What I like about Fisher's thoughts on Kasha (aka Buckwheat groats) is that she says "It can be bought most easily, at least in Western America, from 'health food stores.'" There were already health food stores in 1942?
Well, I didn't have to take off for Whole Foods or Sprouts, I was able to find buckwheat next to the oatmeal under the "organic" label at my HEB, however it was only available in a bag, not in bulk. I followed the directions, but there was overflow and a boiling mess to clean up. It fluffed up nicely though, despite my inattention.
It was indeed nutty, as Fisher said it would be, and I liked it well enough but can't think of what to serve it with to round out a meal. Fisher suggest meat or fowl and combining it with mushrooms. I can't imagine the look on my husband's face if I served him steak and a pile of buckwheat. (I just had progress getting him to agree to quinoa if it is spicy. I've been searching for spicy quinoa recipes for days ... .) I am intrigued with the mushroom idea for my own lunch. Maybe next week. In the meantime, I'll be searching for recipes using buckwheat since I have about three more cups to use up--and a cooked serving is a 1/4 cup.
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Friday, January 15, 2010
M.F.K. Fisher: J is for Juvenile Applesauce
In An Alphabet for Gourmets, Fisher takes a different approach than other gastronomic volumes in going through alphabet. It's not "A is for Apple, B is for Borscht" (page 575 in TAOE) but rather "A is for dining Alone, E is for Exquisite, F is for Family, I is for Innocence." Sometimes basic, sometimes deeper, but always with thought-provoking thoughts on her topic and usually with recipes, sometimes crazy ones.
That said, there are not any good recipes in The Art of Eating which begin with J. So I turned to J is for Juvenile where Fisher describes feeding her daughter and discusses her mother's applesauce. So that is why I chose to make applesauce for my son for my J recipe.
It was easy, peel Rome apples, boil, let cool, then puree. I should note that Fisher says applesauce should be lumpy and "never, never, never pureed." I am feeding a 6-month old. I pureed it. I also did not add the pat of butter that made the applesauce prepared by Fisher's mother "the best applesauce I have ever eaten."
For myself, I did add some vanilla and cinnamon. Next time I eat it--which will be soon since I have so much now, including a jar of organic applesauce--I will add brown sugar and cinnamon. The time after that, maybe some lemon zest. If I have lemons.
That said, there are not any good recipes in The Art of Eating which begin with J. So I turned to J is for Juvenile where Fisher describes feeding her daughter and discusses her mother's applesauce. So that is why I chose to make applesauce for my son for my J recipe.
It was easy, peel Rome apples, boil, let cool, then puree. I should note that Fisher says applesauce should be lumpy and "never, never, never pureed." I am feeding a 6-month old. I pureed it. I also did not add the pat of butter that made the applesauce prepared by Fisher's mother "the best applesauce I have ever eaten."
For myself, I did add some vanilla and cinnamon. Next time I eat it--which will be soon since I have so much now, including a jar of organic applesauce--I will add brown sugar and cinnamon. The time after that, maybe some lemon zest. If I have lemons.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
M.F.K. Fisher: All I could find was Fish in Lime
I is for Fish in Lime. That's three Is. So it works for my alphabet. Fisher does not have many recipes that start with I in The Art of Eating. Instant rice and riz a l'Imperatrice (which seems to be rice pudding and requires 16 eggs, red currant jelly, and a Bauvarian cream mold.) So I found an obscure sentence about baking fish in lime juice on page 225. Almost at the same time, Yumsugar reposted a recipe for Lime Steamed Salmon, which I baked, after digging out my steamer basket and finding it to be tiny.
It was OK. Honestly, it deserved better salmon and more salt than I used. I might try it again, in my tiny steamer basket. It was a nice break from the very brave seafood Jambalaya I made Monday and will be eating until Tuesday. Not that my husband is complaining, it was good, though time consuming, and called for two heads of garlic and some of the fish tastes funny. Also, now that I think of it, I should start questioning the fishmonger and demand better quality.
It was OK. Honestly, it deserved better salmon and more salt than I used. I might try it again, in my tiny steamer basket. It was a nice break from the very brave seafood Jambalaya I made Monday and will be eating until Tuesday. Not that my husband is complaining, it was good, though time consuming, and called for two heads of garlic and some of the fish tastes funny. Also, now that I think of it, I should start questioning the fishmonger and demand better quality.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Grandma's Burnt Sugar Cake: Syrup Experiement #1
Per my mother's request, I am attempting to recreate my grandmother's Burnt Sugar Cake. Today seemed like a good day to start as I have been hiding inside and letting an Arctic Blast attack Texas.
Hiding in my house means that when I discovered I was out of butter for the cake part, I decided to forget about putting on shoes, coat on myself and my 6-month old and going to the store. Instead, I decided to practice the burning sugar syrup part and worry about the cake later. (I can't think about that now. I'll think about that tomorrow.)
Grandma's instructions (in the entirety)
Burn in a skillet: 1/2 C. Sugar
Then add: 1/2 C. water
Cook to a syrup, but don't cook too long.
GAAAAAAAAAAA!!! What temperature is the skillet? How long will it take the sugar to burn? Mom said something about a cast iron skillet--do I need one? Don't cook too long? How long is too long?
What I learned today: it doesn't take long for the sugar to burn. It's scary to add water to burning sugar. In fact, I ran across the kitchen when it started to splatter and sputter unkindly at me. According to this blog, I probably stirred it too much and took it off the heat too soon, because I didn't end up with syrup, but with brown simple syrup.
Hiding in my house means that when I discovered I was out of butter for the cake part, I decided to forget about putting on shoes, coat on myself and my 6-month old and going to the store. Instead, I decided to practice the burning sugar syrup part and worry about the cake later. (I can't think about that now. I'll think about that tomorrow.)
Grandma's instructions (in the entirety)
Burn in a skillet: 1/2 C. Sugar
Then add: 1/2 C. water
Cook to a syrup, but don't cook too long.
GAAAAAAAAAAA!!! What temperature is the skillet? How long will it take the sugar to burn? Mom said something about a cast iron skillet--do I need one? Don't cook too long? How long is too long?
What I learned today: it doesn't take long for the sugar to burn. It's scary to add water to burning sugar. In fact, I ran across the kitchen when it started to splatter and sputter unkindly at me. According to this blog, I probably stirred it too much and took it off the heat too soon, because I didn't end up with syrup, but with brown simple syrup.
M.F.K. Fisher: Gingerbread
G is for Gingerbread.
In How to Cook a Wolf, Fisher says her mother's recipe for Gingerbread "... is the best recipe for gingerbread ever devised." Reminder, How to Cook a Wolf was published in 1942. Edith's Gingerbread is a basic gingerbread recipe with one exception: boiling water. I've made a few different versions of cakey gingerbread and never seen boiling water. She notes that the batter will seem "much too thin to make a cake." She's right. It seemed very thin and watery. In the book, it says to bake for 20 minutes. When I looked at my cake after that time, it was wiggling and was much more solid after 11 more minutes.
Fisher describes the gingerbread as springy. It is indeed springy. However, I have another recipe which does not contain shortening and has more molasses that I like better. So, I probably would not make this again. However, my husband thinks it was pretty good, but then he seems to like baked goods with shortening (trans fats) in them.
In How to Cook a Wolf, Fisher says her mother's recipe for Gingerbread "... is the best recipe for gingerbread ever devised." Reminder, How to Cook a Wolf was published in 1942. Edith's Gingerbread is a basic gingerbread recipe with one exception: boiling water. I've made a few different versions of cakey gingerbread and never seen boiling water. She notes that the batter will seem "much too thin to make a cake." She's right. It seemed very thin and watery. In the book, it says to bake for 20 minutes. When I looked at my cake after that time, it was wiggling and was much more solid after 11 more minutes.
Fisher describes the gingerbread as springy. It is indeed springy. However, I have another recipe which does not contain shortening and has more molasses that I like better. So, I probably would not make this again. However, my husband thinks it was pretty good, but then he seems to like baked goods with shortening (trans fats) in them.
Monday, January 4, 2010
M.F.K. Fisher: F is for Foo Yeung
F is for Foo Yeung.
I keep calling Foo Yeung "Foo Goo," since that's what my grandfather used to call me (no, I don't know why he called me that).
Anyway, it's basically an omelette, however, Fisher states that is is similar to a frittata. It's made up of diced onions, celery, green pepper, and mushrooms and eggs. I think of it as fried rice, without the rice. She does note that other things can be added to her recipe--shrimp, cooked rice, chicken, fried almonds and "minced cooked porkhambeefvealfish."
The main thing I learned making this was that I don't like celery in my eggs. I would not make this again, I would just make fried rice. I love me some fried rice.
I keep calling Foo Yeung "Foo Goo," since that's what my grandfather used to call me (no, I don't know why he called me that).
Anyway, it's basically an omelette, however, Fisher states that is is similar to a frittata. It's made up of diced onions, celery, green pepper, and mushrooms and eggs. I think of it as fried rice, without the rice. She does note that other things can be added to her recipe--shrimp, cooked rice, chicken, fried almonds and "minced cooked porkhambeefvealfish."
The main thing I learned making this was that I don't like celery in my eggs. I would not make this again, I would just make fried rice. I love me some fried rice.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Homemade Baby Food: ABC
Honestly, I never expected to be someone who made their own baby food. I never intended to use cloth diapers either. For the diapers, it's just that I read a lot and listened to several podcasts and everyone made it seem so easy. And it is.
As for baby food, it suddenly seemed easy when my mother said she made my baby food. Her moment came when she saw the price for baby food bananas and decided she could mash her own.
So, I got an immersion blender and ice cube trays for Christmas and now have three bags of food in my freezer.
We did start my son off on rice and oatmeal. And we do use the 4 day wait rule for introducing new foods to my son. So we don't have a long list of foods that he has tasted/eaten.
A is for Avocado
Take a ripe avocado. Mash it. Maybe add some breast milk or formula, to make it a little creamier. Done.
Feed to eager baby. Expect stained clothes and bibs. Make yourself guacamole with leftover avocado (which, admittedly, is the whole reason to feed your baby avocado in the first place.)
B is for Banana
Cut banana in half. Mash with fork. Maybe add milk/formula. Done.
Feed to baby. Eat the rest of the banana yourself. Expect stained bib/clothes and very sticky, fibrous diapers. (Thank you, Dad, for the diaper sprayer. I really, really appreciate it.)
C is for Carrots
I should note that we always have a bag of baby carrots around the house. And I should confess that yes, I do know baby carrots are big carrots cut up. And yes, I do know it is cheaper to buy whole carrots and peel and cut them myself. But I just won't do that. I like that the baby carrots are cut up and I like having them around.
Steam baby carrots until tender. Allow to cool. Add a little water (but not water used to steam carrots--nitrates apparently). Blend. Pour into ice cube trays. Freeze. Pop out of trays. Place in bags. Label. Take out one cube at a time to defrost in fridge overnight.
I should also say thank you to the people who gave me some stage 2 baby food. I don't want you to think I am ungrateful, we've opened some of it already. And I'll break into it when introducing meats, since I am intimidated by cooking meat for me, the thought of cooking it for my son terrifies me.
Sources
Wholesomebabyfood: Best reference site about foods, includes recipes. Breaks down feeding by ages and foods and includes nutrition. Includes helpful info on freezing. Well-respected--most linked to from other sites.
Weelicious: A California Mother posts baby/toddler foods daily on her blog. Lists many sources and foods are broken down by ages. Does make me feel guilty for baking with sugar and using white rice. Some ingredients are hard to find without a trip to Whole Foods.
BabyFood101: Big database, lists ages and has recipes. I've not used it too much, yet.
Nurture Baby: Another mother's website/company. Has nutrition info. Seems better for toddlers.
Articles
Chow: Make Your Own Baby Food. A few basic recipes.
Gourmet: Bringing Up Baby. Read now before it disappears.
Seattle Examiner: How to Make Your Own Baby Food.
Book
Top 100 Baby Purees. There are several other books out there, but this one gives cooking times, freezing suggestions, and has pictures. I like pictures in my cookbooks.
As for baby food, it suddenly seemed easy when my mother said she made my baby food. Her moment came when she saw the price for baby food bananas and decided she could mash her own.
So, I got an immersion blender and ice cube trays for Christmas and now have three bags of food in my freezer.
We did start my son off on rice and oatmeal. And we do use the 4 day wait rule for introducing new foods to my son. So we don't have a long list of foods that he has tasted/eaten.
A is for Avocado
Take a ripe avocado. Mash it. Maybe add some breast milk or formula, to make it a little creamier. Done.
Feed to eager baby. Expect stained clothes and bibs. Make yourself guacamole with leftover avocado (which, admittedly, is the whole reason to feed your baby avocado in the first place.)
B is for Banana
Cut banana in half. Mash with fork. Maybe add milk/formula. Done.
Feed to baby. Eat the rest of the banana yourself. Expect stained bib/clothes and very sticky, fibrous diapers. (Thank you, Dad, for the diaper sprayer. I really, really appreciate it.)
C is for Carrots
I should note that we always have a bag of baby carrots around the house. And I should confess that yes, I do know baby carrots are big carrots cut up. And yes, I do know it is cheaper to buy whole carrots and peel and cut them myself. But I just won't do that. I like that the baby carrots are cut up and I like having them around.
Steam baby carrots until tender. Allow to cool. Add a little water (but not water used to steam carrots--nitrates apparently). Blend. Pour into ice cube trays. Freeze. Pop out of trays. Place in bags. Label. Take out one cube at a time to defrost in fridge overnight.
I should also say thank you to the people who gave me some stage 2 baby food. I don't want you to think I am ungrateful, we've opened some of it already. And I'll break into it when introducing meats, since I am intimidated by cooking meat for me, the thought of cooking it for my son terrifies me.
Sources
Wholesomebabyfood: Best reference site about foods, includes recipes. Breaks down feeding by ages and foods and includes nutrition. Includes helpful info on freezing. Well-respected--most linked to from other sites.
Weelicious: A California Mother posts baby/toddler foods daily on her blog. Lists many sources and foods are broken down by ages. Does make me feel guilty for baking with sugar and using white rice. Some ingredients are hard to find without a trip to Whole Foods.
BabyFood101: Big database, lists ages and has recipes. I've not used it too much, yet.
Nurture Baby: Another mother's website/company. Has nutrition info. Seems better for toddlers.
Articles
Chow: Make Your Own Baby Food. A few basic recipes.
Gourmet: Bringing Up Baby. Read now before it disappears.
Seattle Examiner: How to Make Your Own Baby Food.
Book
Top 100 Baby Purees. There are several other books out there, but this one gives cooking times, freezing suggestions, and has pictures. I like pictures in my cookbooks.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
M.F.K. Fisher: Date Delight and Hard Sauce
D is for Date Delight, H is for Hard Sauce. (E was for Eggs in Hell, F will be Foo Yeung, and G will be for Gingerbread)
The name Date Delight sounds pleasant and happy in a rather British way. It also sounds like it should be related to Turkish Delight. According to Fisher's commentary, Date Delight "makes a pleasant hot dessert which is definitely a pudding." So, it is related to the British! As in Figgy Pudding, Christmas Pudding, etc. And like Figgy Pudding, it is served with a lemon sauce, what Fisher calls Hard Sauce, which has rum in it.
Among the many things Date Delight called for was crumbs. Crumbs. What kind? Can I use Graham cracker crumbs? But I was saving my Graham cracker crumbs for Magic Bars. So I used my food processor and crumbed some bread. I also only had dried dates on hand and used half the amount called for in the recipe.
It smelled delicious while baking, but came out cakey. Rather like a cinnamon coffee cake, but dotted with dates, which I now prefer to raisins after this experiment.
Fisher says its an expensive dish. Hmmm, I disagree there as I had almost everything on hand but the dates. She also says it should be the main point of a meal and should be served after soup and salad, is a winter thing, and that men like it more than do women. I tried to make it the main point and served it as dessert after salmon, green beans, and a carrot/cheese/rice casserole side dish. I agree with Fisher, it is a winter thing, mainly because of the spices used in baking and it's relationship to puddings. And my husband did say it was good. However, back to that main point of a meal ... after eating it, my husband had ice cream, a Purdy's chocolate, Boy Scout popcorn AND a beer. So for him, it turned out to be more of a side dish.
As for the Hard Sauce. That didn't work out at all. Maybe it was because I didn't properly cream the butter and powdered sugar or maybe those two things cannot be creamed, but I ended up throwing it out. Instead, I turned to a similar recipe in How to Be A Domestic Goddess which mixed powdered sugar and lemon juice, but didn't call for butter or shortening. And I poured in--a little too fast--some Southern Comfort (since I don't have rum).
All I really tasted was the fruity Southern Comfort. Poured on the Date Delight, it reminded me of my Grandmother's neighbor's famous Rum Cake, but with more flavor.
Would I make it again? Possibly. If I had leftover dates. I wouldn't bother with the Hard Sauce.
The name Date Delight sounds pleasant and happy in a rather British way. It also sounds like it should be related to Turkish Delight. According to Fisher's commentary, Date Delight "makes a pleasant hot dessert which is definitely a pudding." So, it is related to the British! As in Figgy Pudding, Christmas Pudding, etc. And like Figgy Pudding, it is served with a lemon sauce, what Fisher calls Hard Sauce, which has rum in it.
Among the many things Date Delight called for was crumbs. Crumbs. What kind? Can I use Graham cracker crumbs? But I was saving my Graham cracker crumbs for Magic Bars. So I used my food processor and crumbed some bread. I also only had dried dates on hand and used half the amount called for in the recipe.
It smelled delicious while baking, but came out cakey. Rather like a cinnamon coffee cake, but dotted with dates, which I now prefer to raisins after this experiment.
Fisher says its an expensive dish. Hmmm, I disagree there as I had almost everything on hand but the dates. She also says it should be the main point of a meal and should be served after soup and salad, is a winter thing, and that men like it more than do women. I tried to make it the main point and served it as dessert after salmon, green beans, and a carrot/cheese/rice casserole side dish. I agree with Fisher, it is a winter thing, mainly because of the spices used in baking and it's relationship to puddings. And my husband did say it was good. However, back to that main point of a meal ... after eating it, my husband had ice cream, a Purdy's chocolate, Boy Scout popcorn AND a beer. So for him, it turned out to be more of a side dish.
As for the Hard Sauce. That didn't work out at all. Maybe it was because I didn't properly cream the butter and powdered sugar or maybe those two things cannot be creamed, but I ended up throwing it out. Instead, I turned to a similar recipe in How to Be A Domestic Goddess which mixed powdered sugar and lemon juice, but didn't call for butter or shortening. And I poured in--a little too fast--some Southern Comfort (since I don't have rum).
All I really tasted was the fruity Southern Comfort. Poured on the Date Delight, it reminded me of my Grandmother's neighbor's famous Rum Cake, but with more flavor.
Would I make it again? Possibly. If I had leftover dates. I wouldn't bother with the Hard Sauce.
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