Waffling

Waffles are so much tastier than pancakes, yet so much more work it takes super motivation to prepare them at all. Bowl for wet ingredients, bowl for beating egg whites to soft peaks, bowl for dry ingredients, digging out the waffle iron, cleaning it all up again. Ah, but the eating! Where to begin? Butter and syrup? Or strawberries and whipped cream? Both? Half and half? Sounds good. Was good. Hardly Lenten.

Dinner Rolls Review

So I made the dinner rolls, and they were okay. Just okay. Wouldn't bother with again.

Dinner Rolls, Gourmet January 2008

Featherlight Yeast Rolls
I seldom bother with rolls for dinner, but these look good, not too much trouble, and a nice change from toast for breakfast. Obviously I'm not counting carbs. Yet.

Hot Milk Cake

Over a year since I've posted. That says something about the monotony of my diet and the lack of opportunities, or ambition to cook. Here, however is a good one, a Hot Milk Cake.
Preheat 325 Prepare 12 cup tube pan

stir: 2 cups flour-2tsp baking powder-1 tsp salt
Heat 1 cup milk and 8 tbsp butter until butter is melted and mixture is very hot. Do not boil. Add 2 tsp vanilla

Beat 4 eggs and 2 cups sugar at medium-high speed until 3x volume, about 6 minutes. Reduce to medium and add milk/butter slowly, until incorporated. Add flour mix in two batches, beating after each just until incorporated. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 50-60 minutes,
until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes, turn out onto rack and cool completely, min 1 hr. Serve with berries in syrup, or preserves, add whipped topping,
enjoy.

Local Farmers' Market Pumpkin Patch

Looked, didn't buy.

Chocolate Loaf Cake from Dorie Greenspan's "Baking"

Apple Pie Season

A Good Little Cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
1/2 cup cocoa (not Dutch process)
Dissolve in cup hot coffee
Add 2 tsps vanilla
Cool to room temp

Cream 12 tbls unsalted butter with 1 1/4 cups sugar
until fluffy

Add 2 large eggs 1 at a time, beat until well combined about a minute. The eggs should be at room temperature.

1 1/4 cups flour (tblsp or two less if its King Arthur flour)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
Mix the dry ingredients together

Add dry ingredients & cocoa/coffee mix alternately in three stages combining well after each addition. Beat at the end for about a minute until well combined.
Bake in two 8 inch pans for about 25 minutes

For frosting cream 1/2 lb butter with two cups confectioners sugar, 1 tbsp vanilla until creamy.

I found this basic recipe in Cook's Illustrated years' ago. I hope they don't mind my posting it here, escpecially if I recommend the magazine as a fine resource for recipes, general cooking advice and testing of food and food preparation items. It can be recognized by what is generally an attractive cover.
Cook's Illustrated

Oysters and Sweet Potatoes NYT

October 18, 2006
Recipe: Fried Oysters and Sweet Potatoes

Time: 45 minutes

¾ cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup white cornmeal
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
36 freshly shucked oysters with their liquor
2 eggs, separated
4 tablespoons soy sauce
4 tablespoons rice vinegar
4 tablespoons grated daikon (white radish)
About 4 cups vegetable oil for deep-frying
1 sweet potato, peeled, halved lengthwise and cut in 24 pieces
1 lemon, in 6 wedges.

1. Combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Drain oysters well, reserving oyster liquor. Strain, then measure the liquor. Add water, if needed, to make 1 cup. Mix with egg yolks and add to dry ingredients. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form, and fold in.

2. Combine soy sauce, rice vinegar and daikon, and divide among 6 small dishes for dipping. Set aside.

3. Heat oil for deep-frying in a wok or saucepan to 360 degrees. Dip sweet potato pieces in batter and deep-fry until golden, turning as needed. Fry in batches to avoid crowding and let oil return to full heat each time. Drain on paper towels. Repeat with oysters.

4. Pile oysters and sweet potatoes on a platter, surround with lemon wedges, and serve with sauce for dipping.

Yield: 6 servings.

New York Times Recipe Finnish Meatballs

October 18, 2006
Recipe: Finnish Meatballs

Time: 1 hour

¾ cup whole milk
3 slices white bread, crusts removed
6 ounces Valley Shepherd Califon Tomme, Cato Corner Dutch Farmstead or other mild
and buttery Gouda-style cheese
1½ cups loosely packed fresh parsley leaves, finely minced
¾ cup finely minced onion
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon ground white pepper
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon ground allspice
1 pound lean ground beef
1 pound ground pork
½ cup flour
¾ cup chicken or beef broth
¼ cup vegetable oil, or as needed
½ cup heavy cream.

1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, warm the milk just until steaming. Remove from heat and press bread into the milk; set aside.

2. Grate cheese on large holes of a box grater and place in large bowl. Add parsley, onion, eggs, salt, white pepper, black pepper and allspice. Stir well to combine. Add ground beef, ground pork and milk-soaked bread. Knead by hand or mix with a large wooden spoon until well-blended.

3. Spread flour on a plate. Roll meat mixture into 1½-inch balls, and roll in flour to coat. Place a Dutch oven over very low heat, and add broth. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.

4. Working in batches, add enough meatballs to loosely fill pan. Sear for about 1 minute, then shake pan to turn meatballs. Continue until well browned on all sides, adding more oil to the pan as needed. Transfer meatballs to Dutch oven and allow them to gently simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring carefully from time to time. Add cream and heat just until warmed. If desired, serve with small potatoes or egg noodles that have been tossed with butter and parsley.

Yield: 8 servings.

Jewish Coffee Cake

I don't know what makes this Jewish, except maybe the sour cream. Aunt Pat brought this home from work one day about 50 years ago, and it has been a family favorite ever since.
Here's the recipe:
Pre heat oven to 375 degrees
Cream
1/4 lb butter
1 cup sugar
Add 2 eggs

Mix together
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 cups flour

add to creamed mixture; beat just until combined
Stir in 1/2 pint sour cream
1 tsp vanilla

Mix 1 cup chopped walnuts
1 Tbls brown sugar
1 Tabls cinnamon
1/4 cup white sugar

Grease and flour a 10 inch tube pan; put half of batter into pan; sprinkle half of nut mixture on batter; cover with remaining mixture; sprinkle remaining nut mixtureon top.
Bake for @ 45 min, until cake tester comes out clean.
Picture to follow.

One More Book

The new Dorie Greenspan. I keep promising myself I won't buy another cookbook until I've tried a significant number of recipes from my collection. I couldn't resist this one, however. That chocolate cake with marshmallow frosting on the cover is alone worth the price. Shop around before purchasing, as it can be had for more than 1/3 off the cover price.

There's a New Chef in Town

Faith tried her hand at making the salad for dinner, and it was pretty enough to blog.
Her secret? A handy fruit and veggie tool purchased from the dapper English vendor, often in the precincts of the Union Sqaure Greenmarket, although I believe she bought it uptown. She whipped though the carrots, made short work of the red cabbage and switched to a knife for the cucumbers and green pepper. A great salad; I can't wait to see her take on apples.

Rachel Ray

I'm certainly not a food snob, and don't actually detest Rachel Ray, but I confess that I do find her hard to take. Her food is banal, and she is just too darn cute, in a cloying, corny way.
Linner, as a meal between lunch and dinner
has no place in my life. Why not dunch?
Did she really ask a guest: "What's the story, morning glory?"
I must be getting old, but that didn't work for me, and it was old when I was younger than Rachel. Some things just can't come back.
I think I've seen way too much of Rachel already, between $40 a Day and 30 Minute Meals, I'm up to here (indictaing a place high on the neck) with the woman.
Don't feel too sorry for her; with her TV shows, cookbook and magazine she's worth a mint, and I don't mean the chocolate kind.

Bamn! Damn!

I went to the new automat on St. Mark's Place. Just made me miss Horn & Hardart.
The snacky foods didn't look very appealing, maybe I was too hungry for little snacks, and should go there when I just want finger food. The counter didn't look very clean.
In the end I tried nothing.

The September 65th Anniversary issue of Gourmet reminds me why I fell in love with the magazine as a child,and have had so much trouble parting with a single copy: the covers. The current cover is nice, but the magazine reproduces several vintage covers, most from before my time as a reader. You are invited to vote on your favorite, and there will be psoters awardedas prizes to some voters. I briefly accessed some vintage folders on this site (not from the current issue) but they seem to have disappeared. Anyway, buy or at least peruse the issue, vote, and try some of the great recipes offered this month.

A Very Good Lunch

I must comment on a very good lunch I enjoyed yesterday at Benjamin on 2nd Ave and 32nd. It was blackened salmon and zucchini on a soft bun with jalapeno mayonnaise. The side was a very tasty cole slaw vinagrette. It was an excellent conception, tasty and well presented. I think they must have a new chef, because the menu is vastly different this was much tastier than anything I've had there in recent years.
Wish I'd brought my camera along.

Snow Soda? Snow Thanks

Yesterday on 8th St. I accpeted a sample bottled soft drink: Snow.
It is mint flavored. What other mint flavored liquid do you put in your mouth?
Mouthwash?
You bet, and that's just what it tastes like.
The manufacturer suggests mixing it with vodka. I can't imagine wanting to drink that mixture. I briefly considered mixing it with tea, but mint leaves would give a cleaner, better fresher taste.
I can't imagine this catching on.

Hidden Fruits of Murray Hill

FIG Fruit Facts

The fig is prominently mentioned in the Bible. Some believe it may have been the fruit Eve gave Adam which started this whole miserable existence outside the Garden.
I was surprised to see this hearty fruit growing on East 36th Stree, clinging to a patch of ground high above the exit street for the Midtown tunnel. The tree produces fruit, and starlings, at least, come to feast.

Coincidentally or not, just on the other side of the tunnel divide a peach tree in a small, enclosed courtyard is bearing fruit. I'm embarrassed to say how many years I passed by these two marvels without noticing. I wonder what else I'm missing.

Restaurant Inspection Information

Shake Shack Violations

Restaurant Inspection Information

I won't stop eating Shackburgers, but I'm not surprised by these violations. I always thought a restroom was required, but none was in evidence, and the crowded food preparation area seemed conducive to the sorts of things mentioned here.