I have made this delightful cake for a friend's birthday.
I shouted for joy when the egg whites formed stiff peaks.
I oohed and ahhed as the chocolate mixed with the yolks and sugar.
I at the crunchy parts of the crust that fell off.
Delicious.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Batard-ed
In honor of the feast day of Our Lady of Lourdes, I made French bread. Baguettes, which are long loaves, cannot be baked in a regular oven. Batards are a shorter, rounder loaves made of the same ingredients.
I consulted Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume II, for the recipe. It was seven pages. Four simple ingredients--unbleached flour, salt, yeast and water--took seven pages of masterful cooking technique (science really) to accomplish. The process takes a minimum of eight hours. Most of that is sitting and waiting for the yeast to act in the flour.
When all was said and done, I had six loaves. I was told they were tasty, but there were tons of problems. The bread didn't rise in the oven. I could tell because the slits I cut in the top just before baking were about the same size afterward. The bread had a slightly sour taste, indicating the yeast did not have enough time, or too much time, to work. The outside of the bread was perfect and crusty. The inside did not have enough holes.
While I walked the Camino de Santiago, I passed a woman delivering bread from the back of her car, just west of Ponferrada. I do not remember her face, but I remember almost 100 loaves, unwrapped, jutting from baskets.
I have a newfound and tremendous amount of respect for that woman.
Bon Appetit.
I consulted Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume II, for the recipe. It was seven pages. Four simple ingredients--unbleached flour, salt, yeast and water--took seven pages of masterful cooking technique (science really) to accomplish. The process takes a minimum of eight hours. Most of that is sitting and waiting for the yeast to act in the flour.
When all was said and done, I had six loaves. I was told they were tasty, but there were tons of problems. The bread didn't rise in the oven. I could tell because the slits I cut in the top just before baking were about the same size afterward. The bread had a slightly sour taste, indicating the yeast did not have enough time, or too much time, to work. The outside of the bread was perfect and crusty. The inside did not have enough holes.
While I walked the Camino de Santiago, I passed a woman delivering bread from the back of her car, just west of Ponferrada. I do not remember her face, but I remember almost 100 loaves, unwrapped, jutting from baskets.
I have a newfound and tremendous amount of respect for that woman.
Bon Appetit.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
A Side Effect of Eating Naturally
So I had some bad weeks, vanquished by Papa John's pizza and the Christmas chocolates my mom sent out in little dishes around the apartment. But! I have returned to eating naturally and today, as I was packing up my things up after school around 3:45, I thought,
"I could sure use some water."
Water? Three months ago at this time I would have been scarfing down granola bars or snatching at the dregs of the principal's free candy bowl, draining two diet cokes and stopping off for chocolate on the way home. Okay, so I still sometimes stop off for chocolate on the way home.
But! Studies indicate we often eat when we're just thirsty. The amazing thing for me today was that I did not have a sensation of thirst in my palate, but experienced a physical need for water. To me, this is evidence that when we stop giving our body the smoke and mirrors of processed, artificial food, it is better able to regulate and communicate what it actually needs.
I read once, somewhere, that there was no link between what we crave and what substances our body is deficient in. I disagree.
"I could sure use some water."
Water? Three months ago at this time I would have been scarfing down granola bars or snatching at the dregs of the principal's free candy bowl, draining two diet cokes and stopping off for chocolate on the way home. Okay, so I still sometimes stop off for chocolate on the way home.
But! Studies indicate we often eat when we're just thirsty. The amazing thing for me today was that I did not have a sensation of thirst in my palate, but experienced a physical need for water. To me, this is evidence that when we stop giving our body the smoke and mirrors of processed, artificial food, it is better able to regulate and communicate what it actually needs.
I read once, somewhere, that there was no link between what we crave and what substances our body is deficient in. I disagree.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Pesto
"I thought I'd never have to say this but...did you wash that hammer before you used it?"
That was my friend Jim, eyeing my pesto-making methods warily one weeknight. We had decided to make homemade pesto. In the absence of a food processor, I resorted to cutting basil leaves into thin strips, then spreading them over a large cutting board and mashing them with a hammer. The result was messy. And tasty.
Hammer or food processor, pesto is a unique alternative to red or white sauce when cooking pasta, or making pizza. While it has a high fat content, most of that is from olive oil and pine nuts or walnuts.
The other benefit of eating pesto is that the olive oil is not heated, and thus retains all the complexities of its flavor. Many people are not familiar with its great taste, which comes from chemicals that evaporate in the high heat of sauteeing and frying (1).
A nice recipe for pesto can be found here. The ingredients are simple and from there it is a game of ratios. Increase and decrease amounts to suit your palate. I recommend using regular olive oil, not extra virgin, because it gives pesto a little bite. Toss with linguine noodles and chicken with no preservatives for a tasty dinner. Fresh noodles, found in the refrigerated section of the grocery store, compliment pesto nicely. If you want some adventure, try these Luscious Oatmeal Dinner Rolls as a side.
A strange note: pesto made with a hammer, while not recommended for the faint of heart (basil brutality), tastes better than pesto made with a food processor. It may be because of (1) the manner in which the basil leaves are cut, (2) the quality of parmesan cheese used, (3) the quality or type (extra virgin or regular) of the olive oil used, (4) the well-known fact that food tastes better after hard work!
1. http://www.oliveoilsource.com/cooking_olive_oil.htm
That was my friend Jim, eyeing my pesto-making methods warily one weeknight. We had decided to make homemade pesto. In the absence of a food processor, I resorted to cutting basil leaves into thin strips, then spreading them over a large cutting board and mashing them with a hammer. The result was messy. And tasty.
Hammer or food processor, pesto is a unique alternative to red or white sauce when cooking pasta, or making pizza. While it has a high fat content, most of that is from olive oil and pine nuts or walnuts.
The other benefit of eating pesto is that the olive oil is not heated, and thus retains all the complexities of its flavor. Many people are not familiar with its great taste, which comes from chemicals that evaporate in the high heat of sauteeing and frying (1).
A nice recipe for pesto can be found here. The ingredients are simple and from there it is a game of ratios. Increase and decrease amounts to suit your palate. I recommend using regular olive oil, not extra virgin, because it gives pesto a little bite. Toss with linguine noodles and chicken with no preservatives for a tasty dinner. Fresh noodles, found in the refrigerated section of the grocery store, compliment pesto nicely. If you want some adventure, try these Luscious Oatmeal Dinner Rolls as a side.
A strange note: pesto made with a hammer, while not recommended for the faint of heart (basil brutality), tastes better than pesto made with a food processor. It may be because of (1) the manner in which the basil leaves are cut, (2) the quality of parmesan cheese used, (3) the quality or type (extra virgin or regular) of the olive oil used, (4) the well-known fact that food tastes better after hard work!
1. http://www.oliveoilsource.com/cooking_olive_oil.htm
Disodium Phosphate
Gas station food is nearly all off limits since pledging to eat all-natural ingredients. But the other day, while harriedly filling at the pump and wishing energy could be dispensed this way for humans, I found some cheesy popcorn that claimed to be all-natural. Disodium phosphate, an ionic compound of Sodium (Na), Phosphorous (P), and Oxygen (O), was one of the ingredients.
Disodium phosphate is added to white cheese popcorn as a sequestering agent(2). The cheese flavor comes from an evaporated dairy product, and Disodium phosphate, as a sequestrant, stabilizes ions in this substance, inhibiting their reaction with other ingredients or the air (3).
Disodium phosphate is also marketed as a nutritional supplement. Rocky Mountain Wellness claims it supports liver and gallblader function by maintaining the balance between acidity and basicity in the body. Their marketed Disodium phosphate capsules also contain gelatin, stearic acid, water, and "colors." Hm. (1)
It seems Disodium phosphate does not have any immediate health hazards. However, its presence in my popcorn reinforces a persistent question on this food journey. Even with all-natural ingredients, how processed is too processed? Should I have saved $1.89 at the gas station, gone home, and popped some popcorn kernels tossed with oil and sea salt, and maybe eaten a piece of cheese? No preservatives, even natural ones, are needed for this snack. This would have taken time and energy, but would it have been better for my body, in the long run, than dehydrated dairy products and Disodium phosphate?
1. http://www.rockymtnwellness.com/resources/disodiumphosphate3600.pdf
2. http://www.chymist.com/Food%20Additives-What%20they%20do.pdf
3. http://www.glossary.oilfield.slb.com/Display.cfm?Term=sequestering%20agent
Disodium phosphate is added to white cheese popcorn as a sequestering agent(2). The cheese flavor comes from an evaporated dairy product, and Disodium phosphate, as a sequestrant, stabilizes ions in this substance, inhibiting their reaction with other ingredients or the air (3).
Disodium phosphate is also marketed as a nutritional supplement. Rocky Mountain Wellness claims it supports liver and gallblader function by maintaining the balance between acidity and basicity in the body. Their marketed Disodium phosphate capsules also contain gelatin, stearic acid, water, and "colors." Hm. (1)
It seems Disodium phosphate does not have any immediate health hazards. However, its presence in my popcorn reinforces a persistent question on this food journey. Even with all-natural ingredients, how processed is too processed? Should I have saved $1.89 at the gas station, gone home, and popped some popcorn kernels tossed with oil and sea salt, and maybe eaten a piece of cheese? No preservatives, even natural ones, are needed for this snack. This would have taken time and energy, but would it have been better for my body, in the long run, than dehydrated dairy products and Disodium phosphate?
1. http://www.rockymtnwellness.com/resources/disodiumphosphate3600.pdf
2. http://www.chymist.com/Food%20Additives-What%20they%20do.pdf
3. http://www.glossary.oilfield.slb.com/Display.cfm?Term=sequestering%20agent
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Recipe 1: Spaghetti and Meatballs
Here is a hearty, wintry spaghetti and meatballs recipe.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/spaghetti-and-meatballs-recipe/index.html
For an all-natural recipe,
1) Use fresh Parmesan instead of canned, and
2) olive oil instead of bacon drippings.
3) If you're a stickler, make sure the wine you use doesn't contain sulfites.
Serve with a salad and whole grain pasta; make bread, if you're feeling adventurous.
Happy cooking!
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/spaghetti-and-meatballs-recipe/index.html
For an all-natural recipe,
1) Use fresh Parmesan instead of canned, and
2) olive oil instead of bacon drippings.
3) If you're a stickler, make sure the wine you use doesn't contain sulfites.
Serve with a salad and whole grain pasta; make bread, if you're feeling adventurous.
Happy cooking!
Xanthan Gum
I have been examining many ingredient labels lately, and Xanthan gum is present in nearly all the processed foods I look at. This ingredient, which sounds like some sort of martian chicle, is a type of sugar that has been fermented with a bacteria species called Xanthomonas campestris .
The bacteria consumes and digests the sugar, creating a starchy byproduct. This substance is used to thicken foods or create a creamy texture in low-fat dairy foods. It is also a substitute for wheat gluten. (1)
Xanthan gum is naturally made, so in terms of my yearly commitment, it makes the cut. However, I wonder how the body digests and processes this type of ingredient. Most importantly, is it necessary? If I can have natural oil and vinegar salad dressing, is that better than a low-fat basalmic vinegarette that contains Xanthan gum?
To me, yes.
1. http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-xanthan-gum.htm
The bacteria consumes and digests the sugar, creating a starchy byproduct. This substance is used to thicken foods or create a creamy texture in low-fat dairy foods. It is also a substitute for wheat gluten. (1)
Xanthan gum is naturally made, so in terms of my yearly commitment, it makes the cut. However, I wonder how the body digests and processes this type of ingredient. Most importantly, is it necessary? If I can have natural oil and vinegar salad dressing, is that better than a low-fat basalmic vinegarette that contains Xanthan gum?
To me, yes.
1. http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-xanthan-gum.htm
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