And for dessert
Posts Tagged ‘food’
What am I baking?
April 13, 2017
Who am I kidding? These amazing creations are by Iven Kawi . . .
“Jakarta-based pastry chef Iven Kawi says she made her first honest attempt at baking in December of 2013 when she made a batch of Christmas cookies for her daughter’s school. As you can see, things have progressed quite a bit. Kawi now runs a bakery shop out of her home in Lippo Karawaci called Iven Oven where she creates elaborately decorated baked goods. Among her specialties are cakes adorned with terrarium environments where buttercream frosting is sculpted into an abundance of cacti and flower petals atop beds of crumbly sand or dirt. You can follow more of her work on Instagram. “
What am I eating?
April 3, 2017
BOOKS! The 14th Edible Books Festival was held at Loganberry Books this weekend. People came and carefully set up their entries. Viewers paid their fee and carefully considered their favorites. After the judging was complete and the winners announced – the entries were demolished in less time than you can imagine. Here are some of the entrants this year.
The Monster Book of Monsters
Click Clack Moo
Pigs in Heaven
Not a Box
The Paper Dolls
And, in the adult category, Tequilla Mockingbird
What am I celebrating on tattoo Tuesday?
March 28, 2017
March 28 is Something on a Stick Day
When I was a Girl Scout and we went camping, sometimes we took twigs, took off the bark, wrapped the end in biscuit dough and baked them over a campfire. When they were done, we pulled them off the twigs and stuffed them with jam. I remember them being one of the best things I had ever tasted.
I am not sure I would have the same response now.
These look good, though.
And then there are corn dogs.
Am I playing with my food?
March 13, 2017Not me, but Japanese artist Gaku is . . .
“Japan has a rich tradition of food carving called mukimono. If you’ve ever eaten at a fancy restaurant in Japan you might have found a carrot carved into a bunny, garnishing your plate. But in the hands of Japanese artist Gaku, the art of fruit and vegetable carving is elevated to a new realm of edible creations.”
“One constraint to carving fruits and vegetables is that sometimes you must work fast. The moment a peel is removed, oxidization will start to discolor your artwork. So, depending on the variety, Gaku’s carvings are probably created within several minutes. Armed with a tool similar to an x-acto knife and a fruit or vegetable from the grocery store, Gaku carves intricate patterns that are often inspired by traditional Japanese motifs.
Gaku points out that the banana is great fruit to practice with because it’s cheap and easy to carve. When asked what he does with all his creations after he’s done, his reply is simple: he eats them. “Except for the banana peel.”
You can see more of Gaku’s creations on his instagram account.”
What was invented on tattoo Tuesday?
March 7, 2017
Cornflakes were invented by Dr. John Harvey Kellogg as part of the health regimen at his Battle Creek Sanitarium in 1896. Dr. Kellogg and his brother had some pretty funny ideas about health and healthy living, but the late nineteenth century was a time of plentiful ideas and experimentation that was based on wonky science. At Battle Creek these ideas also led to the invention of flaked cereals, graham crackers, and rice krispies.
For tattoo Tuesday, the Kellogg’s rooster . . .
What am I baking today?
March 1, 2017
March 1st is St. David’s Day.
St. David is the patron saint of Wales. He was a preacher and church founder, born sometime in the 6th century. According to Wikipedia, “His best-known miracle is said to have taken place when he was preaching in the middle of a large crowd at the Synod of Brefi: the village of Llanddewi Brefi stands on the spot where the ground on which he stood is reputed to have risen up to form a small hill. A white dove, which became his emblem, was seen settling on his shoulder.” Leeks and daffodils are also associated with St. David and are symbols of Wales.
I propose baking Welsh Cakes to commemorate the day . . .
“These soft, tender cakes are a cross between a pancake and a baking powder biscuit, with elements of cookies and muffins thrown in for good measure. Sturdy enough to be eaten out of hand, they can be served plain; sprinkled with sugar (or cinnamon-sugar, our favorite); or spread with butter, and gilded with sugar or jam. In addition, they’re excellent the next day, warmed in the toaster as you’d warm toaster cakes.
Native to Wales, as their name suggests, Welsh Cakes are the perfect breakfast on the feast day of their native country’s patron saint, St. David — celebrated each year on March 1.”
- 3 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 to 3/4 teaspoon salt**
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 cup cold butter**, cut into pats or diced
- 3/4 to 1 cup currants
- 2 large eggs beaten with enough milk to yield 3/4 cup liquid
- **Use 1/4 teaspoon salt if you use salted butter; 3/4 teaspoon if you use unsalted butter.
Instructions
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg.
- Work in the butter until the mixture is fairly evenly crumbly; a few larger pieces of butter can remain.
- Mix in the currants.
- Add the milk/egg mixture, mixing until the everything is moistened.
- Turn the sticky dough out onto a well-floured work surface, and divide it in half. Shape each half into a thick, 4″ to 5″ disc. Cover one of the discs with plastic, and refrigerate. Leave the other on the floured work surface.
- Roll the soft dough into a 9 1/2″ circle; it should be about 1/4″ thick. Be sure to lift up the dough and flour underneath it as you roll, so it doesn’t stick.
- Using a 2 1/2″ to 3 1/2″ biscuit or other round cutter, cut the dough into circles. Gather and re-roll the scraps, cutting until you’ve used all the dough.
- Heat an ungreased skillet over low-medium heat; an electric frying pan or skillet, set at 325°F, works well here.
- Fry the cakes for about 2 1/2 minutes on each side, until they’re golden brown and cooked all the way through. It’s best to fry one sample cake first, to see if your pan is the right temperature.
- Transfer the fried cakes to a rack to cool.
- Repeat with the refrigerated dough. Cut the circles, then let them warm at room temperature for about 10 minutes before frying.
- Dust the finished cakes with cinnamon-sugar or superfine (castor) sugar; or split them, butter, and spread with jam. A pot of tea is the perfect accompaniment.
- Yield: about 2 dozen 2 3/4″ cakes
What am I celebrating?
February 28, 2017Happy Pancake Day – I mean Fat Tuesday- I mean Carnivale or Karneval – I mean Shrove Tuesday – I mean Lupercalia (where did that come from?)
Today is Mardi Gras
This celebration has its roots in a number of different traditions, both religious and pagan.
So eat your King Cake, pancakes, paczkis, jambalaya, fastlagsbulle, and celebrate.
BEN GARVER — THE BERKSHIRE EAGLE
Fresh paczki are a Polish seasonal pastry served until Lent. The pastries resemble doughnuts but have slightly different dough and a lot more filling.
What is tattoo Tuesday about?
February 21, 2017
Today is Sticky Bun Day – so bake up a batch . . .
Or if you are too busy to bake, order some from The Cupboard Cafe in New Harbor, Maine.
Get some bacon, too.
Gunsmoke and Knitting 