To Thine Own Self, Be Food

You know how there are those certain events in your life in which, when they happen, you know you change in a little, tiny, nearly imperceptible way? The news of the shooting at an elementary school in Connecticut is one of those events for me.  My heart hurts desperately for every single one of those families that will not have their little ones with them at Christmas. I can't even think of how to reconcile the shooter's actions with what I've believed to be true in this world.  I used to think there were some things that were sacred...that nobody, no matter how sick, would knowingly shoot people in a mall or a church or a school... or any place little kids were.  All of that has been shattered...where are the safe places now? Every day I understand this world less and less...and I know I'm not meant to.  Things unfold as they should.  But I wonder how I go on from here.  Is it disrespectful to those who've died if I say I want to turn off my computer, intern

Well, aren't I a bit dilatory?  I could offer a hundred excuses on why I've not posted for a few weeks, but I won't waste your time.  I just haven't posted here...that's all. What's new: I'm still enrolled in culinary arts school.  I've just finished the third week of the second term.  My 4.0 GPA first term was enough to land me on the President's List, and I'm motivated to keep that streak alive. Second term looks like this: Garde Manger Cold Food Principles Culinary Nutrition Food Service Lab 2 Introduction to Business The classical culinary arts definition of the French phrase "Garde Manger" is something along the lines of "food produced in the cold kitchen".  This broad interpretation includes: salads, salad dressings, cold sauces and soups, sandwiches, charcuterie (cold meats), condiments, pickled and marinated foods, vegetables, fruits, cheeses, pates and terrines. So yeah, the first six weeks of this cl

So, with a whole eight weeks of culinary school under my belt, I felt totally qualified to volunteer to host the in-laws for Thanksgiving dinner.  However, shortly after I committed us to the job, I was working on my mise en place .  The menu (or at least what I was providing) was completed within a couple of weeks, and I used the remaining time to "test" out the recipes on my family (they were willing participants). The turkey, the centerpiece, the piece de resistance...how was I going to do it?  Enter NPR (National Public Radio).  I happened to be driving to or from school when I heard Alton Brown being interviewed about dos and don'ts of Turkey Preparation (don't - stuff your turkey or baste it).  He mentioned brining as a method of preparation, and right there is when I knew I wanted to try THAT for my turkey.  Then, he talked about 'spatchcocking', and that sounded less appealing (the concept, that is...the word itself is actually ve

I just picked up, and have begun browsing, Alice Waters's The Art of Simple Food , and for the first time ever, I'm looking at these recipes (by an accomplished, well-known, chef ) and I'm thinking, Hey, I can do these! Well, the truth be told, I could do the recipes before...but now I feel like I'm beginning to understand the logic behind them.  They do not daunt me, is what I mean. So, last night, I'm regaling my husband with tales of fava bean puree and kale and butternut squash soup before bedtime.  I'm also discussing (quite animatedly) the cauliflower gratin we had for supper.  To his credit, he is nodding and acknowledging my comments and suggestions, albeit with the sluggish energy of someone who's ready for bed.  :) And there's what I'm thankful for: a partner who is a.) willing to try any foodstuff I throw under his nose and b.) not so wrapped up in his own chaotic little world.

First of all, one million spacebucks to the person who can tell me exactly what the difference is between the FDA and the USDA. About a year and a half ago, the USDA discarded the oft-revamped Food Pyramid and replaced it with this guy... As if the previous pyramid didn't confuzzle us enough with its distorted, convoluted rainbow-ray configuration, I would say the USDA's latest effort does a fair job at it as well.  And actually, I think I might feel insulted with the above diagram...while on the surface, it looks like a cute, colorful shape-sort puzzle...but as I ponder the wedge-shaped pieces, I realize, I have no idea what the pieces mean.  I. Don't. Understand. And that realization leads to other, scarier ones about government agencies.  But I digress. This MyPlate graphic here indicates that I should eat a large wedge shape full of vegetables every day, followed by a slightly smaller wedge shape of grains...and I dunno, a quick eyeball seems to conclude that

With the weather turning colder, chili is one of my family's favorite dishes.  Personally, I can eat it all year round, I can eat it sitting on the ground, I can eat it with a fox, I can eat it on a box... Wait.  I'm going all Seussical.  Let me bring you back to the topic at hand: Chili + my husband's Improvisational Cornbread = The Hallelujah Chorus But...strangely enough, the week's menu did not call for chili, nor cornbread, this week. Tonight's dinner was supposed to be Corn Casserole.  Brent was in charge of making it.  I'd left a note, pointing him to the specific recipe in the cookbook...because he gets very anxious if there's no recipe to follow.  But my mise en place was most certainly not en place today...but my husband manage to make it work anyway.  He is evolving! The Corn Casserole I'd planned originally called for two boxes of Jiffy cornbread mix and a can of yellow corn.  I had neither in the pantry.  Oops. So, Brent modified

It is very likely that I have an illness.  An addiction illness.  An addiction illness that compels me to get cookbooks every time I am near a place that sells or loans books. Even THOUGH, I have more than enough cookbooks on my shelves already...and there MORE than enough recipes in those cookbooks to keep me occupied three meals a day/seven days a week/fifty-two weeks of the rest of my life.  When I bought my first cookbook (not received as a wedding gift), a conversation with my husband went like this: Me (with fervent excitement): Hey, look at this!  I got a new cookbook today!  Whee! Him (with equal excitement): Great!  You'll make lots of amazing food with that! But years later... Me: (with fervent excitement): Hey, I got a neeeeeeeew cookbook today!  Whee! Him:  Er.  Yes.  Okay. But I don't let him stomp on my parade.  It makes me happy and it's less expensive and damaging than an addiction to methamphetamines.  So I carry on. Imagine how happy I am t

French for "everything in its place".  Or as a colleague of mine says... "todo en su lugar". "Mise en place" is the pre-preparation activity that goes on before the actual baking, cooking, or assembling.  You know, before you make cookies, you get out the flour, the sugar, the butter, the eggs, the chips, etc?  That way, you're not running around the kitchen, grabbing things willy-nilly from the fridge or pantry as you're trying to bake. This concept of having everything in its place before beginning any kitchen project has been oft-reinforced at school.  And now...it's starting to seep into my behaviors in my home kitchen.  As it should be, right? But...that's not all.  I'm also enrolled in a Safety and Sanitation course...and much of that info is now rolling around in my mind as I prepare food.  Gads! This morning, I was preparing a Pizza Casserole Take and Bake dish for a New Mom friend of mine.  Two months ago, I would have

If nothing else, our instructors are precise about the size of our cuts...for example, a large dice must be 3/4" x 3/4" x 3/4" a medium dice must be 1/2" x 1/2" x 1/2" a small dice must be 1/4" x 1/4" x 1/4" a brunoise must be 1/8" x 1/8" x 1/8" a fine brunoise must be 1/16" x 1/16" x 1/16" and one teacher in particular is able to eyeball whether our large dices are too small and our fine brunoise is too big. For me, someone who is spatially impaired, this detail to measurement is difficult to visualize.  So, I created a handy-dandy little measuring card to fit in my chef coat pocket...AND I laminated it.  Ha! Eventually, I will get the mental picture of what a 3/4" cube looks like.  My larger problem? Fluting/turning a mushroom.  Our instructor demonstrated it, quickly, in class one day, and it was beautiful.  The rest of us tried it, and ended up hacking up our poor fungi to death. With a ve

So.  Three weeks of culinary arts school done.  My French vocabulary is way expanding.  In addition to the names of the many, many French chefs who contributed to modern food services...there are many, many French terms in regards to knife skills. I've practiced these particular skills...and many, many more...(pictures courtesy of Google Images...mostly Wikipedia) Chiffonade: French for 'to turn into rag-like strips' A batonnet cut (on left): French for 'little stick'.  That's a small dice on the right. Tourneed potatoes and mushrooms: French for 'to turn' The beginning of a tomato concasse: French for 'to crush or grind' Es tres bien! 

For one of my classes, we're reading Lessons in Service , which is a guide (of sorts) to excellent restaurant service.  The book revolves around Charlie Trotter's restaurant in Chicago. I'm two chapters in, and the primary lessons so far are treat people like they're royalty, treat others how you want to be treated, and in the restaurant world, sweat the small stuff. I'm surprised at how easily the students spit these words out to the instructor, but I wonder if they even know what they're saying.  Honestly, how can I treat my customers like royalty if I really don't know what royalty is treated like?  Also, it's hard to visualize how to treat others based on how I want to be treated...everyone has different thresholds for that.  Personally, I don't want someone being rude to me, but I don't think that necessarily translates into good service.  There's something about servers anticipating my needs and wants, and getting me to have a good

After two weeks of culinary arts school, here's what I know: The chipping around I do in my kitchen and write about here is nothing like being in a professional workplace. My emotions have run the gamut these last several days.  I've been exhilarated, discouraged, distressed, exhausted...and I've second-guessed myself a lot.  I've been asking a lot of questions and doing a lot of self-reflecting. And it's all been wonderful.  I'm being challenged and I'm meeting some amazingly inspiring people. Tonight, though, might be the turning moment.  About eight of my classmates (and myself) stayed to help with a function the older Culinary students were putting on.  We started around four-thirty, and I and another student were given Crab-and-Tarragon scone duty.  Then, around six, we went out front to the "party" and manned the hors d'oeuvres station.  There, two other students and myself smiled and answered questions about the food. It was a

This culinary school thing will, by far, be the most challenging thing I've ever done. Truly, I'm about to have my mettle tested.  You know, see the stuff I'm made of.  Find out my quality.  And all those other heroistic cliches you've seen in pop culture. Yesterday, the head of our program brought in foie gras for us to try (no apologies, animal rights activists).  He said he wanted us to expand our palates, try new things, expand our horizons. And frankly, it was delicious.  Rich and savory, I was still tasting it ten minutes later. Which brings me to my own, limited food experience.  I don't really mean eating-wise...I mean, I'll try anything new any day of the week.  But I'm beginning to understand that I am definitely lacking culture... and that I must have it in my life to feel whole.  And by culture, I don't mean Lays potato chips dipped in cottage cheese (which is that example that one student used to support his claim that "I love t

I slept poorly. I left my house, only to return five minutes because I'd forgotten important parts of my uniform. I've been wandering about campus since nine, attending various orientations, checking out various clubs, eating a free lunch, and whiling away the hours until my two o'clock class. And all I can keep thinking right now is can class please, pretty please, just start?   And I sure don't remember thinking that on my first day of classes at Iowa State, way back in the good ol' fall of 1993.  In fact, I don't really remember paying for my tuition at ISU (which of course I must have, how else would they have given me a degree?)...but I certainly know I am paying that bill now. And that will make all the difference, I suspect. Not that I didn't appreciate my college education back then.  I did.  Sort of.  It got me a job.  The job got me money.  The money allowed me to start a family, buy a house, etc.  But one day, I dunno, the money wasn'

A little bit of a departure today from food.  Quelle surprise, I know, but with my culinary arts classes starting next week...I figure from here on out, you'll be hearing more than you want about food and whatnot. So, today...something different.  My kitchen (and maybe even your kitchen too).   My kitchen equals my happy place. However, after my kids leave for school in the morning, that happy place looks something like this: Not a happy place Breakfast detritus Not that my kitchen is filthy , but it's distressing.  It looks messier and more cluttered than it really is.  The number of open cabinet doors (not to mention the lazy susan in the corner) are appalling, because the jumble of colors, shapes, and features of the items inside cuts up the neat streamline of the brown wood's continuity.  Likewise with the neutral countertops - chaos explodes all over the place as items that Don't Belong are strewn all along the beige Formica landscape. But, in thes

If she were still alive today, she'd be 100 years old. Happy Birthday, Julia Child! As I begin (in less than two weeks) this journey into the Culinary Arts, I've named her my inspiration.  Because...I did some research and found out that she attended cooking school in Paris sometime in 1949 or 1950...which places her... ...right around the age of 37 or 38. Holy vache.  I myself am around that same age.  She did exactly what I am doing now.  And look at what she did! Also, she's famously quoted, and a couple of them strike at the heart of the matter. “The only real stumbling block is fear of failure. In cooking you've got to have a what-the-hell attitude.”  and  I know now who my hero is.

Bento.  Not Barbie. We are in our ninth year of school-starting preparations here.  School clothes and supply shopping, setting alarm clocks, resetting normal schedules...you know, all that jazz. But, here's what different.  The kiddos aren't the only ones heading back to school.  Their mama's going too...back to college!  And she's had to do her own fair bit of school supply shopping herself. And that includes a new lunchbox.  While I am quite partial to the classic metal lunch box, I decided to go with something a bit cuter and more...well, portioned. Enter Bento Box.  (mine purchased at www.laptoplunches.com )  Bento is traditionally Japanese, and is usually a single-portion home-made meal carefully allocated into neat little serving sizes.  This pic, courtesy of Wikipedia, shows a typical bento.   Depending on who you ask, obesity is either a.) out of hand,  b.) all the school's fault, c.) all the parents' fault, d.) b and c, e.) irrelevant, cons

Harry Potter is 32 years old today.  Huzzah! With seven books, eight movies, numerous video and computer games, and the juggernaut that is known as licensed merchandise, the odds of someone having no clue who Harry Potter is are roughly the same as the ones that I will ever meet Matt Damon. My guess is that anyone in the world who says they've never heard of Harry Potter is lying...because for some reason, it's cool to admit it.  What a delusional world they live in... A few weeks' ago, when I was obligated to read a couple of crummy (nicest word I can muster) books called The Marriage Plot and Fifty Shades of Grey ...I turned to the Harry Potter series to help clear out the literary ickies.  And just like a Lay's potato chip, I couldn't have just one.  I reread the whole series in less than a month...and while I was at it, I watched all the movies for good measure too. With that kind of obsession under my belt, it's no shocker that I know today is Harr

Two overripe, frozen bananas + food processor/blender  =  awesomeness! I know, I know.  Those of you with more savvy than I are castigating me from afar...I am WAY behind the Yonanas craze...because I'm JUST NOW discovering the amazingly custardy and waaay healthfully simple dessert that is the result of the above equation. Here's what happened.  After doing inventory yesterday, I discovered a half-dozen bananas that were very, very brown and in need of feeling useful.  Naturally, in cases like these, my first thoughts go to banana-flavored baked goods.  So, I put together a loaf of banana bread.  But, two lonely fruits still remained after that was done.  A search on the internet turned up this recipe for One-Ingredient Ice Cream. Oh, color me intrigued. Step #1: Place two overripe bananas (which I just happened to have!) in freezer for one to two hours. Step #2: Remove partially frozen bananas, place in processor, and hit On button.  Scrape down once or tw

No excuses.  I've been back from vacation for a couple of days...and I'm just now getting my kitchen bearings back on. Our family vacation food plan consisted of meals in restaurants, gas station snacks, and processed cooler-ready foods (okay, there was a bag of apples in the trunk somewhere).  Naturally, upon arriving home, I feel the desperate need to one, eat more healthy, and two, prepare my own food. And so, that's what yesterday was all about.  And...don't forget: it's summer.  I do believe my kitchen ministrations put together a light, but formidable, summer meal. Here's what you're looking at: BLTs and Quinoa Garden Salad. The traditional BLTs have undergone a slight modification, partly because of what's in my fridge and partly because our family is on an avocado binge at present. Instead of bread, whole-wheat, low-carb tortillas act as the sandwich material. A light layer of mayo holds together the pre-cooked turkey bacon, leaf lett

Just so you all know, I am registered Independent.  But, I've just finished reading Walter Scheib's White House Chef ...and the one recipe in that whole memoir/cookbook that I feel I could confidently make (and find the ingredients for) was for something called "Tex-Mex Chex".  According to Mr. Scheib, President GW Bush requested this snack frequently...even traveled with bags of it.  Personally, I like the addition of the pumpkin seeds and pistachios, not to mention the added Texas heat. And so...in honor of our nation's birthday tomorrow and the impending presidential election...I give you the newly-renamed... Republican Chex Mix Preheat oven to 250 degrees. 1 1/2 cups of each: Wheat, Rice, and Corn Chex cereal 3/4 cups pumpkin seeds and pistachios (note: original recipe calls for unsalted nuts, but I couldn't find any - so I left out the pinch of salt) 1 cup pretzel sticks Combine these in large bowl.  Set aside. 3 Tbsp. butter, melted an

Why does summertime make me think of potato salad? Eh, no matter. But...my love of the mayo-based concoction has waned in recent years.  I don't know why - maybe I'm getting older.  Or getting fatter.  Or maybe I just don't like mayonnaise much anymore (except on sandwiches).  Whatever the reason, I usually bypass the heavy, creamy salads...and that includes potato salad. Until today.  For your pleasure, I present a new take on a old favorite. 3 to 4 cups of peeled potatoes, cut into 3/4" dice Bring water and potatoes to a boil in a medium saucepan for 5 to 8 minutes, until potatoes are tender, but not mushy.  Drain water from potatoes and lay the cooked veg out on a cookie sheet. 1 cup peas (fresh or frozen) Bring peas and salted water to a boil for 4 to 8 minutes (peas will be tender).  Put 1/3 cup of the cooked peas into a large bowl and mash thoroughly.  Whisk in the following ingredients: 3 Tbsp olive oil 2 1/2 Tbsp red wine vinegar 2 tsp Dijon m

It's good to know, in these difficult tween-age times, that the apple fritter doesn't fall too far from the tree. My daughter is eleven...and that means every day brings something different.  Every hour, for that matter.  Sometimes she's sweet and kind and beautiful, and sometimes she can be the opposite. Last night, though, she was looking through this book, A Baker's Field Guide to Cupcakes , which I'd checked out from the library (not so much because I wish to actually create the cupcakes, but because I like looking at the elaborate pictures and dream of a day when I can masterfully work with fondant and edible plastic).  And she then asks me: Mom, can I make the Crumb Cake cupcakes?   She further presses her case: We have all the ingredients.   Of course I will let her. Thankfully, the recipe wasn't too complicated.  She made the crumb topping first, then the cupcake batter, and I assisted only at the end, pouring the batter into the muffin tins (and

With Chocolate-Chip Scones!  A scone is classified as a bread, but to me, they seem more of a biscuit...which technically...is a bread too.  Scones originated in Scotland and southern England...and they are not to be confused, according to Wikipedia, with tea cakes and currant buns.  But, stupid me, I can hardly resist clicking the lateral links there at Wikipedia, and after reading entries for both tea cakes and currant buns, I can't be anything BUT confused. Anyway, back to scones.  As you know, the Summer Olympics are being held in London this year.  And the Queen's Diamond Jubilee was celebrated this year too.  In commemoration, then, with two events that I am largely disinvolved with - it's scone time! I happened to have an extra half-bag of chocolate chips sitting around, and that's why I chose to add them.  However, I've also got in a request from my daughter to make scones again, this time with frozen blueberries (also available to me at present).  T

This is a tough question.  It's similar to asking the epic question: Favorite wizard - Gandalf or Dumbledore? For me, though, it's: Favorite Dairy Product- Cheese or Yogurt? And while I love the versatility of yogurt as a breakfast food and a baking ingredient, I must, in the end, opt for cheese.  For the endless variety. But here's what is a little sad to me: that for us Americans, cheese is SO limited.  I know I was fully grown before I knew that "fresh" mozzarella was not that semi-dried, shredded, bagged stuff produced by Kraft, et al.  And I know I was inexcusably old when I discovered Parmesan cheese's natural form. I know.  I know.  Please pick your jaws up off the floor now.  It's shocking, but not surprising, I think.  As a child, we ate such exotic, foreign foods like tacos and La Choy chow mein.  I cannot imagine my mom buying a block of Gouda...and I cannot imagine my dad being willing to try it.  I don't intend to libel my parents

I like chocolate. I like wine. It was only a matter of time until I would put the two together. Red Wine Cupcakes (recipe courtesy of the ladies at We Are Not Martha ) 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 5 oz. chocolate chips 1/2 cup boiling water (two to three minutes in microwave) Combine these three until chips are completely melted. Set aside. 2 sticks butter, room temperature 1 1/2 C sugar 4 eggs Cream the first two, and add one egg at a time, beating in completely. 1 1/4 C flour 1 1/2 t baking powder 1 t salt Combine these dry ingredients and mix into egg mixture. 3/4 C red wine (I went with a local favorite) Alternate melted chocolate and wine into flour-egg mixture. When all in combined, fill muffin cups to near full and bake for 20-27 minutes at 350 degrees. Let cupcakes cool slightly and remove to wire rack. Then...in lieu of the cream cheese frosting recipe posted at the website, I opted for a simpler one. Red Wine Frosting Beat togethe

Infallible = incapable of being wrong or making mistakes Some time ago, I procured a recipe for Lemon Lemon Cake from a friend.  I finally got the ambition last week to make it.  I just today have the courage to blog about the experience. Only two things went wrong, really...but they were massive.  First (and the most dastardly), I attempted to remove the cake from the pan...pretty much immediately after it came out of the oven, which is why it looks like such: The other (most minor) infraction occurred before this, as the cake was baking. As  I prepared the glaze (powdered sugar and lemon juice), I was struck by a bolt of inspiration (later: 'bolt of stupidity').  Adding a box of cherry-lemonade jello powder to the glaze woulf render a little extra flavor and color.  WRONG.  I wound up with a gritty mess.  Imagine mixing sand with water - that's the kind of texture I'm talking about. So yeah, all-around epic failure here.  However, in the days since, I'v