Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Sustainability and 100-Mile eating
Boy, I've really been slacking on keeping up in here. :-) Part of the issue is that I just haven't done anything particularly new and interesting in the kitchen lately, and unfortunately, I haven't thought to take time to put to proverbial paper some of my other thoughts on food and eating. So perhaps I'll start with that for the moment while I work towards more delectable inspirations.
Having a bit of a survivalist mindset and a macabre love of post-apocalyptic fiction, one of the things that always rolls around upstairs with the marbles is how to manage food and cooking if supplies of things are cut off.
The recent tragedy in Japan is just another example of things that happen that are really in the more likely scope of problems that occur as opposed to more interesting doom-filled scenarios. Changes in environment that can include natural disasters, but even just changes precipitated by the global political climate such as rising oil prices affecting the economy and food transportation.
While I am not the staunchest practitioner of sustainable eating, I will say that it definitely has come to mind both from a health perspective and from a preparedness standpoint.
For example, as I munch on my organic orange that came in my CSA box or drink my morning coffee, I realize that both of these products come from places that are not local to Washington State. Coffee, in fact, is not local to any part of the United States. Many fruits aren't local. Chocolate? Various food products aren't local. Cooking oils including olive oil? How much do we consume that is imported or otherwise not locally produced in the state? How much do we pay not just in cash but in environmental cost for these things?
I find myself thankful we are coastal though. We have various seafood options that are relatively local. We also have a mixed climate state that provides for things like wheat, potatoes, grains, hops, grapes, and other various vegetables.
One-hundred mile eating, or as the book I found calls it, the 100 Mile Diet, refers to committing change to your diet for even as little as one meal a week to keep to only locally grown and raised food. The idea is not only to take advantage of local food, but to also become aware of where your diet originates and to do the research to know where things you eat come from. Not only is the diet better for the environment from a fossil fuel perspective, but to my way of thinking, it is better from a preparedness perspective in terms of knowing what your options are should lines of transportation become cut off or too expensive.
Another piece of that plays into my latest desire to get into a house includes a home garden, and the various things I'd like to grow, eat, and preserve. At that point I'll get to decide on the various things I'd really like to grow and keep and even the idea that I'll have fresh herbs available makes me excited.
So how do you justify your diet? What considerations do you have for what is and isn't local?
Having a bit of a survivalist mindset and a macabre love of post-apocalyptic fiction, one of the things that always rolls around upstairs with the marbles is how to manage food and cooking if supplies of things are cut off.
The recent tragedy in Japan is just another example of things that happen that are really in the more likely scope of problems that occur as opposed to more interesting doom-filled scenarios. Changes in environment that can include natural disasters, but even just changes precipitated by the global political climate such as rising oil prices affecting the economy and food transportation.
While I am not the staunchest practitioner of sustainable eating, I will say that it definitely has come to mind both from a health perspective and from a preparedness standpoint.
For example, as I munch on my organic orange that came in my CSA box or drink my morning coffee, I realize that both of these products come from places that are not local to Washington State. Coffee, in fact, is not local to any part of the United States. Many fruits aren't local. Chocolate? Various food products aren't local. Cooking oils including olive oil? How much do we consume that is imported or otherwise not locally produced in the state? How much do we pay not just in cash but in environmental cost for these things?
I find myself thankful we are coastal though. We have various seafood options that are relatively local. We also have a mixed climate state that provides for things like wheat, potatoes, grains, hops, grapes, and other various vegetables.
One-hundred mile eating, or as the book I found calls it, the 100 Mile Diet, refers to committing change to your diet for even as little as one meal a week to keep to only locally grown and raised food. The idea is not only to take advantage of local food, but to also become aware of where your diet originates and to do the research to know where things you eat come from. Not only is the diet better for the environment from a fossil fuel perspective, but to my way of thinking, it is better from a preparedness perspective in terms of knowing what your options are should lines of transportation become cut off or too expensive.
Another piece of that plays into my latest desire to get into a house includes a home garden, and the various things I'd like to grow, eat, and preserve. At that point I'll get to decide on the various things I'd really like to grow and keep and even the idea that I'll have fresh herbs available makes me excited.
So how do you justify your diet? What considerations do you have for what is and isn't local?
Thursday, December 30, 2010
On Holidays, Treats, and Beyond!
Life has been busy taking over again, and I have not made time lately to sit down and write. But I suspect that may change to some degree in the near future.
Santa was very generous this year, and graced me with many cool kitchen gadgets and tools. You'd think people know I like to cook. ;-)
I've also been struggling with a cold, so the inclination to spend time in the kitchen outside of heating up some soup has been lacking.
I made a fair stack of treats this year, however, and I'll post recipes and pictures soon. These included a traditional Mexican cookie called a Biscochito, a French pastry cookie called a Palmito, two types of fudge (as mentioned in my previous post), A pecan coconut chocolate dipped candy called a Martha Washington, and fresh ginger molasses cookies.
So lots of future cooking and baking on the agenda after the holidays. I'll be back with more. :-)
May you and yours have a safe and happy new year!
Santa was very generous this year, and graced me with many cool kitchen gadgets and tools. You'd think people know I like to cook. ;-)
I've also been struggling with a cold, so the inclination to spend time in the kitchen outside of heating up some soup has been lacking.
I made a fair stack of treats this year, however, and I'll post recipes and pictures soon. These included a traditional Mexican cookie called a Biscochito, a French pastry cookie called a Palmito, two types of fudge (as mentioned in my previous post), A pecan coconut chocolate dipped candy called a Martha Washington, and fresh ginger molasses cookies.
So lots of future cooking and baking on the agenda after the holidays. I'll be back with more. :-)
May you and yours have a safe and happy new year!
Monday, December 6, 2010
On following directions - Times when creativity or lack of patience will not serve your cooking
A lot of the best cooking in the world comes about when you combine some established ideas of dishes with a creative flair. An experimentation of ingredients or preparation that opens up a whole new world of flavors and textures.
Occasionally, however, there are cooking processes that you need to stick to if you want some of the basic expected results to occur. Maintaining the proper ratio of leavening ingredients in order to get an expected rise. Accounting for wet and dry ingredients (and ingredients that affect "wetness") in order to achieve the correct mix and texture. Not following these, while may produce something new, may also not produce what you expect.
I was reminded of this lesson while making candy this weekend. One of the things I realized somewhat recently was the fact that when cooking the sugar/butter/milk fudge base, if you don't bring it up to the soft ball stage, your fudge will be grainy and crumble. Many recipes just account for a heat setting and a time to cook it from the boil point, but for each stove and heat setting, it is a little different. If you want consistent results, you really need to break out the candy thermometer.
Doing that the first batch, I got the mixture up to temp, and then completed the fudge mix (including marshmallow creme!) and got a nice solid, but creamy fudge. The second batch, I got impatient waiting for it to rise to temperature, and coupled with the fact that I probably didn't set the temp high enough for it to properly bring it up to soft ball stage in an appropriate amount of time, I ended up with fudge that was not only not the right texture, but it was so brittle that it would shatter when I cut it. It tastes wonderful, but only if you don't look at it. :-)
Ah well. Better patience next time. Luck isn't a factor if you follow the directions. :-D
Occasionally, however, there are cooking processes that you need to stick to if you want some of the basic expected results to occur. Maintaining the proper ratio of leavening ingredients in order to get an expected rise. Accounting for wet and dry ingredients (and ingredients that affect "wetness") in order to achieve the correct mix and texture. Not following these, while may produce something new, may also not produce what you expect.
I was reminded of this lesson while making candy this weekend. One of the things I realized somewhat recently was the fact that when cooking the sugar/butter/milk fudge base, if you don't bring it up to the soft ball stage, your fudge will be grainy and crumble. Many recipes just account for a heat setting and a time to cook it from the boil point, but for each stove and heat setting, it is a little different. If you want consistent results, you really need to break out the candy thermometer.
Doing that the first batch, I got the mixture up to temp, and then completed the fudge mix (including marshmallow creme!) and got a nice solid, but creamy fudge. The second batch, I got impatient waiting for it to rise to temperature, and coupled with the fact that I probably didn't set the temp high enough for it to properly bring it up to soft ball stage in an appropriate amount of time, I ended up with fudge that was not only not the right texture, but it was so brittle that it would shatter when I cut it. It tastes wonderful, but only if you don't look at it. :-)
Ah well. Better patience next time. Luck isn't a factor if you follow the directions. :-D
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
It's Not Easy Eating Greens
Having grown up by and large on canned vegetables, greens of any kind were not something I learned to appreciate. My mom seemed to have a love of canned spinach, but I just couldn't develop an appreciation for something that was limp, olive green, and salty.
Somewhere along the line, and I don't recall when, I got reintroduced to proper greens. Then again, now that I think about it, it might have even started as spinach in a focaccia panino sandwich. I remember being really shocked at the difference and impressed at the flavor and texture difference. I've been a big fan of fresh spinach ever since. Aside from steaming it, I often enjoy it raw in salads or sandwiches, and will often use it in place of where I would otherwise use lettuce.
Another recent addition was a green that gets proverbially tossed around a lot with its association to Southern Cooking or soul food. That of course would be Collard Greens. These large flat slightly bitter leaves cook up nicely in a variety of ways. My favorite thus far is to strip the leaf from its stalk and center vein, and then roll up the strips and slice them into thin strips. I then toss a minced clove or two of garlic into a hot pan with about a tablespoon or so of olive oil and let it sizzle for a few moments. Then I toss in the big pile of greens and stir and toss regularly until the strips turn a bright green and just begin to wilt. I season with a little salt and pepper, and it is also very common to add a dash of your favorite hot sauce. I often use collard greens to otherwise dress up a dinner of boxed beans and rice or jambalaya. In addition to tasting good, they are high in Vitamin C, folate, and soluble fiber. Good stuffs!
I'm still learning to appreciate others. Kale and I still haven't come to any agreements, but I truly think it comes down to texture. These firm and tart leaves have a lot of cooking possibilities, but I haven't yet found an appreciation. I hear really good things about mustard greens and even greens from things like radishes and other root vegetables. I'll be investigating others over time.
Regardless, I've come a long way from canned, and I really enjoy the opportunities to rediscover fresh versions of things I only experienced preserved in such a way that it would feed the roaches at the end of the world. :-P
Somewhere along the line, and I don't recall when, I got reintroduced to proper greens. Then again, now that I think about it, it might have even started as spinach in a focaccia panino sandwich. I remember being really shocked at the difference and impressed at the flavor and texture difference. I've been a big fan of fresh spinach ever since. Aside from steaming it, I often enjoy it raw in salads or sandwiches, and will often use it in place of where I would otherwise use lettuce.
Another recent addition was a green that gets proverbially tossed around a lot with its association to Southern Cooking or soul food. That of course would be Collard Greens. These large flat slightly bitter leaves cook up nicely in a variety of ways. My favorite thus far is to strip the leaf from its stalk and center vein, and then roll up the strips and slice them into thin strips. I then toss a minced clove or two of garlic into a hot pan with about a tablespoon or so of olive oil and let it sizzle for a few moments. Then I toss in the big pile of greens and stir and toss regularly until the strips turn a bright green and just begin to wilt. I season with a little salt and pepper, and it is also very common to add a dash of your favorite hot sauce. I often use collard greens to otherwise dress up a dinner of boxed beans and rice or jambalaya. In addition to tasting good, they are high in Vitamin C, folate, and soluble fiber. Good stuffs!
I'm still learning to appreciate others. Kale and I still haven't come to any agreements, but I truly think it comes down to texture. These firm and tart leaves have a lot of cooking possibilities, but I haven't yet found an appreciation. I hear really good things about mustard greens and even greens from things like radishes and other root vegetables. I'll be investigating others over time.
Regardless, I've come a long way from canned, and I really enjoy the opportunities to rediscover fresh versions of things I only experienced preserved in such a way that it would feed the roaches at the end of the world. :-P
Monday, November 1, 2010
Beef Stroganoff
I had the pleasure of sharing a favorite dinner recipe with my sweeties this weekend. I learned to make a version of Beef Stroganoff over 10 years ago. It is generally a very simple and comforting dish, and since I cheat a little, it's that much easier.
The recipe has evolved a little bit since I've learned to make it. Traditionally in the UK and American incarnation, it is basically beef, wine, onions, mushrooms, made into a gravy mixed with sour cream, and served over rice or noodles. My cheat is that instead of making the roux and gravy, I use Cream of Mushroom soup. When I was seeing someone who was allergic to mushrooms, I traded it for Cream of Potato soup, and it turned out just as good. After realizing I really enjoyed the potato in with it, I decided later to use both soups.
I start by slicing up Top Round, or Bottom Round, or another similar cut of meat into bite-sized pieces. I then dice up a medium onion. With about 2 tablespoons of butter heating up in the bottom of a dutch oven, I begin browning the meat. As it begins to release its juices and brown, I toss in the onion and chopped mushrooms and stir regularly until the onion is translucent. Then I deglaze with about a cup of white wine (you can use red if you prefer, but it will turn the final sauce pink!). Then I pour in a can of condensed Cream of Mushroom soup, and a can of condensed Cream of Potato soup and whisk it together and lower the heat to a simmer.
While it's simmering, I get the egg noodles boiling and then drained.
Once the sauce is heated through and thickened up, I take it off the heat and whisk in a pint of sour cream, then season to taste with salt and pepper.
Then I plate up some noodles, and pour a ladle or two of sauce over the noodles, and that's it!
I have also been known to make it with plain white rice, and I imagine it would be good with brown rice as well.
Simple ingredients, but really good food.
If you want to make it more authentic, instead of using the condensed soups, take out the meat after it browns, make a flour roux with the fat and juices from the meat, let it toast up a little bit, and then add the wine. Then add milk to round out the gravy and season with salt and pepper.
The recipe has evolved a little bit since I've learned to make it. Traditionally in the UK and American incarnation, it is basically beef, wine, onions, mushrooms, made into a gravy mixed with sour cream, and served over rice or noodles. My cheat is that instead of making the roux and gravy, I use Cream of Mushroom soup. When I was seeing someone who was allergic to mushrooms, I traded it for Cream of Potato soup, and it turned out just as good. After realizing I really enjoyed the potato in with it, I decided later to use both soups.
I start by slicing up Top Round, or Bottom Round, or another similar cut of meat into bite-sized pieces. I then dice up a medium onion. With about 2 tablespoons of butter heating up in the bottom of a dutch oven, I begin browning the meat. As it begins to release its juices and brown, I toss in the onion and chopped mushrooms and stir regularly until the onion is translucent. Then I deglaze with about a cup of white wine (you can use red if you prefer, but it will turn the final sauce pink!). Then I pour in a can of condensed Cream of Mushroom soup, and a can of condensed Cream of Potato soup and whisk it together and lower the heat to a simmer.
While it's simmering, I get the egg noodles boiling and then drained.
Once the sauce is heated through and thickened up, I take it off the heat and whisk in a pint of sour cream, then season to taste with salt and pepper.
Then I plate up some noodles, and pour a ladle or two of sauce over the noodles, and that's it!
I have also been known to make it with plain white rice, and I imagine it would be good with brown rice as well.
Simple ingredients, but really good food.
If you want to make it more authentic, instead of using the condensed soups, take out the meat after it browns, make a flour roux with the fat and juices from the meat, let it toast up a little bit, and then add the wine. Then add milk to round out the gravy and season with salt and pepper.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Avgolemono and Tzatziki
My apologies for any of you that follow regularly. I've been up to my armpits helping put on a rock musical with dear friends, and not spending a lot of time in the kitchen. But now that the majority of the show is behind me, and being deep in Fall and Winter looming, the kitchen is calling again.
A semi-regular tradition for me over the last several years for my birthday is to enjoy dinner at a really wonderful little Greek restaurant close to home called Tantalus. Love pretty much everything I've tried, and I've never regretted a meal there.
One of the things we always seem to have as an appetizer with our dinners is Avgolemono. Translated as "egg-lemon", it is a lemon rice soup. It is thick, tart, and delicious. And from the moment I had it, I always wanted to try my hand at it if just to see how difficult it was.
Turns out, in general, this is a pretty easy soup to make.
Start with 8 cups of chicken stock put on the stove to boil with a cup of regular long grain rice (not the instant stuff). When it comes to a boil, turn down to simmer.
Just as the rice starts to soften, but before it is ready, separate 4 eggs, and beat the whites until you get soft peaks. Beat in the yolks and the juice from 3 lemons. Pull out about 2 cups of broth from the pot and sit in a bowl and let it cool a little. Then while beating the egg mixture vigorously, pour the separated broth little at a time until it incorporates without cooking the egg.
Take the rest of the soup off the heat when the rice is ready. Season as you like with salt and pepper. Then pour the egg mixture into the rest of the soup while whisking briskly. If it tempered correctly, it should mix without curdling.
Serve immediately with fresh ground pepper.
Really a snap.
Something else I decided to learn to make which goes along with the Greek theme is fresh Tzatziki sauce.
There is a pizza place in Issaquah called Amante's, and they offer a pizza called Sparticus which is basically gyro meat, red onion, feta, mozzarella cheese, and a pesto sauce. They serve it with a small container of tzatziki. But it is never enough. I even ask for extras, but it's like pulling teeth. So one night, I opted to learn to make my own!
One cup of Greek yogurt (or regular yogurt suspended over a bowl in cheesecloth or a strainer in the fridge to drain some of the whey and thicken it up), one cup of sour cream, whisked together. Two cloves of garlic, minced. Half a tsp of salt. A good several turns of fresh black pepper (or white pepper if you have it). One cucumber, peeled, halved, seeded, and then shredded or finely diced (it is recommended in the recipe I have that you can sit this, too, in the fridge for a couple hours in a strainer or cheesecloth over a bowl to drain off the extra liquid once its shredded). Three tablespoons of olive oil. One tablespoon of vinegar (I like using lemon juice instead). And about a quarter/half teaspoon of fresh chopped dill (dry works, but you may have to use more).
In a small bowl, mix the oil, salt, garlic, pepper and lemon juice. Mix well. In a larger bowl, whisk together the yogurt and the sour cream. Then add the oil mixture to the yogurt mixture and whisk together. Add in the cucumber and the dill. Mix well. And thats it!
Tzatziki tends to improve with time in the fridge, so if you can make it ahead, or put off eating it for at least 24 hours, you will be rewarded.
I hope you enjoy these as much as I do!
A semi-regular tradition for me over the last several years for my birthday is to enjoy dinner at a really wonderful little Greek restaurant close to home called Tantalus. Love pretty much everything I've tried, and I've never regretted a meal there.
One of the things we always seem to have as an appetizer with our dinners is Avgolemono. Translated as "egg-lemon", it is a lemon rice soup. It is thick, tart, and delicious. And from the moment I had it, I always wanted to try my hand at it if just to see how difficult it was.
Turns out, in general, this is a pretty easy soup to make.
Start with 8 cups of chicken stock put on the stove to boil with a cup of regular long grain rice (not the instant stuff). When it comes to a boil, turn down to simmer.
Just as the rice starts to soften, but before it is ready, separate 4 eggs, and beat the whites until you get soft peaks. Beat in the yolks and the juice from 3 lemons. Pull out about 2 cups of broth from the pot and sit in a bowl and let it cool a little. Then while beating the egg mixture vigorously, pour the separated broth little at a time until it incorporates without cooking the egg.
Take the rest of the soup off the heat when the rice is ready. Season as you like with salt and pepper. Then pour the egg mixture into the rest of the soup while whisking briskly. If it tempered correctly, it should mix without curdling.
Serve immediately with fresh ground pepper.
Really a snap.
Something else I decided to learn to make which goes along with the Greek theme is fresh Tzatziki sauce.
There is a pizza place in Issaquah called Amante's, and they offer a pizza called Sparticus which is basically gyro meat, red onion, feta, mozzarella cheese, and a pesto sauce. They serve it with a small container of tzatziki. But it is never enough. I even ask for extras, but it's like pulling teeth. So one night, I opted to learn to make my own!
One cup of Greek yogurt (or regular yogurt suspended over a bowl in cheesecloth or a strainer in the fridge to drain some of the whey and thicken it up), one cup of sour cream, whisked together. Two cloves of garlic, minced. Half a tsp of salt. A good several turns of fresh black pepper (or white pepper if you have it). One cucumber, peeled, halved, seeded, and then shredded or finely diced (it is recommended in the recipe I have that you can sit this, too, in the fridge for a couple hours in a strainer or cheesecloth over a bowl to drain off the extra liquid once its shredded). Three tablespoons of olive oil. One tablespoon of vinegar (I like using lemon juice instead). And about a quarter/half teaspoon of fresh chopped dill (dry works, but you may have to use more).
In a small bowl, mix the oil, salt, garlic, pepper and lemon juice. Mix well. In a larger bowl, whisk together the yogurt and the sour cream. Then add the oil mixture to the yogurt mixture and whisk together. Add in the cucumber and the dill. Mix well. And thats it!
Tzatziki tends to improve with time in the fridge, so if you can make it ahead, or put off eating it for at least 24 hours, you will be rewarded.
I hope you enjoy these as much as I do!
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