IDEAS IN FOOD: 30 entries from April 2018

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30 entries from April 2018

Frittata-ize

A frittata is a lot like soup. You can put just about anything in it that you want to. But it is not a catch-all for the old and discarded. It is a tool to re-purpose recent leftovers and extremely useful as a vehicle for stretching small amounts of delicious ingredients. Tonight we indulged in a frittata full of parmigiano-coated asparagus, pepperoni stewed potatoes, and fresh mozzarella cheese. It was hearty, rich and utterly satisfying. An extra bonus is that the leftovers will be even better tomorrow morning for breakfast.

Years Past

April 30, 2012

April 30, 2005

Ideas in Food: Great Recipes and Why They Work

Maximum Flavor: Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook

Gluten Free Flour Power: Bringing Your Favorite Foods Back to the Table

Posted on April 30, 2018 at 06:37 PM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS | Permalink | Comments (0)

Keeping It Simple

Beautiful asparagus doesn't need much. Most of the work is in the cleaning. It's my job to find the asparagus, it's Alex's job to clean it. He finds it meditative--thank goodness because I don't. Standing there peeling off every triangle makes me a little crazy because I'm thinking of the nine-thousand other things that I still need to do. It's funny because he's normally the more tightly strung of the two of us, but certain tasks just make me crazy. Once he is done, I coat toss them with a generous amount of olive oil and salt and pop them in a hot (400°F) oven for 10-20 minutes, depending on how thick the stalks are. These were beauties, thick enough to give us something to sink our teeth into, without needing to be peeled. When they came out of the oven, Alex showered them with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and they were ready to go. We eat these with our fingers because they taste better that way. The asparagus are sweet and earthy, the cheese adds a nice accent of umami, and the olive oil adds some mellow, grassy notes. As you bite into the stalks, juices run down your palms and the cheese sticks to your fingers, and it's the kind of gloriously messy goodness that we truly savor.

Years Past

April 29, 2017

April 29, 2016

April 29, 2015

April 29, 2012

April 29, 2007

April 29, 2005

Ideas in Food: Great Recipes and Why They Work

Maximum Flavor: Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook

Gluten Free Flour Power: Bringing Your Favorite Foods Back to the Table

Posted on April 29, 2018 at 06:47 PM in Approach to Cooking, At the Table, Balancing Tastes | Permalink | Comments (0)

Pepperoni Chuck Shoulder

I butterflied a beef chuck shoulder. I seasoned it with salt and layered slices of pepperoni on the open meat. I rolled the shoulder into a log and wrapped it in plastic wrap for two days. I handed the baton to Aki who braised the meat in a blend of chicken stock and tomato sauce in our slow cooker for several hours. With an hour left she added peeled potatoes and a heavy dash of soy sauce. The potatoes absorbed the meaty tomato flavor. The meat retained its shape while becoming fork tender. We let it rest overnight in the sauce, lifted off the fat, and gently reheated the beef and potatoes in the oven. The spuds were fork tender, the meat was succulent, and the sauce was savory and deep without being heavy. We spooned crisp salad into the leftover juices in each bowl and then everyone had seconds.

Years Past

April 28, 2017

April 28, 2016

April 28, 2015

April 28, 2012

April 28, 2005

Ideas in Food: Great Recipes and Why They Work

Maximum Flavor: Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook

Gluten Free Flour Power: Bringing Your Favorite Foods Back to the Table

Posted on April 28, 2018 at 06:56 PM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes | Permalink | Comments (1)

Stainless Steel Racks

We use cooling racks as platforms for salting meat and fish in advance and allowing them to air dry in the refrigerator for several days. We have written about the process and its benefits over the years. What we failed to write about was the quality of the rack we used. For years we used run of the mill cooling racks. These racks were designed for cooling cakes and cookies, not resting moist salted meat on. When we shifted our use of the racks to seasoning staples the racks began to degrade and leave marks, metal oxidation, on the meat. We realized we needed a better tool for the job. We invested in stainless steel racks which are more resistant to the moisture and salinity. The upgrade was long overdue. The results on the ingredients and the racks have been unnoticeable. Neither the ingredients or the racks have shown signs of wear and degradation.

Years Past

April 27, 2015

April 27, 2012

April 27, 2005

Ideas in Food: Great Recipes and Why They Work

Maximum Flavor: Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook

Gluten Free Flour Power: Bringing Your Favorite Foods Back to the Table

Posted on April 27, 2018 at 05:12 PM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS | Permalink | Comments (0)

José Andrés

Amazing things can happen when one person is willing to step up and show others how they can help.

Years Past

April 26, 2017

April 26, 2016

April 26, 2015

April 26, 2012

Ideas in Food: Great Recipes and Why They Work

Maximum Flavor: Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook

Gluten Free Flour Power: Bringing Your Favorite Foods Back to the Table

Posted on April 26, 2018 at 05:49 PM in INSPIRATIONS, Videos | Permalink | Comments (0)

Goat Cheese

Spring time always reminds me of goat cheese. There are always a few great ones that appear around this time of year. The bite above is from a Truffle Tremor from Cypress Grove. Goat cheese is an acquired taste. especially the ones with a little bit of age to them. In order to savor them properly, you have to lay them on your tongue and let them soften and bloom. There's a certain dryness and astringency that hits your palate first. Then as the cheese rests in your mouth, it becomes creamy and moist. You get notes of grass and green meadows, then sweetness, and finally that earthy goat tang that is like nothing else. Goat cheese tastes of the earth, of springtime and sunshine. It's best in small quantities, which is good because goat cheeses tend to be on the smaller side. Each small bite opens up a whole new world for your palate and there's nothing better than that.

Years Past

April 25, 2017

April 25, 2016

April 25, 2015

April 25, 2014

April 25, 2013

April 25, 2012

April 25, 2011

April 25, 2008

Ideas in Food: Great Recipes and Why They Work

Maximum Flavor: Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook

Gluten Free Flour Power: Bringing Your Favorite Foods Back to the Table

Posted on April 25, 2018 at 01:23 PM in At the Table, Food For Thoughts, Ingredients | Permalink | Comments (0)

Cream Burger Season

Last summer we started exploring adding heavy cream to our burger mixture in place of butter and water (any flavored liquid). The cream adds both moisture and additional fat to the meat mix. As with most everything we do we let the idea drift away. The warm weather, the smell of cut grass and a few more minutes in our afternoon allowed us to remember the idea and revisit it. It is our current high water mark in our quest for a moist and rich burger. We did not grind out meat for this version as I had hoped we would. Instead I hastily mixed cream and salt into 85-15 ground beef. The meat became sticky. I packed the meat into larger patties ready for a sear in our cast iron skillet. The reminder is twofold: come back to ideas and share them.

Years Past

April 24, 2017

April 24, 2016

April 24, 2015

April 24, 2012

April 24, 2005

Ideas in Food: Great Recipes and Why They Work

Maximum Flavor: Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook

Gluten Free Flour Power: Bringing Your Favorite Foods Back to the Table

Posted on April 24, 2018 at 06:02 PM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS | Permalink | Comments (3)

Soft Serve Inspirations

Years Past

April 23, 2017

April 23, 2016

April 23, 2015

April 23, 2012

Ideas in Food: Great Recipes and Why They Work

Maximum Flavor: Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook

Gluten Free Flour Power: Bringing Your Favorite Foods Back to the Table

Posted on April 23, 2018 at 05:56 PM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS | Permalink | Comments (0)

Thin Air

Years Past

April 22, 2012

Ideas in Food: Great Recipes and Why They Work

Maximum Flavor: Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook

Gluten Free Flour Power: Bringing Your Favorite Foods Back to the Table

Posted on April 22, 2018 at 06:05 PM in Approach to Cooking, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS, INSPIRATIONS | Permalink | Comments (0)

Recycling the Gravy

There was a specific order to assemble the dish. The polenta was placed in the bottom of the bowl topped by sliced mozzarella. The cheese was topped with sauce and meats: meatballs, pork ribs and pepperoni slices. The build was to allow the ingredients to remain separate and be united. The build was designed to allow the cheese to gently melt and retain its creamy stringiness. The build was a thoughtful arrangement of ingredients that told a story and made the meal greater than the idea of recycling leftovers.

Years Past

April 21, 2017

April 21, 2016

April 21, 2015

April 21, 2012

April 21, 2009

April 21, 2005

Ideas in Food: Great Recipes and Why They Work

Maximum Flavor: Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook

Gluten Free Flour Power: Bringing Your Favorite Foods Back to the Table

Posted on April 21, 2018 at 06:44 PM in Approach to Cooking, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS, INSPIRATIONS | Permalink | Comments (0)

Strawberry Shortcake

The doughnut is a Super Cake. The base glaze is vanilla-milk. The secondary glaze is strawberry-passion fruit. The combination transforms the idea of strawberry shortcake into a crushworthy doughnut.

Years Past

April 20, 2017

April 20, 2016

April 20, 2015

April 20, 2012

April 20, 2005

Ideas in Food: Great Recipes and Why They Work

Maximum Flavor: Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook

Gluten Free Flour Power: Bringing Your Favorite Foods Back to the Table

Posted on April 20, 2018 at 06:08 PM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS, Curiosity Doughnuts | Permalink | Comments (0)

Heath Pieces

I'm the first person to advocate for expensive cocoa and chocolate chips. I believe that great chocolate makes a real differences in my cookies. But every so often, I need a few Heath Pieces to balance everything out. Yes, I do occasionally make my own toffee bits--and they are awesome. But I don't always have the time or the inclination to make that happen. In those instances, a good handful of these candy bits can add an extra dimension of delicious to my cookies. It's a guilty pleasure because the ingredient list is somewhat daunting, but every so often I just have to indulge.

Years Past

April 19, 2017

April 19, 2016

April 19, 2015

April 19, 2012

April 19, 2006

April 19, 2005

Ideas in Food: Great Recipes and Why They Work

Maximum Flavor: Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook

Gluten Free Flour Power: Bringing Your Favorite Foods Back to the Table

Posted on April 19, 2018 at 05:45 PM in Approach to Cooking | Permalink | Comments (0)

Noodle Therapy

I simmered meatballs, pork ribs and pepperoni together for half of the day. I started making the noodles when the meatballs were tender, the ribs were falling off the bone and the pepperoni was melting into the sauce. My late start gave the cooked sauce and respective meats time to rest. Without the noodles immediately ready I was forced to slow down and keep my impatience in check. I was able to fuel my noodle making by stealing bites from the pot of deliciousness that was encouraging my noodling around.

Years Past

April 18, 2017

April 18, 2016

April 18, 2015

April 18, 2009

April 18, 2005

Ideas in Food: Great Recipes and Why They Work

Maximum Flavor: Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook

Gluten Free Flour Power: Bringing Your Favorite Foods Back to the Table

Posted on April 18, 2018 at 07:07 PM in American Noodles, Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, INSPIRATIONS | Permalink | Comments (0)

Kombucha

I spend a lot of time observing people at Whole Foods. It passes the time when things at the stand are slow. One of the things that strikes me is the diversity of customers in the store. They are from all walks of life, are all different colors, and from every socio-economic level, at least as far as I can see. I find that very comforting. I see the very best and worst of people as they help themselves to items from the hot and cold bars, which are directly in front of the doughnut stand, but that is a whole other story.

Slightly to the right of our stand is a kombucha display. Ten years ago hardly anyone drank kombucha. Now it is easily the most popular drink in the store. Almost every cart has some kind of kombucha in it. I drink kombucha every day. It's mostly because I like it, not because of any purported health benefits, although that may be how I was roped into tasting it in the first place. The bottle pictured is my favorite flavor. I limit myself to one bottle a day because it's expensive stuff. I don't drink coffee though, and I buy it by the case to save money, so I can justify my one a day habit. I often wonder what has made it so popular. Does everyone drink it because they like the not-so-sweet, fruity, fizzy flavor or are they in it for the health benefits? Is it just a good alternative to diet soda? Hardly anybody in Whole Foods has soda in their carts. Those not drinking kombucha are drinking iced tea/lemonade/water or some version of coffee. Alex claims that five years from now they will discover it's bad for us and then kombucha will be done. It's possible. For now, it's the hottest drink in the store. Do you drink kombucha?

Years Past

April 17, 2017

April 17, 2016

April 17, 2015

April 17, 2005

Ideas in Food: Great Recipes and Why They Work

Maximum Flavor: Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook

Gluten Free Flour Power: Bringing Your Favorite Foods Back to the Table

Posted on April 17, 2018 at 06:06 PM in Balancing Tastes, Culinary Conversations, Food For Thoughts | Permalink | Comments (0)

Super Cakes Year 2

It wasn't planned. A year ago we were putting the finishing touches on our Super Cake Doughnuts. I thought we had achieved greatness. At the time we had. But over the past year we have continued to tinker and test what was possible with the doughnut. Over the past month we have taken more backward steps than forward ones in trying to improve the doughnut. A doughnut we felt was already great. In the end we returned back to our original recipe with a greater understanding of the steps and visual cues that delivered success. We were able to record our process with more details. The failures and mistakes made us pay attention. The paying attention has allowed us to improve the Super Cakes.

Years Past

April 16, 2017

April 16, 2016

April 16, 2015

April 16, 2011

April 16, 2005

Ideas in Food: Great Recipes and Why They Work

Maximum Flavor: Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook

Gluten Free Flour Power: Bringing Your Favorite Foods Back to the Table

Posted on April 16, 2018 at 07:18 PM in Approach to Cooking, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS, Curiosity Doughnuts | Permalink | Comments (0)

Recycling

Peg rescued an old, broken dictionary that was going to be thrown away. She turned it into these cool paper flowers that were used at a bridal shower. She brought me one because she knows I am allergic to real thing. It immediately brought a smile to my face. It was the perfect illustration of how recycling can make the wold a better place.

Years Past

April 15, 2017

April 15, 2016

April 15, 2015

April 15, 2012

April 15, 2010

April 15, 2006

April 15, 2005

Ideas in Food: Great Recipes and Why They Work

Maximum Flavor: Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook

Gluten Free Flour Power: Bringing Your Favorite Foods Back to the Table

Posted on April 15, 2018 at 07:12 PM in Beyond the Kitchen Doors, INSPIRATIONS | Permalink | Comments (0)

Great Greens

Ribs and greens are a classic combination. Instead of simmering ours in a flavorful broth, long and low, we toss frozen greens in a baking pan with a little bit of salt and lay a rack of ribs over the top. The meaty juices cook into the greens and by the time the meat is done, the greens are soft and full of flavor. If we're feeling particularly fancy we toss them with a vinaigrette or marinade before cooking them, but the meat juices and some salt are more than enough to make them delicious. It's not exactly a weeknight dinner, because the ribs need 2-3 hours at 300°F to cook properly but it is a "fix it and forget it" kind of meal that gives you great rewards.

Years Past

April 14, 2017

April 14, 2016

April 14, 2015

April 14, 2012

April 14, 2005

Ideas in Food: Great Recipes and Why They Work

Maximum Flavor: Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook

Gluten Free Flour Power: Bringing Your Favorite Foods Back to the Table

Posted on April 14, 2018 at 07:30 PM in Approach to Cooking | Permalink | Comments (0)

Curiosity Caps

It has taken up until today to get our heads in gear.

Years Past

April 13, 2017

April 13, 2016

April 13, 2015

April 13, 2012

April 13, 2005

Ideas in Food: Great Recipes and Why They Work

Maximum Flavor: Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook

Gluten Free Flour Power: Bringing Your Favorite Foods Back to the Table

Posted on April 13, 2018 at 07:18 PM in Beyond the Kitchen Doors, Curiosity Doughnuts | Permalink | Comments (0)

Building Intuition

We experience. We learn. We forget. The overlap becomes our intuition.

Years Past

April 12, 2017

April 12, 2016

April 12, 2015

April 12, 2012

April 12, 2006

April 12, 2005

Ideas in Food: Great Recipes and Why They Work

Maximum Flavor: Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook

Gluten Free Flour Power: Bringing Your Favorite Foods Back to the Table

Posted on April 12, 2018 at 07:40 PM in Approach to Cooking, INSPIRATIONS | Permalink | Comments (1)

Skillet Chicken

I started the pre-salted chicken in the skillet on a bed of tomatoes dressed with olive oil, salt and white wine. When the chicken was 3/4-cooked I pulled the chicken out of the pan and added the asparagus, mixing it with the tomatoes and chicken pan drippings. I put the chicken back on the asparagus and returned the pan to the oven. When the chicken was cooked we removed the pan from the oven and let the bird to rest in the pan to give the juices time to finish mingling with the vegetables. The chicken flavors the vegetables. The vegetables flavor the chicken. The combination of everything together continues to demonstrate the idea that the result is greater than the sum of its parts.

Years Past

April 11, 2017

April 11, 2016

April 11, 2015

April 11, 2012

Ideas in Food: Great Recipes and Why They Work

Maximum Flavor: Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook

Gluten Free Flour Power: Bringing Your Favorite Foods Back to the Table

Posted on April 11, 2018 at 06:38 PM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS, INSPIRATIONS | Permalink | Comments (0)

Amaya's Salad

Slowly but surely, Amaya is starting to assert herself in the kitchen. Many chefs seem to raise child prodigies, who excel in the culinary arena. Amaya loves making pizza, but other than that, she has been content to let us do the cooking. Over the last few months though, she has begun making small salads for herself. I have to restrain my impulse to offer to help. I know it's important to let her do her thing, without my interference. She gets a certain satisfaction from choosing her vegetables, peeling them, and chopping them up. There's a rotating roster of carrots, cucumbers, orange peppers, and occasionally--tomatoes. She like a generous sprinkle of salt as her only seasoning and then happily crunches away on her snack. It's a significant step in her culinary development and it warms my heart to see her savoring her own creations.

Years Past

April 10, 2017

April 10, 2016

April 10, 2015

April 10, 2012

April 10, 2006

April 10, 2005

Ideas in Food: Great Recipes and Why They Work

Maximum Flavor: Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook

Gluten Free Flour Power: Bringing Your Favorite Foods Back to the Table

Posted on April 10, 2018 at 05:37 PM in Approach to Cooking, At the Table, Balancing Tastes | Permalink | Comments (0)

Simmering Shrimp Shells

The best reason to get shrimp with their shells still on them is because you can simmer them with few aromatics, some wine, and water to make a quick stock. In the time it takes you to prep the rest of your supper, you can create a delicious, flavorful liquid. Then you can use it to glaze the shrimp or make a sauce. It's an instant flavor enhancer that comes with very little effort on the part of the cook. Using everything always means a more flavorful dish.

Years Past

April 9, 2017

April 9, 2016

April 9, 2015

April 9, 2012

April 9, 2005

Ideas in Food: Great Recipes and Why They Work

Maximum Flavor: Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook

Gluten Free Flour Power: Bringing Your Favorite Foods Back to the Table

Posted on April 09, 2018 at 07:11 PM in Approach to Cooking | Permalink | Comments (0)

Spring Fever

Spring has arrived and Amaya and her friends are chewing on onion grass and making strange green concoctions out in the backyard. They are picking and chopping leaves and making strange drinks (that I sincerely hope they are not actually drinking.) Everyone seems to be full of energy and they are bouncing around the house and yard like crazy people, giggling and howling with glee at their own silliness. Spring fever has definitely arrived. Let's hope it's here to stay for a while.

Years Past

April 8, 2017

April 8, 2016

April 8, 2015

April 8, 2012

April 8, 2005

April 8, 2005 (2)

Ideas in Food: Great Recipes and Why They Work

Maximum Flavor: Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook

Gluten Free Flour Power: Bringing Your Favorite Foods Back to the Table

Posted on April 08, 2018 at 04:08 PM in Beyond the Kitchen Doors | Permalink | Comments (0)

Thought Process

Years Past

April 7, 2017

April 7, 2016

April 7, 2015

April 7, 2012

Ideas in Food: Great Recipes and Why They Work

Maximum Flavor: Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook

Gluten Free Flour Power: Bringing Your Favorite Foods Back to the Table

Posted on April 07, 2018 at 07:13 PM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Brink of Greatness

The day you understand you must do the picking is when the change happens.

Years Past

April 6, 2017

April 6, 2016

April 6, 2015

April 6, 2012

April 6, 2006

April 6, 2005

Ideas in Food: Great Recipes and Why They Work

Maximum Flavor: Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook

Gluten Free Flour Power: Bringing Your Favorite Foods Back to the Table

Posted on April 06, 2018 at 07:05 PM in Beyond the Kitchen Doors, INSPIRATIONS | Permalink | Comments (0)

Potato Chip Doughnuts

It's one small step from great chips to a great topping.

Years Past

April 5, 2017

April 5, 2016

April 5, 2015

April 5, 2012

April 5, 2006

April 5, 2005

Ideas in Food: Great Recipes and Why They Work

Maximum Flavor: Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook

Gluten Free Flour Power: Bringing Your Favorite Foods Back to the Table

Posted on April 05, 2018 at 06:32 PM in Approach to Cooking, Curiosity Doughnuts | Permalink | Comments (0)

Mocha Marbles

The duality of our marble doughnut inspired a double topping. In the past we have done black and white. Aki reminded me how much she enjoyed our coffee glaze. To emphasize her point she topped our marble clusters with a blend of chocolate and coffee glazes. The result was a rich, bright, flavorful pull-apart coffee and doughnut experience.

Years Past

April 4, 2015

April 4 2012

April 4, 2005

Ideas in Food: Great Recipes and Why They Work

Maximum Flavor: Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook

Gluten Free Flour Power: Bringing Your Favorite Foods Back to the Table

Posted on April 04, 2018 at 05:45 PM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS, Curiosity Doughnuts | Permalink | Comments (0)

How To Recycle Styrofoam

Embrace the idea that what everyone thinks is impossible is actually possible. Fail a lot. Don't give up. Eventually Ashton Cofer and his science fair team found a way to turn used styrofoam products into activated charcoal. That's one reason of many reasons why this up and coming generation is going to change the world.

Years Past

April 3, 2017

April 3, 2016

April 3, 2015

April 3, 2012

April 3, 2005

Ideas in Food: Great Recipes and Why They Work

Maximum Flavor: Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook

Gluten Free Flour Power: Bringing Your Favorite Foods Back to the Table

Posted on April 03, 2018 at 05:42 PM in Videos | Permalink | Comments (0)

Cruller Kits

We have taken to kit-efying our recipes. Separating the measuring and the cooking enables us to focus on each individual part. By weighing and measuring in advance and having the elements set up I can make the doughnuts quickly and efficiently. It allows us to limit mistakes and focus on creating.

Years Past

April 2, 2015

April 2, 2012