I just discovered Chow.com's "The Ten". Don't know how I only just found out about this. Fun lists of food-related tid bits.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Internet Foodie Link
I just discovered Chow.com's "The Ten". Don't know how I only just found out about this. Fun lists of food-related tid bits.
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Knead Practice!
To my dismay, I haven't had much success as a baker recently. Much of the blame can be attributed toward my stubbornness that leads me to believe I can get away without using a recipe, even when I'm dealing with chemical reactions of trying to get foodstuffs to rise.
My recent crumpet experiment did not turn out horribly, though I can't really say that crumpets were the actual end-product of the baking event.
And what is a crumpet you ask? The simplest way to describe it is as the bread product that would result if an English muffin and a regular ol' pancake were to get together one night and produce offspring. The crumpet inherits its dense holey goodness from its English side, and its soft & flat characteristics from its pancake side. And from both its parents, the crumpet gets its desire to be topped with additional yummy goodness and served at breakfast, or just about any other time of day.
So anyway, I think I killed the yeast in soymilk that was too warm, but I didn't want to waste the liquid, so I went on with the experiment. What resulted is a product that was a bit too dense and chewy, without the lovely holes that are the perfect crevices for such substances like butter.
Luckily they tasted okay, crumpets or not. They were all gone by the morning, eaten mostly underneath jam piles and in the form of "mini pizzas" and breakfast sandwiches. I can't decide if I want to try again or attempt a different dough-product first, but I will certainly post when I make something that resembles a crumpet a little more closely.
And while I obviously did not master the task, I'll post my recipe for those who want to have a go at it yourselves!
Ingredients:
1 c. soymilk
2 tsp. yeast
1 tsp. brown sugar
1 c. plain flour
2 T. gluten
1 tsp. salt
Directions:
Warm the soymilk, then mix in yeast and brown sugar. Let this sit for a couple minutes to let the yeast do its thing. Sift the remaining ingredients together, then add the liquid and stir well. Let the batter sit in a warm place for about an hour.
After resting, spoon the mixture onto a preheated pan into 3-4 inch circles. Let cook on low for about 10 minutes. Bubbles should form and the top will appear holey. For the last minute or so, flip your crumpets so the other side can turn golden.
My recent crumpet experiment did not turn out horribly, though I can't really say that crumpets were the actual end-product of the baking event.
And what is a crumpet you ask? The simplest way to describe it is as the bread product that would result if an English muffin and a regular ol' pancake were to get together one night and produce offspring. The crumpet inherits its dense holey goodness from its English side, and its soft & flat characteristics from its pancake side. And from both its parents, the crumpet gets its desire to be topped with additional yummy goodness and served at breakfast, or just about any other time of day.
So anyway, I think I killed the yeast in soymilk that was too warm, but I didn't want to waste the liquid, so I went on with the experiment. What resulted is a product that was a bit too dense and chewy, without the lovely holes that are the perfect crevices for such substances like butter.
Luckily they tasted okay, crumpets or not. They were all gone by the morning, eaten mostly underneath jam piles and in the form of "mini pizzas" and breakfast sandwiches. I can't decide if I want to try again or attempt a different dough-product first, but I will certainly post when I make something that resembles a crumpet a little more closely.
And while I obviously did not master the task, I'll post my recipe for those who want to have a go at it yourselves!
Ingredients:
1 c. soymilk
2 tsp. yeast
1 tsp. brown sugar
1 c. plain flour
2 T. gluten
1 tsp. salt
Directions:
Warm the soymilk, then mix in yeast and brown sugar. Let this sit for a couple minutes to let the yeast do its thing. Sift the remaining ingredients together, then add the liquid and stir well. Let the batter sit in a warm place for about an hour.
After resting, spoon the mixture onto a preheated pan into 3-4 inch circles. Let cook on low for about 10 minutes. Bubbles should form and the top will appear holey. For the last minute or so, flip your crumpets so the other side can turn golden.
- Related Links:
- Crumpet Wiki
- Crumpet History
Grill Time
Some people believe that vegetarians have no reason to own a grill. This is an unfortunate misconception, because there are many delicious vegetarian foods that are barbeque-compatible.
There are the more obvious grillable vegetarian items: veggie burgers, veggie dogs, and veggie kebabs/skewers. But many people overlook the grilling potential of the quintessential vegetarian food item, itself: tofu.
As a nice beginning to the summer barbeque season, I had the chance to enjoy some grilled tofu this week. It was bathed in a spicy soy marinade, which made it nice and juicy on the inside, while slightly crispy with grill marks on the outside. Yay for summer eating!
There are the more obvious grillable vegetarian items: veggie burgers, veggie dogs, and veggie kebabs/skewers. But many people overlook the grilling potential of the quintessential vegetarian food item, itself: tofu.
As a nice beginning to the summer barbeque season, I had the chance to enjoy some grilled tofu this week. It was bathed in a spicy soy marinade, which made it nice and juicy on the inside, while slightly crispy with grill marks on the outside. Yay for summer eating!
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Nerdy Confession
I am lucky in the sense that I get to eat out on my company's dollar pretty often. When we go to a nice restaurant, the nerd inside me wants to take photos of the food. The sad part is that at the same time, I am conflicted about taking photos of food in front of my coworkers--I don't want to look like some weirdo who has never eaten at a restaurant before. Or like someone who has a strange and unhealthy obsession with food. That certainly wouldn't go over with this crowd.
For these reasons, I tend not to take photos of some of my culinary adventures, and I have to apologize for not having as many beautiful photos of dining out experiences as I'd like to. In addition to being slightly sad about not being able to fulfill my own desire of taking photos of pretty food, I have a guilt for not being able to take photos for my Random Yummies audience. I wish I could share some of those experiences with you!
In lieu of a photograph of a lovely combination of sorbets that I enjoyed at a lunch on Monday, I drew you a picture! The flavors are lime, mango, and a Mexican berry whose name I don't remember. Delicioso!
For these reasons, I tend not to take photos of some of my culinary adventures, and I have to apologize for not having as many beautiful photos of dining out experiences as I'd like to. In addition to being slightly sad about not being able to fulfill my own desire of taking photos of pretty food, I have a guilt for not being able to take photos for my Random Yummies audience. I wish I could share some of those experiences with you!
In lieu of a photograph of a lovely combination of sorbets that I enjoyed at a lunch on Monday, I drew you a picture! The flavors are lime, mango, and a Mexican berry whose name I don't remember. Delicioso!
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Everyday Indulgences
Olive Oil is something on which I've become quite reliant over the past few years. I am not sure when exactly this near-addiction began, but I do know that my friends think I use absurd amounts of the stuff. Olive oil is quite literally an everyday indulgence for me.
One of the most embarrassing moments in the history of my olive oil addiction took place at an Italian restaurant with some friends. This was the kind of restaurant where a bottle of olive oil is placed in the middle of the table--alongside some herb mixture and grated parmasan cheese, for you to pour onto your bread plate--for dipping pleasure. Our table's bottle was near the end of its life, with only a quarter to a half cup remaining. I soak up more than my fair share of olive oil with bread and was of course thrilled that our server brought a replacement bottle!
I don't remember what my main dish was, but I do remember the looks on my friends' faces when I poured olive oil all over my food in a manner that others typically reserve for pouring maple syrup on pancakes or waffles. These friends then proceeded to make comments about how they thought I deserve to be much fatter for my [over] consumption of Olive Oil. They might be right, or they might be jealous. I'd like to believe the latter.
And my love of the golden juice is not limited to consumption in food. I have been known to use it as a moisturizer and have tried it as an ingredient to several other homemade health/beauty "remedies".
After hearing that Olive Oil Gelato was on the menu at Mario Batali's Otto, I knew this was something that I had to try. While this might not sound very appetizer to lesser fans of Olive Oil, I'm sure you can tell that I was up for the challenge!
I was looking forward to sampling other items from the "authentic Italian, with a trendy NYC Twist" menu, but couldn't really get my mind off dessert during the courses leading up to it. The antipasti were delicious teasers, and I enjoyed the stone oven baked Quattro Formaggio Pizza more than I expected, but the Olive Oil Gelato really is what made the visit most worthwhile!
I tried the Olive Oil Coppetta, which was Olive Oil Gelato served with Sorbets of Blood Orange and Tangerine, a side of Candied Kumquats, and a Fennel Wafer. The olive oil taste was subtle, but was complemented well by the Fennel Wafer and light sprinkle of sea salt. I liked the candied kumquats and tangy fruit sorbets, but they were a little overpowering for my palette that was searching for the flavor of olive oil.
Overall, I give the Olive Oil Gelato at Otto Pizzeria Three Forks Up (or in this case, Spoons Up). If you get the chance to try it, I think you'll be surprised at how delicious it is and how well it pleases the different sense regions on your taste buds.
Next time I'm at Otto, I will definitely be ordering the Olive Oil Gelato, sans coppetta. I may even get a pint to take home!
One of the most embarrassing moments in the history of my olive oil addiction took place at an Italian restaurant with some friends. This was the kind of restaurant where a bottle of olive oil is placed in the middle of the table--alongside some herb mixture and grated parmasan cheese, for you to pour onto your bread plate--for dipping pleasure. Our table's bottle was near the end of its life, with only a quarter to a half cup remaining. I soak up more than my fair share of olive oil with bread and was of course thrilled that our server brought a replacement bottle!
I don't remember what my main dish was, but I do remember the looks on my friends' faces when I poured olive oil all over my food in a manner that others typically reserve for pouring maple syrup on pancakes or waffles. These friends then proceeded to make comments about how they thought I deserve to be much fatter for my [over] consumption of Olive Oil. They might be right, or they might be jealous. I'd like to believe the latter.
And my love of the golden juice is not limited to consumption in food. I have been known to use it as a moisturizer and have tried it as an ingredient to several other homemade health/beauty "remedies".
After hearing that Olive Oil Gelato was on the menu at Mario Batali's Otto, I knew this was something that I had to try. While this might not sound very appetizer to lesser fans of Olive Oil, I'm sure you can tell that I was up for the challenge!
I was looking forward to sampling other items from the "authentic Italian, with a trendy NYC Twist" menu, but couldn't really get my mind off dessert during the courses leading up to it. The antipasti were delicious teasers, and I enjoyed the stone oven baked Quattro Formaggio Pizza more than I expected, but the Olive Oil Gelato really is what made the visit most worthwhile!
I tried the Olive Oil Coppetta, which was Olive Oil Gelato served with Sorbets of Blood Orange and Tangerine, a side of Candied Kumquats, and a Fennel Wafer. The olive oil taste was subtle, but was complemented well by the Fennel Wafer and light sprinkle of sea salt. I liked the candied kumquats and tangy fruit sorbets, but they were a little overpowering for my palette that was searching for the flavor of olive oil. Overall, I give the Olive Oil Gelato at Otto Pizzeria Three Forks Up (or in this case, Spoons Up). If you get the chance to try it, I think you'll be surprised at how delicious it is and how well it pleases the different sense regions on your taste buds.
Next time I'm at Otto, I will definitely be ordering the Olive Oil Gelato, sans coppetta. I may even get a pint to take home!
Monday, March 24, 2008
Foodie Blogroll
I kept coming across blogs I really liked and realized a pattern; many of them were listed on the Foodie Blogroll. Aspiring to join their ranks, I applied and am now a member!
Random Yummies is about my random adventures in eating & all things food related. I'm Moxie.. someone who never skips breakfast and frequently plans travel around the food. I live with J, my partner in crime. We don't always have the same tastes in food, but they do say opposites attract.
Welcome to any new viewers from the Foodie Blogroll!
Random Yummies is about my random adventures in eating & all things food related. I'm Moxie.. someone who never skips breakfast and frequently plans travel around the food. I live with J, my partner in crime. We don't always have the same tastes in food, but they do say opposites attract.
Welcome to any new viewers from the Foodie Blogroll!
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