of What's Cooking brings us breakfast redux, in the form of her scrumptious-looking Belgian Waffle Bread Pudding. This one's worth busting out the waffle maker...

8. Rounding out this month's photographic collection is our fearless founder David of Cooking Chat in Massachusetts, offering an ode to summer's favorite outdoor appliance: the barbeque grill. His recipe: Beef and Bean Burritos assembled from leftover grilled burgers.

9. Pictured in the post below, I took a handful of leftover veggies and cheese and stuffed a baked potato for my contribution.

Those are our entries... now it's your turn. Check out the recipes. Try them out. Let me know what you think. Pick your favorite creative re-application of the lowly leftover and let me know about it. Send me an email to dolores dot ferrero at gmail dot com by Sunday July 15, and I'll post the winner shortly thereafter.

Technorati Tags: Food Blog Event | Leftover Tuesdays

A Week Excising Lefotvers...

As we prepare for next week's summer get-away in Salt Lake City, I sigh every time I open the refrigerator. The abundance of summer fruits and vegetables. The cheese, eggs and other dairy products. As much as I'm looking forward to our week away, I don't want to come back to new pets growing in my refrigerator... How will we use everything up before we leave?

Leftovers, for breakfast, lunch and dinner. How appropriate that I'm hosting installment #6 of Leftover Tuesdays -- I've got plenty from which to choose my contribution. Banana-yogurt smoothies, french toast with cherry compote and sliced strawberries, curried chicken salad, roasted root vegetables, cream of broccoli soup, an Asian green bean salad, sausage sandwiches with leftover homemade mustard have all graced my menu over the last several days.

But for my contribution to Leftover Tuesdays #6, I turned to the humble potato for inspiration.

Taking inspiration from Sher at What Did you Eat, I adapted her Poblano-Stuffed Portobellos to use a baked potato left from Saturday's visit to Izzy's Steaks & Chops' new (and apparently still somewhat secret) San Ramon location. I looked at her ingredient list and compared it to the contents of my refrigerator.

Onion? Check.
Baby Spinach? Check.
Rice? Substitute baked potato guts.
Cheddar? Check.
Oh... and some mushrooms... And some roasted corn and zucchini...

So for a 79c additional investment in a poblano pepper, I have Tuesday night's dinner. In addition to the environmental and ethical benefits, this leftover thing is great for my personal economy.

Bottom line, how'd it turn out?

Eons better than that other 79c staple from my college days!

Technorati Tags: Food Blog Event | Leftover Tuesday

Choco-leche Cupcakes Parfaits - Where did I fail?

Okay my foodie friends -- especially those of you with baking backgrounds -- help me out here...

Where did I go wrong?

I started with Shawnda's sinful celebration of refined sugar.

I planned to take it to work. One my colleagues is moving on, and we intended to commemorate the event as we always do... with obscene amounts of food. What's a few thousand calories among friends?

Since the cake as Shawnda created it looks a bit fragile and I have forty-five minute morning commute, I thought cupcakes might make a more portable option.

I followed the cake recipe as Shawnda published it, baking my cupcakes for about 20 minutes. I used this recipe for my dulce la leche.

The problem?

My little cakes didn't soak up much of the dulce la leche. It ran down the sides and coated my kitchen counter -- until I quickly transferred the cakes-in-progress to a cookie sheet.

But I wasn't going to be defeated by chocolate cake and scalded sugar milk. I broke out the box of dessert dishes I'd recently discovered in the last of my father's kitchen supplies, de-papered my cupcakes, breaking them in bits in the little bowls. As I spooned the dulce la leche over 34 individual little cakes I found myself grateful that Mo believed that more is better... To finish them off, I topped each cake with a spoonful of whipped cream and a sprinkle of toffee bits.

In the end my adaptation of Shawnda's confection was a hit with my tasters... regardless of how they looked, they *taste* phenomenal. And the individual servings actually worked to some people's advantage; an enforced portion control for those who wanted to indulge -- within limits. The biggest challenge was finding space in the refrigerator for 30-some desserts!

But I'm curious what you think... where did this fail? Did I bake my cupcakes too long? Not long enough? (They seemed neither dry nor overly moist) Were cupcakes themselves the error, with perhaps not enough surface area to absorb the caramelized milk goodness? Or should I have stuck with the sweetened condensed milk rather than adventuring on my own with the dulce la leche?

Inquiring minds want your input...

Technorati Tags: Dessert | Chocolate | Cupcakes | Recipe

Coming Soon -- Leftover Tuesday!

Originally launched by David over at Cooking Chat back in January, Leftover Tuesdays celebrate creative reinterpretation of ingredients lingering in refrigerators around the world: leftovers. I'm honored that David's offered me the opportunity to host the 6th edition on Tuesday June 26.

The rules are fairly simple:

• First, the easy part: have a leftover item on hand as a result of your cooking (or other dining) between Wednesday June 19 and Monday, June 25
• Second, make something new and spectacular with those leftover items and blog about this new creation by Tuesday June 26.
• Third, let me know about it. Send an email with a link to your post, the name of your new creation (and a 100x100 photo if you'd like that included in the roundup). Send your entries to dolores(dot)ferrero(at)gmail(dot)com by Thursday June 28.
  

I will post a round up on or about Sunday July 1. Then we'll vote. Pick a couple of winners in categories to be announced soon.

Looking for ideas or inspiration to get you started? Check out the previous editions:

David's inaugural roundup in January.
Rachel hosts in February.
Megan offers options for every meal in March.
Ceres and Bacchus (what a *great* blog name) reminds us of the financial benefit of toting leftovers to work for lunch during the 4th edition roundup in April.
And Pam of Project Foodie continues the tradition of geographic and culinary diversity in May.

Technorati Tags: Food Blogging Events | Leftover Tuesday

Market Fresh Meal - Salmon

It's 7:30 PM on a typical Monday night. Your heroine's followed eight and a half hours of meetings, test plan reviews, performance evaluations and budget analysis with 45 minutes at 25 MPH crawling up the grade toward home.

The mission: a healthy, nutritious, balanced dinner... before the sun set *completely* in the west.

Fortunately my refrigerator's well-stocked with goodies from a weekend of market field trips.

I started with fresh Pacific salmon caught three days earlier off California's coast, one of a tempting variety of seafood offerings available from North Bay Quality Seafood of Cotati at my local farmer's market.

After a bit of recipe research on the web, I took my inspiration from Bron's Baked Fillet of Salmon with Sweet Chili Sauce, and while the salmon baked I created a salad base from a handful of farm-fresh romaine, onions, and avocado from my CSA box tossed with a vinaigrette made with the chili sauce.

By 8:15, I was sitting down to a delicious dinner composed almost entirely of local ingredients assembled quickly in my own kitchen, glad I hadn't given in to the lure of take-out. It wouldn't have been *nearly* as satisfying -- to eat or to blog about!

Special thanks to Alanna of A Veggie Venture, Jeanette of Matchbox Creative and Kickpleat from Everybody Likes Sandwiches for this adorable icon. "Blush" the Sweet Tomato will appear on blog posts around this world this summer when a blogger highlights the delights of the local farmers' market.

Technorati Tags: Recipe Salmon

It's Pretzel Time!

When I joined the ranks of the Daring Bakers a proud member of April's Epsilon class, I was excited about the challenges ahead of me, and the skills I'd develop as I approached each of them. I'd watched the previous months with a combination of awe and envy; I wanted to play along but knew my schedule wouldn't allow it at the time.

Enter one of our newest Daring Bakers, Tara of Should you Eat That, who has ambitiously agreed to go back and complete the coursework she's missed. Anxious to try some of the challenges I missed out on, I've decided to join her.

Our first course: Pretzels 101.

Back in November, our founders Ivonne (Cream Puffs in Venice) and Lisa (La Mia Cucina) decided venture together into territory neither of them had explored on their own. They pledged to take a single recipe for pretzels, each attempt it in her own kitchen, and post the results on the same day. Their pursuit of pretzels turned out to be a food-blogging tipping point... eight months later there are close to 70 of us communicating via email, text and instant message about the latest challenge.

Sorry... June's challenge is a story for another day. This morning I stepped back in time, pulling up the pretzel recipe that started it all and plunging in head-first.

I've never made soft pretzels before. I'd never *eaten* soft pretzels before. So I wasn't quite sure what to expect. In the end, with one exception easily attributed to user error I'm quite pleased with the result. I love how easily the dough came together. I elected to knead it by hand, and the process princess/efficiency empress in me loved coming away from that experience feeling refreshed both physically and emotionally. Who needs a personal trainer or a therapist when you're surrounded by flour, yeast, sugar, salt and water?!?

The human error? I failed to look at the pictures. My pretzels looked like hangman's nooses. Oddly macabre, but quite tasty. Fortunately John stepped in and showed me how to properly twist a pretzel.

To accompany the pretzels, I also made Golden Yellow Mustard, as published in this month's issue of Food and Wine magazine. French's, step aside. This is tasty (far less chemical in taste), inexpensive, and easy to make.

Curious how the others fared? Want the recipe to try them for yourself? Check out Ivonne's story, Lisa's and Tara's.

Technorati Tags: Daring Bakers

Hail, Caesar!

Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears;
I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him.
The evil that men do lives after them;
The good is oft interred with their bones...

When Katie from Other People's Food announced Caesar Salad as the theme for HHDD, I chose this recipe for Caesar Salad with Skewered Shellfish. Unfortunately, life intervened and I missed the deadline. (Checkout the roundup for some of the most mouth-watering interpretations of lettuce I've ever seen).

Fortunately for me, fellow Daring Bakers Kelly and Lis realized swimsuit season looms ahead. In response, they've temporarily abandoned flour, sugar, butter and eggs, embracing the ultimate diet staple: the salad. Their call for contributions to Salad 'Stravaganza gave me a second chance with Caesar.

We prepared the salad pretty much as-published, and although I suspect under nutritional analysis the dressing wouldn't qualify as light it was quite tasty and will probably become our go-to recipe for homemade Caesar dressing. Leftover salad dressing would make a great topping for grilled chicken or baked potatoes.

For the diet-minded, it could pretty easily be lightened without sacrificing much; the garlic, anchovies and Parmesan would more than make up for light mayo. One caveat on that note: this is probably *not* the salad for a first date...the garlic and anchovies aren't generally conducive to first kisses.

On the positive side this salad goes together quickly and plates beautifully. It would make a great light summer meal; grilling the seafood keeps the heat out of the kitchen.

Let's carve him as a dish fit for the gods...

Technorati Tags: Recipes | Salad Food Blog Events | Salad Stravaganza

Learn! Laugh! Eat!

[Compared to cream, milk makes] the Kate Moss of ice cream. Sure, she's pretty... but not terribly satisfying.

-Shuna Fish Lydon

I *knew* there was a reason I liked this woman!

In a month full of work challenges and square dance event planning, your heroine needed a break. Thankfully, her personal hero was happy to oblige; he offered to fly solo at the last of the planning meetings so she and Tracy could escape into an afternoon of ice cream.

Off we headed to Poulet to relax, unwind, and learn the secrets behind perfect creme anglaise one-handed quenelles, and mind-blowing ice cream flavor combinations.

Shuna's classes offer an excellent balance of lecture and demonstration, sharing the "why" in addition to the "how," "when," and "what." Her ice cream lecture explained each of the key ingredients in an ice cream base and the roles they play: Egg yolks provide a rich mouth feel and act as stabilizers. Sugar aids in flavor infusion by increasing the temperature of the liquid, provides additional sweetness and lowers the freezing temperature of the final product. Milk and cream contain butterfats critical to flavor absorption; Shuna insists that for full flavor, full-fat is critical.


Moving into the kitchen, Shuna shared tips, tricks and stories from her 14 years in some of America's most famous commercial kitchens. She taught us techniques for sumptuous anglaise, showing us how she steeps to infuse flavors, and providing tips for ensuring a successful nappe out of the cream/egg/sugar liaison. She offered us a simple, sensational recipe for Butterscotch; and showed us how it develops from butter and brown sugar to oh-so-much more than a sum of its parts. She encouraged several of my classmates to play with her (ice cream) balls. And she taught us the secret to silky chocolate chip ice cream that poses no danger to your dental work.

From kitchen classroom we moved to tasting, and we had quite a menu to choose from. The products of our classroom adventure included the aforementioned butterscotch sauce over Cardamom-Coconut Chocolate Chip ice cream. In addition, Shuna offered tastes of Mango Sorbet, Rose Hill Goat Yogurt Granita, Butterscotch, Lemon-Thyme, and Browned Butter Pecan Ice Creams with farmers' market fresh apriums & strawberries, chocolate sauce and pecan vanilla shortbread cookies available for garnish.

We learned a lot. We laughed often. And we ate well.

What better way to measure a Sunday afternoon?

More images, courtesy of Kat at Kung Foodie.

Luscious Leftovers?!?

An extra sheet of puff pastry, courtesy of Operation St. Honore...

A handful of salad veggies on their last legs...

A third of a roasted turkey breast languishing in the back of the freezer.

And a little inspiration from the folks behind Leftover Tuesdays. A monthly event founded by David of Cooking Chat and hosted this month by Pam of Project Foodie, Leftover Tuesdays celebrate the scraps hiding in the refrigerator and freezer, and challenge participants to rescue, recycle and revitalize them rather than tossing them in the trash.

For my contribution, I combined my father's famous post Thanksgiving Hot Turkey Salad (yes, the one crusted in potato chips) and a more epicurian recipe for chicken salad I picked up at Whole Foods. The result, a tasty and economical solution to lunch at my desk this week:

Hot Turkey Salad in Puff Pastry

1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
4 tsp honey
2 tsp poppy seeds
sea salt, to taste
ground pepper, to taste
2 cups leftover roasted turkey breast, skinned, boned, chilled and cubed
1/2 cup candied walnuts
1 cup red seedless grapes halved
1 small red onion, chopped
1/4 cup diced jicama
1 sheet puff pastry
mixed greens

Preheat oven to 375.

Mix salad dressing ingredients (mayonnaise through ground pepper) in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate 30-60 minutes.

Defrost puff pastry on counter for 30-40 minutes. Cut pastry into small squares (I used a 3 inch cookie cutter). Prick center of squares with a fork Position squares 1 inch apart on baking sheet coated lightly with nonstick spray.

Toss turkey breast, walnuts, grapes, onion and jicama in a medium bowl to combine. Add salad dressing and toss to coat.

Pile about 2 tablespoons turkey salad mixture on top of pastry squares.

Bake at 375 until pastry puffs and browns slightly, salad sets (15-20 minutes). Serve over mixed greens drizzled with balsamic vinegar or honey-based vinaigrette.

Technorati Tags: Recipe | Food Blog Event | Leftover Tuesday

Covered in Cream Puffs

Stay tuned... sordid details to come after we recover from the weekend...

For inquiring minds, sordid details involve alternate uses for the pastry cream. Most of them are rated G... :)

Update 5/29 - Okay folks, I've slept, I've showered and I've fixed myself a snack. My laptop battery's charged, my photos are cropped, color corrected and ready to go. Thanks for your patience, and I hope you enjoy reading about my adventures with St. Honore as much as I enjoyed living them!

Those of you who've been around for a while may already know that one of our favorite extracurricular activities outside the kitchen is square dancing. And a few of you who know us personally or have been following very closely know that we've spent the past several years planning and promoting a dance festival for our regional association. A festival with over 700 attendees, scheduled for Memorial Day Weekend - May 25-27, 2007.

As a result, our free time has been at a premium for the last several months, especially on the weekends. The *perfect* time to join the Daring Bakers and commit to a Crepe Cake the piece de resistance in the world of pastry: Gateau St. Honore.

The pressure mounted in April and I bailed on the Crepe Cake. But I wasn't letting my Daring Baker buddies down two months in a row. No matter what challenge lay ahead, victory would be mine.

Then Helene of Tartlette and Dessert First's Anita announced their diabolical sadistic brilliant plan for this month's challenge: Gateau St. Honore. Puff Pastry. Pate a Choux for Cream Puffs. Diplomat Cream. Caramel. None of which I have any prior experience with preparing. I look at the calendar. Look at the three pages of instructions. Look back at the calendar. Fortunately, sleep is highly overrated... it doesn't look like I'm going to get much of it this month.

Even more fortunately for me, John's not just a wonderful, gorgeous man and a great dancer. He's also very comfortable, highly competent, and extremely happy working with me in the kitchen.

"Honey...?"

"Yes dear?"

"This month's Daring Baker assignment looks like a LOT of fun. Wanna help me make a St. Honore?"

"Sure. When's it due?"

Pregnant pause...

"Um... Memorial Day?"

After nearly asphyxiating with laughter, he agreed to pitch in and help out.

First stop, Home Chef for pastry tips. What do you MEAN I need to buy a $70 set? I need two tips, a bag and a coupler. Fine. Second stop, Sur la Table for pastry tips. Thirty bucks ($8 for the tips and $22 for other must have items I didn't know I needed until I saw them. Still better than $70.)

Third stop, Whole Foods for Dufour all-butter puff pastry. Hey, Anita and Helene say that frozen puff pastry is okay, and I'm challenged *enough* at the moment, thanks...

Once in the kitchen, the pastries actually came together fairly quickly. I'd considered a square or triangular base, but John thought our first attempt should be a traditional St. Honore so that's the road we took. The cream puffs were fun; I can guarantee we'll be experimenting with our new found skills with pate a choux and pastry bags soon.

It was the Diplomat Cream that gave us the biggest challenge. I'm not sure where we erred, but it came out more than a bit on the runny side. It dripped out of the pastry tip, oozed out of the bag, and ran down our fingers and our arms when we tried to fill the puffs.

At this point, one of us decided to taste it. And discovered that it ranks right up with with Fiorello's Caramel Balsamic Gelato and less than a handful of other foods. It is the perfect substance for licking off someone you love. Fortunately, the recipe makes WAY more pastry cream than you need. :)

We stashed *most* of the cream and the components in the refrigerator for a couple of hours, after which assembly was much easier (although the cream puffs became a bit chewy).

By this time it was pushing 4 AM and I abandoned the caramelized sugar (the one component of this creation with which I *did* have previous experience) in favor of sleep before sunrise.

So that's my story. For forty-some others, check out the Daring Baker links in the right hand column or the roundups posted at Dessert First and Tartlette.

Technorati Tags: Daring Bakers

What to make of white?

I considered going back to my Italian roots and creating a dessert featuring ricotta and mascarpone...

I played with the idea of offering a simple angel food cake glazed and adorned with coconut and bananas...

I googled "meringue" and "pavlova" in search of inspiration in egg whites...

What has me pondering foods with more flavor than color? Seven Spoons' chosen theme for Sugar High Friday 31: the many shades of white.

In the end, I took inspiration from the bold flavor combinations I experienced and the techniques I learned in Sunday's 'Eggbeater' Ice Cream class (more on that very soon), my recent foray into the world of Rocky & Bullwinkle, and playing with my new pastry tips (more on that in yet another upcoming post).

The result: Coconut Ginger Mousse

4 tablespoons water
1 envelope (1 tablespoon) plain gelatin
1 cup whipping cream, plus 2 tablespoons
12-ounce can evaporated milk
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut meat
2 knobs fresh ginger, peeled and julienned
6 egg yolks
9 tablespoons sugar, divided
1/4 cup finely minced fresh ginger
5 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup toasted coconut
1/4 cup chopped candied ginger

Dissolve the gelatin in the water in a small bowl and set aside.

Combine the cream, evaporated milk, coconut and fresh ginger in a medium-sized enameled or stainless steel saucepan. Place over medium heat until bubbles form around the edges. Remove from the heat and allow to steep for 15-20 minutes until flavors are nicely infused.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks until well blended, then gradually add all but 1 tablespoon of the sugar, whisking to thoroughly incorporate sugar.

Immediately begin adding the warm milk in a thin stream, whisking continuously.

Transfer the mixture to a saucepan and stir over low heat until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Patience is critical here. Keep stirring. Refrain from boiling to avoid curdling the custard. When thick, stir in the gelatin and the minced ginger. Pour the mixture into a large mixing bowl.

Let the custard cool (to speed up the process, set the mixing bowl in a larger bowl of cold water or cracked ice). Set aside.

In a separate (clean and dry) bowl, beat the egg whites until frothy. Add the final tablespoon of sugar and the salt, and beat until the whites form stiff peaks. Gently fold the egg whites into the custard mixture and stir carefully until well mixed.

Pipe into serving dishes and hill, covered, for at least 3 hours.

Garnish with candied ginger and toasted coconut immediately before serving.

Coconut-Ginger Mousse inspired by this recipe from the Dayton Daily News.

Technorati Tags: Recipe | Dessert | Food Blog Event | SHF | Sugar High Friday

Remembering Jo...

Born at the dawn of the Great Depression in a small Midwestern town, Joan Louise Cramer was the daughter of an elementary school teacher and an engineer with a passion for the carnival life. She married her high school sweetheart and together they moved west to build a life and a family together.

Jo wasn't the domestic type, at least in the traditional sense. Early in their marriage, her husband kicked her out of the kitchen (though his story's a bit different) his domain for all but a handful of her trademark recipes.

So I have a limited collection of "food memories" of my mother. Limited, but strong.

In the third grade, my birthday fell on Holy Thursday, a few days before Easter. Mom arrived in my classroom that afternoon with refreshments for my classmates. Thirty white cupcakes, frosted in pale butter cream, topped with green coconut "grass," sprinkled with brightly colored jellybean "Easter eggs," a pipe cleaner serving as the handle of the mini "Easter baskets." The cakes was probably Betty Crocker. But Mom made them. For me. And in that moment, that's all that mattered.

She also made the flakiest, most tender pie crusts I've ever encountered. With lard. I have the recipe, but sadly I never worked with her to understand the method -- and my pie crusts pale in comparison to hers.

She had a passion for food photography that drove me to distraction as a teenager. "Mom... just put the camera down and EAT." Wherever they are now, she and my dad are having a really good laugh over that...

She hated tomatoes, and had so extreme an aversion to onions that my father had to pulverize them to get them past her.

She loved mallowmars, raisin bread, and chocolate cake with fluffy white icing.

In memory of my mother, I share the recipe my brother and I requested the most often during the spring, a cherry cheesecake of sorts clipped from one of her women's magazines and and assembled from supermarket convenience foods, but prepared with love and care.

Happy Mother's Day!

Jo's Quick and Tasty Dessert

Graham cracker crust bottom of square pan
1 large package Philadelphia Cream Cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk

Prepare Dream Whip according to directions on package. Blend with cheese mixture. Pour over graham cracker crust. Pour Comstock Pie Filling over cream cheese mixture and chill.

Technorati Tags: Recipe | Dessert

Follow the yellow brick road...

“The road to the City of Emeralds is paved with yellow brick.” - Frank L. Baum

An international 20th century pop-culture icon, the yellow brick road led Dorothy and her companions on their journey to the Emerald City -- and in the process taught them to live.

Another yellow icon, the bright plastic awareness wristbands remind us that every day, millions of people around the world are living with, through, and beyond cancer.

Yellow, for cancer?

A cancer diagnosis is one of those life-altering events for which there is no preparation. With its discussions of staging, metastasis and survival rates, it's difficult not to get buried in feelings of helplessness and despair. I love that Lance Armstrong chose yellow as the symbolic color of cancer awareness. Cancer is cold and lifeless. Yellow is cancer's antithesis. It fights back. It provides contrast. It's tenacious and honest. It offers courage, hope, light and life.

So when Barbara of Winos and Foodies announced A Taste of Yellow to commemorate LiveStrong Day -- in honor and celebration of those living with cancer, I knew I wanted to participate.

LIVESTRONG Day is the Lance Armstrong Foundation's grassroots advocacy initiative to unify people affected by cancer and to raise awareness about cancer survivorship issues on a national level and in local communities across the country.

I've written before about how cancer has touched my life. John's grandfather. His father and mine. Too many of our friends. Breast cancer. Lung cancer. Lymphoma, prostate cancer, bladder cancer. As their bodies betrayed them, these everyday heroes faced their mortality head-on -- and learned something about living in the process. Even more amazing, through their examples they shared those lessons with all who love them. Whether or not they overcame the diseases they faced -- they lived proudly, joyfully, with honor and dignity -- and taught me the importance of doing the same.

As a small expression of my gratitude and my love, today I bake for each of them.

I chose a Vanilla-Infused Golden Saffron Cake as my "Taste of Yellow". Vanilla for its elegant simplicity, and saffron because many cooks consider it an indulgence for special occasions. My cancer heros have taught me that each day the sun rises is cause a special occasion, and a homemade cake fresh from the oven is plenty reason for celebration.

1 Tablespoon butter, softened
1 Tablespoon sugar

1-1/3 cups cake flour
1-3/4 cups sugar, divided
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2/3 cup plus 2 Tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon saffron threads
1 large whole egg
2 teaspoons vanilla, divided
1/2 cup water

Preheat oven to 375. Using paper towel, coat 9-inch round cake pan with butter. Dust lightly with 1 tbsp sugar.

In a medium bowl, combine dry ingredients (flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder and baking soda) with a whisk. Set aside.

Stir saffron threads into two tablespoons milk in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, stirring to combine. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

In a small bowl, combine 2/3 cup milk, egg, and one teaspoon vanilla. Add cooled saffron mixture and whisk well to incorporate. Marvel over brilliant yellow color.

Pour the wet mixture over the flour mixture and whisk gently to combine. Resist overmixing -- whisk only until ingredients are well-incorporated.

Pour into prepared cake pan and bake for 15-18 minutes, or until wooden pick inserted in cake comes out clean. Let cake cool for 15 minutes and carefully de-pan onto festive plate.

While cake cools, stir water and remaining 3/4 cup sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Let simmer for 10 minutes, then stir in remaining teaspoon vanilla.

Poke holes evenly in the cake with a wooden skewer. Spoon the vanilla syrup over the top of the cake. Let cool to room temperature.

Garnish with lemon zest, candied ginger, or fresh red/blue/blackberries.

Bon Appetit!

Recipe inspired by Peggy Trowbridge Filippone's Golden Saffron Cake.

Technorati Tags: LIVESTRONG Day | Taste of Yellow

A glimpse inside the chill chest

I couldn't resist Sam's recent invitation to a bit of culinary exhibitionism...

So there you have it -- my obsession with artisan condiments, jams, jellies and yogurt, my carefully packaged CSA bounty, two dozen farm fresh eggs originally destined for a future in chocolate crepes, a tray of deli meats and artisan cheeses and oh-so-much more -- my refrigerator, exposed.

An added bonus -- I got quite an abdominal workout crouched on the kitchen floor trying to get it all in...