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...

A failure in my first semester

I entered the month of April with the best of intentions. My number 2 pencils sharpened, my college ruled paper in pristine condition, I was a proud freshman "Daring Baker," eager to join 13 other ladies in the Epsilon Class and forge ahead with our very first challenge.

Founded by Lisa and Ivonne last fall, the Daring Bakers group has grown to 29 members over the last several months, tackling such culinary challenges as biscotti, croissants, and that southern favorite: red velvet cake. In April they invited me to join the best fed sorority on the Internets.

As the group has grown past the point where it's easy to come to consensus on which recipe to use in a given month, we have adopted a hosting system. Each month a hostess chooses a challenge recipe, and each of us spend the month attacking cussing at perfecting it. We've committed to using the same recipe because part of the fun to see how the different interpretations turn out -- even when the recipe itself is not a success.

Brilynn of Jumbo Empanadas was our hostess/class leader for April, and she chose Martha Stewart eye-candy in the form of this sensational-looking Chocolate Crepe Cake. Chocolate crepes. A meringue-like hazelnut cream filling. Chocolate glaze. And caramel-candied hazelnuts. This group doesn't call themselves Daring Bakers for nothing...

I procured the hardware, a cast-iron crepe pan. I studied the recipe. I spent an hour on You Tube watching videos of people making crepes with the ease with which the average American adult ties his shoes. I studied the recipe some more. I sourced the ingredients with the exception of the elusive hazelnut cream (while Martha promises I can find this at Whole Foods, it's not on the shelves of any of the 7 stores within a twenty mile radius of my home).

But in the end April proved to be a very busy month, and I failed to carve the three-to-five hours necessary to actually make the components and assemble the cake. So you'll have to check out other Daring Baker blogs (links below) to see how the cake turned out...

And stay tuned to see how I fare with May's challenge

Crepe Cakes - The Good, the Bad, the Beautiful -- both the Martha-philes and -phobes among us struggled with this one:
Quellia of All Things Edible recommends a strong dose of patience to get you started.
She stood up for Martha during the tough times, but Mary of Alpineberry was ready to shred this recipe.
Becke of Columbus Foodie claims no such allegiance to the Martha and admits the recipe kicked (_]_), and not in a good way.
Ivonne of Creampuffs in Venice skipped the fussy pastry cream for a hazelnut staple of sorts: Nutella.
Peabody had... all *sorts* of colorful things to say about this recipe.
An A-student after my own heart, Mercedes of Dessert Candy creates a confection worthy of the magazine cover.
Laura of Eat! Drink! Live! presents another glorious piece of Martha-inspired food-porn.
Elle of Feeding my Enthusiasms breaks the momentus task into achievable tasks -- and creates some scrumptious looking photographs of her results.

Stay tuned for more crepe cake goodness coming soon!

Technorati Tags: Daring Bakers

April Showers...

A brief break from things culinary to share an image that recently caught my attention -- screaming "Spring!" and reminding me that every day brings something beautiful...

Muffin therapy...

You know it's time for a break when you start speaking in problem statements, looking at your world as a series of visio diagrams and harvey balls.

The problem:

1. A general frustration with office politics, stalled projects, and mundane tasks, and a desire to escape to a desert island.
2. A bunch of bananas browning on the counter top.
3. A propensity to choose highly processed, nutritionally deficient meals-at-my-desk during the busiest days of the quarter at work.

The solution: 15 minutes with Google and and evening at the *kitchen* island, making these sensational Banana Crumb Muffins.

Like several of the bakers that took the time to leave a review of the recipe, I chose to give the muffins a nutritional boost by replacing 1/2 cup of the white flour with whole wheat and using canola oil instead of butter. I toasted a quarter cup of hazelnuts, pulsed them in the food processor to beget a "finely chopped" product, and added them to the crumb topping for a bit of additional texture.

They turned out perfectly -- moist and full of banana flavor without being overly sweet. A single muffin paired with a cup of goat milk yogurt made a satisfying breakfast. And they proved more popular than the bakery bagels and the Krispy Kreme donuts on the breakfast buffet at work.

Technorati Tags: Recipe | Muffin | Breakfast | Banana

And now, for something completely different...

We bring out the WABAK machine Kitchen Aid and whip up some Moose! mousse. Chocolate mousse. With a twist. And an apology to my friend Peabody -- although I hope she's not the only one to get the reference!

Earlier this month Helene of Tartlette announced that the theme of this month's installment of Hay Hay it's Donna Day would be mousse -- and your heroine started some intensive internet research -- into obscure chocolate mousse recipes, and Rocky & Bullwinkle references...

I'll spare you all any more moose quotes (for now) and get straight to the recipe.

I knew I wanted chocolate. And that I wanted to play with spice. But a Google search for 'chocolate + chipotle' didn't provide inspiration. So I turned to a gem I recently uncovered at the local library: Robert Wolke's "What Einstein Told His Cook: Kitchen Science Explained". A retired chemistry professor and syndicated columnist, Wolke provides the science behind the art of cooking in layman's terms -- and a fair amount of entertainment sprinkled in his education.


Hey Rocky... watch me pull a rabbit out of a hat...

And there it was, on page 30 -- the mousse recipe I wanted to try. Rich, intense chocolate flavor. With not an ounce of butterfat. No... Basque Chef Teresa Barrenechea of Manhattan's Marichu -- who Wolke credits as the brain behind the recipe -- uses olive oil to provide a subtle smoothness.

Hmmm... top quality chocolate, top quality olive oil, with a hint of chipotle to make it my own... Yes dear reader, I've found my contribution to HHDD 11.

Chipotle-Chocolate Velvet Mousse (adapted from What Einstein Told His Cook: Kitchen Science Explained)

6 ounces high-quality semisweet dark chocolate, chopped. I used Guitard Callebaut.
3 large eggs, separated
2/3 cup powdered/confectioner's sugar, sifted after measuring
1 tablespoon instant espresso powder (or 1/4 cup double-strength coffee at room temperature)
2 tablespoons creme de cacao
1 generous teaspoon chipotle powder
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1. Melt the chocolate in a small bowl in a microwave oven. Be careful what kind of bowl you use. My bowl -said- it was microwave-safe, but apparently the molten chocolate provided a bit too much thermal shock. Fortunately, chocolate is a staple in my kitchen... Short on disposable bowls? You can also use a double boiler to melt chocolate. Allow chocolate to cool.

2. In a medium bowl, beat the egg yolks and confectioner's sugar with and electric mixer at medium speed. Add coffee, chipotle powder and creme de cacao; beat to combine. Reduce speed to low and mix in the melted chocolate. Add the olive oil and mix well to ensure it is thoroughly incorporated.

3. Here the instructions suggest washing and drying the beaters thoroughly, ensuring they are completely free of oil before beating the egg whites. I tossed the stand mixer beater in a sink full of soapy water and pulled out the hand mixer. In another medium bowl, beat egg whites until nearly stiff. Using a whisk, fold the egg whites into the chocolate, 1/3 at a time, until all patches of white disappear. Do not over-mix.

4. Transfer mousse to a pretty bowl or individual dessert dishes. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled.

As I'm performing step 4 and eyeballing a sink full of dishes, I think perhaps this recipe's a lot of work for 6 somewhat small servings.

A couple of hours later -- after the dishes are done and Leeza Gibbons has made her graceful exit from the dance floor, I'm ready to grab a spoon and dig in. And I instantly reevaluate my assessment of the serving size. It's not heavy, but this is a very rich mouse. A cross between mousse and ganache. The chocolate hits you first. Followed by the chipotle warmth. It's sweet, with a savory tease that keeps it interesting. I decide immediately I'm going to make this again -- next time replacing the chipotle with a wasabi-ginger blend that's been languishing in my spice drawer waiting for the appropriate application.

Boris: How many u’s are in Moose?
Natasha: Let’s see M-U-S-E, two.

Update 24 April 2007 - check out 53 more creative applications of the mousse concept at Helene's Round Up of Hay Hay Donna Day 11 Entries. There's some fantastic stuff here!

Technorati Tags: Hay, Hay, it's Donna Day | Food Blog Events | Recipes | Dessert

Odd Easter Holiday Scenes...

The holiday buffet's changed a bit since Gianni arrived on the scene last fall...

Gourmet goodies still abound, but baby formula joined beer, wine, and a bevvy of non-alcoholic options at Nicole & Kerry's this Easter.

Captured this image so we can torture him with it when he's in his twenties... thought you all might enjoy it.

Me? I skipped the formula, opted instead for a nice chianti, and loaded up on devilled eggs, pasta with pesto, roast beef and my secret Easter guilty pleasure -- pistachio fluff!

By the end of the afternoon, Gianni had competition for a nap in the baby swing...

Milestones...

...to John and me...

(this is what happens when someone *else* is in charge of the cake..)

Eggs!

Happy Easter, Passover, Spring... whatever you celebrate!

Quinoa - Comfort Food Combats Cancer

For the first 30 years of my life, I was a member of an ever-decreasing and very fortunate minority. I lost my treasured minority status abruptly one chilly Wednesday afternoon in November 1999, when we learned that my father had lung cancer. Like other families facing a cancer diagnosis, our lives changed instantly.

Oncologists, neighbors, cancer support groups, nutritionists, friends, nurses, fellow cancer patients -- everybody stepped forward offering advice. And in a world where you're grasping for hope, for something over which you have control, the nutritionist offered our family a rope to hang on to.

The road ahead would be a rough one, she advised us. Radiation and chemotherapy were brutal on the body, and my father's cancer was advanced. Our goals were to keep him as comfortable as possible; his to fight the disease with everything he had, and to live -- truly live -- whatever time he had left. But there were rays of hope. There were things we could do to help him through this. Tangible things.

We walked out of her office that day with a list of what she called superfoods. Blueberries. Quinoa. Leafy greens. Edamame. Nuts and legumes. Yogurt. We learned that building a diet around these simple ingredients would help Dad develop the strength he'd need in his fight.

Anyone who's cared for a cancer patient undergoing chemotherapy knows that havoc it wreaks on the digestive system. It changes the way things taste, destroys the appetite, and induces nausea. It creates some strange cravings. I remember heading out in search of takeout chile rellenos because that's what Dad wanted. And my grandmother's recipe for rice pudding -- with quinoa substituting for the rice -- became his favorite bedtime snack.

At 72, Dad discovered he loved this sacred Incan grain and superfood extraordinaire. A little research reveals that quinoa provides a wide range of vitamins and minerals essential to good health. It's higher in calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, iron, copper, manganese, and zinc, and lower in sodium than its grain sisters wheat, barley and corn. Since it's gluten-free, it's gentler on a chemo-induced finicky stomach. And because it contains all eight of the essential amino acids we needs for tissue development, it's considered a complete protein.

So when Chris of Mele Cotte announced a Cooking to Combat Cancer event in honor of Cancer Control Month, there was no question I would participate. That the recipe I chose would feature quinoa, my father's favorite cancer comfort food.

After a bit of research, I settled on a fruit-based quinoa salad, a fairly simple preparation that I could easily tote to work for a light yet satisfying lunch.

Quinoa Fruit Salad (adapted from this recipe)

1 cup water
1 cup pear juice (natural, no additional sweeteners)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup quinoa, well rinsed and drained
2 large red apples, diced
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup fresh blueberries
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup vanilla yogurt

Put the water, pear juice, cinnamon and rinsed quinoa in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until all of the liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Allow quinoa to cool, then transfer to a large mixing bowl and refrigerate, covered, at least 1 hour.

Stir fruit and walnuts into the chilled quinoa, ensuring that the add-ins are well distributed. Fold in yogurt immediately before serving.

I used goat milk yogurt, which provided a nice tang that played well with the tart-sweet cranberries.

Tasty, simple, and healthy. This one's for you, Mo...

Looking for more cancer-fighting recipes and the heartwarming, inspirational stories behind them? Check out Chris' round-up: 25 starters, salads, sides, main dishes and desserts...

Technorati Tags: Food Blog Events Cooking to Combat Cancer

Three...two....one...

For those of you who missed the first installment extolling the category winners for March's Does My Blog Look Good in This contest, go ahead, scroll down, check them out, we'll wait...

There, now that we've celebrated the best of breed and the first in group, it's time to move on to the best in show competition.

In Third Place...

A DMBLGiT fan favorite: Mae of Rice and Noodles and her Pistachio Panna Cotta with Fresh Raspberries, shot with a Cannon EOS 350D.

Judges loved the 'clean, crisp presentation' with 'just a spot of color.'

"This one SCREAMS 'pick up that spoon... eat me!' "...

"One of my favourites..."

"I'll take two...


In Second Place...

Not for the faint of heart this warm chocolate decadence in liquid form brought to us by Dora of Lila Fuge, the image snapped with a Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ20.

"Simple, yet stunning..."

"Who needs words? I -know- this tastes great!"


and in First Place...

Mary of Alpineberry captures our hearts and our appetites with her whimsical Chocolate Brownie Hearts, shot with a Canon Powershot A95.

"Mmmmm... chocolate..."

"Edible? check. Aesthetic? check. Original? check. Winner? check. check. check."

"This... it goes to 11..."

So there you have them -- the best-dressed blogs of March 2007. Congratulations and thank you to each and every one of you who participated -- and a special thanks to my fearless judging panel. It's been an honor and a privilege to host this ode to food porn. I've gotten to know new blogs, made new friends in the folks that write them, and learned a ton about what turns a good photograph into something spectacular.

Stay tuned for the April edition, hosted by Lara of Cook and Eat...

Technorati Tags: Does my Blog Look Good in This?

The envelopes, please...

Here it is, the moment you have all been waiting for... the unveiling of March's best dressed blogs.

This was one tough competition -- just ask Sean & DPaul, Jeff, Bron or Ivonne! Seventy some of you answered my call and offered some of the most compelling, mouth-watering, creative images of food found on the internet. Without further ado, here they are -- the winners of the latest edition of Does My Blog Look Good in This?!?

First, the category winners:

The honorable mentions in the Edible category:

The luscious Lavender Lemon Pound Cake presented by "Piggy" of Piggy's Cooking Journal. "Loved the lavender heart," said one judge.

Food Blogga Susan's rich and creamy Butternut Squash Risotto. "I'd spend a week on the treadmill for a bite of that carb-loaded goodness."

...and the taste bud-tingling Ginger-Chile Shrimp concocted by Meena at Hooked on Heat. "Yes. Just... Y. E. S."

And the blue ribbon in the edible category goes to this succulent Shirazi Salad offered by Maia of Maia Papaya. We loved the crisp clean color contrasts. Key to this photograph's success is its simplicity...

"It doesn't NEED a quart of chocolate ganache to jazz it up."

Judges also commented that a salad "surrounded by sweets" with a "drool factor, 10" was "a visual and edible delight"

Maia took this photograph with a Nikon D70.

---

Moving on to the Aesthetic category the honorable runners up include:

Andrew of Spittoon Extra and his Apple Pie with Clotted Cream. "The motion of the cream dripping -sells- this photograph."

The Salmon and Caviar Timbale created by Haalo of Cook (almost) Anything at Least Once. "Stunning colour contrasts."

...and the simple Lenten Shrove Buns offered by Denin of Cloudberry Quark. "Love the lighting and the sugar sprinkles..." "This picture invites the viewer to step out of the snow and sit a while by the fire.."

And at the top of the aesthetic category: Bea of La Tartine Gourmande and her Madeleines and Tea.

Our judges found this "great picture" a "unique study" in the effects of "motion, color and lighting" on a photograph.

While it "doesn't make me drool" it "grabs my attention and refuses to let go," proving "food porn comes in more than one form."

Bea snapped this photograph with her Canon 30D.

---

In the Originality category, honorable mention awards include

The Italian Artichokes offered by Nicole of For the Love of Food provide an "intriguing contrast between the natural and the artificial..."

J from Have Fork, will Travel provides a different kind of contrast with Chop Chop. "Color, texture, lights and shadows -- this one has it all."

...and JenJen of Milk & Cookies presents another favorite in her Coffee and Marsala Souffle. Our favorite Creampuff sums it up nicely... "Loved this one!"

The top award in the originality category goes to Danielle of Habeus Brulee and her image of Sweet and Sour Lotus Root.

"This one is quite unique..."

"Fascinating use of color and texture..."

Danielle used her Canon 30D, with a 100mm f2.8 macro lens to capture this compelling image.

---

Congratulations to our category winners!

Stay tuned... the overall winners will be posted momentarily!

Technorati Tags: Does my Blog Look Good in This?

Yes, Your Blogs look GREAT in That

Most of the votes have been cast, and the results will be coming soon... Thanks for your patience!

Strange Things are Afoot at the Circle K...

Welcome to the latest installment of our epicurean adventures, on location in... BAKERSFIELD!

Technorati Tags: Bakersfield | Restaurants | Cajun | BBQ | Basque

DMBLGIT - Update

For those of you still following the DMBLGiT drama, I'm still here. Buried in pictures, after a weekend out of town with no Internet connectivity.

Keep watching the gallery -- if you've sent me an entry, it will appear there soon.

If you haven't yet submitted your entry or don't know what I'm talking about, the details are here.

Bron, Sean, Ivonne (hey... that rhymes!) and Jeff, we've got quite a job ahead of us; these photographs are amazing!

Technorati Tags: Meme | Food Blog Event | Does My Blog Look Good in This

Reminder - One more week...

Thirty six of you have responded to the call. (Well, forty really -- I have four more photos in my inbox for download). There were 90 entries last month -- what are the rest of you waiting for...?

Consider this your friendly reminder that there's only one more week to get your entries in for the March edition of Does My Blog Look Good in This.

For instructions on how to submit your favorite photo, see the initial announcement.

For those of you following along at home, I'm updating the gallery as quickly as I can.

Technorati Tags: Meme | Food Blog Event | Does My Blog Look Good in This

Move aside, honey... Hold the sugar, sweetheart...

...this month's mingle is all about the *savory* cake, baby.

For those of you who might have missed Meeta's Monthly Mingle (a nice piece of alliteration, that) it's a casual, virtual pot luck type of affair. And in March, we're asked to set sugary sweets aside and contribute something savory to the menu. Something savory... in the form of a cake.

While I struggled over what to contribute to Peabody's party, I knew immediately what I'd prepare for Meeta's mingle. It's one of the centerpieces on the buffet table whenever we entertain a crowd. It's on my short list when I'm asked to contribute something savory -- but *different* -- to someone else's celebration. An Emeril recipe, it has a lengthy ingredient list and preparation is somewhat labor intensive -- but well worth the effort. It's Emeril Lagasse's Crab and Wild Mushroom Cheesecake.

I've made it a half a dozen times as-published, and more recently experimented with the smoked salmon/sun dried tomato version mentioned in the reader reviews and a smoked halibut/roasted zucchini & carrot version of my own inspiration. Every version is well received.

I do make two modifications to the recipe as published. First, I don't like Emeril's bread-crumb crust. I typically use a combination of crumbled wheat thins and ground pine nuts or almonds instead. And I bake my cheesecake in a water bath to prevent it from drying out.

So that's my take on the savory cake theme. Hungry for more? Keep a browser pointed at Meeta's What's for Lunch Honey for the March round-up!

Technorati Tags: Food Blog Events | Monthly Mingle | Recipes

Hay, Hay... Doing a Mango Tango for Cheesecake Day

When Peabody announced the theme for Hay Hay it's Donna Day #10 would be cheesecake, the question in my mind wasn't *whether* I'd participate, but what I would choose to contribute. Cheesecake, after all, is a beautifully blank canvas, upon which many a masterpiece can be constructed. It can also be temperamental -- as eager in its punishment as it is in reward -- as all of us who've pulled a soupy cake out of the oven or cut into a dry cracked over-baked one can attest.

And with *Peabody* hosting no ordinary cheesecake would suffice; it *had* to be something special. We sort of have a shared cheesecake history. That is, her sinful concoction was one of the best desserts that's ever emerged from my oven, and the hit of our holiday party.

I digress, but you get the point. The pressure was on, even if it was only self-inflicted pressure.

So what would it be?

Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake feels more than a bit like plagiarism...

I eyeballed the box of Thin Mints in my pantry and briefly considered a Girl Scout inspired creation. And then she posted this. Damn. Back to the drawing board.

A hectic weekend had me pondering an alcohol-infused confection. Margarita? Amaretto? Frangelico? Probably not a good idea for a cake destined for an office celebration.

In the end, I used the bounty from my CSA box as my inspiration. A Mango Tango it would be.

Now that I had the what, the next step was to determine the how. The key was a good solid cheesecake 'architecture' upon which I'd be comfortable improvising a bit without fear of crashing completely. So I reached for Alton Brown. Or more accurately, his treatise on baking: I'm Just Here for More Food. There, on pages 313-317, he explains the how's and why's of a simple sweet cheesecake in painstaking detail.

I started with the crust. Pulsed a sleeve of Girl Scout Trefoil cookies (I'm out of graham crackers and didn't want to make another trip to the store) in the food processor until I had crumbs. Added about half a cube of chilled butter, cut into squares and pulsed until I had a course meal. Added a handful of shredded coconut for that tropical feel and pulsed a bit more. Turned the mixture out into a prepared spring form pan and patted the crust along the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Blind baked at 300 for about 10 minutes.

Next, my ad-hoc, quick variation on a chunky mango chutney. I peeled and sliced three of the freshest, juiciest, sweetest organic mangoes I've ever worked with. Melted butter in the bottom of a medium sized saucepan. Tossed in the mangoes and 1/8 cup of sugar I actually measured this -- I wanted the sauce the sugar would provide, but the mangoes were sweet and I didn't want to overdo it. Added the zest and juice of a lime, a teaspoon or so of grated ginger, the contents of a vanilla bean and three or four grates of nutmeg. I sauteed this for about 15 minutes while I started unwrapping packets of cream cheese.

I followed Mr. Brown's basic cheesecake recipe pretty closely. Beat 24 ounces of cream cheese and a half cup of sugar within an inch of it's life with the trusty Kitchen Aid. In a separate bowl with the hand mixer, I mixed 2 whole eggs, 3 egg yolks, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon coconut extract, 5 oz sweetened condensed milk (AB insists that weighing this is the only way to ensure the correct amount) and 1 cup of sour cream. I then slowly integrated this mixture into the cream cheese. The result of which is a VERY soupy batter.

I left the cream cheese mixture momentarily to spread half of my cooled mango chutney across the prepared crust. I pulled out the blender and whipped the second half of the mango mixture into a baby food-like consistency. (part of baking is creating at least three sinks full of dishes). Mixed the mango puree with about a third of the cheesecake batter in the bowl I'd used for the egg/milk combination. Poured the batters into the cake pan in thirds: 1/3 plain, 1/3 mango, 1/3 plain, swirling the batters together to create what I hope will be a pretty pattern.

Finally, I employed the Alton Brown "slow and steady" method of baking a cheesecake: 1 hour in a water bath at 250 F. Without opening, touching, or even *looking* at the oven door. Followed by 1 minute with the oven off, oven door open. Followed by another hour in the oven with whatever residual heat remains. Again, without even breathing in the proximity of the oven door. Followed by one hour cooling on the counter. Followed by 3 to 6 hours in the refrigerator.

Forty-eight hours later... Wow. It's out of the pan, and it's... wow. I understand why AB remands cheesecake to the custard section of his book, and I'm a convert to his method of baking it. The result is not the raw cream cheese & mango soup I was afraid it would be, but rather a delicious burst of spring: a rich, luscious mouth-feel that's indulgent without being overwhelming followed by the warm tropical sweetness only mango provides. I'm generally pretty humble about the products of my kitchen, but I'd be honored to serve this to Peabody, Mr. Brown or Ms Hay.

If you're a mango fan, I urge you to try this one. Run, don't walk to the grocery store for whatever ingredients aren't already in your pantry. Pick up an extra sponge (you'll be washing lots of dishes) and paperback for the "inactive" time. You won't be disappointed...


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