IDEAS IN FOOD: Approach to Cooking

Jalapeno Noodles with Pistachio, Cabbage and Mortadella Sauce

I made jalapeno noodles. They have become a regular addition to my noodle making repertoire. The intensity of the jalapenos acts as a flavorful foil for rich sauces. I started the sauce with cabbage, soffrito and minced mortadella. I made a pistachio stock with salt roasted pistachios, water and soy sauce. I pureed them together and strained the mixture. The result was an intense pistachio stock. I added it to the soffrito and cooked the ingredients together until the cabbage was tender. I finished the sauce with a spoonful of prepared horseradish. I cooked the noodles and glazed them in the sauce. I finished the bowls of noodles with grated salt roasted pistachios.

Years Past

October 7, 2015

October 7, 2012

October 7, 2011

October 7, 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 October 07, 2018 at 04:05 PM in American Noodles, Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes | Permalink | Comments (0)

Flavoring Noodles

We recently made 4 flavored pastas: jalapeno, yellow mustard, Frank's hot sauce and horseradish. The flavor must be at least three times as intense as the desired end result. The flavor is diluted three times in the noodle process: in the making, the cooking, and the saucing. By making sure the initial flavor is overly assertive the final flavor becomes a delicious element in the final dish.

Years Past

October 6, 2015

October 6, 2012

October 6, 2011

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 October 06, 2018 at 05:10 PM in American Noodles, Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS | Permalink | Comments (0)

Pizza Dough Dumplings

I spent yesterday making and sharing noodles. At one point I borrowed a pizza dough, cut it up and put it in the pasta boiler. The dough cooked up into a tender, plump dumplings. Are pizza dough dumplings necessary? Probably not. But they show potential worth exploring in texture, flavor and as a creative canvas.

Years Past

October 4, 2015

October 4, 2012

October 4, 2008

October 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 October 04, 2018 at 08:09 PM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes | Permalink | Comments (1)

Buttermilk Bolognese With Burrata

Our latest obsession is burrata on top of pasta. We've found these smaller balls of cheese that are perfect for single servings. When you break it open over a hot bowl of rigatoni with buttermilk bolognese, you get this wonderful melding of textures and flavors: creamy and chewy, hot and cold, soft and firm. It's the perfect opportunity to play with your food.

Years Past

October 3, 2015

October 3, 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 October 03, 2018 at 12:40 PM in Approach to Cooking, At the Table | Permalink | Comments (0)

Monte Madness

I prepared 4 bulletproof beurre montes for pasta-fest tomorrow at the Pizza and Pasta Expo. I am fortunate to be making and cooking in the Arcobaleno booth. I will be serving an array of noodles in the style of those we have made for American Noodles. The monte flavors are: original, Frank's Hot Sauce, jalapeno-soy, and farro-miso. They bring flavor, fat and function to a la minute pasta making. Stay tuned for the rest of the dishes.

Years Past

October 2, 2015

October 2, 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 October 02, 2018 at 04:04 PM in American Noodles, Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS | Permalink | Comments (0)

Kielbasa Sausage

Salumi soffritos have been an essential element in our pasta preparations. Over the years we have used salumi as an ingredient. I finally integrated the cured meat into a fresh sausage. I am working on a few varieties. The first is kielbasa sausage. The cured, smoked and cooked sausage is a flavorful inclusion to the pork shoulder. The end result is the best of both ideas: fresh and cured.

Years Past

October 1, 2015

October 1, 2012

October 1, 2011

October 1, 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 October 01, 2018 at 06:56 PM in American Noodles, Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS | Permalink | Comments (0)

Pumpkin Seed Crumble v2

I've updated our pumpkin seed crumble. I now make it with a blend of salt roasted pumpkin seeds, white chocolate and vanilla sandwich cookies. The crumble is salty, sweet, rich, and very much like crumbled peanut butter but with pumpkin seeds. We have used it on maple glazed cider sticks as well as on top of our pumpkin pie glazed clusters (pictured.)

Years Past

September 28, 2017

September 28, 2016

September 28, 2015

September 28, 2014

September 28, 2013

September 28, 2012

September 28, 2011

September 28, 2010

September 28, 2009

September 28, 2008

September 28, 2007

September 28, 2006

September 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 September 28, 2018 at 06:39 PM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS, Curiosity Doughnuts | Permalink | Comments (0)

Celery Root, Apples and Hot Oil

I made the salted stingers, actually jalapenos, for pizza night. The benefit of cooking them in garlic oil is the leftover hot oil. Today I cut up a celery root and pre-salted it. I let the celery root season and marinate in its own celery flavored brine. I cut up a few apples and added them to the bowl. I dressed the two with a blend of cider and rice vinegar. I added sliced scallions and a heavy dose of hot oil. The salad is crisp, bright, bitter, and spicy. It is delicious as it is and will be tremendous topped with burrata later this evening.

Years Past

September 27, 2017

September 27, 2016

September 27, 2015

September 27, 2014

September 27, 2013

September 27, 2012

September 27, 2011

September 27, 2010

September 27, 2009

September 27, 2008

September 27, 2007

September 27, 2006

September 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 September 27, 2018 at 06:01 PM in American Noodles, Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes | Permalink | Comments (0)

Salting Stingers

I am not sure why it never crossed my mind to season the jalapenos before cooking with them, specifically in oil. I wonder why we don't pre-salt a lot of vegetables before cooking? It makes plenty of sense now that I'm thinking about it.

Years Past

September 26, 2017

September 26, 2016

September 26, 2015

September 26, 2014

September 26, 2013

September 26, 2012

September 26, 2011

September 26, 2010

September 26, 2009

September 26, 2008

September 26, 2007

September 26, 2006

September 26, 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 September 26, 2018 at 03:55 PM in American Noodles, Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS, Impromptu Pizza, INSPIRATIONS | Permalink | Comments (0)

Yeasted, Gluten Free, Vegan, and, Yes, Delicious Doughnuts

The path of our gluten free doughnuts has been rocky. When we first opened Curiosity Doughnuts I set out to make an exact replica of our yeasted doughnut. I made the doughnut but was not able to juggle the logistics to make it happen consistently. I adjusted to my circumstances and created a chemically leavened baked doughnut. I changed flavors from apple cider to pumpkin to devils food cake. The doughnuts were delicious, though technically they were doughnut shaped cakes. I played around with making a gluten free cruller. It was delicious but not functionally repeatable. I returned to the baked doughnut.

When we moved our shop into its new location I quietly shelved the gluten free doughnut, much to the dissatisfaction of some of our core doughnut fans. I knew that I wanted to return to making the gluten free doughnut--I just didn't have time to give it my full attention. In the meantime I've tweaked and fine tuned our other doughs. I made a vegan doughnut. At the shop it is "not quite vegan" because we have to fry it in the same oil as our other doughnuts. Once that was settled, I started mulling gluten free doughnuts once more. I reasoned that it might as well be vegan too, because many of our gluten free customers have other food sensitivities. And I like a challenge.

I set about tinkering. I created a new flour blend for the doughnuts. I integrated it into our existing vegan recipe. It behaved differently than I expected. I adjusted the dough and set about frying. The doughnuts are crisp and crackly on the outside. The crumb is moist, tender and chewy. The doughnuts are a success. I still need to figure out how to integrate these doughnuts into our high gluten environment. My biggest obstacle was creating a doughnut that was so good no one would guess it was vegan and gluten free. Now I have an incredible motivation to get it into our customers hands.

Years Past

September 25, 2017

September 25, 2016

September 25, 2015

September 25, 2014

September 25, 2013

September 25, 2012

September 25, 2011

September 25, 2010

September 25, 2009

September 25, 2008

September 25, 2007

September 25, 2006

September 25, 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 September 25, 2018 at 06:28 PM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS, Curiosity Doughnuts | Permalink | Comments (0)

Revisiting Shrimp Salumi

We have used shrimp as base for salumi style preparations from sausage to chorizo. Recently we circled back on the idea. In this revisit we adjusted the flavors to replicate pepperoni. I'm not sure why it took so long for us to do this, but I am sure glad we did.

Years Past

September 23, 2017

September 23, 2016

September 23, 2015

September 23, 2014

September 23, 2013

September 23, 2012

September 23, 2011

September 23, 2010

September 23, 2009

September 23, 2008

September 23, 2007

September 23, 2006

September 23, 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 September 23, 2018 at 07:30 AM in American Noodles, Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS, INSPIRATIONS | Permalink | Comments (0)

Dole Whipped

There is heat. There is humidity. There is lots and lots of walking. There is a need for cool and comforting refreshments. Insert Dole Whip, the must have pineapple soft serve sorbet featured in Disney World. Bon Appetit has a solid recap of Dole Whip and its popularity growth from cult following to must consume thanks largely in part to social media. We consumed Dole Whip strait up, swirled and as a float. Like many experiences, our first was amazing and the second was good but not otherworldly. That could be a function of the heat, the humidity and the miles walked. It could also be related to the mind and how we sort of knew what was coming. When you know the surprise, it's no longer surprising.

Of course when we get back to reality I have plans for visiting with soft serve sorbet, (you will see its uprising) and particularly swirled and included in combination with ice cream as ripples, swirls and shattered pieces.

Years Past

September 22, 2017

September 22, 2016

September 22, 2015

September 22, 2014

September 22, 2013

September 22, 2012

September 22, 2011

September 22, 2010

September 22, 2009

September 22, 2008

September 22, 2007

September 22, 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 September 22, 2018 at 07:16 AM in Approach to Cooking, INSPIRATIONS | Permalink | Comments (0)

An Obsession with Stems

Stems, the often discarded pieces of vegetables, are culinary diamonds in the rough. Over the years we have tinkered with and highlighted the use of stems.

There is our stem salad.

There is our water spinach salad.

There are the parts of the hosta plant.

And there is the simplicity in cilantro.

There is our collard green stem barigoule.

There is the cauliflower stem slices.

And there is the beet stem stew.

There are many more stem-centric ideas within the posts of Ideas in Food. These few are an in your face reminder to not let the discard pile be discarded.

As for the bowl above, we pickled collard green stems with preserved lemons and cherry peppers. The finished preparation has yet to find a permanent home, but it certainly wants to be folded into mayonnaise and be served with fish and chips.

Years Past

September 21, 2017

September 21, 2016

September 21, 2015

September 21, 2014

September 21, 2013

September 21, 2012

September 21, 2011

September 21, 2010

September 21, 2009

September 21, 2008

September 21, 2007

September 21, 2006

September 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 September 21, 2018 at 07:34 AM in American Noodles, Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS | Permalink | Comments (0)

Stay Silly

I searched for the origin of the Stay Silly quote in the poster. I stumbled across a collection of Dr. Seuss Quotes. They brightened up my day. They made me wonder and want to explore. They put gas in my creative think tank.

Years Past

September 18, 2017

September 18, 2016

September 18, 2015

September 18, 2014

September 18, 2013

September 18, 2012

September 18, 2011

September 18, 2010

September 18, 2009

September 18, 2008

September 18, 2007

September 18, 2006

September 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 September 18, 2018 at 07:44 AM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS, INSPIRATIONS | Permalink | Comments (0)

Maniacal Milkshakes

The milkshake is the canvas. The obsession is in the details. In the case of our simple chocolate milk shake the decadent chocolate whipped cream and chocolate sauce made it crushworthy. The whip cream was as flavorful, rich and thick as the shake. The shake was thick and still sippable. But it was the whip cream that caught my attention. It was chocolaty, super thick and not really meltable. It was dream cream. It raised the bar for what whip cream can and should be.

Years Past

September 16, 2017

September 16, 2016

September 16, 2015

September 16, 2014

September 16, 2013

September 16, 2012

September 16, 2011

September 16, 2010

September 16, 2009

September 16, 2008

September 16, 2007

September 16, 2006

September 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 September 16, 2018 at 05:59 AM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, INSPIRATIONS | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Allure of Aroma: Pumpkin Pie

Marketing mavens have pushed the envelope of when fall is and thus when pumpkin season begins. Despite my frustration with jumping seasons and forcing ideas I too brought pumpkin back to Curiosity Doughnuts. I have a thing for pie. Almost all pies. But when summer ends I know I can begin to play with the darker flavors and aromas of cold weather pies. We are currently making a pumpkin pie flavored glaze and using doughnut crumb streusel to top doughnuts. We have played with the combination on our cider sticks and our yeasted clusters. The combination dates back to our streusel crusted pumpkin pie. I have reworked it into a doughnut.

Years Past

September 15, 2017

September 15, 2016

September 15, 2015

September 15, 2014

September 15, 2013

September 15, 2012

September 15, 2011

September 15, 2010

September 15, 2009

September 15, 2008

September 15, 2007

September 15, 2006

September 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 September 15, 2018 at 04:06 AM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS, Curiosity Doughnuts | Permalink | Comments (0)

Beet Casarecce

I have had a note on my to do list to revisit beet pasta for some time. Yesterday I was able to make the noodles using a beet powder. Beet powder is red sugar. It has some flavor but is mostly sweet. I substituted 5% beet powder for semolina in our basic formulation, 100 grams. As I began mixing the dough I noticed the pasta seemed to be hydrating faster than normal. I held back some water. The amount of water was equal to 80 grams, which was equal to 80% of the weight of the beet powder. In baking sugar is considered a liquid. In pasta making high sugar ingredients behave in a similar way. I didn't make the connection until I did.

September 13, 2017

September 13, 2016

September 13, 2015

September 13, 2014

September 13, 2013

September 13, 2012

September 13, 2011

September 13, 2010

September 13, 2009

September 13, 2008

September 13, 2007

September 13, 2006

September 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 September 13, 2018 at 07:20 PM in American Noodles, Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS | Permalink | Comments (0)

Jalapeno and Pepperoni

I spent the day making pasta and pizza. One impromptu creation emerged based on my fetishes. It was jalapeno noodles in a pepperoni sauce. It was another why did it take this long to do this moments. The jalapeno amped up the pepperoni. The pepperoni filled in a richness to the jalapeno. I'm thankful and you're welcome.

Years Past

September 12, 2017

September 12, 2016

September 12, 2015

September 12, 2014

September 12, 2013

September 12, 2012

September 12, 2011

September 12, 2010

September 12, 2009

September 12, 2008

September 12, 2007

September 12, 2006

September 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 September 12, 2018 at 05:50 PM in American Noodles, Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS | Permalink | Comments (0)

Potato Flake and Starch Crusted Pork Chops

I made a dredge with equal parts potato starch and potato flakes. I coated our brined pork chops in the mixture and pressed the coating onto the wet meat. I had planned to let the crust sit and hydrate in the refrigerator overnight. My plans and timing did not coincide. I let the crust hydrate for a few hours and then shallow fried the chops. The crust browned and toasted. The chops were moist and flavorful. The shorter hydration still produced an amazing crust. The shallow frying allowed for adequate browning but not nearly the effect of deep frying. As usual I made too much. Thankfully I was happy to save the leftovers. I didn't have a plan at the time. But this morning I woke with a new craving. The chops sparked the biggest pleasure, pork chop parmigiana.

Years Past

September 10, 2017

September 10, 2016

September 10, 2015

September 10, 2014

September 10, 2013

September 10, 2012

September 10, 2011

September 10, 2010

September 10, 2009

September 10, 2008

September 10, 2007

September 10, 2006

September 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 September 10, 2018 at 04:32 PM in American Noodles, Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tis the Season

Which came first, the pumpkin or the spice?

Years Past

September 9, 2017

September 9, 2016

September 9, 2015

September 9, 2014

September 9, 2013

September 9, 2012

September 9, 2011

September 9, 2010

September 9, 2009

September 9, 2008

September 9, 2007

September 9, 2006

September 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 September 09, 2018 at 06:01 PM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS, Curiosity Doughnuts | Permalink | Comments (0)

Chicken Fried Pork Chops Part 1

I started with our fried chicken model. I butterflied pork chops and scored the inside. I pounded them to thin them further. I made a brine with buttermilk, hot sauce, liquid smoke, soy sauce, and salt. I slid the chops into the brine to let them season overnight. It also gives me enough time to figure out what kind of breading we can crust them with.

Years Past

September 7, 2017

September 7, 2016

September 7, 2015

September 7, 2014

September 7, 2013

September 7, 2012

September 7, 2011

September 7, 2010

September 7, 2009

September 7, 2008

September 7, 2007

September 7, 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 September 07, 2018 at 06:12 PM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS | Permalink | Comments (0)

Red Hot Rustic Casarecce

I wanted a simpler, more straight forward spicy noodle. The piri piri pasta was delicious. But the additional ingredients and steps in the process became lost in the final preparation. I have found noodles benefit from having their own singular focus. That focus allows their flavor to be carried through the many stages of flavor dilution: pasta making, pasta cooking, pasta saucing. I blended 2 parts Frank's Red Hot sauce with 1 part water to hydrate, at 30%, durum flour. I still added our .25% baking soda and .25% salt to the mixture to enhance the chew and bite of the noodles. The result was Red Hot noodles. When I want to add additional flavors to the noodles I will make a separate intensely flavored noodle and combine the two as part of the dish.

Years Past

September 6, 2017

September 6, 2016

September 6, 2015

September 6, 2014

September 6, 2013

September 6, 2012

September 6, 2011

September 6, 2010

September 6, 2009

September 6, 2008

September 6, 2007

September 6, 2006

September 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 September 06, 2018 at 02:48 PM in American Noodles, Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS | Permalink | Comments (1)

Italian Sponge Cake

Until yesterday I had never heard of Italian Sponge Cake. I was noodling around the internet and typed in the lightest cake ever. Up came Italian sponge cake. It consists of three ingredients: eggs, sugar and flour. If you want it to taste better salt and vanilla are a good start. I looked at a few recipes and was drawn in deeper. I overlapped several recipes and integrated our own weights for ingredients to make a trial cake. The process was easy. The results were light and delicate. The simplicity is inspiring. Now it's time to explore, repeat, and rebuild.

Years Past

September 5, 2017

September 5, 2016

September 5, 2015

September 5, 2014

September 5, 2013

September 5, 2012

September 5, 2011

September 5, 2010

September 5, 2009

September 5, 2008

September 5, 2007

September 5, 2006

September 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 September 05, 2018 at 06:27 PM in Approach to Cooking, Bakers Dozen, Balancing Tastes | Permalink | Comments (0)

Shades of Yellow

Years ago the colors would have inspired a refined composition. Tonight the same ingredients became an inspired dinner. Both pathways are worth traveling. Both inspire and reward. In satiated reflection more ideas emerged, inspired by the colors and the flavors we experienced.

Years Past

September 4, 2017

September 4, 2016

September 4, 2015

September 4, 2014

September 4, 2013

September 4, 2012

September 4, 2011

September 4, 2010

September 4, 2009

September 4, 2008

September 4, 2007

September 4, 2006

September 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 September 04, 2018 at 06:05 PM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS | Permalink | Comments (0)

No Time for Pie, Thank Goodness for a Crisp

We were shopping and Amaya zeroed in on the rhubarb. "Can we get this?"

"What are we going to use it for?" was my immediate response.

She thought for a minute. "Strawberry rhubarb pie!"

How could I say no to that? But it was an exceptionally busy week and I didn't have time to make pie that day or the next. On the third morning I looked at my fruit and then at the clock. I was working at the shop that the afternoon and time was running short. So I macerated the fruit with the pie filling ingredients in a loaf pan and made a crumb topping. Then I left both of them in the fridge with instructions for Alex and Amaya to sprinkle the topping over the fruit and bake them when they got home. By the time I made it home for dinner the crisp was resting on the stove. It worked out perfectly. One way or another, there's always time for some kind of home made dessert.

PS: Why a loaf pan? We prefer more a higher fruit to crumb ratio. This way there lots of saucy red fruit to go with the ice cream and just enough crumble topping to give it the perfect crunch.

Years Past

September 3, 2017

September 3, 2016

September 3, 2015

September 3, 2014

September 3, 2013

September 3, 2012

September 3, 2011

September 3, 2010

September 3, 2009

September 3, 2008

September 3, 2007

September 3, 2006

September 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 September 03, 2018 at 05:02 PM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes | Permalink | Comments (0)

Super Fried

I crusted our doughnuts with mung bean noodles in my quest for amazing texture. They stuck to the doughnut, fried up beautifully and became an amazing crust. They look like a tumbleweeds, or miniature funnel cakes on the doughnut. The trials were today. Tomorrow they will go into proper production at Curiosity Doughnuts.

Years Past

September 1, 2017

September 1, 2016

September 1, 2015

September 1, 2014

September 1, 2013

September 1, 2012

September 1, 2011

September 1, 2010

September 1, 2009

September 1, 2008

September 1, 2007

September 1, 2006

September 1, 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 September 01, 2018 at 06:08 PM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, Curiosity Doughnuts | Permalink | Comments (2)

Chasing Texture

I was pleased and proud of the flavorful crunchiness we created in our tiger crunch doughnut. I have been bouncing ideas of other textural elements we could embed in our doughnuts pre-frying. The other day I reached for puffed rice. The rice stuck and fried nicely in the dough. It added a lighter crunch than the cornflakes. The downside of the puffed rice is the aesthetic. The rice needs to be hidden so it loses its grub-like appearance. A thicker glaze is in order to make the puffed rice truly pop.

Years Past

August 31, 2015

August 31, 2011

August 31, 2010

August 31, 2009

August 31, 2008

August 31, 2007

August 31, 2006

August 31, 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 August 31, 2018 at 06:18 PM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS, Curiosity Doughnuts | Permalink | Comments (1)

Blending Chips For The Win

We have steadily been tweaking our chocolate chip cookie game. The most noticeable improvement has been to use a blend of assorted chips and other inclusions. We use white, milk, dark and semi sweet chocolate. We add toffee pieces and occasionally Butterfinger shards. The blending and mixing of chips creates variety and delightful textural differences in the cookies. The flavors make me pay attention to each bite.

It turns out our friend Stella Parks of BraveTart fame is an equal fan of blending chips to improve the cookie experience. She writes about it in her book BraveTart: Iconic American Desserts. If you don't have it yet, it's a worthwhile addition to any culinary library.

Years Past

August 30, 2015

August 30, 2012

August 30, 2011

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 August 30, 2018 at 06:01 PM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS | Permalink | Comments (0)

Piri Piri Pasta

A good friend of ours, Anthony Goncalves, makes an incredible piri piri sauce. His secret is Frank's Red Hot sauce. I have long been smitten with the sauce and wanted to transform it into noodles. Today I combined Frank's with a chili powder blend. I used the mixture as the liquid for hydrating the durum flour. The result was a spicy, aromatic piri piri noodle.

Years Past

August 29, 2015

August 29, 2012

August 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 August 29, 2018 at 06:09 PM in Approach to Cooking | Permalink | Comments (0)

Interchangeable Inspiration

We rely on solid building blocks, from recipes to people. Recently we added a new member to our team at Curiosity Doughnuts. I wanted a chocolate ring doughnut with chocolate crumbs. She was able to understand the essence of our doughnuts and create the result with an improved style. When you are able to assemble to right pieces, creativity thrives.

Years Past

August 26, 2012

August 26, 2011

August 26, 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 August 26, 2018 at 05:34 PM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, Curiosity Doughnuts | Permalink | Comments (0)

Moo Shu-catini

Too often we let leftover moo shu rot in our refrigerator. We are usually not up for wrapping it up in pancakes again. I've tried the moo shu omelette and fried rice. But even those delights lose their luster when repeated enough. This time around Aki suggested using the moo shu as a pasta sauce, in the style of lo mein. I was game, but was not in the mood for spaghetti. I reached for my favorite go to noodle, bucatini. I heated the leftovers in the pan and boiled the noodles. I brought the two together and the three of us were crushing a delicious bowl of noodles. The bucatini's thicker side was a delightful counterpart to the rich, umami-heavy moo shu. I'm now intrigued with the idea of the cross pollination of Italian noodles with Chinese dishes.

Years Past

August 25, 2015

August 25, 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 August 25, 2018 at 06:40 PM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS | Permalink | Comments (1)

Work With an Edge

We have a focused art collection, primarily with large prints from Hugh Macleod of Gapingvoid. They inspire and fuel our creativity.

Years Past

August 23, 2015

August 23, 2012

August 23, 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 August 23, 2018 at 06:58 PM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes | Permalink | Comments (0)

Go For the Combo

I wanted fried calamari. Aki wanted belly clams and fried shrimp. Amaya wanted clam strips and fried calamari. We debated our wants and explored the menu. We could get a combo platter with most of what we all wanted. Or we could each get our own fried seafood basket. Experience has taught me to be a bit cautious with unknown, or new to us, restaurants. But we were on a mini vacation. We chose as individuals and agreed to share. I learned my lesson again. First of all, it was way too much seafood for the three of us. Second, at least one of the three selections was under fried. The second was debatable. It may have been influenced by my realization that I've lost my love for belly clams.

The combo would have limited our losses. It would have added fries to the mix. It would have allowed us to experience more and give us the opportunity to double down if we weren't already excessively full. Next time, it's the combination platter all the way, one, to share.

Years Past

August 22, 2016

August 22, 2015

August 22, 2014

August 22, 2013

August 22, 2012

August 22, 2011

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 August 22, 2018 at 06:47 AM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS, INSPIRATIONS | Permalink | Comments (1)

Grease Fire Burgers

I made a bunch of thin burgers. I was going to cook them on the grill, layer cheese between the patties off the heat and let the juices and cheese mingle and melt. Then I started cooking the burgers on the vacation house grill. The first few burgers were fine. But, as I cooked and the fat dripped through the grill, it ignited the residual grease underneath and it turned into a fire box. I used the not-quite a spatula that came with the house to move, flip and adjust the burgers. I tried to make sure that neither the burgers nor myself turned into charcoal. I still proceeded with my plan of layering burgers and cheese, though I ended up pulling the burgers a bit early. I put the burgers into a 375°F oven for 5 minutes once they were all rescued from the grill. The cheese melted fully and encased the meat. Remarkably, the resulting burger experience was one of the most delicious I have had in a long time. Perhaps I need a bit more fire on the front side and the gentle-ish heated finish and rest to make a better burger. Working with the extremes seems to deliver the greatest results.

Years Past

August 21, 2015

August 21, 2011

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 August 21, 2018 at 02:09 PM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS, INSPIRATIONS | Permalink | Comments (0)

Liquid Marshmallow

We went to Ashley's ice cream shop in Madison, CT. I was thrilled to see liquid marshmallow as a topping. I was even more excited to watch Amaya create a dessert of black raspberry, liquid marshmallow and cookie crumbs. She is a marshmallow fanatic and jumped at the opportunity to pair it with the fragrant ice cream. It had me wondering where all the liquid marshmallow has gone and why the heck I'm not finding a way to make my own and integrate it into doughnutland and beyond.

Years Past

August 20, 2015

August 20, 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 August 20, 2018 at 08:23 PM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS | Permalink | Comments (0)

Pepperoni and Cheddar Cheese Toast

The key is the sesame seeds.

Years Past

August 18, 2015

August 18, 2012

August 18, 2011

August 18, 2010

August 18, 2009

August 18, 2008

August 18, 2007

August 18 2006

August 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 August 18, 2018 at 05:53 PM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS | Permalink | Comments (0)

Scoop or Scale?

We use an ice cream scoop to portion our cookies at home. The results are close but not identical. A scale shows us how big a cookie actually is. It enables consistency. If crushing cookies is the desired result a scoop or teaspoon is perfect for portioning. If there are dollars on the line its best to weigh your dough.

Years Past

August 17, 2015

August 17, 2012

August 17, 2011

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 August 17, 2018 at 04:58 PM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Insanity of Recipes

We write recipes. We expect people to read the recipe, procure the ingredients, follow the recipe, and get the desired result; the very first time.

We don't account for variables in equipment, ingredients, skills and free will--the necessity for the cook to change the recipe because they know better.

I'm pretty sure musicians take time to learn new pieces. They are allowed to make mistakes and improve.

But with music, if you don't get the notes right, you still get dinner. With cooking the mistakes are a bit riskier and costly.

So what is the solution? The first is to write better recipes. The second is to encourage trial and reward failure. Sounds great when I write it. But the follow through is a little more difficult.

Does it start with techniques? Does it start with practice? Are the recipes even being cooked?

Years Past

August 16, 2015

August 16, 2012

August 16, 2011

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 August 16, 2018 at 06:07 PM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes | Permalink | Comments (2)

Beignets

We make our beignets at Curiosity Doughnuts with our not quite vegan doughnut dough. (Actually these beignets and the doughnuts are vegan but we use the same fryer and oil for all of our doughnuts so they become vegan-ish.) The beignets are made from the cuttings from the doughnut rings and clusters. We gather the trimmings into a rough rectangle and wrap them in plastic wrap. We refrigerate the dough overnight. The following day we roll it into a 1/8 inch thick sheet. We use an expandable wheel pasta cutter to shape the beignets into not quite perfect squares. We fry the squares and dust them in the required powdered sugar. The beignets have a cult-like following that seems to be growing in size. I may have to expand production to use first cut dough to keep up with demand.

Years Past

August 15, 2015

August 15, 2012

August 15, 2011

August 15, 2010

August 15, 2009

August 15, 2008

August 15, 2007

August 15, 2006

August 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 August 15, 2018 at 05:55 PM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS, Curiosity Doughnuts | Permalink | Comments (0)

15 Minute Ribs

Aki salted a rack of ribs and let it air dry on a rack overnight in the refrigerator. I cut the rack into ribs and put them in a pressure cooker with soffrito, tomato sauce, soy sauce and water. I cooked the ribs for 15 minutes at high pressure. I let the pressure dissipate naturally. The ribs are fork tender while still nicely clinging to the bone. The sauce gains a richness from the meat. In this version we certainly went Italianesque. But if we altered a few ingredients the end result can become an entirely different dish.

Years Past

August 14, 2015

August 14, 2011

August 14, 2010

August 14, 2009

August 14, 2008

August 14, 2007

August 14, 2006

August 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 August 14, 2018 at 06:46 PM in American Noodles, Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS | Permalink | Comments (0)

Interior View

Because what you can't see is just as important as what you can.

Years Past

August 13, 2012

August 13, 2011

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 August 13, 2018 at 05:41 PM in Approach to Cooking, Curiosity Doughnuts | Permalink | Comments (0)

Beat it

Bacon, Egg, Avocado, Tomato on Toast

Summer provides the relaxed framework to make anything into dinner. Summer is the excuse to cook and not cook what makes you happy. Summer inspires a mindset that is worth taking beyond the season. It's worth making summertime cooking a style that we can use all year long.

Years Past

August 12, 2015

August 12, 2011

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 August 12, 2018 at 07:14 PM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, INSPIRATIONS | Permalink | Comments (0)

Letting Ideas Macerate

Ideas, like fruits and vegetables, benefit from maceration.

Years Past

August 11, 2011

August 11, 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 August 11, 2018 at 05:54 PM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS, INSPIRATIONS | Permalink | Comments (0)

Triple Chocolate Remix

Amaya was in the mood to bake today. She wanted something chocolate so I pulled up one of our recipes for her. Instead of using pistachios and chocolate chips in our Triple Chocolate Pistachio Cookies, tonight she went with white and milk chocolate peanut butter cups. An older recipe is new once more.

Years Past

August 10, 2015

August 10, 2012

August 10, 2011

August 10, 2009

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 August 10, 2018 at 05:14 PM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS | Permalink | Comments (0)

A Cool Pasta VIdeo

This pasta video is insanely inspiring and informative. It's a must watch if you dig noodles.

Years Past

August 9, 2015

August 9, 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 August 09, 2018 at 06:19 PM in Approach to Cooking, Videos | Permalink | Comments (0)

What is Science?

I have spent years trying to succinctly explain what science is. A few years ago I was able to piece together the answer.

Science is the continuous quest to verify observations.

Recently I came across another elegant and eloquent solution to my question. The question was asked and answered well before my time.

Years Past

August 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 August 07, 2018 at 06:12 PM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, INSPIRATIONS | Permalink | Comments (0)

Our New Favorite Bacon

We found this in the aisles of Whole Foods. Niman Ranch Steak House Bacon is an extra thick, extra tender, flavorful slab of pork belly. Its thickness provides a decadent eating pleasure. It also increases the cooking time, something which requires a bit more planning for bacon cravings.

The feature of the thick bacon is also its flaw. It remains rich, fatty and meaty, a plus for many though the extra thick fat causes a few grumbles at the table.

The bacon is tremendous in breakfast sandwiches and now seasonal BLT. It makes bacon a central theme rather than something served on the side.

Years Past

August 6, 2015

August 6, 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 August 06, 2018 at 06:43 PM in Approach to Cooking, Ingredients, INSPIRATIONS | Permalink | Comments (0)

Mac and Cheese

We have made provolone crisps before. Today I took that idea further by adding pasta to the browning cheese. The blanched rings became embedded, really bonded, into the cheese. I was able to trim the crisp cheese so that each tube had its own lacy cheese cap. Time to explore its potential.

Years Past

August 2, 2015

August 2, 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 August 02, 2018 at 05:21 PM in American Noodles, Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS | Permalink | Comments (0)

Bonding Egg Noodles

I separated the eggs. I made egg yolk and egg white noodles. Of course I needed to bring them back together. I rolled the egg yolk noodles and the egg white noodles into thin sheets. I layered the sheets and rolled them back into a thin transparent sheet.

I cut the sheet into pappardelle. Is a bonded egg noodle a better noodle? That is still to be decided. If whimsy and intrigue are allowed a vote alongside delicious, it would seem like a landslide victory.

Years Past

August 1, 2015

August 1, 2012

August 1, 2009

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 August 01, 2018 at 02:34 PM in American Noodles, Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS | Permalink | Comments (0)

First Corn Of The Season

At our table, anyway. We missed the very first crop at our local farm, this is from their second round of picking. It was incredibly sweet, juicy, and delicious. It's nice to know we have several more weeks of this bounty to look forward to. The first batch, okay the first few batches, are always simply steamed with butter and salt on the side, for those who want them. We just revel in the flavor of the fresh corn. Later on we'll start tinkering. For now, it's time to savor the summer season.

Years Past

July 31, 2015

July 31, 2012