Rice-Cooker Gourmet

What's A Cobbler?

2009-08-02T23:27:00.001-07:00

From Scrambled: Black Raspberry Cobbler:

"Let's make a pie!" he said.

"Let's make a cobbler!" I countered.

"What's a cobbler?" he asked. The actual answer is that a cobbler is what I am capable of making since I cannot make pie crust (I KNOW. feel free to teach me) but I am pretty good with forgiving doughs that are intended to be rustic and ugly.

Cobbler is too complex for me. I'm a bigger fan of shortcake, where I whip up biscuits and put fruit on top of them and garnish it with mint leaves (did I tell you I'm growing mint? And I haven't killed it yet!) and call it a fancy dessert.

I just re-read that part where I said "whip up biscuits" and I think it's time to leave the south.

Via Scrambled: Black Raspberry Cobbler.

Fruit Slinger

2009-07-27T13:31:00.001-07:00

Oh hi. Remember me? I used to blog here, see I wanted to do a food blog with insightful comments and magazine-perfect food photography. But then I kind of realized that I'm way better at reading that stuff than I am at writing it.

I just discovered Fruit Slinger which is a collection of gorgeous fruit photography (this may be an odd thing to love, but whoa, the textures and patterns, the perfect imperfections, always attract me), meditations on seasons and people, and recipes that I know I won't follow but will at least point me in a direction.

Chocolate Bean Coffee

2009-04-24T09:50:00.001-07:00

I’m not a coffee purist. I know some people think that adding
hazelnut and caramel and amaretto and so forth dilutes the flavour of
the beans, and to those people, I say, hello? Do you not realize you
can drink coffeedrink desserts all day? You are SO missing out! Anyway,
the Chocolate Bean has a long list of specialty coffees or you can add
flavors to regular drinks. In the interests of a fair review, of
course, I had to try a bunch of coffees, and the boring Americano is
nice too, but a cappuccino with hazelnut is definitely my favorite. The
prices are better than Starbucks, too.
The Chocolate Bean doesn’t have Caramel Apple Crack
but they do have my beloved pomegranate green tea, New York-texture
bagels (not bread with a hole in the middle), and smoothies. Did I
mention the gelato? Very Meg-friendly!

What do you think?

Via The Chocolate Bean on Simpson’s Paradox.

On Homemade Food

2009-04-23T11:35:00.001-07:00

I read this over on Woulda Coulda Shoulda » Love is fundamental

Besides, EVERYONE knows that bread you bake yourself doesn’t have any calories. I’m sure I read that somewhere

Exactly what I say. Everything I cook from scratch has zero calories.

Caramel Apple Crack

2009-04-22T10:32:00.001-07:00

Caramel Apple Crack at Starbucks.

I don’t know if the Starbucks in China has this, because I was too busy slurping up all the real-bean coffee and then getting the jitters. I don’t know what’s in it, either. I asked Stick and he thinks maybe it’s sunshine and rainbows and highly addictive chemicals.

Via Thanksgiving on Simpson's Paradox.

I Love Cadbury Eggs

2009-04-20T07:07:00.001-07:00

“Hey, Stick, do you know what the day after tomorrow is?!?”

“The day after Ea—The day Cadbury eggs go on sale.”

“Oh. Guess you already knew then.”

“Meg, we’ve been dating for five years.”

Cadbury Egg! on April 14, 2008
Abrupt Change Of Plans on July 3, 2008
Eight on April 1, 2009
Sabado Gigante on September 8, 2008
Birthday Omelette on January 11, 2008

Via Simpson’s Paradox » No Surprises.

More On Mangosteens

2009-04-10T18:14:00.001-07:00

We found mangosteens in the supermarket today! I recognized them from the Yihai market, but I really didn’t expect to find them in such close proximity to drive-thru hush puppies.

Via Mangosteen Disconnect on Simpson's Paradox.

Artichoke Recipe

2009-03-26T21:39:00.001-07:00

Artichokes can be healthful and delicious, as long as this doesn't happen to you!

It’s been years since I ruined dinner badly enough to scrap it and order take out. Look, I’m not saying I’ve never had trouble boiling water, and there was that time in college when I set off Eric’s smoke detector, but my cooking mistakes are usually minor, food that’s a touch overdone or needs a bit more salt. Not a disaster.
My recipe said that if you don’t have a steamer, you can boil artichokes, placed upright and arranged snugly in saucepan with a few inches of water. I think there was a typo, and what it meant was if you don’t have a steamer, don’t even think about boiling artichokes, placed upright and arranged snugly in saucepan with a few inches of water!

From All Artichoked Up on Simpson's Paradox.

Turkish Coffee

2009-03-07T06:26:00.000-08:00

Have you tried Turkish coffee before? Turkish coffee is stronger and much more caffeinated that your average cup of java. The smell is stronger as well! If you like strong coffee, you will love the tiny cups of Turkish coffee at places like Unaabi Grill. If you don't love strong, strong coffee, then you'll probably only want a sip or two. It's usually served in smaller cups, like espresso, because this is some serious coffee.

Unaabi Grill

2009-03-06T20:26:00.001-08:00

A review of the new Unaabi Grill on Kildaire Farm Road.

Stick got a Turkish coffee, and I tried a gingery green tea, both were awesome. Well, Stick’s coffee was awesome if you like drinking sludge that makes your hands shake, but that seems to be the standard of good Turkish coffee! I always like appetizers better than the main course (see also: metaphors that can be applied to my life) but the kebabs were good too.

Tandoori Tofu

2009-02-28T11:55:00.001-08:00

I saw this over on Mango Power Girl: Tandoori Tofu Kebabs

Who says only meat eaters have fun barbecuing?! These Tandoori Tofu Kebabs are so flavorful and easy to make that even tandoori meat lovers will happily eat them!

I used:
1 block extra-firm tofu, drained and cubed
1 cup plain yogurt
1 tablespoon chana flour
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
1 tablespoon freshly grated garlic
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon dhana-jeeru powder (a blend of ground cumin and coriander seeds)
1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
salt to taste
rock salt and lemon to garnish

Trying this one now, because she's right, why SHOULD only carnivores get to have barbequed yum?

I'm using regular flour because I can't see buying a whole package of chickpea flour for a spoonful, and I'm also just adding cumin and coriander, instead of dhana-jeeru powder.

Unrelated: I think extra-firm tofu and tofu skins are delicious, and I also like super-soft tofu in smoothies. But everything in the middle is just weirdly squishy and not something I like.

Via Mango Power Girl: Tandoori Tofu Kebabs.

Lost Cakes

2009-02-15T07:05:00.001-08:00

I love Lost. And cake. So a Lost cake is all kinds of awesome, even if no one invited me to the party.

I don't know if I could munch on a mini Hurley or Sayid, though.

Via Dispatches from the Island.

Poor Claudius Cookies

2008-12-27T12:21:00.000-08:00

I saw this today on poor_claudius: Gingerbread Emperors!

Gingerbread Emperors!

I guess this is what happens when my friends and I bake Christmas cookies while watching "I, Claudius".

Top row: Augustus, Livia (with poisoned fig), grumpy Tiberius
Bottom row: Caligula (exposing himself), Claudius (with slightly damaged foot), and Nero.

Nero's awesome fiddle was made by [info]elanya out of a tiny snowman-shaped cookie.

Happy Holidays, everyone!

Via poor_claudius: Gingerbread Emperors!

Avocado Shopping

2008-12-10T12:06:00.001-08:00

We also ought to be banned from buying avocados, as I can never catch that minute between green, alligator-skinned rocks and smooshy mess, and I feel ridiculously wasteful every time I throw them away. We were better off in China, when we would carry our avocados and gouda back from Jenny Lou’s, and then wait, checking the avocados for that perfect sandwich ripeness each time before we went out for dumplings.

Via Simpson’s Paradox » Blog Archive » Victory Milk

Twitter Soup

2008-12-06T18:11:00.001-08:00

Saw this on Beth Dunn's blog, small dots, and it's an awesome blend of budget cooking and tech geekery. Best line:

But in hard times, I can’t. I need to rely more on noodles and ramen, less on nori and rabe.

The whole thing's worth a read.

Via stone soup « small dots

Testing Jelly Without A Candy Thermometer

2008-12-03T08:00:00.000-08:00

Elise.com has a simple way to see if the jelly's ready to jell using cold plates. Yay! Because I don't have a candy thermometer lying around.

Too runny to be ready
It's wrinkly, so it's ready
....Put several small plates into the freezer. As the jelly temperature exceeds 218°F, start testing it by placing a small amount of the hot jelly on a chilled plate. If the jelly spreads out and thins immediately, it isn't ready. If it holds its shape a bit, that's a good sign. Push up against it with your finger tip. If the jelly sample wrinkles at all, it is time to take the jelly off the heat and pour it out into jars.

Between this and my last post, you can probably guess what I'm making!

Via Seville Orange Marmalade Recipe | Simply Recipes

Canning Adventures

2008-12-02T08:08:00.001-08:00

Just in case it's not clear what I'm cooking:

I was making cranberry relish yesterday when Stick came into the kitchen and looked hungrily at the jars I was filling.

“You can eat the one on the left, ’cause I screwed up the seal.” I told him, hoping to deter him from sticking a spoon in the boiling cranberry-orange goo.

“Great,” he said. “You make jam and save the botulism for me.”

Via Simpson’s Paradox » Blog Archive » Secret Ingredient

Blanch Three Times

2008-12-02T07:56:00.001-08:00

Jenyu.net has a recipe for candied orange peels which is awesome in itself AND solves my problem with marmalade and so forth, where the white part of citrus fruits makes everything bitter.

Some recipes tell you to remove the pith, but without the pith you are
left with not a lot of orange peel even though it may not technically
be part of the peel. I think the concern is that the pith makes the
peel bitter. You can remedy the bitterness by blanching the peels.

blanch the strips of peel three times

(I know what blanch means but this picture is pretty)

Via use real butter » Blog Archive » candied orange peels

Caramel Apple Crack

2008-11-30T08:55:00.001-08:00

Not something I can cook, but something I really like: Starbucks' Apple Crack!

I don’t know if the Starbucks in China has this, because I was too busy slurping up all the real-bean coffee and then getting the jitters. I don’t know what’s in it, either. I asked Stick and he thinks maybe it’s sunshine and rainbows and highly addictive chemicals.

Note: This is not a paid advertisement, but if Starbucks would pay me I would totally advertise the Apple Crack. In fact, I’d even call it by its proper name.

Via Simpson’s Paradox » Blog Archive » Thanksgiving

Mario and Princess Peach

2008-11-30T07:52:00.000-08:00

Another geeky gem from Cake Wrecks. What is it about the combination of sugar and gaming that makes these cakes so perfect?
Yes, it's a Mario wedding cake. (With a cake like this, I bet the bridesmaid dresses weren't too bad!) And here is the fondant duo that replaces the usual (LAME!) cake topper.

Go over to Cake Wrecks to see more amazing photos.

Soy Sauce And Garum

2008-11-28T19:17:00.001-08:00

I saw this today on Fussy

From Larousse Gastronomique
Soy Sauce

The
following is taken from a traditional Chinese recipe. Boil 2.5 kg (5
1/2 lb. 13 cups) soya beans in water until they are reduced to a puree.
Add 1 kg (2 1/4 lb. 9 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour and knead well to
produce a thick dough. Leave in a cool dark place for 2 days, then hang
the container in a draught for a week. When a yellow mould appears on
the dough, place a jar containing 5 litres (8 1/2 pints, 5 1/2 quarts)
water and 1.5 kg (3 1/4 lb. 5 2/3 cups) salt in a sunny place. When the
water is warm to the touch, put the dough into the jar. Leave this
uncovered for a month, pounding the mixture vigorously every day with a
stick. The mixture will turn black as it ages.

Leave for 4-5
months without stirring or covering the jar, unless the weather is bad,
in which case the jar should be covered. Decant and store the sauce in
hermetically sealed bottles.
Who the hell thought this up,
is what I want to know. Who thought, Hmm, I need some salty black
delicious liquid to dip my dumplings in, maybe I'll just punch some
dough with a stick and then leave it out back until spring? Well,
whoever it was, whether individual or collective, I do thank you.
Because we're having sushi tonight.

I have to wonder if that's what garum would have been like.

Via Fussy

Cashew Chicken Curry

2008-11-25T17:24:00.001-08:00

I started with this recipe for Chicken Curry with Cashews from Epicurious.com, but then started to modify the ingredients

* 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
* 2 medium onions, finely chopped (2 cups)
* 2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
* 1 tablespoon finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
* 3 tablespoons curry powder
* 2 teaspoons salt -- I used garlic salt
* 1 teaspoon ground cumin
* 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
* 1 (3 1/2- to 4-pound) chicken, cut into 10 serving pieces
* 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes -- I used tomato paste since I don't like the texture of tomatoes. Odd, I know.
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
* 3/4 cup cashews (1/4 pound)
* 3/4 cup plain whole-milk yogurt

* Accompaniment: cooked basmati or jasmine rice
* Garnish: chopped fresh cilantro

Saute onions, garlic, and ginger,
in butter, in a wok. (note to self: am I able to cook anything w/out a wok?)

Add curry, garlic salt,
cumin, paprika and cook, stirring.

Add chicken, chopped mushrooms, 1/2 a potato, cilantro and stirfry.

Then add tomato paste and yogurt, simmer until it looks like curry.

Serve over rice!

Via Chicken Curry with Cashews Recipe at Epicurious.com

Sushi Proposal

2008-11-22T12:56:00.000-08:00

I saw this today on the Engrish Brog:

I recently received this cute email from a happy woman named Christin
My boyfriend proposed to me last
weekend after 7 years - we frequent a local sushi restaurant in our
area a few times a month (sometimes more), so it was very fitting that
he popped the question at the sushi place. The miss-spelling only
added to the charm of it all, I just had to share.

Let’s happy marriage!

I would have said yes, too. Sushi and jewelry, what's not to love? Plus I could tease him about the misspelling for years to come!

Via An Engrish Engagement… | Engrish Brog

Staying Fit My Way

2008-11-19T12:52:00.001-08:00

My Usual Workout Routine

10 Go to the gym

20 Overdo workout in an attempt to cancel out unhealthy lifestyle

30 Go home achy and sore

40 Skip the gym because my stupid workout hurt me

50 Feel bad about not going recently and resolve to do a really good workout

60 Go to line 20

Via Simpson’s Paradox : Line 70 is “Become Smoking Hot”

What is Kohlrabi, anyway?

2008-11-18T17:51:00.001-08:00

Orangette has “The Y Chromosome Salad,” a recipe for kohlrabi.