We had a crowd again this Thanksgiving and I am so grateful for my family and guests. This year, there were two little children: my niece’s kids; and so it begins again. It feels like it wasn’t so long ago that I was setting places with little plates and forks and no wines glasses. Then […]
Today’s blog has no calories. No nutrition either (except, maybe brain nutrition), but absolutely no calories. Some of these quotes are anonymous, some from very famous people, but all are spot on. Enjoy! “A clean kitchen is the sign of a wasted life.” -Unknown “I only have a kitchen because it came with the […]
Are you ready for a technique? Once you learn this, you will use it all the time and not believe that you will ever intimidated by it before. En Papillote [ahn pa-pee-yawt], is a French technique that means “in paper” or in Italian “al cartoccio”. En Papillote is a method of cooking in which the […]
Last time we learned how to make simple vinaigrette. Easy right? So today, we will learn what to do to take that vinaigrette and emulsify it. That is to add an ingredient (or ingredients) that make the oil and water passionate about each other! Emulsifier–a surface-active agent that facilitates the mixing of two or more […]
Let’s use up some more of those strawberries we bought last week. This was the dessert I served on Sunday for Mother’s Day…and wouldn’t you know it, my older (affianced) son told me he didn’t like strawberries. Wait. At his age, you’re not allowed to be picky anymore. Grow up, honey!! OK…breathe. Everyone else liked […]
As a continuation of last week’s blog on oils, I thought I’d help clear up some confusion about olive oil. Everybody says use more olive oil in cooking, but what to buy? There are so many products in the grocery store and at so many different prices. Really, individual brands are a matter of taste […]
Boy, are cooking oils confusing. Once we used Mazola, butter and lard. That was it, but now there are good-for-you oils, bad-for-you oils and lots in-between. I hope this will be an easy guide to figure out what kind of oil to use when you are cooking. Saturated fats: BAD for you because they are […]
Slurry: A thin paste of cold water and corn starch or arrow root, which is stirred into hot preparations (such as soups, stews and sauces) as a thickener. This is an alternative to roux and is popular with chefs as it does not have to be cooked as long. Commonly called a Lié. Soft/Stiff Peaks: […]
Rolling Boil: When a liquid is bubbling vigorously and cannot be stirred down to below boiling point. Ramekin: A small baking dish used for individual servings of sweet and savory dishes. Crème Brulée is served in a ramekin, as often is a gratin. Ex: Mac and Cheese. Reconstitute: To take a dehydrated food such as […]
Julienne: To cut into long, thin strips. Jus: The natural juices released by roasting meats, as in Roast Beef au Jus. No thickener or added ingredients, just the natural juices from the meat cooking with maybe a bit of stock, water or wine to deglaze the roasting pan and an effort to defat those drippings. […]
